Chapter 42: Regular Guest

Over the next few days, Eve threw herself entirely into the investigation of the successive murders of the former Containment Bureau investigators, locking herself inside her apartment without stepping out. Meanwhile, Ethan maintained a routine of traveling between two points: during the day, he and Captain Hague posted notices everywhere, persuading hunters at the guild not to easily leave the town in the near future; at night, he explored Hearth Bay.

The layout of Hearth Bay was basically identical to what he had imagined. The merchant ships docked at the pier were entirely legitimate storefronts, primarily intended to facilitate trade between different regional civilizations, while the merchandise associated with the occult was mostly of the lowest grade.

"If you want to buy some genuinely kick-ass stuff, you've got to find a way to get a look inside the town."

Holding a glass of beer, the young man talking glibly was a tavern waiter whose "stage name" was Shepherd. As thin as a monkey, he worked odd jobs in Hearth Bay to supplement his household income. His father had originally been a worker in the imperial military industry, who lost his life in an explosion a few years ago. The pension had been repeatedly delayed in being issued, and his mother had remarried and left, leaving him to support three younger siblings entirely on his own.

Therefore, when Ethan offered Shepherd 3 golden lions as a commission on every deal, they almost instantly became best friends.

With motivation, Shepherd performed his duties with even greater dedication. Not only did he shout out promotions during his usual routine, but he also hand-made small cards bearing the name Heisenberg and the information of the magic scroll shop.

In his words, since his younger siblings couldn't go to school anyway and had nothing much to do while staying at home, they might as well help make some small cards.

Although Ethan was very grateful to Shepherd, when he saw the pretty, sexy lady depicted on the card, he still couldn't help but fall into deep contemplation.

Had it not been for the words "Old Sen's Magic Scroll Shop" written on the card, he would have thought he was setting up some unspeakable, disreputable shady business.

Shepherd patted his chest and assured him that these cards were immensely popular in their city, with nearly every resident holding one. Since they couldn't afford to print the cards themselves, they would go scavenging in the back alleys of the Pink Lady Club, scrub away the original information once retrieved, and then rewrite the relevant details of the magic scroll shop.

On the very night he received his commission, Shepherd took his younger siblings to a restaurant in the city to eat a meal of pan-fried beef, and his siblings were now brimming with enthusiasm.

Seeing that Shepherd had put it this way, Ethan raised no further objections.

And tonight, he treated Shepherd to a glass of beer and a piece of smoked meat bread, starting a conversation about the town.

He might be able to find the teleportation magic textbooks he needed there.

"How can one obtain the qualification to enter the town?"

"A savings card of black-gold rank or above issued by the Imperial Federal Reserve means you have a deposit of at least 5,000 golden lions."

It was an expected reply. To the lowest strata of the imperial people, 5,000 golden lions was an unimaginably large sum; yet for the nobility, it was merely an admission ticket to a party. Ethan had heard that the nobles in the town might spend that much in a single evening.

Their wealth was so abundant that it couldn't even be contained in sacks, and the Rofick Consortium specifically provided them with card-swiping consumption channels.

"Aside from that?"

"I heard through the grapevine that if you are a certified occult master recognized by various associations, you should also be able to obtain an invitation letter from the consortium."

The status of a high-tier transcendent could open doors everywhere, but the title of "master" was mostly reserved for certified third-tier licenses or higher. A "unregistered person" like him wouldn't find anyone willing to humor him.

Shepherd noticed Ethan's gaze and said regretfully, "Then that only leaves the third route: an introduction by an acquaintance. Don't you provide high-end custom services? If you happen to encounter some distinguished guests with high status, you might be able to secure a letter of recommendation from them."

Ethan's eyes lit up; this was indeed the most feasible route in the short term.

However, this was still not good enough.

Ethan never believed in pies falling from the sky. Rather than waiting idly by the Black Sea, it was better to take the initiative and look for opportunities. "Give me a few small cards. If it succeeds, I'll give you 5 golden lions as a commission."

"5 golden lions?! It's a deal, you mustn't go back on your word!"

Shepherd was utterly startled by this figure. Among all the guests he had ever met, Ethan was the most generous one. He hurriedly pulled a thick stack of promotional cards from his coat pocket and divided a third of them for Ethan.

His heart thumped wildly. With these 5 golden lions, he could pay someone to fix the leaky roof that let in rain and snow, and he could also buy some thick clothes and heavy quilts, since winter was fast approaching.

"Am I that kind of person? We can be considered partners now, after all."

"Partners? What is that?"

"It means making money together when there's money to be made."

Ethan patted his chest in reassurance. "If I make a fortune in the future, I certainly won't leave you short of benefits."

Leaving behind these words, he took the cards and headed straight for the entrance of the town. Instead of getting close, he waited by the side of the footpath. This was the only route one had to take to enter the town, and everyone walking out from within without exception possessed prominent statuses in their respective nations. He needed to find the right timing to encounter someone who appeared to be in need of assistance.

This wait lasted for the better part of the night.

When he saw a young girl wearing a white lace dress and high heels running furiously out of the town while fuming, Ethan knew his opportunity had arrived.

This young girl, barely in her early teens, clearly looked like she was in need of some magical assistance.

Because as she ran, she kept cursing angrily, "What kind of magic expert, they can't even handle such a minor matter! A bunch of scoundrels, frauds!"

A butler clad in a black swallowtail suit hurried along behind her, his face covered in an awkward smile.

When the young girl grew tired of running, she stamped her feet on the spot in anger.

Holding the promotional card and seizing the right moment, Ethan appeared before the young girl and smiled as he spoke the lines he had prepared for a long time, "My lady, have you encountered some difficulty?"

Upon seeing this, the elderly butler vigilantly stepped in front of the young girl to shield her from Ethan, his eyes glancing towards the guards standing watch at the town.

"I happened to hear you mention a magic expert just now. I happen to be well-versed in elemental evocation magic and can provide you with private custom services. This is my business card."

The elderly butler alertly took the business card first. A mere glance at it was enough for him to make a decisive judgment.

"Guards, there's a pimp here!"

The severe look with which the guards regarded anyone attempting to abduct underage girls instantly shattered the encounter Ethan had so meticulously crafted.

"Shh! Don't shout! Take a good look before you speak, I run a magic scroll shop, I make magic scrolls!"

"Magic scrolls?"

The elderly butler sneered and raised an eyebrow, turning to say to the young girl, "My lady, this is the fraudster I mentioned to you earlier. They use sweet words to make you let down your guard, and then lure you away to those filthy, sordid places!"

Several guards deeply agreed; a mere glance at the sexy lady on the card was enough for them to understand everything.

They surrounded Ethan in a tight circle.

"This is blatant slander! We don't know each other at all, how can you presume my profession?"

Ethan loudly defended himself.

"Slander?"

The elderly butler wore a look of utter disdain. "One look at the card tells the whole story. Do you still intend to deny it at this stage?"

He didn't even need to read the lengthy introduction on the back to see through it all with crystal clarity.

Ethan questioned him, "What on earth is it that you think you understand?"

"Need you ask?" The elderly butler's eyes narrowed as he clenched the card in his hand and suddenly raised his tone, "I'm a regular customer of this establishment!"

This heroic declaration plunged the scene into silence. Even Ethan stared in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to retort.

The first to react were the guards.

Before the elderly butler could deliver any further speech, they pinned down his shoulders.

——"Take this old man away as well."