Mystic Overlord: Reading Gives Strength
Chapter 78: Invitation

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Invitation

I have to admit,

the person who wrote "Recommendations for New Investigators" was quite an interesting fellow.

After listing various mysterious incidents and their resolution processes, his main advice concerned the approach to solving problems, rather than standardized procedures.

The author even criticized the content of "Basic Mystical Knowledge."

Regarding this widely circulated primer on the mystical side, he said the following:

"I don’t know whether Statte’s theory is flawed or not."

"But judging from my over thirty years of front-line intuition, he’s probably wrong."

"When I was young, people still believed that bleeding could cure all the diseases in the world, not to mention that Statte is an antique from a thousand years ago."

"So I suggest that investigators shouldn’t believe him."

Just from seeing this "Recommendations for New Investigators," Ronald could get a sense of this guy’s personality to some extent.

Immersed in earnest reading, the afternoon quickly slipped away.

Meanwhile, Ronald saw Investigator Spencer descending from the second floor a few times, then returning upstairs to work.

Overall, there may have been some arguments over language or attitude.

But the investigators from Spencer didn’t really do anything improper.

On their first day in Greenwich, these headquarters investigators still demonstrated their professionalism.

Instead of rushing out to directly deal with those damned mysterious incidents, they planned to spend half a day studying related matters at the bureau before actually getting started.

Honestly...

This strategy and manner of action, of planning comprehensively before moving, really is how normal investigators should behave.

————

"Yo~~hmm~~hmm~~"

It was nearing evening again.

Nicole pushed open the main door of the investigation bureau, still humming a little tune cheerfully as she walked toward Ronald.

"Good evening, Ronald!"

As she approached, Nicole’s expression changed to one of apology, and her tone lowered.

With hands pressed together, the young investigator bowed to Ronald:

"I’m sorry, your umbrella got broken by accident today."

"This definitely wasn’t on purpose!"

"Let me explain, I went to handle a mystical incident today."

"But when I arrived on the scene, a crazy fighter who was really strong just popped up. I wasn’t prepared with anything else on hand, so I had to use your umbrella to fend him off and it just broke."

"You understand, right?"

"..."

Ronald was pondering how to respond when Nicole’s recently rueful expression suddenly froze.

"What’s going on?"

The investigator stopped and then crouched on the ground, examining the floor for a few seconds before asking:

"Did someone come here today?"

"And they’re not a local?"

How did she know that?

Ronald leaned halfway over the reception counter, focusing his gaze in Nicole’s direction.

"..."

Impressive—

He marveled inwardly at the young investigator’s careful attention.

With such sharp observational skills, she truly deserved to be called an elite investigator, as Miss Mapple herself had praised!

There on the floor.

A few shallow, easy-to-miss footprints were left on the floor tiles in front of the counter.

This morning had brought light snow.

Spencer’s investigators had arrived in Greenwich, trampling through the snowflakes as they got off the train and eventually came to the bureau.

The warm air in the lobby of the bureau dried the mud from under their feet, leaving a trail of footprints on the floor.

With so few people at headquarters and no one assigned to clean up,

Shoe prints had lingered from noon until evening.

Ronald, lost in his book behind the reception desk, hadn’t even noticed, but Nicole had just returned and spotted them first thing, immediately recognizing that these footprints didn’t belong to anyone from their Investigative Bureau.

Although the girl was usually quite lively, she certainly lived up to her professional title.

At the same moment, Nicole rose from the floor, her expression somber as she explained,

"Our own people from the bureau wouldn’t be crowded around the reception desk like this."

"Where did these guys come from?"

Ronald promptly replied,

"This afternoon, five investigators from the Springs Headquarters came over. They said they were here to help us out, and they want to install something called ’wireless.’"

With that, Ronald pointed upwards.

"As of now, Miss Mapple is upstairs attending to them."

"What—?"

Nicole’s awkward voice trailed in a prolonged tone, and her face contorted as though she had eaten spoiled fruit.

Shortly after, she guessed cautiously,

"Among the people you mentioned, there isn’t one..."

"Miss Mapple calls him Spencer," Ronald said, cutting off Nicole’s attempt to prompt more details, and told the young investigator the man’s name.

Sure enough, like Miss Mapple’s poor complexion at noon,

Nicole’s face also suddenly darkened.

"Are those guys at headquarters out of their minds?"

"To actually... actually send that guy to Berlingwich?"

Watching Nicole lose her temper, Ronald asked curiously,

"Is there something wrong with him?"

"It’s not just something wrong; he’s a psychopath!"

Nicole didn’t bother to hide her thoughts from Ronald and tartly began to explain:

"Spencer, that guy, was a criminal with a past before he got drafted."

"However, because he committed his crime in the war-torn Entrode, and even stole a significant treasure to present to us, he was given some leeway here and eventually accepted into the Investigative Bureau."

"Born in that kind of war-torn place, although he hasn’t committed any crimes lately, the way he does things and handles issues is super off!"

"Sigh—"

Having said this, Nicole let out a long sigh.

"Ronald, cover for me for a few minutes."

"I’m going upstairs to sniff around, and then we can switch."

Ronald nodded:

"No problem."

He didn’t mind covering for a while as Nicole went upstairs to gather information.

Watching the young investigator tiptoe up to the second floor,

Ronald leaned on the counter, pondering over the day’s events.

The agents sent from the headquarters had previously been from Entrode... Truth be told, he was a bit curious.

From various information he gathered, Entrode was a thoroughly militaristic state.

In such a world, a country with mysterious military strategies.

What kind of social structure would it have developed?

Ronald’s wandering thoughts didn’t last long, as Nicole quickly came ’clattering’ downstairs again.

But she was different from before.

Her eyes now held a dense blend of mischief with a hint of anticipation.

With a firm grip on Ronald’s shoulders, Nicole offered with considerable excitement in her voice,

"Ronald, want to come do some real investigator’s work?"

"I mean real investigating!"

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