Backlund, Queens Borough, in the study of Viscount Glaint's residence.
"Xio, Fors, this is the compensation you're due."
Across the desk, Audrey Hall, clad in an elegant gown, pushed an envelope toward the two female Beyonders before her.
Xio Dilcha, with her unruly blonde hair and petite frame, found her gaze instinctively drawn to the envelope.
It was so bulging that it couldn't help but inspire pleasant associations.
Though it was somewhat improper, she tore open the envelope right away and saw a thick stack of banknotes inside.
"Ten-pound notes!"
Beside her, her companion Fors Wall leaned over as well, her normally languid eyes gleaming with unusual light.
"Eight hundred pounds in total. You can divide it between yourselves," Audrey said with a gentle smile.
"This is compensation for the danger you faced."
Eight hundred pounds!
The two women exchanged astonished glances.
Though that commission had indeed been dangerous, and they'd nearly been caught and killed by a pirate admiral... considering such generous compensation, perhaps it had been worth it?
"In the future, if there are similar commissions, I hope you'll continue to assist me,"
Audrey said with a smile.
"We'd be more than happy to!" Xio nodded without hesitation.
After finishing their business, the group began to chat casually, discussing mysticism-related knowledge and a particularly vicious murder case that had occurred recently.
"So you believe this serial killer targeting women is a Beyonder?" Viscount Glaint asked.
"That's right. Though the police at Cherwood Borough are of questionable competence, so many cases have occurred by now that even the most bumbling investigators should have discovered some clues.
Yet they still have nothing to show for it. It's hard not to think there's something Beyonder involved," Xio said, nodding.
"Only a Beyonder could manage this. I imagine the official Beyonder organizations have already taken action. In a little while, the culprit should be apprehended."
What they were discussing was a recent serial murder case in Backlund.
The killer's targets were all young women who, after death, had their abdomens cut open and certain internal organs removed.
Such wicked deeds... which pathway's sequence could this person belong to?
Audrey was also pondering this seriously when suddenly she noticed Fors beside her looking at the group with a slight frown.
Having already become a Sequence 8 "Telepathist," Audrey almost immediately understood the meaning behind that expression.
Fors seemed to have something to say but was hesitating, probably uncertain whether her thoughts were correct.
"Miss Fors, do you have some theory?" Audrey asked with apparent curiosity, guiding her to speak.
"Well..." Fors rubbed her brown curls and said uncertainly, "Actually, I feel like there might be two killers in this case."
"Fors, not this again," Xio said with dissatisfaction, as if she'd heard this theory several times already.
"Why do you say that?" Audrey asked with interest.
"I read the descriptions in the newspapers.
The victims fall into two categories: current streetwalkers and former streetwalkers. Among the active streetwalkers, the deaths were more gruesome.
Their abdominal wounds were larger, and according to eyewitness descriptions, they looked almost as if they'd been torn open from the inside," Fors said slowly.
"Though the methods are somewhat similar, I feel these are actually two different killers.
One specifically targets former streetwalkers, while the other's targets are current streetwalkers."
"But would it really be such a coincidence for two different killers to appear at the same time?" Xio shook her head disapprovingly.
"Is Backlund really that dangerous a place?"
"It's just speculation, speculation!"
Fors said loudly, quite displeased with her companion's dismissal.
They bickered for a while before quickly abandoning the topic. Audrey then guided them to Viscount Glaint's library.
As expected, Xio borrowed the copy of Noble Heraldry she'd tampered with, just as Audrey had predicted.
Inside that book was a note with Mr. Fool's honorific name, which would carry their fates up to that mysterious gray fog above.
While feeling pleased, Audrey made a mental note of Fors's theory.
She planned to bring this matter to the Tarot Club and ask Mr. Hanged Man and The Sun about it. Perhaps Mr. Fool would also find this information interesting.
---
The next day, Backlund, Cherwood Borough, St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
"Miss, I regret to inform you that your brother's condition has shown no improvement whatsoever," the attending physician said, shaking his head as he held the medical chart.
Sitting across from him was a young woman with deep blue eyes. Beside her sat a handsome man who bore a striking resemblance to her.
Seeing this pair of siblings with such outstanding looks yet such unfortunate circumstances, even the doctor, who'd seen much, couldn't help but sigh.
Silas's eyes were unfocused as he sat in his straitjacket. His mouth wore a mask bound with a leather strap.
The mask was to prevent him from speaking; his Profane Words were far too dangerous. If the doctor actually heard them, he too would go mad.
"My recommendation here is to admit him to our hospital for full-time supervised treatment..."
"Unfortunately, we don't plan to adopt that approach," the doctor heard the young woman say.
"I won't let myself be separated from him."
"...Very well. I'll prescribe some medication for your brother, along with some medical instructions.
Please have the patient wait outside for now... I'll have a nurse watch over him."
"Brother, wait outside for me for just a moment."
Silas's world was suffused with chaos.
He vaguely heard his sister's voice and nodded, then, supported by a nurse, he went to the hallway outside the examination room and sat on the corridor bench to wait.
It was mid-morning, and Backlund's perpetually gloomy sky shed not a single ray of sunlight.
The corridor was filled with all manner of patients, like a parade of demons.
A young nurse nearby looked sympathetically at this handsome young man.
She wanted to strike up a conversation with him, but he merely kept his eyes lowered and completely ignored her.
The young nurse's attention was entirely focused on Silas, so she completely failed to notice two uninvited guests who'd entered.
"Miss, this is too much, no matter how you look at it.
For the daughter of an earl to barge into such a dangerous place... if the master finds out, what will become of me?"
"Don't worry, Annie.
The excuse I left when going out was to visit 'Professor Anthony,' and he happens to be at the mental hospital today doing academic research.
It'll be fine."
Two young women conversed in low voices as they walked through the corridor.
This mistress and servant were none other than Audrey and her personal maid, Annie.
While Audrey's words soothed her maid, her eyes curiously surveyed the patients.
As a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, she'd always analyzed the psychology of normal people but had rarely encountered the inner worlds of the mentally ill.
This outing was something of a small adventure for her, using the pretext of visiting a psychology expert to tour a mental hospital.
Audrey's emerald eyes swept across the wildly behaving patients one by one when suddenly she spotted a black-haired young man sitting quietly on one side of the corridor.