Klein regretted opening the door this morning, wishing he had just lain on the couch rotting and merging with it. If he had done that, he wouldn't be in such a complicated situation as this.
'Why, out of all the members I could meet first, it had to be this guy?!' Klein lamented his luck this day, which seemed to worsen by the second.
Standing a few steps below him was the strongest member of the Tarot Club and the Blessed of a True God, Mr. Chariot!
'I never thought I would meet another member in this way. I always thought it would be on a secret mission on some secret island, and by that time, I would have gotten stronger... Not meet this guy like this in the afternoon while chasing a kid like a hungover predator!'
'No... it doesn't make sense! Why would a commission I just accepted this morning take me to meet Mr. Chariot? That's very strange!'
Noticing the problem and sensing that he could come up with something strange and dangerous. Klein was quick to go into semi-cogitation to empty his mind.
'It's alright, it's alright. Mr. Chariot is the blessed of the Scarlet Monarch, a True God. He must have several divine protections over him that I can't imagine. It is safe to be with him...'
Taking a better look at the man before him, Klein could not help but find himself at a loss for words.
While the newspaper had provided a decent description of the man and a sketch of his appearance, he could tell with absolute certainty that the drawing looked like trash compared to the real thing.
Fine features that looked like they had been drawn with an artist's brush, full lips, and captivating ruby eyes. With a body just as tasteful to match...
The way the clothes fit him now, too tight for his liking, Klein felt like he was committing a sin just by looking at him, and his straightness trembled a little.
' No doubt he's a demi-god, that face can't be human... And what about his body? It's too... sensual.' While he was very bitter at the thought of the latter, he couldn't deny it.
Adryan Kenway not only had a good face and a great body but was also blessed with curves he could give away in installments.
Klein could barely keep his eyes from falling to the man's chest. 'Perhaps he should consider wearing a bra for those mountains? That button is fighting for its life...'
Pfft
Klein controlled his body as if he were controlling a puppet. He felt like a passenger behind the wheel of a car and was grateful for this, as he almost burst out laughing. Putting on a serious expression, he gave a slight bow with his hand on his chest and said in a somewhat cold voice, "It is an honor to meet you, your highness."
The Blessed of Gods should be treated with the utmost respect.
"Why do you call me Highness? I'm not an Angel yet, you know? Besides, if that were the case, I should call you Highness, too. Mr. Moriarty?" Adryan provoked a little, smiling sideways.
'This guy...' He immediately understood what he meant.
He was giving his allusion as 'Blessed' of The Fool because they shared the same status and rank.
To his surprised relief, it seemed Adryan Kenway still remembered the order he had given not to say his name in vain. Of course, it no longer mattered at this point since everyone knew of the Fool's existence. But the thought is what counts.
'It's like giving a gold medal to myself in a game that I created, judged, and participated in...' Cursing internally, the clown decided to play along and not mention anything.
Keeping his expression cold and serious, Klein nodded. "You're right. My mistake; I didn't expect to meet you in such a way. What brings you to Lenburg, Mr. Kenway?"
'And how long will it take you to leave?' Saying the last in his mind, Klein did not change his expression.
Winking, Adryan said mysteriously, "You could say I'm here for the same reason you are."
'I have no idea what you're talking about...' Pretending to understand what he was saying, Klein nodded, "I see."
Smiling, Adryan turned away, his face twisting again and his hair blackening and shortening.
"Let's go find your target. Then we can talk more comfortably."
Finishing saying that, the now black-haired man pressed the Hangover Time crown, and the 'noise capsule' he had created by distorting space disappeared.
Barely controlling his expression, Klein watched with trembling pupils as the man returned to his 'disguise' and walked back down the stairs. Internally disappointed at that.
'Was this a test of some kind? What is the meaning of this Mr. Chariot, am I so much fun to annoy? You're annoying your Lord's ally! I should throw a bolt of lightning at you for scaring me like this!' Holding back all his annoyance and letting it express itself in his even colder gaze, Klein walked down the stairs following the man.
He wasn't worried that his conversation had been overheard; he was confident that someone as careful as Mr. Chariot, someone who had evaded the search for the 3 Churches with extreme ease, wouldn't let something like his conversation be overheard.
'Perhaps he made use of some power or artifact for that... Perhaps that pocket watch from before? It was very strange that only after he turned its crown did it decide to reveal itself. Which grade will it be, 3 or 2?' Lampooning a little, the clown silently followed the man down into the basement.
Just as he was about to try to communicate with signs to divide the search area, Klein was somewhat lost when he saw how Adryan kept walking straight ahead, not changing direction at any point and with purpose.
'Does he know where he is? How?' Hurrying, the clown followed the black-haired man. Looking around for any sign of where the boy might be.
They walked silently, the control over his body helping Klein keep his steps quiet while the Conspirator's movement was void of noise. The clown almost forgot he was there if it weren't for the fact that he was watching him.
But no matter how hard he looked, he could only see shelves and shelves full of documents and dust—no sign of anything anywhere.
'Doesn't look like he's using any powers, heightened senses?'
Before Klein could continue imagining the man's abilities, Adryan raised his arm and stopped him.
The taller man pointed a finger at a corner with an ordinary shelf.
Understanding the message, the clown nodded and began to move stealthily to the ledge. He lowered his center of gravity by hunching slightly to prevent the accident from happening earlier. In movements not unlike a black cat in hunting mode, Klein glanced sideways at the black-haired man, and seeing him on the other side, he nodded.
But contrary to his expectations, the man shook his head. He raised his right hand, and with boredom clear on his face, he clenched his fist.
No sooner had he done that than there was a screech from behind the mantelpiece followed by a thud.
A few seconds later, the clown watched with a flat face as a strangely frozen Ademisaul was dragged out of his hiding place as if a ghost had grabbed him. His face was always facing away from them, his arms and legs were glued to his body, and he had become like a plank.
Klein would have thought the guy was unconscious if it weren't for how big his eyes were and how they moved from side to side in alarm.
Without changing his expression, he turned to watch as Adryan gave him an amused look.
"This is where we keep documents and other important items. Why would I make a mess chasing an intruder if I can do this?"
"Thank you for your help." Klein placed his hand on his chest and gave a slight gentlemanly bow.
That Chariot had no trouble catching the boy who slipped past him several times didn't bother him much. It was a no-brainer: a starving, crazed child could do nothing against a Demigod, no matter how lucky they were.
The black-haired man nodded and looked at the boy he had tied up with his tripwires. Following an itch, he tapped his palm twice. The scenery became more vivid in his eyes, and the boy's aura manifested.
His aura was a dense, turbulent, slightly transparent silver that was broken in several places and didn't seem to be able to function correctly.
Turning off his spiritual vision, Adryan looked at the features of the boy, who was still staring around him in alarm and unable to move and found him familiar. An eyebrow rose internally.
'The half-monster boy Ademisaul? What is he doing here?'
Remembering a particular event in the original story and not wanting it to be repeated, Adryan pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and threw it at the boy's face. The handkerchief now covered his eyes, and he tied it with his threads in place.
Klein looked at this in surprise. 'Does he know he's Half Monster? Is that why he covered his eyes so he couldn't see him? Ademisaul looked at me once and wept blood; what if he looked at Mr. Chariot, a Demigod? He will likely die. Mr. Chariot knew of this possibility, and he acted accordingly...'
Sighing, the clown could only be thankful that one of his problems had been easily solved. There was still the bigger one, though.
Walking over to the boy, Klein carefully picked him up and placed him on his feet. The boy was still stiff. Seeing this, he gave the other man a look.
"You can let go now, Mr. Wayne. I've got him,"
Adryan rolled his shoulders and snapped his fingers. The strings that wrapped around the boy's legs surfaced, but only enough for him to walk; running would be impossible.
But even with what little mobility he had gained, he tried to break free and escape, but his attempts failed. Klein had a firm grip on his shoulder and would not let go, while the strings still wrapped around him made struggling impossible.
With Hangover Time at hand, Adryan softened his gaze, smiled sweetly, and said softly, "I meant you no harm. I want to help. Why don't we relax a bit, yeah? You're safe now.
"Come on, breathe with me. Breathe in... Breathe out..."
'I didn't know Mr. Chariot had such a... maternal side?' Klein pursed his lips a little, finding himself a little uncomfortable all of a sudden as he, too, suddenly felt more comfortable.
Watching the boy a little longer, the black-haired man considered enough and snapped his fingers. All remaining threads holding him back disappeared.
As soon as Ademisaul gained mobility again, he brought his hands to his head, clutching handfuls of hair and hunching over in a great hunch. In a broken, hoarse voice, he whispered:
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..."
"You're like a mom." His companion commented, but the black-haired man just rolled his eyes.
Sighing, he grabbed a chocolate bar from his shirt, opened it, and handed it to him, opening one of the young man's hands. "This is the only thing I have on hand, but it should do the trick of appeasing your hunger. Why don't you follow us? I promise I'll give you something tasty to eat."
Klein looked at this, somewhat confused. Why was Chariot carrying a chocolate bar? Did he have a sweet tooth?
Feeling the envelope in his hands, Ademisaul mumbled nonsensically as he nodded and ate the sweet quickly. But the more he ate, the less he mumbled, and the more he focused on the candy in his hands rather than the voices in his head.
Seeing that the boy was much calmer, Adryan turned to Klein.
"Let's go to my office. I want to talk to the boy for a while."
...
After leaving the basement and warning Eleanor that he would greet the detective and his 'captive,' Adryan led the duo to his office on the 4th floor.
Sitting back in his seat, the black-haired man looked at the young man sitting across from him, the clownish Klein sitting next to the boy.
Resting his cheek in his palm, the black-haired man said:
"Let's get things straight. I'm not mad at you. I want to know why you chose to break into my firm to hide?"
'He noticed the problem with our meeting, too?' Klein was slightly alarmed at the possibility that he wasn't as safe as he thought, but he kept his expression calm, observing the interaction calmly.
This was the first time he had controlled his expression with such fervor. Without Gray Fog to protect him, he had to become a statue.
Even with the blindfold over his eyes, Ademisaul clenched his fists and began to tremble slightly. The young man bit his lips hard.
"I had to run. Run! Not safe! Alley not safe! They want to hurt me! Kill me!"
While Adryan was shocked by what he said, he did not stop his assault.
"Who wants to hurt you?"
The boy bit his lips even harder and lowered his head.
"Them! The witches! The witches want to kill me!"
'What? But I didn't see anything in the divination about Gray Fog about this! Wasn't that grandfather what he thought he was? He was actually a woman using the shapeshifter ability?' Alarmed, the clown felt a chill run down his spine and he couldn't help but stare at the man in front of him.
There was no change in Adryan's expression, but Klein couldn't help but feel as if the man's gaze had sharpened.
"Why do you think that? That the witches are after you"
"Haha. The voices, my dreams, they all tell me danger. They had never said the same thing before, always different. But not this time. Haha! They all scream. Witches! Witches! Run away! Run away! hahaha! So I ran away, I jumped on a train when no one was..." The young man muttered and guffawed helplessly, his trembling increasing. His voice dying and he just stared at the ground.
"Is there anything the boy says that is familiar to you, Mr. Moriarty? I'm sure you didn't go to the trouble of looking for him without 'investigating' him first." Adryan asked looking at the detective who tensed for a second.
Not expecting the question, Klein took a few seconds to answer.
"No. This is the first I've heard of it." He said honestly.
'Something he didn't know about... Of course, Klein would never have taken the job if it was related to witches, something he can't deal with yet...' Thinking about it for a moment, Adryan sighed and closed his eyes.
"It seems this was a product of his uncontrolled Intuition. Showing him the danger he was in in a variety of ways." Flora broke into the conversation, though she was only heard by one of the three.
'Or it could also have been the hand of a certain author... But why him? Ademisaul had nothing special about him in the original story. Only functioning as a catalyst to warn Klein of the danger of the ritual and what it could cause without him knowing... Is this another change?' Wanting to confirm his doubts, he turned his attention to the detective.
If there was anyone who could tell him anything, it was him.
"What can you tell me about the boy? His family or if he has anyone? His history?"
"I don't know much of his story, but I'll tell you what I know." Klein gave a polite little nod and continued, "His name is Ademisaul and he lived in Tingen until a few weeks ago when he came here by train, he is Half-Monster and is an orphan but it is very likely that his grandfather is still alive and it was he who commissioned me to find him."
'It seems the situation is more complicated than I thought if Mr. Chariot is interested in who he is...'
'Ah~ Grandfather didn't exist before.' Gently cupping his chin, the Conspirator returned his attention to the bandaged child, who was still silent but rocking slowly.
"Well? Do you want to meet this strange man who claims to be your grandfather?"
"NO!" Ademisaul immediately answered, without a second's hesitation continuing with wet rivers down his cheeks, "Not safe... Not safe... But here I am, here I am..."
Feeling a tingle on the back of his neck, Adryan followed his intuition and asked, "Why do you think you're safe now?"
Stopping his wiggling. Ademisaul whispered, "Safe... Safe... Safe... The voices say..."
In a slow but sure movement, the boy removed his blindfold and looked directly at the man in front of him, an unfamiliar swirl in the depths of his slightly blurred dark-green eyes.
"That I will be safe if I found the Void..." Ademisaul said snappishly, clear, transparent rivers trickling down his cheeks.
"Looks like you have another problem on your hands princess." Flora said amused, a giggle escaping her.
Adryan just looked with no change of expression at the boy, his gaze curious, but his mind was already cursing his day.
'I need a drink.'