The fairy maid cheers for her deceased master today.

X naturally chose the fourth evolutionary path.

The reason is simple.

The first few directions are easy to understand; they are all just numerical improvements. They might increase distance, or increase weight and quantity.

It's not that numerical improvements aren't important, but the last one involves a change in the mechanics.

Originally, the ability to swap locations could only be used to exchange items. But if the target object for the exchange changes... then it almost becomes a new skill.

Sure enough, Angel's stats changed immediately after she made the choice.

Name: Angel

Race: Fairy

[Level: 2]

[Contract Owner: Sir Axe]

[Attribute Type: Ice]

[HP: 350/350]

Energy Value: 320/350

Attack Power: 60

Defense: 50

【Speed: 50】

【Intelligence: 90】

[Willpower: 190]

[Special Ability 1: (Psychology) Position Swap (Level 2). Rain World Exclusive Effect: Swaps two thoughts within close range. This effect can be activated directly by the contract holder.]

[Special Ability 2: Soul Anchoring (Level 2). Effect: Grants the Contractor the "Resurrection of the Dead (Level 2)" status. This effect cannot be dispelled, but requires continuous consumption of "Living Dead Energy" to maintain. Consuming a large amount of "Living Dead Energy" in a short period can briefly enhance "Resurrection of the Dead" to the "Full Resurrection" status.]

broken!

It feels like the powerful item swapping ability has been rendered useless! It's harder to launch surprise attacks now.

Ax subconsciously wondered if he had allocated his skill points incorrectly.

I just can't control my hand! I really want to slap it!

But the next moment, X heard an incredibly clear thought. It was even clearer than before, as if this time it was being transmitted via a 5G network.

[This note is addressed to Sir Hooker. Oh, how am I supposed to describe this?]

Then X looked up and saw Angel slap her left hand hard with her right. She gasped, her eyes blurry with tears.

Elena was startled: "W-what's wrong, Angel?"

"Ouch, it hurts so much, I... I don't know either."

But Ax was truly astonished.

No, this really is evolution!

Putting aside the changes in effects, I can now directly consume Angel's magic power to activate Angel's skills... saving me the trouble of communication and tacit understanding.

That means I can directly control Angel!

Although it can only be used in the Rain World, it is indeed amazing.

X had to admit that the rain world could indeed increase the connection between fairies and their masters.

Hearing the inner voice before was not a coincidence. It was precisely because the connection increased that Angel's abilities had the opportunity to evolve in this direction.

So next... all I have to do is sign a contract with Elena...

Oh wait, no. Now let's try switching our perspectives.

Axe had a sudden thought and activated Angel's [(Psychology) Position Swap (Level 2)] effect. But nothing happened.

Only one message appears on the panel.

[Judgment Failed]

This skill requires a success check first? This ability is definitely a useless skill.

Undeterred, X tried again.

[Judgment Failed]

[Judgment Failed]

[Judgment Failed]

[Judgment Failed]

Ax gave up.

Angel was already looking around as if she'd seen a ghost, then suddenly threw herself at X: "Master! Master! There's a ghost here! I feel a chill!"

Don't worry, that ghost is me.

While reassuring him, Axe said, "You wrote Sir Hook on your note."

"How did Master guess?! I haven't even started describing the actions yet!?"

"Doesn't that make your master look amazing?"

"Hmm, that makes sense!"

It seems that if I want to extract Elena's thoughts, I'll have to sign a contract with her, otherwise the judgment will keep failing.

As for how to persuade Elena, that requires careful consideration.

Next up is Elena.

Elena thought for a moment, then pulled out a book on pharmacology and placed it on the table.

What is this?

Ax took it and found it was a book about botanical pharmacology, with a bookmark on one of the pages.

Ax glanced at the page and found that it contained information about the hallucinogenic effects of a certain plant.

"A plant? The name on your note is—Elena?" Ax guessed.

Irene smiled and shook her head.

"It's Catherine!" Angel exclaimed.

"You got it right!"

When did this fairy become so clever? Did she commit a foul by writing the name twice?

"How did you know?" Ex asked hastily.

"I've seen Sister Catherine looking through this book."

Ok.

■

Just as X and his friends were having a great time playing the mini-games...

Meanwhile, Catherine was still on her way to the work site.

The drizzle brought a chill.

Katherine Wentworth, holding an umbrella and pulling her coat collar tighter, walked briskly along the cobblestones of Cannon Street. The glow of the gaslight spread across the wet ground, illuminating the water droplets dancing on her blonde hair.

"Ugh, this damn weather," she muttered, quickening her pace.

Scotland Yard was just ahead, she had to hurry—there was a new lead in the theft at the East End dock warehouse; a witness claimed to have seen a suspicious porter.

She turned into a narrow alley. There was a shortcut here. She knew these all too well, like the lines on the palm of her hand.

Deep inside the alley, wooden crates and discarded junk were piled up, exuding a musty and rusty smell. This was the price of taking the shortcut.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows.

Catherine instinctively took a half step back, her hand resting on the silver cane at her waist. It was a man in a black cloak, his face covered by a deathly pale mask, devoid of features, only two dark, hollow eye sockets.

Catherine immediately realized something was wrong.

As the owner of a detective agency, she is fully aware of the undercurrents hidden beneath the surface of this city.

"Get out of the way," Catherine snapped, her voice ringing out clearly in the rain. "I have a lot of connections in London."

Intimidate your opponent from the start!

The masked man did not move, but he did not retreat either.

He slowly raised his hand and pointed at Catherine. His movements were slow, yet carried a chilling elegance.

"Katherine Wentworth." His voice came through the mask, harsh and unpleasant, like sandpaper rubbing against metal. "Your curiosity will kill you. There are some things you should stop investigating."

Catherine's heart skipped a beat as she began to wonder which case had attracted the thugs.

I'm handling too many cases at the same time... but there shouldn't be more than five that are dangerous.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to remain calm. Her right hand was still on the silver cane she used to guard against aliens, while her left hand quietly reached for the whistle in her pocket.

The masked man did not answer, but suddenly charged forward at an astonishing speed.

Catherine was shocked. She pulled out her whistle and was about to blow it when a cold hand gripped her throat.

She struggled, pulling out her silver cane and striking the other person, but it was like hitting a metal plate.

Give it another knock!

But the other party remained unmoved.

At least... it's not a mutant. Catherine thought to herself.

But soon she let out a choking sob.

"Waaah..."

"Don't waste your energy." The masked man's voice carried a hint of mockery. "However, since you're a famous detective, how about we play a game? Let's see if your friend Elena can really... play this game well."

Catherine's eyes widened. Elena? How did he know Elena?

But the masked man's other hand had already pressed a piece of cloth against her mouth and nose.

Before she could even think, a pungent odor filled the air, her vision blurred, and her body gradually lost its strength. The last thing she saw was a glimpse of a silver emblem flashing beneath the masked man's cloak—a twisted cross.

Then she knew nothing more.