A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 257 The City at Night
Ever since she saw the diamond ring in Quinn's hand, she has become extremely abnormal. She ran away as if she had lost her soul, sat there silently, and only glanced back at Quinn from time to time. Whenever Quinn looked back at her, she would immediately hide her gaze.

Of the four students, Celia was the only normal one. Since she didn't liven up the atmosphere, Seven was left to indulge in sexual repression, pestering Lin to ask if a sixth-year senior could tutor him, specifically mentioning that he needed Judith's guidance, and howling that he couldn't do without Judith's guidance, and saying strange things like, "I can't do without Judith's guidance, I'm just missing Judith's guidance."

The little girl naturally couldn't understand a thing. If other younger students had said these things to her, she would have been ignored. But the students in the divination class were different. In her eyes, they were Pizza's students, so she nodded.

"it is good."

If you remember in the next class, then tell Judith.

Seven was overjoyed and shouted that the loli senior was the best in the world. Adolf, who could no longer tolerate it, threatened that if he made any more dirty jokes about the senior, he would not breathe. Knowing that the cripple's cane was hiding poison, the lower man finally shut his mouth.

After sitting for a while longer, the students, seeing that Quinn was alright, said their goodbyes and left.

They will be going to the school clinic for a follow-up mental health check this afternoon.

Before leaving, Quinn called out to Celia.

The two people, separated by half a corridor from the doorway, had the following conversation.

"Have you mastered the chords?"

".Um."

"Then tomorrow afternoon, same time."

Celia forced a smile and said, "Don't scold me if I mispronounce a single word."

Quinn crossed his arms, leaned against the wall, and asked in a relaxed manner, "What's wrong with you? You've been acting strange since the beginning."

"."

Celia bit her lip, looking very conflicted.

But seeing the three classmates waiting for him outside, he still asked, "Is that ring really Mr. Quinn's?"

Perhaps she herself couldn't hear that her voice sounded strange.

He feigned calmness and indifference, yet hid fear, as if begging for something, like a dog waiting for its owner to open the door on a rainy day, looking helpless as it gets soaked.

Quinn was stunned for a moment before laughing wryly, "What are you thinking? This ring is mine, but it's not really mine. I found it."

"I'm not married yet."

Celia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

She reverted to her familiar demeanor and jokingly asked, "Is Mr. Quinn planning to give the ring away? Or is he secretly using it to propose?"

“Ha, this ring isn’t going to be given away,” Quinn said truthfully. “If I’m going to propose, I’ll buy a new one and pick a bigger diamond.”

"Who are you proposing to?" she pressed with a smile.

Quinn wanted to say, 'I won't propose to anyone; I'm single.'

But suddenly, the image of Xia Dai'er appeared in his mind.

Reason told him that as someone who already had a girlfriend, he couldn't continue flirting with students and should directly tell them his girlfriend's name.

Quinn waved his hand, feigning annoyance, and said, "Get out of here. Are you trying to pry into the teacher's privacy?"

Seven's laughter could be heard from outside.

“Celia, don’t ask. Mr. Quinn is definitely single; I can smell his virginity on him—”

Celia suddenly became a little nervous. She hurriedly said goodbye to Quinn, made an appointment for the piano lesson the next afternoon, and then immediately went out to tell Seven to shut up. She also made sure to close the door so that Quinn wouldn't hear anything.

Everyone in the class knew that she had feelings for Quinn.

After all, they attend classes together every day, and there are only four of them in total. How could anyone sneak a glance at someone during class escape the eyes of these arcane sorcerers?

Celia, do you think this is because it's my wedding ring?

Quinn quickly accepted this idea, though his feelings were inevitably complicated.

"Pizza, marriage?" Lin tilted her head and asked him.

Clearly, Lin was eavesdropping on their conversation.

If Lin wanted to listen, no matter how softly she spoke, it was impossible to hide it from the ears of the magical creation.

"Oh, it's nothing, just a misunderstanding."

"Lin can marry pizza. Lin doesn't want a ring. Two pizzas a day."

Lin started using the marriage certificate as a meal ticket again.

“No way, even if we’re married, we can only have one pizza a day.” Quinn ignored her hint that he should bake another pizza.

He muttered to himself, "How come in this world you need a diamond ring to get married? In the feudal Middle Ages, wasn't it just a matter of a priest sprinkling holy water on you and that was it?"

Lin picked up the book "The Legend of the Heroes" and cutely recited the famous quote from the first hero, Link:

"Dowry is a bad custom, chastity is feudal, diamond ring is freedom, and bride price is tradition."

Quinn smiled with relief.

This bastard fellow villager will say anything, no matter how disgusting, just to have a harem of four women.

Today is Monday. Although it's not a holiday according to the academy's schedule, the first-year students who finished the Abyss Trial yesterday have no classes today. Quinn also didn't have anything urgent to do, so he decided to go into the city.

Perhaps it was the lingering dizziness of many teachers and students returning from the abyss, but the academy was quite deserted in the afternoon, with only the occasional hooting of an owl as he passed by its cage. Passing through the spiral staircase and descending the second floor, which was filled with classrooms, he felt like a solitary traveler through a magnificent medieval palace.

The sky outside the stained-glass window was as blue as the ocean, and the light cast the outlines of wispy white clouds into the castle. Tall stone pillars, moving murals, gargoyles and knights stood on the carved walls. The magnificent building, which had stood for countless centuries, was under his feet, covered with red velvet carpets, and the ancient footsteps echoed in the towering bookshelves.

Although the scenery in the abyss had many strange aspects, it was still largely similar to Earth. Having just returned from 'the other side,' where the world had changed and civilization seemed to have been reversed and reset, Quinn found that he didn't feel any sense of loss.

Compared to the cities over there, this place may lack many of the modern and convenient twists and turns, but the romance and grandeur, the vastness of the unknown beyond, which makes him feel so small, make him feel more vividly alive.

Boarding the train, crossing the boundary between day and night, and arriving at Ashwell Station, it was 1 a.m. outside. The platform, which was bustling with people during the day, was only occupied by coal workers unloading cargo back and forth; the city was quiet.

When Quinn came out of the station, he had changed his face and clothes and transformed into the gangster Shelby.

The pawnshop owner once warned him, "If you want to hide yourself, physical disguise alone is not enough."

He recalled how Lannard had fooled him and tried to fully immerse himself in the role of 'Shelby'.

Quinn began to consciously control his walking posture, his left foot moving faster than his right, like a middle-aged white man with limited mobility. Gout was common in the coastal countries of the southern continent, where people loved to eat red meat and seafood. He started spitting on the ground, and when he passed a dance hall, he would peek at the girls' thighs through the glass windows. When he saw the orc cleaners still working late at night, he would pretend to be impatient and cover his mouth and nose.
Books about local customs and traditions, observations of cities and people around us, and learning about the rules of the world and society—these accumulated knowledge are not useless.

Quinn first went back to his rented apartment and picked up the katana forged from Imperial battering ram and fragments of a black blade.

The knife is only a little over a meter long. Once the handle is attached to the scabbard, it can be used as a walking stick without arousing suspicion.

He drew the knife. The weight of over one hundred kilograms produced a buzzing sound from the sheath alone, enough to make one's eardrums vibrate. The dark damascus leather pattern was pleasing to the eye like a work of art under the light.

Although the katana is heavy, its center of gravity is very comfortable to hold, making it feel stable and secure. The craftsman who forged this sword clearly had a deep understanding of the katana, concentrating the weight on the blade to maximize its cutting advantages. In contrast, the Dark Evil Dragon Ichimonji Norimune looks like something you'd use at a comic convention, prioritizing decoration over practicality, and its forger was clearly not a professional craftsman.

Even though he couldn't use it in real life, Quinn still preferred the tree branch from his fellow villager. He couldn't explain why; perhaps it was because it was his first knife.

"I need to give you a name."

Quinn looked at the black-bladed katana in his hand and thought that his fellow countryman's taste in naming things was terrible, bordering on childish and unsuitable for a mature and elegant adult like himself.

"Bankai! 〆Zangai丿Dao is truly aptly named."

Quinn nodded in satisfaction.

As he was leaving, he checked the mailbox on the first floor as usual and found a letter inside.

It bears a Seawell postmark.

When I tore it open, there were only a few lines of text on it.

Mr. Shelby, please come to the casino when you have time. The boss wants to see you.

There was no signature, but since the casino was mentioned and the mailing address was known, it could only be Golden Wind.

Ike Capone wants to see me?
It's not time for the usual Starflower trading yet, what could possibly happen?

Quinn frowned slightly; it just so happened that he also needed to find him.

After leaving the apartment, Quinn headed straight for the Mirror Lake at the top of the mountain.

He didn't use his supernatural abilities to conceal his whereabouts along the way, but deliberately walked the streets at night as 'Shelby'. There weren't many people on the streets at this time, and the law enforcement officers lazily patrolled with their night lanterns, paying little attention to those who occasionally saw him.

Quinn's "cane" is a prop that is very stereotypical. Just like middle-aged men in his hometown like to wear Buddhist prayer beads and use tri-fold cell phones, the cane is seen as an invisible symbol of class in the Southern Continent.

Although the young people from wealthy families in Eswell thought the cane looked old-fashioned and didn't fit the city's progressive and open-minded tone, it at least prevented Quinn from being questioned. In the eyes of the law enforcement officers, he was just an ordinary Eastwell citizen who went out in the middle of the night to find a singer.

The closer you get to Cloud Avenue, the denser the streetlights become, and gas seems to pour light into the quiet, bustling street as if it were free.

He passed by the side street lined with nightclubs and hotels, where he had almost been caught by Jack, a lesson that taught him a very important lesson. Just standing outside the red-light district, one could faintly hear the sounds of singing and dancing, mostly classical ensembles, but also some lowbrow but explicit tunes, depending on whether the singers were dressed or undressed.

Horse-drawn carriages lined both sides of the road, one after another; at this hour, finding a parking spot in the red-light district was nearly impossible. The drivers and wealthy entourages, of course, weren't fortunate enough to enter and enjoy the rides; they sat in small groups on the curb, chatting and joking. Vendors carrying tobacco and other late-night snacks could also be seen, catering specifically to the servants of these important figures. Business seemed quite brisk; by 2 AM, their stock was almost gone.

There are far fewer people on Cloud Avenue. Most of the shops on both sides of the street are closed. At this time, the people here are mostly working people. They work in trading companies, banks, and airship companies. They are no different from the corporate slaves on Earth. They walk in the bustling night, dressed smartly but unable to hide their fatigue, and their steps are hurried.

The impact of the jewelry store robbery in March hadn't subsided; even at midnight, law enforcement officers were stationed on Cloud Avenue. The destroyed jewelry store had been demolished, replaced by a women's salon, or beauty parlor.

Looking at the brand-new storefront and the huge doctor's advertisement, Quinn felt as if he had lived through another world, even though only half a year had passed.

In the middle of the night, the lights were still on in the private rooms on the third floor of the salon. Quinn looked at the handsome doctor in the advertisement, who looked like he was in a photo shoot, and thought to herself that this women's beauty salon was not simple.

The closer you get to the lakeside, the more you can feel the improvement in security.

The law enforcement officers on Cloud Avenue would sometimes take a nap in their guard posts, while the law enforcement officers on Lakeside Promenade would patrol and keep watch attentively, in pairs, carrying flintlock pistols and leading hunting dogs. They could see at least two groups of people on either side of their line of sight, and there were also two suspected superhumans hiding in the shadows.

It seems the gentlemen of this city are truly terrified by the jewelry store robbery.

Almost all of the city's most powerful and influential people live on the shores of Mirror Lake. For Eswell, the short stretch of beach is like a ring road to Kyoto.

Quinn knew he was being watched by the patrolling law enforcement officers, so he turned a corner and didn't go to the lakeside.

However, half a minute later, he swaggered back.

The footsteps made no sound at all.

The officers ignored him, walking past him without questioning him, as if they hadn't seen him at all. Even their hunting dogs seemed to disregard Quinn. Quinn walked in the shadows, unnoticed by the guards, and casually made his way towards Amamiya Nene's house.

Although Sequence Seven is considered by tavern owner Seville to be "unfit for the main battlefield in the war against demons," they are already at the top of the food chain in this city—provided that the academy is ignored.

Even among the very few extraordinary individuals, Sequence Seven is already an extremely rare existence. Keep in mind that among those at Sequence Nine, less than one in ten can find the complete recipe and potion to advance all the way to Sequence Seven.

Quinn walked along the lakeside boardwalk, one of the five highest points on Mount Eshwell with the best views of the lake. Looking at the manor gate before him, Quinn thought, "This is a ring within a ring; the lords who live here would have to kowtow to them in ancient times."

This manor is said to be the palace of the King of the Kingdom of Ron. The current King of Ron is in his prime and has only been crowned a few years ago. He has never visited Aishwell, so the house has been empty. Somehow, Amamiya Nene took it and uses it as her dormitory for work.

It's said that King Ron pursued the most beautiful woman in the Southern Continent with great passion in his youth, but unfortunately, he didn't succeed. Given this "white moonlight" complex, it seems quite normal for him to take care of her daughter, right?

Thinking about it this way, His Majesty the King is such a loser!
Quinn didn't intend to ring the doorbell. No matter how good an assassin's stealth is, even a blind person would see if the doorbell was rung. Although only a little witch lived there, this was still the palace of the neighboring country's king, and Branson's house was right next door. There were guards standing at the door. Quinn was too lazy to explain and simply sneaked over the wall into the yard.

Woods, gardens, fountains—if Branson Estate evokes a sense of immense wealth, then the King's Palace is a testament to royal aesthetics. The roads seem to be enveloped by nature, and the lush flowers and green grass coexist harmoniously with the distant lake, creating a luxurious landscape from any angle.

The white Baroque-style palace stood like a wall before Quinn, obscuring half of the starry sky and moonlight.

"This house can hold two thousand people," Quinn thought.

Now I finally understand why Amamiya Nene is so confident; it's impossible for a person to have both a castle and an inferiority complex at the same time.

Quinn closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and began to sense the 'line'.

He had signed a contract with Amamiya Nene. Although the contract wasn't very binding, it allowed them to sense each other's location within a certain distance.

The faint 'line' led to a room in the corner of the second floor.

Quinn opened his eyes, bent his knees slightly, jumped, and soared into the air.

The evening wind howled, and with a swift movement, he climbed over the Roman column on the windowsill, flipped and leaped, and landed steadily on the second-floor interior.

A maid was asleep in the room; judging from the fact that she had a room on the second floor, she was probably a head maid or something similar. There was a roster on the table, which Quinn casually flipped through. Perhaps because the king himself didn't live there much, this palace had far fewer servants than Branson Manor; there were only about ten people in total, including cooks, grooms, butlers, and maids.

The sleeping maid was unaware that there was another person in the room, and Quinn did not wake her. He opened the door and left as quietly as a spider crawling on its web.

There wasn't even a night watchman in the palace, so Quinn didn't need to hide himself. He simply followed his senses and came to the long corridor on the second floor, which faced the Mirror Lake.

Teak wall panels, carved with turquoise inlaid, and whale oil lamps adorning both sides, each lamp corresponding to an antique or artwork, make this short road of about a hundred meters seem as if it were paved with gold pounds.

Quinn turned the corner, and the door with light leaking through the crack ahead was Amamiya Nene's room.

He was just about to sneak in and scare her, when he was surprised to find someone standing at the door.

Quinn thought to himself that it was normal for nobles to have servants standing guard at the gate.
Why is this servant dressed all in black, with his face covered?
He was carrying a bag that was bulging inside. No matter how you looked at it, this person seemed to be waiting for Amamiya Nene to come out so he could sneak in and make a fortune.

thief?
Quinn thought to himself, "There's such a thing?"

In this flood-prone area, you're up in the middle of the night picking up manhole covers?
The man suddenly jolted awake and turned to face Quinn.

Quinn raised an eyebrow. How could he detect me from this distance?

The two looked at each other for a second.

The thief turned and ran.

(End of this chapter)