When I got home, River and Shin were still sleeping. I don't know what nightmare they had but the whole room was a mess and their limbs were pointing everywhere like a starfish.
Looking at the sorry excuse of a room, my mouth can't help but hung open.
"Did a tornado shape here or something?"
I was stupefied at the sight.
'I mean, Shin is one thing but even River? I guess the sleeping drugs work too well.'
Shaking my head, I dragged their bodies back to their respective beds and tucked them inside the blanket before changing back to my normal clothes.
I burned the ones I wore last night. I even frowned when I did so since they cost quite a lot. After that, I prepared a simple breakfast and headed back to the bedroom with a coffee.
Coffee always helped me think that's why I was at a coffee shop when writing my first book.
Taking a sip, I looked over the paper-decorated corner of the room.
"Shin, that thief, he's really skilled."
My amazed voice echoed in the room as I looked at the scattered blueprints on the floor.
These documents outlined some areas found in the Pheregor section.
Though I wanted to, I knew it was impossible to gather the blueprints of the whole section of Pheregor. It probably exists but we didn't have the resources to acquire it.
At least as of now, we don't.
That's why I encircled the areas where I suspected the ceremony to happen. The places were nothing short to a guess or deduction but most of them are considered isolated or abandoned.
Further observing the areas, I figured that were were too many of them.
My eyebrows started to knit together.
"Let's do some eliminating."
Grabbing a pen, I eliminated the ones near the main streets. Why so? Because the location raises the risk of both the children and enemies escaping when chaos strikes.
If they make it to the main streets, they'd have a higher chance of escaping through the crowd and alleys.
Next in the elimination were places that I considered to be too far from their main base.
"Why are you eliminating that?"
Suddenly, a groggy voice spoke behind me.
I didn't even need to look back to see who it was.
Why, who else would be in the room with me but them?
River was also awake. I knew since there was a silent yet detectable presence beside the person that spoke just now.
Behind, the two of them were watching me cross out places on the map.
"Dark-san?"
Shin asked again, thinking that I hadn't heard him.
Although I wanted to teasingly ignore him, this was not the time for that.
"The farther they are to their main bases means that it will take a long time to transport their products. It exposes the children to more risk of getting kidnapped. Also, longer transport means higher payment."
I answered and stepped back, observing more places to eliminate.
Reaching my arms out, my forehead creased as I clutched the empty air.
"What the hell?"
I was about to sip from my coffee when I noticed that I wasn't holding it anymore. The culprit? A certain vampire with a bandaged head.
He raised the cup and nodded slightly.
"Thanks."
"How dare you."
"What?"
He tilted his head to the side with a questioning look in his face.
"You son of a bitch."
A vein must've been visible on my forehead but River, who obviously saw it, pretended to be unaware and even shrugged his shoulders.
My eyes widened and a scoff managed to escape my lips before I can stop it.
"Ho! You shameless... did Shin's hobby of stealing rub off on you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean-"
SIIIIIIIIIIP.
"Ahh."
He took a long sip and smiled, letting out a groan of delight while enjoying the delicious coffee I made for myself.
Byt this point, heat rose from the top of my head.
"You bastard!"
"Dark-san."
"Shin, he did that purposely. I know he did."
"Calm down."
Hearing Shin's voice, a string of reason appeared in my head and I started taking deep breaths.
'Huu. Huu. He's right. I need to calm down.'
I would have disregarded it if it was anyone else but this came from Shin, who had the shortest circuit, so that's saying something.
After a few more deep breaths, I looked at River with twitching eyes.
'What in the world did I do to him? I mean, sure I drugged him but he doesn't know that. Seriously. What the hell triggered this vampire so early in the morning?'
River, who saw me looking lovingly at my cup of coffee, stopped drinking.
Seeing that, my mood began to lighten.
"Hm? Are you going to give it back to me? There's only half left but that's fine-"
SLUUUUUUUUURP!
River smirked and took a big slurp of my delicious coffee.
At this point, I kicked my reason off the door and latched my hands to River's neck. He immediately held my shoulder with one hand while used to other to raise the coffee out of my reach.
Frustrated, I screamed at him.
"Stop! That's mine!"
"I don't see your name in the cup."
"You-"
Before I could start cursing him to go die in a ditch, I saw Shin nudging the Pheregor's main mansion with his elbow in the corner of my eyes.
"Dark-san, why don't they just do the ceremony in the safest place?"
Hearing his question, I stopped trying to trap River to a death choke with one hand which, by the way, wasn't working at all. I still glared at him though. Then I dragged the pen on my other hand, which was on its way to write my name on the cup of coffee, back to where the map was.
"That's also not possible."
I answered and crossed out the main bases located in the section.
Out of all the areas, this was the only place I encircled that was neither abandoned nor isolated. But that was before I knew that the houses aiming for the children were not just one but two.
With a clear voice, I explained why the main bases aren't part of the places we should look out for.
"The Pheregor household knows they can't avoid a fight. No matter who wins at the end of the battles, holding the ceremony at the main base where damage is sure to be a lot would make a huge loss of facility."
"I see."
Shin nodded, understanding my point.
"Then, can you cross these out too? I think they won't do it there."
He pointed at the forests part of the section, symbolized by little images of trees.
'Hm? They're perfect location.'
I started thinking of why the ceremony can't be held there but in the end, nothing came to mind.
Confused, I turned to look at Shin.
"Why won't they do it there? Most of them are just decently distanced from the safe grounds and they're good places for laying traps."
"I guess you don't know since you aren't a native here."
Shin shrugged his shoulders.
CLACK.
From the side, I saw a coffee cup being placed on the floor. Then River went to us after finishing my coffee. It seems that he's also interested in what Shin had to share.
I made a mental note to get him back later for what he did before focusing on Shin.
"The forests of the Black district are all demon-infested. For some reason, they don't leave the forests but if anyone were to go there, they weren't seen leaving."
"Really? That's interesting."
The creases in my eyebrows instantly ceased forming and a little voice started chuckling in my mind.
'Hehehe.'
At this point, I'd forgotten all the annoyance I felt from the coffee incident.
'Right, I was wondering where to find a demon. Problem solved.'
Nodding to myself, I kept in mind all the forests found on the map. Especially the ones found in the section under the jurisdiction of the Mammien household.
Why, you may ask? Because there's a person from the House of Greed that would make a good 'spy' for us. I should visit him later and drag him to a forest with me.
That is, assuming that my data is correct.
Though I doubt it, I can only hope the information got from last night is not wrong.
With that in mind, I listened back to Shin who, for some reason, was solely looking at me.
"So, don't go there no matter what."
"Noted."
I don't remember what he said but I still gave him a thumbs up and pretended that I listened perfectly.
"Haa."
Letting out a deep sigh on the side was River, who stopped crossing out the forest parts, and was now looking at me with his bandaged face.
His expression, while covered in a bandage, had a hint of doubt. Shin, who was beside him, had a similar look while gazing at me.
Once again, my eyebrows knitted together.
'Is this some kind of weird game?'
Tilting my head to the side, I gave them the same look they were giving me.
"River-san, you don't think he's-"
"Mm."
"No matter how bored he is, he wouldn't-"
"..."
Both of them were talking about something that seems to be just between the two of them. Their gazes on me intensified.
'What's going on? I'm feeling out of place.'
Feeling uncomfortable with their stares, I finally spoke up.
"What? Why are you both looking at me like that?"
Shin talked first, his voice sounded full of suspicion.
"Dark-san, you're not thinking of going there, are you?"
I pointed at myself before shaking my head and answering.
"Me? No, no. I won't. It's dangerous. Why would I go there?"
Flinching, I slightly regretted the action after noticing that I was a bit defensive about my reasoning.
Shin must've saw this because his face became blank.
Not wanting to see that, I turned to the side and paused.
'Hmm. It's not better over here.'
As I turned, I came face to face with River who was giving me the same blank look.
I shrugged and spoke in the most innocent tone as possible.
"What?"
"Liar."
"River, you don't believe me too? I am so hurt."
My hands flew to my chest part as if someone stabbed me.
Internally though, I was thinking of the things I would make the spy do. Ideas came in one after another like tidal waves.
'Hihihi. I can't wait to try it.'
Pushing the thoughts at the back of my mind, I pretended I was still hurt from their lack of trust.
"Ha!"
"Hm."
I heard them scoff at the same time and when I looked at them, they were already looking at each other. Their eyes held a hint of silent agreement which I did not understand.
"What are you guys worries about? I really won't leave."
Shin gave me a look of disbelief.
"You says that but you won't stop smiling. It's giving me an ominous feeling."
"Me too."
River nodded.
Shin turned to him.
"Should we chain him here or take turns in watching over this crazy bastard?"
"I'll buy the chains."
My mouth hung open at their cave-like discussion.
"Wait, wait, wait. Stop."
I immediately showed my disapproval by raising my arms and going in between them. Else, they might really buy some chains.
"Chains? Geez! I can hear you, you know? At least talk behind my back when I'm not here. Also, no one is buying chains."
"Yes, we are."
Shin answered.
I glared back at him.
"You aren't. End of discussion. And River, you coffee thief, drop the bag of coins."
Turning my head away from Shin, I glared at him.
'I haven't forgotten that you stole my coffee.'
"Why? It's not your money but his."
River answered and pointed at the gold-haired child beside him.
"Ukh."
Shin, after I took my eyes away from him, was stealthily putting some coins in River's pocket while thinking I wouldn't notice.
"Hahaha. Fine."
Letting go of my human reason, I decided to follow the instinct that's telling me to kill them right now.
I smiled at them and said.
"That's it. I'll hang Shin the moment you go buy some chains."
"What? Why me? River-san was the one who's going to buy them!"
Shin looked at me like I betrayed him or something.
I shrugged.
"And who gave him the idea, you bad influence?"
"Ho! I'm the bad one here? Who's the crazy bastard that keeps on making us think of such extremes measures, huh?"
Shaking my head, I waved my hand at the gold-haired thief and the coffee-thief.
"Anyway, don't worry. I'm not smiling because of that, you damn thieves. It's just that if we cross out the forests, we're left with one place."
Grabbing the pen from River, I pointed at the only remaining encircled area in the Pheregor section after the eliminations.
It was an abandoned, yet decently-sized manor.
Looking to the side, I observed the other two.
"All jokes aside, this should be the place we should keep our eyes into."
"Hm."
"Oh?"
Immediately, they both look serious and excited, especially Shin who was still angry at the fact that he was almost tricked to slavery.
Seeing this, I gave them their orders.
"River, go confirm if any changes happened at that place."
"Okay."
"Shin, try to acquire a more elaborate blueprint of the manor and its surrounding area."
"Got it."
They nodded in unison.
After that, we argued a little bit more about the chains and my stolen coffee during breakfast before the two of them left the house in a hurry.
As for me, I was getting ready to leave the house again for some matters.