Under the gaze of numerous eyes, Klein did not inspect Talim's belongings, nor did he attempt to pluck a few strands of his hair to try divination when alone.
His identity was already semi-official and semi-underground, so he could fully exploit the power of "MI9" for subsequent investigations, with no need to act as a lone hero.
Moreover, Talim was a believer in the Lord of Storms, so it was highly probable that the subsequent investigation would be handled by the Punishers. Having already entered the Nighthawks' sights, he did not want to risk attracting further attention from the Punishers.
"Who was the murderer of Talim?"
This question flashed through Klein's mind, but because he did not know Talim Dumont well enough, there was no fertile ground for inspiration.
Sighing inwardly, he helped up Doctor Aaron, who was full of disbelief, continuously muttering "impossible."
When he looked at Talim lying on the ground again, in Spirit Vision, the wisps of black aura that had originally Entanglement his heart had long since disappeared. Even if the Punishers arrived, they could only define it as a sudden heart attack.
Leading Doctor Aaron to the resting area, Klein prayed in his heart that the Little Sun would not pray to The Fool at this time, and waited with some irritation for the police to arrive.
-----------------
North of Oravi Island, in the western waters of the White Whale Sea.
With Astolfo's confirmation that there were no hidden enemies or traps on the small island, Aaron directly followed the Spirit World coordinates attached to the letter.
Looking at Admiral Amyrius Rieveldt, who was still wearing his admiral's uniform for this secret meeting, Aaron clicked his tongue inwardly, a smile appearing on his face, and said in a gentle tone:
"I am glad you made the right choice. The previous promise is still valid; you can trade those addresses for something you need."
Amyrius Rieveldt scrutinized his surroundings, confirming that the terrifying messenger had not appeared, and his expression subtly softened. He said in a deep, authoritative voice:
"Can you first tell me what surprise you mentioned earlier?"
Aaron froze for a second, then looked at Amyrius Rieveldt with a somewhat strange expression.
Stared at by that peculiar gaze, Amyrius Rieveldt felt a slight discomfort, furrowing his brow. But before he could speak, Aaron's voice reached his ears.
"Your Excellency, Admiral, as far as I know, you have a mistress named Cynthia on Oravi Island. Although my question might be a bit presumptuous, I would like to know if you have been intimate with her recently?"
Aside from the exceptionally open Intis, most major nobles in Loen tended to be conservative. On one hand, this was due to the existence of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, which provided good protection for women's status; even the old nobles who believed in the Lord of Storms would at least outwardly maintain respect for their female relatives.
On the other hand, a gentleman's reputation and a noble's name also served as a self-imposed guideline, but this was mostly limited to Backlund and its surrounding areas. In places like Oravi Island, which was a place of exile centuries ago and far from the emperor's reach, such restrictions did not exist as much.
At least no one would accuse a dignified admiral of keeping a mistress, and Amyrius Rieveldt did not care about it either. However, Aaron's blunt question still made him uncomfortable, and his tone turned cold and indifferent:
"No, the former Duke Negan suddenly died, and was even killed by the 'Vice Admiral Hurricane.' The situation in Backlund changed too quickly, and with the Rose School of Thought at sea constantly provoking, I only secretly returned to Oravi Island a few times."
"Only Austin and Luan, among a few others, were aware, so naturally, I wouldn't meet Cynthia. Why did you suddenly mention her?"
Even before stepping out of the Spirit World, Aaron had observed Amyrius Rieveldt in advance with his True Sight and found no signs of corruption within the Admiral. After understanding the situation, Aaron did not directly answer but instead retorted:
"Since that is the case, Your Excellency, Admiral, you must have heard of the 'Naturism Sect,' right?"
Not getting the answer he wanted, Amyrius Rieveldt frowned in thought for a moment, then shook his head:
"I have not heard of this organization. What does it have to do with Cynthia?"
Aaron, who had already prepared his speech to continue the conversation, paused, then realized that this sect had indeed only become active in Oravi in recent years.
Its leader was merely a Sequence 8 "Lunatic," and such a small force would indeed not be placed on the desk of a busy demigod.
Realizing his oversight, Aaron no longer beat around the bush and said directly:
"The 'Naturism Sect' is a force secretly supported by the Rose School of Thought on Oravi Island. They all worship the evil god 'Mother Tree of Desire,' and their doctrine emphasizes that 'reproducing offspring' can lead to spiritual liberation."
"It was this doctrine that attracted Miss Cynthia. She was secretly lured by the 'Naturism Sect' and bestowed a 'Fertility Necklace' imbued with the evil god's aura."
"As long as Cynthia consumes the powder ground from the 'Fertility Necklace' and devoutly recites the honorific name of the 'Mother Tree of Desire,' any male who has relations with her and successfully conceives a child will be corrupted!"
"At that time, the Rose School of Thought can effortlessly make you, the Commander of the Mid-Sonia Sea Navy, a believer of the 'Mother Tree of Desire.'"
Listening to Aaron's narration, Amyrius Rieveldt's face gradually darkened, and the ground beneath his feet sank under the rising pressure of his aura. He said coldly:
"So, the Rose School of Thought's constant provocations during this period were actually to divert my attention, making me overlook Cynthia's abnormality until I finally walked into a meticulously designed trap…."
Looking at Aaron, who was smiling and nodding slightly, Amyrius Rieveldt remained silent for a long while before slowly continuing:
"This is indeed a surprise. I will handle this matter…."
After the initial anger, he had regained his composure. Compared to Cynthia, whose danger he now knew, he was now more curious about how Duke Aaron, who rarely appeared in the Sonia Sea, knew so clearly about the Rose School of Thought's scheme.
Ordinary spies or intelligence gathering could never achieve this level. The greatest possibility Amyrius Rieveldt could think of was that this Duke had activated a very special Sealed Artifact of the East Tower Family.
Looking at Amyrius Rieveldt, who had a murderous look on his face, Aaron chuckled and shook his head:
"What has happened cannot be changed. Since that is the case, why not maximize the benefits? This way, you might gain more friendships."
A glint flashed in his azure eyes. Amyrius Rieveldt reined in his aura and asked with interest:
"More friendships?"
Aaron took out a sea chart of the Mid-Sonia Sea from his In arms. It was marked with various symbols, indicating the locations where Louise had encountered the "King of the Blood Moon" from the Rose School of Thought in recent days, which she had sacrificed to him.
Looking at the familiar marks on the map, Amyrius Rieveldt, who clearly recalled something, raised an eyebrow and looked at Aaron with a hint of surprise:
"You are still in contact with the 'Moon Admiral'? Are you saying that 'more friendships' refers to the Sanguine?"
Even if his Rieveldt family was not deeply rooted, he knew the special status of the Sanguine. Unlike the "Rose School of Thought" cult, which everyone could attack and kill, if there was no conflict of interest, even the royal family would not actively provoke this ancient Beyonder race.
Even if Louise was placed on the bounty list, Amyrius Rieveldt had never actively attacked the "Moon Admiral," at most only expelling her.
With a calm expression, Aaron nodded and looked at the gradually calming Amyrius Rieveldt, saying pointedly:
"Although this analogy is not entirely appropriate, the principle is the same. At the negotiating table, you need more leverage to ensure you don't lose completely, and the Sanguine are very suitable. The East Tower family's overt support for you will only have a counterproductive effect."
"Good, what should I do?" Amyrius Rieveldt finally showed the decisiveness of a Naval Admiral, no longer hesitating and speaking directly.
Aaron nodded in satisfaction and explained with a smile:
"Pretend nothing happened. Use Cynthia as bait to lure out the 'King of the Blood Moon.' This is not difficult for you, it just requires a little risk."
"Don't worry, you only need to handle Cynthia at that time. You don't need to deal with that demigod."
His brows furrowed then relaxed. Amyrius Rieveldt pondered for a moment and nodded:
"I don't have a way to contact the 'Moon Admiral,' and contacting them rashly could leave a handle. Once I'm ready, I'll have your messenger inform you."
Aaron agreed to his idea. After all, the plan to cooperate against the "King of the Blood Moon" was the final decision he and the three Sanguine Angels made after discussion. With Amyrius Rieveldt's cooperation, the plan would only proceed more smoothly.
Within the Rose School of Thought, besides the Sequence 1 "Abomination" Suah, there was also a Sequence 2 "King of Curses" Barranca. A surprise attack on the "King of the Blood Moon" could at least attract one of these two, as only Angels could respond to prayers and provide assistance globally and promptly.
No matter which one was drawn in, the Sanguine promised to hold them off, giving Aaron enough time for his actions in the Spirit World and reducing pressure.
Unaware of the intricacies involved, Amyrius Rieveldt took out a golden scroll from his In arms and handed it to Aaron, explaining:
"This map shows the three coordinates I secretly explored back then. I can only give you a general area; the rest is up to you."
Nodding lightly, Aaron took the scroll and unfolded it directly, his eyes sweeping over East Chester County, Awwa County, and Midseashire County marked on the map. He then folded the map and asked with a smile:
"Very good, I am a man of my word. What do you wish to gain?"
Amyrius Rieveldt looked at Aaron, who had merely glanced at the map before putting it away, and was silent for a moment, not rushing to state his demand:
"Aren't you worried that the map I gave you is fake?"
A smile appeared on Aaron's face, and he responded pointedly:
"I imagine you wouldn't want the King to know about the private secret dealings between the East Tower family and the Commander of the Mid-Sonia Sea Navy, would you?"
His expression stiffened slightly. Amyrius Rieveldt did not delve into this topic and said directly:
"I want the Sequence 3 Beyonder potion formula. I know the values of the two are not equivalent, so I am willing to pay other additional costs."
Not surprised by this request, Aaron looked Amyrius Rieveldt, the "Law Weaver," up and down, a slight curl to his lips. A little golden light condensed, forming the Sequence 3 "Chaos Hunter" Beyonder potion formula on the beach.
Unlike the cautious transaction with the "Silver Knight," Aaron actually hoped that the Admiral would advance quickly. The fundamental reason was the same as when he subdued Nast, the "King of the Five Seas."
Even if Amyrius Rieveldt was dismissed by George III, his influence, deeply rooted in the Sonia Sea for over a decade, could not be eliminated in the short term. He would be a good chess piece when they eventually fell out with the Augustus family.
As he thought this, Aaron saw Amyrius Rieveldt take out a pure golden pocket watch from his In arms. With the surge of spirituality, the symbolic patterns and magical sigils engraved on it lit up one by one, radiating a brilliant, Sun-like golden glow.
Amyrius Rieveldt quickly extended his right hand, letting the pocket watch hover over the potion formula Aaron had condensed.
The emerging golden rays became increasingly pure, eventually evolving into a projection resembling a seal.
The seal-like image formed by those connected lights instantly stamped onto the beach, and a deep, authoritative voice followed:
"True, valid!"
This tone, could it correspond to the "Notary" Sealed Artifact? Hmm, the aura it emits is stronger, even if it's not a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact, it's not far off….
Suppressing the thoughts in his heart, Aaron looked at Amyrius Rieveldt, whose eyes held a hidden joy, and finally added:
"You should have already confirmed the authenticity of the formula. I don't require you to pay any additional cost now; I only need you to do something for me in the future."
After a moment of thought, Amyrius Rieveldt put away the pocket watch and cautiously added:
"Understood, but on the condition that the matter does not go against my own will."
Just as Amyrius Rieveldt was about to leave, he saw the Duke opposite him take out a golden piece of paper that looked somewhat familiar. With a twitch of his mouth, he scanned the clauses on it and then directly signed his name on this "Contract."
Feeling the illusory stars suddenly appearing on the dome of the palace in the Nation of Disorder, Aaron's lips curled up. He put away the contract, which was mixed with Sefirah aura, and watched Amyrius Rieveldt disappear from his sight.
-----------------
The dim evening glow emerged from the horizon. Klein walked out of the police station feeling somewhat tired. As a witness, he had undergone questioning by both the police and the Punishers, which caused the spiritual exhaustion he had only just relieved with a potion to reappear.
By the time he returned to Minsk Street, it was already completely dark, and the gas streetlights had also lit up. Leaning back on the sofa, he pinched the space between his eyebrows, sighing inwardly:
"It's been so long since the assassination of Duke Negan. The 'Punishers' should have enough manpower to investigate now. I hope they can figure out what exactly happened."
Recalling Talim's last look at him, Klein still stood up from the sofa. After divining to confirm that there would be no unexpected visitors tonight, he reversed four steps and arrived above the gray fog.