"Why is it that every time someone dies, you're always there?"
"And why are all the traces of magic conveniently erased? You're always at the scene, Mr. Necromancer."
"If you're so sure you're not the culprit, then why sneak back here like a thief?"
"I'm calling it—you're definitely the murderer!"
Ah, the classic mortal triple-threat accusation: blame, guilt, and a little extra slander for good measure. Cyd stood there, arms crossed, silently watching the spectacle. Valetta, a representative from the Cordlington family, was angrily pointing at poor Welsh, while Welsh could only sputter and beg for mercy.
It was a scene right out of a bad drama.
Their logic wasn't flawed per se, but it was biased—a personal vendetta. Valetta clearly had her own agenda, and standing next to her was another woman, one who smiled so serenely it was almost unnerving. She was the type of person you'd never suspect to twist the knife, but she was none other than Kairi Sisigou's infamous colleague, Reines.
Cyd wasn't buying any of it. He could tell by the way the two women eyed the workshop—like they were just waiting for an excuse to take it over.
"Detective, help me!" Welsh pleaded, his eyes wide with desperation as he crawled—literally crawled—toward Cyd.
Why was he crawling? Well, Reines had tied him up with some mystical white fabric the moment he tried to run.
"Relax, I believe you." Cyd bent down, gently unwrapping the bindings. With a flick of his fingers, the cloth fell away like a discarded chain.
For the first time, Reines's calm mask cracked.
Lord El-Melloi II groaned, massaging his temples. Gray, standing nearby, looked confused while everyone else's reactions ranged from bored indifference to mischievous amusement.
"Detective!" Welsh cried out again.
Reines glanced at El-Melloi. "And who, pray tell, is this?"
"The detective I hired," El-Melloi answered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "He predicted you'd try to arrest Welsh here, so we came straight from the tomb to find the evidence that'll clear his name."
"As expected, my friend," Cyd said, flashing a light grin as his fingers interlaced in front of him. "In the world of magic, you need to think beyond logic."
"Intriguing," Reines said, her smile returning as she turned to leave. Valetta shot Welsh one last glare before trailing behind her.
"Phew…" Welsh let out a long breath of relief.
"You're not off the hook yet," El-Melloi II reminded him. "We've bought time, but we still need to clear your name."
"Yeah, about that," Welsh scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Master, I actually need a favor first."
"Another favor?" El-Melloi raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think we should focus on proving your innocence first?"
"No, this is just as important," Welsh insisted, his gaze firm enough to make El-Melloi pause.
"Fine. We've got some time, thanks to Cyd. Might as well make them wait a little longer." Cyd stretched lazily. "Besides, I could use a bath myself."
El-Melloi groaned again.
"You coming?" Cyd shot him a playful wink.
"Oh my, brother, you should! It's a great way to bond~" Reines teased with a wicked grin. "And don't feel self-conscious about your body~"
"Enough, all of you," El-Melloi sighed in resignation.
"Alright then, let's go," Lionheart said, clapping Cyd on the shoulder. "I'll show you the way."
"I'm feeling the urgency here, guys," El-Melloi muttered sarcastically.
"Master?" Gray tilted her head.
"Nothing, Gray. You go rest too."
"I'm not tired, Master!"
El-Melloi looked at her, then at Welsh.
"It's fine," Welsh said. "Nothing shady, I promise. Follow me."
The bathhouse turned out to be a lavish retreat, and Cyd sighed contentedly as he sank into the warm water. "Ahhh, now this… this is luxury. No wonder some people never want to leave places like this."
Lionheart, sitting next to him, pointed at the ornate box Cyd had brought in, as well as the black, scaly hand that was resting on the edge of the tub. "You even bring that box everywhere? And… is that… a dragon hand?"
"You should be thankful she can't hear you right now," Cyd chuckled. "Otherwise, this bath would be a lot more… red."
"Well, in that case, you'd better save me," Lionheart said with a casual shrug.
"Nope, I'm off-duty. I'm relaxing." Cyd sank lower, leaving just his face above water, a trail of bubbles rising to the surface.
Lionheart smirked, closing his eyes. "Yeah, that's real reassuring."
Neither of them noticed when the door opened.
"Well, well, isn't this a coincidence," came a familiar voice. Reines, wrapped in a towel, was standing there, adjusting her glasses.
"It's not a coincidence," Cyd muttered without even looking up. "We put a sign outside."
"No, we didn't," Lionheart mumbled as he sank into the water as well.
"Okay, fine, it's a coincidence," Cyd admitted with a lazy wave of his hand.
"Relax," Reines said, casting a glance at the black box before heading towards the sauna. Valetta followed behind her, shooting one last suspicious look at the two men.
As they disappeared into the sauna, Cyd opened his eyes. "How about we trade some information?"
"Aren't detectives supposed to solve cases on their own?" Reines's voice floated from the other room, but there was a hint of amusement in it.
"If I've already gathered enough clues, why waste time going over them again?" Cyd stretched, lazily. "Solving the case quickly benefits you too, doesn't it?"
Reines chuckled softly. "True. Aside from our disagreement over who the culprit is, we're on the same side here. As for necromancy, you've got an expert right beside you. What I will say is that Cordlington has a vested interest in this workshop. We're still piecing together his endgame, but the real issue is stopping the workshop's rampage."
"So… you haven't figured out anything, then?" Cyd raised an eyebrow.
Reines's eyes narrowed. "Blunt, aren't you? Every bit of evidence points to Welsh. Every time he returns, someone dies."
Cyd's lips curled into a sly smile as he raised his left wrist. "Well then, how about we test that theory? Tell me… who's next to die tonight?"