Yes, hello… I am Haiyina Inspector, who made an appointment yesterday… I am here to investigate the attack on Mr. Aiwass Moriarty.
A young woman in a blue and white uniform, looking about twenty years old, stood nervously and awkwardly in front of the gate of a manor, clutching her wide-brimmed hat.
Her brown curly hair was tied into a ponytail behind her, and her nose bridge was high. Her lake-blue eyes were filled with the panic of having messed something up.
"…So, so sorry, the district Surveillance Bureau had a temporary Inspector meeting… Another warehouse explosion occurred in White Queen District yesterday, and traces of Flame Essence were detected at the scene, suspected to be involved with a Demon Scholar I think it might be the same wanted criminal who attacked Mr. Aiwass the day before yesterday!
Haina's voice grew softer as she spoke: "So, so… "
"So you took it upon yourself to participate in this Inspector meeting, which actually didn't require your presence, and were late… two hours and twenty-three minutes?"
An old, stern voice echoed from the other side of the iron gate. It was a special, drawn-out tone, an Elven accent unique to the people of the Capital.
He snapped shut the gem-encrusted pocket watch in his hand, returned it to his chest, and stared sternly at Haina.
Standing opposite Haina was a thin, tall Old Elves in a butler's uniform.
The wrinkles on his face would remind one of tree bark, and his dark green pupils were closer to a wolf's than a lake's.
The Old Elves looked almost two meters tall, and his posture with his hands behind his back was like a ghostly shadow cast by a withered tree at night under the Moonlight. His back, straight as a pine and unmoving, was now filled with powerful pressure.
Although Haina was actually an intern Inspector who had not yet graduated, she had, after all, passed the graduation assessment with full marks and could receive the Queen's knighthood at any time to become a formal Inspector. She wore an intern badge now only because the griffon assigned to her was still on its way.
Logically, she shouldn't have been so afraid of a butler.
But the old man in front of her was different.
Because this aged Elven butler was precisely her instructor.
Although he followed an ancient agreement, serving the Moriarty Family faithfully since the founding of the nation as a butler… at the same time, he was also the Grand Inspector who had retired eighty years ago.
"I thought you would be even later, Miss Haina."
Mr. Oswald said with his hands behind his back, in that Elven accent that always gave Haina a hint of arrogance: "Young Master Aiwass was attacked by a Demon Scholar the day before yesterday and remained unconscious until last night. But upon hearing that the Surveillance Bureau wanted to ask some questions, he very cooperatively chose not to go to the Glass Steps Sanatorium. He just took some medicine and, despite his weakened state, waited by the fireplace for you for two hours, and I also waited at the door for you for two hours.
Now it's almost dark. If you were any later, you might as well have been late until tomorrow; since you'd already be late until tomorrow, I don't think a week's recovery time would matter. According to the Surveillance Bureau's rules, a case with a signed commission must yield a result within a week with Miss Haina's excellent cultivation from graduating with full marks, I'm sure you can successfully find that Demon Scholar.
Since the criminal will already be arrested and brought to justice, why would you trouble my poor Young Master Aiwass? You might as well go back; I will explain it to Director Kent."
Kent was the Director of the White Queen District Surveillance Bureau. Even if Haina became a full-fledged Inspector, Kent would still be three ranks higher than her.
If Mr. Oswald's tone hadn't been so sarcastic, she would have immediately turned and run, leaving this troublesome matter to her superiors. But the problem was, she was still a senior student.
Although she could be said to be influential in school, she hadn't graduated yet, after all.
She didn't have enough social experience to discern whether the old man was seriously making such a suggestion or merely mocking her. But her intuition told her that if the old man hadn't originally intended to do so, and she just foolishly ran away, she would truly be in deep trouble.
"…I am truly sorry."
So Haina could only bow her head and apologize first: "I will also apologize to Mr. Aiwass."
Regardless, having a pre-scheduled meeting time and then being so late without prior notice… she was indeed in the wrong.
She looked at the iron gate separating her from the old man, and her thoughts unconsciously began to drift again.
The black hollow iron gate was only decorated with low-key thorn patterns… it didn't look like the entrance to a prestigious family.
In fact, Professor Moriarty who was Aiwass Moriarty's adoptive father and related to this incident could indeed be described as a low-key, steady, wise, and knowledgeable good person. Professor Moriarty was also Haina's university teacher, responsible for subjects like astrology, astronomy, and advanced mathematics.
He inherited the Moriarty Chamber of Commerce, owned three museums, and even funded the construction of the only planetarium in White Queen District. Despite being so wealthy, he quietly pursued his studies at the university. He even sponsored many orphanages and adopted many orphans, truly a remarkable and benevolent figure.
When she came, her captain had specifically reminded her that the Moriarty Family was not only wealthy but also a founding family served by Elves. Although the head of the family, Mr. James, had a gentle personality, she still needed to be extra careful.
According to the rules, any direct participant in a demon-related incident, after being out of life danger, must immediately be escorted to the local Surveillance Bureau with a discipline lock and undergo a mental examination by a Law Master. Only after being confirmed innocent would they be sent back to a hospital or sanatorium.
This was because the identities of the ritual host, participants, instructors, and sacrifices in a demonic ritual could not be simply distinguished by their status as 'injured or not' victims.
If a sacrifice survived, it meant the ritual had largely failed although a sacrificed offering might not necessarily die, they would usually be killed to silence them. Therefore, when there were injured rather than dead, the injured person was not necessarily the sacrifice, and there was a significant possibility they were involved in the ritual.
But this rule, now, had actually become ineffective.
Director Kent was like a blind man, completely ignoring this readily available clue. It was this Mr. Oswald who proactively contacted Director Kent and scheduled today's meeting, and only then did he seem to 'suddenly remember' this matter. Moreover, when she arrived, the Surveillance Bureau didn't even assign her an accompanying Law Master, letting her, an intern Inspector without a griffon, armor, or sword, come alone.
Such obvious protection…
Haina felt that even if this matter truly concerned Aiwass, she probably wouldn't be able to take him away.
But because of such a grand display, she actually felt that perhaps this matter really was related to him if he were truly innocent, why wouldn't he be willing to undergo a Law Master's examination?
…How nice.
He was clearly just an adopted commoner orphan. Only because of good luck, he was valued and adopted by the professor. Now he had become a big shot the Surveillance Bureau couldn't touch…
Standing at the door, Haina was lost in thought, feeling a bit sour.
But just then, the iron gate slowly opened.
She looked up in surprise, seeing the old man's expressionless face, yet somehow feeling as if he wasn't as angry anymore.
The Old Elves silently glanced at her, then slowly walked back with his hands behind his back.
Haina was stunned for a moment before realizing this meant she should follow.
So she hurriedly put on the hat she was clutching, and quickly followed. But after only a few steps, she remembered to turn back and close the door. However, when she turned around, she saw the manor's gate closing by itself.
Not only that, but bright runes even lit up from the inside of the unremarkable iron gate.
The sunlight slanted, and the evening breeze paused. Haina vaguely felt as if something invisible was shrouding this area, changing the atmosphere of the manor.
"I'm not trying to cause you trouble, Miss Haina."
Although the Old Elves was walking in front of her, the old man's much gentler voice clearly sounded in her ear: "But what is agreed upon with people must be adhered to. Meet at the agreed time, no earlier, no later. Yes, the consequences of breaking rules in school might not be so severe, but there are also no griffon knights patrolling the streets in school, no Law Masters with armed knights regularly auditing company tax accounts no Inspectors like you who can directly arrest suspicious individuals.
Everyone in this country values 'rules'. What the Surveillance Bureau, Law Court, and Arbitration Hall protect is not only Her Majesty the Queen's decree but also the many rules established by the Council.
I will forgive you this time, and I won't tell Director Kent about your mistake I'll say you arrived on time, and after understanding the situation, you stayed for two cups of tea and some snacks.
But this is because Young Master Aiwass is kind-hearted. When you were an hour late, I had already decided to call the Surveillance Bureau. It was Young Master Aiwass who stopped me. He said, one must always give people a chance… no matter what excuse one needs to find, one must first meet and then talk."
The Old Elves spoke slowly, walking for a long time before reaching the manor's entrance.
The next moment, his voice lowered slightly, yet still clearly echoed in Haina's ear: "Although Avalon has no so-called 'nobles' like other countries, the descendants of the founders are equally noble. Without the sacrifice of those twenty founders, everyone would have died even the Queen must respect the descendants of the founders.
I feel your sincere apology, so I will provisionally forgive your breach of agreement. But you might want to think carefully if you have offended anyone, or blocked anyone's path… As I said, this was an Inspector meeting that did not require your participation."
Upon hearing this, Haina suddenly froze.
At this moment, the old man who had reached the door elegantly turned around and bowed slightly to Haina: "Please follow me, Miss Haina. The young master has been waiting for a long time."
At this moment, he finally put on his butler's mask to greet the guest.
His previous attitude was more like an instructor facing a disappointing student.
And Haina, with her mind in a state of confusion, followed the Old Elves towards the living room.
The soft touch of the carpet underfoot startled her, and she looked up, wanting to ask if she needed to take off her shoes but the Old Elves' calm and composed demeanor made her unsure. So she could only follow with trepidation, feeling the sudden warmth of the fireplace in winter.
It was then that she realized she had made an old man wait at the door for two hours on a winter evening.
Filled with guilt and shame, she didn't know how to speak.
Even her suspicion of Aiwass was diluted by this remorse.
And so, she saw the somewhat unruly Aiwass Moriarty, whose reputation was known.
He was sitting in a wheelchair, a blanket covering his legs.
His pale, weak face was bloodless, and his appearance, looking no more than seventeen or eighteen, possessed a handsomeness completely different from Professor Moriarty.
He wore Pure White velvet pajamas, looking as if he had just come out of a bath. His soft, platinum-blonde hair reflected the warm light of the fireplace. He was quietly and intently reading a book facing the fireplace, his delicate features exuding a gentle quality… reminding her of a poet and the fire rising in a home's hearth.
The beautiful scene looked like a painting. Haina instinctively widened her eyes.
But just then, the young man heard something and skillfully turned his wheelchair around.
And at this moment, Haina noticed he was sitting in a wheelchair.
…Was this the price of being attacked by a Demon Scholar?
She didn't know when, but she instinctively dismissed the possibility that "the Demon Scholar was Aiwass."
The young man looked over, his deep blue pupils like the sea.
"Miss Haina."
It was a clear voice that conveyed a sense of nobility, a magnificent vocal tone matching his appearance.
Compared to his weak face, his voice was more vibrant and very polite: "Nice to meet you for the first time. May I ask, are you here to arrest me?"