Upon hearing Jenna's account, Lumian instinctively twirled and spun, his surprise evident as he asked, "How do you know all this?"
It made sense that Jenna would have a basic understanding of the room layout and the thugs' positions after venturing to the second-floor room and conferring with "Hammer" Ait. However, how did she know about the ventilation pipe in the ballroom kitchen leading to the second floor? Or jumping from the neighboring windowsill to the washroom? And what about the ledge on the outer wall of that specific room? Were these details within the grasp of an underground singer, known for her bawdy songs and exaggerated performances?
She shouldn't possess such knowledge!
Jenna, her face adorned with black eye shadow and a fake mole, sported a smug expression.
"Don't fret about how I know. I avoid seeing what I shouldn't, hearing what I shouldn't, and asking questions I shouldn't," she retorted, cleverly turning Lumian's words back on him.
This brought her considerable satisfaction.
Only those planning an assassination or devising an escape in dire circumstances would pay attention to such particulars and observe with a purpose… Which category does Jenna fall into? Her powers of observation in this environment are nearly on par with a Hunter's. Sequences leaning toward assassination required gathering environmental information. Assassination… Lumian's mind raced, concocting a plan to bluff Jenna.
Grinning mischievously, he uttered, "So you're an Assassin."
He stressed the word "Assassin."
Jenna's expression changed, her smile freezing.
"How did you figure it out?" she blurted out, shocked.
"By using my brain," Lumian replied, his smile unwavering.
There were still a few Sequences that excelled at environmental observation. Lumian had taken a bold guess, considering Jenna as an Assassin. He recalled Ryan and his companions mentioning that Demoness was a relatively common pathway in the central and northern regions of Intis, especially Trier. In any case, he had nothing to lose if he was wrong.
Meanwhile, Lumian pondered to himself, Not long after arriving in Trier, I encountered an Assassin and came to her aid. Can this be seen as a manifestation of the convergence of Beyonder characteristics?
Jenna can't have reached Sequence 7; she isn't a Witch. Otherwise, even if weakened by the sedative on the paper, she could have effortlessly overpowered Hedsey with her mystical abilities. The term Witch clearly indicates proficiency in spells and curses, as Aurore's notebook had mentioned.
She is unlikely to be a Sequence 8 Instigator. How could an Instigator be fooled by me repeatedly?
But it isn't out of the question. Perhaps Jenna had been more foolish in the past and relied on the Instigator path to enhance her intelligence? Furthermore, her willingness to provide information on "Hammer" Ait could be interpreted as a form of instigation.
Heh heh, Jenna is a woman, so there's no need to worry about her gender changing after consuming the Witch potion.
Where had Jenna obtained the potion? Had Franca given it to her? Could Franca also be a Beyonder following the Demoness pathway?
If Franca is only a Sequence 8, that would be fine. But what if she were a Sequence 7 Witch? Who knows if Franca had been male or female before? Well, her behavior towards women is certainly peculiar. She is in a romantic relationship with Jenna. Hmm…
Jenna quietly contemplated her recent words, but she didn't uncover any information that might have revealed her own Sequence.
She decided not to dwell on what she couldn't figure out. She kindly reminded Lumian, "If you plan to confront 'Hammer' Ait in the washroom, you must think it through. According to what I heard from Franca, Ait is a Pugilist. He excels in close combat more than any other Sequence. Relying solely on your Beyonder abilities to target him won't be as effective due to his physical prowess.
"Although you can fight, I believe there's a high chance you'll be killed on the spot if you engage him in a place like the washroom, which isn't spacious enough."
"Madame, are you persuading me or taunting me? It seems you still possess some potential as an Instigator," Lumian candidly voiced his thoughts, not holding back his criticisms.
He realized that Franca knew "Hammer" Ait better than Baron Brignais. She had mentioned a crucial point that the latter had omitted.
Setting aside the possibility that Franca had a personal grudge against "Hammer" Ait, Franca either had a formidable background or had earned the trust of the boss of the Savoie Mob, gaining access to more mysticism knowledge and Sequence information than Baron Brignais.
Jenna was taken aback. "You know about Instigators?"
Is this still a country bumpkin from the countryside? How does he possess such extensive knowledge about the Beyonder pathways?
Franca had mentioned that he's wanted by the authorities. It seemed he had been involved in a Beyonder incident?
"I know more than you think," Lumian replied, smiling.
As he spoke, he suddenly recalled a title that had recently belonged to him: "Mysticism Illiterate."
Lumian swiftly pushed aside his melancholy and earnestly considered Jenna's warning.
Indeed, while Hunters were also skilled in combat and killing as Sequences, if traps and abilities like Provocation were excluded, they still couldn't match the prowess of Pugilists in close combat. Especially in a confined and cramped environment, they couldn't employ their combat intelligence effectively. It would be difficult for them to achieve the feat of the weak defeating the strong.
Taking into account the modifications to his Dancer abilities and the utilization of various unorthodox tactics, Lumian felt he could just about hold his ground. He wouldn't fail immediately. If he wanted to eliminate "Hammer" Ait, he could only rely on Fallen Mercury and escape after a successful strike.
But what set this apart from killing "Baldy" Harman? There was no need to factor in the presence of ten thugs and ten revolvers.
Lumian assessed his possessions to see if anything could be useful in such a battle.
Over 1,700 verl d'or… Fallen Mercury… Blood from the aquatic monster… Poisonous scales from the aquatic monster… A vial of the sedative that rendered Jenna powerless… A bottle of stimulating gas to counteract the effects of the sedative… A bottle of liquid with unknown properties… A dagger left behind by that pervert… A ritual silver dagger… Several white bandages…
As he contemplated, a plan gradually took shape.
As he swayed to the rhythm, he cast a sidelong glance at Jenna and posed his question.
"Is that washroom spacious?"
Jenna made confirmation. "No, it's not. Besides the bathtub, toilet, and sink, it can only accommodate four to five people."
In other words, if Lumian and "Hammer" Ait engaged in close combat, there wouldn't be room for anyone else.
"Is there a curtain outside the bathtub?" Lumian inquired further.
"Yes," Jenna pondered for a moment. "Do you have a gun with you? I believe it would be better to use a gun. It's safer and gives you a higher chance of success."
"I don't," Lumian replied, shaking his head.
Jenna sneered, "You intend to carry out the plan tonight with just that?"
She paused briefly before continuing, "If you truly wish to kill 'Hammer' Ait tonight, I can lend you my revolver."
"You still have a revolver on you?" Lumian was surprised this time.
He hadn't suspected that Jenna had a concealed revolver.
The Showy Diva wore a short white blouse with a wide collar that allowed her bra to peek out. Her beige fluffy short skirt and black boots that didn't reach her knees added to her attire. Moreover, she kept raising her legs as she danced. It seemed impossible for her to have a gun holster strapped to her inner thigh.
Lumian speculated that the only possible place for her to hide the revolver was within her pair of boots.
Jenna assumed Ciel was questioning why she carried a revolver, so she responded with a disdainful sigh.
"I perform in dance halls in places like the market district. Do you think all those monsters are upstanding citizens? Do you think they won't act impulsively and try something on me? Those pieces of filth have twisted minds all day. When their thoughts are controlled by their desires, they won't consider that I have a connection with Franca and a good relationship with her. Damn it, if deterrence always worked, there wouldn't be so many criminals!"
While speaking, Jenna followed the rhythm of the drums and crouched down, searching inside her boots.
Swiftly standing up, she pressed herself against Lumian. Twisting her body, she slipped her hand into his naturally lowered and swaying palm.
Lumian immediately felt the cold metal texture and the solid wood.
Without missing a beat, Lumian withdrew his hand and discreetly tucked the gun into his pocket.
Afterward, Jenna continued, "I bought it with most of my savings when I first arrived in the market district, before meeting Franca. That blasted black market merchant even tried to bed me, but I kicked his shin, making him scream in pain."
Carrying a gun for self-defense at all times… You're quite vigilant. Otherwise, those mobsters could have controlled you before meeting Franca. You might have even become a part-time dancer or a street girl… Lumian replied with a smile, "Well done!"
As the accompanying music reached its end, Jenna fell silent.
With the drumbeats fading away, Lumian observed Jenna as she walked toward the stage. He left the dance floor and returned to the outer circle.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to visit the washroom, he carefully examined and familiarized himself with the revolver Jenna had given him.
It was a compact revolver with a short barrel, ideal for concealed carry.
Its color was a dark iron-black, and the grip was crafted from walnut wood. It held a total of six bullets.
After tinkering with the revolver for a while, Lumian realized a predicament.
His shooting experience was lacking. Previously, he had primarily relied on the shotgun's wide spray of pellets.
Oh well. I don't expect to kill Hammer Ait with a single shot. Injuring and weakening him will suffice. At such close range, with my grip and some shooting experience, I can't miss by much…
In an environment like the washroom, there's only one opportunity for a shot. "Hammer" Ait won't provide me with a chance for a second shot… Lumian swiftly made up his mind.
Exiting the washroom, he headed toward the kitchen of the Salle de Gristmill, taking advantage of the absence of people in the vicinity.
