643 Target Suspect
Camus couldn't comprehend why Louis Berry had abruptly changed the topic and neglected to charge for the pertinent information. Recollecting, he mentioned, "Yes, there's a Magician. He was initially an officer of the Admiral Guard but later got transferred to the patrol team."
Later… Lumian frowned slightly.
"When did he transfer to the patrol team?"
"Why do you ask? Last year," replied Camus. He had no clue about Louis Berry's inquiry, making it unclear what information was vital.
Last year… It doesn't seem to be Hisoka, judging by appearances… Although possibilities can't be completely ruled out. Serving as an officer in Admiral Querarill's guard provides opportunities for gathering intel. Perhaps he didn't purchase Fermo coffee from this Import Export Shop. It could be one of the other two cafes… Even so, there's a logical reason for buying it here. Yes, to relish watching the incompetence and frustration of the patrol team… Lumian temporarily placed the Magician on his suspect list.
He didn't dismiss the possibility that the other party was Hisoka just because they were a Sequence 7. This was because the level of a boon might not be the same as the level brought about by potions.
Furthermore, Lumian had vaguely perceived changes beneath Matani's surface from the Magician's departure from Admiral Querarill's guard to joining the patrol team.
Beyonders of the Seer pathway either originated from the Church of The Fool or were associated with Intis's Bureau 8 or secret organizations supporting Bureau 8, like the Secret Order. While there were wild Beyonders, very few evolved into Magicians. Coupled with Matani's history as an Intis colony, Lumian reasonably deduced that the Magician had close ties to the Intis Republic, a fact well-known to Admiral Querarill.
He retained the Magician in the guards to maintain a specific connection with Intis and handle the new Feynapotter Kingdom. By achieving a balance of power, he could better sustain his rule.
The Magician's departure from the Admiral Guard last year might indicate that Admiral Querarill had truly gauged the Feynapotter Kingdom's stance after years of collaboration and had sided with them.
Lumian's speculation didn't eliminate the suspicion that the Magician might be Hisoka. Loki, from Intis and a Secret Order member, held a mid-management position in Bureau 8. It was entirely possible for him to use the proper channels to involve Hisoka in Bureau 8's overseas section and recruit him into the Secret Order.
After contemplating for a moment, Lumian inquired, "Does that Magician have a fondness for Fermo coffee?"
He didn't directly ask about the other party's name and characteristics.
Camus shook his head.
"He doesn't appreciate coffee. His preference leans towards sweet drinks like Gwadar."
Gwadar, a well-loved local beverage in West Balam, was crafted from locally grown berries and contained a certain amount of caffeine. It had the same impact as coffee in enhancing mental strength and combating fatigue. However, its hue was orange-yellow, with a hint of sweetness amidst the sourness. It served both to alleviate the sweltering heat and quench thirst.
Prefers sweetness… Lumian felt a sense of disappointment.
Four years ago, Hisoka had no inkling that he would confront a monster like Ludwig in the future. It was unlikely for him to deliberately splash some unsweetened Fermo coffee on the table with the chocolate. Lumian cautiously believed now that Hisoka truly enjoyed bitter coffee.
In that case, the Magician, with a sweet tooth, probably wasn't Hisoka. Unless Hisoka meticulously maintained the traits of each identity, consistently playing the role of a Magician who relished drinking Gwadar on a daily basis.
He wasn't an Actor who needed to meticulously perform every aspect of his daily life!
Moreover, he had no reason to digest Faceless!
As he contemplated, Lumian's heart skipped a beat.
Actor…
If Hisoka is genuinely a Beyonder of the Devil pathway, apart from his belief in the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings due to transmigration, he might also be influenced by the Mother Tree of Desire in his daily life.
Could it be that the boon of the Hisoka pathway doesn't come from one of the Celestial Worthy's Seer, Apprentice, or Marauder, but rather from the Mother Tree of Desire?
The current Celestial Worthy desires the invasion of evil gods into the world within the barrier. It's not implausible for Him to collaborate with the Mother Tree of Desire and tacitly permit Hisoka to exploit the Mother Tree of Desire…
With a fresh train of thought, Lumian observed the now-silent Camus and took a sip of Intis coffee, offering a smile as he changed the subject.
"Any Beyonders from the Prisoner pathway in the patrol team?"
He had long suspected that the Mother Tree of Desire was an evil deity at the pinnacle of the Criminal, Prisoner, and Scrooge pathways. The corresponding boons likely originated from one of them or were intertwined.
Lumian refrained from asking about the existence of the Scrooge pathway because it was even more suspicious than the Criminal pathway, also known as the Devil pathway. It didn't belong to the twenty-two paths of the divine.
It was akin to a thief being apprehended by the police and asking in confusion, "I clearly disguised myself and left no traces. How did you quickly lock onto me," only to receive the answer, "This isn't Trier. No ordinary person would disguise themselves as a turkey and hide in a secluded alley."
"Do you think there's a spy from the Rose School of Thought in the patrol team?" Camus believed Louis Berry was casually raising the issue of the Rose School of Thought's interest in Port Pylos. "No, definitely not. He adheres to temperance and doesn't indulge at all."
Lumian smiled.
"In other words, there really is a Beyonder from the Prisoner pathway?"
"Yes, a Sequence 6 Zombie…" Camus confirmed.
Lumian interjected suddenly, "Don't disclose who he is, what he looks like, or his characteristics. Answer a few questions first."
"What questions?" Camus, feeling a bit disoriented from the rapidly changing topics, planned to decide when to ask for benefits later.
Lumian held a porcelain cup filled with Intis coffee and casually said, "When did he join the patrol team?"
"Half a year after me," Camus recalled.
You arrived in Matani over five years ago and joined the patrol team shortly after. Half a year later means that the Prisoner was already on the patrol team when the serial murder case occurred four years ago… Lumian's spirits lifted as he pondered for a moment.
"Did he face a catastrophe in the past and nearly died?"
"No." Camus shook his head. "At least, I don't know."
Lumian maintained his smile, showing no signs of disappointment, and said, "Does he have a liking for Fermo coffee?"
"Yes, he adores Fermo coffee and is the type who doesn't add sugar," replied Camus without much thought. Then, he remembered Louis Berry's inquiry about the Magician's preference for Fermo coffee in the patrol team.
He quickly formed a guess.
"Is there an issue with the ones enjoying Fermo coffee? Does the culprit of the serial murders four years ago have a taste for Fermo coffee? There are very few places in Port Pylos where you can get Fermo coffee. This is one of them. Even cafes selling Fermo coffee procure the beans from here… Are you suspecting that the murderer from four years ago is part of the patrol team?"
Impressive. You reacted swiftly and identified the core issue… Lumian inwardly praised Camus.
Simultaneously, a surge of joy filled his heart.
In Matani, Fermo coffee was a rare commodity, and those who preferred it without sugar were even rarer. Moreover, this individual was on the patrol team and seemingly from the Prisoner pathway!
With so many conditions aligning, Lumian felt like he had caught Hisoka by the tail!
To avoid triggering any sense of malice and danger, Lumian refrained from asking about the patrol team member's name, appearance, identity, or characteristics.
Feigning ignorance about the enemy, Lumian casually asked, "Is he from around here?"
Observing Camus's silence, Lumian added with a smile, "I won't claim the official bounty."
Camus's expression eased.
"He's a local of Port Pylos, born in Tizamo Town, which is part of Port Pylos."
Though the patrol team wasn't as stringent in member recruitment as the various Churches and governments, they still gathered basic information and conducted verifications. Otherwise, Admiral Querarill might have to worry about being assassinated by a patrol team member investigating a Beyonder case one day.
Tizamo Town… the location of one of Hisoka's pranks… It fits! Lumian controlled his excitement, preventing the corners of his mouth from curling up. Regrettably, he told Camus,
"Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the target."
This was to prevent Camus from investigating the target.
This could potentially alert the other party to the corresponding malice!
"Alright." Camus shrugged.
Curious, he inquired, "How did you find out that the murderer from the serial killings four years ago liked Fermo coffee?"
"I was already aware of such a person before starting the investigation," Lumian replied with a meaningful tone.
He chose not to disclose that the information came from the thin aluminum foil wrapping of the chocolate. Revealing this might prompt Camus to believe he could uncover more clues and reignite the investigation, potentially drawing Hisoka's attention.
With this realization, Lumian understood something.
I should now be a target for Hisoka, but fishing has its benefits…
Louis Berry, adorned with a golden straw hat, had bribed members of the patrol team to examine the files of the serial murder case from four years ago. Other team members paid little attention, but if the Prisoner was indeed Hisoka, he would have detected Lumian—his adversary's investigation into the four-year-old serial murder case.
Hisoka refrained from taking action likely because Lumian openly presented himself as Louis Berry, making no effort to hide his identity. This led to the suspicion that Lumian was fishing, making Hisoka cautious of stepping into a potential trap. There was no sense of malice or danger perceived, as Lumian didn't possess details about the suspect's identity. Lumian was merely preparing for a potential surprise attack from a Devil or Desire Apostle.
Before, I fished to catch fish, but now my fishing is a bluff… Lumian's thoughts clarified as he looked at Camus and said,
"Keep an eye out for anyone at the police headquarters who enjoys Fermo coffee."
"Alright," Camus agreed, thinking that Louis Berry had identified the suspect as a member of the patrol team and the police through details he wasn't aware of. For now, the possibility of the patrol team members was tentatively ruled out.
After finishing the remaining Intis coffee and settling the bill with the corresponding verl d'or, Lumian donned the golden straw hat and maintained his smile. He left the Matani Import and Export Shop and Cania Street, step by step.
Passing by Port Pylos's police headquarters, he deliberately cast a few glances.
