Fors had risen so early precisely to avoid running into Xio, who often returned home in the morning to sleep after all-night missions.
"At least hide for a few days until she forgets that incident... then resume normal hours..." Fors sipped coffee in the parlor while strategizing.
Opposite her, Ebner cleared his throat when her words trailed into distracted silence. "The more deliberately you avoid Xio, the more she'll remember—"
"How did you—" Fors caught herself mid-sentence, frowning. "Ebner, reading a lady's thoughts isn't gentlemanly conduct."
"My apologies." His insincere tone undermined the words as he redirected: "So Arrodes suggested using my film company for your 'Trickmaster' role?"
Fors studied Ebner warily, uncertain how much he'd gleaned but afraid to ask outright—what if he replied "everything"? The mortification would be unbearable... Not to mention she stood no chance silencing him...
After a measured exhale, she conceded: "Exactly... though I've no idea what film companies do, or how to leverage them for roleplaying..."
I did catch everything... For a writer, your mental theater runs remarkably vivid scenarios. Even without active "mind-reading," the "Magic Mirror" passively recorded them—devils excel at manipulating hearts, and its collection includes a "Dreamwalker"...
Suppressing these thoughts, Ebner retrieved a cubical, head-sized device—"This likely aligns with Arrodes' hint. Accompany me today as cinematographer."
Fors examined the odd contraption. "What is this?"
"A 'camera'—I call it the 'Cube Codex.'" Ebner summoned a carriage while donning coat and hat.
"Camera? Cube Codex?" As both doctor and writer—albeit a nominal follower of the God of Steam—Fors lacked mechanical literacy. Newspaper photography sections never caught her eye, leaving the device's purpose opaque.
Without elaboration, Ebner ushered the bewildered Fors—clutching the cube—into the carriage bound for East Borough's border with Southbridge.
From the second-floor parlor of 26 Gink Street, Benson watched through the window as Ebner escorted another unfamiliar woman into his carriage. "Yet another..." he muttered.
His gaze shifted to Melissa, recently keeping erratic hours, now excitedly reviewing blueprints borrowed from Detective Brain's residence. When she suddenly exclaimed "Eureka!" and dashed to their basement-turned-lab, Benson's concern deepened.
His sole comfort: Detective Brain would reportedly depart next week for months abroad.
.....
In a charity school classroom at East Borough's fringe, two dozen ragged youths hung on every word as the gentleman professor elucidated multiplication tables and commutative laws—"learning techniques" framed as arcane secrets.
Fors operated the "Cube Codex" from the rear per Ebner's instructions, channeling her spirituality.
Post-lecture, as students led by Daisy rose to applaud, Ebner raised a hand: "True education balances rigor and recreation. Our guest will demonstrate this principle."
Drawing Fors forward, he whispered: "Begin with mundane tricks solvable through observation, but reserve two truly inexplicable feats using powers."
"Why?" Fors adjusted her veil while curtsying to students.
"'Trickmaster' roleplay hinges on 'performance' and 'bafflement'—the latter interchangeable with 'deception.'" Ebner's murmur carried pedagogical cadence. "Let them taste success before confronting the insoluble—that's true mystification."
"In ordinary 'magic', when mixed with tricks brought about by Beyonder abilities, those who try hard to find flaws and seek to unravel them may initially experience continuous success—but eventually become completely unable to see through your final technique. That is 'deception.'"
"And if you later manage to explain your earlier supernatural tricks using sleight-of-hand that even ordinary people can replicate, making those inquisitive ones feel as if they've had a sudden revelation… then that's not only 'deception,' but also 'illusion.'" Having said this, Ebner ignored Fors' thoughtful expression and walked straight down from the podium to the back of the room to replace the film reel in the Square Codex.
After that, he called Daisy outside the classroom and handed her twenty 1-souler bills, as payment for the group of "extras" she had brought.
Deceiving and misleading the other students was one thing, but Daisy was nearly going to become Aitris' sister-in-law. If that foul-mouthed guy found out and made a few sarcastic remarks, exposing the truth, then Fors' "edutainment" magic film might have a hard time passing the church's review.
"What are you doing, sir? We're already very grateful to be learning anything at all. How could we accept your money?" Daisy refused, pushing the money back.
She'd already earned quite a bit recently helping Hazel and Helene with errands and didn't want to take further advantage of Detective Ebner.
What's more, in her view, for someone like her from the East Borough slums, being able to gain knowledge for free was already divine favor. If she accepted money for it too, she feared the Mother Goddess would rebuke her.
"Then use it to buy some study supplies. Consider it a donation from me to the school," Ebner stepped back slightly and said without pressing further.
A donation—that was for the free school, not given directly to her—so Daisy had no more reason to refuse. She could only sigh emotionally, "Detective Bryan, you really are a kind gentleman!"
Just a bit too flirtatious... She thought to herself. You already have the admiration of Miss Helene, Miss Xio, and Miss Hazel, and yet…
Compared to that, Aitris is a much better man—devoted to my sister and her alone.
...
At 6 PM, dusk.The White Agate, which had encountered the Red Skull Pirate Group earlier in the day, once again docked in port.
"Bansy Port? Elland is being very cautious…" Dressed in freshly cleaned clothes, Danitz stood by the window, looking out at the now-dim harbor and the tall lighthouse.
Before Klein could respond, he chuckled to himself: "There seem to be some dark rumors about this place."
Indeed, very dark! Klein's mood was equally grim. If not for the Clown ability's emotional control, his face would have looked terrible by now.
The White Agate's route doesn't even include this place, and yet because of pirates, we've ended up in Bansy...
Gain and loss always go hand in hand? I used Danitz's identity to scare off the Red Skull, which changed our route?
No… I remember the Tower gentleman is skilled in prophecy. He must have seen my destiny and thus gave the warning…
So my arrival here is fate? Is there something here that resonates with me?
Heh. Even if there is… it's best not to investigate too deeply. At least, not for now.
With this thought in mind, Klein no longer paid attention to Danitz's introduction to Bansy. He suddenly stood up and headed for the washroom.
Just before closing the door, Klein looked back expressionlessly and said, "You're free to take this chance and run."
With that, bang! — the door slammed shut.
Danitz opened his palm and clenched it again. He took two steps toward the main door… then stopped.
The unknown is the most frightening.Without knowing what other extraordinary abilities Gehrman Sparrow might have, he didn't dare risk making things worse.
At the very least… he's still relatively kind. He hasn't hurt me… Maybe when we reach Bayam, he'll let me go…
This sliver of wishful thinking crept into Danitz's heart.
...
Inside the washroom.Klein pulled out a paper figurine, disguised himself, and walked four steps counterclockwise to ascend above the gray fog.
Sitting at the head of the bronze table, just as he was about to begin divination, he received a prayer from Miss Temperance, informing him that she had acquired the formula for the Savant.
"Sharon is as reliable as ever!"
Sighing in admiration, Klein casually tossed the formula into the crimson star representing the Tower. Then, taking a deep breath, he materialized his pendulum and began the divination.
(End of Chapter)