When the plot-skips players into the game world

She immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

"Actually," Aiwass lowered his voice, "I might have left a book here."

"I was groggy when I left that day, and I left some things here."

"What book?"

"It's a forbidden book."

"A forbidden book?!"

"Yes."

Aiwass nodded, speaking gravely, "It's called the 'Alchemy Cipher,' probably taken down to the cellar by the bartender."

"I didn't dare to take it back before. But since we can avoid notifying the Supervisory Bureau right away, I still want to retrieve it. That book is very precious... and I'm also worried, if it remains here, someone might discover the book's connection to our Moriarty Family."

"...You,"

Hayna just felt a headache coming on.

Even discounting his looks—with only a day's acquaintance, she had come to greatly appreciate her junior.

Smart, serious, cultured, even a seeker of the path of Dedication, and a comrade in battle. Judging from the way he handled that female Demon Scholar, he could even be credited with saving her life.

She was not one to be ungrateful.

But how to deal with this situation...

After thinking for a while, Hayna sheathed her Sword, and the halo in her eyes gradually extinguished.

"Just this once."

She too lowered her voice, speaking seriously, "I know there are big shots who've secretly studied such taboo knowledge, but I didn't expect you to be one of them...

"I don't want to report you, but you at least shouldn't bring it into public places, right? It's very dangerous!

"Even if it's not from the passing patrols of the Supervisory Bureau checking your package, it could also draw the attention of the wrong people—you might not know, but these mysterious books fetch a high price on the black market!"

Of course, I know.

Because it's expensive, and you, due to your fear of poverty, can empathize with the pain, that's why you brought it up in this place...

"Yes, senior sister is right..."

Aiwass kept nodding, with a pitiful look, "Can you help me get it back, senior sister? Since it's illegal, it should be hidden in the cellar; if it's valuable enough, it should be in some important box."

"...I suspect, it's because of that book that you were targeted!"

Hayna couldn't help lecturing him further.

But looking at Aiwass's expression, her heart softened anyway.

She sighed, handing over her Surveillance Badge and sword to Aiwass, "You stay here and don't go out. If the local Inspectors arrive before I come back, show them this. Tell them someone is already investigating, and ask them to wait here.

"—Also, speaking of Alchemy, I just remembered. According to standard procedure, your gun will have to be turned over to the Supervisory Bureau afterward for inspection to see if there are any traces of illegal modification with Alchemy."

"I understand. Of course."

Aiwass nodded without hesitation.

Hayna was somewhat uneasy, "Tell me the truth, do you really have one? I feel its power is a bit too great. If you do have one, I can help you deal with the body and perhaps obscure the traces a bit—alchemy weapon modifications are illegal, too."

"Really, I don't have one."

Aiwass assured her confidently, "You can check if you want. Let's not deal with the body... If someone finds out you've tampered with it, it won't be good for you either."

Not to mention that this was an enchantment, certainly not a modification... And if a Phantom Card could be detected by these rookie technicians from the Supervisory Bureau, whose highest level isn't even forty, that would be a joke.

Don't they know what's called a professional technical barrier?

Hearing this, Hayna felt warm inside.

Although she had been the one to offer her help, somehow she felt like she was the one being helped.

"Be careful, I'll be back soon."

With that, Hayna opened the door to the basement and closed it behind her.

After she left, Aiwass let out a soft sigh.

The expression on his face, that of a guilty puppy, was instantly gone, vanishing without a trace. He became expressionless.

—At the next moment, Aiwass stood up from the wheelchair.

His movements were very smooth, with no delay at all.

And the moment he left the wheelchair, his shadow beneath him began to stir like a living creature being awakened, slowly moving. Like an indeterminate magical beast, it crept up from his skin, spreading and twisting across the ground.

The entire shambles of the bar hall darkened.

It was as though it was not noontime, but rather late evening with the lamps drawn. It blocked out all the light coming in from the outside.

Splashing, splashing...

Aiwass stepped on his own shadow, making a sound like boots trampling puddles on a rainy day. His shadow seemed to have become a sort of viscous liquid, like flowing, black blood.

Aiwass, completely ignoring this mutation, walked straight to Veronica's body and began to search painstakingly in the dark.

That night when they met, Veronica had shown him—she had hidden a thick stack of letters against her body, inside her clothes.

He had seen it clearly at the time. The last letter he had sent to them was hidden among them.

These letters were tucked inside her own brassiere.

—If Veronica forgot to destroy it, or intended to temporarily keep this letter after suspecting that she was killed by the Shadow Demon...

Her sudden death would turn it into evidence that could implicate Aiwass.

Aiwass had tricked Hayna away to secretly retrieve this fatal piece of evidence.

And just as Aiwass expected.

Aiwass found a stack of letters of various sizes from within Veronica's clothing and immediately spotted the one belonging to him.

"Heh."

Aiwass let out a cold laugh, clenching the letter.

As expected.

—This was the final piece of evidence.