Darkwill instinctively swallowed, his gaze slowly shifting from Tracy's face. He asked in disbelief:
"The Vice Admiral of Ailment also likes the 'Celestial Sect's' style?"
Although Tracy wasn't a good person, she certainly wasn't that kind of person, so Ebner, after a brief thought, simply defended her: "She was ambushed."
Was the person who ambushed her you? If it were before, Darkwill would have blurted out the question, but intimidated by the unique ability Ebner had just displayed in sealing a Grade "0" Sealed Artifact, Darkwill swallowed his words.
Next, he returned inside the shop, retrieved a prepared potion, and handed it to Ebner, implying: "You're quite lucky. I just recently prepared a similar antidote for a guard, and there's some left...
"However, her situation is different from that guard's lover. The dosage used before was too large, and she went too long without taking the 'antidote.' The poison has not only corroded her body but has even caused a certain degree of 'contamination' to her spirit...
"At most, I can only help her alleviate it for now... To completely cure it, you'd probably need someone with more advanced methods... Hmm, like my teacher."
Ebner was fully aware of Darkwill's intentions behind those words, but he currently had no desire to clash with the Loen military, and his "plan" in Trier had only just begun, leaving him no time for such extraneous matters.
Moreover, Darkwill's teacher wasn't in any particular danger being held in the Governor's Mansion. According to the original novel, he would successfully escape soon due to the chaos caused by personnel changes among the officials in the Rorsted Archipelago.
Therefore, Ebner did not pick up on Darkwill's hint. He simply took the potion, opened the cap, and poured it down Tracy's throat.
In fact, what he cared more about in his heart was the "luck" Darkwill mentioned...
"Such 'luck' feels even more like an 'arrangement'!" Ebner secretly sighed to himself, throwing the empty bottle back to Darkwill, then said:
"I don't have time to save your teacher... but I can introduce you to a formidable adventurer. Go talk to him."
Ebner was naturally referring to Klein. Since the latter wanted to infiltrate and investigate the "Celestial Sect," he probably wouldn't refuse the opportunity to rescue Darkwill's teacher from the Governor's Mansion and earn some extra cash.
Darkwill was initially disappointed when Ebner didn't reply, but upon hearing his words, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Which adventurer?"
"Gehrman Sparrow!" Ebner replied after picking up Tracy again.
"Gehrman Sparrow? The one who hunted Steel Maveti, and helped the 'Vice Admiral of Ailment' repel the Demoness Sect... Uh." At this point, Darkwill glanced at Tracy in Ebner's arms and suddenly choked on his words.
The next second, he looked at Ebner's eyes in disbelief. Although he didn't speak, the meaning conveyed in his gaze was very clear, and Ebner easily read it using his "mind-reading" ability:
You ran off with his girl, and now you want me to ask him for help... What if he finds out and retaliates against me?!
—At this time, due to the actions of the Demoness Sect and the Celestial Sect, the identity of the adventurer who had previously helped Tracy had finally been revealed and was currently a hot topic, so even though Darkwill had been in poor spirits these past two days, he had still heard about it.
"Gehrman entrusted me to treat and look after her..." Ebner thought for a moment, then simply explained, trying to salvage his reputation. After all, this really had nothing to do with him...
"Then he must have some special fetish!" Darkwill muttered, then asked, "Where do I find him?"
"In a bit, first take Boody to the 'Amyris Leaf Bar' and find 'Sea Snake' Wave. He'll arrange lodging for you... By tomorrow, Gehrman Sparrow should be back in Bayam, and he'll come looking for you then." Ebner said this, handing Darkwill a "Badge of Courage" as a token. Wave would know it was someone Ebner arranged upon seeing it.
"And the 'Amyris Leaf Bar's' gathering is protected by the 'Mandated Punishers,' making it much safer," Ebner added after a moment's thought.
"But is it really okay for a Beyonder like me to be exposed right under the nose of the Church of the Storms?" Darkwill asked, still hesitant after receiving the badge.
"Don't worry. Your school already cooperates with the Church of the Storms... That so-called bell-ringer, Kano, rings the bells of the Storm." Ebner had learned this information back when he was on the fifth floor of the "Dream Labyrinth Tower."
"Is that really how it is? The old man never told me..." Darkwill felt like everything that had happened in the past two days was a dream.
At this moment, Boody and the owl Harry, who had gone to buy supper, returned to the shop's courtyard. Ebner took the Bayam specialty, "Teayativa," they had bought back, then bid farewell to Darkwill, Boody, and the owl, disappearing directly from the courtyard.
Although she had long known about the existence of "Beyonders," the inexperienced Boody was still startled. She couldn't help but look at her boss, who was now also wide-mouthed, mumbling, "If he had said earlier that he could 'teleport,' I should have just had him send me directly to Olavi..."
Hearing this, Mr. Harry the owl clicked his tongue twice and said, "Clearly, the woman he's holding is more appealing than you are."
Darkwill snapped back to attention upon hearing this. He silently pulled out the whip he had previously packed and said "kindly," "Come here for a moment. I have something good to share with you..."
Harry the owl, however, looked at the whip in Darkwill's hand with a mix of affection and fear. He then spread his wings and flew onto Boody's shoulder, disdainfully saying, "You can't trick me this time..."
Seeing this scene, Boody finally broke into a heartfelt smile... How wonderful! Mr. Darkwill and Mr. Harry are back to their old selves.
Although she didn't know what had happened in the past few days, she could feel her boss's fear and unease. But now, with the arrival and departure of that detective, everything had finally returned to normal...
Truly, the Sea God's blessing... Thank you for your mercy!
.....
In the ancient palace above the gray fog.
Klein, who had just ridden the "big fish" back to Lans Island and returned to his rented hotel room, did not rest immediately. Instead, he came above the gray fog, ready to seriously study the abilities and origins of Tracy's bracelet.
Just then, the crimson star symbolizing Mr. Tower expanded and contracted.
He thought for a moment, let his spirituality extend over it, and then heard the other party's request and report.
"Please ask 'The World' about the 'Dice of Probability' from that 'Snake of Mercury' in Backlund...
"What is the 'Dice of Probability'? Is it a Sealed Artifact of the School of Life?
"Also, a plump apothecary wants to give me a commission? Go to the 'Amyris Leaf Bar' tomorrow?"
After careful consideration, Klein divined a few times, confirmed there was no danger, then left the gray fog and returned to his bedroom. He took a paper crane from his wallet, unfolded it on the table, looked at the surface that still showed wiping marks, picked up a pencil, and wrote a simple question:
"Dice of Probability."
Although it was only a noun, he believed that "Snake of Mercury" would surely know what Mr. Tower wanted to ask.
Then, he folded the paper crane back to its original form, tucked it into his wallet, and then once again walked four steps counter-clockwise, re-entering the space above the gray fog.
.....
On Tuesday morning, when Tracy felt a warmth and finally overcame her mental exhaustion, opening her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar man in her sight.
The man was handsome, with curly brown hair, and wore gold-rimmed glasses, making him appear refined and scholarly.
He seemed vaguely familiar, but her muddled mind couldn't recall where she had seen him.
Tracy was about to ask something, but then saw the man look directly into her eyes, then curve his lips, smiling as he said:
"You're awake? The surgery was a success!"