Chapter 94

Chapter 3 Deciphering the Calling Card! The morning sunlight streams into the Hope manor bedroom as the Knight Order conducts their on-site investigation. “I see, I see. You’re saying that Earl Haushold Hedd, Viscount Shinobi, and Marquis Jet all conspired together to attack the Hope family.” Gray, chief of the Knight Order’s criminal investigation department, is questioning Christina and the others. “Then this blood-drenched clown Jack the Ripper shows up. He kills all the attackers but leaves without laying so much as a finger on any of you… How very convenient.” He gives Christina a skeptical look. “But it’s the truth,” she replies. “You understand that the most obvious deduction there is that Jack the Ripper is an assassin-slash-bodyguard in the employ of the Hope family.” “He isn’t! If he was, I wouldn’t make it so obvious.” “Maybe you made it obvious on purpose to throw off suspicion.” “Can you please be serious? The important thing here is that Earl Haushold Hedd, Viscount Shinobi, and Marquis Jet all tried to attack us. Isn’t it the Knight Order’s job to follow up on that?” Gray smiles and narrows his eyes. “Well, at the end of the day, that’s nothing more than the Hope family’s position on the situation.” “…Meaning?” “That you lured the three of them here to frame them. It’s another perfectly legitimate way to view things.” “Excuse me?! That’s absurd. They came armed and wearing masks!” “These were some clever men, and wary ones at that. They saw through your plan and had their guards wear masks and wait close by. It was a smart decision on their part…though sadly one that didn’t pay off for them.” “But Earl Hedd was wearing a mask himself! And besides, what proof do you have that the Hope family was planning anything of the sort?!” “We’re still investigating that. And besides, I merely proposed it as a possibility. Jack the Ripper is the talk of the capital right now. Who he is, what his goals are… And people suspect you, the Hopes, most of all.” “You’re going to treat us like culprits over a couple of dumb rumors?” “Oh, perish the thought. I’m just saying that the rumors are out there, that’s all. However, I can’t completely ignore public opinion, either. They’re afraid that Jack the Ripper will turn his violence on them next. Nights in the capital are quiet these days. Stores turn off their lights early, and the streets are empty. Everyone’s too afraid of Jack the Ripper to go outside. If this goes on and the unrest keeps growing, we’re going to have a witch hunt on our hands. That’s what we’re trying to avoid.” “That’s horrible…” “I’m not asking you to see things our way, but we’re in an awkward position, too. I spent all of last night getting asked why I didn’t investigate the Hope family sooner and getting shouted at to just lock you all up.” Gray gives her a pained smile. “Now, I have some work to get back to. Kanade and Cid, was it? I might need to talk to you separately at some point to get your testimonies, so I hope I can count on your cooperation. One truth prevails!” After striking the signature pose from Case Clawed, he flashes Kanade and Cid a grin and leaves. Christina slumps her shoulders, and Kanade goes over to console her. “Christina…” “At this rate, they’re going to end up treating my family like criminals.” “That’d be bad,” Cid Kagenou says as he gobbles down his expensive tea cake. “The Nightblades are definitely going to try to pin the blame on us. I just hope we can prove the Hope family’s innocence…” “By the way…Jack the Ripper left behind a message, right?” “Oh, you mean this?” Christina pulls a note out of her pocket. The Knight Order confiscated the original card as evidence. “WELL, HELLO, YOU BOASTFUL NIGHTBLADES HERE’S TO KILLING ALL THE NAUGHTY BOYS AND GIRLS I COUNT AND COUNT AND COUNT THAT’S ALL I EVER DO BUT EVERY SO OFTEN I LIKE TO PLAY MY LITTLE GAMES” However, she had the forethought to copy it down, and she reads it aloud. “There’s gotta be some meaning to it,” says Cid. “Consider how he left it behind and all.” “The ‘WELL, HELLO, YOU BOASTFUL NIGHTBLADES’ line means that he’s definitely targeting the Nightblades,” Christina insists. “And the ‘HERE’S TO KILLING ALL THE NAUGHTY BOYS AND GIRLS’ line means that Jack is going to kill them all,” Kanade says proudly. Christina shakes her head. “I can’t make sense of the last three lines, though.” “Yeah,” Kanade agrees. “I don’t get what ‘I COUNT AND COUNT AND COUNT’ means. ‘THAT’S ALL I EVER DO BUT’? What is he even counting?” “That’s a good question. Maybe dead bodies?” When Cid says that, Christina comes to a realization. “Jack the Ripper is using the numbers on the playing cards to count the dead Nightblades!” “In that case, is he saying that he usually counts the bodies with his playing cards, but ‘EVERY SO OFTEN I LIKE TO PLAY MY LITTLE GAMES’? As in, leaving these messages is a game to him?” Kanade asks. “I think you might have cracked it,” Christina says. Kanade lets out a disappointed sigh. “Well, that’s boring. I thought there was gonna be some sort of super-important hidden message.” “But it is important. Now we can be sure that Jack the Ripper’s goal is to kill all the Nightblades.” “Bo-ring.” As the two of them talk, Cid appears to notice something. He points at the note. “Oh, wow, gosh. The message can be read vertically, too.” “Huh? Really?!” “Let me see.” The other two peer at the message and come to the same realization in unison. “‘WHITE’?” says Kanada. “Could he be talking about Earl Korrupt White?” Christina wonders. “Who’s that?” “The leader of the Nightblades. He’s the one who owns the White Mansion, that huge manor on the capital’s outskirts.” “Whoa, that place is so fancy.” “The point is, Jack the Ripper’s next target is Earl Korrupt White. This card is a calling card. I’m impressed you noticed that, Cid.” “Oh, you know, we all have our moments.” “F-for the record, I was halfway toward spotting it myself!” Kanade says, sounding oddly competitive. “Good for you,” Cid replies. “But that isn’t the only meaning Jack the Ripper left for us in his message.” “What?! It isn’t?!” “Jack hid another clue in the card itself. As I recall, it was the ten of spades. Spades can symbolize winter, and the number maps to the week. In other words, that card was pointing us toward the tenth week of winter. And today just so happens to be the ninth day of that tenth week.” “That makes tomorrow the tenth day of the tenth week of winter,” Christina remarks. “That’s double tens. There’s no way that’s just a coincidence.” “So, uh, you mean Jack’s going to make his move tomorrow?” Kanade asks. “To sum it all up, Jack the Ripper is going to attack Earl White in the White Mansion on the tenth day of the tenth week of winter. Now that we know that, we can make some preparations of our own.” “But why would he tell us that?” Kanade’s question is a perfectly reasonable one. “It’s…strange, yes,” Christina agrees. “Right? Doing that kind of stuff is how you get busted.” When the two begin giving the matter some serious thought, Cid loudly clears his throat. “A-ahem. I think Jack the Ripper is wiser than we can possibly fathom, and after considering every possible option and outcome from his vantage point on high, he decided that this would be the optimal solution. I doubt normal people like us could ever understand his true goals, no matter how hard we think about it,” he says at top speed. A serious look crosses Christina’s face. “I think it’s possible…that Jack the Ripper is trying to tell me something.” “What kind of something?” “That, I don’t know. It just this odd sense that he is…” “The important question is, Do we tell the Knight Order and Nightblades about the secret message?” Cid says. “If the Knight Order tells the Nightblades, then they’ll be able to come up with countermeasures. Like, they might gather up all their forces so they can all attack Jack together or something. If Jack the Ripper still shows up, it should clear the Hope family from suspicion.” “But if we do that, then what’ll become of him?” “He’ll get killed, probably.” “Is he really our enemy, though? He could very well be another one of the Nightblades’ victims.” The light of conviction burns bright in Cid’s eyes. “Whatever his reasons, what Jack the Ripper is doing is murder. We can’t just stand by and condone that!” “But… No, you’re right. We should tell them.” With a dejected look on her face, Christina goes to tell Gray, chief of the Knight Order’s criminal investigation department. Alexia sips her fancy coffee in the Hope estate drawing room. “So that’s why the Knight Order was in such a panic…” She takes the note with Jack the Ripper’s message on it and hands it back to Christina. “I assume they’re going to be joining in on the plan to capture Jack the Ripper?” Alexia shakes her head. “They’re forming a perimeter around the White estate.” “Huh? They’re not going inside?” “The Nightblades have their reputation to uphold. They want to capture Jack the Ripper themselves. Actually, they probably won’t be satisfied unless they kill him. They’re scrambling to gather up all the forces they can. Tomorrow, the White estate will be full of the best dark knights from both polite society and the underworld.” “This has gotten way bigger than I expected… Is Jack the Ripper actually going to go there, do you think?” “No one would be stupid enough to attack Earl White, not with the defenses he’s mustered. It’s possible the message was a bluff, and the Ripper’s objective lies somewhere else entirely. It’s the obvious move, and the Knight Order is actively taking that possibility into account.” “But Jack the Ripper’s strength is on a whole different level,” Christina says. “You did tell me about how he completely overpowered that Wakoku martial master. Without exception, every martial master who’s journeyed here has been strong. If Jack the Ripper was powerful enough to trounce one that thoroughly, he must be supremely confident in his skills. Maybe he will go after all.” “Oh…” Christina lets out a small exhale. “You don’t seem happy about it.” “I know that Jack the Ripper is a vicious murderer, but is this really the way we want things to go? I just can’t help but wonder if he has some tragic past that made him into the killer he is… I think he’s been trying to tell me something.” “How about this, Christina? Tomorrow let’s go to the White estate. They won’t let us inside, but we’ll at least be able to watch over things outside with the Knight Order.” “Can we really?!” “The Nightblades won’t be happy about it, but being a princess has its perks sometimes. This way, we’ll be able to see things through to the end.” “Thank you so much.” Christina smiles. Alexia takes another sip of coffee, then quietly sighs. “If I may,” Christina begins, “you don’t seem too happy, either, Princess Alexia.” “Maybe not. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. And Claire still refuses to wake up.” “Is she going to be okay?” “Her doctor says her life isn’t in any danger, and that she’ll wake up on her own sooner or later. There’s something sketchy about that Mu woman, though.” “I don’t know. Cid says he trusts her.” “Yeah, and he’s a terrible judge of character.” “I think this has been harder on him than we might realize. She’s his only sister. He was so worried about her, he didn’t even want to stay at my house.” “He really cares about her that much? I never realized…” “He does. I’m jealous of how close they are.” “And here I’d written him off as heartless. Perhaps I should buy him some nice sweets from Mitsugoshi.” “I’m sure he would be delighted.” “I should certainly hope so. It would be a present from me, after all.” As Alexia’s expression softens, she abruptly gets down to business. “I spoke with my father yesterday.” “With King Midgar?” “I talked to him about everything that’s happening, and the stuff that happened before… I’d like to share this with you. It’s too much for me to shoulder all on my own.” Alexia proceeds to tell Christina about her conversation from the day prior. “How can you do this, Father?!” Alexia storms into King Midgar’s room. “Do what, Alexia?” her father replies calmly. “How can you just let the Nightblades get away with what they do?” King Midgar sighs. “This again?” “I’m not giving up until I get an answer, Father. And this isn’t just about the Nightblades! It’s about the group that’s pulling their strings from the shadows!” “Now, whatever are you talking about?” “It’s high time you stopped playing dumb, Father. I know it all. About the Cult of Diablos, about everything!” “Ah…” King Midgar lets out another big sigh. Then he closes his eyes in thought for a while. “Father…?” “Perhaps it’s time.” He opens his eyes back up. “Time for what?” “I was always planning on telling you eventually. About the Cult of Diablos.” “So you did know about them.” “The Cult of Diablos rules the darkness of this world. Standing against them would cost our nation dearly.” There’s steel in Alexia’s voice now. “And that means it’s okay to side with them?” “It means that it’s important to manage our relationship with them carefully.” “You changed the words, but you said the exact same thing.” “That’s what governance is all about. If we want to protect our nation, there are more important things than right and wrong.” “That’s a revolting thought.” “Governance is about more than simply vanquishing evil. If we’d tried that, our nation would have fallen ages ago.” “That doesn’t mean you can just get into bed with the Cult!” “We’re not in bed with them,” King Midgar says firmly. “What?” “I said we aren’t in bed with them, Alexia. The Midgar Kingdom has just carefully managed its relationship with the Cult, that’s all.” “I don’t see the difference.” “In no way does the Midgar Kingdom condone the Cult’s acts. And we’ve never assisted them, either.” “But the Cult is committing acts of evil here in our land! They have moles in our Knight Order!” “Those are individuals acting of their own volition.” “It’s the same thing! All you’re doing is willfully ignoring it!” “The Midgar Kingdom has never assisted the Cult of Diablos. However, we don’t censure their deeds, either. That’s how our nation has continued to survive for as long as it has.” “And so the Cult can just do whatever they want?” “They make sure to show themselves in public. They need us to continue serving as cover for them, and they used to know to keep a low profile.” “Do you not remember what happened at the academy?! Or how they kidnapped me?!! You call that keeping a low profile?!!” “They used to know. Up until a few years ago.” “What happened then?” “The Shadow Garden appeared.” “And that’s what triggered the change?” King Midgar rises from his chair and turns toward the window. He lays a hand on its glass as he stares out into the darkness of the night. “The world has transformed a lot in just a few short years. With Mitsugoshi reshaping things in the public eye and the Shadow Garden reshaping the underworld, society itself is going through an upheaval. Those unable to shift with the times are fighting the tide with all their might. We live in a time of tumult.” “You mean, the Cult of Diablos is panicking?” “They never would have taken such brash measures, not before. But the Shadow Garden threatens their very existence. They’re strained, and it’s starting to have side effects.” Alexia glares at her father. Her voice carries a hint of rage. “You call me getting kidnapped a side effect?!” “I do,” her father declares. “And you’re saying I should just be okay with that?” “As your father, I owe you an apology. You’re absolutely right.” With that, King Midgar offers her a deep bow. “Father…” “But as king, I have nothing to apologize for. And I am this nation’s king before I am your father.” “Father!” “Midgar lacks the strength to fight back against the Cult of Diablos. Their Knights of Rounds have lived for over a thousand years, and the Children who make up their combat forces are all enhanced with ancient knowledge. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that battles are won and lost based on the number and strength of dark knights involved. Against those Children, our foot soldiers can’t even serve as human shields.” “I know that, but…” Wars revolve around dark knights fighting dark knights, but that isn’t to say that common soldiers are completely worthless. When properly outfitted with anti-magic armor, ten regular soldiers are generally enough to hold off a single dark knight, and if the soldiers are skilled enough, they can even try to exhaust the dark knight’s mana reserves. It’s a standard tactic used on battlefields everywhere. However, that only works when they’re up against a dark knight of average skill. More powerful dark knights are capable of felling those same ten soldiers in a single blow. Years of training and heaps of expensive anti-magic armor, reduced to nothing in the blink of an eye. The Cult’s dark knights are capable of pulling that off with ease. “Nobody could defy the Cult, not with how overwhelmingly powerful their dark knights were. But now, things are different.” “Different how?” “The Shadow Garden’s arrival changed everything. There have been organizations that stood up to the Cult before, and naturally, we have our Knight Order. But none of them make it far.” “Not even our Knight Order…” Alexia thinks back to a man she met once—the head librarian, formerly of the Knight Order, who bore a machete in each hand and a look of absolute resignation in his eyes. “Everyone assumed that it wouldn’t be long before the Shadow Garden met the same fate. And the Cult felt the same. But that isn’t what happened. The Shadow Garden didn’t go down. To the contrary, they actually whittled away at the Cult’s strength. Nothing like it had ever happened before. Tales of the Shadow Garden spread through the underworld like wildfire. Everyone has their eyes on them with hearts full of hope.” “Why hope?” “The Cult rules this world. They want the Shadow Garden to end that status quo, and its leader is powerful enough to make them believe it’s possible.” “You mean Shadow…” Even now, Alexia still remembers the beautiful bluish-purple light Shadow fired off in the capital. It isn’t admiration she feels toward the light. She swore to herself that she would reach those same heights someday. “It isn’t just Shadow. His lieutenants are formidable as well. As an organization, they certainly have the strength to fight back. They might actually stand a chance of defeating the Cult. The prospect fills us with hope, but at the same time, we remain wary.” “Of what?” “Of the Shadow Garden taking over the world once the Cult of Diablos is deposed. Once the Cult is gone, there won’t be anyone left to stand in the Shadow Garden’s way.” “Oh…” As the librarian lay dying, he said the exact same thing. “If that ends up happening, we’ll be right back where we started. That’s why I need to be sure of just what kind of group the Shadow Garden is. That’s why I’m wavering. Unable to choose who to side with…” “And what do you plan on doing?” “What, indeed. Perhaps the best outcome of all would be if the Cult of Diablos and the Shadow Garden simply kept fighting each other forever.” “Father!” “I’m joking. To be quite honest, I don’t want to choose. But in every battle that marks a turning point in history, the powers that fail to choose a side always end up perishing. Eventually, I’ll be forced to make a decision, my feelings be damned. Siding with either may lead to us losing everything, but the choice has to be made nonetheless. That’s what makes momentous points in history so momentous.” “And you’re sure that turning point is coming?” “The Cult is panicking. The drastic moves they’re making these days are a sign of that, as well as their way of putting pressure on us. They want desperately for us to take their side. I had assumed the Shadow Garden would do the same thing, but…” “They haven’t reached out?” “Not yet. We’ve tried to make contact with them ourselves, but we can’t even figure out where they are. Now, there’s no guarantee the Shadow Garden actually needs us. That might be what’s happening here. And if that’s the case, then it leaves us with only one option.” The king gives Alexia a weary smile. “What about the Oriana Kingdom?” Alexia asks. “They stood up to the Cult.” “And soon, they’ll get crushed for it. In opposing the Cult, Rose Oriana has gotten herself branded a heretic by the Church. They have little access to trade now. That tiny nation has nothing to its name but its art, and it won’t be long before it succumbs.” “That’s what I feared. Is there really no saving them?” When Alexia heard that Rose had taken the throne, she was genuinely overjoyed. The two of them had sworn to fight as allies once. Life had taken the two of them down different paths, but Alexia was glad to hear that Rose was still determined to fight the Cult. Now, though, the path before Rose is paved with thorns. “That depends on the Shadow Garden,” the king says. “I figured they might have been involved.” He nods. “Who do you think it was that sheltered Rose Oriana after she murdered her father? Our kingdom, the Oriana Kingdom, and the Cult of Diablos all scoured the land, but none of us could find hide nor hair of her.” “You’re saying the Shadow Garden took her in?” “It’s the logical conclusion. They likely arranged the events leading to her ascension as well. That was all the Shadow Garden’s…no, Shadow’s doing. Whenever Rose Oriana makes a move, it seems he’s never far behind.” “That’s true. He was there at the Bushin Festival, too.” Not just that: He was the one who helped Rose escape. “We haven’t confirmed it, but there are reports that Shadow showed up right as the Black Rose activated.” “Then we can assume that she…that Rose Oriana has joined forces with the Shadow Garden.” “Exactly. Despite being under heavy embargo, the Oriana Kingdom still has food aplenty. Everything makes sense if we assume it’s the Shadow Garden bringing it to them.” “Oh, so the Oriana Kingdom is safe.” “We don’t know that yet.” “Huh?” “The Cult is on the move. They’re planning on encouraging the Church to begin a crusade. The Midgar Kingdom is already being pressured behind closed doors to deploy our army.” “That’s horrible!” “The Velgalta Empire will join in, no doubt. They have a long and storied history of invading the Oriana Kingdom. Yet every time, they always retreat for the flimsiest of reasons.” “Why’s that?” “Because the Cult steps in. They’ve worked hard to keep the Oriana Kingdom and Velgalta Empire in balance. This time, though, they’re siding with Velgalta. Between that and the Church giving them an excuse, it’s everything Velgalta could have ever asked for.” “And what are you going to do, Father? Or rather, what is the Midgar Kingdom going to do?” Alexia poses her question as the nation’s princess. “Indeed…” The king lets out a protracted sigh and lapses into silence. Outside the window, snow is falling. “You’re not thinking of supporting the Cult, are you?” Alexia asks. “…The war will begin when the snow melts.” “You’re actually thinking of invading?!” “The Cult is testing us, Alexia. They want to know if we’re siding with them or the Shadow Garden. The decision we make here will determine the kingdom’s fate.” “I swear, Father, if you invade the Oriana Kingdom, I—” “I’ll have my answer before the snow melts. My only goal is to take the option that ensures our nation’s survival. Alexia, you’re free to do as you will.” “…I am?” “Iris is getting closer with the Cult.” “I knew it. I knew she was!” “And she’s doing so by design.” “That can’t be. She’s being manipulated, that’s all!” The king shakes his head. “Now, if you manage to build a relationship with the Shadow Garden, then no matter how things play out, the Midgar bloodline will live on.” Alexia squeezes her fists tight. “So that’s your angle. And what’s to say I’m even going to try?” “Do as you will,” the king replies with his back to her. Alexia runs her conversation from yesterday back through her head as she lays everything out. Once she’s finished, Christina sips her coffee and takes a deep breath. “That’s kind of a lot.” “That’s where things stand. That’s how I know Father isn’t going to stop me from getting involved in the case. That said, he isn’t going to offer me any help, either.” “But still, you’re free to do whatever you want.” “That right. Father can think what he likes of me, but I intend to act on my convictions.” “I think that’s admirable of you.” “I’d appreciate it if our conversation didn’t leave this room, by the way.” “Of course.” “A-and also, on a completely different note…” All of a sudden, Alexia starts fidgeting. “What is it?” “W-we’re, um, going to the White estate tomorrow, right?” “That’s the plan.” “So, um, there’s loads of prep we’ll need to do.” “Huh? I mean, I suppose so.” Alexia puffs up her chest. “Right? So tonight, I’ll be staying at your place!” “I beg your pardon?” “L-like I said, we’ve got lots of things we need to plan out, so I’m coming over to spend the night!” Christina glances at the Mitsugoshi-made wall clock. “We still have plenty of time…” “But look, the sun’s already begun setting. It sure would be horrible if something happened to me on my way home!” “I’m happy to prepare a guarded carriage for you. Alternatively, if you got in touch with the royal castle, I’m sure they would—” “That might have been enough under ordinary circumstances. But with Jack the Ripper running around, it’s dangerous to be outside at night!” “That’s…actually a good point. I’ll make up a room for you straightaway, Princess Alexia.” “Oh, there’s no need for that. I’m the one imposing on you, after all!” “I’m afraid I don’t—” “You know, I just happened to remember that Fido…I mean, Cid Kagenou and Kanade are staying over as well, aren’t they?” “They are, but I’m not sure I follow.” “I can just sleep in the same room as them. I’m the one imposing on you, after all!” Alexia vigorously reminds her. “The same room? I could never be so discourteous…” “No, no, it’s fine! I’m the one imposing on you, after all!” “B-but…!” “I’m telling you, it’s fine! I got Father’s permission and everything!” Christina is pretty sure the permission King Midgar gave was for something else entirely, but before she can get too far into that train of thought, Alexia tugs her arm and rises to her feet. “Now, come on, lead the way! I want to see the bedroom!” Over in the bedroom, the very first words out of anyone’s mouth come from Cid Kagenou: “Why are you here?” “That’s a difficult question to answer,” Alexia replies. “Why am I here? A philosophical quandary, to be sure. It was Natsume Kafka who once said ‘I think, therefore I am.’ The woman gets on my nerves, but that doesn’t make what she said any less true.” “I think, therefore I am…” Cid mutters back the quote from Natsume the novelist and grimaces with all his might. “What, did her words strike a chord? The quote is from a lecture she gave at one of Laugus’s foremost seminars. All the academics raved about her speech, and I’m told that among their philosophy students, it’s the most popular thesis topic of the year.” “You don’t say.” Cid rubs his temple in resignation. “Well, I’m not asking you on a philosophical level. I’m just saying I can’t help but wonder why someone as noble and lofty as the great Princess Alexia would deign to visit a place such as this.” Behind Alexia, Christina’s face twitches. “‘A place such as this’?” “Well, would you look at that. You finally learned your place,” Alexia says. “It’s true that to you, I certainly am a divine being descended from the heavens. I just thought it might be nice to see what was going on below the clouds for once.” “That’s not an answer,” Cid tells her. “There’s no need for you to know what’s going on up above you. Now, get of my way. I’m taking your bed.” “Huh? You’re staying the night?! Wait, then where am I supposed to sleep?” “The ground, I suppose,” Alexia says triumphantly, then takes Cid’s luggage from atop the bed and sweeps it onto the floor. Christina quietly hands him a blanket. “I’m sorry, Cid. You’ll have to make do with this.” Cid stares at it blankly. “Can I go home?” “You’ll get attacked by the Nightblades.” “I have this feeling that if I do, I’ll be able to miraculously survive by a weird stroke of luck.” “Don’t,” Alexia says, her voice stern. “I’m serious.” “Fine.” Cid sighs and takes the blanket. After sitting down on the bed, Alexia surveys the room. “That said, it sounds like things have been rough here. To think you got attacked last night in this very room. I take it that stain there is blood?” Her gaze is sharp as she searches for signs of the attack. “Actually, it was the room next door that got attacked,” Christina replies. “And for the record, the stain is from when Kanade got carried away just now and spilled her coffee,” Cid adds. “H-hey!” yelps Kanade, who’s been hiding in the corner and making herself as inconspicuous as possible since Alexia walked in. Alexia’s cheeks go red. “O-oh. Well, it’s no wonder you’re jumpy, considering what happened last night.” “Th-that’s right,” Kanade agrees. “I was so scared I couldn’t get a wink of—” “Kanade was snoring like a log all night long, FYI,” Cid says. “You’d be amazed how resilient she is. Nothing to worry about there.” “Will you just be quiet? I’m trying to be considerate here,” Alexia snaps. “If you didn’t keep saying stuff that wasn’t true, I wouldn’t have to keep correcting you.” Alexia and Cid glare daggers at each other. “L-let’s all just calm down, okay?” Christina says, moving in to intervene. “Anyhow, we need to take another look at the attack from last night and the moves Jack the Ripper has been making.” Alexia meets the others’ gazes. “There might be something we’ve overlooked!” “That’s a good idea,” Christina agrees. “I mean, I guess I don’t have any objections,” says Cid. “Then is there anything anyone’s noticed?” Alexia asks. “It can be about the attack or about stuff from earlier. There are no wrong answers here.” “After all this, I really don’t believe Jack the Ripper is our enemy,” Christina offers. “If he was, it would have been so easy for him to just leave us to die last night.” “The timing does seem awfully convenient,” says Alexia. “Right? Jack the Ripper must have been tracking the Nightblades all this time. When he saw they were attacking us, I think he came to help.” “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Cid says, pushing back on Christina’s theory. “Maybe it was just more efficient. He could have figured that rather than fighting the Nightblades solo, it’d be easier to team up with you all.” “That isn’t it,” Christina replies. “You wouldn’t know because you didn’t see him, but Jack the Ripper’s skills are barely even human. He wiped them out completely on his own. It was like we weren’t even there.” Alexia doesn’t miss a chance to get a jab in. “Well, obviously, Cid Kagenou wouldn’t know that. Not after he fled midway through the fight.” “Yeah!” Kanade says, agreeing with all her might. “He wouldn’t know because he’s a traitor who ran away!” “Y-you know, in a sense, the only reason we were able to withstand the attack is because Cid drew some of the enemies away…,” Christina adds in an attempt to come to Cid’s defense. “I assure you, that was the furthest thing from his mind. He was just trying to save his own skin.” “I’ll never forget that moment. I gazed into his eyes, and all I saw was betrayal.” Cid gives Alexia and Kanade a weary look. “You two really have it in for me, huh?” Then Christina speaks up like she’s just remembered something. “You know, there was one thing that baffled me in the report I got just now.” “What’s that?” Alexia asks. “Apparently, there’s a vase that went missing from the manor. It was here yesterday afternoon, so it must have been stolen during the attack.” “Now, that is interesting. What kind of vase was it?” “Are you familiar with works of the potter Da Vinche from three hundred years ago?” “Hwuh, you mean that two hundred million–zeni vase from the hallway?!” Kanade cries. “That’s the one that got stolen?!” “Sadly, yes…” “Hold on a second, those vases are national treasures!” Alexia says, fully exasperated. “They aren’t the kind of thing you just leave in a hallway!” “Oh, no, the vase that got stolen was a replica of a Da Vinche vase.” “Huh?” Cid says. “The vase was a replica?” “That’s right,” Christina replies. “We wouldn’t just leave the real one lying around like that. But that’s what makes it so strange. Why would the culprit go and steal a fake vase?” “That is odd,” Alexia agrees. “I don’t get why someone would do that.” “It was a well-made replica, so I suspect it would still sell for ten thousand zeni or so, but still.” “If they were only after money, surely there were other things they could have stolen.” “Oh, absolutely. The hall was filled with works of art worth millions. I don’t understand why the thief went for the replica, the least valuable item there.” “Considering the timing, it’s probably safe to assume the culprit is either Jack the Ripper or someone associated with the Nightblades.” “Maybe they just didn’t realize it was a replica.” “I find that hard to imagine. No matter how good a copy it might have been, anyone would have been able to tell at a glance that it wasn’t real. You would have to be a complete and utter peasant without a shred of refinement in your body not to realize that.” “That’s true.” As Christina and Alexia continue their discussion, Kanade and Cid exchange a glance. “A complete and utter peasant…” “Without a shred of refinement in your body…” Their shoulders slump. “I can’t make heads or tails of it,” Alexia says. “Maybe there’s another message from Jack the Ripper in all this.” “It’s certainly a possibility,” agrees Christina. “It might be worthwhile to look into.” “I really don’t think so.” “Be quiet, Fido. Lead the way, Christina! We have ourselves a clue, and that’s all we need to crack this mystery wide open!” “I told you, you’re wasting your time.” “Come along, Fido.” The group goes on to investigate the scene of the burglary until well into the night, but in the end, they come up empty-handed. “The White Mansion is just up ahead.” ““’Kaaay.”” I follow Christina through the capital’s high-end residential area. There isn’t a house in sight that looks like it’s worth less than a billion zeni. Christina’s place was probably larger in terms of raw square footage, but Kanade and I both find ourselves gaping vacantly at the raw prestige the neighborhood emanates. Behind us, Alexia is walking with bags under her eyes and grumbling about her fruitless investigation. “It doesn’t make sense. Jack the Ripper must have been leaving us a message. Maybe I was supposed to wait for the sun’s light to strike the mirror in the hallway, then decode the message hidden in the shadows…” Kanade turns and looks at me. “I—I feel kind of out of place here.” “You could’ve just waited back at the manor.” “But it’s safer to stick with the group!” “Is it?” “Yeah, ’cause I can use Princess Alexia as a shield and survive for sure.” Kanade mumbles that final disrespectful remark under her breath, but my ears catch everything. That said, I live a pretty disrespectful life myself, so I silently cheer her on. “You know, Kanade,” I tell her, “you might end up with your name in the history books.” And not in a good way. An unsettling grin spreads across Kanade’s face. “Hwuh? You really think so? Aw, shucks.” “Huh?” I always make it a habit to scan the area around me for presences, and right then, I sense a tremendous magical force approaching at top speed. Whoever this is, they’re bad news. Then I realize it’s Delta. “…Oh, this is bad.” “Hwuh? What’s wrong?” Kanade asks me. “I, uh…” If that force of nature shows up while I’m with these guys, I get the feeling I’m going to stand out way more than a background character ever should. “I gotta go take a dump.” But the moment the bullshit excuse leaves my mouth… “BOSS MAAAAAAAN!!” …a therianthrope girl comes bounding at me at full speed. “Delta, wait!!” “Aww! But I hate waiting!” Delta slows down for the briefest of moments, but that’s the longest she’s able to restrain herself. However, that one moment is all I need. With as much speed as a background character can muster, I step backward and re-chant my incantation at Delta’s newly accelerating form. “Wait!” “Aww!” She twitches and slows down for a moment. Then she immediately speeds back up. “Wait! Wait!” “Aww! Awwwww!” “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!!” With each twitch, she decelerates a little more until eventually arriving right in front of me. “Awwwwwwww…” On the one hand we have Delta, who looks annoyed at having repeatedly been told to wait. On the other, we have Alexia, Christina, and Kanade, who look bewildered at the sudden appearance of a strange therianthrope. I clutch my head, unsure of how I’m going to talk myself out of this. “Um, Fido, do you know her? Her mana is a bit worrying,” Alexia says, backing off a little. Because of the repeated starting and stopping, Delta’s mana is brimming like it’s about to burst. “Uhh, I guess you could call her my pet? There, there.” I scritch Delta’s head to keep her mana from overflowing. If it exploded here, we’d have a massive catastrophe on our hands. “She seems like an awfully dangerous pet.” Alexia shoots me an accusatory look. “And also, I’m pretty sure they made owning therianthrope slaves illegal.” “Oh, shoot.” By the time I realize what’s about to happen, it’s too late. Delta’s already registered that look of Alexia’s as hostility. “Hey! Don’t you talk to Boss man, weakling!” I scritch Delta’s head as hard as I can. “There, there. THERE, THERE!!” Slowly but surely, her expression softens. “Did you just call me a weakling? I’m afraid I can’t let that stand,” Alexia says, throwing oil onto the fire. “Hey, whoa, just drop it!” What’re you getting all haughty for, Alexia? One flick to the forehead from Delta, and you’d be a smear on the sidewalk. “Bwuhhhgrrrrrr.” Delta’s still ecstatic from the head scratches even as she growls at Alexia. I grab Delta in a headlock and drag her away. “Super sorry about all the commotion my pet caused, folks.” “Hey!” protests Alexia. “This conversation isn’t finished!” “Yeah, yeah, you can tell me all about it later.” I have to actually put my back into it a bit to keep Delta restrained as I separate her from the group. “Grrr! That hurts!” “Ah, right, sorry.” Once we’re safely hidden behind a wall within the posh residential area, I let her go. “You’re so strong, Boss man. And you weren’t even using magic!” “I do train, y’know. But more importantly, remember how you’re supposed to leave me alone when I’m hanging out with normal people?” “Huh?” “We’ve been over this. The rule is, you have to leave me alone when I’m hanging out with normal people.” “Huh?” Delta tilts her head and gives me a look of absolute puzzlement, at which point I give up. “Nah, just forget about it. I can see I’m wasting my time here.” “I hate wasting time, too!” “Yeah, it sucks. By the way, what’re you doing here?” “I wanted to see you, Boss man!” “And that’s why you came?” “Nope! Hey, Boss man, can I go beat up that girl? She needs to learn her place!” “No beating her up. She might not look like much, but she’s one of this kingdom’s princesses, so it’d be more of a headache than it’s worth. So what’re you doing here?” “It’s all good! I’ll beat her up and make her shake her butt at you!” “No, seriously, what’re you here for? And again, you’re not allowed to beat up Alexia. No way, no how.” “I can’t?” “Nope.” “But she acts all smug even though she’s weak.” “I know she does, but you still can’t beat her up.” “Awww… Fine.” “So what’re you doing here?” “I, uh…” Delta cocks her head and blinks like she’s trying to remember. “That’s right! I came to look for Felid!” “Felid… What, did something happen to Zeta?” “Alpha told me to look for her! She said something about, uh, status reports? And too many blank spaces? I didn’t really get what she was saying, but all I have to do is beat Felid up and bring her back with me!” “Oh, that makes sense.” I guess using Delta’s nose is about the best option there is if you’re trying to track someone down. That said, I find it hard to imagine Zeta actually following any of Delta’s instructions once Delta finds her. Her nose twitches as she gives me a thorough once-over. “Sniff, sniff. You have a bit of her smell on you, Boss man. Just a little, though.” “Yeah, I haven’t run into her in a while. Not since the incident, I think.” “This country has a bit of her smell on it, too. But only a little, no matter where I go. She must have already left.” As she sniffs, her expression gradually grows steelier. That’s the face she makes when she hunts. Then I sense a faint presence and turn around. “Miss Deltaaaaaa! Wait for meeeeee!” It’s an attractive therianthrope girl who’s completely out of breath. She’s got blue eyes, black-and-white ears, and a tail that matches her ears. She kind of resembles a Siberian husky. “Wait, Miss Delta, is he…?” Delta puffs up her chest and introduces me in the most useless way possible. “Ha-ha! Boss man is Delta’s boss man!” “Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Cid Kagenou. Are you a friend of Delta’s?” The Siberian husky girl’s eyes go wide. “Wh-whaaaaat?! For realsies?!” “So who is this, Delta?” Delta gives me a smug grin. “My minion!” Delta has minions now? We’re all doomed. “Your minion, huh. She got a name?” “It’s Pi!” “Pi, huh.” That’s a Greek letter, which means she must work for Mitsugoshi. “I-I’m Pi, hi! I-it’s nice to meet you, too.” With that, she flops onto the ground with her belly facing up. “Uh, what…?” Delta nods in satisfaction. “That’s the submission pose!”