Harry's clock shop was a beautiful, two-story house. Like other buildings in Grand Town, its sloped roof was dark grey, topped with a white chimney.
The clock shop's exterior wall was painted dark blue, and the display windows, used to showcase goods, were immaculately clean, with various clocks arranged on shelves inside.
When Harry opened his shop, passersby greeted him with friendly hellos, making it seem the clockmaker hadn't lied; at least, he was indeed a resident of this town.
"I'll go find the Artisan gentlemen in a bit, but I can't guarantee he'll be there. I'll convey your wishes to him, as for whether he's willing to make an item for you..."
The shy-looking big boy scratched his hair apologetically, "That's beyond my control."
"Oh, right, what item do you want to make? A revolver? Like that lady said?"
Stepping into the clock shop, Lex was dazzled by the array of clocks, from old-fashioned grandfather clocks to exquisite pocket watches, everything was there.
However, the small shop seemed to be managed only by Harry. The displays were disorganized, tools were haphazardly placed, and even Harry, the shop owner, had to be very careful to reach the counter.
"That's right, a revolver."
Lex lowered his voice, "Please tell that gentleman I wish to craft a revolver using the characteristics of a 'Devil'."
As he spoke, he stared into Harry's eyes. The big boy met his gaze with clear eyes, "Hmm, I remember. The characteristics of a 'Devil', what are those?"
"Don't ask, the more you know, the worse it is for you." Lex smiled, withdrawing his gaze, and casually added, "Do you know 'Red Moon'? I heard they sell all sorts of strange materials there."
Harry tidied the tools on the counter, "I know, it's one of the few shops in town that operates at night and is permitted to do so."
"It only operates at night?" Lex was momentarily stunned. He had planned to meet the Hanged Man's informant next, but now it seemed he would have to go at night.
"Alright, I was hoping to buy some materials, but I guess I'll go tonight."
Lex looked around, and after finding nothing unusual in the clock shop, he shrugged, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Okay." Harry put down his tools, intending to see him off, but clumsily tripped over a chair, almost falling.
"You don't need to see me out, this is fine. I'll come find you again in a couple of days, goodbye." Lex said with a smile, then walked out of the clock shop, taking a breath of Sonia Island's slightly chilly air, which invigorated him. He recalled the address Osweld had provided, then walked towards the outskirts of the town.
He walked and asked for directions, eventually arriving at a manor outside the town. Behind the manor was a large, visible plantation.
This was Champagne Manor, the home of Osweld's 'employee'.
By this time, Lex had transformed into the 'Duke' with his small mustache and stern facial features.
Before he even reached the manor's gate, Lex heard an irritable voice: "Stop, stand where I can see you. Otherwise, I won't be polite."
He saw several people emerge from behind the black iron gate. They appeared to be the manor's guards. They were very tall, with arms almost as thick as Lex's thighs.
These men were clearly Feysac people; their skin was fair, with a reddish tint, and as the wind passed them, it carried a scent of alcohol.
It seemed they had just been drinking, and strong liquor at that.
Lex glanced at the sky, confirming it was daytime, and couldn't help but gain a new understanding of Feysac's drinking culture.
"Is Siril at home?"
"Please tell him that Osweld's friend, 'Duke', is visiting."
The burly men exchanged glances, and one with a long, thick beard said, "Wait here, don't cause trouble, or we'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish."
He clapped a nearby companion on the chest, signaling them to watch Lex, while he walked towards the villa inside the manor, which had a strong Loen style.
Lex smiled and stood aside, waiting patiently. During this time, he heard the guards conversing in low voices, occasionally bursting into laughter.
They discussed alcohol more than anything else, followed by women.
As they were talking, the Bearded Man returned, made a gesture, and the guards opened the black iron gate.
"Go in, Siril is waiting for you in the living room." Bearded Man finished, then rubbed his hands and walked into a nearby wooden house.
Lex walked through the black iron gate, and under the gaze of those 'giants', he calmly proceeded towards the distant villa.
He saw the wooden house used by the guards, he saw the dog house, he saw cold-hardy plants growing in the flowerbeds along the way, and he saw the clear, unfrozen water in the fountain.
In an instant, he arrived at the front door. Lex raised his hand and pulled the doorbell. Soon, footsteps sounded inside, and then the door opened.
Behind the door was a middle-aged gentleman, no longer young but quite charming. He chuckled, "I didn't expect 'Duke' to be so young. I thought someone entrusted with such an important task by Osweld would be a mature and steady gentleman."
Lex smiled in response, "Age and appearance are just superficial, and appearances are the most deceptive, don't you think, Siril?"
The person before him was indeed Siril. Osweld's letter had included a photo of him, so Lex recognized him at a glance.
"I completely agree. Please come in, make yourself at home." Siril said as he walked, "I apologize, the servants are all out. I hope you don't mind if there's any lack of hospitality."
"Such a large manor, it must be inconvenient without servants." Lex casually chatted.
The middle-aged gentleman smiled bitterly and nodded, "Because of that treasure map, I was worried about accidents, so I temporarily dismissed the manor's servants two weeks ago, leaving only the guards."
"Is that so? You must have had a tough time." Entering the living room, Lex sat down on a sofa and got straight to the point, "Siril, please hand over that treasure map to me, and then you can return to your normal life."
"No problem, but I've already put the treasure map away. I placed it days ago, so I need to think hard about where I put it. I apologize, my memory isn't very good."
Siril appeared to be deep in thought. After about a minute, he clapped his hands and said, "That's right, I remember now, it's in..."
Lex, who was waiting for him to reveal the answer, suddenly found Siril's mouth hanging open for a long time. He realized his head felt numb, his thoughts gradually became sluggish, and the surroundings seemed to be covered by a thick layer of glass, making everything he saw with his eyes become blurred!