After drafting the beginning of the document, Barton was about to add details to it when he realized that Vernal hadn't submitted any information.
"Does he think that with his relationship with the foundation, he can apply for funding with just a letter?" Barton looked around the table and muttered to himself in puzzlement.
In his impression, Vernal, the archaeologist, wasn't such an arrogant person. Other than being a little impatient, he was a standard Rouen gentleman.
Under normal circumstances, to apply for assistance from the Rouen Antiquities Search and Conservation Foundation, in addition to a project description, one would definitely have to provide on-site photos, copies of ancient books, and other information. Otherwise, the foundation wouldn't be able to review it and make a judgment, much less spend a large amount of gold pounds to send a team to the project site to conduct an inspection.
Or was it because Vernal was too careless and forgot to send the information together? Of course, with Vernal's relationship with the foundation, it's entirely possible that the higher-ups would send one or two people to contact and verify after seeing this letter … Hmm, as a friend, I still have to do something for him … Barton shook his head and didn't think too much about it. He stood up and walked to the front of the bookshelf.
He then stretched out his right palm and ran his finger across the spines of the books to choose the reference materials he needed.
Finally, he pulled out a few books and periodicals, combined the various viewpoints on them, and made a detailed description of the historical origins of the mountain range under the jurisdiction of Sivellaus County in the document he prepared to submit.
"In the history community, there is such a widely recognized point of view:
"For a short or long period of time, the Solomon Empire and the Tudor Dynasty coexisted in the northern continent. The boundary between them is likely to be the present-day Hornacis Mountain Range and the Feynapotter Plateau.
"Here, the extension of the Hornacis Mountain Range in Sivellaus County has a high probability of being the focus of contention between the two sides …"
Barton didn't endorse Vernal. He only indirectly indicated that there might be Quaternary ruins in the mountain range of Sivellaus County by providing references.
This way, even if Vernal was proven to be lying in the end, no one would hold him accountable. This was because those arguments were made by famous historians, and Barton had only made certain excerpts, selective excerpts.
At the end of the document, he listed his references:
"… A Study of Sivellaus County's Private Historical Materials, Aztec Eggers, Khoy University's History Department lecturer …"
When he had finished the document, Patton read it over from the beginning, correcting some words and sentences.
Then he took the draft into the clerk's room next door and asked them to use the mechanical typewriter to produce a formal text.
The "Rouen Antiquities Search and Preservation Foundation" had always employed a large number of female staff, from ordinary clerks at the bottom, but at least half of the senior deputy directors were women.
Barton was actually quite dissatisfied with this situation, but he couldn't object, nor did he dare to object. He could only choose to accept it.
Of course, he also had to admit that when he needed to wait, watching those young female clerks busy themselves was also a good thing.
"At least the colors are richer here …" Barton muttered to himself as he listened to the clicking sounds.
After completing the document, signing it and submitting it, he continued his work in an orderly manner as usual.
This includes, but is not limited to, the preliminary examination of the project, the provision of professional opinions and the collection of information, and the addition of discussion to some of the Foundation's papers.
The day passed quickly. Barton left the company at six o 'clock and took a public carriage. It took him more than an hour to return home.
This was the norm in the major cities of Rouen, which was why afternoon tea was popular. After having lunch from 12 to 1 in the afternoon, one could only return home from 7: 30 to 8 in the evening. During such a long time, most people would definitely be abnormally hungry if they didn't have afternoon tea to fill their stomachs.
Of course, this was only limited to the middle class and above. Many poor people might only eat two meals a day. Moreover, when conditions were met, both the husband and wife had to work. After returning home at seven or eight o 'clock, they had to be busy preparing dinner instead of enjoying it themselves.
"Vernal came to visit you this afternoon," Barton's wife said casually as she took off his coat and hat.
"Vernal?" Barton was momentarily stunned.
The archaeologist who discovered the Quaternary ruins in Sivellaus County returned to East Chester County?
Just as he said that, Barton frowned and muttered to himself silently,
He did forget to send the information, so he came back personally?
No, there's no need to go through so much trouble. The kingdom's postal service is rather reliable.
Besides, he should know that I'll definitely be at the foundation during non-weekends. Yes, I might also be sent to certain sites for audits...
With this in mind, Barton asked,
"Where is he?"
"He only waited in your study for fifteen minutes before leaving," Barton's wife said truthfully.
Barton pressed.
"Did he say which hotel he's staying at? When will he come again? "
Vernal, the archaeologist, was from East Chester County, but he wasn't a resident of Stoen, so he didn't have a place to stay.
"He didn't say. He seemed to be in a hurry." Barton's wife paused for a moment before saying, "Very impatient."
Barton touched his receding hairline and nodded gently.
"I'll head to the study first."
His study was located on the second floor. There were many bookshelves and some porcelain. He didn't have a fanatical love for porcelain, so he would take the initiative to collect unique items.
After a search, Barton didn't find any notes or letters left behind by Vernal.
He quickly decided to throw the matter to the back of his mind.
This had always been his principle — try not to worry about work when he returned home.
After dinner and spending some quality time with his wife and son, Barton washed up and went to bed, rushing to sleep.
In the dead of the night, he suddenly woke up and opened his eyes.
Ever since he encountered danger during an archaeological activity ten years ago, Barton had some extraordinary spiritual perception. He could always sense movements that others couldn't. For example, others might only know that a visitor was looking for them when they arrived at the door, but Barton could sense if the visitor was related to him the moment he appeared in the corridor.
Someone has sneaked in... Barton sat up abruptly and widened his eyes.
He looked at his sleeping wife beside him and didn't wake her up. He quietly got out of bed and took down the double-barreled shotgun hanging on the wall.
After holding the gun, he gently opened the door and looked into the corridor.
The place was shrouded in the thick darkness of the night, and some crimson illuminated the general outlines of things.
Barton didn't hesitate as he took action and entered the corridor, patrolling back and forth.
However, he didn't find the thief who had sneaked in.
Was my feeling wrong? Barton turned his body around, not too confidently.
Not a single room on the second floor showed any signs of being opened.
After thinking about it, Barton came to the door of the study, grabbed the handle, and twisted it gently.
The door opened silently, and everything inside was immersed in darkness, as if there were all kinds of monsters.
Barton opened the curtains and carefully examined the room under the moonlight, confirming that the furnishings here were exactly the same as he remembered.
"Am I really being too sensitive... Is this the aftereffect of yesterday's nightmare?" Barton exhaled and quickly left the study.
Behind him, the curtains that had been pulled open swayed gently, as if a wind had blown past.
The next day, Barton continued his slightly repetitive life.
Kissing his wife and children, riding in a rental carriage, reading newspapers, making black tea, reading letters...
"Hey, another letter from Vernal." Barton relaxed and opened the letter.
However, there was nothing in the letter. The sender seemed to have forgotten to put the letter in the envelope.
"Has Vernal recently suffered from amnesia?" Barton glanced at the envelope in his hand and suddenly found that the pattern on it was a little strange.
It was a commemorative envelope.
According to what Barton knew, in Baekeland and Stoen City, many high-end hotels would provide special envelopes and stationery to their guests. It was equivalent to a tourist souvenir.
"Which hotel is this from?" Barton brought the envelope to his nose, preparing to take a whiff of the fragrance on it. It was also unique and recognizable.
In the next second, he smelled the faint smell of blood.
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