Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After Professor Cabbage finished speaking, she took out an Adamantine rock, which was like a video recorder.
Sherlock infused his Mana into the rock, and images were shown.
In the images, a Goblin wielded a Huge Hammer that was greater in size than the Goblin himself. His body was emitting blinding white rays while he lifted the Huge Hammer incredibly high above his head and leaped up. When he landed, he smashed the head of an Orc Skeleton with the Hammer that was covered with white light. The image was filled with sacred, pure, and beautiful white color.
Then the images stopped.
Professor Cabbage slapped her hand on the table before squinting her eye sockets as she said, âLord Sherlock, though we didnât specify that the combatants couldnât use the Power of Sacred Light in the contract, it wasnât allowed from all perspectives. Most importantly, your Sacred Knights have caused serious mental harm to our students. They donât dare to sleep or go to the bathroom alone.â
âI think youâre mistaken, Professor Cabbage.â Sherlock didnât panic and said calmly, âI hate the decadent Sacred Light, and I guarantee that most of my citizens dislike Sacred Light. Only the decadent Surface World creatures favor Sacred Light. This is actually a new weapon.â
Professor Cabbage adjusted her imaginary spectacles, which she used to wear before death. She asked, âNew weapons?â
âThatâs right. Eggface, please demonstrate.â
Sherlock shouted to Eggface, who nodded. He understood Sherlockâs intention and walked to the table. Then he lifted his fat claws and made pigâs wails.
âAh-ha!â
Eggface slammed on the table, but the table didnât move a bit.
Sherlock took out some Magic Powder and drew a Rune Mana Formation on Eggfaceâs claws.
Eggface focused on the table, and his arm flashed with white light. He wailed like a pig again.
âAh-ha!â
âPom!â
This time, the table broke in half.
Eggface walked calmly behind the back of Sherlock, who smiled as he looked at Professor Cabbage and said, âProfessor, there is no Sacred Light. Those Goblins used the new weapons invented by my Dungeon. Thatâs why they had a special power.â
âA Goblin can hammer an Orc Skeleton to death?â
Professor Cabbage was a bit shaken, but she didnât believe what she saw.
âIâve shown you the new weapon. Iâm sorry that I canât give you more details. This is our secret.â
Sherlock spread out his hands, while Professor Cabbage adjusted her imaginary spectacles and said, âApologies, Lord Sherlock, I should have checked first. Iâll explain things to the students and their parents. As you know, they were badly shaken. They are extremely fearful of the Power of Sacred Light. Please understand.â
âI understand completely. None of the Underworld creatures like that kind of decadent power.â
Sherlock nodded with sympathy.
Professor Cabbage nodded in agreement. She quickly asked, âYes, howâs Professor Bacon? Didnât he come with you?â
âYouâre saying...â
âProfessor Bacon left almost a month ago. He said that he was contacting you regarding the Sacred Light. But it has been so long. Perhaps heâs dealing with miscellaneous matters again. He should be focusing on college affairs. Did he say when heâs coming back?â
Sherlock shook his head and said, âIâm here because of Professor Bacon.â
...
âWhat! Professor Bacon is missing, and heâs probably in danger?â
After listening to Sherlock and Brainiac, Professor Cabbage was in disbelief. She paced around in the room before saying, âPardon my bluntness. Itâs not that I donât trust you, but this matter is incredible. Perhaps heâs helping more of the poor female students, so he hasnât returned? Thatâs why he forgot about contacting Lord Sherlock.â
âImpossible. Though my mentor likes to teach spiritual knowledge, he wouldnât delay college affairs. Moreover, I have my mentorâs letters seeking help,â Brainiac said immediately.
âThe letters donât prove anything. If he was in danger, would he be able to send the letters? Why doesnât he write a detailed letter seeking help?â
Professor Cabbage said, âI know that youâre worried about your mentor, but you must have confidence in him. Though heâs not reliable and responsible at times, he was capable when he was young. He was also considered a genius Lich. Even if heâs old, it doesnât mean heâs weak.â
âHmm, I think so too. Professor Bacon is very capable. I donât think something happened to him. Perhaps heâs busy giving tuition and forgot to come back. However, we canât be sure heâs safe either. I hope Professor Cabbage can inform the school about this issue,â Sherlock said.
âI understand. If thereâs no news in a few days, Iâll inform the principal, and the school will investigate. If thereâs news of Professor Bacon, Iâll inform you, Lord Sherlock.â
Sherlock nodded at Professor Cabbage, then left with Brainiac and his followers.
Professor Cabbage watched the receding back view of Sherlock. She was pondering for a while before she returned to her office.
Brainiac followed behind Sherlock until they were far from Professor Cabbageâs office. At a corridor of Specter College, he couldnât resist asking, âLord Sherlock, why donât we ask the principal directly? Professor Cabbage isnât on good terms with Professor Bacon. She wonât inform the principal regarding this issue.â
âIf the principal doesnât know about this, it may be a good thing.â
Sherlock smiled.
âWait, Lord Sherlock thinks that my mentor has been giving tuition and forgot to return to college?â
Brainiac was taken aback.
âNo, how can that be? From his complex way of seeking help, he must be under surveillance and in a precarious situation. Didnât you notice a similar envelope on Professor Cabbageâs office table? The words were, âTo Professor CabbageâSpecter College Principalâ.â
Sherlock put his hands into the pockets of the black windbreaker. There were white flower petals descending outside the windows. A bored Lich student must have released his Mana during class time.
âThe possibility of a coincidence is low. Since Iâm close to your mentor, I know the envelopes used by the college and those used by Professor Bacon for his private letters.â
âYouâre saying that this matter is related to Specter College?â
Brainiac frowned and looked worried.
âWho knows? Weâll find out the truth after an investigation. During the investigation, everyone is a suspect. Thatâs a basic procedure.â
Eggface suddenly said, âAre you the Master Sleuth Sherlock?â
âNo, thatâs a TV series,â Polio replied.
âBut the protagonistâs name is identical to Lord Sherlock, and they are both detectives,â the parrot said.
âNo, thatâs different. Lord Sherlock doesnât have Watson... I got it!â Eggface looked excitedly at Brainiac and said, âYouâll be Watson! Thatâs very appropriate!â
âWah, Iâm enlightened.â Polio laughed heartily.
The parrot opened its beak and laughed.
âDonât mind them, they just watched too many TV series. Iâll reduce their TV exposure.â
The Black Dragon, parrot, and black kitten straightened their faces and shut their mouths.
Brainiac was looking worried.
âWeâll investigate the letters. Let me examine Professor Baconâs letters.â
Brainiac took out the letters from his pocket. There were tens of letters, and each of them had identical envelopes and papers.
The dates and times on the letters were different from when Brainiac received them. However, the difference was something recent and only happened to Brainiac.
The most prominent clue was the missing addresses. There were many secret messages.
Every letter had one, and they were only understood by Brainiac and Professor Bacon.
For example, âHeavy Tangerineâ and âCat in the boxâ didnât make any sense, but they were useful messages.
âThey originated from the Winterfell Post Office. Iâve checked this in Winterfell. Besides this, thereâs no other useful information,â Brainiac said.
âAccording to Professor Cabbage and the time difference in the letters, Professor Bacon went missing around a month ago. Weâll investigate the entry and exit records of Professor Bacon at Winterfell.â Sherlock walked forward as he said, âLetâs go to the Winterfell Business Office.â
...
At the Winterfell Business Office.
A long queue of Underworld residents was queued impatiently in front of a row of counters.
This was the place for the Winterfell residents to deal with their daily affairs.
Like most of the Merchant Allianceâs Dungeons, the low efficiency was a cause of concern.
If they knew the insiders, then things would be different.
âPlease help me, Pretty!â
Evelynn bent her back and made a begging gesture with her hands as she implored another Succubus.
âDonât be so formal, Evelynn. Weâre close friends, so Iâll definitely help you. Could you tell me how youâre progressing with Lord Sherlock?â the Succubus looked intently at Evelynn and asked.
âAh! Why did you ask so suddenly...â Evelynn blushed.
âYa, ya, ya. Youâre blushing. Evelynn is dating. Sherlock is a good catch. If you donât like...â
âIâll kill you.â
âSorry...â
...
Sherlock and Brainiac were standing outside the door. They overheard the two Succubi chatting. Sherlock, Brainiac, Eggface, and Polio were emotionless, while the parrot looked hopeless.
âWhatâs with this generation? Love? Is that what youngsters are playing nowadays? Whatâs with the Succubusâs Lord Overseer? A superior Devil? In love with the Succubus? Was I sealed for too long? Or do the superior Devils nowadays have lower standards and think of reproducing all the time? It stinks, tsk, tsk.â
The parrot continued blabbering. He didnât notice the faces of Eggface and Polio turning green.
Sherlock was indifferent.
The parrot shifted his legs since he was excited, then smiled and said to Sherlock, âLord Sherlock, do you think Iâm right? This superior Devil is trash...â
âZzzz ya.â
The door creaked open, and Evelynn walked out, followed by a few Succubi who were chatting. The Succubi noticed Sherlock and his servants.
âAh!â
âLord Sherlock!â
âItâs the real Lord Sherlock!â
âIs he the Lord Overseer of Evelynn?â
âThatâs awesome! Can I have your autograph? Iâm your fangirl, Lord Sherlock!â
âYa Ah-ahâ!â
After some chaotic autographing, those Succubi left. Meanwhile, the parrot quivered his feathers uneasily, looking like he wanted to fly away but couldnât.
âAh, the scent of youth and the wonders of love. It reminds me of the youthful vigor at dusk...â the parrot said after hesitating for a long time.
Sherlock lifted his hand and caressed the parrotâs beak before tying the beak with a vine.
âHowâs the situation?â
Sherlock looked at the blushing Evelynn.
âIâve checked. Thereâs a record of Professor Bacon entering Winterfell, but thereâs no exit record,â Evelynn said.
âSorry to trouble you,â Sherlock said to Evelynn.
âItâs nothing. Thatâs what I should do. Is there anything else I can do, Lord Sherlock? If not, Iâll return to work. Iâll return to the Adventurerâs Guild to help out.â
Evelynn left warily. She wore a specially chosen dress so that she could present a lovely back view to Sherlock.
But Sherlock was hugging his arms and in deep thought.
âLord Sherlock, what do you think?â Brainiac asked with concern.
âNo, even without an exit record, it doesnât mean Professor Bacon didnât leave Winterfell. We have to find more leads.â
Sherlock took out the letters and examined them again, then waved his hand and said, âHand it over to the gamers with a lot more vigor.â
...
âHeavy Tangerine?â Peasant looked in a daze at NotWearingPants and said, âAre you sure those are the hints for the latest Strange Encounter Mission and not from the cat-loving game official who may be playing a prank?â
âCat-loving game official?â Arthur frowned. He couldnât relate Heavy Tangerine to a cat-loving game official.
âCat lovers know that orange cats are easily fed to be overweight, so theyâre called Heavy Tangerine,â Sylvanas explained.
âI didnât expect Sister Vanas to like kittens too!â
Peasant was surprised. Sylvanas said as a matter-of-fact, âGirls usually like small animals. Of course, I know about them.â
âShall we go and find orange cats in Winterfell?â BurningChestHair asked.
âWe have to find orange cats, especially those overweight ones,â NotWearingPants concluded.
âLetâs go. Weâll start with the main streets.â Arthur stood up and said, âIf itâs a Strange Encounter, itâs possible to find it in Winterfell, Eternal Kingdom, Marsh Inkspewer Town, the outpost at the crossroad intersection, the Sighing Wilderness, Distant Small Town, and the Black Volcano!â
...
At the Victoria Forest or the boundary of the Moonlight Forest.
George felt exhausted. He had never encountered such strange warfare.
The enemy had many more troops but didnât send them in all at once or execute a siege. Instead, the enemy deployed the troops bit by bit, like adding fuel to a fire.
George felt like he was on the verge of victory, but the incessant reinforcements prolonged the battle until his Knights were gradually attrited.
He was suddenly enlightened. This...
Was this part of the enemyâs plan?