If it had been the Charlot of the past, he might have answered holy. But now, Charlot simply smiled faintly and said, "Perhaps Senior Menielman will join the Navy."

  Mrs. Pascal smiled slightly and replied, "Perhaps."

  It seemed she had achieved her purpose and soon took her leave.

  Charlot lingered in his office for a while, dealing with some administrative tasks before leisurely slipping away to head home.

  He hadn’t made pns to meet Aoday. The talented Miss Bretagne was busy preparing for her final exams. Despite her brilliance, she could not ighe uy’s rules and would be unavaible for a few days.

  Charlot took a public carriage to Elysée Avenue, had a meal, and theuro 58 Elysée Avenue.

  Since his spiritual abilities had advanced, his cultivation speed had risen to a new level. Blood Glory was nearing a breakthrough, and upourning home, he immersed himself in interaining.

  Hours ter, the bloody vortex in his heart underwent an ued transformation. tless delicate, pale golden runes appeared, f a wondrous structure resembling a tiny golde.

  A raordinary ability had quietly emerged.

  Bloodfire Qi!

  Bloodfire Qi was the foundation of the vampiric secret arts of House Adonis. It was also one of the Thirteen Miraculous Teiques of Blood Glory, created by the great human philosopher Protagoras.

  A crimson aura of fme emanated from Charlot’s body, and the Vampiric Axe hanging on the wall also began to glow with blood-colored fmes. The two streams of Bloodfire Qi resonated with each other. The axe, like a homing bird, flew from the wall into Charlot’s hand.

  Thrilled, Charlot opened his eyes. The Vampiric Axe circled around his hands, as if guided by an invisible force, and shot forward like lightning.

  Just as it was about to strike the wall, Bloodfire Qi erupted. The axe froze mid-air, its bde trembling with a faint hum.

  With a gesture, Charlot summo back to his hand.

  This was the foundational fun of Bloodfire Qi, the bedrock of the vampiric secret arts of House Adonis and one of the most powerful Thirteen Miraculous Teiques of Blood Glory. Bloodfire Qi could sear an enemy’s life force while replenishing its master’s vitality. It also amplified the lethality of ons and created a subtle liween on and wielder, allowing the on to be summoned back with a mere thought.

  In Charlot’s mind, however, he wasn’t merely thinking about recalling ons. Instead, he sidered a bat skill that Protagoras, strained by his knowledge system, had never envisioned or developed.

  Telekiitrol!

  The image of himself trolling the flying axe to strike down enemies from a hundred paces filled Charlot with excitement.

  His predecessor had been mediocre in swordsmanship and poor at close bat.

  Charlot had ied these shortings and also disliked grappling with enemies. If he could wield the Vampiric Axe through Bloodfire Qi for le battles, Charlot felt he would be unstoppable.

  The Empire's bureaucratic system favored Transdents. With extraordinary abilities, they could achieve merit far more easily than ordinary people, using their aplishments for promotion.

  Eveer than the Imperial Bureaucratic System, however, was joining a reized church of the Supreme Gods. With a divine appoi, one could enjoy many privileges.

  Unfortunately, joining a church meant forsaking worldly power and living under restrictive does, such as lifelong celibad the prohibition of private property. It was incredibly inve.

  Having transmigrated into this world, Charlot had no iion of being a Western monk.

  Bonded with the Vampiric Axe, Charlot now had a newfound fondness for the on. He pced it ba the desk and reed on the sofa to cultivate Blood Glory further. By four or five iernooe two croissants and decided to take a walk.

  Initially, Charlot hadn’t po leave the house, tent to spend the day at home. However, the breakthrough in Blood Glory, with the emergence of Bloodfire Qi—one of the most powerful Thirteen Miraculous Teiques—had left him too exhirated to sit still. A walk would help him regain his posure.

  Log the door behind him, Charlot wandered down the alley, entering the bustling Elysée Avenue.

  This 2,600-pimi-long ercial street was still lively, even at this hour, with people and carriages passing by in droves.

  At four or five iernoon, most shops on Elysée Avenue would remain open for awo or three hours. The Fars Empire cked streetlights, so even the busiest streets closed by dusk.

  Charlot strolled for half an hour, visiting four or five shops without finding anything of i. Just as he was about to head home, someone called out his name.

  Looking up, Charlot saw a slightly worn but dignified carriage speeding towards him. Leaning out of the window was a youthful aiful girl waving at him—his former fiancée, Sylvie Martin.

  Sylvie radiated happiness, her smile as bright as a flower. Clearly, she had entered some good fortune.

  Over the past few days, Sylvie had been leaving early aurning te. Charlot never asked about her whereabouts, but seeing her so cheerful, he couldn’t help but ask, "Miss Sylvie, what’s brought you such joy?"

  The carriage stopped beside him, and another woman alighted alongside Sylvie.

  The woman was tall and graceful, with an athletic figure. She appeared to be ie twenties, with golden hair pinned ly behind her head. She wore a hunter’s outfit and carried a slender walking stick. Her ke-blue eyes, finely sculpted features, and elegant bearing made her as beautiful as the talented Miss Annie Bretagne.

  Of course, she couldn’t pare to Menielman Soumet. Niamed the Empire’s First Rose, Miss Menielman’s beauty was so unparalleled that even the mere act of paring other women to her could provoke duels oreet.

  Sylvie introduced them. “This is my cousin, Charlot Meburg.”

  “And this is the kind Miss Venie, who helped me recover my lost luggage.”

  The ced a hand on her chest and performed a graceful Imperial salute. Her voice leasant and fident. “Venie Arsenault, president of the Cat Detective Agency. I’ve heard you work at Kilmainham Prison, Mr. Meburg. If I ever have a case requiring your expertise, may I seek your assistance?”

  Charlot smiled faintly. “By all means, Miss Venie. Feel free to reach out whenever needed.”

  Sylvie added enthusiastically, “It’s perfect timing! Miss Venie’s detective agency was hiring, so she went to the city gover, retrieved my records, and transferred my employment. I’m nopreective!”

  Charlot was slightly taken aback. Though their e had been annulled, he still felt pelled to offer advice. “Have you given it proper thought? The pay for private employment is nowhere hat of a civil servant.”

  The National Institutes mainly traialent for various levels of gover, though graduates could seek private employment. However, private jobs offered fewer bes, and few chose them over post.

  Sylvie replied, “I’ve looked into it. If I were assigo the tryside, I’d bee a Level Three Registrar with little ce of promotion for years...”