LOTM: Seekers

38. Closer

With my short-term goal now clear, I began preparing the path to reach it.

There were only a handful of Beyonders near me, and it's not like I could just walk up to a stranger and ask if I could watch their advancement. From the few potential candidates around me, even fewer were truly viable.

It wasn't easy helping Emlyn take steps toward his advancement.

As for Xio and Fors, they might have the highest chances of advancing soon.

Audrey's advancement was closely tied to the Tarot Club, so I doubted she'd be eager to share anything with outsiders.

I could try helping someone grow as a Beyonder, but that required resources and time I didn't exactly have.

Yesterday, I probed Emlyn about his advancement, but with his main interest still in dolls, ambition wasn't really on his radar—for now. Yep, just as I expected.

And today, I planned to meet up with Xio and Fors.

In the morning, I sat through the professor's lecture about Stirling engines. Thanks to a certain gentleman, the progress of technology in this world was… well, strange. For your information, that gentleman had even tasted a demoness—how brave.

Every time Emperor Roselle's name came up in class, even in a technology lecture, it was clear he was truly a man of his era.

After finishing my morning lecture, I headed to the agreed meeting place.

I arrived in front of Viscount Glaint's mansion. Why did we even choose this place to meet?

I stepped down from the carriage and was promptly greeted by the house servants. They escorted me to a drawing room where the others were already waiting.

"Welcome~" Glaint greeted me cheerfully. Seeing him in person, I remembered my parents' lessons on how to behave properly before a noble.

"You don't have to be so formal. Ignore the small stuff—we're mystic friends, after all," Glaint said warmly, flashing a smile as if his wallet was just as generous.

"Thank you," I replied, following his lead as we entered the room. I greeted the others already there. Audrey wasn't present this time, which was a lucky coincidence for me.

"Actually, I want to know how you two are progressing with your advancement," I said honestly. There was no reason to hide anything here.

"??" Both of them looked puzzled.

"Why do you ask?" Xio responded cautiously. After all, everyone knew she had just bought the Sheriff's potion formula.

"Actually, I want to help," I answered honestly, without hesitation.

"Help?" Xio's confusion deepened, and the others shared her expression. We might be friends, but not close enough for me to offer help without any expectation — especially since I had only recently joined this small circle.

I nodded firmly. "Exactly. In exchange for my assistance, I would like to observe your advancement process. I've been preparing to take my own next step, but since this will be my first time, I want to learn by witnessing how others undergo it."

Xio's eyes narrowed, her tone sharp and slightly skeptical, the same edge she wielded among the underground crowd. "So, you want us to be your guinea pigs."

"That's precisely it," I replied, meeting her gaze with unwavering confidence. "It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. I offer my support, and you let me learn from your experience."

A tense silence hung for a moment before Xio whispered something to Fors. I sensed their cautious deliberation.

Sensing the hesitation, I quickly added, "If you're uneasy, I can maintain my distance during the process. And of course, Fors and the others will be nearby to ensure your safety."

After a moment's pause, Xio finally turned to me. "I have two conditions. First, while you're searching for my advancement, I want you to look into the Trickmaster's formula and its ingredients. Of course, you won't have to pay—just provide the information. Depending on the situation, we might even offer some rewards."

I listened carefully, processing her words before nodding in agreement. "Alright, I have no problem with that. What's the other condition?"

Xio turned once again to Fors, who stood so close it would take less than a second to reach out and touch her so they could escape easily.

"My second condition," Xio said, swallowing nervously, "is that I want to know your Sequence."

I fell silent, pretending to ponder carefully. After a moment, I finally replied, "Alright. I'm an Assassin. My next Sequence should be Instigator. Beyond that, I don't have any concrete information."

It was the only truth I could safely share. With my thread manipulation and speed favoring traps and ambushes, the Assassin Pathway was the closest match. Unless they had precise knowledge of an Assassin's abilities, they wouldn't be able to read much else.

A brief moment of tension hung in the air before Xio broke the silence.

"Alright, thank you in advance for your help." She extended her hand for a handshake, which I accepted without hesitation.

Once everything was settled, I turned to Fors and Glaint.

"I don't have any information about the Trickmaster pathway yet, but I might be able to acquire the Apothecary's formula."

"Really?!" Glaint's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I said might be possible—don't get ahead of yourself just yet. And it could cost more than the usual market price," I cautioned, but he seemed unfazed.

"You don't need to worry about the price!" he declared, as expected from someone well-off.

Turning to Fors, I offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any leads at the moment."

Fors shook her head firmly. "I've been searching for a year or two myself. I'm used to it. Just please help Xio."

I nodded in agreement with her resolve.

"So, do you have any leads right now?" I redirected the conversation to Xio, though I had already been formulating a plan to help her advance discreetly.

She nodded, though a hint of anxiety lingered in her eyes, betraying her uncertainty. "An organization approached me, offering their help. They were the ones who sold me the formula—and they also have the ingredients," she explained cautiously. "Most likely..."

"The military," I finished for her, and she nodded in confirmation.

"They offered me a deal — to be their informant, exchanging information and merits for the potion's ingredients."

"I see. Then this might be our best chance," I said, excitement creeping into my voice. If she advanced faster, so would I.

"The best chance?" she echoed, clearly confused.

"I'm planning to infiltrate their base and grab those ingredients. Since they just recruited you, they won't expect you to betray them so soon."

"Is that so?" Xio nearly pressed her hands to her ears, as if she'd misheard.

"It is," I confirmed with a grin. "Do you know what most detectives and investigators have in common?"

"Hmm? What?" Xio replied hesitantly.

"They overthink everything!" I said, eyes sparkling with excitement. "They analyze every action, every motive, trying not to miss a single detail. But what they don't realize is that sometimes, a person's actions are simply because that's what they want to do."

Xio was left speechless. Is it too late to back out of this partnership? she wondered anxiously. And he actually invited a burglar to his room for a chat? This guy's seriously strange.

"Oh, you know your staff well," Fors chimed in with a knowing smile. "That's exactly what I've always thought. They overanalyze everything, which is why they're always late." She murmured under her breath, "That's what I write in my books…"

"Yup, that's proof he's weird," Xio nodded, her eyes narrowing in deduction.

"Um, do you guys remember that I'm a noble in this country? Technically, I'm military personnel," Glaint interrupted, clearly eavesdropping on our conversation.

Those words instantly made Fors and me, who were lightly mocking the investigator, pause mid-sentence.

We exchanged glances, silently communicating.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"Mmh, maybe burn and bury," Fors suggested with a sinister grin.

"That's too much trouble. How about feeding him to the fishes?" I added.

"No, that won't do — what if he floats after a few days?" she replied calmly.

"I see. Then we can just add some weights," I proposed.

"That's it!" we both exclaimed in unison.

"Oi!" Even the ever-composed Glaint couldn't hold back a chuckle.

Fors and I exchanged amused looks and laughed together.

Unknowingly, I was growing closer to them.