After confirming that both attackers were dead, Odis sat down on a wooden chair in the courtyard to rest...
It was only then that he realized the gunshots hadn't disturbed anyone in the vicinity, not even the dog next door had barked.
Aelia, who had mostly recovered by now, stepped into the courtyard and said, "These two enemies came to kill you. I rushed here as soon as I got the news. Fortunately, you were strong enough to defeat them."
Originally, the plan had been for her to rescue Odis, making the herbal shop owner owe her a significant favor.
After all, she knew full well how weak a 'Mystery Pryer' was in combat. What she hadn't expected was that this particular 'Mystery Pryer' didn't need rescuing at all.
Odis felt that the dead 'Melee Scholar' looked somewhat familiar, though he couldn't recall where he'd seen him before. He then turned to Aelia, "They attacked me because of you, didn't they?"
Aelia's gaze wavered slightly, "Possibly."
Odis stood up, deciding not to press the issue. As he walked toward the front of the shop, he asked, "I don't want to experience this a second time."
"It won't happen again, I promise!" Aelia said immediately, "That organization suffered heavy losses today. They won't dare show their faces in Backlund for a while."
When they entered the shop, they saw Bernadette, with her chestnut-brown long hair and dressed in a layered cake-style gown, sitting on a chair near the window.
Aelia immediately bowed, "Your Majesty!"
Bernadette had actually told her subordinates many times to address her as "Your Highness" instead, but they assumed she was just being modest and insisted on "Your Majesty"... Eventually, she gave up correcting them...
Aelia was inwardly surprised. It had been a long time since she'd seen the queen appear in person.
Odis pointed at the dead 'Mystery Pryer' by the door, "Next time you have a plan, could you avoid dragging innocent, law-abiding citizens into it?"
Bernadette, however, smiled, "If it weren't for me, they would have captured you long ago."
Odis didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he fetched a bottle of medicinal solution from a cabinet and placed it on the counter, "Which of you would like to help?"
As he spoke, he lifted his shirt, revealing a large bruise on his back... a souvenir from the 'Melee Scholar's' kick.
Aelia hurried forward. There was no way she'd let the queen handle such a task.
But before she could take two steps, the bottle of medicine floated into the air on its own. The cap unscrewed itself, and some of the solution poured out, spreading in midair before applying itself to the bruise on Odis's back.
It was Bernadette's 'Invisible Messenger'...
Odis winced, "Cold hands."
Bernadette, who was still seated, smiled, "I originally thought you were just an informant for the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. It turns out, you're a rather peculiar man..."
"...After further investigation, I learned that you're the hidden owner of the 'Rosewood Pavilion', the so-called Mr. Gale..."
"...What puzzles me is this: If you truly wanted to help those women, why allow them to remain streetwalkers instead of finding them other means of livelihood? And if you didn't want to help them, why go to the trouble of creating an environment where they wouldn't be extorted or left untreated when ill?"
Once the 'Invisible Messenger' finished applying the medicine, it vanished.
Odis straightened his clothes and said, "Did someone tell you I was a good person?"
If he had been transported to ancient times in his homeland, Odis would never have engaged in such a business.
But this was the world of the Lord of the Mysteries, where streetwalkers were a common sight. Over time, his moral reservations had dulled...
Bernadette was momentarily taken aback, "No, they didn't."
She had expected him to offer some justification, but he seemed utterly unapologetic.
Odis put the medicine away, "You don't actually think streetwalking is a filthy profession, do you? That these women are lazy or morally corrupt, and that's why they've fallen so low?.."
"...Heh. This world hasn't given them many choices." Odis sat behind the counter and continued, "There was a time when I too thought the flesh trade was shameful, I had thought that with enough hard work, anyone could achieve a happy life..."
"...Then, three years ago, I moved from the outskirts into central Backlund. That's when it hit me: In this society, there are only three paths upward... becoming a Beyonder, venturing to the Southern Continent, or becoming a powerful man's mistress."
Bernadette nodded slowly, "I have time today. Elaborate."
"Unless they join a sinister organization, becoming a Beyonder is virtually impossible for ordinary people." Odis counted off on his fingers, "Venturing to the Southern Continent is only an option for men, and over half of them die without ever knowing why."
"...That leaves just one path for women in this world. And don't talk to me about 'knowledge changing destiny'..."
"...In the East Borough, even if a family scrapes together everything to send a child to grammar school, most of them will still lag far behind middle-class children in terms of exposure and connections. When it comes to finding work, they remain at a disadvantage..."
"...Often, their wages end up lower than what they'd earn loading cargo at the docks. But because they've been educated, they're unwilling to return to manual labor."
Odis took out his pipe, but didn't fill it yet, "Knowledge has long been monopolized. What ordinary people learn only makes them better at being ordinary."
Aelia blinked, surprised by how deeply the conversation had turned.
Bernadette silently reassessed Odis in her mind, 'This is a man who sees clearly...'
Most people in this world didn't understand why they suffered so. They weren't sober enough to observe the world calmly.
Yet her expression remained unchanged, "What are your plans?"
Odis raised his pipe, "Do you ladies mind?"
Bernadette waved a hand dismissively, and Aelia shook her head.
As he packed the pipe, Odis asked, "Plans for what?"
"You've identified the flaws in this society. What do you intend to do about them?" Bernadette pressed.
Raised under her father's influence, she operated on the assumption that recognizing societal ills demanded action.
"What can I do?" Odis lit his pipe with a match and took a deep puff, "I'm just a Sequence 9. What could I possibly do? And what about a powerhouse like you? Do you have any plans to change the current social order?"
The foundation of this world was supernatural power, the root cause of its rigid class structure. Those who wielded such power would always rule, while ordinary people would always be ruled.
Neither knowledge nor effort could break these chains. A mere Sequence 9 certainly couldn't.
Bernadette suddenly smiled, "You're right. Even I can't change this world as I please." Then she stood up and continued, "From now on, Aelia will serve as the liaison between us. If you ever have any ideas, you can reach out through her. Perhaps I can lend a hand."
This had been her purpose in visiting tonight. Since Odis was under the protection of a hidden entity and couldn't be forced into 'Element Dawn', maintaining close contact was the next best option.
At the same time, their conversation had convinced Bernadette that Odis warranted further investigation. He was a fascinating young man...