Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 95 Clarice's Advice

St. George Street is located at the intersection of Oberhafen West and Queens. The environment is quiet and peaceful, with mostly dignified townhouses or small institutions with gardens, which is quite in line with the positioning of the nursing home.

Green alighted from the carriage, paid the fare, and arrived at a dark oak gate, where he rang the doorbell.

The number 17 on one side of the gate is not conspicuous.

Above the lintel is a simple stone emblem composed of stars and a crescent moon, one of the symbols of the Church of the Night, but it is done quite subtly and is hard to notice unless you look for it specifically.

A moment later, the door opened a crack, revealing the face of a middle-aged woman with a gentle expression.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"Miss Seagull sent me," Green said, following instructions.

The middle-aged woman's eyes flickered slightly, and she stepped aside.

"Please come in, Mr. Morris. Consultant Clarisse is waiting for you."

The door closed gently behind me.

The foyer was spacious and bright, with a dark carpet and a unique fragrance in the air.

It tastes a bit like the calming tea that Mrs. Lefever brewed.

On the left is a table that looks like a reception desk, behind which sits another female clerk in a clean white uniform.

The overall atmosphere was quiet and tidy, even a little too quiet.

"plz follow me."

The middle-aged woman led Green through the foyer and into an inner corridor.

The doors on both sides of the corridor were closed, and the walls were a soft off-white, adorned with oil paintings depicting tranquil night scenes or abstract starry skies.

Light streamed in from the high windows, bright but not glaring.

They stopped in front of a dark wooden door without any markings.

The middle-aged woman gently knocked on the door.

"Please come in." A woman's clear voice came from inside.

The door was pushed open.

It's a small room, more like a simple office or consultation room.

A large oak desk, a few chairs, and a filing cabinet. The walls are sparsely decorated, except for a small hand-drawn star map.

The window was half open, and the white gauze curtains swayed gently in the breeze.

Clarisse sat behind her desk.

She was wearing a dark blue casual outfit today, her blonde hair simply tied back. Her complexion looked better than last night, but the faint dark circles under her eyes and the fatigue between her brows were still obvious.

Clarice had a document spread out in front of her, and a steaming cup of dark brown herbal tea beside her.

"sit."

She pointed to the chair opposite the desk, her tone indifferent.

Green sat down as instructed.

The middle-aged woman silently withdrew and closed the door behind her.

Only the two of them remained in the room. A brief silence followed.

"How is Captain Olivier?" Green asked first, breaking the silence.

Clarice picked up the teacup, gently blew on the steam, took a small sip, and then put the cup down.

"Still unconscious. But vital signs are stable, and spiritual fluctuations... are being suppressed." Her voice didn't waver much, as if she was used to it, only frowning slightly.

"The backlash from the price is a bit troublesome, but his life should be spared. The Holy Church has sent a deacon skilled in 'soothing' and 'purification' to stabilize his condition."

Clarice looked up at Green. "First of all, on behalf of the Oberhafen Night's Watch, I would like to thank you again for your contribution last night. Your actions prevented the worst possible outcome."

She paused, then continued, "You know why I asked you to come over over the phone, right?"

Of course, I'm not stupid.

Green paused for a moment, then spoke calmly, "I think I've already conveyed my stance, haven't I?"

"Yes, he relayed it. And he just left." Clarisse leaned back slightly, her fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"Just left? He came to see me this morning." Green was a little surprised; Alvin should have been back long ago.

"Don't worry about it."

Clarice's tone carried a hint of habitual helplessness. "He's always like this. He won't waste a second whenever he can slack off, but of course, he's never lax when it's his turn to work."

She paused, her expression regaining focus: "Let's put him aside for now. Regarding your situation, I'll give you my personal opinion."

"Okay," Green replied briefly, leaning forward slightly.

Clarisse stood up and walked to the window. A gentle breeze ruffled the hair on her forehead. Gazing at the neatly manicured courtyard outside, she spoke to Green with her back to him, "It was I who reported the brooch to my superiors. I hope you don't mind."

She turned around and looked at Green with a frank expression:

"There were only the two of us Extraordinary beings present at the time, and it was my responsibility to report anything unusual. More importantly, the level of that thing and its strange connection to you... concealing it could mean even greater danger for you and for everyone. You may not yet understand its level of danger."

"I did this primarily to control the risks, and secondly... it was also for your safety."

Green listened quietly, without showing any surprise or displeasure.

He had already thought of this.

The logical chain from Elwin's initial contact to the Church of the Night's demand to reclaim the brooch is very clear.

"I see."

Green nodded. "The situation was indeed beyond the realm of common sense. And, ultimately, it worked."

His answer acknowledged the legitimacy of Clarice's actions while also subtly pointing out that the brooch was not a one-sided danger.

It was that "strange scene" that turned the tide at the crucial moment.

Green's reaction relieved Clarice slightly; in her opinion, Green was much more composed than when they first met.

Clarisse leaned against the windowsill and continued:

"There are differing opinions within the church. Some believe that the brooch is extremely dangerous, with a clear provenance, and most importantly, it should be determined to be a Level 0 sealed artifact, and should be sealed in the highest-level 'Hidden Sanctuary' of the sanctuary."

"The other group... including Erwin and me, believes that you have formed some kind of unbreakable bond with it, and that forcibly separating you could have unpredictable consequences, especially considering your performance last night and... your status as an 'apprentice'."

She paused, seemingly considering her words.

"Your request for 'retaining custody' is unusual and risky. But... it's not entirely without precedent. For certain members who have a special 'connection' or 'bond' with a particular sealed item or relic, the Church adopts a 'supervised holding' model."

"Of course, the premise is that the holder must become a core member of the church, accept the strictest supervision, regular inspection and spiritual assessment, and promise to use it in any situation with the church's interests and safety as the highest principle."

"Does this mean that if I join the Night's Watch, the brooch can stay with me temporarily, but I'll be constantly 'watched'?" Green asked bluntly.

"That's one way to put it," Clarice nodded. "That's why Alvin went to see you so early in the morning. I was originally planning to wait a few days before going to see you."

She paused, then added, "This is an immense trust, but also a... heavy shackle. You need to think it through. Once you accept it, there's no turning back. The Church of the Night, especially the Night Watch, has almost zero tolerance for betrayal and loss of control."

Green was silent for a moment. He had already anticipated that it wouldn't be that simple. Freedom always comes at a price, especially in this treacherous world.

Clarice suddenly remembered something. "Erwin said... your cousin Emily is now an assassin using the 'Witch' pathway?"

Green took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, it was an accident."

"I'll say it again: we have zero tolerance for things getting out of control. If it weren't for the emergency last night, and to avoid any further complications, your cousin would already be dead."

Upon hearing this, Green remained silent and frowned.

He understood Clarice's meaning: Emily was now on the record, and if she was on the verge of losing control, the Night's Watch would not show any mercy.

"I see."

"Good that you understand. The church hasn't given a specific decision yet, but if you can accept what I'm saying, I will do my best to help you get it," Clarice said calmly.

"I'm willing to accept supervision and scrutiny. But I need to know what I can get from the Night's Watch, besides... a place to stay and oversight."

Clarice's lips curled up slightly, as if she had been waiting for this question.

"First, there's protection. The church will provide you and your family with a certain level of protection, at least ensuring that organizations like the Scarlet Order won't dare to easily harm you in Oberhafen."

"Secondly, there are resources and knowledge. You can access the non-top-secret sections of the Night's Watch archives to a limited extent, gaining basic knowledge about occultism, history, sealed artifacts, and... various pathways. Of course, this requires permissions and contributions to unlock."

Finally, there's the possibility of promotion.

Clarisse picked up her teacup, blew on it, and took a small sip. "The Night Watch has a relatively complete system of merit and contribution. By completing tasks and accumulating merit, you can exchange it for money, materials, and even... potion recipes and promotion opportunities through certain means."

"Although the 'apprentice' path is now very rare, the ancient collections of the sanctuary may still contain relevant clues or incomplete records. This is much safer and more efficient than wandering around the black market like a headless fly."

Green's heart skipped a beat.

The possibility of promotion. That's exactly what he desperately needs.

Clarice's words were like a glimmer of light in the darkness, pointing to a path that, though thorny, was at least clearly visible.

"What do I need to do?" he asked.

Clarice took a brown paper folder from the drawer and pushed it in front of Green.

"First, sign this Oath of Secrecy and Allegiance. It carries a certain mystical binding force. Once signed, you will not be able to voluntarily reveal the Night's Watch's core secrets to anyone without permission. Seriously violating the oath will result in spiritual backlash."

She suddenly became serious. "Then, you will need to undergo at least a month of observation and basic training. This includes basic knowledge of occultism, basic combat, an introduction to ritual magic, and basic procedures for handling sealed artifacts."

"During this period, you will be considered a 'trainee night watchman' and will receive a trainee allowance. Only after passing the evaluation can you become a full member and enjoy full allowances and benefits."

Clarice paused, holding her teacup, and looked at Green. "You haven't finished the task Olivier gave you yet, have you? The one from the History and Archaeology Society."

"Well, not yet. But I've already made contact with Mrs. Margaret Elliott at the dinner party."

Upon hearing this, Clarisse seemed somewhat surprised, then gave an elegant smile. "Very good. After this is completed, I will help you apply for a reward."

Green looked at Clarice, and after a moment, finally spoke:

"I need money."