"What's this about me being too innocent to access her casino? She didn't care about that before!" Séraphine muttered in obvious annoyance as she stood quietly in her office.
She was leaning back in her office chair with her bare feet on her desk. In her hand, she held what appeared to be a small toy: a bronze-colored ball the size of a tennis ball with a circular green crystal in the middle of a black one that looked like an eye.
The witch had a strange expression on her face as she examined the object. Then, her eyes turned to a pamphlet on her desk: the user manual for the gadget she had bought from Francisca.
'I let myself be convinced by her energetic words to distract me...' thought the brunette as she doubted her ability to judge the reliability of something as extravagant as the alchemical device in her hand.
"Can this seriously detect and quantify creature capabilities? It smells like a prototype. Am I a test subject?" Séraphine muttered before pouring her precious Aether over the object the alchemist named the 'Eye of the Dragon,' referring to the supposed ability of those rare, powerful creatures to discern a treasure's value just by observing it.
Following the methods in the booklet, she began operating the Eye, waiting for its evaluation of her, curious about her probable statistics, though skeptical.
Living beings are too changeable; not even the senses are reliable enough to fully perceive a creature's capabilities. How could a machine? Still, she had some hope because she understood something fundamental about science: If you can imagine it, you can try to achieve it.
Alchemy was no different from science, at least, those scientific alchemists had confirmed that. However, that was a contentious topic that Séraphine wanted to avoid, as she wanted to avoid unnecessary discussions.
She already had a problematic cousin who was a purist of the mysticism of alchemy. With Francisca now in her circle, the redhead being a supporter of the scientific side of her profession, the best the witch could do was step aside. She was clear, however, that bringing those two people together would be problematic.
If ancient and desired abilities like Séraphine's Vision could be replicated, albeit to a lesser degree, then surely alchemy would attempt to create something that could sense and quantify a creature's data.
The Dragon's Eye was released from her grip. The green crystal inside it glowed brightly, making the witch think that perhaps Francisca had created this object, inspired by her. The alchemist's choice of colors did not seem so simple.
The alchemical construct floated in front of the witch. Séraphine felt as if something were examining her, a sensation that felt extremely invasive, but she understood that it was part of the process and let it happen, though she wore a grumpy expression.
"At least it's no worse than the looks of those perverts," Séraphine complained. She hated those guys who couldn't control their impulses and gave her leering looks on the street, no matter what she wore.
She stopped thinking about that topic, not wanting to ruin her mood. She decided to wait for the Dragon's Eye to finish scanning, eager to see if it worked. Something in her wanted to see if its capabilities were possible.
Finally, the alchemical object stopped scanning the witch and began to tremble slightly, as if suffering a malfunction. For that reason, Séraphine moved away from the construct. She didn't want it to explode too close to her.
Instead, the alchemical eye emitted a bluish beam of light in front of the witch. It projected what appeared to be a sheet of light with words and numbers written on it.
"Then my results are done." Séraphine approached the strange projection, amazed at how sophisticated it looked. However, her attention was quickly drawn to its contents.
The contents were what the manual referred to as her 'State.' It was a concept explained in the booklet, in which she could find her stats as scanned and processed by the Dragon's Eye, just as the legend of the object said.
[SÉRAPHINE ROHAN'S STATUS]
[Vitality: 0.95]
[Aether: 1.6]
[Aether Control: 1.7]
[Lucidity: 1.4]
[Perception: 1.8]
[Applied Intelligence: 1.5]
[Charisma: 1.6]
[Reflexes: 1.1]
[Physical Strength: 0.90]
[GENERAL STATUS]
[Corruption: 0.0 (stable)]
[Current Health: 0.95 (Stable)]
[Tendency: Immaterial Research.]
[Affinity: Aether Magic.]
[KEY SKILLS]
[Deep Sight (Curse/Passive)]
[Flexibility: (Can perform gestures with ease)]
[Erudite (Passive)]
[Mental Resistance (Secondary Effect)]
"This thing... Can it connect directly to the user's soul through the Aether? Only then would it have such accuracy in its measurements," Séraphine muttered after seeing the result projected by the Dragon's Eye.
"That's not what the manual says. Is this the surprise Francisca mentioned? It seems that my studies on the Immaterial have added a new research topic." Séraphine was happy about this development.
This was a real surprise! As a witch researcher of the Immaterial, Séraphine was interested in the soul and its fundamental aspects.
To her, the soul was like an infinite gold mine. No matter which direction she looked, she could always extract something. She even had books on psychology in her study, although she had not yet read any. Her interest in this science was evident.
For her, studying the mind is a way of investigating the soul. For this reason, she also took meditation very seriously and did it every night before going to sleep.
"I should explore this little thing's functions more. It can sense my curse. Wouldn't that be useful for meditation?" Séraphine wondered, recalling her knowledge on the subject.
Meditation was practical and vital for anyone using Aether. Learning to meditate was the first step, regardless of whether you were a wizard, witch, warrior, or alchemist. Meditating was the key to generating, understanding, and using Aether.
Therefore, it was divided into two types of exercises: Resonance and Introspection. Resonance was simple. It involved vibrating the soul to resonate with specific frequencies that generated Aether. This Aether could be used by any of the three professions, formally called 'Paths.'
Aether is not stored; it is created and used instantly. Therefore, knowing how to use it is indispensable. However, the continuous use of this energy causes exhaustion and physical discomfort.
After all, your soul was being manipulated to produce energy. Moreover, this process imparted a warmth to the Aether, similar to what happens in physics when atoms vibrate and resonate with each other to generate heat.
'I wish those jokes about storing Aether in my breasts were true,' Séraphine recalled, thinking of an annoying girl she had met before, who was also a witch.
However, storing Aether in the body was virtually impossible, at least not physically. The witch thought of the stone on Tania's forehead. It was something from her culture, but also a way the natives of the Savage Continent had to get around this constraint.
'But Tania doesn't want to talk much about her life in her homeland,' sighed the witch, worried about her friend. But it wasn't something she could force.
Tania would talk to her about her life when she was ready. Until then, Séraphine would be there to listen and be a good friend.
After storing the Dragon's Eye in a small box and placing it on her desk, Séraphine relaxed in her chair and reviewed her knowledge of meditation.
The second exercise was known as introspection, maintaining a quiet and calm state, the opposite of resonance. It calms the soul and immerses it in a state of stillness that allows one to do many things.
It involves exploring your psyche and memories, accelerating your thought process, and using your imagination much more efficiently.
Séraphine used this meditation exercise every night to relax, organize clues, review knowledge, and simulate spells she knew, was learning, or wanted to create.
She wasn't forced to do it this late; she had been meditating superficially all this time, using introspection to quickly and easily access her knowledge.
Then she came out of that state feeling sleepy. The witch yawned and lay her head on the table in front of her, using her arms as a cushion. She still wanted to play with the Dragon's Eye, but she was too sleepy.
'Though I must criticize some results, how can I only have a 1.6 in Charm? I am the most beautiful!' the witch thought, before closing her eyes and shifting her position, looking for a more comfortable one.
Her large breasts caused her some discomfort as she moved around, but she managed to settle comfortably. Before long, a slight snore emerged from her mouth.
Séraphine had fallen asleep in her office while waiting for her client to arrive. This client was special for more than one reason, not least because of her possible connection to someone in a cult.
She was a Lamia, one of the socially and legally accepted sentient races in Shattercrown. Lamias were known to be powerful beings who possessed artistic gifts.
𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝
This time, the receptionist at Séraphine's detective agency was Keiko, a black-haired girl with Asian features who worked at the O'Connor bar and was Tania's partner.
She quietly filed her nails, occasionally turning the pages of an open book on her desk. She was just killing time, waiting for something interesting to happen, although she knew a customer should be coming soon.
Through the glass, she could see a slender figure pass by. Ignore the colossal lower part of her body that resembles a snake; it's these features that make Keiko's black eyes show excitement.
Luckily, the door was wide enough to let her through; after all, not only humans lived in Blume. Under the soft chime of the chimes at the entrance, a beautiful woman entered.
Her long, lilac hair fell down her shoulders and adorned her sharp ears, vaguely resembling the appearance of extinct Elves, beings from before any civilization or culture in the world.
Her yellowish eyes had sharp, snake-like pupils, and a long, partially forked tongue emerged from her red lips as she sensed the air of the place.
Her human torso was covered by a blue, floral-print dress that revealed her arms, which were partially covered by dark green scales.
Her hands ended in sharp, red-painted nails. She held the door carefully, not wanting to break it. However, the woman's eyes widened as she felt the hardness of the material she held.
"It's alchemically treated metal. The boss doesn't want to inconvenience her clients," said Keiko, standing up from her seat and approaching the lamia with long strides.
"Welcome to the Detective Rohan Agency. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, bowing slightly. This gesture only made the height difference stand out more to a third party.
The woman's lower half was that of a huge snake. Its upper scales were the same color as her hands, while its lower scales were gray, ending in a deep purple hue.
Its upper half stood much higher than a normal person's height, raised like a cobra when threatened.
This forced Keiko, who was already short, to raise her gaze to make direct eye contact with the client. With such defining features, how could she not recognize the famous actress in front of her?
Madeleine Abraham! Not only did she act in the emerging world of cinema as a leading star, but she also played her last role in a mega production about to be released.
All in color! Advertisements about the movie were circulating the town. Posters featuring Madeleine were especially sought after, and luckily, Keiko had one at home.
There was so much fuss about this film, not because it was the first color film, that honor went to another work, but because the budget was 3.9 million Aureum. It was an exaggerated amount, but according to the rumors, it had been completely worth it.
Madeleine recognized the look in the secretary's eyes because she was used to it. She sketched a delicate, professional smile and bent her body. She was relatively short.
"Thank you for your reception. I think you already know who I am, don't you? Could you put me through to Detective Rohan?" the actress asked, winking at Keiko. Keiko turned red with excitement and stepped aside, leaving the way clear for the Lamia.
"My boss has been waiting for you! If you follow that direction, you can find her office. You can't miss it," said Keiko, indicating the way. Madeleine nodded, still smiling.
"Thank you for your hard work. Here's a gift." The actress bent her body flexibly and brought one of her hands toward the end of her tail, pulling off one of the scales with relative ease.
She then offered this piece of her purple body to the secretary, who was overwhelmed with excitement. She couldn't believe what she was holding in her hand! A piece of Madeleine Abraham was far more valuable than any autograph she could have asked for.
"Oh, for Mother Light!" Keiko leaned against a wall, enduring the dizziness, but her huge smile would not be taken away.
She stared obsessively at the scale in her hand, thinking about what to do with it. Although it was a simple piece, it was somewhat heavy. For all she knew, it was harder than iron. A few ideas came to her mind.
"I must wear this close to my heart," the girl murmured. Then she thought about where she could find someone to drill a small hole in the scale so she could attach a piece of metal and wear it as a pendant.
"But first, I have to change my pants," said Keiko, feeling uncomfortable from the sudden wetness darkening her jeans. Her face flushed again.
"I did that in front of Madeleine Abraham! She must have noticed." The secretary wished the earth would swallow her up. Without hesitating, she went to the room where she kept a change of clothes.
𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝
"Ah, that was new. I never thought someone would get wet from one of my scales," Madeleine chuckled as she twisted her serpentine lower half down the hallway in the direction of the door Keiko had indicated.
Before she could open the door, however, it opened on its own. The entire entrance underwent a special transformation as if detecting Madeleine's body: the door widened and lengthened to make it much easier for her to enter the office.
Séraphine was already awake with a cup of steaming coffee, which she took a sip of. She looked at the actress who had just entered, raising an eyebrow.
"Nice to see you again, Madeleine," the witch greeted her with obvious familiarity, licking her lips to wipe away the slight drops of coffee that had seeped out.
"Uh, I really wouldn't want to be here, you know? It means I'm in trouble, a reminder that I'm in danger." The Lamia, who had previously been friendly, approachable, and calm, now wore a sad countenance. She leaned part of her torso against Séraphine's desk and lay on it languidly.
"But you're here because you know I can resolve your issues," Séraphine pointed out, bringing up the main point of the matter. Madeleine rolled her eyes before sticking out her forked tongue and taking in the scents in the air.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even go near a place like this. By the way, would you offer me a cup of coffee? I haven't slept well lately; those guys keep watching my house," Madeleine said in a tired tone. At the actress's request, Séraphine took a thermos from her desk.
Opening it, the aroma of coffee filled the office. Using the container's lid, the witch poured the coffee, which had already been sweetened. She then passed it to Madeleine, who took a sip but quickly scrunched up her face in discomfort.
"Too sweet! I still think what you do to drinks is horrible," the Lamia complained. Séraphine simply shrugged, not caring about the woman's reaction.
"The brain consumes a lot of energy. When you're thinking about work, like detective work, or magic, sugar is almost as vital as blood," the witch replied. She took another drink from her cup, licked her lips, and enjoyed the aftertaste.
"So sweet on the outside, but so bitter on the inside. I don't understand. Is it necessary to kiss people and only trust those you test your rare spell on?" The Lamia attacked out of nowhere in a moment of carelessness caused by her altered mental state due to her lack of sleep.
Her words made Séraphine frown, obviously disgusted by the sudden comment. However, she noticed the apology in Lamia's yellow eyes. It seemed she hadn't been able to rest in a long time.
Before Madeleine could apologize, Séraphine tapped her fingers on the table, interrupting her, and spoke instead.
"I don't know what my personal life has to do with this. We are acquaintances, Miss Abraham. Now, we are not in a tea shop but in the process of solving your problem," Séraphine emphasized, making Madeleine's expression more serious.
"I'm sorry. My mind is so slow that it filters my thoughts. Yes, let's solve my problem," the Lamia replied in a leisurely tone. She then gulped down the coffee she had been given despite her obvious distaste for the excessive amount of sugar in it.
Madeleine patted her cheeks before slipping a hand into her cleavage and pulling out a black envelope, which she dropped on the table. She gently pulled Madeleine closer to the witch.
Séraphine took the envelope, which appeared to have been opened beforehand. She already knew the type of letter it represented; it was used for threats in Blume's criminal underworld. It seems her client had received one.
These days have been quiet. It's just the constant vigilance of those bastards. They don't even disassemble anymore. I can see their heat signatures as clearly as the sun in the sky.
Yesterday, however, those guys left, giving me a rare moment of peace. But in the evening, they knocked on my door and left this envelope in my mailbox. Madeleine's explanation made Séraphine narrow her eyes before she took out the letter.
The removal of those Peeping Toms seemed to coincide with the resolution of the previous day's case, which was cult-related. It was already dusk when Séraphine returned to the city from the suburbs, enough time for outsiders to check the cottage and relay the message to their superiors.
The letter contained everything she expected: a threat of execution, an order to yield to the requests of an unnamed boss, and a series of actions to demonstrate her commitment to comply.
"Did he ask you for pictures of yourself naked? He dared to ask you this kind of thing." Séraphine was not the letter's intended recipient, yet she felt deeply attacked and uncomfortable by its content!
Nude photos of a woman are a terrible weapon. While that would be harmful in general, this kind of material, especially of a famous person, would certainly be a very strong blow.
It was no longer an attempt to force someone to give in to a person's requests. It was an attempt to put a leash around her neck and tie her down forever. They were blatantly asking her for blackmail material, and their certainty was disgusting.
If they didn't, they would kill her. Lamias were physically powerful and had natural abilities dependent on their biology and the Aether. However, even these beings could die. Not for nothing were humans the predominant species in the world.
"Um, isn't that bad? Among my people, nudity is natural. Only for humans is it taboo and private," said Madeleine, causing Séraphine to look incredulously at her before setting the letter down on her desk and rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Give me back my emotions! Does that guy ask for several complete films? With how expensive film is to develop, not to mention pocket cameras? I barely have a pocket camera and a couple of rolls of film," the witch muttered in response after sighing. The difference in values between her and her client was something she ignored because of the letter's contents.
"I tried doing it in private, but I don't plan to give that guy that role," the Lamia added, sparking interest in Séraphine's eyes. However, now was not the time to find out more about the movie.
"Well... I also have information about that guy. Let's talk more in-depth about that movie producer, Howard Stone," the witch said with annoyance in her voice. Madeleine's eyes narrowed, and a powerful aura emanated from her body.
"He introduced himself as kind and considerate. He was the one who gave me my first starring role. I had heard rumors about him, but I didn't believe them until Norma mysteriously disappeared..." Madeleine began to tell her story, explaining some key things about her interaction with Howard Stone.
"I understand Norma told you that Howard abused her, right?" Séraphine asked, having taken the case file, causing the office to turn somewhat chilly.
"Yes... my mistake was dismissing it as an exaggeration on her part. She had previously caused scandals on set over trifles. She cried and begged me for help, but I did nothing.
However, when Howard improperly fondled my breast and I resisted, I understood Norma. But it was too late. When I tried to find her, I learned that she had disappeared shortly after saying on the set that she was going to the police.
No one speaks up: the cameramen, the makeup artists, not even the director. Everyone is afraid of him. They all know what he's up to, but they let it go. After all, Howard Stone is a millionaire film producer and one of the pillars of the Blume film industry." At this point, Madeleine's voice broke, and her words revealed a cruel reality.
There was no need to mention a cult; this situation was terrible enough. Even worse, Madeleine's words and the fact that Séraphine knew indicated that this situation had been going on for a long time.
Did the police know about it? Probably, but perhaps due to certain circumstances, they could not act against Stone. Would Élodie be able to help her? The witch thought this as she released the air she had been holding while listening to the Lamia speak.
This topic could not be taken lightly. A more evidence-focused methodology was required, not charging in as before. While there would probably be confrontations, the focus was on putting Howard away and making him pay for the damage he had caused.
However, Séraphine had a strange feeling in her chest. Her main interest was not in stopping Howard's actions with the actresses but in his possible involvement with a cult.
This made her feel a little guilty, but she had her reasons, so, as always, the witch decided to protect herself with money. As long as she was well-compensated, she could devote herself fully to solving this problem.
Séraphine looked into Madeleine's yellow eyes before nodding slightly.
"Fine, but you should know that I need a higher payout. It seems that Howard Stone is not only linked with gangs, but also with something bigger and more dangerous for Blume," the detective commented to the client. However, she kept the rest of her words to herself.
'And because I want to know who is randomly spreading summoning rituals to cause chaos in the city,' she thought. Séraphine had made some connections during the day.
An unusual connection existed between the invocation that the wealthy man had performed in his unfinished house and the one that Miriam had performed. It appeared as though someone was attempting to locate or establish a ritual, beginning with the fundamental steps and subsequently summoning a Spirit Servant.
Then, she gave a werewolf woman an unknown ritual, tricking her into believing that she could save her husband through the summoned entity. However, it only attracted an Inferos, a powerful entity that possessed her and 'saved' her husband after she fell into utter degeneration.
"I have no problem paying more. I just want to be at peace and make movies quietly. I don't want to live in fear or commit acts I don't want to," Madeleine growled, sticking out her elongated tongue to sniff the air.
"You said you had one of the victims for support, didn't you?" asked Séraphine, bringing her mind back to the case. Though the case seemed shallow, the money motivated her quite a bit, visibly improving her mood.
But all of this was just to hide the fact that she attached more importance to the cult. Going deeper, she also felt a deep distaste for Howard Stone. As a woman, how could she not feel distaste for a rapist who was likely to sacrifice women? So, her two goals merged into a greater purpose.
The witch also wanted him to suffer a fitting punishment. Séraphine's mind was focused on how money could silence her contradictions. She didn't want to invest too much emotion in this because she knew it would cloud her judgment.
Madeleine was no mere lamia. If one were to use a hierarchy similar to that of lycanthropes, she would fall into the 'alpha' category. Her abilities were superior to those of her species. When she sensed the scent particles in the air earlier, she detected some interesting things.
The detective in front of her gave off a scent of confusion. The Lamia didn't know much about Séraphine other than that they had met at Bar O'Connor and interacted at a few events and banquets. However, she could consider herself familiar with the witch.
However, beneath that confusion was a steely determination that made Madeleine hopeful. Yes, she is strong, but she lives in a civilized, technologically advanced society.
It didn't matter if she could lift cars over her head or break concrete walls with a punch. The laws were there to prevent indiscriminate lynching and murder, even if it was in the name of justice.
If she made a move, do you think bullets wouldn't pierce her scales? A cannon could shatter her! A well-placed enchanted bullet could shatter her skull! So, no, she had to do everything the proper way, the legal way.
She wanted justice, not for herself, but for Norma. She could never forget how she ignored someone who was suffering. She even felt terrible for only starting to believe when she was the target.
Although she could have taken Howard Stone's head off with her powerful arms, Madeleine knew the best outcome, for herself and the other victims, would be to make the man pay dearly.
He should lose the power that made him feel entitled to outrage and end the lives of those women. He should be relegated to what he truly is: a pathetic, sick man who deserves no compassion.
The conversation between the two women reviewed all of Howard Stone's known and rumored actions. Even Séraphine was more open about mentioning the man's possible involvement with a cult. This did not justify his actions; it only made them worse.
They also planned their next course of action during this process, and, as was inevitable, they had to deal with the police. Luckily, Séraphine had met an officer the day before who seemed interested in 'interesting activities.'
After an hour, an exhausted and hungry Élodie walked through the front door of the agency. She felt that the whole situation was particularly odd.
Hitting a nasty bastard over the head with her warhammer? How could she refuse? Especially since he had done so much wrong. She was supposed to be the police, the ones who protect others, right? It was perfectly reasonable to crush his skull with a swing of her weapon.
After feeling like an excited fan meeting one of her favorite actresses and receiving a purple scale from Madeleine that she would keep forever, the trio of women decided to start their operations.
It was time for a classic detective investigation!
The group first decided to investigate an abandoned factory, one of the locations Francisca had pointed out as a key location for Howard Stone's actions.
Technological advances supported by science and alchemy were making the city more prosperous and showy. However, they left an obvious trace of obsolescence in places that could not adapt.
The place they went to was a textile factory that employed many people. However, new technologies displaced many industries, including clothing.
It was now much easier to obtain materials for making fabrics, and processing them was no longer as difficult as it had been 100 years ago. Over time, many factories like this one closed.
Only the most important tailor shops with superior craftsmanship, which could not be imitated by machines or simplified processes, were able to survive. That's why, when they arrived, the place looked like a dilapidated building full of garbage and debris with a bad smell.
However, there was an eerie atmosphere, even though it was daytime. It was barely 3 p.m., but the atmosphere was dark and oppressive, similar to the vibes that the cottage transmitted to them.
This place was not as simple as it seemed.