Chapter 671: Tolerance

Thinking that Franca would meet "007" tonight to discuss dealing with Moran Avini, and that he would surely have to return to Trier tomorrow to coordinate their roles and details, Lu Mi decided to summon Jian Na's messenger, Xiazuo Rabbit.

Writing down the "Magician" lady's request on paper, folding it, Lu Mi performed the ritual, causing the special "Knowledge Rabbit" to step out from the candle's flame.

First to catch Lu Mi's eye was the miniature silk top hat wedged between the rabbit's ears, then the gold-rimmed spectacles and black trench coat perfectly sized for the blurry rabbit-like creature, and finally the iron-black small revolver held in its paw.

The revolver gleamed with metallic sheen, its barrel thick, its cylinder grotesquely large, exuding tangible weight—utterly distinct from the illusory hat, coat, and spectacles.

Seeing this Xiazuo Rabbit, Lu Mi raised an eyebrow:

"That's a real gun?"

Xiazuo Rabbit's eyes behind the gold-rimmed lenses sharpened instantly:

"Yes."

"Did Jian Na have it custom-made for you?" Lu Mi pressed.

Xiazuo Rabbit replied succinctly:

"It's payment."

Quite the cold demeanor… Cheleia Belo, have you considered what consequences this might bring? You haven't—because I don't know what consequences either, unless I consult the "Magician" lady… Lu Mi mentally grumbled, then handed Xiazuo Rabbit the folded letter.

As the rabbit-like creature prepared to turn and step back into the candlelight, Lu Mi, the prank king of Kerdu Village, asked with interest:

"Can you shoot?"

Xiazuo Rabbit fell silent, as if slightly embarrassed:

"Not yet."

Oh, you're not as cold as Gellman Sparrow anymore… Lu Mi chuckled softly:

"I'm friends with Jian Na—I'll pay for this postage myself.

"Want to learn shooting? Including theory and coaching."

The Xiazuo Rabbit, taller than a normal rabbit, answered without hesitation:

"Fine."

Lu Mi's smile widened.

After finding a quiet spot at the edge of the primal forest and carefully teaching Xiazuo Rabbit shooting for a long time, Lu Mi slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled back toward Tizamo Town, planning to get afternoon tea at the only café there.

The café was called "Bunia," because its owner was named Bunia.

He was an adult man under thirty, who had once worked as a waiter and apprentice in a café in Pailos Port, then returned to Tizamo Town after realizing that every weekend many gentlemen and ladies came here for hunting and vacation, yet there was no proper café—so he converted the ground floor of his own house into a semi-outdoor café.

Walking through the outdoor tables and chairs, Lu Mi approached the counter and smiled at Bunia, who was both owner and server:

"Do you have Fiermo coffee?"

Bunia's brown skin wasn't very dark; his facial features had a mixed-ethnic look, his black hair slightly naturally curly, but both his parents were true Tizamo natives—his appearance and origin proved it.

The twenty-seven- or twenty-eight-year-old man grinned awkwardly in imperfect Intis:

"Sir, we don't have Fiermo coffee."

Lu Mi had asked only half-jokingly and didn't mind—he switched to a Kosa coffee from the Matani Federation.

He had just sat down at a table and sipped the bitter-sweet liquid when he saw Giamu, unbuttoned waistcoat open, and Ruya, clad in leather armor, enter the café, each ordering an Intis coffee and a Tizamo-style corn-nut cake.

Seeing Ruya, the single Bunia grew even more shy, busying himself without raising his head.

Giamu and Ruya, holding their coffee and cake, were about to find a seat when Lu Mi raised his arm and greeted them.

After Giamu and Ruya reluctantly sat across from him, Lu Mi smiled and asked:

"Why do you look so tired?"

Giamu, glancing at the energetic great adventurer, took a breath and slowly said:

"We just finished work—finally, we can rest."

And yesterday we were still lurking outside the Buriu Inn until midnight!

"I just want to sleep properly now." With their shared dream-exploring experience last night, Ruya was no longer as silent around Lu Mi as before.

"Then why are you drinking coffee?" Lu Mi replied with amusement.

He could clearly see that neither Ruya nor Giamu had the "Insomniac"'s stamina.

"I'll try to stay awake until after dinner," Giamu sighed.

Ruya shook her head:

"Coffee doesn't affect me."

After some small talk, Ruya finished her corn-nut cake, drained her coffee, and returned to rest upstairs at the nearby Police Headquarters; Giamu slumped half-dead in his chair, occasionally sipping coffee.

"Has Lei Yasa arrived?" Lu Mi asked with a smile.

Giamu paused:

"He has. Tonight, two of him, Maxlo, and Lobo will follow you."

As for Kolobo, there's no need for him to be on duty—he can't even look, how could he monitor?

As Lu Mi spoke, he saw Miss Amandina from the Palm Estate walking toward Bunia's café, leading a unicorn pony, in excellent spirits.

The blue-eyed girl wore a cream-colored hunting outfit today, her black hair simply tied into a half-up bun.

After tossing her whip and reins to the dark-skinned male servant, she walked toward the counter with her female servant, who also looked Intis.

Along the way, she cheerfully responded to greetings from several gentlemen and ladies inside the café and greeted multiple locals drinking cheap coffee.

Seeing Giamu's gaze fixed on the girl, Lu Mi teased:

"Do you want to duel her fiancé?"

"No, I'm not that kind of person," Giamu replied seriously. "I admit she's very attractive to me, but she's already engaged to Mr. Robert—that's a sign of starting a family, and I won't allow myself to destroy someone else's."

You Fennepotians… Lu Mi wasn't mocking—he was reflecting.

This kind of value system is very Fennepotian.

Of course, not every Fennepotian holds such values.

Seeing Lu Mi say nothing, Giamu said seriously:

"Don't go after her."

Lu Mi smiled at the young Castia man, waiting for him to elaborate further.

Giamu frowned slightly:

"I know Intis people don't back off just because someone has a fiancé or husband—you might even find it more thrilling—but you always chase fleeting pleasure, rarely take responsibility, satisfy yourselves, feel happy, then walk away, leaving a lady to face the wreckage."

"Not every Intis person is like that," Lu Mi replied with a smile, shaking his head.

But most Trier people are… Still, in such matters, neither side is truly innocent… he added silently.

The lively, slightly playful Amandina, accompanied by her maid, passed by Giamu and Lu Mi's table.

She greeted Giamu first, then studied Lu Mi for a moment, and said frankly:

"I'm Amandina. Who are you?"

"Louis Berry," Lu Mi replied with a smile.

Amandina nodded, then suddenly laughed:

"You must've just come from Trier—you're different from everyone here."

"No, I'm from a village in the south," Lu Mi replied, switching to Intis with a hint of Dali accent.

Amandina wasn't disappointed; she happily asked several questions about folk customs in the southern provinces of the Intis Republic, then took her maid to the farthest table.

Giamu watched their exchange, opened his mouth, then closed it again.

…………

Trier, Memorial District.

Jian Na was curled up on the sofa, flipping through a few newly bought novels with witch elements, when suddenly she saw Xiazuo Rabbit appear before her, handing her a letter.

Looking at this strangely adorable rabbit-like creature, Jian Na opened the letter, glanced at it, and asked seriously:

"Do you want to choose your own reward, or should I just give you a book?"

"Lu Mi Li has already paid for it," Xiazuo Rabbit said in a low but honest voice.

"Witch" Jian Na suddenly had a bad feeling:

"What did he pay with?"

"He taught me shooting knowledge and guided me through the first stage of practice," Xiazuo Rabbit said, instantly raising its custom revolver, aiming at the door behind Jian Na, then quickly lowering it.

This… Mr. Lu Mi Li, have you considered what consequences this might bring? Jian Na thought, both annoyed and amused.

But it had already happened—she couldn't stop it.

In a flash of thought, Jian Na curled her lips into a sweet smile:

"Next reward will be a real armpit holster. The one after that, custom bullets with special effects. How's that?"

Xiazuo Rabbit's eyes behind the glass lenses brightened instantly:

"Yes!"

…………

Tizamo Town—the night had long fallen, darkness enveloping the area.

Lu Mi stood inside the "Xiso" house, glancing at the cold-tempered Deputy Captain of the Pailos Port Patrol, Lei Yasa, and the local patrol captain Maxlo, whose face was painted white, and said as he would to Lu Jianuo:

"Watch out for surprises."

This time, he spoke in Dutan.

"Understood," Maxlo said—he'd followed Louis Berry the great adventurer long enough to be used to his style.

Lei Yasa, dressed in a thin suit, said nothing, his silence indicating no problem.

Lu Mi pulled the tinted "Secretsight Goggles" from "The Traveler's Satchel."

His first task tonight was to use this peculiar item to observe the "Xiso" house from different angles, to see if he could locate the source of its anomaly.

After double-checking his condition and preparations, Lu Mi put on the brown-gold-rimmed glasses.

The familiar dizziness arrived as expected, and everything around him appeared in his eyes, scrambled and reassembled.

He saw poisonous insects crawling everywhere in the "sky," saw the two walls spinning like a round dance, and saw a pool of underground water deep in the soil, as if it had absorbed all light.

(End of Chapter)