After circling the underground market. Selina eventually managed to garner each of the ingredients her makeshift altar needs, plus a few additional materials for potions she plans to concoct.
A brewing set snuggles in the paper bag from her left and the rest held by her right.
She felt a bit of sore from the constant pressure. A few twist over the shoulder was inevitable.
Phew... All that's left now is a fertile soil. I think the local Gardener's Shop should have them...
As she stepped closer toward the exiting stairwell. She recalled the crazy, paled Ademisaul from when she accompanied Old Neil.
Earlier, Selina fortunately did not passed this fellow. However the second time may not be the case.
Instinctively, she patted her coat for a tiny vial. Thankfully she did not forget to bring the Amantha extract she had stored away.
Selina moved with mechanical grace. Turning right after an intersection then walked linearly.
Just as she finally found the stairwell leading up, a hysterical laugh prompted her from another step.
"Hahaha!" a man, seated by a corner pointed at each passing pedestrians. Looking at them as if they're a laughing stock.
Selina held her breath and paced her steps, straining not to be noticed. She turned her head away.
Then, on a whim, Ademinsaul cried in pain, "No! No! No!"
He reached his hair with both of his hands and tried to forcefully pluck the strands off his head. The pedestrians wouldn't spare an attention as they went about their day.
Finally, Selina returned to the surface. The bar had a few customers—faces drawn onto their alcohol.
The air was stale with the scent of old liquor and cleaning solutions.
Selina saw the small arena at the center. It was empty and there were no boxing matches nor any rat-baiting wages being held.
At that moment, the bar's gate swinged open and another cloaked person entered.
The figure was taller than her. Other than being concealed, the figure's prominent feature was her chest.
They looked much bigger than mine... Selina felt a hint of superiority complex creeping in.
However, she instantly shook it off and went across the the bar's open space.
"I'll be going now Mr. Swain." She halted and smiled.
"What a heavy bags you got there", Swain commented lightly.
Selina smiled wryly and said, "Well, I need them to practice my skills in concocting medicines."
Oddly enough, Swain laughed. "Haha, do you need a hand for that?"
... Selina unknowingly made a peculiar face.
Don't you usually displeased my visit?
Swain noticed her face and explained, "You see, Ms. Roy. Your offer was sudden that I thought of you in the wrong way."
He placed a glass down and added.
"After Old Neil and I chatted, he mentions of your nature. I guess I've made a bad impression of myself and probably the same goes for you. Say, why were you so persistent in becoming a waitress anyway?"
Selina awkwardly smiled as she answered, "I... I'm very sorry. At that time I'm new in this city. I want to garner as much information as I can and being exposed to people could favor me as much."
"And being a waitress made you think this covers all of this traits?" Swain followed his question.
Selina slowly nodded.
Swain sighed. Suddenly he chuckled, "Well, it's in the past. Let me introduce myself again, my name is Swain, the boss here."
A Former Tingen Mandated Punisher Captain... Selina briefly recalled Old Neil's description of him in one of their discussions.
"Selina Roy. Again, I'm very sorry", Selina returned the gestures, however it was difficult as she was holding two filled paper bags.
"Haha, it's alright. If you're in need of money and information, you don't have to be a worker to ask, just feel free to approach me." Swain walked over from the counter and began inspecting the liquors on the shelves.
At the reach of his hand, he turned his head and asked in passing, "By the way. Do you still need help with those?"
Selina weighted her paper bag and found it manageable after awhile resulting in her refusal.
As she focused toward the entrance. Upon crossing paths with the cloaked lady. She subconsciously stole a glance on the lady's visage.
The cloaked woman had a supple glow of snow-white skin over a round face. She felt a gentle and grounding temperament from her.
It hasn't been a second before the woman strode pass Selina. Leaving her in a moment of daze.
A strange feeling brought her into a trance that only lasted for a split-second. Instinctively, she looked back to take a second glance.
However, in doing so, the lady had already greeted Swain and left for the underground market.
Who was she? Selina pursed her lips and turned away. She was trying not to unknowingly garner suspicion.
After adjusting her shoulders, she resumed her pace.
...
After visiting the local garden shop by the West District and dropping off her groceries in her unit. Selina took a public carriage to Blackthorn Company.
Today, she plans to procure as many formulas as she can, honing her actual skill and aligning with her pathway sequence rather than reading.
Selina greeted Rozanne at the partition, a brief exchange over the weather occurred before she head to the Company's basement.
At the narrow path, she saw a black-haired lady, apart of the official Nighthawk team. Her brows were long and slender, sitting atop a pair of large eyes.
It was the Nighthawk, Royale Reideen.
"Good morning", she said in passing.
Selina smiled and nod, "Good morning as well."
Royale returned the courtesy and left.
With the impression of this Nighthawk as cold and quite. Selina did not mind it as she resumed her pace.
Soon, she saw a corner door, slightly ajar with flickering lights seeping into the floor.
She carefully opened it and saw the silver stranded, wrinkled Old Neil in his robe taking daily maintenance of the revolvers.
"May I come in?" said Selina straining from the door.
Old Neil jolted and instantly looked back. His slightly crooked posture bearing the toll of age.
"You're a startle Ms. Roy."
Selina chuckled dryly, "I'm sorry... Uhm, do I have a mysticism lecture from you today?"
Old Neil placed the revolver he had in hand back in the casing before saying, "Haha, today you can take the time off. Perhaps if I clog every lesson to you in one go, you might forget them instantly."
What? Selina became anxious.
"How about you resume reading the documents about the Apothecary Sequence Pathway that the Earth Mother Church provided?" Old Neil added as he picked another revolver to inspect.
"I'm nearing the end of it so I figured I should take it slow from now on." Selina replied.
Old Neil heard this and chuckled, "Well, life is not a race Ms. Roy. The more you rush things, the more mistakes you make. Hmm... How about listing to me about the things you have read?"
Selina sighed and entered.
She took a high-back chair and sat before falling into a recollection. Nearly ten seconds later, she answered.
"The first topic covers how the Church procures medicines. The station includes glass tubes that connects to one another, a mortar and a pestle as well as miniature metal burners and beakers."
Basically a set similar to glassware used in chemistry labs. The only difference is, they're under Emperor Roselle's innovative inventions... Yes...
Selina felt her impression of the Emperor downgrade once more.
Hopefully he's not thinking himself as a main character just like in the novels back home...
"The next topic that came after was the formulas and their procedures. I have done one of the drugs listed, it was known for its numbing property and today I finally have the confidence to begin making more useful medicines and potions."
The confidence came from the fact that she had learned how Apothecaries carries with their herbs. In certain cases, beyonders of this sequence are able to "tame" said plants, either nurturing them and stimulating their potential, producing magical effects.
The "taming" procedure occurs after the Apothecary had the plant's affection, inducing a relaxing sensation to the touch. This was the feeling that Selina had once mistook for a digesting her potion.
Once "tamed, they will undergo an improvement into their properties. Apothecaries are then able to concoct them easily. Procuring medicines or drugs with mystical effects and with intended effects most of the time.
"That's great." Old Neil's wrinkles contorts to a smile.
Selina recounted everything she had read, including her midnight reflections.
Upon receiving a satisfied grin from Old Neil. She quickly excused herself and made her way to the alchemy.
...
Three hours later. Inside the Captain's office.
Dunn looked at the portrait in his hands with his deep gray eyes.
"You wish to carry out a search for this person?"
"Yes." Klein had long prepared a reason for this. "Captain, didn't I mention that I would head to the Divination Club to observe the reactions of its members on Hanass Vincent's sudden death? I didn't discover anything yesterday, but I accidentally found out today that the person in the portrait had appeared with Hanass Vincent once and was secretly discussing something with him. I flipped through our team's investigation report just now, but I didn't discover any person resembling him in the report."
There were no loopholes in his description. Even if Dunn Smith were to take this portrait to the Divination Club, he would get the same answer from Angelica.
Dunn cast his gaze away from the portrait and laughed.
"From the looks of it, the compensation funds weren't a waste."
... Captain, isn't your memory bad? Why would you mention the compensation at this point in time... Klein maintained a smile and didn't say a word.
"Was this drawn by you?" Dunn asked in passing.
"Yes. I drew it with the help of ritualistic magic," Klein replied, completely honest.
Dunn nodded slightly and said, "Get Old Neil to make a few more sets. I'll get Kenley and Royale to investigate and seek the cooperation of the police department. If this clue is of any use, you would've contributed greatly once again."
"May the Goddess bless us." Klein tapped four spots on his chest as he appeared abnormally devout.
"Wait." Dunn stopped Klein at the last minute.
Klein turned around, a bit worried he said, "Is there something more?"
Is it my advance compensation for this contribution? he jokingly added in his heart.
However, a string tugged at his premonition.
This is about Ms. Roy's dream!
"The police department had confirmed such basements are common among the terrace houses in Daffodil street. Reason by the housing company behind it was its easy to memorize layout. Due to this, they settled for the common use of this waterway design." said Dunn in a deep voice.
"So there's a high possibility that the dream directs to one of the residence in this street..." Klein whispered to himself.
"Correct, and more importantly." Dunn's ebony irises darkened. "Selina Roy lives in one of its units."
Klein frowned. This was a revelation he both hoped for and feared.
He hoped that this anomaly to be uncovered immediately and for Ms. Roy's destiny to retract from being equivalent to the city's fate. But for what he feared was the danger's proximity from his family.
They're also living in the same street!
"Can I ask what unit does Ms. Roy lives?" Klein asked instinctively.
"That is confidential among our members. However, in this case it can be an exception. Right now she lives at 16 Daffodil Street." Dunn's eyes wore a fleeting aura.
Klein tried to relax. He said half-jokingly, "Does this mean I should begin visiting her frequently?"
"As much as possible in your spare time." said Dunn in a deep voice.
Klein committed the address in mind and nodded, "Alright."
...
Around the afternoon.
Aromatic scent drifts around the area of the alchemy room.
Klein caught whiff of the air and found it tranquilizing. He deliberately spared his steps until he reached a door.
Upon opening it. He was greeted by a flowing silver hair, it passed him by the entrance.
Selina, in her dress, her coat hanged by the rack scurried toward one of the boiling pots.
This pretty much paints my whole expectancy of an Apothecary... Klein commented and refrained from interrupting the lady.
At one of the pots, there was the scent that had been lingered from when he was at the corridor. It had a vanilla tinged with sweetness.
He watched the lovely lady hefted a wooden tray and suddenly she stopped. Selina noticed him by the door.
"Oh! Good afternoon Mr. Moretti!"