18 Discovery

Professor Anderson left his apartment to see Catalina, his fiancée. He summoned a coachman to take him to Varshell, where the House of Quintrala is located. Even though he is a busy professor, he pays frequent visits to his lovely fiancée. Because they are accustomed to him visiting, the guarding knight in front of the gate instantly opens the door. As he enters the huge estate, he notices the maids gossiping in the corridor as usual.

"Good morning, My Lady. you are as lovely as the rising sun in the morning." Anderson said as he approached his fiancée in the garden.

"Good morning, are you going to be busy today?"

"Well, I am, but I'm not so busy that I can't even visit my lovely fiancée. Have you had breakfast yet? If not, why don't we have breakfast together?"

"All right." she said with a beautiful smile. When she did this, her smile resembled that of an angel.

In the morning, they enjoyed a warm supper before Anderson returned to his place because he still had a student to teach. He heard a loud noise inside his office just as he was about to open the door.

'Crash!'

'There's someone in here!' Anderson thought as he went to pick up a pistol and ready himself to catch the person who infiltrated his apartment.

Afternoon of that day,

Jack infiltrated Professor Andersons apartment since he need to satisfy his suspicion. His guts are telling him that the professor has something to do with the disappearance of his friend.

The guards are patrolling and guarding the gate so it would be hard to get inside.

To go through the shadows, Jack utilizes the [Shadow manipulation]. Jack slipped past the guards and into the building.

Jack walked carefully while maintaining his natural demeanor. When he gets to the front door, Jack takes a deep breath and prepares to dive into the shadows when he feels something near his feet.

He was surprised and nearly jumped back in fear. He checks what it is simply to see a cat peering back at him.

Jack breathes a sigh of relief.

'It's just a cat. I've been quite paranoid. It's my first time breaking into someone's home. I felt like a bad guy.' Jack reflected.

Jack crept into the room through the shadows. Jack proceeded to the professor's office because he was already familiar with the professor's residence.

Jack had no idea what he was looking for, but he still needs to try in case he finds something that may take him to Amelie.

He proceeded to the professor's table and went through each of his drawers one by one. He found some papers, but there is nothing that connects him to any missing individuals.

'All I had was a suspicion, and I have no idea what evidence I'm looking for.'

I'm sitting in the professor's chair, looking around the room when something catches my eye. A little lever was hidden beneath the table. I walked under the table to thoroughly inspect it; I discovered a concealed compartment.

I grabbed the little lever and flipped it.

It was then.

Crack! Thud!

A box tumbled to the floor, causing a commotion within the professor's office. It was at this point when Jack realized Professor was already inside his apartment.

Jack snatches the package and tosses it into his shadow. He walked over to the table and shut the container.

***

Professor Anderson detects an unwelcome visitor. He positions himself fast as he reaches for the doorknob. He gently opened the door and aimed his weapon, but there was no one inside the office.

'Meow!'

Anderson hastily aims the pistol in the direction of the sound, only to discover a black cat staring at him with such wonder that it waves its tail. He felt relieved.

The black cat scratches his feet.

"How did you get in here?" Anderson asked as he brought the black cat outside the apartment.

"I'm sorry, little guy, but I won't be able to keep you in here."

***

The black cat strolls and walks outside the apartment, passing past the people who live there as well as the guards. When the cat reaches the darkest corner of the street, it slowly transforms, and jack emerges.

'That was close, but I'm still not used to the morphing. It influences my senses.'

'Master, I believe that professor is cursed.'

'Curse? What do you mean, like a Beyonder casting it on him? Was he cursed? '

'Yes, Master.'

'What is the nature of the curse?'

'I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what it is. I believe the caster is a high level Beyonder because I can't detect it even with a closer look.'

'A high-level Beyonder? I believe invading the professor's home was not in vain. Whoever cursed the professor, my intuition tells me that the perpetrator is connected to the missing individual's case.'

It was already late; Jack sat at the tallest part of the building in Dumont city, looking down on the people who were busy strolling as carriages passed by the streets.

'Umbra, can I ask you something?'

'Yes Master.'

'Was that elderly woman, that night I got knave, you?'

'Yes.'

'I see.' Jack replied as he looks up at the sky.

"Umbra, do you suppose my friend is still alive? There's no trace of her being kidnapped forcibly, but if the culprit is a Beyonder, everything is possible."

'I'm not certain, Master. But I believe your friend is still alive and that you will save her.'

Jack remained silent and looked up into the sky, as if pondering something.

'Oh, before I forget, I'll check the box I stole from Professor.'

The box emerges gradually from Jack's shadow. Jack takes the box and checks it slowly. The box is highly rare and has an unusual appearance. The box was carved with weird lettering, but the numbers are the most eye-catching feature. I suppose it required a passcode before I could open it.

When Jack realizes he has just taken something, he sighs.

'I have a hunch this box contains something precious that could be useful to me, but if it has nothing to do with Amelie, I will return it.'

'My Lord, you must raise your level. The closer you get to uncovering the culprit, the more perilous it becomes for you. The Beyonder who cursed the professor would most likely evolve into a [intermediate entity] or a [greater entity].'

"You're right, Knave" Jack replied.

'Since today is November 21, 1870, the next full moon will be on December 16. I need to get an eye before that.' Jack thought.

Jack looks down and then leaps off the tallest building. As he was falling, Jack's body transformed into a crow, and he flew around the city before returning home.

'I have a meeting with the detective tomorrow. I'll tell my father and mother about it, so I'll have an excuse to stay up late. It would allow me to find Amelie without worrying about them.' Jack thought.

Jack removes his coat and hangs it up. He was ready to leave to join his family in the living room when he noticed the note of Amelie he had taken from her room.

'Right. I didn't pay much attention to these random words. What exactly are these words? Amelie is intelligent; why would she write something so stupid?'

After a minute of staring at the note, Jack's pupil dilates as he discovers something.

'Right! Amelie is intelligent enough not to write something stupid unless it is a message. Why hadn't I realized this earlier? Some letters are capitalized, indicating that she wishes to accentuate something.'

fEIGHT ONiE nONE TENd thONEe boTH REEx jONE Sack EVEN, Fame OUR lie. aNIL FOUndeR rEsIGHT THRonEE.

As he was decoding Amelie's note, Jack walked up to the table and sat in the chair. Jack's expression changes as he decrypts it; time passes, and Jack's expression darkens as he reads the deciphered note.

'So, I was right in my suspicion.'