A sorcerer named Stein, a wanted practitioner of forbidden arts, had fled to London—and allegedly seized control of Oliver Winston?
No—maybe "control" was too specific a word. It could be some sort of mutual arrangement. Perhaps Oliver provided financial support, and Stein offered access to supernatural items or knowledge in return…
Lorien's mind flashed back to something Jack Arnold had said when he was first resurrected—how he'd witnessed Oliver talking to "empty air" in his room.
That moment had triggered everything: Jack's assassination, Evan's hypnosis, and ultimately, the investigation at Tepes Manor.
And now, with this new piece of the puzzle—courtesy of Wade Winston, no less—it all lined up.
There really had been a third party in that room. And it was most likely this "sorcerer" Stein.
To keep his presence hidden, Oliver had even gone so far as to eliminate his long-time servant.
The pocket watch used to hypnotize Evans? Likely a gift—or transaction—from Stein himself.
Lorien's expression tightened momentarily, but he quickly suppressed the reaction. He didn't want to tip his hand. Across from him, Wade Winston was too busy scribbling away in the notebook to notice.
Talk about convenient. Just as Lorien had been preparing to follow up on the Winston estate, fate handed him someone with inside knowledge.
He leaned back slightly, maintaining his composed facade. "This 'sorcerer' Stein," he said casually.
"You've never heard of him?" Wade asked, not looking up.
"I don't keep up with these things."
"Well, let's just say he's not exactly a rule-follower," Wade replied, cracking his knuckles. "Guys like that are usually lumped under 'warlocks' or 'rogue casters.' Either they're murdering civilians or conducting illegal rituals behind closed doors. Real nasty business."
"So… not an official classification," Lorien mused inwardly. "'Warlock' is more of a social label—like 'criminal' among mundanes."
"What exactly did Stein do to get a bounty on his head?" he asked, keeping his tone light.
"You sure are interested in this guy," Wade said, squinting over his shoulder. "You're not trying to hijack my contract, are you?"
Lorien gave a lazy shrug. "I'm not interested in either of them personally. Just their money."
He paused, then added with a faint grin: "If Oliver Winston really is tangled up with a rogue caster, I'd be doing the city a favor by removing him. Wouldn't you agree?"
Wade narrowed his eyes suspiciously but said nothing. Outside the window, two members of the Ordained Cross were hauling out yet another chest of valuables.
Just hours ago, that chest had been sitting in Zeronni's private vault.
Yeah… London definitely hit different.
"Anyway," Wade muttered, "the bounty came from an anonymous source. Based on the Clearer's Guild listing, Stein stole some relic from them. The reward's only 2,500 pounds, plus two mid-grade components. Not a huge sum, but enough to catch attention."
"Not high?" Lorien raised an eyebrow.
"Well, Stein's reportedly injured, and the relic isn't some top-tier artifact. Probably something niche or unstable."
Lorien nodded slowly. That checked out. In this world, relics and materials held far more value than money. Gold coins were for pawns. Power came from the hidden and the arcane.
"And Stein's current level?" he asked.
"Right on the cusp of advancing to 'Essence-Tier,' same as me," Wade said casually, still writing.
Essence-Tier? Lorien made a mental note. If Wade was a solid benchmark, that meant Stein wasn't some terrifying behemoth—just another operator on the rise.
As for Oliver Winston… if he was merely a patron, or someone newly exposed to this world, he'd be even easier to deal with.
Still, that relic Stein had stolen could complicate things.
And depending on what it did, its influence could extend well beyond anything Wade or the Clearer's Guild anticipated.
Lorien silently resolved to handle the Winston situation soon—but not yet. He still had tonight's operation to finish. One thing at a time.
He was just about to ask another question when Wade stopped writing and looked up.
"You're collecting all this knowledge for your subordinates, right? To expand your base in London?"
"Correct," Lorien replied calmly. "Why?"
Wade let out a long breath. "Then why didn't you just buy a copy from one of the local Circles?"
Circles? There were public marketplaces for supernatural knowledge?
Lorien's expression didn't twitch. "I'm new to the city. Haven't been introduced to those circles yet."
"Gods above…" Wade stood up and slammed the pen down in frustration. "You could've asked! I've spent half the night copying down beginner-level trivia you could've bought for a fiver and a drink!"
Lorien leaned back with a faint smirk.
At least now he knew what to ask for next.
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