Early the next morning, before the nine o'clock meeting, the three Hestads came to the fourth deck.
The moment the elevator opened, Si Lei hesitated slightly. Rico and Hesta looked sideways at the same time, "What's wrong?"
"I just suddenly remembered the 'day activity suggestions'," Si Lei took a deep breath, "You can't enter the deck until you become a guardian——"
Rico laughed out loud: "Don't be afraid at all, look."
She pushed Hesta's wheelchair out, and the two of them turned around half a circle on the fourth deck and looked back at Si Lei.
"I'm not afraid," Si Lei responded and quickly explained, "I just suddenly felt a little different."
Before leaving the car, Si Lei pressed the digital key on the first floor, and the elevator quickly began to move downward.
Rico noticed this action and said, "As expected of a police officer, he is very attentive."
Si Lei sighed, "Actually, it doesn't make any sense. Someone will notice it sooner or later."
"Relax," Li Ge patted Si Lei on the shoulder, "In a few days, many people will probably come to you to be their guardians - you will have a headache by then."
Si Lei also laughed: "There are quite a lot of young people on our ship. Logically speaking, there should already be many guardians."
"Not necessarily." Hesta thought for a moment, "The previous 'Ship Card Usage Regulations' mentioned that becoming a guardian requires a 'certification' procedure. This information has been included in the "Guide" so far and has not been published. .Except for Gobelin and a few people around him, not many people should know."
"What if he secretly asked someone to go through the formalities?"
"It's also possible that René should have heard of it."
"He was at odds with Gobelin, or maybe Gobelin skipped him," Si Lei thought for a while, "That's not an option. I'll go down to find someone later and ask where I can find the list of guardians on the ship."
"That's better." Hesta took off the pen from his chest. "You can try it with this. Are you saying that the 'adjudicator' needs a 'list of existing guardians'?"
Si Lei took the pen and inserted it into the inner pocket of his coat.
A few people walked slowly inside. The fourth deck was almost empty. There were no crew members here. However, the decorations in the public area were rarely dusty and seemed to have been taken care of.
After walking around this deck, the three of them came to the conclusion at the same time - this deck is really nothing special. Maybe they can go to the captain's cabin to find out if there is a real floor plan so that they can compare and check. Are there hidden spaces?
"There are quite a few rest areas." Rico looked around and sat down on a dark red leather sofa. She looked at the wine cabinet not far away, "There is also wine on the bar. It looks like A place to chat.”
Not far away, Si Lei stopped in front of a large bookshelf. Judging from the spines, most of the books here were in the literature and philosophy categories. She stood on tiptoe and took down a large tome from a high place.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"So light..." When the book fell into Si Lei's hands, she almost immediately realized that it was a fake book, an exquisite empty shell.
Si Lei took down many books again and looked at them. Every one of them was like this.
Hesta looked at it from a distance and couldn't help but said: "There are quite a lot of these things in Tanglar's house. These people who don't study-"
"There seems to be something." Si Lei suddenly turned around, "Listen."
Si Lei shook the book case in his hand, and a faint shaking sound came from inside.
Rico stood up and said, "Open it and take a look?"
Si Lei effortlessly opened the glue-sealed paper shell, and a white envelope fell down with a lacquer seal on the edge. She tore open the letter and saw her name at first sight. She glanced at Hesta and Rico.
"It's for me."
The expressions of Hestad and Rico became serious at the same time, and Si Lei came to Hestad with the letter.
Unfolding the letter, it revealed familiar content.
Dear Ms. Si Lei:
This is a dinner invitation that belongs only to you. We will host a welcome banquet for you at the Bishop Restaurant on the sixth deck at a certain time today. Please be sure to come.
As the only protagonist today, we have prepared a brand new custom-made dress for you. It's placed in the lower drawer of your wardrobe. In addition, you need to pick up some jewelry by yourself before the dinner starts, including two sapphire earrings or a scepter brooch. Please go to the Hard Rock Bar on the second floor during working hours (19:00-3:00 the next day) and report to the duty staff the bartender asked.
If you do not want to come, please choose an elder to vouch for you before the dinner begins. If she is that trustworthy person and you complete the necessary procedures, the dinner will be postponed.
Looking forward to your arrival.
Sincerely yours
albodonica
"In which book was this found?" Hesta asked.
"It's not a book..." Si Lei replied, "There's no title on it."
Li Ge quickly stepped forward and picked up the paper shell that Si Lei had just torn open. It looked like a large matchbox. The original spine was printed with red sandpaper, and the book cover had a very common third area. Match brand poster.
Hesta glanced at the bookshelf again, "There are so many book covers on the shelf over there, why did you take this?"
Si Lei stared at the pattern on the paper shell and did not answer.
"Officer Si Lei?"
Si Lei raised his head, "...I usually collect matchboxes."
Rico was surprised for a moment, "How cool!"
"...and the thing I brought most in my luggage this time was matchboxes, all kinds of matchboxes," Si Lei frowned, "Does this have something to do with it?"
"Your suitcase was—"
"It was checked. I didn't touch it after boarding the ship. It was sent directly to the room." Si Lei replied in a low voice, "I strictly followed the first invitation letter."
The three of them were silent for a moment.
"In short, there is nothing to worry about," Rico said first, "You don't have to be afraid at all, we are here."
"...I'm just curious as to why this letter was sent to me."
Hestad, who had been reading the letter, suddenly said: "Actually, this letter is still different from Gustav's."
The other two people came over, and Hesta pointed to the "she" in the last paragraph of the article.
"The invitation to the night banquet that Gustav received before, is this 'him'?"
"It seems so?" Li Ge said in an uncertain tone. She looked at Si Lei, "I can guarantee it for you, double guarantee."
Si Lei laughed and pointed at the first half of the sentence again.
"'Please choose an elder before the party begins' - are you?"
"……I could be the one."
"There aren't many people on this ship who can be my elder. If it's a woman, there's only one left."
Rico and Hesta looked at each other again.
"There is something we haven't told you clearly, but you can guess it..."
(End of chapter)
