197 LOTM

"you have a chance to meet his holiness."

barton heard a man in a dark-blue bishop robe say to him.

no matter how hard he tried, the other man's face was indiscernible. it felt like his face was covered with a gray, blurry gas.

of course, this wasn't an important matter. as a devout believer of the lord, it was definitely the greatest honor for barton to meet a proxy of "him."

this made him so excited that he couldn't say a word. his body trembled as he followed the bishop to the back, entering the hall one step at a time.

barton couldn't describe the hall in detail either. he only knew that it was very grand and magnificent, one that exuded an immense pressure. he could only bow his head obediently.

finally, he arrived in front of the steps.

at that moment, he seemed to receive permission as he subconsciously raised his head.

then, he saw a golden retriever.

this dog wore a deep blue, gorgeous robe that resembled a curtain. it wore a papal tiara with many gems embedded in it. it sat on a huge throne and watched him quietly.

"..." barton was stunned.

this, this is the pontiff? barton was shocked and panicked, a strong sense of fear rising in his heart.

he opened his eyes abruptly and saw the morning light illuminating the ceiling.

phew... barton sat up, panting slightly, trying to extricate himself from the influences of the dream as quickly as possible.

"what happened?" his wife sensed something amiss and got up.

barton shook his head.

"a nightmare."

he didn't tell his wife the truth—he dreamed that the pontiff was a golden retriever.

he could bet that his wife would say in horror, "how can you have such sacrilegious thoughts?"

if that were to happen, he could only shrug his shoulders and say, "just kidding."

i can't bring my troubles into my family life. this is a paradise for humans, meant for relaxing... moreover, women can hardly understand more profound questions. they have traits in being perceptive to thoughts, and love... barton didn't dwell on the contents of his dream anymore. he got out of bed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

after breakfast, he kissed his wife and children before leaving his residence and taking a trackless public carriage to the working district at the edge of the city.

he was under the employment of the loen relic search and preservation foundation with a sizable salary. in places like the capital of east chester county, stoen city, he was considered to be upper-middle class.

on the way, barton studied the streets outside out of boredom.

due to not being directly affected by the war, stoen city still retained its former prosperity. carriages, bicycles, pedestrians, and wild dogs came and went; it was lively and noisy.

barton was already used to such a scene. he didn't have much of an impression of it, but the dream from last night made him uncomfortable every time he saw a dog on the street. it was as if it was the incarnation of the pontiff, one that he needed to bow to and greet.

"holy lord of storms, please forgive your penitent servant." barton raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and gently struck his left chest.

after a while, he arrived at the loen relic search and preservation foundation. as he greeted his colleagues, he walked into his office.

after hanging up his hat and coat, barton relaxed and leisurely prepared some special black tea for himself—he was almost middle-aged, and his energy was dropping. he always hoped to use a simpler method to supplement his body without suffering any hardship.

after preparing the black tea, barton picked up a few newspapers on the desk and wanted to prep himself before starting work.

the economic situation in backlund last season has greatly improved...

another pirate at the level of king has appeared in the sonia sea and the berserk sea, queen of stars...

desi bay fruits trade fair...

after reading the newspaper slowly, barton took a sip of black tea and started his work.

a letter from vernal? barton found a letter from an old friend as he examined the documents on his table.

he was an archaeologist who had a close relationship with the loen relic search and preservation foundation.

barton immediately took out a letter cutter, took out the letter, and read it seriously.

"my dear friend,

"my students and i found some interesting ruins in the mountains of sivellaus county. perhaps they originated from refugees from the fourth epoch...

"in that period of history that we don't know much about, they left the city for reasons unbeknown to us. they entered the forests, and stopped interacting with the outside world again. they existed in the form of a tribe...

"they might still be guarding something, but it has long been drowned out by time, leaving behind only ruins and corpses...

"my students and i will excavate this place while employing conservation practices. we hope to find something more useful that can help us restore the history of the fourth epoch. i wonder if your foundation is interested in this.

"...here, i solemnly invite you to send a team over to confirm if our work is real and effective..."

going into the mountains... the first thing that surfaced in barton's mind was not the relics or the history, but the buzzing mosquitoes, the humid, dark environment, and the camp that became a temptation to the wild beasts.

he shook his head and picked up a pen and paper. he prepared to file this letter and send it to his superiors.

-x-X-x-

After drafting the document's header, Barton was preparing to add some details into the document when he realized that Vernal hadn't submitted any supporting information.

Does he think that he can apply for funding with just a letter by simply relying on his relationship with the foundation? Barton looked around the table and muttered to himself in puzzlement.

In his opinion, Vernal wasn't an arrogant archaeologist. Apart from being feisty and impatient, he was considered a typical Loen gentleman in all other aspects.

Under normal circumstances, when one requested funding from the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation, they had to provide a lot of information, such as photos, ancient supplementary documents, and other related information other than a cover letter that described the project. Otherwise, the foundation wouldn't be able to do a review and make a decision, much less spend large amounts of gold pounds to send a team to the project location for inspection.

Or rather, could it be that Vernal Fnarr was just too careless and forgot to send the information out as well? Of course, with the relationship between Vernal and the foundation, it's entirely possible the upper management will send a person or two to arrange a meeting to verify the information when they see it... Yes, as a friend, I should still help him... Barton shook his head and didn't think further. He stood up and walked to the bookshelf.

He then stretched out his right palm and used his fingers to stroke the back of a book spine, selecting the information he needed.

Finally, he took out a few books and journals, and combined his various viewpoints to give a detailed description of the history of the Sivellaus mountain range in the document he was about to submit.

"In the scientific community, there's a common viewpoint:

"In a period that's unknown to be long or short, the Solomon Empire and the Tudor Dynasty coexisted in the Northern Continent, and their border could very likely be situated where the Hornacis mountain range and the Feynapotter Highlands are today.

"There's a high chance that the Hornacis mountain range's extension in Sivellaus County was a contested ground between both parties..."

Barton didn't endorse Vernal. He only provided references to show that there were indeed possible ruins of the Fourth Epoch in the mountains of Sivellaus County.

This way, if it was proven that Vernal was lying, no one would hold him responsible, because all of the descriptions came from famous historians. Barton had only extracted snippets in a selective fashion.

At the end of the document, he listed out his references:

"... 'Private Historical Research of Sivellaus County', Azik Eggers, Khoy University's Department of History lecturer..."

After completing this document, Barton read through it from top to bottom and modified his choice of words and certain sentences.

Then, he took the draft and entered the clerk's room next door. He asked them to type up a formal document with mechanical typewriters.

The Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation had always hired plenty of female employees. From the lowest level of ordinary clerks to the deputy director of the upper echelons, at least half of them were female.

Barton actually had some things to say about this, but he didn't, nor did he dare to object. He could only choose to accept the state of things.

Of course, he had to admit that when he needed to wait, it was quite nice watching these young female clerks busying themselves.

At least it enriches the colors here... As Barton listened to the tapping sounds, he mumbled silently.

Once the documents were done, he signed and submitted them. Then, just like before, he continued with his work as usual.

This included but wasn't limited to the trial projects, providing professional opinions and gathering research materials for the foundation's papers and commentary.

A day quickly passed, and Barton left the company at six in the evening. He took a public carriage and returned home after an hour.

This was a common occurrence in all the major cities in Loen. That was why high tea became a trend-after lunchtime from 12 to 1, it would be half-past seven or eight in the evening before people reached home. If not for high tea sessions, most people would definitely be abnormally hungry.

Of course, this was only limited to the middle-class and above. Many poor people might only eat two meals a day. Moreover, couples with the conditions to work would both be working. They would have to prepare dinner after returning home at around eight in the evening. And the food wasn't for their enjoyment.

"Vernal came to visit you in the afternoon," Barton's wife said casually as she helped him take off his coat and hat.

"Vernal?" Barton was taken aback momentarily.

The archaeologist who discovered a Fourth Epoch ruins in Sivellaus County had returned to East Chester County?

As soon as he said that, Barton frowned and muttered to himself, He really did forget to send the information, so he came back personally?

No, there's no need to go through so much trouble. The Royal Mail is rather reliable.

Besides, he should know that I'll definitely be at the foundation if it's not a weekend. Yes, I might've been sent elsewhere for an inspection review...

With this in mind, Barton asked, "Where is he?"

"He only waited in your study for fifteen minutes before he left," Barton's wife said.

Barton pressed, "Did he say which hotel he's living in? When will he come again?"

The archaeologist, Vernal, was from East Chester County, but he wasn't a Stoen resident. He didn't have a place here.

"He didn't say. He seemed to be in a hurry." Barton's wife paused for a moment before continuing, "He looked very impatient."

Barton touched his receding hairline and nodded gently.

"I'll be in the study."

His study was on the second floor, and there were many bookshelves and some porcelain placed there. He wasn't too passionate about porcelain, but he actively searched for unique items.

After some searching, Barton didn't find any note or letter left behind by Vernal.

He quickly threw the matter to the back of his mind.

This was his usual rule—he tried not to be troubled by work once he got home.

After dinner, he shared a beautiful time with his wife and children, then quickly washed up and went to bed.

In the dead of night, he suddenly woke up and opened his eyes.

Ever since the danger he encountered during an archaeological excavation ten years ago, Barton had gained a sense of awarenessspiritual perception—that exceeded what ordinary people had. He could always sense some movements that others couldn't detect. For example, others might realize that someone was looking for them when visitors arrived at the door, but Barton could sense whether the other party was related to him once they walked down the corridor.

Someone sneaked in... Barton suddenly sat up, his eyes wide open.

He looked at his wife who was sleeping soundly beside him and didn't wake her up. With very slight movements, he flipped out of bed and removed the double-barreled hunting rifle hanging on the wall.

After grabbing the rifle, he gently opened the door and looked down the corridor.

This place was shrouded in the darkness of the night, and a faint crimson glow outlined certain objects.

Barton didn't hesitate. He entered the corridor and scanned the area.

However, he didn't find the burglar.

Was I mistaken? Barton turned around, feeling a lack of confidence.

There was no sign of any of the rooms on the second floor being opened.

After thinking for a while, Barton came to the door of the study, grabbed the handle, and gently twisted it.

The door opened silently. Everything inside was immersed in the darkness, resembling all kinds of monsters.

After drawing the curtains, Barton carefully examined the interior with the aid of the moonlight, and he confirmed that the interior was exactly the same as he remembered.

I really am too sensitive... An aftereffect of the nightmare yesterday? Barton exhaled and left the study quickly.

Behind him, the curtains that were drawn lightly swayed, as if a gust of wind was blowing.

The next day, Barton continued his daily routine.

He kissed his wife and children, took a rental carriage, read newspapers, brewed black tea, read letters...

Eh, there's another letter from Vernal. Barton felt relieved and opened the letter.

However, there was nothing in the letter. The sender seemed to have forgotten to stuff the letter into the envelope.

Has Vernal been suffering from absentmindedness recently? Barton glanced at the envelope in his hand and suddenly realized that the pattern on it was a little strange.

This was an envelope with a commemorative sense.

According to what Barton knew, many high-end hotels in Backlund and Stoen City would provide special envelopes and paper to their guests. It was equivalent to a tourist souvenir.

Which hotel is this? Barton put the envelope to his nose and prepared to smell the fragrance on it. It was also unique and recognizable.

In the next second, he smelled a faint scent of blood.

-x-X-x-

Instantly, Barton's hair stood on end.

Although he couldn't be sure that he smelled blood, his spiritual perception told him that this was the smell of blood.

Vernal encountered some misfortune? Just like the archaeological team that I was in back then? No, there's no blood on the envelope. How can it emit the smell of blood? After a brief, extreme fright, Barton stood up immediately.

As an ordinary person, he had only one reaction when facing such a situation.

That was to call the police!

As Barton took the envelope and left his seat, he suddenly remembered something.

There were clear rules of how to deal with such situations within the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation. If a project were to produce a phenomenon that was terrifying or incomprehensible, employees were to immediately halt everything and report to the Compliance Department. They would be responsible for the follow-up.

Barton didn't understand why he needed to go to the Compliance Department. From what he knew, this was a department that handled provisions and audit projections for any violations of the rules. It had nothing to do with handling unknown dangers.

However, the founder of the foundation, Miss Audrey Hall, didn't make many changes during the internal auditing of the departments. She only added this one clause. Therefore, the higher-ups didn't wish to argue with her over this.

And obviously I'd prefer to meet the head of security... Barton muttered as he walked out of his office, heading straight for the Compliance Department at the end of the corridor.

Knock! Knock! Knock! He tried his best to compose himself and knocked on the door three times in a gentlemanly manner.

"Come on in." A voice without any uniqueness came from inside.

To be frank, Barton didn't know much about his colleagues at the Compliance Department. He only knew that they were cold and heartless. They acted quickly and easily caught any parasites within the foundation who tried to cheat the foundation for funding.

Taking a deep breath, Barton turned the doorknob and pushed open the door.

In his mind, the Compliance Department likely worked in an abnormally dark environment. Everyone maintained their silence and exchanged a few words from time to time, deciding the fate of a project and its principal investigator. However, the first thing that entered his eyes was bright sunlight, colorful decorations, and an open and bright setting.

"What's the matter?" A black-haired, brown-eyed employee with no special features from the Compliance Department greeted him.

He was wearing a thick black coat, which didn't seem to be able to withstand the cold winter weather in East Chester.

In addition, Barton sensed that the voice of this Compliance Department employee had a Backlund accent to it. Either he was born there, or he had stayed there for quite some time.

He isn't cold, mechanical, and difficult to get along with. He even feels friendly... As such thoughts flashed through Barton's mind, he said hurriedly, "A partner of ours seems to have encountered a situation!

"The letter he sent only consisted of an envelope. There's no content inside, and there's the smell of blood coming from it."

The employee from the Compliance Department didn't show any change in expression. He nodded and said, "Show me the envelope."

Barton passed Archaeologist Vernal's "letter."

Only then did he realize that he was being rude. He hurriedly asked, "I'm sorry; how should I address you?"

The employee from the Compliance Department raised the envelope and carefully looked at it against the sunlight. He then casually replied, "Pacheco Dwayne, deputy director of the Compliance Department, an experienced solicitor. Just call me Pacheco."

Without waiting for Barton's reply, Pacheco lowered his arm and said with a serious expression, "Indeed, there are some abnormalities.

"A preliminary conclusion is that this letter is from the Clough Hotel in the city. I once lived there for some time, and I know that they like to emboss Lavender Castle on their envelopes and paper."

"Do we need to call the police?" Barton blurted out.

Pacheco shook his head.

"Not for now. Let's go to the venue to confirm the situation.

"This requires your assistance. I don't know that partner."

"...Alright. I'll go with you." Barton hesitated.

After exiting the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation and boarding a rental carriage, Barton found the silence rather awkward. He took the initiative to ask, "Pacheco, you're from Backlund?"

"No." Pacheco shook his head. "I'm from Midseashire. I just happen to have lived in Backlund for nearly fifteen years."

"Why did you leave Backlund? I heard that it's the city most suitable for lawyers to develop their career," Barton said casually.

Pacheco smiled and said, "But it's also a place full of competition.

"Alright, I was just joking. I was once a personal lawyer and partner of Framis Cage, a steam car mogul. Later, he invested in the Backlund Bike Company, and I began to work as the company's legal advisor."

Barton was suddenly enlightened.

"Miss Audrey has a large number of shares in that company. Did you get to know her because of that?"

"That's right." Pacheco sighed. "In the war, Framis unfortunately passed away. His estate fell into dispute. As his friend, I helped his widow and children obtain quite a large share. As a result, I offended some people. This made my situation in Backlund become difficult. Fortunately, Miss Audrey extended an olive branch to me and invited me to East Chester County to work at the foundation as deputy director of the Compliance Department."

With Pacheco telling him such matters, Barton felt a closer bond with him.

He was slightly puzzled and asked, "Why did they target you? You were just carrying out your duty as a friend and a lawyer.

"Those people should aim at the widow and children of Framis Cage."

Pacheco laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "I used some inappropriate methods.

"Also, Framis has other friends to take care of his widow and children."

As they chatted, the rental carriage arrived at the Clough Hotel in Stoen City.

The location of the hotel was rather good. The street was beautiful and quiet, and they only needed to walk for ten minutes to reach the most bustling streets in the city.

After entering the hotel and finding the boss, Pacheco asked directly, "We've come to find a friend named Vernal."

Through their casual conversation, he had already grasped the general situation of the target.

The boss frowned in puzzlement.

"If I remember correctly, there shouldn't be any customer here named Vernal."

Barton quickly added, "He's a little taller than me, and he looks very well-built. His nose is always very red, and his body often reeks of alcohol..."

He described the characteristics of Vernal in detail.

The boss recalled and looked at the attendant beside him.

"There's a guest like that," the attendant replied immediately. "He lives in Room 309."

Under the attendant's lead, Barton and Pacheco arrived outside the room and knocked on the door.

The knocking echoed, but there was no movement inside.

Just as Barton was about to suggest calling the police again, Pacheco suddenly bent down and picked up a white, soft tuft of hair from the crack at the bottom of the door.

No, it wasn't hair. It resembled the condensation of fog.

With Pacheco's fingers touching it, it spread out and merged into the air.

At the same time, Barton, whose spiritual perception was slightly different from ordinary people, vaguely heard a faint male voice:

"Tamara... Tamara..."

-x-X-x-

Tamara... Barton ruminated over the name and wondered what it meant.

He was no longer the same person who realized that he could hear sounds that others couldn't. He didn't look around in panic, hoping to find someone who was hiding and speaking in a dark corner. There were no signs of him constantly being prepared to grab a wooden pole and rushing over to strike the person. He stood on the spot calmly, observing the reaction of the deputy director of the Compliance Department, Pacheco.

Pacheco glanced at him and said, "Have you done any research in the history of the Fourth Epoch?"

"A little," Barton replied modestly.

At this moment, he didn't pretend that he didn't know anything about the history of the Fourth Epoch. Firstly, his character didn't allow for that. Secondly, his position was a direct result of his academic background in history. If he had any major flaws in this field, he might be fired by the foundation tomorrow.

Pacheco looked at the door and said, "Have you heard of the name Tamara before?"

"I've heard of it." Barton instinctively turned his head to glance at Pacheco. "In the little-known history of the Fourth Epoch, the name 'Tamara' has appeared several times, and its frequency is only second to Tudor, Solomon, and Trunsoest. From this, it can be determined that this represents a great noble of some empire in the Fourth Epoch."

After saying this, Barton paused and said, "Vernal recently discovered some ruins from the Fourth Epoch."

As the hotel waiter was by his side, he didn't directly mention that the name "Tamara" might have something to do with the current abnormality Vernal was facing.

Pacheco didn't respond. He turned to the hotel attendant and said, "I'm a police officer in charge of a criminal investigation. I suspect that the tenant in this room has encountered some misfortune. Please open the door immediately."

As he spoke, he took out an identification document and showed it to the other party.

The hotel attendant was shocked and looked at the identification carefully.

"Okay, okay. I'll get the keys!"

As he spoke, he turned around and ran towards the staircase.

"You're a policeman?" Barton, who was watching from the sidelines, blurted out in shock.

Pacheco looked down at the identification in his hand and chuckled.

"This document is 100% real. It was obtained through legal channels."

Why do you need to make it sound so complicated... Barton habitually replied, "I don't care about its authenticity. I just want to know if you're a police officer."

Pacheco laughed.

"That depends on how you view it."

This answer left Barton rather irritated, but as a typical Loen gentleman, he knew that the other party was unwilling to give him an answer directly, so he politely shut his mouth.

Of course, one of the reasons included the other party being one of the deputy directors of the Compliance Department.

The two of them remained silent as the hotel owner and the attendant returned to the third floor.

After carefully inspecting the identification document in Pacheco's hands and matching it to the face, the hotel owner took out his keys and opened the door. He grumbled, "How did something happen? Nothing was heard."

If a high-end hotel was involved in a murder case, it would definitely affect their image and reputation. They might even go bankrupt.

"Don't worry too much. Perhaps it's just a small problem." Pacheco gave him some friendly consolation.

"I hope so. May the Goddess bless me." The hotel owner retracted his hand and tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion, outlining the stars.

Then, he gently pushed the door open.

At that moment, the interior of the room seemed to connect to the outside world. A faint smell of blood filled the air.

"Oh..." The hotel owner noticed this and could only use an exclamation to express his disappointment and fear.

Only an environment like this can make the envelope not stained with blood have the smell of blood... This thought flashed through Barton's mind immediately.

It was only then that he noticed that the furniture was neatly arranged in the room, and there were no obvious wrinkles on the carpet. It stood in contrast with the smell of blood.

It didn't seem like there was a fight... A fatal shot? Barton's hobbies included reading popular novels, especially those that mixed murder and love. Therefore, he had a rather rich "experience" in such situations.

And among all the best-selling authors, the one he loved the most was undoubtedly Fors Wall.

In the beginning, the one who bought Fors Wall's few novels was his wife. Barton had once read through one of them and ended up being engrossed in it.

Of course, he wouldn't reveal this in front of his wife. He would always use an authoritative tone, saying, "These kinds of novels are shallow and worthless. They're only suitable for killing time."

Amidst Barton's thoughts, Pacheco put on a pair of white gloves and walked into the room.

After surveying the area, this experienced solicitor walked to the desk and picked up the stack of letters with the Lavender Castle pattern embossed on it. He said to the hotel owner and waiter, "Do you know how many pieces there were originally?"

"W-we d-don't replenish them e-every day." The attendant looked at his boss and stuttered.

What he was trying to say was that after having the guests living in this room rotate out a few times, he had no idea how many letters were left when Vernal moved in.

Pacheco scoffed and shook his head. He said to Barton, who was standing beside him, "That's why this world needs order and rules.

"If they used a set of strict rules, replenishing the number of letters to a set number every time a customer checks out, we could've used this to find some clues."

"I don't understand what you mean," Barton answered truthfully.

Pacheco smiled and said, "Simply put, only light can cause shadows.

"Of course, enough chaos also means an opportunity."

Barton nodded and said, "Yes, Emperor Roselle once said that chaos is a staircase that leads one up."

"No one knows if he's the one who said that. There are too many people in this world who don't dare to directly express their views, so they can only rely on the names of others," Pacheco casually replied.

Then, he picked up the blank piece of paper at the top and held it against the sunlight that passed through the glass windows.

"I love dealing with people who are careless." Pacheco suddenly laughed.

After saying this, he put the letter back in its original position.

The next second, he took out a sharpened pencil from his pocket and lightly scribbled it over the letter paper.

Before long, the traces of Loenese text appeared one after another, forming several scattered sentences:

"...I've been targeted...

"...The ruins have traces of some religious rituals...

"...I took away the items on the altar...

"...It... It saw me!

"...No! It's always been by my side!"

When he wrote these few sentences, the archaeologist, Vernal, seemed to be undergoing upheavals in his mood, so he had used plenty of force, leaving the most obvious of traces with his pen.

-x-X-x-

After seeing the marks on the paper, Pacheco turned his head and said to Barton, "What happens next will be quite complicated. I will seek the police's help.

"And you can return to the foundation and wait for further questioning."

Barton, who was staring at the paper, wasn't disappointed. Instead, he felt relieved, and he hurriedly nodded.

"Alright."

After reading the traces left behind by Vernal, Barton's intuition told him that the matter was very dangerous.

As an ordinary person, avoiding danger was an instinctive choice.

Of course, this was also because Vernal could only be considered one of his ordinary friends. It wasn't worth taking a huge risk and getting involved in this matter.

After answering, Barton turned around immediately and walked past the hotel owner and attendant and arrived at the street.

This time, he didn't choose to take public transport and instead boarded a rental carriage.

Barton's trip outside was considered as a special matter. It was rather urgent, and with the deputy director of the Compliance Department to testify for him, he could make a claim for the expenses incurred.

The difference between spending the foundation's money and using one's own salary was two completely different feelings.

On the way, Barton looked at the scenery outside the window and couldn't help but think about Vernal's current situation.

Is he still alive?

The room was filled with a strong stench of blood...

I hope he's still alive. May the Lord bless him.

If he's still alive, where will he be now?

Where...

Could it be?

There!

As his thoughts raced, Barton suddenly thought of a possibility. He quickly instructed the coach driver to change routes and head home.

Not long after, he returned home.

"What happened?" Barton's wife approached him with a surprised look.

It was still quite some time before lunch, let alone getting off work.

Barton didn't take off his hat or jacket. Without answering her question, he directly asked, "Was Vernal here?"

"He came to visit you fifteen minutes ago. I told him to wait in the study room and send Wells to the foundation to look for you," Barton's wife replied honestly.

Wells was their family's valet. And clearly, fifteen minutes wasn't enough for him to reach the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation.

This was what puzzled Barton's wife the most.

"Right." Barton nodded heavily. He hurriedly passed through the living room, went up to the second floor, and entered the study.

In the study room, the windows were wide open and the curtains were slightly rolled. There was no one there.

"Vernal?" Barton shouted, but there was no answer.

He jumped out of the window and left... Barton frowned. He looked around seriously and discovered that the books on the bookshelf were in a mess.

It was a set of historical books that were split into three-parter volumes.

Barton's habit was to arrange them from right to left, and now it was going from left to right.

He took a deep breath and quickly walked over to retrieve the three books.

After a thorough examination, Barton found that a page in the middle had been folded.

He quickly flipped to that page and opened a corner.

Scribbled there simply with a pencil were the words:

"The refugees of the Fourth Epoch worshiped an evil god."

Man... Barton panicked and turned horrified. He stuffed the book back.

Without much thought, he ran out of the study and towards the stairs, preparing to find the deputy director of the Compliance Department, Pacheco. He wanted to tell him about his discovery and get him to request the police to protect his family.

After exiting the house, Barton slowed down and considered an important question:

Where do I go to find Pacheco?

The Clough Hotel, the Stoen police headquarters, or the foundation?

After a brief moment of thought, Barton decided to return to the foundation and look for other employees of the Compliance Department.

At that moment, a rental carriage stopped outside his door as Pacheco Dwayne alighted.

"We discovered that Vernal came to your house again," the deputy director of the Compliance Department explained quickly.

Barton heaved a sigh of relief and replied without hesitation, "Yes, but he has already left.

"However, he left some clues behind."

After saying this, Barton led Pacheco into his own house, went to his study, and handed him the book.

Pacheco looked at it for a while, then gently slid his finger across the surface of the text.

Right on the heels of that, he took out the pencil he had used previously and wrote beside Vernal's comment.

"Call the police!"

After doing all of this, Pacheco stuffed the book back to its original position.

However, he didn't push the book in completely.

This way, the entire row of books had one book bulging out.

"Alright, let's return to the foundation and have lunch. We'll wait for the good news from the police." Pacheco clapped his hands.

Barton didn't understand the reason behind this senior lawyer's actions, but he didn't ask why.

He really didn't want to get involved in this matter. He felt that he couldn't bear it at all.

Barton then fabricated a few reasons to his wife before returning to the foundation with Pacheco to begin his daily work.

When it was tea time, he had just finished an ancient book's appraisal when he heard someone knocking on the door.

"We've got some clues. We need to go to your place," said Pacheco, who was wrapped in a gray scarf and standing by the door.

"Clues?" Barton rose in surprise.

Pacheco didn't give a direct answer. He spread out his hands and made an inviting gesture.

Barton couldn't refuse and went home with the other party.

"Vernal came again!" His wife clearly sensed that something was amiss and went to the door in horror.

"It's fine. Just some minor problems." Barton maintained his image as a man and consoled his wife.

When he arrived at the study, he and Pacheco discovered that, yet again, Vernal had escaped.

"Damn it, can't he just wait for a while?" Barton couldn't help but grumble.

"It's alright." Pacheco walked up to the bookshelf and pulled out the book.

Clearly, Vernal had read his suggestion, as the book was completely stuffed into the bookshelf.

"I guess I know where Vernal is." Pacheco closed his eyes, smiling.

Barton was stunned.

"How do you know?"

Pacheco opened his eyes and replied with a smile, "He accepted my bribe—no, a gift. But that isn't right either. The most accurate description should be a suggestion.

"Of course, he might not accept it."

With that said, the deputy director of the Compliance Department walked past Barton and out of the study.

Barton followed behind him subconsciously, leaving his own borough and turning into a nearby street.

At the end of the street, there was a house that had collapsed due to a fire.

"They actually haven't started reconstruction efforts," Barton whispered.

Pacheco put on a pair of white gloves again, and his expression became a little stern.

Through the rather intact main door, he entered the half-collapsed hall.

Black pieces of wood were strewn across the ground, blocking the lower half of a person's body.

The figure was wearing a brown jacket with a red nose. He looked very stocky and was none other than the archaeologist, Vernal.

Barton secretly exhaled and asked anxiously, "Why didn't you call the police?"

"They're monitoring the police station," Vernal replied without a change in expression.

Barton blurted out, "Why didn't you leave Stoen and go to other cities to report to the police?"

"They're monitoring the steam locomotive station," Vernal replied in the same tone.

Barton thought for a moment and frowned.

"You have many ways to leave Stoen. They can't seal off a city."

Upon hearing this question, Vernal's expression gradually changed as he said with a slightly ethereal tone, "I sensed the will of that great existence..."

-x-X-x-

Great existence... As soon as Barton heard Vernal, certain memories hidden deep within his heart surged out.

This made it difficult for him to contain his fear. His feet unconsciously took a few steps back.

In that the archaeological expedition many years ago, all the nightmares had started with similar descriptions!

Just as Barton's body trembled and was about to turn around and run away, the deputy director of the Compliance Department, Pacheco Dwayne, brought up a question:

"Since you've already sensed the will of that great existence, why didn't you reconcile with the Fourth Epoch refugees who are pursuing you?"

Vernal's breathing suddenly became heavier, as if a faint white fog had spewed out.

His voice also became louder.

"Their faith wasn't accepted with their whole body and mind. They still had some reservations!"

As Vernal spoke, a faint white fog spread out from the half-collapsed house, emitting a strong smell of blood.

Barton seemed to come to a realization, but he wasn't in the mood to think.

He only wanted to leave this place and escape the danger that was about to erupt.

However, Pacheco was rather calm. He looked at Vernal and asked warmly, "You've been visiting Mr. Barton all this while, and writing letters to the foundation. What kind of help do you want us to provide?"

Upon hearing this, Barton was taken aback.

If it were another occasion, he would definitely imagine that Pacheco was asking what kind of legal advice Vernal needed!

At a time like this, didn't he only have two options? He could either escape and report this to the police, or take out his weapon and fire a bullet at Vernal or smack him in the head with a pole... Barton was full of doubts about Pacheco's way of handling things.

With faint white fog lingering at the tip of his nose, and with his eyes that were glowing with gray light, Vernal didn't show any resistance to this kind of exchange. His expression became solemn as he replied in a dignified tone, "Two things:

"First, bring this item to the suburbs and return in the evening."

While speaking, Vernal threw a glass bottle with a slender neck.

The glass bottle seemed to be very sturdy. Even when it fell to the ground, it didn't seem damaged at all despite hitting a rock.

Its interior was filled with pale white, thin, almost illusory fog.

At that moment, Barton acutely sensed that the body of this deputy director of the Compliance Department had stiffened a little, as though he had sensed something unusual.

Vernal didn't observe their reactions and continued, "Secondly, when you are searching for ancient artifacts, help me find similar items."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper and spread it open.

There was a strange-looking lamp on the paper. It was like a tiny water flask that had a candlewick extend out of its mouth.

"...No problem." After two seconds of silence, Pacheco replied in a low voice, one different from his previous tone.

"That's good. Haha, don't you think that our encounter was a coincidence?" Then Vernal tossed the piece of paper aside and leaped up high onto the half-collapsed building.

He was like a baboon as he nimbly climbed up and jumped, quickly disappearing from Barton's and Pacheco's sights.

"What are we going to do next..." Barton turned to look at the deputy director of the Compliance Department.

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stopped. He realized that Pacheco was still standing there, breathing heavily.

In addition to that, Pacheco's body was covered with thick black fur. His muscles swelled up, causing the black coat to tighten.

... Monster... Monster... Barton's eyes widened as if he wanted to see clearly Pacheco's current appearance.

In the blink of an eye, the abnormality on Pacheco vanished. He let out a long breath and said, "We'll wait here."

"...Do you need to pick them up?" Barton pointed at the bottle and paper on the ground.

The corners of Pacheco's mouth twitched as he said, "You can pick it up.

"But you have to keep a distance from me later."

Barton blurted out, "Will the fog in that glass bottle affect you?"

"There are things that even if you can't be certain about, it's best to not rashly attempt them." Pacheco still didn't give a direct answer.

It's really tiring to communicate with him... After pondering for a while, Barton took a few steps forward and stopped in front of the bottle and paper.

Just as he bent down to grab the two items, his eyes suddenly lit up with a weak light.

Immediately after, a pair of boots appeared before his eyes.

The front of one of the boots was curled up high. The other was similar to the rounded-top boots that were popular nowadays, as though they belonged to two different people.

Barton's heart tightened. He suddenly straightened his body and looked forward.

There was a lady standing opposite him.

This lady was wearing clothes that could be considered as two dresses. One side was complex, and the other was simple. One side was colorful, and the other side pure black.

This asymmetrical attire made Barton flare up instinctively. He wanted to tear off her clothes and give her a normal dress and a pair of normal boots.

This impulsiveness didn't contain any trace of a male's desire to harm women. It was purely because of his disgust and repugnant feeling towards such a sense of aesthetics.

After enduring the discomfort, Barton cast his gaze at the lady's head.

She had a pretty face, a high nose bridge, full lips, and a pair of dark gray eyes that were rarely seen. She looked to be in her twenties.

Barton didn't feel any amazement. Instead, he felt that the lady's appearance was rather strange.

After a few seconds, he finally understood the reason.

The lady's face was devoid of expression, unlike a real person. It was closer to a wax statue.

"Vernal has already left." The deputy director of the Compliance Department, Pacheco, seemed to have completely recovered and took the initiative to speak.

The lady's gaze swept across the bottle and paper in Barton's hand.

"What does he want you to do?"

"Bring this bottle to the suburbs and return only in the evening. Also, we are to help him find the item drawn on the paper," Pacheco answered frankly, putting on an attitude as though he was unwilling to be the lady's enemy.

The lady nodded and said, "Give me the bottle."

As soon as she finished speaking, Barton seemed to have heard an order that couldn't be disobeyed. He instinctively threw the thin-necked bottle in his hand at the other party.

Pacheco seized this opportunity and asked, "You're a member of the Tamara family?"

The lady caught the bottle and looked down.

"I didn't expect anyone to remember us."

Pacheco replied with a smile, "In truth, from the end of the Fourth Epoch until now, there have always been active members of the Tamara family, but there are very few of them.

"Have you heard of the Theosophy Order?"

"They are them. We are us," the lady answered simply before her body rapidly faded away and vanished.

-x-X-x-

After seeing the lady disappear for a few seconds, Pacheco turned his head and said to Barton, "Let's go back to the foundation."

"Aren't we going to the suburbs?" Barton asked subconsciously.

Pacheco said with a smile, "Didn't you already give the bottle away?

"We no longer have a reason to go to the suburbs.

"Perhaps his true aim was for us to hand the bottle to the lady of the Tamara family. What he said before were all lies.

"Of course, this has nothing to do with us. Next, there is no innocent party among them, so it doesn't matter who dies. All we need to do is perform a certain amount of surveillance to prevent their battle from affecting ordinary people. This will be handled by the police, not by the foundation or the Compliance Department."

Vernal doesn't look like he's capable of this kind of devious plot... Barton mumbled. He didn't ask further and turned to walk out the door.

Frankly speaking, returning to the foundation was the answer he wanted to hear the most.

It was just a spur of the moment when he asked if they were heading to the suburbs. It was an old habit he hadn't overcome for many years.

After returning to the foundation, Barton spent the rest of the day feeling rather uneasy. He went through the menial, repetitive routine until evening came.

I originally felt that life was too boring, but I now realize that a monotonous life is so precious. Sigh, I only hope that nothing unexpected happens like in the afternoon... May the Lord bless me... Barton stopped at his doorstep, stretched out his right hand, clenched his fist, and gently struck his left chest.

After finishing his prayer, he opened the door and entered. He took off his hat, coat, and handed them over to his wife who had come forward.

"What happened to Vernal?" his wife asked carefully.

Barton replied calmly in both tone and expression, "He offended some people and was being followed. The police have taken over this matter.

"In the future, if Vernal visits again, don't let him in. Remember to send someone to inform the police."

Barton's wife heaved a sigh of relief when she heard that the police had intervened.

"Alright."

After dinner, Barton played with his children for a while before finding an excuse to go to his study and sit near the window.

He needed a private space to completely calm his emotions and walk out of the panic brought about by the incident with Vernal.

As such, Barton took out a cigarette from his drawer and put it to his mouth.

He wasn't addicted to smoking, but he had to socialize sometimes, so he prepared a pack of cigarettes at home and on his body.

He lit the matchstick, lit the cigarette, and took a deep suck.

He then leaned back in his chair and watched the smoke coming out from his mouth and nose.

The white gas quickly spread out in all directions, making Barton suddenly think of the fog coming out of Vernal's mouth and nose.

He vaguely smelled the faint scent of blood.

To Barton, this wasn't a very strange discovery. After all, Vernal had stayed in his study before, so he definitely left some traces behind. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to detect him.

Barton didn't smell it before, but because he was too nervous and flustered, his attention had been focused on the whereabouts of Vernal and the words he had left behind.

Of course, the smell of blood in the study room was very faint. It was also one of the reasons why it couldn't compare with the hotel room and the burnt ruins at all.

As the smoke from the cigarette spread, Barton suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He had an ominous feeling!

In an instant, the pale white gas shrank in a certain direction with the smell of blood, forming a figure.

The figure's upper body was normal with an iconic red nose. It was none other than the archaeologist, Vernal.

The lower half of his body was completely shrouded in air, like a monster drawn out by smoke.

"V-Vernal..." Barton shouted, almost suffocating.

His voice reverberated in the study, unable to penetrate the wall.

"Haha, I've already acquired an immortal body. As long as there's still some fog left, I'll be able to come back to life!" Vernal burst into laughter.

Compared to before, his expression became more and more crazed, and his eyes seemed to be slightly palish-white.

H-he was already dead just now? This thought subconsciously flashed across Barton's mind.

Then, he forced himself to remain calm and said, "What's the matter?"

As he spoke, Barton wanted to stand up on impulse, but sadly he discovered that his body was covered by a cold and thin fog, and he had lost most of his senses.

Vernal stopped laughing and looked into Barton's eyes. He said word by word, "You didn't bring that bottle to the suburbs."

Although Barton had a rash personality, he knew that he couldn't answer this question directly. He quickly thought of a solution.

A few seconds later, he changed the topic before he spoke again.

"Why did you convert to believing in that entity?

"Aren't you a loyal believer of the Lord?"

Vernal fell silent for a moment before his expression gradually became fervent.

"I've seen an even larger world, a much more vast world.

"Compared to that, the planet we are currently living on is like a grain of sand in the desert.

"There are innumerable civilizations, ancient ruins left behind from hundreds of thousands of years, millions of years, or even tens of millions of years ago.

"This is what the universe looks like!"

Seeing that his question only made things worse, Barton fell silent. He thought about whether there were any non-sensitive topics that would garner Vernal's interest.

He slowly took a deep breath and said, "Other than the altar, what else did you discover at the Fourth Epoch ruin?

"How much do you know of the Tamara family?"

Vernal's eyes lit up.

"The Tamara family had its coat of arms replaced once.

"This means that they had encountered something rather major."

As he spoke, the archaeologist who was just an upper half of a body had extended his right hand. Using the smoke, he drew out two symbols in midair.

The first symbol was formed from a layer of brambles, a shield wall, and a longsword that was vertically inserted into them from above. The main part of the second symbol was a pair of double doors that swung open, and the gap in the middle was taken up by the vertical longsword.

As a barely famous historian, Barton immediately thought of the words of the Tamara family member:

"They are them. We are us."

"Did the Tamara family fracture?" Barton blurted out.

"I thought so," said Vernal, smiling with gratification. Then he leaned close to Barton, his face burning with zeal. "Your brain is more tempting than I imagined, and it's the best supplement for me. Relax a little. Your mind will merge with mine, and we can witness those great civilizations together."

He looked very weak and eager to recover.

Barton's heart thumped wildly, and he tried his best to avoid the other party. But no matter how hard he struggled, his body seemed to freeze. He was unable to move at all.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, Barton suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right hand, and he immediately regained consciousness.

The pale white fog in front of him and the monster-like Vernal disappeared as if they had never appeared.

Barton lowered his head numbly and saw that the cigarette in his right hand had reached its limit, burning his fingers.

It was a dream? But I found it so realistic. Barton threw away the cigarette in his hand and instinctively stood up using his spirituality and walked to the window.

He looked out at the streets and saw that under the street lamps, many pedestrians were passing by in the darkness, wanting to rush home as soon as possible.

Among them, an ordinary golden retriever was taking a casual stroll.

-x-X-x-

The scene in front of him was so ordinary that Barton didn't feel that there was anything wrong with it.

Although he vaguely felt that there was something familiar about it, he didn't think that it was worth puzzling over it.

How could a daily scene not be familiar?

His gaze shifted as he looked up into the sky. He saw the crimson moon quietly hanging in the sky, shining with light, causing his mood to settle down involuntarily.

At that moment, Barton seemed to have let go of an invisible burden. His body and mind were unusually relaxed. He no longer had the same fear, anxiety, and frustration from before.

His spiritual intuition told him that Vernal's matter had come to an end, and it would no longer affect his life.

"Holy Lord of Storms. Lord, thank you for your blessings." Barton immediately struck his left chest with his right fist and muttered to himself.

Without anxiety and tension, he felt exhaustion overwhelm him like a flood. It surged from the depths of his soul, drowning his brain, limbs, and every cell in his body.

Barton couldn't help but use the back of his hand to cover his mouth. He yawned, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He didn't stay in the study any longer and turned around to leave. He returned to the bedroom and took a pleasant bath, enjoying himself as he drank a small glass of red wine.

That night, Barton didn't dream anymore and slept exceptionally soundly.

When he woke up in the morning, his mind was relaxed and his spirits were rising. It was as if he had obtained a new life.

Looking at his wife who was still sleeping beside him, Barton carefully got up, changed his clothes, and walked around the neighborhood.

He had never realized how wonderful his district was.

The air was fresh, the environment was peaceful, and the scenery was pleasant. Even the pedestrians were cultured.

This made Barton's mood even better. Once again, he deeply understood that the matter with Vernal had come to an end, and he had returned to his normal, peaceful life.

He maintained his mood and went home to enjoy breakfast with his wife and children.

During this process, he even told his wife about a joke he read in the newspapers and fulfilled his children's tiny requests.

Seeing the smiles on his wife and children's faces, Barton felt satisfied.

Then, he put on his coat, hat, and cane before heading out to take a trackless public carriage. He walked all the way to the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation at the periphery of the city.

After entering his office, Barton found his usual daily pace. He didn't get right down to work but prepared the special herbal black tea he had prepared himself.

With the black tea, he leisurely read the newspapers that he didn't subscribe to at home. Then, he picked up the letters and documents he had received and read them.

Such a process and pace made him feel exceptionally comfortable.

The only difference was that Barton was still a little worried about receiving yet another letter from Vernal.

However, this concern didn't turn into a reality.

About fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on his office door.

"Please come in." Barton picked up his cup and took a sip of his black tea.

The person who entered was the ordinary-looking deputy director of the Compliance Department, Pacheco Dwayne, who didn't have any characteristics that stood out but still managed to give off a warm and friendly vibe.

"Did you sleep well last night?" asked Pacheco as he stood at the door.

"Excellent." Baton didn't hide anything.

Pacheco nodded and smiled.

"Seems like you've really gotten rid of the effects from this matter."

Barton didn't mention the "nightmare" he had had. Instead, he asked, "What about you?"

"I also slept very well," Pacheco replied with a smile. "The police have already taken over this matter. It's said that they found Vernal last night. Unfortunately, he apparently encountered some misfortune."

"Poor soul, I hope he can rest in peace." Barton didn't pray that the Lord would protect him, because Vernal had already abandoned his faith in the Lord of Storms. If there were really any blessings to be bestowed, then it would definitely be lightning blasts and storms.

With that said, he thought of the help that Pacheco had provided and his friendly attitude. He said, "Shall we have lunch together later?"

"Are you treating?" asked Pacheco with a smile.

"Of course. It's a pleasure to meet a friend like you." Barton stood up and bowed gentlemanly.

Pacheco nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll wait at the Compliance Department for your invitation.

"Before 12?"

"No problem." Apart from being grateful to him, Barton also felt that knowing the deputy director of the Compliance Department would be a great help to his future work.

Furthermore, he believed that Pucheco was just like him. In some aspects, he was stronger than the average person.

After seeing Pacheco leave his office, Barton sat down again, silently and slowly exhaling.

As an ordinary person with a normal IQ, he could tell that the matters regarding Vernal were very strange. It involved the problems of mysticism and religion.

In addition, he was actually very interested in the details of the Tamara family's fracturing and the secret history of the Fourth Epoch, and the details to which Vernal had encountered.

However, he knew that he couldn't probe further. It was thanks to the great luck of an ordinary person for him to be able to see the tip of the iceberg without dying. If he wanted to figure out the situation beneath the water surface, he would definitely drown to death.

The past archaeological expedition made Barton not dare to take the risk, nor did he want to take any risks.

To him, curiosity was probably the most worthless thing.

After pondering for a while, Barton continued his work.

When it was almost noon, he tidied the items on the table and picked up the coat and top hat hanging on the clothes rack. He left the office and walked to the door of the Compliance Department.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Barton knocked on the wooden door in front of him.

Soon, Pacheco opened the door and glanced at Barton.

"Give me another five minutes. I still have some matters to settle."

"No problem." Barton didn't mind at all.

"Come on in and wait," Pacheco said casually.

Barton didn't stand on ceremony. He walked into the Compliance Department and found a chair to sit down.

As his gaze moved, he realized that there were about six to seven members in the Compliance Department.

Just then, he heard someone knocking on the door.

Without waiting for the employees of the Compliance Department to get up, the door creaked open.

The first to enter was the vice president of the Loen Relic Search and Preservation Foundation.

He was a lively old man. He looked around and paused for a second before saying, "Seems like everyone is here.

"Let me introduce you to a new colleague."

As he spoke, the vice-president took a few steps forward, revealing the new employee of the Compliance Department behind him.

She was a woman in her twenties. She had a high nose bridge and a pair of moist, full lips. Her eyes were dark gray and her face was pretty. She wore a common blue dress.

However, there was no expression on her face. She didn't look like a real person. She looked more like a wax statue.

The gazes of Barton and Pacheco froze.

The vice president continued smiling and said, "She will be like Pacheco, taking on the role of the deputy director of the Compliance Department. Her name is Alicia Tamara."

—The End to An Ordinary Person's Daily Life—

Author's Note: There's no way to go in-depth in the end to "An Ordinary Person's Daily Life." This is just a showcase of the tip of the iceberg without going deep. Yes, it's also an experimental form of narrating the story.

If the ending is meant to have the effect of horror without any consideration of values, then it will be written as such:

As he spoke, the vice-president took a few steps forward, revealing the new employee of the Compliance Department behind him.

She was a woman in her twenties. She had a high nose bridge and a pair of moist, full lips. Her eyes were dark gray and her face was pretty. She wore a common blue dress.

The gazes of Barton and Pacheco froze.

At that moment, the lady's lips curled up as she said with a radiant smile, "Hello everyone. I'm Alicia Tamara."

-x-X-x-