Hearing about the Giant Dragon’s treasure, Ke’er’s heartbeat accelerated, and he was ready to agree on the spot.
Wayne elbowed him and dragged him out by the collar, "The risk is too great, we need to think it over, it’s late, we won’t disturb you two any longer, we’ll give you an answer tomorrow evening."
Once in Ke’er’s bedroom, after closing the door, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Wayne, that’s the Giant Dragon’s treasure, aren’t you tempted?"
Wayne shook his head and checked around Ke’er’s room to make sure no one was eavesdropping before he said, "Of course I’m tempted. I’d like nothing more than to agree right away."
"So you’re jacking up the price, just like a street whore!"
Good metaphor, don’t compare next time!
Wayne rolled his eyes fiercely, almost couldn’t take it anymore, and said unapologetically, "You also know that’s the Giant Dragon’s treasure. That woman is full of schemes, she has no reason to casually disclose such important information. It can only mean the risk is too great, and she knows she can’t bear it on her own, so she’s looking for us to share the risk."
"I know, she’s in need of a pawn to scout, and it’s very likely she already knows where Mr. Bart is hiding, but I must admit, I’m willing to take the bait." Ke’er poured Wayne a cup of tea.
"I’m hooked as well."
Wayne expressed his agreement; after all, that was the Giant Dragon’s legacy, and anyone would be eager.
Dragonheart Island, the Giant Dragon’s great treasure, Wayne believed it for the most part.
The words Giant Dragon seemed to possess magic power. Whenever Giant Dragon was mentioned, people first thought of sparkling diamonds, jewelry, and precious metals, while Wayne, as a Mage, imagined fantasies of Magic Tools on top of the treasure.
The reason he only mostly believed, and not entirely, was that Wayne remembered Chris had said that there were no Giant Dragons on the God-chosen Continent.
If there are no Giant Dragons, where does Dragon Blood come from?
Wayne regretted not asking for clarification at the time. Dragonheart Island was too far from Lundan to contact by phone, and although he could send a telegram, he couldn’t find a contact in such short notice.
As for writing a letter...
That would be slower than taking a trip by boat!
Wayne thought helplessly and started discussing the case with Ke’er. The famous detective was full of drama. Wayne suspected he had additional information he wasn’t sharing.
"Madam Dana’s spirit said that Mr. Bart has always been hiding in the manor, even right in this big house. I think it’s necessary to investigate," suggested Ke’er.
Wayne neither opposed nor approved. It was very likely that the manor had secret passages—rich people value their lives, which wasn’t surprising. But as sharp as Heidi was, if she hadn’t found where Mr. Bart was hiding, what chance did they, the outsiders, have...
Hey, it was actually quite possible.
It couldn’t be ruled out that Heidi had always known the whereabouts of Mr. Bart and was refraining from entering due to some pressure.
After discussing for a while, Wayne returned to his room.
Ke’er decided to follow Heidi tomorrow to see the Bart Family’s company to get a lead, while Wayne expressed that he wanted to familiarize himself with the local terrain and check out the conditions behind the cliffs to ensure an escape route in case the Bart Family turned against them.
The night passed without incident, and Wayne felt more empowered every day with the locals rallying to his side.
The next morning, Ke’er headed for the Bart Family’s company, while Wayne rented a fishing boat and circled to the back of the cliff to inspect the terrain.
If Bart had gained supernatural powers from a deal with the Devil, it was very likely that he could have made a hole in the cliff.
Before leaving, Wayne specifically found the maid Oga, who knew nothing about last night’s events, as Madam Dana was offline and unable to move about during the day.
Even if she could, it wouldn’t serve much purpose, as her spirit was exceptionally weak and her thoughts and memories were a blank, unable to offer important information.
By noon, Wayne reached the town square of Crescent and gazed at the Sea God Society, whose architectural style resembled the Heavenly Father’s Court, pondering whether to investigate inside.
The Sea God Society was the largest faith on Dragonheart Island, with nearly every fisherman believing in the Sea God and a constant stream of votaries.
If anyone knew Dragonheart Island best, it was certainly the long-established Sea God Society. Even the Devil knew of the Giant Dragon’s treasure on Dragonheart Island, so the Sea God Society had no reason to be completely oblivious.
If they were bolder, they could have already exploited the treasure before the Devil arrived.
On the trees at the edge of the square, a pigeon cocked its head and gave Wayne a curious look, causing Wayne to frown and slip into an alleyway.
He was being watched!
A Mage from the Sea God Society?
Wayne hadn’t brought his messenger birds, as Dragonheart Island was a maritime island and well-known fishing grounds where seagulls were plentiful.
Seagulls were the scourge of birds, notorious not only for dropping feces from the air but also for their pilfering nature, turning to pigeons as targets when food was scarce.
Even when food was abundant, seagulls liked to bully the smaller, weaker birds, and their reputation was already in tatters.
Wayne didn’t consider his pigeons disposable and, given the above reasons, left them with the maid to feed instead of carrying them in his hat.
For the same reason, besides Mages, no one on Dragonheart Island would keep pigeons.
Wayne suspected that his blatant surveillance had attracted the attention of a Mage from the Sea God Society, and with more of them about, he’d give the Sea God the benefit of the doubt and let the issue slide for today.
Wayne wanted to leave, but the opposite side was persistent. The pigeon followed him, and two figures approached from a distance, cornering Wayne near some dark rocks on the beach.
The two cloaked figures wore gentleman’s hats with the brim pulled down low, their high collars raised, and scarves wrapped around the lower half of their faces, obscuring their features.
Wayne sniffed the air and looked at the two unexpected guests in surprise, puzzled at how they had got there.