On Thursday evening, Ebner did not arrange the dinner for Lady Clossfia, Miss Judy, Miss Plant, and Miss "Greed" Ksenia at his own villa, but instead hosted it at a hot spring estate in Fusaac's Indo Port.
After all, if he invited different "friends" to his home every night, even without considering what Mrs. Skade, the housekeeper, might think, it would inevitably arouse outsiders' suspicion.
—As a newly appointed viscount, Ebner already attracted enough attention.
The hot spring estate, with its elegant and secluded environment, was also something "new" and interesting for Miss Judy, who had lived in the south for years, making it an excellent choice of venue.
As for the long distance, it wasn't an issue. They all relied on teleportation anyway, and holding it at Indo Port actually saved Miss Greed the trouble of traveling back and forth.
At the banquet, Ebner sincerely thanked Miss Sloth and Miss Greed, and gifted each of them a 30% share in the Fusaac and Fenepot branches of Brain Films Company as a token of gratitude.
During this time, he even tried to sell the "Flame Spear" and "Fire-Wheel" combo set to Miss Plant… but the moment she heard "fire," she refused to even try, shaking her head directly. She wouldn't take them, even for free.
At this, Ebner could only regretfully put the two items away again, thinking to himself that when he found the right materials later, he would also forge things like the "Heavenly Silk," "Qiankun Ring," and so on, then sell them as a complete set.
When the banquet ended and the guests were all delighted, with the ladies running off to enjoy the hot springs' benefits for their skin, Ebner, as the only man present, found it inconvenient to linger. He "teleported" back home to Backlund.
And there, he saw Fors waiting in his bedroom.
When she presented her assassination request, Ebner frowned slightly and thought to himself:
Hunting Louis Wayne—that is, X of the Aurora Order—isn't the problem… but if I recall correctly, in the original timeline, at this point the Angel of Fate Ouroboros was in Backlund searching for the "Serpent of Mercury," Will Auceptin…
That's why X didn't hesitate to continue using the Aurora Order's letter codenames to host gatherings—because the official forces would only assume he had a Saint backing him.
If I go after Louis now, I risk clashing with the King of Angels. It's not the right timing.
Come to think of it, Will leaving the uniqueness of the Wheel of Fortune in my care this time probably had the intention of diverting Ulyss's attention onto me, didn't it?
Perhaps I should pay Him a visit… Hmm, aside from the Ulyss matter, this Saturday I'll be exploring the ruins beneath the Fragrant Manor with Edwina—ruins possibly tied to the God of Luck… He might know something about that.
Heh, if I can shift the fate of a King of Angels, the remaining Seer potion might digest instantly.
As these thoughts spun, Ebner pulled Fors over, letting her sit on the bed, then smiled and said, "There's no rush with this. You probably can't confirm that Aurora Emissary's whereabouts yet, right?"
"No, but I will investigate." Fors thought for a moment and answered honestly.
At the same time, she realized she had indeed been reckless. For such a mission, she should have provided full preliminary intelligence.
It's all because Ebner has always seemed so reliable, I became too dependent on him! And seeing my teacher's grief, I got impatient and rushed straight here as soon as I returned… Fors reflected inwardly.
But she didn't think there was anything wrong with appearing in a grown man's bedroom at night. After all, during their trip to Intis and while exploring Emperor Roselle's dream mausoleum, they had shared a room before.
As for reputation? She already carried the "Ebner's lover" label, so she didn't care anymore.
"This matter, it'd be best to discuss with Xio when she returns. After all, she's the true expert in investigating people and gathering information. That way you won't alert the target." Ebner offered his suggestion.
Of course, this was only a pretext. If he learned something from Will and found a way to divert the Angel of Fate Ulyss's path, then he would immediately "prophesy" Louis Wayne's location and deal with him directly.
Fors considered carefully and found Ebner's words reasonable, so she nodded. "Alright."
After settling the Louis Wayne matter for now, Fors thought for a moment, then took out the wondrous item she had received from her teacher—Lemanore's Travel Notes. She briefly explained its function to Ebner before saying:
"And I need your help adding some practical abilities to it."
Ebner accepted the "magic book" and carefully "analyzed" its structure. Then he glanced at Fors and noticed she was wearing the pale-yellow dress he had bought her in Trier.
No—she was wearing the "Magician's Formal Attire." Its current appearance was just a transformation.
So that's it… Ebner mused inwardly, then curved his lips into a smile and said, "Adding Beyonder abilities won't be a problem…
"But along with the assassination request, what price are you prepared to pay for my help?"
"Eh?" Fors froze, at a loss for how to answer. She had only just realized this "serious" question herself…
…..
On Friday morning, Ebner left his villa in very good spirits and went to a small, unremarkable restaurant nearby. He casually ordered a cup of coffee, some bread, and a piece of bacon.
However, he didn't eat any of it. Instead, he pushed it across to the opposite seat, waiting for someone.
About five minutes later, a woman in her thirties with black hair, blue eyes, and thick brows walked into the restaurant. She glanced around, spotted Ebner, and hurried over to sit opposite him.
This was his teacher's friend, Detective Kaslana, who was also a Beyonder on the Arbiter pathway.
The detective, who in her youth must have been quite a beauty, first congratulated Ebner—somewhat enviously—on becoming a viscount, and then took out a file folder, sliding it to his side.
—Because he hadn't been able to meet Miss Filina, the one hosting the exhibition, on Wednesday, Ebner had asked Detective Kaslana to investigate her.
And Detective Kaslana was efficient. In just over a day, she already had results.
While the detective enjoyed her breakfast, Ebner opened the file folder.
(End of this chapter)