My bloodline is so eager to improve.

He carefully placed the coat on the counter, picked up the colored paper, and meticulously packed it up piece by piece.

He moved very gently, as if afraid of damaging the coat that carried Juliet's blessing.

After packing it up, he carefully tucked the small card into a crevice in the package.

"Perhaps Phyllis will be able to cheer up a little after seeing Juliet's message."

As Otto thought about it, he stuffed the wrapped wool coat into his pocket.

This pocket is an alchemical artifact that Una brought him yesterday.

The pocket was made from the material of the koala bats that Otto had hunted before, and the edges were embroidered with intricate spatial runes in silver thread.

According to Otto's initial exploration yesterday, there are at least ten standard cubic meters of space inside.

It can not only hold a lot of items, but also keep the contents from getting damaged.

Tuck in a small wool coat, and that's more than enough.

But after doing all this, Otto did not leave immediately.

He stood in the center of the tailor shop, glanced around, and his eyes sharpened.

Even though Romeo was a staunch believer, he still believed that everything a person did would leave traces.

He can surely find some clues here to figure out Romeo's true purpose.

"It's you I've chosen, Magical Demon Ape!"

Otto decided to become someone who doesn't experience stress, and instead transfer the stress directly to the Magic Ape.

He's been nagged by the magic ape all day long; it's time to collect some interest.

However, the Magic Ape expressed its sarcasm upon hearing this.

[The Magical Ape thought, "I'm too lazy to help someone as dim-witted as you. Go improve your own level first."]

The black cat that ferrys souls beat up the magic-wielding demon ape.

The magical ape says it's happy to serve you.

"As expected of you, you know how to be pragmatic."

Otto was very satisfied with the Magic Ape's performance. The traitor was mocking him in almost every word, and it was always a good thing to have another animal friend to discipline the guy.

While his animal friends were playing around, Otto had already taken action.

Otto began by searching the living room.

The living room is small, but it is decorated in a warm and comfortable style.

A brown fabric sofa was placed against the wall, with a knitted blanket draped over it.

In front of the sofa was a small wooden coffee table with a ceramic teapot and several teacups on it.

Next to the coffee table was a tall bookshelf filled with all sorts of books.

Otto walked to the bookshelf and began flipping through the books one by one.

Most of these books are about tailoring techniques, some explaining cutting skills, some introducing fabric knowledge, and some are the latest fashion design catalogs.

In addition, there are some books that record the geography, landforms, and legends of the Kingdom of Thorne.

These books are quite worn from being read so many times; the edges of the pages are a bit frayed, which shows that Juliette loved reading during her lifetime.

However, books were already considered a luxury item in this era.

Each book was handwritten by a scribe, making them very expensive. Even if all of them were sold, they would probably be worth a lot of money.

But Otto was somewhat puzzled after seeing these books.

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Gargoyles (First Update, Please Subscribe)

Otto wondered why Romeo hadn't taken these books with him, just like the coats.

Thinking of this, he quickly flipped through it.

After confirming that there were no notes or letters tucked inside the books, they were simply put back in their original places, one by one.

Otto likes money and wants money.

For an adventurer, money means better equipment, better medicine, and a higher chance of survival in dangerous missions and commissions.

But Otto did not intend to accumulate resources for himself in this way.

There are things that should be done and things that shouldn't be done. In Otto's view, taking the victim's belongings to exchange for money was one of the things that shouldn't be done.

Of course, no one was watching Otto, and Otto knew that.

He was all alone here, along with a few animal friends that only he could perceive.

Even if he takes all these books, no one will know. He can even ask Michael to find a market for these books and get the money quickly.

But Otto knew in his heart that if he continued to indulge his greed and let his appetite grow little by little, sooner or later, his greedy desires would devour his bottom line.

Otto didn't want to become like the captain of the Bunny Boys.

That guy met his end because he was too greedy.

Moreover, if Otto takes these books away, he might lose the trust of the black cat that carries away souls.

Just as Otto was taking action, his actions drew the ire of the Magic Ape.

[The Magical Ape says, "You're such a hypocrite."]

The Demon Ape's hint was tinged with disdain.

The Magic Ape thought that keeping these books here was a waste, so it would be better to sell them for some money and buy some good materials. After all, Juliet was dead, and she wouldn't need these books anymore.

However, the mockery of the Magic Ape aroused the dissatisfaction of the Soul-Crossing Black Cat.

[The black cat who delivers souls stated that the belongings of the deceased should be respected.]

[The Soul-Crossing Black Cat declares that, though it too is a fantasy species that has embarked on a chaotic path, it is ashamed to associate with the Magical Ape!]

Despite the dissatisfaction of the Soul-Crossing Black Cat, the Magic Ape seemed unfazed.

The Magic Ape asks, "Can respect feed you? Can respect buy strength? In this dog-eat-dog world, only power and wealth matter!"

The debate between the two fantasy species continued to unfold before Otto's eyes until the Moonlit Hound stepped forward.

[The Moonlit Hound states that what's more important than power and wealth are bottom lines and principles. A human who loses their bottom lines, no matter how powerful, is nothing more than a monster in human skin!]

The three fantasy creatures argued endlessly, but Otto ignored them and continued searching the living room.

He checked the gaps in the sofa, the drawers in the coffee table, and under the carpet, but found nothing useful.

Just as Otto was about to go to the bedroom to check, the black cat's message appeared again.

This time, her hint carried a clear hint of caution.

[The black cat that ferry souls is hinting that the gargoyle decoration in the upper right corner of the bookshelf seems to conceal some kind of mechanism.]

Upon hearing this, Otto suddenly stood up and immediately looked up at the upper right corner of the bookshelf.

Sure enough, there was a gargoyle statue there.

The statue is small, only about the size of a palm, and is carved from gray stone.

Gargoyles are ferocious-looking creatures with humanoid bodies, scarlet eyes, sharp fangs, and a pair of large wings.

Its claws gripped a rock tightly, its mouth wide open, as if emitting a silent roar.

Gargoyles are a mythical creature, and Otto had heard tales about them since he was a child.

In legend, gargoyles are the guardians of their dwellings. They turn into statues during the day and come to life at night to protect the safety of their homes.

Their claws can tear apart all misfortune, and their shrieks can drive away all calamities; they are symbols of a kind of guardian totem.

In Otto's villages, almost every household buys baptized gargoyle statues from various temples and churches to display in their homes as a form of blessing during the celebration of the Kingdom of Thorne's birthday.

It's perfectly reasonable for such decorations to appear in shops.

But since the black cat that carried the soul mentioned this ornament, it's probably not that simple.

The black cat that ferrys souls has never made a mistake in its perception.

With that thought in mind, Otto moved a stool over, stepped on it, and carefully took the gargoyle statue down from the bookshelf.

The statue was heavy, with a somewhat rough surface and the cool touch characteristic of stone.

He fiddled with it for a while, turning its head and prying its wings, but there was no response.

The statue was still the same ordinary stone statue, with nothing unusual about it.

Just then, the Magic Ape seemed to have deciphered some clues.

The magical ape adjusted its monocle and carefully scanned the gargoyle statue.

The Magic Ape detected strange magical fluctuations and became certain that this was not an ordinary mechanism, but an alchemical linkage mechanism.

"Alchemy linkage mechanism?"

What's the meaning?"

Otto asked the magic ape with some curiosity.

Fortunately, this time the magic ape didn't mock Otto; instead, it patiently gave him hints.

The Magic Ape stated that a single gargoyle statue would not exhibit any strange changes, nor would it show any noticeable magical fluctuations.

The Magic Ape explained the truth to you: the mechanism can only be activated if a matching gargoyle statue is placed in front of it, allowing magic to flow between them and form a complete magical cycle.

Clearly, the Magic Ape's analytical abilities were put to full use at this moment, and it finally found some clues for Otto.

"Are they a pair?"

Otto frowned.

"So, there's another identical gargoyle statue?"

Just as Otto was wondering, Moonbeam expressed his disappointment.

The Moonlit Hound didn't sense the presence of the other gargoyle statue in the tailor shop. It sadly remarked, "It seems we'll have no chance to uncover the secrets behind this gargoyle's mechanism."

Upon seeing this message, Otto felt a little disappointed.

He examined the gargoyle statue from all angles.

"Clearly, the other gargoyle statue is in Romeo's hands."

He took the trigger with him to prevent anyone from discovering the mechanism.

He shook his head helplessly, preparing to put the gargoyle statue back on the bookshelf.

But at that moment, the Magic Ape gave a new hint.

The Magic Ape's lips curled into a slight smile, as if to say, "Who says the machine can't be turned on without a starter?"

Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Bronze Gate (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

Otto stopped what he was doing and looked at the prompt in front of him with a puzzled expression.

Clearly, the magic ape has found a way to unlock the mechanism.

The magical ape smugly raised its chin, then looked at you with disdain, as if you were looking at a curly-haired baboon.

The Magic Ape explained that the gargoyle statues are not important; the circulation of magic is. As long as the correct flow of magic can be simulated, the mechanism can be activated even without another gargoyle.

[The Magic Ape says, with your meager level of magical control, simulating the correct flow of magical energy is probably a bit difficult. After all, not everyone is as clever as it.]

The Moonlit Spirit Hound beat up the Magical Ape.

[The Moonlit Spirit Dog says, "Quickly tell me how to fix the mechanism! If you dare to dawdle any longer, I'll smash your monocle!"]

The Demon Ape, frustrated, expressed its willingness to teach you, while also protesting that these animals showed no respect for intellectuals and demanded that you replace them immediately!

Otto could barely suppress a smile as he watched the Moonlit Spirit Hound discipline the Magic Ape.

"You're absolutely right, but I refuse!"

Just kidding, what could be more enjoyable than watching the magical ape that mocks you every day suffer a setback?

Seeing Otto's gloating expression, the Magic Ape seemed to realize that it had no one to help it.