Westminster Bank

Baron didn't notice the look in Stella's eyes, behind her gold-rimmed glasses, sharpen visibly.

Stella said, "A Flower Sea... they all saw an eerie blue Flower Sea... Above it were the moon and a Black Goat."

An eerie blue Flower Sea, the moon, a Black Goat... It was the dreamscape... The only difference was that they hadn't seen the Shepherdess, but there was no doubt this was it.

If the vision it induced was the dreamscape, then the identity of the object before him—the one that had just made his heart lurch—was obvious.

The Dream Master's remains.

Yes, the Dream Master's remains. Without a doubt, the human right leg in the Westminster Bank's Taboo Chamber was one of the Dream Master's remains.

Although he was surprised to find the Dream Master's remains on the Inner Side, Baron currently had no inclination to dig into the secrets behind it.

"I see..." Baron nodded.

'No, I must be overthinking it. I could tell from Constantine's interview that he was a rather proper person, so how could *he* possibly have such perverted, twisted desires... He's probably just curious.'

Stella decided she was overthinking things.

"I want this..." Baron said. "This is the one I want."

Baron pointed at the thigh. "Can you wrap it up for me?"

...

Kasha and Stella were silent.

Stella said coldly, "Sealed objects cannot be redeemed. Please choose something else, Mr. L."

Baron thought it was strange. 'Why are Stella and this Kasha woman looking at me so coldly? It's like they think I'm some kind of pervert.'

However, he was aware of how his request must have sounded, so he didn't press the issue. He had confirmed the location of the Dream Master's remains, and that was enough. He would just have to find an opportunity to come back and "contain" it later.

'After all, isn't the motto of a Westminster Commissioner: if you can't take it, contain it?'

Baron pointed to another item. "Then I'll take that one."

Stella followed his gaze, an exasperated look on her face. "That's the core of the S Level Taboo Object, the Illusory Cocoon... The containment tests can't run without it. Furthermore, it's connected to the vaults of every Westminster Bank branch, so its usage rights cannot be granted."

Baron shrugged. "Forget it, then."

Stella said, "There are other Taboo Items to choose from."

"No... I'm done looking. I'm not short on low-level Taboo Items like A, B, or C, and since I can't get what I really want, I might as well save my points. How many do I have?"

'A, B, and C are low-level Taboo Items...? C Level, maybe, you could stretch it. But A and B...?'

"Based on an S Level evaluation, your points are estimated at 10,000. Your file hasn't been finalized yet, but I can give you an advance."

Stella pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose. "Perhaps you could consider some other A Level Taboo Objects..."

"Stella, grant him the permissions..." Howard had suddenly returned. The eager way he looked at Baron made both Stella and Kasha feel that something was odd.

As for Baron... he was starting to wonder if the Governor had taken a liking to him.

Howard cleared his throat. "Stella, do as I say. Grant him the permissions. Authorize the Illusory Cocoon to him."

Stella said, "Governor, this is against regulations. The Illusory Cocoon is used for containment testing. If we authorize it for private use, all containment tests at the other branches will be suspended."

"I know what I'm doing."

"If you really knew what you were doing, the logistics department wouldn't have been corrupted by Jack Tang into the mess it is now," Stella said coolly. "You participated in the gambling too, didn't you, Governor?"

'Organizing gambling dens... That Jack is a real piece of work, but he's definitely a genius when it comes to making money.'

Howard cleared his throat. "Stella, you're a bit too talkative today."

Stella said, "My apologies, but I cannot grant the permissions. This is something you'll have to do yourself, Governor."

"Why is that?"

Stella said, "An S Level Taboo Object requires one hundred thousand points. We can only charge your card for that, Governor."

'One hundred thousand points? It would take the Black Cards of ten S Level commissioners to afford that. Looks like the Illusory Cocoon and I are not meant to be. A pity, it's such a perfect escape artifact.'

Baron was just about to tell Governor Howard to forget it and just let him take the elevator to the Inner Side...

...when he saw Howard actually pull his personal Black Card from his coat and swipe it on the Illusory Cocoon's reader.

"What the..."

It wasn't just Baron and the Middle Eastern woman; even Stella was shocked. "Governor, you..."

The way she looked at Baron changed in an instant. The sharpness in her gaze was replaced by a trace of complexity, which was in turn mixed with utter disbelief.

In short, it was as if Howard's actions had revealed some fundamental change about Baron to her.

Baron noticed that it wasn't just Stella; the gaze from the black-veiled Kasha had also become strange.

'This is...'

"Three days."

Howard said to Baron, "I'm authorizing the Illusory Cocoon to you for three days, starting tomorrow. During that time, you can use it as you please, but you absolutely cannot use it to commit a crime... For example, sneaking into Moscow Bank with your face covered to clean out their vaults, and then framing Jack for it, is also not allowed."

Baron: "..."

'Governor Howard, your star pupil is definitely Jack.'

"Put a drop of your blood on the Illusory Cocoon, and it can take you to any place you've been before. There's a cooldown, though. Generally, it's best to limit use to once every fifteen minutes... But be warned, I forgot to tell you last time: using it comes at a price."

"Random jumps," Baron said.

"The random jumps usually start one to two days after you begin using the Illusory Cocoon. The frequency is unpredictable. However, I can tell you a way to suppress them."

'A way to suppress them?' Baron had never heard of an S Level Taboo Object whose price could be circumvented. If that were really possible, he could go anywhere in the world.

"Use the Illusory Cocoon continuously for three days. Use it so frequently that it doesn't have a chance to exact its price." Howard clapped Baron on the shoulder. "I know what you're planning to do. Make sure you survive."

"Governor..." Baron was touched. He couldn't believe Governor Howard thought so highly of him—a Westminster Commissioner who had only been here twice, one of which was as a kidnap victim.

But Howard just said, "Remember, you owe me one hundred thousand points. When you're done with your business, don't forget to pay me back."

Baron: "..."

'So Jack was modeled after someone after all,' he could only conclude.

"Kasha, what did you come to the Taboo Chamber to redeem?" Stella suddenly asked the Middle Eastern woman beside her.

'So she wasn't following me intentionally, we were just heading the same way...' Baron thought he might have been a bit full of himself. He said his goodbyes to Howard and the others, and, holding the small, withered white cocoon, went to the logistics department to find Jack.

Stella watched Baron's retreating figure and asked Governor Howard, "SS Level?"

Kasha also turned her gaze to Howard.

Howard smiled. "To be more precise, not just SS Level, but pending approval for Triple-S Level."

Triple-S Level...

Both Kasha and Stella were taken aback.

...

「Inner London. Lancelot Estate, Buckingham Palace, Freya's Collection Room.」

Two figures appeared abruptly in the room. One had his face covered, while the other's features were obscured by the high collar of his trench coat.

"Holy crap, Brother L, you actually managed to borrow the Illusory Cocoon... I was just spitballing..."

Baron said coolly, "Cut the crap and remember the mission. You take the left, I'll take the right. Gather any suspicious documents."

With that, Baron went to the spot where he had found the Fire Staff last time.

The Magic Staff was still there.

Baron was cautious, not touching the Magic Staff. Instead, he focused on the Magic Crystal at its tip.

It was amber-colored... Gazing at the Magic Crystal produced a scorching sensation. It was definitely the Fire Element.

According to what he'd heard from Master Bagins, the most important part of a Wizard's Staff is the Magic Crystal at its tip. A Wizard's Spiritual Power is amplified and released through the Magic Crystal. And while a Wizard chooses a staff, the staff also chooses the Wizard.

"Choosing a staff is a very important ritual. Once a staff is chosen, the true name of the Wizard is inscribed within the Magic Crystal."

The Dwarf Master's words echoed in his memory.

Baron's pupils instantly transformed into the Golden Dragon Eye, his gaze piercing deep into the Magic Crystal's interior. He couldn't see through it. The Blood Eye manifested next, and the combination of its cross-shaped pupil with the other finally allowed him to see the name in the deepest part of the Magic Crystal.

To be precise, it was two English letters—FL.