Old days, dice and investigator's manual

Isaac waited a moment, and the nun finished her prayer, rose, and walked over. She stopped in front of Isaac, clasping her hands in front of her: "Are you Mr. Lessing?"

It wasn't Verka after all... The nuns of the Golden Bough were all dressed and wore the same masks, making it impossible to tell who was who. Isaac had just thought the other person was Verka herself.

"I am Isaac Lessing." He stood up and picked up his hat and cane.

"Mr. Lessing, Cardinal Westeria is waiting for you. Please follow me."

Westeria? Isaac paused for a moment.

Yes, Carlo had mentioned to the mercenary Finn long ago that Vilka was not the name "that important person" used in public; she used a more prestigious title.

However, Westeria...

At first glance, this word appears to be a variant of "Vesta," but those who have studied Heroism—the language of the early ancient empires, the precursor to today's "Common Language," and one of Isaac's required courses in university—will find that, in fact, the opposite is true: Vesta is a variant of the Common Language of Westeria.

Westeria, in Hellenistic languages, means "western region".

In other words, Verca is using "West Frontier" as her official name when speaking to the outside world?

Isaac followed the nun through a small door on the side of the altar, pondering the meaning behind the name.

Many nobles adopted their fiefdoms as their surnames, and some even changed their original surnames to place names after being granted their fiefdoms, symbolizing that their family, as the rulers of the territory, could represent the entire land.

However, it is quite rare to use a place name directly as a name. Following the logic of noble surnames, using Westeria as a name is, in a sense, a declaration that one represents the entire Westerlands.

If it were the Ogilvy family that changed their name to Westeria, it would be somewhat understandable, but for Verca herself to use that name...

"Cardinal Westeria, Mr. Lessing has arrived."

The nun stopped in front of a door, and Isaac snapped out of his daze.

"Please come in."

The nun pushed open the door, stepped aside to let Isaac pass, thanked her, and went into the room.

This is a study, with a set of desk and chairs, a row of bookshelves, and a badge on the wall depicting a broom blooming on a golden branch.

Verca sat behind her desk, still wearing her mask, and was indistinguishable from the nun outside the door.

"Good morning, Cardinal Vesterlia."

"Mr. Lessing, please have a seat." Verca gestured to the chair opposite her, and the nun closed the door.

Isaac sat down opposite her and noticed three small wooden boxes on the desk.

Verca pointed to the box on the table: "I have three suitable artifacts here. They all belong to the category of relics and have no obvious side effects. You can take a look first."

She opened the small wooden box, revealing three items lined with velvet.

The first item is a bronze knuckle duster, showing signs of wear and tear, indicating that it has been used quite a bit.

The second item is a silver brooch, sculpted in the shape of a leaf, with exquisite workmanship.

The third item was a pair of gloves, made of dark brown leather, the kind a gentleman would wear when going out.

None of the three items are particularly eye-catching, and carrying them around wouldn't seem out of place.

"These three wondrous objects each have their own focus, and I will explain their respective functions. You can pick them up and take a look," Verca said.

Isaac first picked up the brass knuckles, threaded four fingers through the ring, and tried making a fist.

"The ability of this brass knuckles is to convert the wearer's anger into a power boost, with the boost generally ranging from 2 to 5 times depending on the level of anger."

Isaac thought about it. Knuckle dusters were suitable for direct confrontation, but he already had a revolver and a cane sword, so close combat was not the first choice.

Moreover, the characteristic of "anger turning into power" means that one needs to maintain anger in battle. Isaac does not consider himself an easily angered person, so he may find it difficult to make full use of the advantages of this artifact when facing enemies.

Isaac put the brass knuckles back in the box and then picked up the brooch.

"This brooch can enhance the wearer's protective garment, absorb contamination that invades the garment, and emit high temperatures as a warning. However, it needs to be purified regularly. Otherwise, if the contamination accumulates or if it is subjected to excessively strong contamination in a short period of time, it will shatter."

Isaac was somewhat interested in this ability. He currently had almost no means of defense on a spiritual level, and with this brooch, he would at least have a bit more protection against such threats.

He finally picked up the gloves, put them on, and they fit his hands perfectly without any obstruction. When he placed his hands on the table, he could feel an almost real touch through the gloves.

"These gloves have a certain degree of resistance to pollution, which can protect them from direct contact with many toxic substances and toxins. At the same time, they can still transmit tactile sensations and will not interfere with daily activities when worn."

Isaac took off his gloves and put them back in the box, his gaze shifting between the brooch and the gloves.

The brass knuckles are a simple yet powerful enhancement, but they are neither necessary nor effective for Isaac, so they can be discarded.

The brooch has a more prominent defensive capability, acting directly on the spirit garment level and resisting those invisible and intangible erosions. With this brooch, one will at least not be completely unprepared when facing curses or spirit threats.

Gloves are more versatile, as they are resistant to contamination and do not hinder daily activities. They are obviously very useful if you need to directly touch something "dirty".

As he was weighing his options, Verca spoke up: "I can give you all three."

Isaac was taken aback. Carlo had only asked for one rare item, but Isaac hadn't expected Verka to give him all three.

But there has to be an explanation for accepting two strange items out of nowhere.

"Cardinal Verca, the agreed-upon reward was only one rare item; the other two..."

"The remaining two items are my investment."

"What does the Cardinal expect me to repay him with?"

"I don't need you to do anything right now, but if one day in the future I need you to take a side on certain things, I hope you will consider standing by my side."

Isaac frowned. The condition sounded broad, but it might not actually be. It likely meant that Verka valued not the choice of a particular matter, but rather the future stance.

Verca added, "If you feel that my position goes against your principles, you can refuse."

"Aren't you afraid I'll take the things and then deny it?"

"Trust requires decency."

It's all about decorum. Isaac thinks that decorum is a very important aspect of Vista.

Clearly, if Verca were to impose restrictive conditions in an "undignified" manner, he would likely not accept the investment. Even if he were forced to accept it, he would not willingly cooperate when faced with choices that truly went against his will in the future.

Rather than doing that, it's better to maintain some dignity at this moment and exchange goodwill for trust. At least in terms of posture, she occupies the moral high ground.

As for whether to accept it... Isaac hesitated for a moment and said, "If necessary in the future, I will carefully consider your position."