†††
A month passed since Zelaide disappeared without a trace.
Gothic City was steadily recovering from its unprecedented turmoil. Haydn was arrested for being the mastermind behind the production and distribution of Nightz, but it would take a long time for the authorities to track down the full extent of his criminal behavior. He was being treated in an undisclosed hospital under heavy security to prevent him from destroying evidence, running away, or committing suicide.
Haydn’s evil influence also extended to the police, where he had intimate connections with the commanding officers. Erica’s first action was to expose and purge the city’s police of corrupt officials. Wei Lin-jie played a key role in taking them down from the inside.
After Haydn’s arrest, the rest of the corrupt officials fell like dominos.
People who are bought with money are quick to flee once the money dries up.
As one of Gothic City’s leading political figures with a police background, Ingalls fully backed the evidence Wei brought against the corrupt officers.
Thanks to his excellent detective work, Wei had become the man of the hour at the station.
“So I’m thinking of taking the next Guardian test. I was given a letter of recommendation, after all,” Wei boasted, sitting across from Euphemia at one of City Hall’s sidewalk cafes.
Euphemia eyed him suspiciously. “Why? Not happy with being a cop?”
“I like being a cop. It’s a good job. But Guardians are really cool. They’re the ones who were sent out first to take down Haydn. Cops didn’t get there till after everything was over.”
“I heard the Guardians who got there first were taken out by Shank and had to retire from the force because of their life-threatening injuries,” Euphemia stated dryly.
“They’re still awesome. The Beast Bloods successfully raided the villa because the Guardians destroyed the sensors and defense system first,” Wei exclaimed, excited just thinking about it.
“Who told you that?” Euphemia asked pointedly. She rarely listened to what other people had to say, but was annoyingly sharp when it came to picking up on unsaid things.
Wei hated his loose tongue. “Urk… What makes you think I was told that?”
“Who was it?” Euphemia pressured.
“…He did. Silvergray,” Wei revealed, losing out to her evil eye. He never could win against her since their university days.
There was a one second pause before she threw out another question. “I see… When did you see him?”
“Er, well…just before he left town… He showed up at my door…”
“Heh. Did he say where he was going?”
Wei felt like he was being interrogated, the reverse of his usual role.
“…Nope. Just that he was leaving and that he wants to get stronger.”
“……”
What a lovable fool you are, Zel. You don’t need to get any stronger. Euphemia hung her head, her prior fervor disappearing as if it never existed.
“…Hey, Mia? Don’t you think he really loves you a lot?”
“…I once thought so. Now I’m not so sure,” she admitted, the loneliness she had been struggling with turning into doubt.
“Don’t say that. I’ll feel bad too.”
“Why would you feel bad?” She looked up at him.
“Because he lowered his head to me and asked me to protect you, even though that request sounded like it was killing him on the inside… I could tell he wanted to be the one to be here with you.”
“…Then he should have stayed. He’s the worst kind of guy, leaving without a word like that.”
It was clear she was pretending to be angry in order to stay strong. But her voice gave away her hurt.
Droplets fell on the table.
“He has no idea how sad he’s made me…”
The loss she felt when she woke up and learned he was gone for good had only grown worse with the passage of time and slowly ate away at her heart.
“…He’ll come back once he’s stronger. Don’t cry, Mia.”
“Don’t say something he’d say.”
“I say what I mean.”
“I hate him.”
“Don’t say that. He might die for real if he overheard you.”
“Then he shoulda never left!” Tears cascaded down her cheeks.
“Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Yup.”
“Don’t give me an old world slogan!” Euphemia snapped at the innocent Wei between her sniffles.
“Ugh… Okay, how about sometimes a woman’s just gotta go after her man?”
“Hell yeah! Women don’t just wait around for their man to come back! Once work settles down, I’m going to hunt him down!”
Good grief. She’ll definitely do it. Silvergray, I understand why you left, but you’d better hurry back soon… Wei thought as he comforted Euphemia in her mate’s stead.
✦ ✦ ✦
†††
“GOOD afternoon. How’s the leg?”
“Why, if it isn’t the stunning and beautiful mayor! I’m honored you went out of your way to visit me in this stuffy place!” Murakami stood from his souped-up wheelchair.
What he referred to as a stuffy place was actually Biotechnology’s president office. In the center of the room was a large stately desk covered in a plausible amount of paperwork, but the shelves behind him were a mess. Miscellaneous items that looked an awful lot like junk bulged from the shelves. There was even a model of an old world sailing boat, an ape’s skull, and a remarkable glazed rice bowl. The variety of objects in the room revealed the owner’s various interests.
“Oh, you can walk already?” Erica asked.
“Yes. I told everyone else that it will be another month before I can walk again, so that I can continue to take things easy. All this time off has given me the wonderful idea to make a service robot next. As you know, I also have a PhD in engineering and in robotics.” Murakami waved a hand toward his wall of diplomas.
“You don’t stop even after being injured, do you? Though the same applies to my sister,” Erica said with a sigh.
“Indeed. She is a hard worker.”
“Is her research even useful?”
“Your cruelty toward family never ceases to amaze me. Her research is only a step away from being put into practice.”
“That’s something at least… I suppose Mia has grown up. I was worried because she had become a blubbering mess for a time, but she seems to be plugging away at her work now. She gets her resilience from her mother. They are strongest in the face of adversity.”
“Heh… Do you think that resilience will make her dedicate the rest of her life to rodents?” Murakami asked. It was hard to tell if that was a joke or not.
“Who knows? But I think she has dedicated her life to someone other than the rodents already.”
“Oh, did she now? How nice it is to be young and in love.” Murakami grinned.
“I never expected that Beast Blood to care so much for Euphemia. What do they call it? Mates?”
“That’s their way of defining it, yes. Don’t you think the concept of devoting your whole life to one person is splendid? Perhaps they have achieved some part of the human ideal.” A twinkle lit his eyes.
“Still, I feel bad for Euphemia as things are. I have been searching for him all this time with no luck…” Erica confessed.
“If she is his mate…he will definitely return. Mates, huh? Sure is nice to have a mate. By the way, I heard you rejected Mr. Ingalls’s proposal?” Murakami exclaimed, his beady eyes rounding with delight.
“Word travels fast… Yes, I did.”
“He’s the leading man in uncovering Haydn’s crimes. He’s also widowed and ranks decently high with his masculine good looks. The pot only gets sweeter with the fact that he’s fairly wealthy, a landowner, has social status, and a good name. Didn’t it occur to you that partnering with him would only bring you further in life?” Murakami inquired, resting his chin on his hands.
“That inquiry coming from the same man who just went on about how nice it would be to have a mate? Do you honestly believe me the type to marry for advancement?” she huffed.
“…Even I get jealous sometimes,” he muttered, being unusually vague for once.
“What is there for you to be jealous of?”
“Yeah, I think obliviousness is a genetic trait you sisters share…” Murakami murmured, sullen. The IHT on his table rang before more could be said. “Hello, it’s me. What? Yes. Come again? That’s not good… Okay. Does she have a fever? I’ll hand the phone over to her now. Here, Erica.”
“Thank you.” Erica turned the IHT toward her.
The caller informed her that Euphemia had fainted in her lab .