Elder Rostellum was deeply troubled.
When he learned from the Mail Bird System that Mayor Babasha would be coming by steam car later today, another weight settled in his heart. The previous one, though somewhat lightened by the vibrant colors of the Rain Crystal Stones, hadn't truly been lifted.
Yes, the stone that had previously bound my heart was that strange contract from the Association of Adventurers. That matter has yet to reach a conclusion, aside from obtaining two Rain Crystal Stones. And now, what commotion is Mayor Babasha coming to cause?
What an unexpected visit! Rostellum found himself incessantly stroking his beard again.
"Any news from those guys on Black Mountain?" he asked his housekeeper, Uli.
"Just received word, there's some blockhead who seems to have some connection with the Adventurer."
"Can't be certain?" Elder Rostellum narrowed his eyes. I knew we couldn't rely on that scum of crows and rats. Seven days, and they still haven't found a single person.
Housekeeper Uli dared not speak.
"Phil hasn't returned yet?" Elder Rostellum was also quite concerned about another matter.
"No, there's been no word from him. It's been nearly five days since he left for Liuli City." Housekeeper Uli wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"A bunch of good-for-nothings!"
Housekeeper Uli lowered his head.
"What's the use of you all if I have to handle everything myself!"
Only in front of his housekeeper did Rostellum drop his politician's demeanor. At such moments, the patience and emotional control typical of a politician would vanish without a trace. Instead, he would roar, fly into a rage, and lose his composure.
"Sir, we should prepare to welcome Mayor Babasha." Housekeeper Uli never forgot to help his master resolve worries and difficulties.
"Isn't that obvious? You go to Guru Mountain first. Tell those scoundrels on Black Mountain that if they want to continue operating in Gaga County, they'd better dig three feet deep to find that blockhead and keep a close watch on him. If anything goes wrong, I'll have their hides! As for welcoming Babasha, I have my own plans."
"Yes, sir!"
"Moreover, tell Phil to hurry back!"
"Yes, sir!"
Even after Housekeeper Uli left, Elder Rostellum's irritation still hadn't subsided.
One confusing matter after another: Governor Rostov's son, Witch Biggs' inexplicable Rain Crystal Stones, that slow-witted Adventurer, Mayor Babasha's visit...
These seemingly unrelated matters were subtly connected by a thread, but it was indistinct. He couldn't discern its color, pattern, or even its direction. Moreover, this thread was becoming increasingly tangled, leaving Rostellum feeling utterly overwhelmed.
DING DING DING! The urgent yet steady knocking once again interrupted Rostellum's mental battle with that thread.
"Shouldn't you be off to Guru Mountain by now!" Rostellum yelled at the door, quite clearly at his housekeeper Uli.
"Sir, Lord Babasha's steam car has arrived," Uli immediately responded from outside the door.
"What?" Rostellum sprang up from his chair. Wasn't he supposed to arrive in the evening? Why is he so early!
"Also, Phil has returned!"
Hearing this through the door, Rostellum's eyes nearly bulged in astonishment. It felt as if that tangled thread of affairs had just formed an intractable knot, trapping him securely. If he didn't unravel it quickly, he himself would become as hopelessly twisted as that knot.
However, this wasn't the time to dwell on the knot. Lord Babasha had arrived early, and the priority was to receive him properly...
Hence, Rostellum hurriedly ran all the way from the spacious office in the mansion to the main gate of the County Administrative Office. He simultaneously called out, "My dear Lord Mayor, you have finally arrived! The citizens of Gaga County have been waiting for you for a long time!"
Unexpectedly for Elder Rostellum, two steam cars arrived this time. The one who got out of the car first was surprisingly Phil, the servant who went to verify goods at the Dusk Market.
The one who disembarked after him turned out to be the Great Witch Biggs. When did that woman manage to get in the Mayor's good graces...?
Then, Mayor Babasha's entourage and a group from the Court of Guards hopped out of the other vehicle, hauling several boxes from it.
"My... Lord..." Phil trembled as if he had committed a major blunder.
"HOHOHO, Rostellum, Rostellum, I didn't expect you, lad, to be so fortunate lately!" The signature laughter erupted from the spacious steam car, followed by a short, portly, and evidently wealthy gentleman who emerged, still chuckling.
This short, portly gentleman wore a pleasant smile, appeared calm and composed, and seemed quite approachable.
Indeed, this amiable gentleman was none other than Lord Babasha, the all-dominating Mayor of Liuli City!
"Lord Mayor, your honorable self is visiting, and I have failed to meet you at a greater distance. I deserve to die!" Rostellum lowered his head, not daring to look directly at him. But, being a politician, his caution kept his peripheral vision active, nervously examining his surroundings. He noticed that the robust figures who had followed Mayor Babasha off the vehicle looked quite unfamiliar.
"HOHOHO, I'm of course here to bring you money, lad. You've secretly struck it rich and didn't even breathe a word. If Deputy Court Chief Estev hadn't reported it, I, your Mayor, would still be in the dark about this windfall you've stumbled upon!"
With that, Babasha kicked open one of the boxes that had been unloaded from the vehicle. It was neatly packed with gold bars, along with four dazzlingly colored stones...
"TSK TSK, a full two hundred gold bars, eh? HOHOHO, you've certainly become more capable, lad!"
This piercing laughter made Witch Biggs bow even lower. Phil's face burned hotter with shame, and Housekeeper Uli's usually steadfast heart began to pound...
But Rostellum's first thought upon seeing the gold bars and stones in the box was: That old hag Biggs! She actually kept two for herself...
"Lord Mayor, it's too cold outside. Let's talk inside!" Rostellum, however, remained unfazed by the current situation. He handled it with the deftness expected of a seasoned politician—maintaining composure in a crisis was a crucial survival skill.
"HOHOHO, I do love that unperturbed, sly look on your face, lad!" Mayor Babasha made a gesture, then cheerily waddled his short, portly frame towards the Gaga County mansion.
While the guards and servants were busy moving the boxes into the office, Rostellum seized the momentary lull to approach Phil and glean some details.
The stones belonged to Young Master Rostov... The young master's current whereabouts are unknown...
Phil's brief answers made Rostellum take a deep breath. The knot in his heart, which had felt impossibly tight, seemed to loosen slightly.
It seems that slow-witted Adventurer is the key! Rostellum tugged at his goatee and quickly caught up with Mayor Babasha's entourage.
At the same time, his eyes swept over Uli and Phil, and he made a distinct fist-clenching gesture. This was to instruct his subordinates to apprehend the person of interest immediately!
Uli quickly grasped his master's intentions. He nodded subtly and left swiftly.
The slow-witted Adventurer from Guru Mountain was gradually becoming the most wanted man in all of Gaga County.
No, perhaps he was about to become the most wanted man in all of Liuli City.