77. New Toy
"To be honest, it feels strange seeing you here," my father, Grandar, said as I stepped into his workshop.
Just a few months ago, I used to spend nearly all my free time here, helping him with his craft. But ever since… ever since I became who I am now, most of my days have been spent assisting Mother instead.
I studied my father carefully. His words were steady, yet my heightened senses caught the faint twitch at the corner of his face.
He was glad to see me—but too embarrassed to admit it aloud.
"I want to see you too," I said, lying as effortlessly as breathing. It wasn't entirely false—I did feel affection for both of my parents, and I certainly didn't want to lose them if it could be avoided.
Yet, from the very beginning, every step I had taken, every choice I had made, was driven by selfishness—the desperate desire to grow stronger, so I wouldn't end up dying a dog's death. This time was no different. I had come here to craft a locket. A glass locket, perhaps.
Father's workshop was that of a clockmaker's. Though the trade was different, many of the tools he kept were still suited to the task I had in mind.
"Then see as you like," Father said sternly before turning back to his work, leaving me to my own devices.
"Chris!"
"Welcome back!"
"Long time no see!"
I was greeted by my father's subordinates. Since I used to visit this place often, it was no surprise they all recognized me.
Roughly sixty percent of them were men, the rest women. Among them was one young man, about my age, who greeted me with a familiarity that felt closer than the others.
"Phil." His name surfaced in my mind. He was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes, his short cut and ordinary features giving him an average appearance—yet his face brimmed with youth and restless energy.
"What have you been up to? You won't believe what I've discovered!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.
I felt a little sorry for him, but I simply didn't have the time. Half-listening to his chatter, I asked where the tools were kept. All I needed was to fashion a small glass case—the cord for the locket I could weave myself from thread.
Phil kept getting called away, even scolded once for neglecting his duties. But each time he managed a spare moment, he would hurry back to me, eager to brag about it.
After a while, I finished crafting the glass locket I had envisioned. Its edges were a little rough, the bottom rounded into the shape of a teardrop. The design was simple—half transparent glass, half encased in metal—yet it carried a quiet elegance of its own.
By the time I set down the final tool, the piece gleamed faintly in my palm.
"Chris." Father's voice cut through the air. Unlike with Phil, there was no way I could pretend not to hear him.
"Yes?" I stepped over to his personal desk.
His gaze lingered on the locket in my hand. "Is it a gift?" he asked. It wasn't the sort of thing I usually wore. "Your mother mentioned something…" he added, his tone carrying a quiet implication.
"No. It's for me."
I slipped the locket around my neck in front of him. Father chuckled softly, no doubt assuming I was only doing this out of embarrassment.
Then his expression shifted. "Do you remember Melissa Moretti?" he asked.
"Melissa Moretti?" I echoed, buying myself a moment to think before replying, "That lady from Tingen, right?" Of course, I didn't need to spell out that my hesitation was just an act.
He nodded, his face clouding over. "I heard the news… her brother has died," he said gravely.
"My condolences," I said, offering silent respect in my heart to a certain detective.
"I thought she might cancel the contract," Father continued, "but it seems she intends to carry on. So when she comes with her other brother, be mindful. Don't say anything careless to a family that's just lost someone."
"I'll be careful," I promised with a nod.
That seemed to satisfy him; a faint smile tugged at his lips. I lingered for a few more hours, assisting with their work as best I could, before finally departing for today's appointment.
***
Burst.
A bright white fire danced beautifully within the teardrop locket resting against my neck.
"What do you think?" I asked into the air. I had designed it specifically to keep my stigma active at all times, making it easier for Uriel to send her voice.
It did drain my stamina—but only slightly, thanks to its small size and modest power. In game terms, it was like my mana regeneration outpaced my consumption. What does that really mean? Who knows.
'Demon-like Judge of Fire expressed (ᵒ̤̑ ₀̑ ᵒ̤̑) wow!✰'*
I was dumbfounded by the message. Wait… you can do that?
"I can do that?" Her surprised voice echoed, followed by a small, delighted chuckle, like someone discovering a new toy.
"Hii," I called when I spotted the one my companion for today, waving at the tomboyish girl with short blond hair.
"Hi," she replied, returning my wave. "We're heading to the harbor today."
Xio then gave my outfit a thorough once-over, from head to toe. "Not bad," she commented. Unlike my usual gentleman's attire—tuxedo, hat, and cane—today I wore something more flexible, with numerous pockets and compartments hinting at hidden tools or gadgets.
As we made our way toward the harbor, Xio glanced around warily. "Has anyone approached you?"
I let out a sigh. "Huu… that's exactly what I wanted to ask. Has anyone come near you?"
Like her, I routinely relied on Detection to ensure no one could eavesdrop on our conversation.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, reacting far more dramatically than I ever did. Unlike me, haunted by a ghost, she had been visited by a zombie. Fors had even jumped from her seat and tumbled to the floor because of it.
She laughed, recalling the memory. "It even left me a letter, asking for my help… and demanded my reply before leaving our room!"
"So… what did you decide?" I asked, finally giving her my full attention.
"Of course I refused," she replied, a hint of scorn in her voice. "I don't even know who he was. When I handed the letter back, it just disappeared—no sign of it returning. Because of that, Fors and I were even thinking about finding a new place to rent. What about you?"
"It was a ghost for me," I said, preparing to recount my own experience…
"And when I accepted it, she just left without saying much."
"Mhm…" She snorted, clearly understanding my reply. After a moment, she added in surprise, "Hm?? You accepted it?"
"Yeah, but just like in your experience, she left as if nothing had happened. At some point, I even thought I was dreaming," I said, chuckling.
"…Alright."
To be honest, Xio seemed a bit unsure how to react. Then she remembered something. '…Didn't she do the same thing when we first trespassed into his home?'
Because of that, the level of weirdness she attributed to me went up by another notch in her mind.
As the two of us walked, the scenery gradually shifted from heavy industry and gray buildings to a wide, open river, its banks dotted with vessels of all sizes.
Finally, we arrived at our destination.
We had thought it might take weeks to find anything—but luck seemed to be on our side.
"Hey," Xio called, her eyes narrowing sharply at a man in the harbor speaking with some sailors. "Isn't that…?"
From the very start, we'd hit the jackpot.
It was Lavenus.