Chapter 1297 Rolando <TOC> Chapter 1299 The Commission
Translator: SumTLMan
“From a mere trifle, he’s managed to deduce such a wealth of information and even inferred our intentions,” marveled White Bear, stroking his plush ears in astonishment. “One must not underestimate this individual.”
Angel replied, “He possesses a keen eye for details. Given that this matter involves Suis and falls within his realm of concern, it’s no wonder he was able to connect the dots to my purpose.” However, even while saying this, Angel had to concede that Gold’s astuteness was beyond the reach of ordinary folk.
Their admiration for Gold was one thing, but they remained in the dark about Rolando.
“What Gold said about Rolando was not fabricated. But the information we have is scant, making it hard to ascertain Rolando’s true identity. Even the authenticity of his name remains under scrutiny,” Angel mused, rubbing his nose bridge. “The only solid lead we have is that Gold has informants stationed in Sea Moon City. The Whale Whisker Sea Route is still frozen, so if Rolando wishes to return to the bustling mainland via sea, it’s not yet the time. That suggests he might still be on the Old Land Continent. However, his exact whereabouts are unknown even to Gold.”
Once Rolando disembarked, he vanished without a trace. Even though the Old Land Continent seems small in the eyes of wizards, hiding someone whose face has never been seen can be relatively straightforward.
Angel looked at White Bear, “Given the limited information at our disposal, can you predict Rolando’s whereabouts?”
White Bear pondered, “If ‘Rolando’ is his real name, and I have access to his bloodline data, perhaps I can give it a try.”
Upon saying this, White Bear began constructing a predictive model.
Angel raised a protective barrier to shield them from the falling snow, patiently waiting for White Bear to arrive at a conclusion.
After a while, on the Gondola’s desk stood a short staff that hadn’t toppled over. Despite White Bear’s repeated attempts to enact a prophecy spell, the staff remained steadfast and unmoved.
Ultimately, White Bear could only open his eyes in resignation.
Facing Angel’s gaze, White Bear offered a rueful shake of his head. “My power is still too feeble to pinpoint his location. I later took a different approach, trying to determine if Rolando is his true name. However, my formation falls under the mainstream currents of the River of Fate, not the ‘Bell of Inquiry’. Thus, in seeking the truth, I was left without a clear answer.”
At this point, it seemed they had hit another dead end.
“Let’s first visit the White Shell Shipping Company to inspect the detailed list aboard the White Headed Gull,” Angel proposed, after some contemplation.
Cloaked in the embrace of the night, with stars casting their lingering glow, they followed the direction from which the sea breeze blew, arriving at the Sea Moon City thousands of miles away from Conia.
White Shell Shipping Company’s sole branch on the Old Land Continent was situated near Vichy Harbor of Sea Moon City.
To call it a branch might be an overstatement; it’s more of an outpost, represented by an inconspicuous three-story building. Moreover, the ground floor of this building served as a store, with only the second and third floors bearing the name of White Shell Shipping Company.
Angel initially thought he’d need to present the research institute access card, perhaps to gain recognition from the staff of the White Shell Shipping Company. However, upon their arrival, they found that the person in charge was merely a first level apprentice. Sensing their strength, he hastily and obsequiously produced the recent voyage register.
Angel couldn’t help but wonder, given the smoothness of the process, had many come here before to check the shipping routes?
It took a few minutes to go through the register.
Angel turned to the others and shook his head, “Just as Gold mentioned, there’s no record of him on the White Headed Gull.”
Sanders mused, “Likely, like Suis, he boarded through some special channel. Those who board this way are never recorded.”
Revisiting the register, Angel confirmed that indeed, Suis’ name wasn’t listed either.
Previously, Gold mentioned several transcendent individuals, including himself, along with Feilin, Henry, and others. These names have been meticulously recorded without omission.
“Could he be hiding among the ordinary people?” inquired White Bear.
There were nearly a hundred ordinary people aboard the White Headed Gull, and a subset of them were gifted. Angel did not find Rolando among them.
Either the name Rolando reported to Gold was an alias, or he truly never registered.
“Regardless, let’s investigate these common folks first,” Angel efficiently organized a list, asking the manager of the White Shell Shipping Company for their addresses.
Had it been about the extraordinary, there might’ve been hesitations. But for mere employees, the manager divulged their details without a second thought.
Interestingly, more than half of these ordinary people had departed with the White Headed Gull, while the rest mostly remained in Sea Moon City, awaiting their next voyage.
The task of visiting was assigned to White Bear. Moreover, Angel provided him with several scouting puppets to significantly boost efficiency.
Angel and Sanders chose to stay in the Gondola.
“Rolando has hidden himself exceedingly well. I wonder if White Bear’s visits will bear fruit,” mused Angel. He wasn’t necessarily hoping for an immediate discovery but wished for the slightest clue to emerge.
“If he’s going to great lengths to conceal himself, then superficial information likely won’t reveal his whereabouts,” Sanders casually remarked.
Angel understood the sentiment, but currently, there was no better approach. They had to systematically sift through this surface data.
After roughly three to four hours, as the morning star gleamed brightly and the sky took on the pallor of a fish’s belly, White Bear returned.
“I’ve meticulously identified thirty individuals, all of whom seem to be devoid of suspicion. As for those who departed from Sea Moon City, there are seven in total. I’ve interrogated these seven and even connected with those who’ve collaborated with them over the years. The cloud of suspicion over them can essentially be dispelled. Moreover, they’ve left behind records of their departures, predominantly heading towards other cities surrounding Sea Moon City.”
Angel heaved a deep sigh, truly, as Sanders had said, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack when it comes to gleaning genuine insights from surface-level information.
“Among the seven who left, were any headed towards Grud Town? Perhaps, to Watford?” Angel asked with a pinch of hopelessness.
White Bear ruminated for a moment: “Watford? Ah, there seems to be one by the name of Furlington. He articulated to others that due to the previous skirmish between Goldfinch and Sea Wave, he was en route to Watford in search of a refugee cast in the shadow of this war, someone he claims to share blood ties with. This piece of information has indeed been substantiated.”
“It seems rather straightforward on the face of it,” Angel pondered, “Nevertheless, since we’re currently at a dead end, and we need to return to Grud Town, we might as well swing by Watford.”
…
Heavy snow blanketed Watford, swiftly converting brick roads into a wintry tapestry.
Given the biting cold, the number of souls brave enough to traverse the streets had dwindled. Even those who deemed it imperative to venture out were clad in bulky garments, donning felt hats, their breaths crystallizing in the frigid air as they hurried along.
At that juncture, two individuals emerged from the town hall. One donned an eccentric White bear costume, while the other exuded the refinement befitting a noble.
The noble youth, leading the way, exhibited an appearance so striking, it seemed almost out of place in this wintry tableau. Regrettably, passersby, preoccupied with bracing against the cold’s embrace, spared no time to admire him.
However, beneath the eaves of a large edifice near the town hall, a man, leaning against the wall and puffing on a pipe, couldn’t help but take note of the distinguished young noble.
Amidst a haze, a man’s visage seemed lost in contemplation. As a young nobleman was about to vanish into the distance, the man appeared to muster his courage and approached the young aristocrat.
“Noble sir, you seem somewhat troubled,” the man said, removing his black felt hat in a gesture of respect.
The noble youth was none other than Angel.
Angel glanced at the man. He was dressed in a waistcoat, trousers, and leather shoes, all wrapped up in a coffee-colored trench coat — a rather standard gentleman’s attire. However, the coat bore creases, his tie was faded, dark circles hung under his eyes, his beard was unkempt, and his nails bore traces of grime. A mingling scent of tobacco and stale sweat hung about him, suggesting either a deliberate disregard for his appearance or the strain of hard times.
Observing Angel’s scrutiny, a touch of embarrassment flitted across the man’s otherwise handsome face.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Richard Kaf, a private detective. I’ve been busy cracking a major case lately, the one that has been causing quite the stir in Watford. I haven’t had a chance to rest, hence my disheveled appearance.”
A memory surfaced in Angel’s mind. He recalled reading a headline in a newspaper at the town hall.
“Are you referring to the ‘Blood Cross Gold Heist’?”
Richard paused, slightly taken aback. “You’re aware of it?”
White Bear by Angel’s side sneered, “Today’s newspaper clearly stated that the case was solved by the Knights. Mr. Kaf, forgive my bluntness, but you bear no marks of knighthood.”
“You haven’t seen us before, have you? Thought you could weave a web of deception around us, painting tales to swindle us?”
Richard managed an awkward smile, a sheepishness in his eyes revealing his ruse had been seen through.
“Though a mere unsung hero, even a knightly order has need of detectives, doesn’t it…”
White Bear had little patience for such distractions; spending precious moments on this man seemed like pouring water into the sand. He was on the verge of turning away without a second thought.
Yet, Angel stood unmoving, fixing his gaze on Richard, “Mr. Kaf, you have an uncanny knack for recognizing faces. It’s true, we just arrived in Watford. So, you deduced we were strangers here, correct?”
Richard quickly raised his hands defensively, “No, no! I genuinely am a private detective. It’s just that…”
His voice trailed off, a shadow crossing his face, “It’s been ages since I’ve had a case. Seeing you both emerge from the town hall, I thought perhaps you faced some dilemma. Hence, I wondered if you might need assistance.”
Through this, Richard tacitly admitted that his prior claim of involvement in the gold heist case was nothing more than a tall tale. After confessing, he gave a respectful bow to Angel, “My apologies for the intrusion. I’ll take my leave now.”
But as Richard pivoted to depart, Angel’s voice halted him, “Hold on. Given your sharp eye for faces, would you be interested in taking on a task to Search for someone?”