"That's it? What then?"
Lorne. De Senck was full of questions.
After he asked the same question again, he found that the mystical item box had no reaction. He wanted to try once more.
But he remembered that the information given by the Treasure Eyes had said the mystical item box could only be used twice a day, so he could only swallow the question he was about to ask.
After a few days of testing, Lorne. De Senck discovered the mystical item box's flaw: it seemed it wouldn't answer the same question a second time.
Even if the steps it provided were incomplete, to get the full solution, it seemed he needed to rephrase the same question or combine it with the previous step in a different way to have a chance of getting the next step.
Over the next two days, he asked a few more questions about the whereabouts of that notebook.
But the instructions he received were either the same as before—to go to Iron Cross Street—or there was no response at all.
Moreover, Lorne. De Senck found that while the mystical item box could be used every day, it consumed a significant amount of spirituality. After one use, it would take at least half a day to recover.
"No wonder I was so groggy before. Could the loss of the notebook be due to this?" Lorne. De Senck thought, feeling uncertain.
"It seems I can only go to that Iron Cross Street and see what happens." Seeing no other options, Lorne. De Senck could only follow the mystical item box's instructions and planned to go to Iron Cross Street when the time came.
He went downstairs, preparing to solve his dinner problem at a nearby restaurant and bring back some food for Lachi, that lazy Orange Cat.
As soon as he reached the Azure Hotel entrance, the front desk called out to him.
"Mr. Di Sen Ke, your room expires tomorrow. Would you like to renew?"
"Uh, another week has passed?" Lorne. De Senck scratched his head. He had already renewed his room several times, always for one week at a time.
Time flies so fast!
"Wait, then the rent for that house on Rose Street for this month, didn't I pay it for nothing?" Thinking of this, he felt a bit dejected.
This is all money!
"Mrs. Griffin wouldn't cancel the lease, would she?" Thinking of that hardcore landlady, Lorne. De Senck dismissed some thoughts of taking advantage.
After all, that landlady took contracts very seriously; once signed, they would be carried out to the end. He wouldn't dare to cross her on such matters.
Especially if she might be a powerful Beyonder.
"Um… do you want to renew?" Seeing Lorne. De Senck standing still, the front desk asked again.
"Ah… of course, renew for one week… no, two weeks will be fine."
Honestly, the rooms at this Azure Hotel were quite comfortable. Although the rooms were a bit small, they were clean and tidy, so Lorne. De Senck was quite used to staying there.
At least it was more comfortable than his former university dormitory.
The reason he was still staying here and hadn't left yet was twofold.
On one hand, the rumors about that silver-haired woman in Backlund might not have completely died down yet.
On the other hand, Lorne. De Senck still needed to find his notebook related to Antigonus. He had a premonition that the notebook might be difficult to find in a short period.
Although continuing to stay here had the suspicion of wasting rent, compared to the potential income of that notebook, the rent could only be considered a drop in the bucket.
...
"Lachi, I'm back!" Lorne. De Senck, returning from the restaurant, walked into his room carrying a pile of food.
"Meow," Lachi cried out, then fixed her gaze intently on the food Lorne. De Senck was holding.
"You greedy Orange Cat."
Looking at the Orange Cat devouring its food with its head down, Lorne. De Senck's gaze gradually softened.
"Perhaps this isn't bad either."
At this moment, he seemed to forget that he was still in the dangerous situation of being on the run, forgot the troubles of the lost notebook, forgot about transmigrating, and forgot that he was no longer in his original world.
"Alas, fate is truly wonderful!" Thinking about everything that had happened recently, he couldn't help but exclaim.
...
A few days later...
Iron Cross Street, this was a district in Tingen City whose location was not particularly good.
A faint smell of rust could still be detected in the air.
There was one day left until the ten-day deadline mentioned in the mystical item box.
Lorne. De Senck decided to visit this district in advance, hoping to discover some special places or clues related to the notebook.
This time, he even specifically brought Lachi. Animals' senses are inherently superior to humans', and she might be able to detect things that humans wouldn't notice.
Moreover, since he was looking for an item related to Beyonder, if any unexpected situation arose, Lachi, this Assassin cat, might play an unexpectedly crucial role.
"Wild Heart," Lorne. De Senck surveyed the sign in front of him, pushed open the Door, and walked into the bar.
Bars are often the best places to gather information; sometimes you don't even need to specifically inquire, and you can get the information you want from others' bragging.
"A glass of South Wales beer, please," Lorne. De Senck said to the bartender behind the counter.
"3 pence." The bartender handed him a glass of beer.
Is it that much cheaper than Backlund?
It shouldn't be.
"By the way, the price of grain seems to have dropped quite a bit recently…"
...
The next morning.
Lorne. De Senck, who had no Gains all of yesterday, came to Iron Cross Street once again.
Today was the "10 days later" mentioned on the note, and because of this, he was particularly excited.
"Huh?"
His satchel strap suddenly straightened, and a wriggling bulge appeared on the rough canvas surface. An orange claw emerged from the buckle's gap, and in three swift movements, it unfastened the brass clasp.
Lachi suddenly darted out of his satchel, as if she had caught sight of some prey.
"Hey, Lachi, wait for me!" Lorne. De Senck tried to call out to his pet, but he didn't succeed.
The Assassin cat was even more agile than he imagined, and in no time, she disappeared from his sight around the street corner.
...
A young girl, wearing an old gauze hat, carrying a stationery satchel, and with brown eyes, was hurrying along. She had carelessly misremembered the time today, which might lead to her first-ever lateness in life.
"I hope the public carriage is still there…"
"Huh?" The girl, in a hurry to get to school, suddenly stopped.
She suddenly felt something brush against her leg. She looked down and saw an Orange Cat staring at her with wide eyes.
"So cute." This was her first thought.
The young girl, who had been interested in machinery since childhood, ultimately couldn't escape the pursuit of cute things.
Her fingers, clutching the faded satchel, loosened. As she squatted, her knees pressed against the patched skirt, and the cheap fabric rustled as it brushed against the damp road.
She reached out and gently stroked the Orange Cat's head. The Orange Cat didn't move, just squatted there, letting the girl stroke its head.
"This cat is so soft, so warm. It feels even warmer than freshly baked bread from the bakery."
One person and one cat just stopped in the middle of the road like that.
"Watch out!" Lorne. De Senck's warning was drowned out by the sound of horse hooves. A carriage was galloping towards the girl and the cat.
Relying on the Monster's extraordinary physique, Lorne. De Senck successfully reached the girl's side before the carriage arrived, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her back, narrowly dodging the carriage's impact. The girl also fell into his arms with the momentum.
...
"Um, sir, could you please let go of me?" The girl in his arms spoke up.
Lorne. De Senck realized his actions were a bit rude and quickly let go, allowing the girl to stand on the ground again.
Lorne. De Senck picked up the gauze hat from the ground, gently wiped it, and handed it to the girl.
Perhaps because his previous actions had been a bit rude, he introduced himself like a gentleman.
"Hello, miss, my name is Lorne. De Senck."
"Thank you for saving me, Mr. Di Sen Ke." The girl took the hat and thanked Lorne. De Senck in a low voice.
"No, don't thank me," Lorne. De Senck shook his head slightly.
"I should be the one saying I'm sorry. That cat is actually my pet." Lorne. De Senck pointed to the Orange Cat not far away.
As an Assassin, it easily dodged the carriage and sat gracefully on the ground.
Seeing Lorne. De Senck, it meowed, leaped, and jumped directly into his arms.
"You rascal, you always cause me trouble." Lorne. De Senck rubbed Lachi's head, his tone a bit displeased.
"So this is your cat, it's really cute…"
...
...
"Oh no, I'm going to be late for school." The girl, who was chatting with Lorne. De Senck, suddenly realized something.
"The public carriage must have already left now." The girl's face showed some anxiety.
"Let's just take a hansom cab," Lorne. De Senck suggested.
"But, but…" She clasped her hands tightly and didn't speak.
'No money?' Lorne. De Senck made a judgment after observing the girl's attire.
"It's fine, I'll treat you."
Before the girl could refuse, he added another sentence.
"Consider it my apology to you."
"Alright then, thank you." Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she accepted Lorne. De Senck's kindness.
Lorne. De Senck then hailed a hansom cab by the roadside. He then helped the girl into the carriage and paid her fare.
As the two were about to part, Lorne. De Senck, on a whim, asked the girl:
"Miss, may I know your name?"
Seeing Lorne. De Senck's concerned expression, the girl smiled slightly and replied:
"My name is Melissa Moretti."
"Meow~" Lachi, in Lorne. De Senck's arms, suddenly let out a cry, then closed her eyes again, watching the two wave goodbye.