Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 502 A Phantom Runs into a Phantom

Backlund, Queens, Hall Street.

Walking through a large four-story building, Audrey strolled around with Estella, chatting as they went.

Audrey Hall was dressed today in a white long dress with leg-of-mutton sleeves, ruffles, and lace at the chest, wearing a veil hat with blue ribbons and silk flowers, and light-colored tulle gloves.

Estelle's dress was rather simple, with a white base and light pink accents. The cuffs and collar were mainly ruffled, and there was only a bow-shaped flower made of layers of lace on the chest.

She wore no accessories, only a gold hair clip and a delicate star-shaped embroidered pendant hanging from her sleeve, which appeared to be handmade.

For some reason, Audrey's attention was always involuntarily drawn to that pendant.

The craftsmanship was so exquisite it was unbelievable, but Audrey felt there was something about the pendant that was quite attractive to her.

Although Audrey didn't show it obviously, she didn't try to hide it either.

This is an appreciation of beauty, and also an endorsement of the other person's collection. As long as it is not too obvious or abrupt, the meaning of praise outweighs the slight rudeness and will not give people a bad experience.

As Audrey expected, Estelle didn't mind her observation at all, and was even willing to introduce Audrey to the items she carried with her.

Audrey guessed that this was a habit that almost everyone with a large collection had to some extent. For example, she was never stingy in showing off her collection to others.

Herwin Rambis can testify to this.

"You're asking about this?" Estelle turned slightly, looking at the embroidered decoration hanging from her cuff, her expression somewhat subtle. "Can you sense its special qualities?"

Audrey shook her head honestly: "I just feel that it has a special feeling, a feeling that is different from other things."

"Miss Audrey must have some connection to the fate of [Intelligence], right?" Estella asked a question that seemed unrelated to the previous discussion.

“Hmm…” Audrey nodded, “There is indeed some connection.”

She is currently at Sequence 5 of the Wisdom Path, just one step away from becoming a demigod and officially embarking on the path of Wisdom.

“From the first time we met, I felt that Miss Audrey was quite insightful, and looking at it now, my feeling was indeed correct,” Estádio said with a smile, then returned the topic to the pendant.

"Since it's related to [intelligence], it's normal to be able to sense it. This pendant was a gift from Miss Ruan Mei of the Genius Club."

"Anyway, I can't sense anything special about it, but since it's related to [intelligence], it might indeed have some special sensitivity." Estella said as she walked, her hands behind her back.

"The Genius Club?" Audrey's eyes widened.

She knew about this organization.

Serres sometimes mentions it in Tarot readings, and there are quite a few descriptions of it in simulated universes.

The puppets of the Black Tower, in particular, could appear in almost any corner of the simulated universe.

The Venerable One of Wisdom lingers in a corner of the vast galaxy, calculating the cosmic equations constructed from trillions of variables while deriving the yet-to-be-discovered laws of imaginary numbers. Occasionally, a spark of wisdom suddenly flashes in a mortal world, and the deity symbolizing "wisdom" sends a signal to its source, inviting "geniuses" to join the search for the answers to the universe.

This is the "Genius Club".

“That’s right,” Estádio replied. “I remember it was a few years ago. It was Miss Ruan Mei’s first visit to the space station. I noticed the pendant Miss Ruan Mei was wearing. It looked a lot like this, and it was very pretty.”

“At the time, I looked up the purchase link for Miss Ruan Mei’s sleeve pendant, but I never expected that she would embroider it by hand. I never expected that when she came to the space station again, she would give me a pendant as a gift. This is it,” Estád said.

"Her craftsmanship is just as superb as her thesis."

Audrey could sense the admiration in Estád's tone and guessed that this "Miss Ruan Mei" must be a wise scholar.

She is both intelligent and skillful, and seems quite easy to talk to.

Audrey envisioned a gentle and elegant lady in her mind, or, to use a term coined by Emperor Roselle, a "lady of high birth."

"I didn't expect Miss Estádio to have connections with the Genius Club," Audrey asked curiously.

“After all, I am the acting stationmaster of the ‘Black Tower Space Station’,” Aista replied with a smile. “Ms. Black Tower is also a member of the ‘Genius Club’. Although I have only met Ms. Black Tower a few times, thanks to her, we are sometimes able to see several geniuses in person.”

“Every meeting with you is very beneficial to me.”

The two continued to stroll around the mall, occasionally going into a shop to look at the goods, and buying whatever they liked.

"The shopping format of 'shopping malls' was invented by Emperor Russell. Before that, people could only trade through fixed-time gatherings or fixed shops."

"Russell's invention provided a trading platform for merchants and a fixed place for buyers to consume."

“On the surface, it’s said to be for the convenience of both buyers and sellers, to provide convenience for both sides,” Audrey said, pointing to the surrounding decor and the crystal chandelier overhead. “But in the end, it’s more about distinguishing commoners from nobles.”

They were currently in the highest floor of the entire mall, the most upscale area even in this "place only nobles would set foot in," a floor that ordinary viscounts and barons would almost never come up to.

"Although there's no explicit ban on ordinary people entering, the decor and prices of the goods here create a sense of psychological oppression for those below the middle class, making them genuinely unwilling to come here," Audrey explained from the audience's perspective.

“Status always needs to be highlighted.” Estelle nodded, then looked around as Audrey pointed. “When material needs are met, people often pursue spiritual desires. Using comparisons to demonstrate one’s status is one of the more common ways to do so.”

"Does Miss Estelle have any expertise in this kind of thing?" Audrey stood in front of a glass display case, picked up a bracelet, and examined the jewelry under the overhead light.

No shop assistants stopped them, because even if they accidentally broke it, it wouldn't matter; no one would worry about the financial resources or character of "Backlund's most dazzling gem".

Moreover, this is "Hall Street," and the entire street belongs to Audrey's family.

Even if Audrey took the items and left, the shop assistant believed that the housekeeper would come and make up the difference later, and it would be at least 5% more than the original price.

Even if Audrey accidentally knocked over the counter, the sales clerk's first reaction would be, "Great, the Hall family will definitely buy all of these."

No matter how much money is spent, it will eventually end up in the Hall family's pocket.

“Hmm…” Estella carefully considered her words, “After all, my family is in business, and I’ve been taking courses in this area since I was a child.”

"I see." Audrey nodded thoughtfully and casually bought the bracelet worth two thousand pounds.

“Speaking of which, the style here feels a bit different from the streets outside,” Estelle asked, “especially compared to areas outside Queens.”

"There's a sense of disconnect, like the technological advancements that should belong to two different countries have been mixed together in the same city. One is ancient, and the other is modern."

“After all, the city’s transformation has only just begun,” Audrey replied. “It will take quite some time before it can be implemented throughout the entire city, or even the entire Kingdom of Rune.”

“Transformation?” Estella repeated the word, extending a hand and letting Audrey wrap the bracelet around her wrist.

The two chatted and shopped as they walked through some of Backlund's most upscale shops, but it felt like browsing a roadside stall.

“It was about a week ago,” Audrey said, leading the way. “The modifications started a week ago…” “Right when the war ended?” Estella remembered Audrey mentioning that they had just experienced the war.

"They're doing this right after the war?" Estelle's tone was somewhat puzzled. "What exactly are these modifications?"

“It’s about changes in some cities and things like that,” Audrey replied, looking up slightly as she thought for a moment. “And there are also technologies and products that have never been seen before appearing on the market.”

“Like those electric lights,” Audrey said, pointing to the colorful lights around them.

"Has this never happened before?" Estelle pressed.

“No.” Audrey was quite confident in her memory. If there was anything, she would definitely remember it.

“I see…” Estelle nodded, seemingly very curious about the matter, and continued to ask, “Besides these, there should also be reforms to the social system, right? Like raising the threshold for nobility or something?”

Audrey thought for a moment: "It doesn't seem to be on the surface, but it does seem that it's become more difficult to become a nobleman recently."

“That’s not surprising.” Estelle nodded gently.

"Did you think of something?" They chatted for a while, then browsed through another store without buying anything.

"I just have a guess, but there must be quite a few people around you who have recently experienced personality changes," Estádio said with certainty.

“It’s inevitable that this kind of situation will occur right after the war. But that’s precisely why some replacements are hard to detect,” Estádio said.

Audrey suddenly realized what was going on when she recalled the conversation between Roselle and Otto during their last tarot session.

Estelle stopped short of interfering in the internal affairs of other planets; her few words of advice were merely casual conversation between friends.

And to be honest, she didn't think it mattered that a few old nobles became victims of reforms on a planet.

If anyone actually thinks she's an innocent and naive girl, they should just wait to be sold out and help her count the money.

"Let's go look at some cosmetics," Audrey suggested, noticing Estelle's thoughts. She changed the subject and led Estelle into a cosmetics shop.

That's what the audience is like; they always know what the person they're talking to really wants to talk about and what they don't want to talk about, and they'll offer their help.

Therefore, chatting with the audience is a very comfortable thing.

"Come to this store, I highly recommend their cosmetics."

Inside the store, a saleswoman wearing a black and white checkered shirt and a short skirt immediately came up to greet Xiao Lian.

"Welcome! What would you like to know?" The clerk's smile was like a warm breeze.

But Estelle's expression was a little strange.

“This one…” She stopped at the shop entrance, looked up at the [Xi Yan] sign, then suddenly stopped, blinked, “Uh…”

"Is there a problem?" Audrey noticed Estelle had stopped in her tracks, and her instincts as a spectator immediately told her something was amiss. "Is there something wrong with this shop?"

She remembered that this was Mr. Devil's property...

I remember that the shop was opened by Mr. Devil specifically to collect the physical characteristics of various nobles, and she even helped him secure investment and do the advertising...

Her posters are still hanging outside the shop as advertising...

No way……

Audrey had an idea.

At this moment, Estella's mind was also in a state of brainstorming.

The cosmetics in this store are really good...after all...I use them all the time...

[Evening Glory]...

Isn't this an investment from my family?
Why are you here?

I remember it being a well-known business of Pinocchio, right?

I don't recall my family or clan having any global businesses...

When was the collaboration done?
Why don't I know...

Estelle squinted, took out a piece of glass that looked like a lens, and brought it close to her eyes. Only then could she see through this strange object with a magnifying effect that the word "fake" was written in the lower left corner of the sign, followed by a smiley face.

The entire letter and the image combined are not much bigger than the hair on an ant's leg.

This style... it feels strangely familiar.

She shifted her gaze from the signboard, glanced at the "Backlund Diamonds" co-branded poster displayed at the entrance, and finally fixed it on Audrey's face.

"Is this shop... owned by your friend?" Estella asked.

"Um...yes," Audrey replied somewhat guiltily.

Based on her observations, she was now certain that she knew the brand Esta very well.

Based on her understanding of Serres, there was a 99% chance that Serres hadn't authorized it.

The goods inside are most likely counterfeit.

Estelle thought for a few seconds, and the slightly strange expression on her face returned to normal.

“Let’s go check out other shops,” Aista said.

She wanted to buy local specialties, not counterfeit goods from her hometown.

“Okay, let’s go take a look at that one.” Audrey led Estelle in another direction.

"Can you tell me about your friend?" Estelle asked.

"OK."

Behind the two, a female shop assistant in a black and white checkered shirt and short skirt watched them leave with a smile, gently adjusting her monocle on her right eye.

"Ah...interesting..."

(End of this chapter)