Adrian Gray stood at the door, his towering figure casting a menacing shadow over Edrick. His cold eyes held no emotion.
"Edrick Croft, you are under arrest." His icy voice carried an unquestionable arrogance, and he indeed had the power and authority to back it up.
Facing the overwhelming pressure from this golden hero, Edrick would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid. But at that moment, he forced himself to stand tall, holding Adrian's gaze.
This oppression was not merely a figure of speech; it was genuine mental shock. It was a form of ethereal magic Adrian wielded, capable of shattering the mental defenses of those with weaker psychic strength. However, when this intangible pressure attempted to erode Edrick's mental space, it was neutralized by the "Pure Mind Chant."
"You're joking, aren't you, Ms. Gray?" Edrick remained composed. He carefully reviewed his actions and was certain he had left no traces. Of course, if the other party truly possessed an ethereal technique beyond his understanding that could divine the future directly, he would accept his fate.
"Please come in. You must be the first Golden Hero we've welcomed here."
The mental shock had no effect on the young man, surprising Adrian Gray.
The steam pipes in the laundry room emitted a ticking sound like an old-fashioned clock. Edrick Croft's fingers tapped lightly along the edge of the ironing board; their rhythm was synchronized with the hum of the dryer.
When Adrian Gray walked in, the scent of soap powder mingled with a faint whiff of smoke. Edrick had prepared for Adrian Gray's visit; he had invited the hero after discussing it with Lacus.
Otherwise, no matter how powerful the hero was, he wouldn't have been able to find the place three days after Edrick bought the laundry room.
So, when she opened the door, the first thing she said was likely just bluffing; she wanted to see if Edrick really had any issues.
After all, it was suspicious that a dockworker who had just lost his parents a few days ago had suddenly become the owner of a laundry room.
While considering where to find help, Lacus mentioned that she had a classmate named Adrian Gray in college. No one could have imagined that, years later, she would become the renowned Golden Hero.
Although the two weren't exactly on good terms back then, Lacus trusted Adrian's integrity. They decided to test the waters by approaching her under Edrick's name.
Bringing her into their camp would be a huge advantage if possible.
Edrick had initially considered meeting her in a remote location far from their base, but, considering the potential for long-term collaboration, he felt it was important to show sincerity.
Moreover, according to Lacus and newspaper reports, Adrian Gray was actually quite kind, especially to children.
If a fight broke out, the children in the laundry room would restrain her, and the barrier that Lacus had set up in advance would give them the upper hand in a small-scale struggle.
Lacus was confident that, with her preparation and home-turf advantage, she could quickly subdue this Golden Hunter!
Adrian's boots crushed the damp floor tiles, and the metal plates embedded in his boots glinted in the steam. "Mr. Croft, I remember you were still loading coal at the dock last week."
Her gaze swept over the newly hung business license on the wall: "Pure White Raven Laundry? An interesting name."
Edrick smiled openly and didn't bother to lie. "I met a very generous gentleman."
"I see. I was actually quite interested in you, but now I'm more interested in this nobleman." Adrian Gray leaned closer to the ironing board, seeming fascinated by the device used to press clothes. "Three destitute peasants suddenly favored by a wealthy man—that story is far more intriguing than the name of your laundry."
"You might find it interesting, but for a family that can only earn ten shillings a day, it's not just interesting." Edrick spoke in a somber tone. "Our parents just passed away, and we're barely surviving. Meeting this kind person is truly a blessing from the Luminous One."
Adrian looked into Edrick's eyes and paused for two seconds before slowly saying, "Bless the Luminous One."
Edrick walked behind the counter and brought out two cheap teacups. "Would you like tea or coffee, Ms. Gray?"
"No, thank you. I don't drink outside." Adrian shook his head. "Is the generous person you mentioned perhaps a member of the church?"
"Heaven forbid. I dare not reveal the noble's name. You know, kindhearted nobles perform good deeds not for fame. She specifically instructed me not to spread her name around."
"She."
Adrian noticed the pronoun and quickly narrowed down the possibilities. She must be someone from the church who can easily donate over a hundred pounds to a poor family. And she must be a woman—that must be a high-ranking clergywoman.
"Thanks to this noblewoman, the recent 'beggar registration system' implemented by the Vatican requires vagrants to go to the church every week to get a stamp in order to receive relief grain. The security in the Rust District has also improved." Edrick mentioned a policy that had been rejected by the Croft family.
"This policy exists solely to restrict vagrants. It offers no assistance to poor people with jobs." Adrian pondered the identity of the noblewoman Edrick had implied while responding. She hadn't considered that Edrick was testing her. As a public official, she had enough integrity and confidence to have nothing to hide.
"As expected of Lord Gray, your insights are admirable," Edrick nodded in praise as he poured himself a cup of hot tea. Though it was merely the cheapest tea leaves steeped in water, he continued, "We common folk can barely earn enough for three meals a day. We have no time to think about such things."
"You should be able to eat three meals a day easily now," Adrian said as she surveyed the laundry room. The house was old and the equipment was cheap, but it was enough to support a family. "You should be able to join the middle class soon."
Middle class—that was a popular term lately. It sounded respectable, but, in reality, it referred to those who couldn't afford a big house yet weren't starving.
Mentioning the middle class was clearly Adrian's way of probing further. First, she needed to determine the exact status of the high-ranking clergyman behind Edrick. By analyzing Edrick's description of the middle class and his plans for it, she could make a rough judgment about the level of support the clergyman provided the Croft family.
Edrick sensed Adrian's intentions and dropped more bait. "It's not that easy. My laundry room is full of suffering people. Most of them are orphaned children, just eleven or twelve years old!" The nobleman has a kind heart. He says he's sponsoring us, but he really wants to help more children.
You know, Mrs. Gray, I never expected there to be so many orphans in this neighborhood. They're even worse off than we are. Last week, when Little Mary went to get her ration stamp, the beggars started fighting. She got caught in the middle and almost had her arm broken by the police trying to keep order."
"It must be that the old men of the Vatican have a more compassionate and far-reaching plan, gathering all the rioters in one place..."
Edrick's words seemed to praise the Church, but he was actually criticizing its policy. Through Adrian's reaction to his remarks, Edrick could infer Adrian's views on the Church in Star Hub City today—whether this hero prioritized procedural justice or maintaining order.
"After all, it's for maintaining public order—to weed out the unstable elements among the beggars." As a hero who stood above the police and Patroler, Adrian seemed to prioritize maintaining order over procedural justice. "You're lucky to be on the side of order."
This last sentence was a warning to the Croft family.
"Of course, we are all law-abiding citizens and stand firmly on the side of order. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to the trouble of inviting you here." After probing enough, Edrick finally got to the point. "The reason we asked you to come is that there are some matters I can't decide on my own. I need you to come to the scene and take a look at the evidence."
Adrian Gray listened to the tall figure, but did not respond. He simply waited quietly for Edrick to continue.
Edrick moved slowly, bending down to look under the counter. He said, "This is something the noble left here. You know, someone like me wouldn't dare question a noble. We're just trying to survive and don't want to get involved in anything..."
Edrick pulled out a high-quality female monk's inner robe from behind the counter. The moment Adrian saw the robe, her expression changed. She immediately noticed something was wrong with it.
"This thing has bloodstains on it." Adrian raised her eyebrows. Although the stains had been roughly cleaned, making them difficult to see, as an experienced hero, she had unique ethereal senses that allowed her to detect the slightest hint of something amiss.
Edrick looked genuinely surprised. No wonder she was a hero—she was so sharp! "You know, clothes washed here can't help but get a little blood on them. We...we're all pretty sensitive to blood, even after washing..."
This was the truth. In the Rust District, fights, domestic violence, and even murders were commonplace. The smell of blood was everywhere. Adrian had noticed bloodstains on Edrick before, but they were so ordinary that she hadn't paid much attention to them. If every civilian with bloodstains on their clothes were arrested and interrogated, half the men in the Rust District would be taken away.
But the problem was: "Bloodstains on the personal garments of such a sacred figure must be connected to something serious." I've only been running this shop for a few days, but I imagine the priests rarely visit such a small place. When I heard you mention the investigation into the murder of a high-ranking official in the kingdom, I contacted you immediately."
Edrick was referring to the first time he met Adrian Gray, when she had told him, a stranger, directly about the murder of Lord Setward.
The senior monk's shirt was stained with blood and had been deliberately cleaned before being brought to the shop for washing.
The situation was simply too suspicious, and Adrian felt that way too.
Finally, Edrick added, "I really don't want to suspect our benefactor, but this situation leaves me no choice but to be suspicious. I'm afraid of getting involved in something terrible. Do you think that noblewoman might be funding us to do something bad for her?"
"I understand. Give me the clothes."
"I'll pack them up and send them to your office right away. It's just…" Edrick paused deliberately.
"The customer paid five times the usual rate for laundry..."
Adrian Gray handed over a five-pound note, which was obviously insufficient to cover the cost of the monk's robe but enough to compensate Edrick for the delay. "What's the customer's name? When will they come to pick it up?"
"I think she left a pseudonym. It must be a pseudonym because it's just too absurd." Edrick hesitated again. After Adrian Gray glared at him, Edrick reluctantly pulled out a piece of paper. The script was delicate and flowing. "Sancta Lucina Lacus."
Anyone seeing this signature would think it was a cruel joke or a fake name left by a suspicious person, but Adrian couldn't laugh. She had seen the owner of the signature and knew what their handwriting looked like.
This was the handwriting of Sancta Lucina Lacus, the bishop of Star Hub City. Even if someone tried to forge this signature, they would have to be extremely familiar with the bishop's handwriting and possess extraordinary skill and audacity.
When Adrian Gray first met this person, they were not yet known by this name, but rather as Elara Seren Stellae. At that time, she was not the Bishop of Star Hub City, but rather the eldest princess of the Zodiac Kingdom.
The hidden agenda is finally exposed.
"Let me see what you're going to do." Edrick had made all the necessary preparations. If this garment were delivered to the watchpost, it would become a serious criminal case involving high-ranking Holy See officials. If she didn't want the matter to escalate...
"Lacus, you're here. The charade is over."
Adrian's reaction was completely unexpected by Edrick. The golden hero impatiently scratched his head and said, "There's no need to test me anymore. Let's talk outside."
Lacus stepped out from behind the counter, which had been empty just a second ago. Clearly, she was using some kind of ethereal magic.
"How did you find me? Don't tell me you can see through the Vatican's hiding techniques."
As soon as she finished speaking, the scene before Edrick's eyes suddenly shifted. The tall, curvaceous Lacus had somehow donned a red dress; her fair, healthy complexion was now pale and bloodless. Blood seeped from her eyes, and her pale, emaciated hands slowly rose, her fingernails as sharp as military blades.