Chapter 32: The rain is more than just rain

“So, you’re a traveler from Mittal. You crossed Nymph Fu and came to Schwerdt Town, planning to stay for a while?” Selene, sitting on the chest, stroked her chin, slightly puzzled.

“Though the scenery here is indeed quite nice, and the Loki Mountains at sunset are truly captivating, to be honest, the climate and environment here aren’t very suitable for living…”

The pitter-patter of rain proved her point, and her drenched black guard uniform was also quite persuasive.

“That’s not a drawback for me.” Richter replied. “As you can see, I’m also a superhuman.”

He casually let go of his left hand. The lantern, which should have fallen due to gravity, remained suspended in the air beside his body as if held by an invisible hand.

A low-level spell, the Hand of Levitation.

Selene wasn’t surprised. After all, this man was wearing a mage’s robe… The age of swords and magic had passed. In the age of magic technology, new trends had emerged. Mage’s robes, having undergone many improvements, had broadened their definition. Now, a “mage’s robe” was no longer a specific garment, but rather “clothing with inscribed magical runes that may enhance certain abilities.”

Theoretically, if she added some runes to her coat, it could also be considered a mage’s robe.

Fashionable mages liked to wear the newest clothes, but some still preferred the old-fashioned mage’s robes like Richter’s, perhaps because of nostalgia, or perhaps because they were stubborn. After all, its practicality had been proven. Compared to the various new clothes, it also had a certain… noble feel.

Perhaps due to inertia, even wealthy merchants and nobles who could afford new clothes wouldn’t wear them… There might still be a fear of the classical era where a single mage could rule a city, a fear of a powerful mage who could rule a city from the top of the Mage Tower.

Even though superhumans were now under the control of the state, integrated into the military and the police, subject to the laws, and under the surveillance of the army and the police, this remained the case.

Perhaps it was because many of the wealthy merchants and nobles had violated the laws and regulations to some extent, and were therefore a bit wary of those “colleagues” who were stronger than them… This led to old-fashioned mage’s robes becoming clothing that only mages would wear.

Those who didn’t wear old-fashioned mage’s robes weren’t necessarily not mages, but those who wore them were definitely mages.

“…Is there a problem?”

Richter was slightly puzzled by Selene’s prolonged silence.

“Oh, no.” Selene, lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality. She nodded at Richter. “It’s just that there have been too many superhumans in town lately, so I’m a little worried… Could you show me some identification from Mittal and your travel permit from Nymph Fu?”

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The countries in the Divine Construct didn’t usually restrict their citizens from traveling abroad. But superhumans were a different story. Any superhuman leaving the country had to report in advance, obtain permission, and then they could leave.

—This meant that identification, which was standard for ordinary people, was actually a minimum requirement for superhumans.

But the Lanstier police station technically didn’t have the authority to request these documents from a superhuman who hadn’t committed any crimes. They could ask ordinary citizens to comply with their requests, but when it came to superhumans, they had to explain the situation and get permission from the station manager. This was for the protection of the observers and was one of the privileges that superhumans enjoyed.

Of course, as a wild superhuman with no ID card, Selene hadn’t enjoyed any of those privileges…

Selene knew the regulations of the police station, but she didn’t care. She guessed that Richter, a superhuman from the South Continent, was new here, unfamiliar with the rules of the North Continent, and would cooperate.

She wasn’t afraid that Richter would complain to a higher-up.

—I’m not with the station. Even if this guy complains later, Duquesne is the one who’s in trouble, not me. I never said I was with the police. I don’t even have a rank. It’s his fault for not being observant enough at night.

I’m a concerned citizen, helping the station eliminate hidden dangers!

Any unofficial superhuman who shows up in Schwerdt Town during this time is suspicious!

Richter smiled, reached into his mage’s robe with his left hand, and pulled out a silver badge and a silver cross, handing them to Selene.

Selene took them and carefully examined the miniature magic runes and the insignia of the Lanstier and Mittal Empires on the silver brooch, noticing a small inscription on the back of the badge.

“This certifies that Richter Ishtar is a member of the Mittal Magic Society and a legal citizen of the Mittal Empire. Blessed by the gods, protected by the Empress’s glory.

—June 7th, 1154. Delight, Chief Archmage of the Empire, President of the Mittal Magic Society.”

Selene checked it several times by the light of his lantern. Finding nothing unusual, she sighed in relief and returned the items.

Richter put the badge back in his clothes, and casually pinned the brooch to his chest—perhaps feeling that this would avoid any questioning from the police later.

He thought for a moment, then asked with a smile,

“It’s late at night. Even the police need to rest. I wonder if you…”

“Ah, I’m carrying out the station manager’s orders. The specifics can’t be disclosed.” Selene subtly shrugged and asked back, “Why are you out so late?”

Richter, upon hearing this, showed a suitably troubled expression.

“It’s a personal matter.”

“How personal?” Selene quietly shifted her position, moving back slightly.

Was this guy going to smile awkwardly a second later and say he’d come to dump a body?

Richter noticed her subtle movement and found it a little funny, but also a little puzzling. While it was understandable to be wary of strangers at night, his identification had been checked, and his excuse was plausible. To be so cautious could only be described as a bit cowardly.

“It’s a relationship problem,” he smirked. “I don’t think the police offer relationship counseling…”

“A relationship problem?” Selene looked at his face dubiously. His expression was genuine. “Forgive me for saying this, but with a face as handsome as yours, you could easily juggle eight relationships simultaneously, even if all eight partners knew about each other. I can’t imagine you having any kind of relationship problem.”

Richter was silent for a moment. After a while, he spoke in a strange tone.

“Forgive me for being blunt, but if my appearance is considered dangerous, then your would be a human succubus. Forget eight relationships. You could raise an army with your admirers… You smile at someone, and the power of that smile is close to an illusion spell.”

The two looked at each other’s faces for a moment.

“Let’s talk about your relationship problem,” Selene rubbed her forehead.