The black sun hangs high

Chapter 20 "A Pleasant Cooperation"

The spellcasters under the Legal Committee often say that magic is not only a power that can change reality, but also a pair of scissors that can prune human character and temperament.

Facts have proved that this is indeed the case.

Compared to his last visit to the newspaper office, Hugh's mindset and emotions had changed significantly—his purpose was clearer, and his attitude towards the newspaper clerks around him had also changed considerably.

The increased magical power and newly acquired magic have allowed Hugh to re-examine those ideas and plans that he had previously shelved.

We must either find a way to understand and eliminate the hidden dangers in Seren.

Alternatively, they could seek other ways to break through the blockade of Seren and escape this troublesome place.

Whether from a rational or emotional perspective, Hugh would lean more towards the latter option. His "foresight" was far too incomplete, and a few specific time points could not help him better handle and cope with the current predicament. Moreover, he did not believe that he could save the city from the unknown disaster on his own.

Hughes has never believed in individual heroism; he has always been very self-aware.

Especially after observing for the past few days, Hugh felt that he could see a terrible shadow behind the city of Seren.

The shadow was so vast that, no matter how Hugh looked at it, he always felt that its shape was extremely similar to the two great kingdoms of Walter and Delan.

War, and the death and calamity it caused, have long been forgotten by the people of the Vain world.

For those busy with their own lives, the name of war is so distant that most people believe that in the current peaceful environment, the Council of Law, the various kingdoms, and the gods worshipped by the people will protect the inhabitants and believers on the ground for a long time, keeping them from the ravages of war.

But is this possible?
Under the influence of these chaotic thoughts, Hugh felt that the clerks in the newspaper office, who were busy with their heads down and talking, were just like ants scurrying around in an anthill on a dam.

Some of them may already know that their actions are tantamount to gnawing away at the crumbling dam of Seren, but they did not expect that when the dam breaks, they will be the first to face the raging flood.

"Mr. Ernst, are you here to see Mr. Philip?"

Miss Kiri finally handed over those annoying tasks to a few unlucky guys. She forced a smile again and naturally moved closer to Hugh, reaching out to grab his arm.

Hugh turned around at just the right moment, avoiding the other person's overly intimate gesture, then raised his hand and patted his pocket: "A special commissioned article, I finished it, take it to Editor-in-Chief Philip for a look."

"A special commission... Oh, I know what it is."

Miss Kiri's smile widened even more: "I knew it! With your abilities, Mr. Ernst, you certainly wouldn't just write... well, those kinds of works. An occasional discussion of current events would be very helpful in enhancing your fame and status!"

Hughes glanced at her, unsure of what to say.

Fortunately, the obese editor-in-chief, Philip, came out from the side at this moment. Despite the low temperature, he was covered in sweat and was holding a towel in his hand, constantly wiping his greasy face.

Editor-in-Chief Philip was pleasantly surprised by Hugh's appearance, so he quickly pointed to his office, indicating that Hugh could go in and wait, while he himself headed towards the break room, seemingly intending to wash his face.

This arrangement perfectly aligned with Hugh's plans for the trip, so he quickly shook off the female clerk's advances, turned around, slipped into the office, and closed the door behind him.

He took out the manuscript he had prepared beforehand and neatly placed it on Editor-in-Chief Philip's desk. At the same time, his magic slowly swept through the office as the magic disc rotated. After confirming that there was no magical anomaly in the space, Hugh gently patted the hem of his trench coat, and the three-tailed rat that had been hiding for a long time immediately darted out. It squeaked softly twice, and then, under Hugh's command, it darted toward Editor-in-Chief Philip's desk. Its three flexible tails swung rapidly, and in no time, the shadow of this magical creature disappeared into the shadow of the desk.

At this moment, Hugh's goal was extremely clear.

"The Peace News Agency has always enjoyed many administrative privileges in Seren, which is the only way they can ensure that they continue to receive the latest news and intelligence even when Seren is closed off."

The three-tailed rat quickly found a gap under the huge desk, and under Hugh's command, it swiftly squeezed in and followed the gap into the drawer compartment, beginning to slowly explore the drawers where documents and important files were stored.

"Given Philip's character and habits, he should be able to sense the danger lurking behind this series of events... Under these circumstances, he will definitely try to leave himself a way out, and perhaps a special pass would be enough for him to leave Seren City openly."

Hugh narrowed his eyes slightly. His consciousness had been unconsciously connected with the magical creature he had summoned. At this moment, a completely new perspective, one that no human had ever experienced before, entered his mind. Everything in the pitch-black space was brought into Hugh's perception through the eyes and whiskers of the three-tailed rat.

only……

Soon, Hugh felt nauseous and vomited.

Editor-in-Chief Philip was clearly not very hygienic; his desk drawers were filled with some rather horrible things, and the smells of these things were constantly being transmitted through the three-tailed rat's sensitive sense of smell, causing Hughes extremely serious mental damage.

"Spoiled magic ink... obviously expired cookies... a rusty Armistice Remembrance Day amulet..."

Using his three-tailed rat's vision and sense of smell, Hugh quickly identified the jumbled information being transmitted into his mind, while his face grew increasingly pale.

"A terribly smelly magazine, a pile of crumpled paper... What is this? Women's underwear???"

Just as Hugh was about to unleash a torrent of curses, the office door was pushed open, and the obese editor-in-chief, Philip, strode in, waving his dirty handkerchief.

"Oh, Mr. Ernst, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

Philip seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He smiled and gestured for Hugh to sit down, then sat heavily back in his seat. He tossed aside the handkerchief in his hand, picked up the manuscript that Hugh had placed on his desk, and began to read it carefully.

Hugh, naturally too lazy to speak, sat opposite Philip, secretly continuing to direct the three-tailed rat to slip through the gap into the largest drawer. A slightly pungent, cool scent entered Hugh's mental world through the three-tailed rat's nose. He recognized the smell; it was a special preservative and insect repellent created by magical alchemists under the Legal Committee. Its market price was quite high, making it unaffordable for ordinary people. In fact, its effects were not much different from the insect repellents used by commoners.

The only difference between the two is that this magical insect repellent can provide a slight magical protection to things that have come into contact with its scent, making them easier to preserve. Paper items are less likely to yellow or turn black, and over time, the paper will also have the unique smell of this medicine—some rather pretentious and meticulous office workers believe that true writers should be immersed in this smell.

This is a symbol of "status"!

Hugh dismissed this claim as utter nonsense, as he was now utterly disgusted by the smell, thanks to the three-tailed rat's sense of smell.

However, the appearance of this scent also pointed Hugh in the right direction.

The drawer he was currently in must be where Editor-in-Chief Philip usually stored important documents and receipts; otherwise, given Philip's stingy nature, he would never have used such expensive alchemical drugs here so easily.

So the magical creature lurking in the drawer began its covert operation. In order not to disturb Philip sitting at the table, Hugh directed the three-tailed rat to carefully part the stack of documents with its claws and tail, and begin to search for anything that looked like an important letter or a magical pass.

Not long after, Philip raised his head.

He let out a long sigh, then picked up Hugh's manuscript and shook it vigorously twice: "Mr. Ernst, it's truly astonishing... I always thought you could only write that kind of work, I never expected..."

Philip cast a puzzled look at Hugh: "If you had shown me this talent from the beginning, your life would probably be much better than it is now. Think about it, Mr. Ernst. If you had written this kind of article specifically for the newspaper, your fees would definitely be much higher than before. The Peace Newspaper would even be willing to pay you extra!"

"It was just an experiment."

Hughes smiled somewhat reluctantly: "Mr. Philip, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. If it weren't for your detailed requirements and directions, I wouldn't have been able to write such a piece."

"Ah... haha, you're too modest. Of course, for those of us who make a living with words, this is absolutely a virtue!"

Looking at the shameless fat face in front of him, Hugh couldn't muster any hatred, because at this moment, the three-tailed rat had already made a discovery in the drawer. At the very bottom, it found a palm-sized exquisite metal box with the emblem of the Law Council on its surface, looking like some kind of souvenir. Moreover, Hugh could also sense a slight magical power emanating from it.

All of this matches the characteristics of those magical passes issued to special institutions and groups.

"This should be it... a special pass that allows reporters from the Peace Newspaper to pass through the blocked city gates."

Hughes pondered, “Should I try to get it out now? Given Philip’s personality, he must value this kind of thing very much, perhaps checking it regularly every day… I need to minimize my suspicion as much as possible.”

Just then, Philip's voice interrupted Hugh's thoughts: "Mr. Ernst? Mr. Ernst?"

Hugh immediately snapped out of his daze: "Uh... what's wrong?"

Philip raised an eyebrow: "You seem a little tired!"

"Sorry, I didn't sleep well all night because of this article, and I was a little dazed just now."

Hughes explained quite naturally, then asked, "Is there anything in this manuscript that I need to adjust?"

Philip shook his head: "It's a good article, but as Mr. Ernst himself said—this is your first time writing this kind of manuscript, and you haven't quite grasped some of the details. But that's not important; I can revise it for you myself."

With that, he pushed the manuscript to the side of the table with his fat hand and weighed it down with an ink bottle. Then, Philip leaned forward slightly, a sinister smile creeping across his repulsive face: "Mr. Ernst, if you'd like, we might make a deal... I'll be the author of this article. Of course, this is also for your safety. After all, this text contains too many 'speculations' about the Ernst family and the Kingdom of Walter. Publishing it in your capacity might cause trouble."

Upon hearing this, Hugh immediately realized what was going on. He put on a stern face like any money-grubbing merchant and replied, "Mr. Philip, I... after all, put a lot of effort into this article."

"An extra thirty silver coins, this is a special reward in addition to the commission fee."

Upon hearing this, Hugh's expression immediately changed. He forced a smile, his lips seemingly twitching upwards uncontrollably, looking overjoyed.

So, under Philip's slightly disdainful gaze, this "uncultured" noble illegitimate son smiled and extended his hand: "In that case, it's a deal?"

"Pleasant to work with."

The two men, each with their own thoughts, shook hands in a gesture of agreement amidst their simultaneous laughter. Then, Philip bent down and opened the drawer where documents and receipts were kept.

The moment they shook hands, Hugh had already controlled the three-tailed rat to hide in the most secluded corner. Through the rat's vision, he saw that Philip indeed glanced at the pass at the bottom while taking the form, clearly a habit that had long been a natural part of his actions.

Seeing the pass neatly tucked away at the bottom, Philip quickly pulled out a blank form.

He brandished his magic ink pen, scribbled two lines on it, and then shoved the receipt into Hugh's hand.

Having finished his work, Philip stood up with a smile and patted Hughes lightly on the shoulder: "Well then, Mr. Ernst, shall I personally take you to collect your royalties?"

"I couldn't ask for more, sir."

So the two of them walked out of the office one after the other. The moment the office door closed, the magic disc in Hugh's mental world immediately started spinning faster, and a loud noise soon came from Philip's desk drawer.

(End of this chapter)