Since the attacker chose to target the Lamp cult Priestess, they would naturally have prepared corresponding concealment methods in advance.
Undoubtedly, that guy was a professional.
Only first-time offenders, novices, and mentally unstable maniacs would return to the scene after committing a crime to admire their handiwork. Those who truly make a living from assassination and plunder mostly disappear immediately after confirming the target is complete, sinking into silent dormancy...
Until the ripples of the shock are forgotten by society, until the opportunity for the next strike arrives.
Seeing Vivian had finished the written record, Haida proceeded with her own questioning.
"Priestess Dorothy, may I ask if you are averse to 'empathy'?"
"That depends on the depth of the spiritual resonance."
"If it's a completely sharing of memories and thoughts, I certainly wouldn't accept it... But if it's just recreating fragments of yesterday, then it's not a problem."
Dorothy looked at Haida, trying to guess what this Secrets-Hunter supervisor wanted to do.
"Rest assured, I don't have the ability for deep spiritual resonance either. Right now, I just need access to your spiritual awareness to amplify the effect of 'profiling.'"
As she spoke, Haida extended her hand towards Dorothy.
"Alright."
Considering Fran's free treatment, this Lamp cult Priestess ultimately accepted Haida's proposal.
Dorothy placed her hand on Haida's palm, and the shared spiritual awareness began.
For a brief moment, Haida's demeanor underwent a subtle change.
While she had always maintained her usual composure, it was far from the current shadowy numbness, exuding an obscure and sinister aura.
Dawn, standing nearby, raised a hand to cover her mouth in astonishment.
It was too similar... In just an instant, her impression changed from a reliable Burial Attendant to a fearsome thug. As if she might reenact yesterday's attack at any moment.
Haida lowered the brim of her non-existent hat, silently raising her other hand. Her index finger and thumb pinched together, pausing in the air just before Dorothy's eye socket... as if about to pluck out the newly installed eyeball the next moment.
Dorothy suppressed the instinct to block and watched her quietly.
Haida then made a grasping and peeling motion towards the space where Dawn was.
With this motion, the receptionist lady felt an inexplicable palpitation, as if her heart had skipped a beat.
Yes... that was exactly the action that had yanked her spirit out of her body. Different from that person, Haida did not make physical contact with her.
After completing this, Haida's aura began to show signs of weakening, as if she had suffered considerable damage. She released Dorothy's hand and made as if to escape from the Mirror of Enlightenment Club.
"Hah."
With a deep breath, she stopped her movements, ceasing the profiling and empathy. Her aura and demeanor returned to their initial state.
"Although I couldn't grasp the attacker's specific information, I have gained some understanding of his basic characteristics... Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Dorothy."
"No need for thanks. It's what I should do. I hope it helps with your investigation."
Dorothy waved her hand dismissively.
She already found contacting the Veiled Assembly bothersome, so having the Secrets-Hunters willing to help find the culprit was for the best... These hunters were incredibly efficient, brutal in their methods, and extremely tenacious.
Hearing this, Mr. Child subtly glanced at Fran beside him.
What a pity... Originally, I intended to have Professor Terence experience dream divination in early January. But after this incident, the Mirror of Enlightenment Club will have to suspend business for at least half a month, missing Dr. Fran's usual part-time hours.
After completing the routine questioning and record-taking, Haida then left with Fran and Vivian to organize the investigation and search efforts.
Mr. Child also soon left the club.
He was a witness and also the representative from the White Cup attending the inquiry... Having understood the situation well enough, there was naturally no need to stay any longer.
As for finding clues or traces left by the perpetrator, it was basically hopeless.
The Mirror Image recorded his movements, but he left not even a single hair in those places.
He was like a nightmare that descended quietly, appearing abruptly... and disappearing without leaving a trace.
---
A small crow perched on Vivian's index finger, grooming its glossy, fine black feathers with its beak.
Vivian took out a few bird seeds and placed them in her palm. The crow immediately hopped down lightly and pecked them all up within a few breaths. Its movements, though large in amplitude, were quite precise and didn't injure Vivian's skin.
The secret art [Calling Bird] requires birds as a medium, with corvids generally being the best. The reason is also quite simple: corvids generally have larger brain capacity, are smarter, and can better carry the secret art arrays.
Watching Vivian feeding the bird, Fran also became somewhat interested.
"Vivian, what secret art project have you been studying recently?"
"It's the second-category, mid-tier secret art [Raven Transformation]. Just as the name suggests, it allows one to transform into a raven. However, the specific principle is quite different from transformation magic... As for spiritual materials, I can apply to the Confidential Division."
Vivian thought carefully for a moment, then felt Dr. Fran probably didn't need her explanation...
Fran nodded, quite approving of her chosen study project.
"That is indeed a very interesting secret art, combining concealment, portability, and deception... Very suitable for the Confidential Division."
"It's a pity the Confidential Division's secret arts aren't recorded in the Ash Creed. I don't have ready-made materials either. However, the archive has some scattered documents; I can help you look for them. Some of them are quite interesting..."
At this point, her amber eyes flickered slightly, as if she had thought of something amusing.
—
Talking about the field of secret arts, Vivian was also surprised by Fran's wide-ranging knowledge.
Although she already knew this doctor was astonishingly learned, secret arts ultimately require extensive time investment.
The capacity for mystical knowledge is directly linked to mental strength, which often makes "being widely read" an unattainable luxury.
Compared to understanding those obscure and profound things, reckless readers are more likely to sink into uncontrollable delusions, lose themselves, and degenerate into some kind of fanatical evil spirit...
"Does Dr. Fran also studies the Confidential Division's secret arts?"
"Well... actually, I've mostly forgotten."
Talking about this, Fran scratched her cheek, somewhat regretful.
She lost many things in that somewhat hasty separation experiment twenty years ago... including some memories and mystical knowledge. The Ash Creed Aphoristic Silence that Haida now holds was made from the memories she split off.
This is also why, when Haida was trapped in the illusion of [Construct Dream Slumber] in the future Norlington, Fran appeared in the form of a severed hand. Because the Creed the nun carried with her... was part of this doctor's spirit.
The past is too painful to look back on...
If the results Fran had plagiarized from Fabius Bile hadn't been lost, she could now even conduct preliminary Primarch research or attempt to dabble in the manufacturing techniques of the Custodian Guard.
Fran raised an index finger to her lips, trying hard to recall the lost documents on her bookshelf.
"Although I've forgotten a lot, there are still many remnants of Confidential Division materials. I remember there should be something on this topic. Some lost unique texts, or fragmented books from disconnected eras..."
Hearing this, Vivian's expression became somewhat peculiar.
Why do you have materials from our Confidential Division, and you're telling me, a Confidential Division agent, so nonchalantly... Supervisor Haida, aren't you going to do something about this?
Vivian looked at Haida with a hint of a plea for help, but the nun averted her grey-hazel eyes, pretending she hadn't heard the conversation.
Oh no, it feels like these two are in cahoots...
With no help forthcoming, she could only try to tactfully decline Fran's offer, hoping the doctor wouldn't look at her with that interested gaze, as if examining a lab mouse...
"Um, Dr. Fran... My progress in studying [Raven Transformation] is close to fifty percent. I don't currently plan to switch to studying something else."
Hearing this, Fran shook her finger, clearly not intending to interfere much with her current research.
"Of course, no need to switch. The sunk cost would be too high. But... wouldn't you want to have more choices in your future secret art studies?"
"Although the Confidential Division's current secret arts are the product of iterations, almost all having good practicality, sometimes... old things from lost eras can also bring unexpected surprises..."
"Better concealment, more efficient information transmission, and some shadow-driving offensive secret arts..."
Listening to the doctor's gentle, coaxing tone, Vivian actually felt somewhat tempted.
Then she felt it was inappropriate.
Vivian, Vivian, as a Confidential Division agent, have you even forgotten the basic Outrider Field Agent General Knowledge? Rashly accepting such proposals might result in ending up like Sister Haida, having strange things done to you...
"Ahem."
Just as she was still lost in wild thoughts, Haida beside her gave a light cough.
Of course, it wasn't because she sensed what the agent was thinking at the moment, but to offer Vivian some of her own opinion.
"Dr. Fran can be trusted... in most situations."
After all, Fran was once the teacher of the Medicae Primus Viola and personally ended the Great Plague. Although her words and actions are often eccentric, in most situations, she is quite principled and easy to get along with...
Hearing Haida speak up for her, Fran was quite touched. It would have been even better without the qualifier.
Seeing Haida vouch for her, Vivian felt slightly reassured and agreed.
"...Then I'll trouble Dr. Fran."
"It's nothing. I recently completed a rather important research project, and being idle feels a bit unfamiliar... I just happen to need some document-based mental work to prevent Alzheimer's."
Fran offered a clever, charming smile, settling this little interlude.
The Confidential Division's secret art system is very special, independent of the Ash Creed. She had done quite a bit of research on this in her early years.
But that's also part of the memories she lost... Apart from some basic third-category secret arts, this doctor now has almost nothing she can use directly. This is also why Fran is now so keen on creating teaching materials and writing diaries.
"Dr. Fran, do you have any leads on the attacker's identity?"
Seeing Fran finish the topic about secret arts, Haida then asked for her opinion on the case.
"Well-prepared, and very professional."
She seemed to have already thought it through, answering without hesitation.
"This is a tougher, more challenging target. We won't have the dumb killer who foolishly waits at home for investigators to show up... If he booked tickets in advance, he's probably already on a steam train leaving Norlington by now."
"Or perhaps he chose escape methods like carriages or traveling on foot. But as long as he leaves this city, it will be very difficult for the Secrets-Hunters to track him."
After all... he left nothing behind.
Not to mention physical things like flesh, blood, hair, or personal items. Even information like name, speech patterns, or the Phase of his spirit is completely unknown. In such a situation, the effectiveness of divination-type secret arts would be reduced to almost zero.
Although Haida captured some characteristics of the perpetrator through profiling, it's not even enough to make a sketch for a wanted poster.
Unless... his luck is truly that bad, and he comes into direct contact with Haida.
In close contact, the spiritual awareness resonance of the profiling talent can, to a certain extent, identify his identity.
"It seems this will be a protracted battle."
"I need to go back to the Burial Court and update the mission letter status, and mark him as a long-term target. And have the outlying hunters pay a bit of attention as well."
Haida's tone remained calm and steady, but with a trace of hidden excitement.
In most cases, hounds most enjoy the moment of pouncing on prey and tearing at it freely. But sometimes, even just following a scent and indulging in the chase can bring genuine joy to man's best friend.
The hunters of the Burial Court also deeply understand this...
Not getting a catch while fishing is, of course, frustrating, but the process of fishing itself isn't without pleasure. As long as you are well-prepared, experienced, and patient enough... eventually, a fish will bite.
---
Two days later, East District, No. 03, Keyleaf Flower Street, "Balm Breeze" Café.
Two men dressed in winter clothing stood by the counter, admiring the process of the server extracting coffee.
A girl wearing a silk dance dress placed the copper pot containing coffee into the scalding hot sand. Waiting until the fat-soluble substances within began to boil and rise with the heat, she deftly lifted the pot and poured it into a porcelain cup on the side.
Following this process, repeating it three times, the porcelain cup was finally filled.
"Oh... It's like coffee continuously welling up from the bottom. How magical."
A youth of about seventeen or eighteen watched with great novelty as the girl drew latte art on the coffee, as if he were learning for the first time that coffee could be made this way.
"Albert. Mind your manners. This isn't Loredon."
The tall, thin man beside the youth briefly reminded him, then began explaining the principle.
"'Sand bath' is an Attilan-style extraction technique. Compared to the high-pressure steam extraction method, the aroma is richer. Personally, I prefer this flavor... Of course, the latter also has its unique taste."
Neville said unhurriedly. The server in the dance dress by the counter had already placed four coffees on a serving tray.
+++
T/N: Hey readers~! New Translator here! Before I say anything, I'd first like to thank the original author for creating this wonderful story. Without them, I wouldn't have the chance to share this adventure with you. I hope my translation does justice to their work, and that together, we can enjoy this story.
With that said, I'm happy to let you know I'll be uploading daily chapters. And for those who wish to support my work and gain early access, I've set up a Patreon where advanced chapters will be available.
[email protected]/PeakTL