Nobles really are decadent.
Whatever they do, there are maids at their side to help. If they're truly lazy, they can even let the maids handle their washing and dressing entirely.
Leonard refused such treatment. He went to wash up himself, then followed a maid to the first-floor dining hall to enjoy a lavish breakfast.
Two more maids stood nearby, waiting to serve him. The curiosity and admiration in their eyes made Leonard feel deeply uncomfortable.
He hurried through his meal and headed to the back garden where Hastur was.
The garden here was enormous, comparable to a small forest. When he learned that this and a vast stretch of nearby land all belonged to Hastur, Leonard fell into deep silence.
With such excellent material conditions, why would he need to fight over something like 008?He could just stay home and live off his inheritance. As long as he didn't act recklessly, it would be enough to live a life of wealth.
"Come, have a taste of the local tea from around here."
Inside the pavilion, Hastur invited Leonard to join him for tea.
Leonard took a seat and drank a cup of the freshly poured hot tea. With just the first sip, he was stunned.
It was the first time he had tasted such a rich tea aroma. Even though he preferred alcohol over tea, he had to admit this was excellent, likely the kind that money couldn't easily buy.
"This tea only grows on the cliffs of that mountain. After enduring rain, dew, wind, and frost, it develops this kind of flavor."
Hastur spoke with poetic elegance, but Leonard only felt the extravagance.
Tea growing on sheer cliffs, there was no need to think too much to know that harvesting it required risking one's life. The lives of tea pickers were worth less than the leaves themselves.
Leonard shook his head, suppressing such sentimental thoughts.
After another cup, he finally revealed the true purpose of his visit.
"I hope you won't take offense. This is just a routine inquiry. You only need to answer my questions honestly." Leonard stopped short of fully spelling it out.
Hastur nodded, indicating he could begin.
"Do you know Viscount Straden?"
"No."
"You once had a conflict with him, the day after you arrived at Puning Port. Do you remember that?"
"Oh, him. Yes. He tried to bully a friend traveling with me. I taught him and his attendants a lesson."
"Did you meet him again after that?"
"No." Leonard felt a slight sense of relief, but soon frowned again.
He knew Hastur wouldn't kill someone over such a trivial matter. Viscount Straden's death likely had nothing to do with him.
But something must have happened between him and Ince Zangwill.
Following the Straden line wouldn't yield anything. But if he followed the Ince Zangwill line, he would surely uncover something more valuable.
After thinking for a long time, Leonard still chose not to ask whether Hastur was connected to Ince Zangwill's death.
After all, the instructions from the "Eye of the Goddess" were to follow the Straden lead.
He had already confirmed that Straden's death had nothing to do with Hastur. That was enough to report back.
Hastur smiled lightly. "No more questions?"
"Mm, that's all," Leonard said with a forced smile.
Hastur poured him another cup of tea, then said calmly, "I saw Ince Zangwill at Puning Port."
"?!" Leonard looked at him in shock. He had already intended to drop the matter, yet Hastur brought it up himself.
Hastur continued, "On the night when fire meteors fell from the sky, he was being hunted."
Leonard's expression turned serious. "You really saw it?"
"There's no need to lie about something like that. I went to take a look precisely because of that strange meteor event."
"And then?"
"Then I saw Ince Zangwill fleeing all the way."
"You didn't chase him?"
"I have no grudge against him, nor am I familiar with him. Why would I take an unknown risk?"
Leonard fell silent, frowning slightly. It was true, Hastur wasn't close to Ince Zangwill. Choosing to stay out of it was reasonable.
But something still felt off. An ordinary person might avoid the risk, but someone like Hastur… could he really suppress his curiosity?
"Is this mission urgent?" Hastur asked casually.
Leonard nodded but didn't reveal much. It was internal church intelligence, after all.
Hastur didn't press further. He looked toward the flowers in the distance, where a gardener was trimming overgrown branches with large shears.
The skilled movements were almost artistic, like a master butcher carving an ox, strangely pleasing to watch.
Leonard didn't ask anything else. After staying for another half hour, he got up to leave. He still had to report on his mission.
Only after he got into the carriage and left the castle did the old man's voice sound in his mind.
"Your friend treats you quite well."
"Old man, you're finally talking. I called you for half the night yesterday, why did you play dead?" Leonard complained.
"I traveled a long way. Don't old people need rest? You kept shouting, weren't you afraid of disturbing my sleep?"
"…" Leonard chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject. "By the way, what did you mean earlier?"
"Which part?"
"Why did you suddenly say Hastur treats me well?"
"Does your friend treat you poorly?"
"No, that's not what I meant," Leonard quickly denied, still puzzled. "You wouldn't say something like that without reason."
"Then just assume I didn't sleep well last night."
"…Old man, do you know something?" Leonard didn't believe such an obvious excuse.
"When you ask that, shouldn't you think about what you want? The truth, or your friendship?"
Leonard fell silent. That was exactly why he hadn't wanted to face Hastur, it felt too awkward.
"Wait… are you implying that Ince Zangwill's matter is connected to Hastur?" Leonard grasped the key point.
"Heh, I never said that."
Leonard ground his teeth. "Old man, you love being cryptic. Were you a coffin seller in your previous life or something?"
The voice fell silent for a moment, then spoke again:
"You should be grateful you made it out of that castle alive, and that you're on good terms with Mr. Hastur."
"?!" Leonard's heart itched with curiosity, but no matter how he pressed, the old man said nothing more.
By the time he returned to Puning Port, it was past four in the afternoon. Madam Ilya hadn't returned yet, so Leonard rested in his room.
At around six in the evening, he went to report everything he had learned. He repeated Hastur's answers exactly, without adding any personal judgment.
Ilya nodded calmly. "Mm. We've already investigated what happened that night. There was indeed a group of mysterious people hunting Ince Zangwill."
Leonard relaxed slightly and asked curiously, "Have you found out which organization they belong to?"
"No, but we have some leads." Seeing his confusion, she added, "The church's records on cults haven't been updated for nearly a century. Organizations that haven't existed long or lack influence aren't recorded."
Leonard nodded in understanding, then asked about his next task.
"You've all worked hard recently. Take a couple of days to rest here."
Ilya gave them a short break. She intended to send the gathered information back to Backlund and wait for instructions from Saint Samuel Cathedral.
Back in his room, Leonard sighed. A few days of rest, it should have been a good time to visit Hastur again.
But after last night's sudden investigation, he didn't have the mood or the face to go a second time.
....
In Tamu Town, Mr. A, who had faithfully guarded the vessel for the Lord's descent, was finally found by the Aurora Order.
Leading them was another divine envoy, Mr. S.
"Where did you take that portion of the Lord's divinity?!" Facing Mr. S's cold accusation, Mr. A remained calm and unmoved.
Just as the Lord had said, he was destined to bear sacrifice and misunderstanding. If so, why bother explaining?
"I had intended to give you a chance to repent, for the sake of our years of working together. But not only have you betrayed the Lord, you refuse to repent. Are you trying to become the Lord's enemy?"
Mr. A remained silent.
This misunderstanding was something he had to endure. He had no intention of arguing with a pitiful believer who had not received the Lord's favor.
Seeing that Mr. A wouldn't speak, Mr. S gave up questioning.
Killing him first and then searching his memories would reveal the location of that divine power anyway.
Both were envoys of the Aurora Order, both Sequence 5 Shepherds of the Hanged Man pathway.
This battle would depend on the quality of the souls they had grazed and how well their Beyonder abilities complemented each other.
But this was clearly not a fair fight. While Mr. A was entangled, the other members began searching every inch of the house.
Mr. A couldn't help but be distracted, he didn't want them to disturb the Lord's rest.
He tried to break free from Mr. S, but failed again and again.
In the end, he paid the price of his left arm to temporarily force Mr. S back, then rushed toward the house they were searching.
Beneath that house… lay the chamber where the Lord rested.
As the Lord's most faithful believer, he would fight to the death.
Mr. S soon followed, sneering. "So you hid that portion of the Lord's divinity in the basement of this house."
As a fellow member, he knew well what basements were used for.
Mr. A still said nothing, continuing to fight drenched in blood. At this moment, he was like a warrior returned from the land of the dead, guarding the house and refusing to retreat even a single step.
Just as he had resolved to die, the Lord's familiar voice sounded in his ear:
"Leave. It is time for us to travel far."