Chapter Nine: Spirit Perception

"I think we should discuss the recruitment," Lauengen said, steering the conversation at the appropriate moment. "I hope Fog City will allow the Spirit Seekers to scout for candidates within its borders independently. We are willing to pay the corresponding fees for this."

"Of course, but let us put the matter of fees aside for now," Barthemelo replied, taking over the conversation. "Both the Clock Tower and the Deer Institute follow the Blue Book as the core of their lineages. To us, knowledge is far more valuable. We would like to use this month to engage in a thorough exchange regarding your most cutting-edge research."

"It is our honor to exchange ideas with the Clock Tower."

The two then proceeded to have a friendly negotiation regarding the recruitment process. Finally, they decided that recruitment would begin in three days, with Barthemelo welcoming the arrival of Three Portlands on behalf of Fog City.

After the conversation concluded, Lauengen did not linger. He bade Barthemelo farewell and boarded the magic circle once more to return to Three Portlands.

Once Lauengen had departed, Barthemelo turned his gaze toward the sneaky penguin in the corner.

Noticing the stare, the penguin nonchalantly stuffed its camera under its fluffy belly and tugged at the bow tie on its chest. Then, the penguin reached into the void, pulling out a top hat and an ebony cane. It bowed elegantly to Barthemelo before its entire figure slowly dissolved into the void.

"What a spectacular display of spatial traversal. To move so freely in an environment with such low-activity EVE particles... the Wand Men truly possess remarkable technology," remarked Colin Creevey, the Sixth Seat of the Clock Tower’s Main Department, from nearby.

"Why have you come out? Don't you usually hole yourself up in your world of paintings?" Barthemelo asked, turning toward Colin.

"I have a few disciples under my tutelage who are lacking in skill. Because of the EVE particle disturbances, their painted worlds have solidified. I had to come out to loosen their frames, lest they die inside their own pictures," Colin said with a sigh of helplessness.

"That man just now was Albert Lauengen, the head of the Deer Institute’s Non-Natural Sciences Department, wasn't he? I’ve read his 'Seventeen Outlines on Aether Superconductivity.' He is a formidable man," Colin added, looking up at Three Portlands in the sky.

"He is indeed a formidable man," Barthemelo said, his eyes deep and contemplative.

"By the way, are we just going to let the Deer Institute take away Fog City’s talent like this?" Colin asked, sounding a bit pained.

"What else would we do? The Clock Tower isn't like you; not everyone is indifferent to bloodlines. To the thaumaturges of the Clock Tower, no matter how gifted an individual is, if they lack a noble bloodline, they are merely Muggles not worth wasting resources on."

"Rather than letting them rot in our own pot, it’s better to let the Deer Institute take them."

Thinking of the arrogance displayed by the nobles and monarchs of the Clock Tower, Colin immediately agreed with Barthemelo.

***

Time passed quickly, and three days flew by. Tonight was the night of the Deer Institute’s recruitment.

Terra Calendar 1589.2.9
Red Moon Night, Foggy.

In the viewing hall of Three Portlands, a massive spherical holographic projection floated in the center of the hall. The four department heads of the Deer Institute’s Occult Studies and other professors stood beneath the projection.

"Professor Mansour, I must trouble you," Lauengen said to a beautiful woman standing beside him.

"Very well, I have already released the Spirit Seekers."

"Now, we wait."

***

Three Sparrows Inn.

Xia Xiu was sipping coffee while reading a biography of the Sanctuary. Just as he was engrossed in his reading, the envelope lying on the table suddenly began to flutter without a breeze.

*Snap!*

Xia Xiu closed the biography, stood up, and grabbed his trench coat and hat from the rack. He then pulled out a suitcase packed with essential clothing and money.

He walked to the window and opened it. A cold, crisp breeze drifted in, bringing a chill to the room.

The envelope flew out through the window. Xia Xiu looked up at the crimson red moon in the night sky. A snowy owl flew over, accompanied by a red glow; its snowy white feathers were speckled with many black spots.

It was holding Stephen’s letter of recommendation in its beak.

The owl flapped its wings and landed in Xia Xiu’s room. Xia Xiu extended his right arm naturally, and the owl perched upon it. Once settled, the owl tilted its round head, fixing its golden eyes on the young man before it.

Xia Xiu slowly produced the high-end chocolate he had prepared in advance. He unwrapped it and offered it to the owl. The owl displayed a human-like expression that suggested the boy was well-versed in the ways of the world, happily devouring the tribute.

*Hiccup—*

After eating the fifteenth piece of chocolate, the owl let out a satisfied burp, stroking its slightly bloated belly with a wing.

Afterward, the owl flew to Xia Xiu’s shoulder and tapped the hat on his head with its wing, as if to say, "I’ll cover you from now on, kid." Xia Xiu chuckled, picked up the recommendation letter the owl had dropped on the floor, and flicked the envelope with his index finger to remind it to get to work.

The owl remembered its duty. It flew in front of Xia Xiu and spread its wings, causing the envelope to float between them.

The envelope began to burn.

Sparks from the burning envelope scattered, and a bright circular magic circle appeared on the floor. The diameter of the circle slowly expanded until a formation over a meter wide took shape. Then, a portal began to rise from the circle, engraved with the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Xia Xiu stroked his chin, watching the portal with interest.

This was merely a transport portal to Three Portlands. The reason he found it interesting was that its design was an imitation of the legendary Gate of Truth. It seemed the person who crafted this portal had actually seen the Gate of Truth; the Deer Institute was truly full of talent.

The owl tapped Xia Xiu with its wing, pointing at the portal and chirping, signaling him to hurry inside.

"Yes, yes, I'm going."

Xia Xiu adjusted his hat, which had been knocked askew by the owl, and stepped into the portal with his suitcase. As he entered, the doors snapped shut and burst apart, leaving the room in absolute silence.

***

Three Portlands, Stein Square.

A persistent drizzle fell from a sky obscured by swirling mist. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the raindrops shifted between various dreamlike patterns as they fell, staining the sky in intoxicating colors.

In the square, Xia Xiu reached out to feel the fine rain. He looked into the distance, where a massive urban sprawl loomed in and out of sight. Hundreds of holographic projections appeared at every street corner, and rhythmic rock music pulsed in sync with the light of the projections.

This was the transcendent enclave, the next-generation city, the paradise for artists, writers, scientists, mages, and musicians—Three Portlands.

It was truly brimming with high concentrations of EVE particles.

*Hm?*

Just as Xia Xiu was lost in the scenery of Three Portlands, he felt something peering into his consciousness.

A psion?

No, the technique was far too amateurish. I could easily counter it now by simply adjusting my lineage.

As he thought this, Xia Xiu began to tune the resonance of his lineage.

Under normal circumstances, the field resonance around a human body is 5dB. Those who have just become Tier 1 thaumaturges maintain a value of 10dB.

For every 10dB increase, the volume increases tenfold—meaning a jump from 1dB to 20dB represents a hundredfold increase in power.

Relying on the Red Book, Xia Xiu dropped his 10dB to 1dB, then suddenly spiked the modulation.

"Ahhhhh—!"

A pained shriek erupted from the bushes in front of Xia Xiu. He walked toward the sound.

Pushing through the foliage, he saw an owl covering its ears in frustration. Beside the owl sat a girl, slumped on the ground and screaming.

The girl wore pigtails, tacky round-rimmed glasses, and a faded dress. Her long bangs hid her face, leaving one to guess her appearance based only on the perfection of her jawline.

Oh, and one more thing.

The buttons on her chest were under constant, immense strain, teetering on the verge of total collapse.

"Miss, using mind-probing thaumaturgy on other practitioners so casually is a major taboo, you know."