Audrey analyzed many things at once as her mind whirled.
Mr. Hanged Man said that Qilangos was a lone wolf who doesn't trust anyone. Only he would know of his own plan. Other than my early discovery of him, there shouldn't have been anyone else who knew he would attempt the assassination tonight...
I only told Father and Mr. Fool that I suspected that Qilangos was disguised as Baron Gramir...
Although there's a telegram cable in Duke Negan's mansion and he would've been able to send out information in time to ask for help, there's no reason to hide that... Dad's puzzlement implies that the powerful being that killed Qilangos wasn't within their expectations...
Combining all of the above, I can almost be certain that the person who killed Qilangos was Mr. Fool's adorer!
Plus, only the unique model of the Tarot Club can create such a strange situation with unclear motives!
Qilangos was a Sequence 6 Wind-blessed, and he had the magical item — the Creeping Hunger. To be able to quickly kill him without leaving any traces behind, it could only be a High-Sequence Beyonder known also as Demigods, right? Or maybe he used a Sealed Artifact which possesses immense danger?
Regardless of the possibility, it shows that Mr. Fool's adorer is extremely powerful...
Mr. Fool lives up to his reputation!
Regardless, I certainly provided clues, so Mr. Hanged Man has to carry out his promise and pass me the pituitary gland of a Rainbow Salamander!
This should be our Tarot Club's very first mission, right?
One of the Seven Pirate Admirals, Qilangos, died because of us!
Looking at his daughter who seemed excited, Count Hall, who was a handsome man in his youth, coughed lightly and warned his daughter with a mask of solemnity, "Audrey, I know that you're very interested in mysticism, and I normally tolerate it. But you mustn't be involved in this. You can't even ask about it. You will be introduced by the Queen to the Backlund social scene events by the end of this year. As an adult, you should clearly know and remember that a terrifying Beyonder, or a powerful, hidden organization, is equivalent to danger. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Father," Audrey replied charmingly. "I was just a little curious."
"Curiosity won't do either!" Count Hall emphasized, and he couldn't help but let out a helpless smile.
"Okay!" Audrey nodded obediently.
I understand the whole incident better than you do anyway... She made a silly face in her head.
Count Hall thought and said with a gentle smile, "Regardless, you are the heroine tonight, the savior of Duke Negan. Half of the reason why Qilangos is dead is partially because of you, and it's the same with the bounty. Of course, if there's no one that admits to killing Qilangos and comes to receive the bounty, the remaining half of it will be yours too. Added together, it will be ten thousand pounds in total.
"Hmm, the bounties set up by the Intis Republic, the Feysac Empire, and other countries and organizations could be received as well. After conversion, there should be about twenty thousand pounds in total.
"Duke Negan promised that he would give you his holiday estate at Desi Bay as a gift. It includes a huge rubber tree plantation. I don't know the annual profit exactly, but it definitely won't be low. He spent eight thousand pounds to buy it back then and later, even built a house and purchased good quality seeds for planting."
Audrey, who already had an inheritance of three hundred thousand pounds, was considered rich. However, a reward that was almost forty thousand pounds was still a huge amount of income. Many noble ladies wouldn't even receive such a figure as a dowry.
In an allied marriage of a noble and a businessman in August, Miss Mary Oldbury, the daughter of a millionaire, only had an eighty-thousand-pound dowry.
I never considered the bounty... Audrey muttered inwardly.
Suddenly, she thought of something. If she were to receive the bounty and her name spread, The Hanged Man could easily find out who Justice was.
This can't happen! As a member of the Tarot Club, I have to maintain a sense of mystery!
Audrey looked towards her dad and reorganized her words.
"Dad, I'm a little worried..."
"Why? What happened?" Count Hall asked in concern.
"If it were to spread that I found out that Qilangos was disguised as Baron Gramir, I'm afraid that his underlings would take revenge on me. I'm afraid that whoever instructed Qilangos to assassinate Duke Negan would target me..." Audrey tried to make herself seem pitiful, weak, and helpless.
"I'll hire someone to protect you," Count Hall replied. Then, he nodded faintly and said, "there's really no need for you to take such a risk. Plus, the person that killed Qilangos took the Creeping Hunger. Of course, to a High-Sequence Beyonder, that wouldn't be a strong enough motive for interfering... Yes, I'll inform Duke Negan to keep this a secret and tell someone else to receive the bounty on your behalf and compensate you in private."
Then, Count Hall smiled and said, "You really are my daughter. You earned forty thousand pounds so easily. This is more than one-tenth of your current wealth."
The three hundred thousand pounds was what he had set aside for her in advance. He would still add in another part when she got married as his daughter's inheritance.
"Am I as good as you were?" Audrey happily asked in reply.
Count Hall shook his head and laughed.
"Much better than I was. The profit from my very first business venture was only sixty pounds."
Audrey suddenly became extremely thrilled. The satisfaction derived from receiving a forty thousand pound bounty, getting her father's compliment, causing Qilangos's death, completing an extraordinary task, and the reward of a Rainbow Salamander's pituitary gland that she was going to get from The Hanged Man amplified her happiness.
I really want to report this to Mr. Fool to get his reassurance... No, no way. A powerful, mysterious being killed Qilangos with an unknown motive. There might be someone observing me in secret, looking for clues regarding Qilangos's death. I can't show any hint of abnormality... Pui! There's nothing abnormal about me to begin with. As long as I don't attempt to recite Mr. Fool's honorary name...
Hmm, if Mr. Fool's adorer was really the murderer, He must've already known the outcome. He wouldn't need me to report it to him... Well... do I need to share the bounty with the adorer? No, no matter what kind of payment method is used to transfer twenty thousand pounds, it would definitely draw attention. I can't take the risk...
Plus, it has always been The Hanged Man who's been asking for help from Mr. Fool. Technically, he should pay the reward. Yes, yes, after all, he declared that he had many pages of Emperor Roselle's diary!
I'll try to gather more pages of the diary to thank Mr. Fool for answering my prayers. He definitely wouldn't be interested in crass money...
Audrey quickly determined her next course of action
...
In Duke Negan's mansion, in a secret study room.
The fat and tall Duke sat on a high back chair behind a desk. He was smoking a cigar as he looked at the Spellsinger of God—Ace Snake, Prime Minister Aiur Negan, and the others opposite him.
"Based on our current knowledge, we still aren't certain of the identity of the High-Sequence Beyonder that killed Qilangos." Prime Minister Aguesid Negan had just rushed over from the King's side.
Archbishop Snake nodded.
"We've determined that it wasn't any of the High-Sequence Beyonders that we're familiar with or the Numinous Episcopate either.
"We have sufficient reason to believe that it's a powerful, mysterious Beyonder we aren't aware of. Of course, we haven't eliminated the possibility that the person was using a dangerous Sealed Artifact."
Duke Negan held his cigar and said, "Maybe it wasn't just a High-Sequence Beyonder. There might be a hidden organization behind that person, a hidden organization that we don't know enough about. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to lay in ambush for Qilangos so accurately. Yes, perhaps one of the guests at tonight's ball is a member of theirs."
His brother, Prime Minister Aguesid stated solemnly, "Regardless of that possibility, we have to be careful. We have to quickly find out the identity of the High-Sequence Beyonder, the purpose of his presence in Backlund, and why he killed Qilangos."
A High-Sequence Beyonder that they didn't know about, who wandering in Backlund, was sufficient to draw attention from the government and three major Churches!
Although a Sequence 4 or Sequence 3 Beyonder might not be able to withstand the cannon attacks of their warships, there was no need for them to experience a frontal assault. They possessed too much of a mysterious power.
Hence, they were existences even more dangerous than ironclad warships. Hence the reason why they were called "Demigods"!
Spellsinger of God—Ace Snake stood up and said, "Let me make some arrangements and get into contact with the Church of the Evernight Goddess, the Church of the God of Steam, and Machinery Hivemind."
"His Majesty will allow the military and the intelligence agencies to cooperate," Prime Minister Aguesid promised.
...
In a hotel in the North Borough of Backlund.
Azik sat under a gas lamp and looked at the glove before him.
The glove was very thin, as though it was made from human skin. It seemed that as long as it was filled with flesh and blood, it would turn into a hand.
Azik looked at it for a very long time. His face suddenly contorted in agony and pain as he muttered, "I seem to, seem to have cooperated with them before..."
...
Klein didn't sleep well the entire night because he didn't receive any reports from Justice or The Hanged Man, nor did he receive any reply from Mr. Azik. He kept thinking about the outcome of the incident with Qilangos.
It must've been quite a scene if Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man didn't dare to contact me recklessly... But why didn't Mr. Azik reply to my letter? Did he not get involved, or was there an accident? Did Qilangos hurt him? Klein extended his hand and covered his mouth as he yawned. He got onto the trackless carriage that headed for Zouteland Street.
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!"
...
Just as the carriage was about to set off, Klein suddenly heard the paperboy, which was also one of the Emperor Roselle's inventions.
Klein was momentarily stunned as he quickly fished out a penny and bought the Tingen Morning Post. Many passengers made the same choice.
He opened the newspaper and quickly read the headline.
Pirate Qilangos shot dead by Duke's bodyguard in Backlund.
Qilangos died? Mr. Azik did it? Klein fell into deep thought and lampooned himself, As the boss behind the scenes, I actually had to find out the outcome from the newspapers...
