After Iluna finished writing the notes according to the standard procedure, she hesitated and didn't want to leave, but because she had no reason to stay, she was finally sent to the door by Shade and the professor. But when saying goodbye, Shade pretended to be casual.
said:
"I have to go home at noon and take little Mia for lunch."
Iluna blinked, smiled and waved to him, then walked briskly into the fog.
The professor did not understand the meaning of the conversation between Shade and Iluna. After the door was closed again, he shook his head and sighed:
"Although Tobesk is the capital of the Kingdom, the detection rate of this kind of theft is also very low. I think instead of expecting the police to find the thief, I should pay attention to the dynamics of the black market myself, and maybe I can buy the vase back as soon as possible."
"Professor, I heard that this is a serial theft case, and Ridwich Field takes it very seriously."
"Oh, detective, paying attention cannot increase the detection rate. The antique tapestry I reported missing ten years ago has not been found yet. I guess the Rydwich Field may not even have the files I reported the crime to back then."
Professor Manning said rather dissatisfied, and then looked at Shade again:
"Detective, how about I entrust you with this theft case? I heard that you are a very good detective, and your entrustment completion rate is 100%."
"Where did you hear that? I don't remember that I never boasted about myself like this in my advertisement in Steam Bird Daily."
Shade asked curiously. Professor Manning invited Shade to go to the study to talk:
"People say so. I went to an academic conference yesterday and heard about your activities at the wedding banquet of the Asperger family and the royal family on Tuesday...a penny detective, right?"
Professor Manning laughed and joked:
"That's really a clever mathematical problem. I was also fooled at first. Oh, people in the club are now saying that Princess Margaret of Carsonlik has a very good impression of you. I think this
It shouldn’t just be a rumor, right?”
Although Tobesk is large, Tobesk's upper class is actually very small.
Shade came to visit Professor Manning because of Professor Drake's affairs in Huntington. Professor Manning's memory is quite good. Although he and Professor Drake have not corresponded for many years, he still remembers the history professor:
"Kansas Drake is very talented in history and folklore. He can be regarded as Kassenlick's authority on history."
Professor Manning spoke highly of Professor Drake, and Shade was a little surprised by this. He thought Professor Drake was just an ordinary college professor.
"His gift lies not only in academic achievement but also in... acuity."
Professor Manning frowned on the sofa in the study and tried to describe his thoughts:
"Detective, you should be able to understand that the word acuity is not accurate. Let me think about it... He is always the first to detect details that others cannot discover. He is always the first to detect something wrong that others cannot find at the excavation site.
Always the first to point it out…what’s the word to describe it?”
"Very lucky?"
"No, no, that's not just luck, that's a kind of talent."
Professor Manning frowned, trying to find a more suitable adjective.
"Very inspired?"
Shade said, he was also surprised when he said the words.
Professor Manning smiled and clapped his hands:
"Yes, yes, Professor Drake is the kind of person with strong inspiration. Sometimes I have to write to him to ask questions. It's a pity that after that accident, he never had any academic achievements again.
I can understand that, after all, for folklorists, you can’t learn anything by just sitting at home and in the office... Detective, did your writer friend in Huntington mention Professor Drake?
His physical condition?"
"My complexion is not very good, and I can only move around in a wheelchair. Professor Drake thinks that he will not live too long. I think this is not an illusion. He... is getting older after all."
Shade shook his head. Professor Manning was a little disappointed, but then asked again:
"Is his matter...similar to when I met that pen?"
He knew that Shade had extraordinary abilities.
"It's possible, but I'm still investigating. Professor, tell me more about Professor Drake's strong inspiration."
Professor Manning picked up the tea cup and thought:
"Those of us who study history and folklore, sometimes encounter some ancient murals or stone carvings, which is normal. When looking at some strange ancient relics for a long time, we will feel dizzy... De
Lake is the kind of person who can quickly notice something wrong with those ancient relics, and then understand the meaning and be the first to faint."
Shade pursed his lips and nodded:
"Then I propose a hypothesis. If there is an image of a terrifying monster hidden in a certain photo, and the inspiration is too high...forget it, this question is not important."
Shade shook his head. He was not sure what the "inspiration threshold" was that triggered the photo curse. After all, his own inspiration for abnormal phenomena was far beyond that of ordinary people.
The two chatted about Professor Drake's old stories, and then Shade asked to see the letters from more than ten years ago. These old professors are very careful in collecting letters, and Professor Manning exchanged information with his colleagues.
Academic letters are organized by date and are easy to find.
On the eve of Professor Drake's accident, he had a lot of correspondence with Professor Manning. The professor gave the pile of letters to Shade, and asked Shade to go back and read it slowly, and then return it after reading it. And as a loan to Xia De
In exchange for these letters, he wrote a letter to Professor Drake, asking Shade to pass it on to Professor Drake through his "friend" in Huntington, hoping to persuade the professor to love life more:
"I remember that Drake has a child, but he probably doesn't live with him. He could actually develop some other hobbies, such as raising a cat like you, which would be very helpful in maintaining his passion for life."
Professor Manning melted the fire paint, dropped it on the envelope seal, and then put his seal on it. After the red paint seal solidified, he handed it to Shade.
"Having a cat?"
Shade did not express any opinion on this.
After bidding farewell to Professor Manning, it was just past eleven o'clock. Before going home, Xia Deshun did other things in the city.
On Tuesday night, he obtained the second spiritual rune of the fourth ring, Blasphemy [Thunder], and he planned to go to the Black Raven Library to find the thaumaturgy related to this spiritual rune.
At present, he has only mastered [Thunder Spear]. There is also a thaumaturgy [Weak Paralysis] that can be learned in the "Pink Book" that can be related to [Thunder]. Although Iluna promised to provide Shade with some
Thaumaturgy related to thunder and lightning, but Shade still plans to go to the library to look for it himself, maybe there will be unexpected gains.
The Black Raven Library is also located in the University District, very close to Cat Tail Lane where Professor Manning lives.
Shade changed into a coat to disguise himself in the alley extending in all directions. After putting on a mask, he knocked on the side door of the library in the alley. The dripping steam pipes were still wasting hot water as they did in the summer.
There was a lot less garbage, and I don’t know if it was because the people in the library just couldn’t stand it anymore.
Shade would always come here every now and then, so the man at the door with an anchor tattoo on his arm let him in without asking too much.
Stepping on the wooden floor that was warped due to moisture, Shade followed the man along the corridor in the dimly lit corridor to his room. On the way, he passed by a man in a black robe. According to the rules of the library, the two of them
They all deliberately avoided looking to avoid being suspected of peeking into other people's identities.
【Marguerite Anjou.】
"Just by passing each other, can you tell who the other person is?"
Shade asked in surprise, but did not turn around.
[The characteristics of the spirit, the characteristics of the soul, and the characteristics of the alchemical items and relics carried on the body. This is easy to distinguish. 】
"I see... It seems that Her Royal Highness the Princess's trip to Tobesk was not a leisurely one."