Keeper Program

The exit chosen by Ed was close to the uninhabited beach of the bay.The stone hills are abrupt, and pale ivy covers the surrounding rock walls like the arms of an old woman.

After checking with the one-eyed spider to confirm that there was no one around, he gently pushed aside the vines and took off his hat. A damp and salty breeze from the bay gently brushed the hair on his forehead.

"My lord," he said the word with a smile, and plucked the vines from Katarina's armor.

She took off her helmet and took a gulp of fresh air.The smell of ghoul's rancid blood was quickly diluted by the sea breeze, and the golden patterns on the black gold plate armor turned orange red in the setting sun.

"You're right, Ed." After blowing the sea breeze for a while, she finally recovered, "This armor is really hot to wear."

Black is a strange color, it absorbs all light, but does not reflect any color.

"Shall I unload it for you?"

Seeing Katarina nodded, Ed asked her to sit on a half-person-high boulder, and removed the breastplate, shoulder armor, skirt armor, and armguards one by one until she returned to the familiar chestnut hair girl.

The setting sun was gradually distorted by the transpiration of the sea surface, and began to become indistinct. The black line of the coastline divided the sky into two parts—the upper part was a thin and warm blood orange, and the lower part was a thick and cold ink blue.

"Would you like a soda?"

Ed suddenly took out a bottle of Clear Sky soda from his jacket as if by magic. The drink in the slender bottle was blue and clear, just like the rising and falling waves in the gravel under his feet.

This was taken out at the attic restaurant. Since he had already left the meal money on the table, the unopened soda could not be wasted.

"But...only one bottle?"

Katarina withdrew her hand that was about to reach out.

"We can share."

He pressed the marble, raised the soda bottle in mid-air and poured it down, the sweetness mixed with sea salt and mysterious fruit aroma arrived as expected.

"Here." He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and handed the soda bottle to Catalina.

She hesitated to take the soda bottle, imitated Ed's appearance and drank it, and was suddenly coughed by the spicy carbonic acid.

"How does it feel?"

"Not bad..." Holding the glass bottle, she lowered her head and sniffed the lace cuffs, her brows furrowed, "I smell terrible."

"Knights can't be smelly forever. You can go to the public baths and wash before you go home, and you can rent a single bathroom cubicle for twopence."

"Can I ask you something, Ed?"

"As you bid, my lord."

"I can't explain the origin of this armor to my family, so I need you to save it for me."

"No problem, I will help you brush it cleaner than a mirror."

Ed leaned against the rock, patted his chest and assured.

"Then I'll go back." Katarina lifted her foot and fell off the rock, and handed the glass bottle back to Ed, "Thank you for the soda."

She drew out her long sword and gave Ed an impeccable sword-holding salute as farewell:

"If you need help, remember to put a bouquet of flowers on the street lamp at the south side entrance of the Oakland mansion in the West End. I can see it in the bedroom, and I will go to the detective office to find you then."

"Understood, my lord." Ed also pretended to raise his cane in response.

Halfway through, she suddenly turned around again, smiled and performed an elegant female curtsy, and then trotted away.

Alas, the brave and invincible Miss Black Knight...

Ed shook his head and drank the Clear Sky Soda in one gulp.There happened to be a broken oak barrel washed ashore on the deserted beach. He stuffed the armor into it and prepared to move it back to the detective office later.

[I have to say, that chick is really stupid to the point. 】

Right now only Ed is left, Sylvie appeared at the right time and said.

Alright, stop talking sarcastic, why don't you tell me what this is when you have time.He lowered his head and pulled out the card:

"Crystal Arc Blade 'Epieus'"

[A phantom weapon, 'Epieus' is an elven language, meaning "the broken string of the shadow moon". 】

Fantasy weapon?

[It means that it does not really exist, it can only have entities in dreams. 】

Does that mean that this thing is of no help to me?

Ed was a little depressed, if this was the case, then his trip would be in vain.

[On the contrary, its potential is beyond your imagination, and there is a way to make it appear in reality briefly. 】

any solution?

[Ancient elf magic swordsmen were obsessed with the "crystallization" secret text, decomposing gems into fine crystal clusters to enchant blades, and even temporarily repairing broken blades.You can also use 'Epieus' as a template, and use the "Crystal" secret text to project it into reality. 】

That's how it is... can it still be like this?

Although I still don't know anything about the secret text of "Crystalization" for the time being, at least I have a direction.

Ed put away the card in relief, it was getting late, and it was time for him to go home.

……

When he returned to the detective office, it was getting late, and he unexpectedly found that the door he had locked in the morning had been opened.

Is Miss Quinn discharged from the hospital?

No, it's unlikely, the doctor said that her injury needs to be recuperated for at least two or three days, you know it's only been a day.

Is it...

He pushed open the door, and Mr. Eaton was sitting at his desk with a corncob pipe in his mouth, looking down at the documents.The deep eyes, as gray as the beard and hair, looked at him:

"Good evening, Ed."

"Uh...good evening, Mr. Eaton, aren't you still...?" Are you still in the suspension investigation period?

"Dr. Rowan Shire notified the bureau of Quinn's injury. The branch chief ended my suspension investigation early after learning about it."

He lowered his head and flipped through the stacked pages, then raised his head and said:

"Looks like a lot has happened this week."

More than a lot, a lot, a lot...

Mr. Downston's cat, the old werewolf George, and Mr. Kuntu's body theft case.There were three cases in his report and work log alone.

What's more, I have also broadened a large network of contacts: Tia, Downston, Father Dylan, Buck, Catalina... None of these were included in the report.

"By the way, Dylan sent me a bill and a letter yesterday."

bill?This is quite like what Father Dylan would do... Ed knew that this guy couldn't pay for it out of his own pocket.

But that letter...he didn't tell Eaton my secret, did he?

"Father Dylan is an excellent priest. What did he say?" Ed asked without changing his expression.

"He said you showed extraordinary intelligence and courage in the East End cemetery robbery."

Mr. Eaton exhaled slowly, and continued:

"...and persuaded me to let you skip the probationary stage and directly become an official investigator of the God Investigative Bureau."