The scenery outside the window blurred by, and Cyd, like a child, fogged up the glass with his breath, drawing a little smiley face with his finger.
"Mr. Cyd seems curious about everything," Gray whispered to Reines, glancing at Cyd across from her.
Reines took a sip of her coffee, smiling. "Well, he did come from—"
"Ahem." Lord El-Melloi II cleared his throat, loud and sharp. "We're trying to have a serious discussion here."
Reines blinked in surprise, then glanced over at a bewildered Welsh Pelham Codrington sitting across from El-Melloi. She smiled sweetly. "My apologies. That was rather rude of me."
"No worries, the young lord won't mind," Sisigou chimed in, casually waving it off.
"Uh, yeah, I mean, I did ask for your help after all," Welsh said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
El-Melloi II exhaled a long-suffering sigh, shooting a tired look at Reines. She averted her eyes, clearly aware she'd crossed a line, but too smug to show it.
"So… could we get to the point?" El-Melloi II finally asked, lifting his coffee cup as if it was the only thing holding his sanity together.
"Huh?" Welsh tilted his head, a bit lost.
"This should've been handled by the Spirit Evocation Division. Why did you come to me?" El-Melloi's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. While he wasn't one to turn down jobs, especially with his current debt situation, he also wasn't eager to dive into more complicated messes.
Of course, I'm already neck-deep in one… he thought, glancing at Cyd, who was busy staring out the window, now holding a small purple-haired girl in his arms.
Wait. What?
El-Melloi blinked, eyes widening in disbelief.
Where did that girl come from?
He rubbed his eyes, and just like that, the girl was gone.
"Uhh… I already explained everything," Welsh muttered, knocking gently on the table to get his attention.
"Sorry, could you repeat that? I've been… distracted lately," El-Melloi apologized, massaging the bridge of his nose. Judging by Reines' stifled giggles, it wasn't all in his head. There had been a girl there.
These heroes… they always find new ways to make my life harder.
"Right, uh… like I said, my family already reported this to the Spirit Evocation Division, but…" Welsh fidgeted, clearly aware of how troublesome this situation was. "They didn't get far, so I came to you."
"Great, the Spirit Evocation Division," El-Melloi II muttered, his expression souring. "So, you came to me instead."
Sisigou, familiar with how troublesome the Spirit Evocation Division could be, raised an eyebrow. "Looks like this is getting serious. What was your old man trying to do with that workshop? You ever try using necromancy to ask him?"
Welsh hesitated, looking pained. "My father… I'm not sure. Whatever he did, it's all been erased. Necromancy won't help."
"Well, that's just perfect," Sisigou said, his expression shifting to something more complicated.
"My, my, I thought the workshop was the main problem, but there's more to this, isn't there?" Reines said, her eyes narrowing, though the amused glint never left her face.
Gray, as usual, looked utterly lost. "Um, Master? What exactly is going on here?"
El-Melloi sighed. "Necromancy can call forth the lingering thoughts of the dead, but… not all spirits can be summoned. If someone tampers with the remnants…"
"It's like wiping fingerprints from a crime scene," Sisigou added, sighing. "At this point, we're better off leaving the workshop alone."
"What?!" Welsh stood up, looking stunned.
"You should avoid going back there," Cyd said, arms crossed. "By now, they probably suspect you. It wouldn't surprise me if someone's already lying in wait."
"No way! Could they really move that fast?!" Welsh sounded panicked.
"When it comes to magecraft and mysteries, the people in charge move as quickly as they need to," Cyd said, lifting a newspaper from the table and shaking it lightly. "Quite a few people have already died."
"I didn't do anything!" Welsh shot up, defensive.
"I know. I believe you," Cyd said calmly, glancing at the bracer on his left wrist. The crystals embedded within it, blessed by Hermes, glowed faintly. "That's why I'm giving you the right choice."
Sisigou nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, kid, I'd listen to him. He's rarely wrong about these things."
El-Melloi II stroked his chin, studying Cyd for a moment before nodding. "If they're serious, their response will be swift. Better to stay cautious."
Welsh was still trying to wrap his head around everything. He'd come here for answers, and suddenly, it felt like he was being pushed into hiding.
Reines smirked, taking another sip of her coffee. "Seems like things are about to get interesting."
Gray, still thoroughly confused, looked around at everyone, her face flushed with uncertainty. "Wait… what just happened?"
"Gray, it seems history isn't your strongest subject," Reines teased, setting down her coffee with a sigh.
"B-because I grew up in the countryside," Gray mumbled, pulling her hood further over her head.
"Well, that complicates things a bit," Reines mused, then raised a finger with a grin. "But all you really need to know is this: trust the judgment of the guy sitting across from you."
"Show some manners, Reines," El-Melloi II leaned back in his chair, but then sighed. "Though she's right. As complicated as this is, we can find a solution."
"So, dear brother…" Reines smiled, her tone turning syrupy sweet. "Wouldn't it be wise to set aside your pride and let him use his power for the benefit of the family?"
"Huh?" Welsh looked utterly lost. Why am I the only one who doesn't understand what's happening?
Cyd cleared his throat, standing up and offering a hand to Welsh. "I'm a detective, here at Lord El-Melloi II's request to help you. Due to some confidentiality clauses, I can't give you all the details. But trust me—I'll clear your name."
Welsh stared into Cyd's clear eyes, his earlier anxiety easing as he shook Cyd's hand. "Thank you. Please, help me."
El-Melloi II watched them, a bit dazed. There was something about Cyd's charisma—the way he reassured Welsh—that reminded him of a certain king from long ago. Even though their styles were worlds apart, the resemblance was uncanny.
Heroes really are something else…