Outside Queens, in a spacious racetrack with no spectators, Audrey Hall deliberately moved to a corner, pretending to discuss matters with Viscount Grelint. Wearing white long pants and knee-high black boots, and a simple lady's blouse paired with a fitted black riding jacket, she completed the look with a matching colored helmet, appearing strikingly poised and more beautiful than usual. Her golden retriever, Suzy, sat neatly at her feet, as if carrying a small leather satchel. Hugh, posing as Viscount Grelint's steward, admired Audrey's long, straight legs and unconsciously lifted his toes. "Equestrian skills alone are meaningless—only when combined with hunting do they truly come alive. Of course, I'm speaking of men's equestrianism. A beautiful lady riding a horse, doing anything, is always a sight to behold," Grelint remarked, glancing at Audrey, half in admiration, half in jest. Audrey smiled lightly in reply, "There are still several months until the next hunting season." From June through the New Year, the noble families of Roon traditionally visit Beckett to attend banquets, galas, and salons—activities of great importance to them. During these months, many key arrangements are finalized. Over time, this tradition has come to be known by a fixed name: the "Beckett Social Season." After the New Year, the land nobility gradually return to their estates—back to their grand manors, country manors, and large plantations—where they enjoy tranquil and pleasant lives. Among the most beloved pastimes during these times is hunting. The nobles invite guests of comparable status to share the joy of riding, galloping, and pursuing game. As long as their finances allow, they are always generous in purchasing hounds, with the foxhounds being particularly renowned. "I've longed for that kind of life. Berkland feels confining; its air is simply unbearable, though I still deeply admire its prosperity and opulence." Lord Glayntr placed his gloves on and stepped back, giving room for Audrey and Hugh, and Firth to converse. "Madam Audrey, what is it this time that brings you to us?" Hugh turned his gaze back, asking with genuine interest. Her recent substantial income has come entirely from Audrey—honest, generous, and exceptionally reliable, a rare employer indeed. I seem to smell the ink of banknotes again... I hope this isn't too demanding. Madam Audrey is always so perfect, only one thing falls short—each assignment is always unexpected, often perilous. Hugh found himself both eager and nervous, glancing at Firth, only to find his companion, disguised as a maid, gazing back at him with a look that mirrored his own. The expressions exchanged in their eyes were remarkably alike. Audrey held her gloves, smiled with grace and poise. "This is a simple commission," she said, at the same time directing her gaze to Hugh and Furse to open the leather satchel on Suzy's body. Known for her strong sense of action, Hugh immediately stepped forward two paces, bent down, and reached out. During this brief moment, Audrey had intended to gently stroke Suzy's head to convey her goodwill; however, as her right hand extended, Suzy had already turned her head and slightly rotated her body, presenting the leather satchel directly to her. I usually find animals quite welcoming... like mosquitoes... Hugh maintained her expression, pulled the zipper open, and extracted a stack of papers. Standing straight, she spread them out and noticed a young man depicted—ordinary in appearance—yet the neatly combed hair, the round glasses, and the wry, thoughtful brown eyes all felt strangely familiar. I've definitely seen him before! His gaze shifted downward and landed on the corresponding text: "Former name: Larn Uls, a fugitive fraudster." I've seen him before! He suddenly snapped to awareness, nearly making the unseemly gesture of rubbing his forehead. Before meeting Audrey, one of her primary sources of income had been reading newspapers, tracking fugitive warrants, and leveraging her connections across several crime families in the East End to locate high-value offenders. I had once intended to pursue Larn Uls—his reward was 100 pounds, and he had personally embezzled over 10,000 pounds! But after being occupied with Audrey's various commissions, I had completely forgotten about it... After exchanging a glance with Furse, they spoke straightforwardly: "What is the commission amount?" The commission amount? Audrey paused, momentarily startled. She had entirely forgotten to charge a fee, as in her view, this was simply "The Fool's" assessment. How could one assess someone and then pay them? "Um... 100 pounds?" Audrey settled on a figure. "Deal!" both Hugh and Furse responded at once. If they could capture Lanerous, they'd not only receive Audrey's £100 fee but also claim an equal reward—what a splendid assignment! Hugh's eyes sparkled as he casually asked, "Why did you choose this fraud? Has he deceived you financially?" I even didn't know who he was... Indeed, a straightforward commission—£100 settled. There was no need to involve Mr. The Fool anymore... Only £100... Audrey smiled politely, brushing aside Hugh's question and shifting to say, "I've heard he's in Beckland." "Ah, yes. There are several portraits here—different ones. Since Lanerous is likely to disguise himself, I've provided him with images showing him without glasses, bearded, and with various hairstyles—portraits based on my best guesses." "I'm also very skilled in drawing and oil painting!" Audrey lifted her chin slightly. Hugh momentarily forgot his earlier doubts and exclaimed in delight, "This is truly wonderful news!" It seemed as though the £200 reward was already waving at her. ——The mysterious person she had met at Mr. A's gathering had yet to make contact with her, so she continued with her steady savings. Audrey nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, and mused, "Have there been any developments regarding the Psychological Alchemy Society?" Foresight combed her long hair and glanced at the earl, who had been listening attentively. "I've recently joined a new circle of extraordinary individuals. They've reportedly had a formula for a potion involving 'spectators' and 'mind-readers.' I suspect one of the members might be connected to the Psychological Alchemy Society." "At the next gathering, I'll make an application and invite you to join me." "That sounds wonderful," Audrey said, deliberately concealing her delight. She just read their true inner states from the colors of their aura, body language, and subtle expressions, thus judging both their genuine enthusiasm for the task and their honesty regarding the psychological alchemy meeting. Lord Glairint murmured, "Odile's matter is nearly successful—what about my 'pharmacist' formula?" "There are truly no leads at the moment; the 'pharmacist' path is more prominent in the south, in the Kingdom of Feneport," Firth gestured with evident regret. "Well, I'm still young—only just past twenty—and I have time to wait," Glairint replied with a touch of humor. "Thank you both for your assistance. We'll meet again," Odile bowed gracefully, put on her gloves, mounted her horse, and proceeded along the track. Suzy followed closely behind, as if having found her way to play. ………… Having stayed up late conducting experiments, Caine awoke already at 9:34 a.m. on a Tuesday. He bit into a slice of bread topped with cream, put on his coat, and wore his hat, then hurried out the door, writing on the visitor's note board beside the bell rope: "Master is out. Will return after five o'clock." In truth, he had nothing pressing to do—only a precaution against Mr. Miller-Carter's unexpected visit. Should the client discover that the detective hired for fifty pounds was merely sipping tea, reading the newspaper, or browsing novels at home, rather than diligently gathering information, assembling personnel, or verifying the building's layout, he would surely cancel the engagement and refuse to pay the final forty pounds. I really have nothing else to do but wait for Miss Justice's materials... Caine stood at the street corner, gazing at the overcast sky, and murmured to himself with a sense of resignation. He had already decided yesterday evening what he would do today: in the morning, he would head to Crag Club to practice shooting, read the newspaper, and pick up a free lunch along the way; in the afternoon, he would take a short nap and engage in some physical activity through sports like squash, then head over to the "Brave Ones" bar once it opened, hoping to learn more about the extraordinary gatherings from Caspas. He hadn't planned to meet with Marič, even though she was undoubtedly part of several extraordinary circles—his concern was that the security officer might also belong to those same circles. That would make it difficult for him to sell his magic potion recipes, raising serious suspicion. If the True Maker granted you the gift of divination and a strong body, wouldn't He also bestow upon you recipes for magic potions that you yourself would never use? That simply didn't make sense. With that thought in mind, Kline boarded the public horse carriage heading toward the Hillsdon district. Half an hour and thirty minutes later, he entered the Crag Club and spotted a familiar face. That was Talim Dumont, the equestrian instructor who had recommended克莱恩 to join the club and a close friend of Mary Gail. Dressed in a black wool coat with brown short wavy hair, Talim approached and examined克莱恩 carefully, offering a strangely amused smile. "Good morning. Mary and Dorag are in the process of divorcing." Is that why you're joining the club?克莱恩, drawing on the "clown's" ability to convey surprise effortlessly, managed a look of genuine astonishment. "Really? That's quite unexpected!" Talim studied him intently before suddenly chuckling. "I have a friend who's currently struggling with something—I'd like to know how proficient you are with your gun and in close combat." A commission? Only asking about gun and combat skills, not mentioning investigation—this is clearly a case involving violence...克莱恩 smiled. "I actually planned to head to the range to practice shooting. You're welcome to join me, but combat skills truly shine only when there's an opponent to face." "I've studied combat." "Talim eagerly responded."