Chapter 190

Chapter 162: Notes

Creak…

Creak… creak…

The soft sound of footsteps on old wooden planks echoed faintly in the quiet, vast night, standing out particularly sharply—this was already the result of me trying my best to tread lightly.

Fortunately, there weren’t many people on this floor.

The room was as dark as ink. Only with half a beam of moonlight seeping in through the window could I barely make out the outlines of objects. I tilted my head and thought for a moment before tiptoeing over to the display cabinet. I picked up a hardcover book without a title label and flipped it open, holding it close to my eyes. I could vaguely see the words written on it.

… It was all poetry, a notebook recording hymns.

I shook my head and put it back, then took down another nearby one, opened it in my hand, and flipped through a few pages casually… Such exquisite handwritten illustrated books… but this one documented human records during the Divine Era, which wasn’t important now.

I tiptoed back to put it away, then took another one…

I went through all the books and documents placed on the display shelves, trying to find some useful clues from within. The dim light caused me significant trouble, making my inspection very slow. For some very old manuscripts and notes, I had to lean closer to the window just to make out what they said.

Time ticked by second by second.

“Chirp chirp—”

A sharp, unnoticeable insect sound came faintly from afar. One chirp, two chirps, three chirps… the eerie calls reverberated in the empty night, echoing loudly. I knew that was the signal from the Canri Sword. And such a signal meant everything was normal, with no findings. It seemed someone had already completed their investigation and was starting to prepare to leave.

But here… I had probably only checked less than half of the documents on the display cabinet.

This was too slow…

I fidgeted with the thin book in my hands, annoyed, and put it back, then turned my gaze to the wooden desk behind me, staring at the drawers underneath for a while… Perhaps something might be there.

I walked over and found the drawer unlocked. I pulled one open and rummaged through it, seeing only miscellaneous items, then closed it and opened another… Eventually, after checking all the drawers, I found nothing useful.

My heart was extremely anxious, getting more and more frustrated. It felt like a thick rope was tying it up messily, with a tight knot.

I sat down in the chair in front of the desk, propping my chin up and began to ponder.

Theresa’s office… perhaps there really isn’t anything. This place should be visited often, right? If the so-called “record book” truly had the problems we expected, who would be foolish enough to leave it in such an obvious place… Should I check somewhere else instead… But where should I go…

Not too obvious… wait, could there be a hidden compartment like in movies?

Thinking this, I started searching under the wooden table, carefully examining every corner… Nothing. Then I stood up and approached the display cabinet again, inspecting the cabinet body and the wall behind it thoroughly, still finding nothing.

I stood there, tilting my head and thinking, then moved the chair over, climbed onto it, and reached up to feel the top of the cabinet… I only touched a layer of dust.

Frustrated, I moved the chair back, and at that moment, another pleasant insect sound came from outside the window.

I was getting anxious.

But there really wasn’t much here… I should go out and take a look.

“吱呀——”

I pushed open the door of the office slightly, peeked out with half my head… Even though I knew there was no one outside, I couldn’t help but do this.

The corridor candles were dim, silent, and empty.

I tiptoed out and came to the door of an adjacent side room… When I passed by earlier, I saw that this seemed to be a kind of data room because there were several high stacks of paper.

There might be something here… I raised my hand to push the door, but it didn’t move at all.

The movement stopped; the door was already locked.

…This is such a hassle.

I had no choice but to return to Mother Teresa’s office via the same route and prepare to sneak in by climbing through the window from outside the building.

But there were so many sheets of paper there… Even if I really did get past this, it would take me at least a while… No, even after dawn, I wouldn’t be able to finish. Such an approach was too foolish.

…Or maybe, I should first go out and rendezvous with the Sword of Canny. Ask Reckert about Mother Teresa’s residence and then visit her secretly tonight?

This seems more plausible… Alright, that’s what I’ll do.

Once I made up my mind, I acted immediately. I stepped onto the windowsill, half of my body already hanging out… But I couldn’t help but turn back, my gaze falling on the wall behind the desk. The mirror display cabinet embedded in it was completely empty… Had she taken away the exquisite axe that looked like a work of art?

I felt somewhat puzzled and couldn’t help but look again.

Mirror display cabinet… Wait, could it be… I think I should check again.

I climbed back through the window, walked behind the desk, and started lightly tapping the wall with my hand.

Dong dong…

It sounded very solid. Let me try another spot.

Dong dong… Dong dong…

When I tapped the wall near the edge of the display cabinet—

Poom poom.

…There’s something hollow behind the wall!

I was startled and quickly knocked on several spots around the display cabinet, all producing a hollow sound—there was something behind the display cabinet!

My eyes fixed on the surrounding area of the display cabinet. Soon, I found a recess that could be grabbed with a hand. I immediately stretched my fingers in, pulling hard on the mirror. There was a gap behind the mirror, and the hook previously used to hang the giant axe could serve as a handle to pull up the wooden board.

Creak—

When I opened the wooden board, I discovered a storage room behind it.

The storage room was full of dust, cobwebs crisscrossing everywhere. Before I could see what was inside, two tiny, fuzzy spiders scurried out in panic.

“Ahh!”

I quickly took two steps back, almost tripping and sitting down. I hurriedly covered my mouth after regaining my composure.

Spiders with many legs… I’m most afraid of these things…

Only when the two spiders crawled far along the wall did I pat my chest and step forward again, cautiously opening the wooden board once more… I saw a thick notebook lying there.

The notebook looked quite clean.

…Got it!

I pinched it out with two fingers, hurriedly sat back at the desk, and flipped it open to read.

The neatly written text recorded something… I couldn’t understand.

[June 5, 1183

2300 milliliters, no reaction from the remains.

July 7, 1183

3 liters, no reaction.

August 16, 1183

15 liters, slight reaction, have I used the right method?

October 2, 1184

The remains have new changes, our approach is correct, but I need more medium.

October 9, 1184

32 liters, contact with the remains’ consciousness established for 3 seconds before interruption.

October 15, 1184

4 liters, intense reaction.

October 15, 1184

…]

The more I read, the deeper my frown became.

What on earth is this…

“Chirp chirp—”

The third insect chirp made me quickly flip to the end of the record.

[February 14, 1187

2 liters, I will need two more months to complete the Goddess’s Tear.

February 21, 1187

I am very happy! Elina was right, the entrance to the Dragon’s homeland must be hidden in Woodward Forest. Our speculation was completely correct! All I need now is another six months…

February 29, 1187

I don’t have time anymore, I will soon be exposed. From now on, I will take a desperate gamble and destroy the bell tower to fulfill my mission.

May I be reborn into God’s embrace after death.]

The note ended here.