Holding the logo, Laing frowned. "Isn't this the name of a café on the street we passed by? I remember this café is called Starbucks. There are several cafés like this in the city. "
"Starbucks?" Suria took the square towel and looked at it carefully. "Yes, this is the logo of Starbucks."
"Very good. This will be an important piece of evidence. Now, let me reconstruct the scene." Laing put away the square towel and continued to inspect the building.
"First of all, there are no signs of violence in the house. There are no signs of robbery or fighting. There is also an old butler in the house. This is enough to prove that the crime was committed by an acquaintance." Laing paced back and forth on the carpet and pointed at the body. "Then we can make a hypothesis that the visitor entered the mansion through a formal visit."
Suria checked the butler's wound. The female knight nodded in agreement. "Yes, he was killed with a blow from the back."
"So we can be sure that the visitor was acquainted with the butler, or at least knew the butler." Clayon continued to speculate, "Therefore, he successfully entered the mansion and was received by the butler. Or at least, he obtained an excuse to enter the mansion. Then, he took advantage of this opportunity to kill the old butler in one blow and quickly left."
"First, he did not come for money. Second, it is unlikely to be a vendetta. Then the motive of the murderer is very small. Combined with the information obtained by Olica, the owner of the mansion, Baron Werner, is obviously a member of the Church of Hedonism …" The female knight paced gently in the room. Suria's political sensitivity and intelligence made her realize the answer immediately. "Then there is only one answer!"
"The visitor obviously came to take or destroy something." Laing nodded slightly. He held his wife's hand and led her to the master bedroom. There were many mirrors in the master bedroom. There were two bookshelves, a desk, and a bed. Laing pointed at a spot on the bookshelf. "Obviously, something is missing here. This thing might be Baron Werner's identity as a member of the Church of Hedonism or something else. But now it has been taken away. The visitor took it and left just like that."
"What the visitor did not expect was that the old butler was still alive, or rather, not completely dead. Before he died, he grabbed the square towel that the visitor left behind and held it in his hand. Then he died." Ryan carefully examined it again and suddenly sighed. "From this, it can be seen how arrogant the Entertainer's Association is."
From what the visitor saw, the Hedonist Society was not worried about being investigated at all. They thought that as long as they took the thing away, no one would be able to trace it back to them.
It was no wonder. If it was not for Olica's knowledge of the Church of Hedonism and her ability to interrogate souls, Laing and the others would have a hard time discovering the existence of the Hedonist Society. As a baron, Werner's status in the society was obviously not low, but he knew almost nothing about the Hedonist Society. As for the leader of the Hedonist Society, he did not know who she was, nor had he seen her face. He knew almost nothing. The only thing he knew was that she would occasionally appear in a black leather coat and randomly choose a member of the Church of Hedonism to be executed.
This method ensured that the Hedonist Society was always hidden. The number of core members was small and it was impossible for them to grow. The demon hunters and combat priests could not find any clues about the Hedonist Society.
"There are no other clues." Suria did not give up. She checked again and finally admitted defeat. The female knight looked at the old butler's body and sighed softly. "This is an old butler who was as loyal as Henderson. He should not have ended up like this."
"Loyalty itself is the best reward for loyalty. He has already done everything a butler can do." Laing said calmly. "As for Baron Werner being a Church of Hedonism, he may or may not know. It is not important anymore. Suria, let's go."
"Okay." Suria looked at the old butler's body with some regret. She nodded and took her husband's hand to leave. The couple immediately returned to the courtyard, mounted the pure-blooded elven horse and left the Von Rac family's mansion.
Under the afternoon sun, the couple rode on the stone-paved road in the wealthy Nur district, enjoying the cold wind blowing in their faces.
"Now let's go to the café." Laing took out the square napkin and handed it to Suria with a smile. "These are the napkins from Starbucks. Each napkin has the customer's order number written on it. Let's go to the café. I think we can persuade the owner to give us more clues."
"Laing, I want to say that Nur is not what I thought …" Suria focused on something else. "I thought Nur was a very serious and high-pressure city. Everyone was like the gears in the mechanical structure of the dwarves, moving in an orderly manner."
Suria looked at the entertainment activities in the wealthy district. Many clowns and street performers performed in the streets. Vendors sold handmade toys, flowers, and all kinds of snacks. There were also bards' poems and even preachers' sermons. On the streets, many well-dressed gentlemen and ladies were playing around. There was a sense of leisure, laziness, and even romance in the air. "But this is what I see now."
"The situation you're talking about is in Mildenheim, White Wolf City." Laing smiled and nodded. He explained to his wife, "Nur is different from Brunswick and Mildenheim. If Brunswick is an urban belt and Mildenheim is a giant fortress, then Nur is a real big city. The highly developed industry and prosperous commerce took shape long before His Majesty Ludwig the Savior came here. Nur is proud of it and has really fulfilled His Majesty Ludwig's request, which is that 'everyone has the right to be paid for their labor'. Therefore, since the great holy war, a new class of citizens has begun to rise. They are made up of merchants, craftsmen, skilled craftsmen, skilled factory workers, freelancers, and officials. They form the main part of Nur's population."
"The so-called 'freedom' can be 'bought' in Nur, my wife." Laing said meaningfully, "Such transactions happen every day in the city. Even the fairest lady can't guarantee fairness in the face of the magic of money. A small bag of gold coins is often the solution to a deal."
Suria lowered her head and did not say a word. The female knight looked into the distance. "I don't like it."
"But this is the tradition of Nur." Laing continued, "Because of this, the women of Nur are always chasing trends, chasing exquisite life, chasing material and spiritual enjoyment. What Emilia wore at the palace banquet today, what drinks she drank, what things she talked about, the next day, the women of Nur will immediately start to chase trends. They like to chase the same style of dress as Emilia, chase the same food as Emilia, chase the same book as Emilia … Suria, do you know why afternoon tea parties became popular in Nur?"
"Could it be?!" The female knight immediately thought of something. Suria said with a bitter smile, "Could it be because of me?"
"It's because of you." Laing squinted, and the couple could not help but laugh.
Suria had the habit of drinking afternoon tea. Her favorite was black tea. Emilia had been with her for so many years, and naturally, she had the habit of drinking afternoon tea and eating pastries at around four in the afternoon. After Emilia returned to Nur, it became a habit and a trend for the female nobles to gather for afternoon tea.
However, the tea leaves in Aurora were very expensive. What if the ordinary citizens could not afford afternoon tea?
It was fine. It was said that Emmanuelle also liked coffee!
Therefore, coffee became a trend in Nur. Compared to the expensive tea leaves, coffee was relatively cheaper. The ordinary citizens immediately started to crave coffee, and everyone took coffee as a trend.
"So that's why. It's because of me." The female knight was speechless when she heard the whole story, but she quickly focused on something else. "Laing, my husband, can you tell me why stockings became popular among the female nobles in Nur?"
"Uhh …" Laing's face turned red when he heard Suria's question. He coughed a few times and said, "Well … Anyway, that's why Starbucks became popular. Many female citizens and nobles like to order a cup of coffee in Starbucks and sit quietly in a corner, reading a book slowly for the whole afternoon."
"Oh?" Suria still looked at Laing with a half-smile. The duchess' gaze put a lot of pressure on Laing, and he coughed a few more times. "That's why the whole city has such an atmosphere. Now you can understand why the Traveler's Association is hiding in this city, right?"
"Is this the 'petty bourgeoisie' that you told me about?" Suria expressed her understanding. "A little money and a little leisure? A person will involuntarily pursue life's enjoyment and spiritual needs? "
"That's right." Laing nodded and said, "Using Captain Ivan's words, in Kislöw, this type of person is called a petty bourgeoisie. The Internal Affairs Committee has always been wary of Chaos corruption."
"This petty bourgeoisie is too petty! I recommend immediate execution! "
— Kislöw Internal Affairs Committee
Mikoyan Ivanovich Govorov, the captain of Ugor's Mounted Archers, should be called General Ivan now. He had less than 400 Ugor riders and was conferred the rank of Major General of Kislöw. He was now under Laing's command. As there was no war, Laing sent Ivan to deal with the Green Dwarfs and Orcs under Duke Hubbard's command.
A Major General of 400 men … Laing had a lot to complain about, but he didn't say anything.
Without further ado, the couple had already approached a three-story house at the edge of the wealthy district in Nuer. This house had been modified into a tavern-like structure. A large green logo was the signboard of the shop. The logo was the same as the square handkerchief in Ryan's hand. It was a green siren with forked fish tails on both sides.
"Welcome!" Seeing Laing and his wife, a shop assistant came out to welcome them. The shop assistant was wearing clean servant clothes and leather shoes, and a bearskin coat. This was common in Brittany and the Empire. Kislöw exported bearskin as its main source of income, so the bearskin on the market wasn't expensive. At least to the Nur people, it was cheap.
"Both of you." Laing and Suria dismounted from their horses. Even though they weren't wearing noble attire, they were still regarded as noble nobles. After all, Laing's Holy Grail Knight badge, their silk clothes, and their pure-blooded Elven warhorses weren't fake.
The interior of the Starbucks coffee shop was mainly decorated in dark green, with white sofas and dark coffee-colored walls. It was a harmonious atmosphere. The sales counter was built with red bricks that looked like a furnace wall. The old yellow lighting and elegant environment were very suitable for reading.
The moment Laing and Suria entered the coffee shop, they felt as if they had returned to the reception room at home. Then, Laing and Suria understood why Starbucks was so popular among the townsfolk.
There were many people sitting in the coffee shop, most of them young women. Their clothes were very similar. Almost all of them were wearing Emilia's favorite outfit, which was a standard knee-length lace princess dress with a windbreaker or vest. They had light makeup on their faces and were holding a book in their hands. It was also the book Emilia mentioned that she liked to read the most.
Seeing Laing's gaze, almost all the women who were secretly looking at Laing couldn't help but look away. They tidied their skirts, adjusted their sitting posture, and pretended to be reading seriously under the afternoon sun. At the same time, they secretly looked at Laing expectantly. This Holy Grail Knight with a majestic aura like the sea and a lofty mountain that people looked up to was a real noble. Many women had even guessed the identity of this couple, which made them even more excited.
After all, today's big news had spread throughout most of Nur. It was self-evident who the Holy Grail Knight who appeared in the wealthy district was. Most of the women couldn't hold back their excitement, but they restrained themselves very well. They pretended to be elegant, as if they were waiting for something.
Laing took Suria's hand and sat down at the bar counter. Soon, the manager of the coffee shop immediately came up. "What would you like to drink? Your Grace? Your Grace? "
The store manager was also a beautiful woman. Her blonde hair was tied up high behind her head. She was wearing a standard white shirt, a black vest, and a white knee-length skirt. She also matched it with black stockings and round-toed leather shoes. She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
"You know me?" Laing handed the menu to Suria. He smiled and said to the manager, "I thought no one in Nur knew me."
"Your Grace Laing, your story has been spreading in Nur for more than five years. Today, all of us know that our Duchess brought you back to Nur. At this time, you are wearing the badge of the Holy Grail Knight and riding a pure-blooded elven horse to our shop. If you are not the famous Laing and Madam Suria, who else can you be?" The female manager showed a professional smile and added, "Welcome to our shop. My name is Doris."
"Yes, two cups of Arabi coffee with milk and sugar." Laing wanted to chat with the manager, but Suria had already chosen her coffee. The female knight interrupted, "Also, please wait, Madam Doris. We need your help."
"Your orders, Madam Suria." The manager's expression changed slightly. She bowed and gestured for Suria to tell her the purpose of her visit.
The female knight did not give Ryan a chance to speak again. She took out the handkerchief and told the female store manager that she wanted to get all the information of the owner of the handkerchief. This kind of handkerchief was a delivery service. Each handkerchief had its own number, so the order could be checked.
"This …" A troubled expression appeared on the female store manager's face. After thinking for a moment, she respectfully accepted the handkerchief from Sulia's hand and bowed again. "Madam Sulia, this is beyond my authority. I need to send someone to consult the boss. I hope you can understand. In our line of work, the biggest taboo is to reveal the information of our customers."
"I understand." Suria nodded in understanding. The manager bowed again as if she had been pardoned. Then she quickly walked backstage.
"Hopefully, we can get what we want." Laing frowned and looked at the backstage door. "I wonder who the boss behind this coffee shop is."
"No one can refuse my husband," Sulia said meaningfully. "Not even the female store manager, not even the boss behind the scenes."
"Ha …" Laing was speechless. He could only smile awkwardly. "Madam, you are always so … accurate."
"Who asked me to have such a great husband?" Suria reached out and tucked her long blonde curly hair behind her ear. "I also have a lot of pressure as a wife."
"Hahaha …" The two looked at each other and laughed.
The couple sat at the bar and waited for the coffee and the manager's answer.
But at this time, someone could no longer sit still.
A tall and slender woman with long brown hair draped over her shoulders came to the side of the bar counter. She was wearing a standard white shirt, a black skirt, and a brown windbreaker. Her facial features were rather hot and full of wildness. Her lips were slightly thick, and the bridge of her nose was slender. Her pair of sapphire blue eyes were filled with uncontrollable excitement. She slowly came to the side of the bar counter and very politely said to Su Leah, "Hello! May I sit here? "
"Of course, please." Suria calmly agreed to her request.
The woman happily agreed immediately. She sat down beside Suria happily. Before she could order the coffee, she couldn't wait to say, "Hello, Duke Laing, Duchess Suria. My name is Elena. I am unmarried and I am a model in the nearby tailor shop. Nice to meet you!"
"Hello, Miss Elena." Laing and Suria had to respond out of courtesy.
"Are you here for coffee too?" The woman's questions came one after another as if she wanted to seize the opportunity to ask all the questions in one breath.
Laing was about to speak when he felt a pain in his waist. He decisively shut his mouth.
Suria's face bloomed with a charming smile, "Yes, I heard that Starbucks coffee is very popular in Nur. We happened to be visiting Nur and saw Starbucks, so we came in to have a look."
"What a coincidence!" Elena quickly covered her mouth with her hand and made a shocked expression. Then, as if she was reciting the answer, she quickly said, "In a coffee shop, the aroma of coffee and the feeling of elegance and indifference is definitely a pleasure. I have to say, Mrs. Suria, you have come to the right place."
"Amidst millions of people, amidst the chaos and chaos of Nurr, amidst the endless desert of time, we are sitting in a café, savoring a cup of fragrant coffee. Who could be so poetic?" The female model revealed an intoxicated expression.
Laing: "…"
Suria: "…"
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