Chapter 64
“Good morning, Senior Haina.”
Thanks to Eivass’s meticulous treatment, Yulia’s complexion was significantly better when she woke up this time compared to when she lost control. Yulia woke up on her own without Eivass having to explicitly call her.
The next day, after getting up, Eivass presented Yulia with the unfinished “Sun” card, as a “talisman.” Even disregarding its occult significance, the card held value as an accessory. Eivass had infused it with four points of fire-attribute mana, along with Yulia’s own high-quality Flame Essence. Even through the charcoal and cotton cloth, one could feel a distinct warmth from the card. Its heat wasn’t scorching, more akin to a steam eye mask or a heat pack… perfect for wearing close to the body in winter.
Yulia was clearly delighted with the gift, reacting intensely. She even kissed Eivass, giving him a soft, warm hug like a toasted marshmallow through his thick cotton clothing.
Watching Yulia happily tuck the card away, Eivass’s right middle finger tapped unconsciously on the armrest of his wheelchair as he fell into thought. Speaking of which, Yulia hadn’t started her period yet. While the low-temperature “slow roasting” from the Butterfly of Paradoxic Flames was a factor, Eivass was about to remove it. Yulia had turned fifteen last month, and Eivass, calculating the days, felt it should be soon. When that time came, he could make his sister a lumbar warmer to keep her body warm. Using the recipe he had just tested, with his blood as the mana carrier and some imitation Flame Essence bought from outside, along with soft cotton cloth and gauze, he could create a heat pack that would last about seven days before its warmth decayed.
Without alchemy skills, Eivass felt he was still quite capable of hand-making a heat pack. Furthermore, this act itself clearly aligned with the Path of Devotion. His blood wouldn’t be shed in vain, and he could even gain some upgrade experience in the process.
Edward had ridden his Gryphon to the university yesterday as he had promised to accompany Eivass. Eivass assumed he must have gone to see that doctor who conducted laboratory tests.
Later, after Lily had also finished breakfast, she helped Eivass’s wheelchair out of the house. This time, Edward’s personal valet also followed them. Since he usually stayed with Edward outside, Eivass didn’t even know his name. However, it clearly wasn’t the right time to ask. This man was a red-haired individual as robust as a brown bear, and he helped by carrying their two suitcases. In this era, they didn’t have wheeled pull-handle suitcases; everyone used hand-carried ones. They were made of hard leather wrapped around an internal hardwood frame, with brass reinforcing the corners… much like the medical kits doctors carried when making house calls. Such cases were quite heavy, but the valet could carry one in each hand, walking briskly behind them. Although he didn’t say it to Eivass’s face, he was clearly impatient with Lily’s slow pace pushing the wheelchair. He would occasionally sprint ahead a bit before clearly slowing down again. This person was hot-tempered, Eivass concluded.
And, if his guess was right, he must have a good relationship with his older brother. That’s why he committed such a rude act of “urging them on”… After all, the mainstream path in Avalon was Authority, which placed great emphasis on “rules.” Although Eivass himself didn’t care about that, he wasn’t sure if he did or not. Judging from this, Edward’s attitude towards those around him must be very friendly, without any pretense.
How rare. For someone as taciturn and good at keeping secrets as Edward, to be so gentle with people in private…
When Eivass and his party arrived at the University City in the Red Queen District, Edward, who seemed to have finished his personal matters, was standing there, watering his Gryphon. As Eivass approached, he seemed to sense something and turned back, nodding slightly at his personal valet. Although Edward said nothing, the red-haired man immediately understood his intention.
“Where to send it?”
“No. 14 Ronin Street,” Edward replied simply.
Eivass asked, “Is that our dormitory? Didn’t you say it was inside the university?”
“The Royal Law University is very large,” Edward shook his head. “Ronin Street is the street in front of the main teaching building of the Seminary. If you leave the teaching building and walk directly east, you don’t need to turn. Walk about 500 steps forward, pass a park and a small bridge, and you’ll see the house. I just took a look; it’s very beautiful. It’s right by the river… and also very close to the Law Faculty. You can even take a boat when you go out. The straight-line distance to the second cafeteria is also only about 400 steps. If you, Lily, want to audit classes at the Law Faculty while Eivass is resting, it’s the same distance, even closer than the student dormitories.”
Seeing Lily’s eyes wide open, Edward immediately explained, “I didn’t buy it; this is a short-term gift from Princess Isabel. Houses on Ronin Street are priceless. Usually, this is a benefit Her Majesty the Queen grants to the professors.”
Unbelievable, Eivass thought. The “standalone dormitory” Master Janis mentioned was nothing like the student dormitories clustered in one building that he had imagined – it was a villa-style faculty dormitory! Good heavens, where has he placed me?
Edward said from the side, “As far as I know, this villa was originally intended to be gifted to Master Janis. Although the Master declined the invitation to be a visiting professor at the Royal Law University, the house was still given to her. And the Master, in turn, gifted this house to her student, Princess Isabel, in her own name. According to the Princess’s wishes… this villa belongs to you until you graduate.”
Edward looked at Eivass with unconcealed surprise and confusion. After he and Eivass had resealed and treated Yulia yesterday, they had no energy to discuss Eivass’s meeting with the Princess. He had no idea what had happened that day.
Eivass thought, you can still suppress your curiosity now, probably because Master Janis’s painting hasn’t arrived yet. Once “The Golden Dawn” is delivered to your residence, you’ll likely come running over to ask me, “What exactly happened that night?”
But just as Eivass offered a polite smile, masking his own equally bewildered thoughts, Edward suddenly leaned in and gave him a somewhat awkward hug. Yulia was small and could hug him naturally; but Edward, at 1.89 meters tall, now looked like a giant carefully bending down to look at the ground. Just watching, Eivass felt that Edward’s waist must be quite uncomfortable.
“What is this tenderness, big guy…” Eivass mused, but then suddenly felt Edward secretly slip something into his embrace. His heart stirred, and he reached into his outer coat pocket, touching the shape of the object. After just two touches, he immediately recognized it – a handgun. To be precise, it was the Elven-crafted handgun “Lady’s Grip” that had been confiscated after Eivass killed the evil sorcerer Veronica!
“…Is school that dangerous?” he whispered into Edward’s ear. “Is the defense of the Royal Law University comparable to a government building? Why would you need to carry a gun to class?”
After two and a half months of school, on the first day of reporting for classes, he was carrying a gun that had killed someone. Just thinking about the scene made Eivass feel peculiar. But he didn’t refuse it. Currently, he only had an “Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadow” and the chapel’s key for his ultimate move. He still lacked some self-preservation and deterrence capabilities. It was always better to have a conventional weapon on hand, as being pointed at with a gun was clearly more intimidating than being pointed at with a key.
“I don’t know,” Edward gave a quality answer in a deep voice. “But after I came in today, my instincts told me… the atmosphere at school feels a bit off.”
Eivass raised an eyebrow, accepting the explanation. As a high-level Extraordinary, Edward’s spiritual senses and vision were much keener than Eivass’s. Even a groundless “feeling of unease” was likely valuable intel.
…It’s a bit unlucky for me, though. He truly wanted to come and study peacefully. Please, if something happens, don’t involve me…
“If something happens at the Royal Law University, it must be a professor who’s causing trouble.” Edward straightened up, pondered for a few seconds, and spoke in a low voice, “For now, take it with you; self-preservation comes first. If anyone else finds the gun, tell them I told you to take it and have them notify the Inspection Department. Do not hand the weapon to anyone who asks for it; push it all onto me – understand? As long as I’m not there, you cannot give the gun to anyone.”
“Understood.” Eivass nodded decisively.
Edward, satisfied with Eivass’s promptness, nodded slightly in approval. He moved slightly aside, revealing Haina, who was running over in a disheveled state from a distance. “I’ve found a senior student for you to show you around… You’ve met twice before, so you should be quite familiar with each other. You’ll follow her from now on, ask her anything you need. If anyone bullies you, you can also go to her.”
“I’m sorry, Chief Inspector!” Haina, who had run over, said softly with a mix of fear and apprehension. “I think… I’m a little late… How long have you been waiting?”
“No, you are not late. Eivass also arrived not long ago,” Edward said calmly. The moment he looked up at Haina, all expression left his face, as if a pale, metallic mask had been put on. “Haina Dane, Inspector, I entrust my brother to you.”
Haina breathed a sigh of relief. She had subconsciously thought she might be late again, her heart nearly skipping a beat.
“Yes!” But at the same time, she snapped to attention and replied without hesitation, a look of resolute determination on her face. She didn’t know this Chief Inspector personally. Although he looked somewhat familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before, that must have been a mistake. Where would she have the chance to meet such an important figure… This was, after all, the administrator of the Inspection Department on Glass Island, the capital! He was basically the highest-ranking figure she had ever met! A level and a half higher than Director Kent! Furthermore, since the Inspection Department was also responsible for disciplinary checks and executions regarding corruption, this was basically her superior’s superior’s superior’s superior…
…So, the most formidable person in the Moriarty family isn’t the professor, but Inspector Edward? Director Kent had specifically given her the day off today, and she had planned to read in her dormitory. But just now… when the Chief Inspector, with a cold expression, approached Haina, presented his identification, and revealed his identity, Haina almost wet herself – not an exaggeration, it was quite literal. Haina’s legs went weak from fear. At first, Haina thought she had made some mistake in her work and was about to be dismissed and executed by the Inspection Department!
…I’m just a junior inspector who hasn’t even been assigned a Gryphon, and I’ve only just passed my probationary period. Would the Inspection Chief of Glass Island personally come to deliver a punitive notice?! Basically, if someone at Director Kent’s level committed serious crimes like smuggling, treason, or murder, it would be about this man’s level to personally deliver the disciplinary notice… Perhaps even Director Kent wouldn’t be qualified enough, Haina thought.
It wasn’t until she heard that it was “because she was helpful, sincere, and not arrogant, thus highly regarded at the school,” and that he was asking her to look after Eivass and lead him to his class, that Haina finally breathed a sigh of relief. She felt her fingertips and jaw go numb. It was only a long while after Edward left that she felt her heartbeat again. Her back, neck, and cheeks were drenched in sweat. She didn’t have time to boil water to shower, so she just changed her clothes, wiped herself down, and ran over. But Haina’s brain was blank with fear, and halfway there, she realized she hadn’t changed her shoes or put on a coat, so she rushed back to put them on. Fortunately, she ran very fast, so she didn’t make Eivass and Edward wait at the entrance for long. Rather, Edward had actually left her plenty of time to wash up… If she hadn’t gone back, she would have arrived early. In that case, Edward might not have had the chance to secretly give the gun to Eivass, and would have been somewhat displeased. In that regard, Senior Haina was quite lucky…
“…Good morning, Senior.” Seated in his wheelchair, Eivass silently adjusted the position of the handgun in his embrace, looking with interest at the senior student whose mind immediately went blank upon encountering an important figure, and offered a brilliant and friendly smile: “Long time no see… Haven’t we not seen each other for two days?”
