Outside the Backlund Steam Train Station.
Fors, wearing a hat with a fine black mesh veil and blue flowers, stood in the entrance hall of the subway, waiting for her teacher, Dorian Gray, to arrive.
The dense drizzle on the street and the cold wind blowing from underground made the writer lady shiver slightly. She felt she had underestimated the Backlund spring.
"I don't know how Xio manages to be busy outside all year round. Sigh, she said before her father passed away, she wouldn't even get out of bed at home. Apart from going to the bathroom, servants would bring her food and drink right to her side. Now she can go out very early every day and only come home late at night, whether it's a storm or heavy fog, without ever changing. She's completed one commission after another and caught one wanted criminal after another." Thinking of this, Fors couldn't help feeling some admiration for Xio. By last week, this "Sheriff" lady had not only paid off her debts but had even saved a deposit of 200 pounds! It had to be said, "Sheriff" was the most suitable Beyonder pathway for bounty hunters, although the choice was limited to the low sequences… Just as Fors's thoughts were about to drift aimlessly, her gaze suddenly caught a familiar figure.
It was a gentleman of medium height, dressed in Loen's most fashionable black formal suit and a half-top silk hat. His shoulders were unusually broad, almost exaggerated. This was none other than Fors's teacher, one of the few remaining members of the Abraham family, Dorian Gray Abraham.
Fors's heart leaped with joy. She immediately opened her umbrella and walked over. On the crowded street, before she had even gotten close, she had only made eye contact with Dorian when she saw her teacher raise his right hand, form a fist, and press it against the first button of his black formal suit. This is… Danger! Fors looked away without changing her expression, a smile lingering on her lips as she shifted her gaze to a young gentleman further behind. Then, as if nothing had happened, she walked past Dorian Gray and continued forward.
An ancient family's accumulation in every aspect was unimaginable to ordinary people. Dorian Gray had long since arranged certain emergency signals and gestures with Fors. The meaning of the gesture just now was very simple: stay away, don't come near!
The young man behind was a little stunned by the lazy, mature woman's gaze. He instinctively straightened his clothes and pressed down on his hat. As soon as he finished these actions, Fors had already passed him and continued on her way.
The rain continued without end. Fors circled around, hailed a rental carriage, and headed straight for the Hat Trick Inn at 22 Hope Street in Cherwood Borough. This was the residence Dorian Gray had booked in advance.
Having spent many years in occult circles and experienced quite a bit, Fors calmly requested a street-facing room and stood by the window, observing the guests coming to the inn.
Finally, she saw Dorian Gray step down from a carriage and enter the main door. Fors quickly turned around, went to the corner of the staircase, and covertly watched which room the attendant led her teacher to.
After waiting a moment, she took off her hat, mussed up her hair slightly, walked to the door of room 2016, and bent her finger to knock.
Her plan was simple: if the teacher's response was normal, she would enter the room to talk. If it was abnormal, she would pretend to be a woman who had the wrong room or a streetwalker trying to solicit clients.
Creak. The door opened slowly. Dorian looked at his student in front of him, then glanced down both sides of the corridor. Then he raised his right arm, spread his five fingers, and pressed them against the second button of his formal suit.
This signified that he was not under control and the anomaly had passed.
Fors silently breathed a sigh of relief and immediately slipped into the room.
"Teacher, what happened just now?" she asked with some concern.
Dorian closed the door and said with a bitter smile, "I saw an acquaintance."
He sighed and added, "An enemy."
That was a former student of his, who later rebelled by following the "Traveler" Butis, leading to the near-complete annihilation of the upper echelons of the Abraham family. As far as Dorian knew, this student of his had likely joined the "Aurora Society" and might be one of its twenty-two Saints.
"What did he do? Is he very powerful?" Fors asked curiously.
Dorian was silent for a few seconds before revealing a little. "I, Lawrence, Rober, and Anissa all belong to the same organization. This organization suffered a severe blow because of the betrayal of some people. That person just now was one of the betrayers."
He didn't mention the family, nor the conflict between bloodline members and disciple-students, to prevent Fors from unnecessary emotional projection.
"How despicable!" Fors immediately thought of the kind Mrs. Anissa and the friendly, amiable Mr. Lawrence.
"Alright, let's not talk about this unpleasant matter." Dorian took a piece of paper folded several times from his inner pocket and handed it to Fors. "The 'Astrologer' potion formula. Your digestion of 'Magician' and 'Apprentice' has exceeded my expectations. This is my greatest surprise in the last ten years."
"I specifically went to a circus," Fors admitted without hiding it, even feeling like it was something to show off.
As she spoke, she unfolded the paper, intending to browse the "Astrologer" potion formula.
Just then, Dorian nodded with relief and said, "I'm very sorry, because of the losses, I currently don't have the main ingredients for the 'Astrologer' potion. Consider this a final test. However, I have prepared a gift for you."
As he spoke, he took a palm-sized notebook from his left pocket. The cover looked very hard and had a copper-green tint, giving it an ancient appearance.