School was over for the day, and I was in front of the Phantom Thief Club.
Kei wanted me to go and see what Rio’s intention was with the challenge.
I held my hand out to knock on the door, but before I could, it slid open, and Rio came out.
Wagh!
We almost bumped into each other, so I had to dodge to the side.
“Whoops! Ah, Asuka! Perfect timing. I was just going to see you.”
Rio was looking for me?
“I actually stopped by to talk with you…”
Hearing this, Rio gave a big nod.
“That’s what I thought, and I think we want to discuss the exact same thing.”
So the public challenge from this morning?
“Let’s go.”
Huh? Go where?
Rio grabbed my hand and started walking with vigor, pulling me along with her.
Hey, waaait!
✦ ✦ ✦
The luxury vehicle came to a stop.
For some reason, I was riding inside it.
It stopped before a large gate.
When Rio brought me out of the school, she’d taken me to a jet-black luxury car that’d been waiting for us, which we both hopped into.
The car belonged to Rio’s family! And the inside had these really fancy seats, with up to four people able to sit in the back facing each other.
And not only that! We were even served tea.
I couldn’t actually get myself to drink the tea, though, because I was afraid of spilling it. Daiki and Kento—in addition to Rio, obviously—drank their tea without even giving it a second thought.
Not five seconds passed before—
HUMMM—
—a low humming sound could be heard as the gates slowly opened.
Whoa, cool!
I didn’t have time to be surprised, though, as the car started up and drove through the gate. Beyond it, there was a place like a giant royal garden with sprawling, well-kept green trees and flowers blooming everywhere.
Before long, we could see a building that had been hidden from the gate.
“What is this place…?”
My eyes went wide as I gazed up, taking in the sight of it. It was a three-story brick house, but you could tell just by looking at it from the outside that it was absolutely ginormous. It had the width of maybe five normal houses…
Is this where Rio lives?!
The car parked just a little bit in front.
“Welcome home, Madame.”
An older gentleman with graying hair and a tailcoat opened the door for us.
“I brought some friends with me, Jeeves. Please take them to the guest lounge. I will get changed.”
“Very well, Madame.”
The man in the tailcoat bowed his head down as he said this.
J-Jeeves?! Is this man a real live butler?! I’ve never seen one of those before!
“I’ll head up for now. I’ll see you guys soon.”
Rio handed her bag to a maid who was waiting nearby before walking inside.
✦ ✦ ✦
Uh…
I was trying to process everything that was going on.
“You okay, Asuka? Your mouth is open,” Daiki said while holding back a snicker.
Aw, geez!
Daiki and Kento must’ve been used to this, because they seemed entirely unsurprised. Seeing as they’d been friends with Rio since middle school, it made sense.
Would it kill you to maybe let me know about this a bit sooner…? I only learned that Rio was from a rich family this morning, too.
Hmm…
I looked at the two with jealous eyes while the butler spoke up.
“Allow me to take you to the guest lounge,” he said, before walking toward the building.
The building was so overwhelming that I almost forgot how to walk, when…
“C’mon, let’s go.”
“Rio’s waiting for us.”
…Daiki and Kento, who’d already taken a few steps forward, turned around to call out to me.
I—I know!
I jogged to catch up to them.
When the butler reached the front door, which was a big double door, it opened up.
“Please come in.”
The butler smoothly guided us through.
“Whoa…”
A gasp escaped my mouth when I entered the foyer.
The ceiling was high and shaped in an arch with fancy lights running along it. The floor was made of marble, and about twenty-five to thirty feet ahead of us stood large marble pillars that extended to the roof.
It felt like the entrance to a luxury hotel!
“Every time I come here, I have to remind myself this is a house,” Daiki said with a bit of a wry chuckle.
That’s for sure…
Even just the foyer was enough for my entire house to fit in.
“Follow me to the guest lounge.” The butler closed the door behind us and walked ahead again.
Oh, right. I’m here to hear Rio out. I can’t let this super-fancy house make me forget what I came here to do.
That being said, it was strange to go into somebody’s house and not take my shoes off. The butler brought us down a hallway with a red carpet. And boy, was it a long hallway! Though I could see the other end, it had to be at least a hundred feet long.
“Here is the lounge.”
The butler stopped halfway down the hall in front of a door, which I guess was the guest lounge.
Inside the lounge were a big sofa and table, and a window that let sunlight into the large open room. There were paintings of landscapes on the wall, and a flower vase that had lavender in it.
“Whew…”
I finally started breathing again when the butler eventually left. I was getting really nervous; I think I just wasn’t used to places like this.
“Look, it’s today’s newspaper.”
Kento picked up a newspaper that was on the table. It was the same one that I’d read earlier that morning.
“Did you see this, Asuka?” Daiki asked.
“I did. I was surprised when I learned Rio came from such a wealthy family.”
Knock, knock.
There was a knock on the door before it opened, and Rio joined us in the room.
“Sorry for the wait.”
Rio had changed out of her uniform into jeans and an orange-and-red checkered shirt. It was the first time I’d seen her out of uniform, and her more rugged style really suited her. I’d assumed she would come out in a fancy dress or something, seeing as everyone had been calling her “Madame” only a few minutes ago.
“Okay, let’s get right to it!” Rio said, before looking over at the butler behind her. “Jeeves, did you get the thing I asked for?”
The butler had a small box decorated with white and brown colors.
“I want you guys to see this,” Rio went on.
With polite hand gestures, the butler opened the box.
Wait, isn’t this the…?
“This is the Red-Hot Crown.”
Whaaaaaat?!
“I mean, I knew you owned it because it was written in the challenge letter, but I guess I thought you would have it kept somewhere a little safer…”
“It’s fine. We have enhanced security all around the house right now.”
I looked out the window, and there were big men wearing black suits outside.