Mystery: A Spark

“Yes, and there’s also this old gentleman’s extraordinary qualities.” Fors nodded.

Arthas leaned closer, examined the notebook carefully, and asked hesitantly:

"Fors, do you think this notebook could be a magical artifact?"

Chapter 195 A Test

"Fors, do you think this notebook could be a magical artifact?"

Fors paused for a moment upon hearing Arthas's question.

She hadn't actually thought about that question.

Fors picked up the palm-sized notebook in her hand, flipped through it, and found that many of the pages inside were still blank.

The written content was filled with all sorts of strange, bizarre, and mysterious symbols and magical signs, completely beyond Fors's knowledge.

“It seems…that’s also possible,” Fors said somewhat uncertainly.

Although she possessed Mrs. Anlisa's occult notes, many of their contents were extremely bizarre and could even have a mental impact, so she hadn't usually paid much attention to them.

It was only recently, because she realized that she was too naive in Tarot gatherings, that she began to seriously study things like "Spiritual Encounters," which she originally thought were just mystical notes rambling like a madman's ramblings.

However, due to the short time she has been around, her knowledge of occultism is naturally not very extensive, and she knows nothing about magical items.

In this respect, she is not even as good as Arthas.

After all, although Arthur wasn't exactly wealthy, he had seen and used quite a few magical items, so Arthas, by following him, was quite knowledgeable.

Furthermore, Bernadette had cared for the puppy for a period of time, which naturally broadened its horizons considerably.

So after examining the notebook in Fors's hand for a few moments, Arthas guessed that it was very likely a magical item.

“However, even if this notebook is a magical item, I still have to give it to that Mr. Dorian Gray. After all, it is Mr. Lawrence’s last wish, and I have already promised him.” Fors did not change his mind just because there was a magical item among the belongings.

She briefly flipped through the patina-green notebook, then closed it, intending to proceed according to the will.

“Hmm, but I once heard my master mention that the sixth sequence of the Apprentice Path is called Recorder. Look at the cover of this notebook, written in Old Fussac, ‘I came, I saw, I recorded.’ Doesn’t that make any connection?”

"Perhaps this is a Sequence Six level magical item, and it is very likely that it is a magical item formed by the extraordinary characteristics of a recorder who can record the abilities of others, thereby achieving a certain degree of omnipotence."

"Fors, don't you feel tempted?" Arthas's voice carried a certain allure as he gazed intently at Miss Saltyfish, watching every change in her facial expression.

So the sixth sequence of the Apprentice Path is called Recorder... Fors looked at the notebook in his hand, a struggle appearing on his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

She shook her head, gave a strained smile, and said:

“It’s impossible not to be tempted, but Arthas, I’ve already promised Mr. Lawrence that I would deliver his belongings to the person he designated.”

"Since I made a promise, I should do my best to fulfill it, no matter how valuable it is."

Fors turned his head and looked at Arthas seriously, saying:

"No matter how good this thing is, it doesn't belong to me."

Hearing her words, a smile appeared in Arthas's eyes, and he said:

"Alright, since you insist, I'll reluctantly go with you. By the way, is there anything I can help you with?"

Fors nodded and said:

"Indeed, I'm worried that these extraordinary features and the notebook might attract attention on the road, so I'd like you to keep them safe in case they get lost."

The reason she was so careful was because during the last tarot session, she learned about an extraordinary path called The Thief.

As the name suggests, this is a path where theft is the primary ability, allowing one to steal items from others without being noticed.

Although Backlund is not far from Pulitzer Port, and going there is hardly a trip, it can even be done in half a day by steam train, so in theory there should be no chance of anything going wrong.

However, the steam train is full of all sorts of people. In such a mixed environment, if an extraordinary person were to be encountered and have their notebook and extraordinary traits stolen, Fors would have no effective means to retrieve them.

Therefore, considering the need to hide things, Fors naturally thought of Arthas.

Because Arthas can swallow items and store them in a special space, which is a more reliable way to preserve items than a safe.

"Oh, so that's what it is. Don't worry, it's fine." Arthas jumped onto the low table, first closing the small iron box containing the extraordinary properties. After Fors sealed it with a wall of spiritual energy, he swallowed the small iron box.

Then Fors made Arthas swallow the notebook, and then held the puppy in her arms.

"Hmm? Why are you holding me so tightly?" Arthas shifted in Fors's arms and asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because I'm afraid you little thing will run away with the things." Fors carried Arthas toward the door.

"Fors, we've been partners for ages, how can you doubt me?" Arthas said incredulously.

"Oh, it'll only be a little while, just bear with it. Besides, pets need to be properly managed when riding steam trains." Fors rubbed the little dog's head in her arms, trying to soothe it.

She carried Alsace into the carriage and headed towards the steam train station.

……

Port Pritz, White Oak Avenue.

After a journey of some time, Fors and Arthas successfully arrived at the kingdom's largest and most important port by steam train and booked their return riverboat tickets—which were relatively much cheaper.

Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened on the way, such as encountering thieves, which may be because the Alsace brand safe worked.

Breathing in the salty, fishy smell of the sea, Fors saw many dockworkers hurrying by.

During peak season, the port is flooded with temporary workers seeking relatively good pay.

Many poor people living in the eastern part of Backlund would travel southeast together, walking more than 60 kilometers, just like they did when they participated in the hop harvesting.

The roads were wider than in many blocks of Backlund, and the air quality was good, but it was relatively dirtier... Fors looked around with the puppy in his arms and quickly found the fishermen's association located in an old building.

Without any complications, she simply met Dorian Gray in an office.

This gentleman was of medium build, but had exaggeratedly large arms, and his hair was neatly combed, quite unlike the bird's nest hairstyles of most of the association members.

Fors briefly explained his purpose and handed Abraham the will left by Lawrence, the notebook that appeared to be a magical artifact of the Recorder, and its extraordinary diamond-like properties.

Dorian accepted the items with a complicated expression and opened the suicide note first.

After reading it carefully, he raised his head and looked earnestly at Fors with his blue eyes:

"I praise your kindness and trustworthiness, Ms. Wall. I will always remember your help to Anlisa and Lawrence."

“No, actually I should be the one thanking you. There were some things I didn’t have time to tell Mr. Lawrence before he passed away,” Fors said, shaking his head.

"Oh? What is it?" Dorian asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Mr. Dorian, actually, Mrs. Anlisa left a will before she died, saying that she would leave something behind after she died, and she gave me a recipe.”

Under Dorian's astonished gaze, Fors continued calmly:

"After taking the potion prepared according to this recipe, I successfully became an extraordinary person on the apprentice path. Later, due to some fortuitous encounters, I was promoted to a magic master."

"So, Mr. Dorian, Mrs. Anlisa left me with her extraordinary qualities, allowing me to access a magical and mysterious world. I am the one who should be thanking her."

After saying that, Fors looked at Dorian nervously, waiting for his reaction.

At the same time, she quietly took the stone from the bracelet into her hand, ready to run away as soon as Dorian showed any malice.

However, what reassured her somewhat was that although Dorian looked surprised, he didn't seem to have any intention of harming her.

He simply looked Fors over carefully and said with some surprise:

"You are such an honest lady. I never expected you to be so frank."

If he were in the same situation, he knew he wouldn't be honest about these things.

“Meeting Mrs. Anlisa was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me. During that time, she was like a mother to me, so I felt obligated to let her people know the whereabouts of her belongings,” Fors said from the bottom of his heart.

She hesitated for a moment, then raised her arm to reveal the bracelet she was wearing, and said:

"In addition, Mrs. Anlisa left me a magical item, but I have already used up a few uses of it."

In fact, what she feared most was that the Abraham family would be unhappy because she had inherited Mrs. Anlissa’s extraordinary qualities, and would therefore take actions that would be detrimental to her.

After all, the preciousness of extraordinary traits goes without saying; if she takes one, the Abraham family will have one less.

But with Arthur's explanation, she learned that for the Abraham family at this time, advancing to the extraordinary level was actually akin to bearing a curse.

Dorian's reaction just now confirmed Arthur's statement, so Fors naturally didn't intend to deceive him anymore.

In fact, she has a rather tranquil personality and doesn't care much about things like wealth, so she naturally doesn't have any greed.

This can be seen from the fact that she still decided to keep her promise even after learning that the notebook was likely a very valuable and magical item.

So if Mrs. Anlisa's belongings hadn't been so extraordinary, things wouldn't have become so complicated.

“So this is what it is.” Dorian looked at the bracelet with only two stones left and sighed. “Ms. Wall, you must have encountered many crises.”

Hearing this, Fors felt a little embarrassed.

Of all the stones on the bracelet, only one was truly life-threatening and unavoidable; the others were simply due to her own carelessness.

It's worth noting that Mrs. Anlisa was actually quite old when she passed away, yet not a single stone on this bracelet was worn out.

However, after Fors obtained the bracelet, she used it up to only have two left in just two or three years.

This is nothing short of a tragedy.

Dorian didn't notice Fors's embarrassment, because he had already made a decision in his mind.

However, he needs to confirm one last time before making this decision.

Therefore, Dorian said to Fors:

“Ms. Wall, thank you for telling me about Anlisa. I sincerely admire your sincerity. Would you like to accept my thanks? I would like to invite you to lunch.”

“No problem,” Fors replied.

There's still some time before the ship sets sail, and she's wondering how to pass the time. She can't just rely on petting dogs, can she?

Just as she was about to turn and leave, holding Arthas, Arthas, who had been silent and pretending to be a plush toy, spoke up:

“Mr. Dorian, there’s something I’m curious about.”

"This dog can actually talk!?" Dorian was taken aback.

“Well, actually it’s my good partner and has become a magician, so yes, it can talk,” Fors said with an awkward laugh.

She obscured the true situation of Alsace, making it seem as if the puppy was an extraordinary pet companion she had raised.

Anlisa's extraordinary characteristics have already been used, so this puppy must have been promoted using extraordinary materials... This Ms. Wall must be quite well-off; after all, those who can afford extraordinary pets are not ordinary people... Dorian nodded and said: