A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 245 The Cautious Employer

Upon hearing his senior brother's plea for help, Luo Xia immediately activated the magic within his staff.

However, the target had already walked several meters away. In the rush, Rorschach did not have a chance to directly aim at the two. Instead, he turned to the road in front of them and released "Animalization", turning into a slime controlled by the spellcaster.

Unexpectedly, the attackers were well-trained and even noticed their footing while running. The two men, without tacit understanding, jumped up simultaneously.

Hmph, trying to escape? Rorschach activated the road, causing a wall of earth to rise up.

Their trench coats billowed as they leaped up the wall, displaying the bearing of soldiers. Luo Xia wasn't about to let them get away. Just like in the experimental greenhouse, he soared into the air, gaining a better vantage point from above, and then used his air cannon to propel himself forward, instantly closing the distance between the three.

A [Slowness] spell was fired, hitting one of the attackers.

"There's another spellcaster!" The person who was hit quickly realized that there was more than one mage. After all, how could Pascal, with his speed and accuracy, have hit him before?

The newly added mage in the pursuit is a ruthless character, casting spells with a significantly higher frequency than the former. Being controlled by [Slowness Spell] is a strange experience, like being plunged into sticky custard, where all movement is forced to slow down, including his free fall from the wall.

"Run!"

However, by the time he uttered those words, his companions had already gone far away.

Rorschach continued casting his spell in the air. Although it was a small alley, fortunately no one was hanging clothes to dry, so the two of them could see everything they did.

An invisible hand gripped the second man who was still trying to escape. Pascal also arrived, and he restrained the man who was immobilized by the [Slowness Spell]. Two animated ropes wrapped around the attacker's hands and feet, binding him securely.

Mist rose from the alley, and passersby, sensing something amiss, quickly moved away. The second attacker, firmly held in place, continued to struggle, becoming soaked through in the mist, the [Mage's Qilin Arm] gripping him gleaming coldly.

The feeling of falling from summer into an ice cave is not coolness, but rather goosebumps rising on every inch of skin, and muscles trembling and spasming as the cold penetrates deep into the body. Before long, both the assailant's body and consciousness were frozen.

Luo Xia deactivated his levitation spell and landed steadily. This pursuit and interception was more complicated than catching the thief at the market, mainly because there were two targets, and they seemed to have superhuman physical strength and speed, and had also received training.

"Thank you." As the effects of [Battle Inspiration] wore off, Pascal began to pant heavily. He glanced around at the mist and the frozen target, preparing to turn back and find Maxim.

"No, wait, I'll contact Master Cano and have the Magic Guild send a carriage to pick them up." Rorschach took out a portable scroll and briefly reported that they had captured two armed attackers.

"Alright." Pascal was somewhat reluctant to let Cano get involved in club matters, but since Roscia had already taken action, he didn't stop him.

Maxim was still behind. He and the other club members had lost track of their target and were searching separately. He was alone at a street corner, somewhat lost.

After observing for a while, the club leader decided to give up for the time being. He was now more worried about whether Thor, who was one step ahead, would get into a fight with the thugs and have an accident.

Fortunately, Thor arrived, still panting. The two of them were delighted to see each other.

"Are you alright, Thor?" Maxim thought the fight hadn't happened: "It's alright that the villains ran away with their tails between their legs, just be careful you're not hurt."

But Thor brought an unexpected reply: "Mr. Maxim, the attacker has been captured." He also stopped Maxim, who was about to step forward: "Don't go any further, because the mage intervened during the pursuit, and now the magic guild has intervened."

Maxim paused for a moment, then looked at Thor and nodded: "Okay, we'll inform the other members to leave."

Before turning around, Maxim glanced at the misty alleyway entrance and muttered a word: "Magic Guild".

The magic guild's carriage picked up the two unlucky fellows who had run into a mage, and they were now in a basement where no hunting hound could sniff out them.

A powerful melody began to play, and the contraption called a phonograph started up. Their eyes were drawn to this novelty. Four mages entered, swallowing the light outside the door and casting a shadow over the impending interrogation.

Rorschach and Pascal were two of the four involved, with the remaining person responsible for recording and the other for casting the spell.

"Why are you playing music?" Rorschach heard the Symphony No. 5 in C minor.

The interrogators explained using the term "transmission technique": "This is based on our practical experience. It can attract the attention of the person being interrogated and weaken their willpower before the spell is cast."

"it is good."

There was no ultimate insult, no "discretion is the better part of valor," and no need for separate interrogations or the prisoner's dilemma. It was just a simple use of the "truth spell," and they confessed everything they knew.

The two were retired hunters, and the attack was commissioned: the employer had only one requirement, to kill as many designated targets as possible at Messier's memorial service.

They found sketches in the trench coats, and Pascal immediately recognized the club members; the first one, of course, was Maxim.

"Do you know the employer's identity?"

The two shook their heads.

Rorschach twirled the "Ball of Balan" in his hand, but the other party hadn't taken any counter-magic measures. However, their employer was very mysterious. The two had first received a series of requests at the Adventurers' Guild, culminating in this dangerous order.

Throughout the entire process, neither of them knew the other's true identity, only that he was a generous and easy-going guy who paid a lot of money. The last commission bypassed the guild; they arranged to meet in a private room at a teahouse, but the man never showed up, only guns, bullets, a portrait, and a deposit.

Pascal speculated, "Was the initial commission perhaps a test and screening? The fact that they were finally allowed to carry out the attack suggests that it had been planned for a long time."

"The guns are custom-made, not standard issue." Rorschach picked up one of them, held it up and tried it out. He felt that the curves of the gun body were very beautiful, and there were some exquisite patterns on it.

"The mastermind must be either rich or powerful."

"And he also has a considerable understanding of our club." Pascal looked at the portrait, his face turning pale—he wasn't in it!

Should I be happy or sad?

"Should we investigate at the Adventurers' Guild?"

Pascal considered it for a moment and rejected the interrogator's suggestion: "The guild has too many requests. Instead of wasting time, why not let Rorschach give it a try?"

Huh? Rorschach didn't expect it to suddenly happen to him.

"Could I try using your unparalleled divination skills? Like when we were looking for Andrei." Pascal grabbed the portrait. "That should be good material for divination, right?"

"It seems so." It really is possible, so Rorschach had no choice but to agree.

Rorschach took the stack of crumpled portraits. Pascal was still staring at them when his senior suddenly had a flash of inspiration—Maxim, Karal, and these people had one thing in common:

They are all lawyers!

Moreover, the attack also occurred at the funeral of lawyer Mr. Meisière!

(End of this chapter)