The First Magic World War

"Aubrey Barrington Atwood!?" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

"How did he end up on Baker Street?"

The president of the Liemar Detective Agency was in a hurry, yet still extremely alert, as if he had sensed someone watching him; he suddenly turned around. Charlotte discreetly turned her face and even raised her arm to shield her cheek, a very nonchalant and comfortable pose. Aubrey Barrington Atwood didn't see any suspicious individuals and continued on his way.

Anne came over, following Charlotte's gaze toward Aubrey Barrington Atwood, the president of the Liemar Detective Agency, and said, "He is quite decisive. Having heard about your great victory at Silver Pigeon Fort, he actually sold the detective agency to you."

Charlotte was startled and asked, "When did he sell the detective agency to me?"

Anne asked with surprise, "Don't you know? Louis Simi helped you with the acquisition, and the price was quite favorable. It's said that a collection of luxury goods, along with a sum of cash, was used to take over the property and personnel of the detective agency."

Charlotte was of course aware that Louis Simi had helped him acquire a detective agency, but Louis Simi had not mentioned that it was the Liemar Agency. At that time, Charlotte had other matters to attend to and didn't inquire further because all he needed was a gesture from Louis Simi; which detective agency was acquired did not really matter to him.

Charlotte watched the figure of Aubrey Barrington Atwood disappear into another street and couldn't help but exclaim, "What talent!"

He himself didn't know whether he was referring to Louis Simi or Aubrey Barrington Atwood in calling them talented. After all, both of these sleeping dragons were quite gifted, one actually thought of acquiring the Liemar Agency, and the other made a swift decision to sell the Liemar Agency to him.

Remarkably, the two of them managed to make it happen.

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh, "Let's go visit the Liemar Detective Agency tomorrow."

Anne also smiled, "Sure!"

Having been apart for so long, they just wanted to enjoy some peaceful time together. Even though Anne was curious and wanted to check out the Liemar Agency, she didn't want to disrupt such a beautiful afternoon.

Soon after, the apartment's butler brought in coffee, meals, beer, fruit wine, and some desserts.

Charlotte and Anne sat in front of the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the view of the street through the magic alchemy crystal glass, and enjoyed a relaxed and delightful afternoon meal.

After eating, Charlotte chatted casually with Anne over coffee for a while, and as the evening darkened, he then took Anne back to the University of Georgia.

Charlotte hesitated for a moment but decided to return to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Although the Baker Street apartment was very cozy, he still enjoyed the busy hustle and bustle of this place, and besides, the house here was bigger.

He returned to the third floor and saw another life-sized portrait of Anne. In this portrait, Anne was wearing a long silk robe with exotic flair, accentuating the girl's graceful figure. She was even using an ancient Eastern greeting to welcome him back to the bedroom.

Charlotte admired it for a while and then switched to another bedroom to sleep.

The next day, when he got up and before he had the chance to find Anne, the Augusladin High Priest paid him a visit. The priest's face showed a hint of weariness as he said to Charlotte, "We are set to depart at the end of this month, so you need to be prepared."

"We are an envoy team, and we will be wearing a uniform attire. You and your subordinates need to visit the Embassy Street to customize our common and formal attire, and even the weapons must conform to regulations. Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets are not allowed, nor are antispace or space weapons. As a diplomatic officer, you are qualified to select a batch of weapons..."

The Augusladin High Priest listed a bunch of precautions, and Charles had Madam Nancy prepare a mug of barley wine, but the High Priest declined, asking for a glass of water instead.

Charles hadn't expected the High Priest to be so meticulous about status in the details.

After chatting for a while, the High Priest hurried off. As an ambassador, and especially as a war envoy with full authority, he had to sign an alliance with the Inglima Empire and ideally persuade the Inglima Empire to send troops. He had a lot to prepare and was very busy.

However, for the Augusladin High Priest, being an ambassador, no matter how busy, was better than being thrown into the meat grinder of the war in Ferlanden.

It is said that a member of the Sacred Order has fallen on those battlefields.

Once the High Priest had left, Charles went to Sparrowhawk Street No. 1.

Although he wanted to spend another day dawdling with Anne, he ultimately had to do some serious work.

Dobin, Yellow Bear, and others were staying in Machu Picchu, so now at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, there were only Taoles, Belisa, Anatasiya, and eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, as well as thirty selected warriors from the Westwind Knights, half from the Patrolling Army and half from the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort, all of whom had clear identities.

When Charles was selecting them, he even added the standard that they should have received at least a middle-level education and be able to read and write fluently.

The Fars Empire did place considerable emphasis on education, but it couldn't achieve the universal literacy of modern countries on Earth. Only five percent of the people could receive primary education, and the vast majority of the Empire's citizens were still illiterate.

When Charles arrived at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, Taoles wasn't there; after all, being a lady of the Sue family, she had returned to Strasbourg and naturally had her private affairs. But Belisa and Anatasiya were present. In his capacity as the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, Charles first filled in their positions. Given that Anatasiya was a graduate of the University of Georgia, she was directly appointed as a Grade One Clerk, while Belisa, having only completed higher education, was chosen to be a maid beside the duchess. Although she had always been studying hard on her own, her educational background was insufficient, so she was appointed as a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant.

Of course, this was against the rules; in reality, Belisa didn't qualify to be an Assistant.

Originally, when Charles's ex-fiancée, Miss Silvie Martin from the National Academy graduated, she only got a job as a Forty-seventh Grade Third-Level Registrar. It even made Silvie so indignant that she gave up the assigned job to become an apprentice detective.

But now...

Times have changed, and Charles could indeed be considered part of the Empire's privileged class, even slightly higher than the lower ranks of the privileged.

Moreover, not only had his job rank become high enough, but he also held substantial administrative power.

Not to mention the wartime temporary appointment of Westwind Knights' Commander and the nominal position of war envoy with full authority for the Fars Empire to the Inglima Empire, just the two administrative positions as the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army and the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau made it a piece of cake to arrange positions for a few of his own people.

If Silvie Martin knew that her former fiancé could even secure a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant position for a maid with only a higher education, she would surely have something to say about it.

Yes, this would be so Silvie.