"Since you're so fond of probing, I can't exactly just take the hits without striking back."
Elias leaned against the windowsill, looking at Ms. Cecil as a plan formed in his mind.
Didn't the Seventh Agency have confidentiality protocols?
Weren't they forbidden from leaking the inner workings of the supernatural world to ordinary citizens of the Kingdom of Velen?
Fine, I'll ask you a few questions too. Let's see how many brain cells you burn coming up with lies!
I might as well get under your skin a little!
Having made up his mind, Elias's gaze shifted slightly.
"Ms. Cecil."
He stood up straight, his face instantly adopting the worried look of a typical commoner.
"Speaking of which, what exactly happened downstairs just now?"
"That explosion was terrifying!"
"Even the windows were rattling!"
Elias stared intently into Cecil's eyes, waiting for her to look flustered or give a perfunctory answer.
However, he had still underestimated the skill of this investigator.
"I have no idea!"
Ms. Cecil didn't hesitate for even a second.
She spread her hands with total nonchalance, a trace of helplessness appearing on her face as well.
"I was just out nearby on some official business with a few colleagues," Cecil said, her eyes not even blinking as the lie rolled off her tongue.
"Who would have thought that while walking on the street, we'd hear an incredibly violent explosion coming from the outskirts?"
She even made a show of patting non-existent dust off her trench coat and sighed.
"It was quite a commotion; it gave me quite a fright."
"I suspect some substandard factory must have exploded."
Cecil gave her conclusion in a definitive tone.
"..."
A factory explosion?
Wasn't that the exact same excuse he had used to fool Charlotte ten minutes ago?!
What a copycat!
Deep in his mind, Old Ed, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly burst into a fit of wild laughter.
"Hahaha!"
The old man's mocking voice echoed back and forth in Elias's head.
"This one seems to be a match for you!"
A match indeed. They were even sharing the same vocabulary for excuses!
Elias didn't dally. He immediately seized the opportunity, snapping his head around to look at Charlotte sitting on the edge of the bed.
"See!"
"I told you it was a factory explosion!"
Charlotte sat on the edge of the bed and looked up, looking utterly dazed.
Her amber eyes were filled with confusion as she stared blankly at Elias, who had suddenly turned toward her.
It wasn't like she hadn't believed him earlier.
"Yes!"
Before Charlotte could figure it out, Ms. Cecil had already picked up the conversation with extreme naturalness.
This Seventh Agency captain was also an actress of Oscar-winning caliber.
"When I returned from my business, I found that the building across the street had collapsed too."
Ms. Cecil traced the holy emblem of the Dawn Church over her chest, her tone full of piety and compassion.
"The Dawn Lady be praised!"
"I don't know what's wrong with Hope County this afternoon, one incident after another!"
She frowned, a look of worry appropriately surfacing on her icy face.
"The police from the East District Police Station have completely cordoned off the street across the way, and they aren't letting anyone near."
Ms. Cecil turned her head and looked at the siblings, advising them with earnest gravity.
"Things aren't peaceful in the city lately. You should both be careful when you're out."
Beside her, Charlotte listened and nodded very seriously.
She clearly had a natural sense of trust in her reliable teacher.
Seeing this, Elias immediately seized the excuse.
He didn't want to stay in a room with this vixen any longer.
The more they talked, the more likely he'd slip up. It would be trouble if she noticed any flaws.
As he spoke, he unobtrusively moved a few steps toward the door.
"In that case, Ms. Cecil, we won't disturb your rest any further?"
Elias followed her lead.
"After all, as you said, it's not safe outside."
"For safety's sake, we'd better head home early."
He already had his hand on the door handle, ready to pull his sister away and bolt at any moment.
"It's no disturbance."
Ms. Cecil smiled slightly, her tone still polite.
"I've finished the matters at hand as well."
"But since you're heading back, you should indeed leave early."
She stepped aside to clear the path to the door, making a "please" gesture.
The situation seemed to be completely under Elias's control.
The reason for retreat was perfect.
But in reality.
At this moment, Elias's heart was a tangled mess of indecision.
If he just went home with his sister naturally now.
Then he would have absolutely no excuse and no time to retrieve his things!
Keep in mind, he had risked his life tonight to scavenge fifty-four soul coins from across the street!
That was a full fifty-four!
That massive sum, enough to drive an ordinary transcendent crazy, was currently lying quietly in a shabby suitcase.
And of course, his entire livelihood.
And those things were in the luggage storage room downstairs!
If he had Charlotte with him, he couldn't explain why he was going to the storage room to pick up a suitcase of unknown origin.
Furthermore, Cecil was watching right there.
He couldn't exactly take away a suitcase belonging to "Mr. Batman" for no apparent reason right in front of the Seventh Agency captain, could he?
How would that be any different from turning himself in?
Elias's mind raced.
He was seriously considering a possibility.
That was to pretend nothing was wrong, take Charlotte home.
After settling his sister, he'd find an excuse to go out and retrieve the items.
Though it was a bit of a hassle, it seemed to be the only safe way for now.
However.
Before Elias could finish rehearsing this perfect plan in his mind.
"Wait!"
A crisp voice suddenly rang out in the room.
Charlotte, who had already obediently stood up to follow him, suddenly stopped.
Upon hearing Ms. Cecil say "it's no disturbance" and "I've finished the matters at hand," her big eyes suddenly lit up.
"I want to stay a bit longer!"
Charlotte turned around and grabbed Ms. Cecil's hand, her tone full of a thirst for knowledge.
"I still have some questions about mysticism and history I'd like to stay and ask Ms. Cecil!"
For Elias's money-retrieval plan, this should have been a wonderful thing!
Charlotte proactively asking to stay here was practically the perfect solution to his problem of taking the treasure!
But.
When Elias slowly turned his head and met his sister's clear eyes.
He felt an unusually strong conflict.
His brows furrowed tightly as the natural protective instinct of an older brother flared up in his veins.
Who was Cecil?
She was an investigator from the Seventh Agency headquarters!
Elias was a thousand, ten thousand times unwilling to let Charlotte stay alone with this woman.
For one, this woman was trouble incarnate. What if something went wrong?
Second, and most fatally.
He had finally, with great difficulty, managed to clear most of the suspicion Cecil had of him.
What if Charlotte accidentally let slip some details about him while asking questions?
Even just a few slips of the tongue could easily make Cecil's already suspicious nerves tighten again, deepening the suspicion on him!
She couldn't stay!
Absolutely not!
"You heard what Ms. Cecil said just now, it's not safe outside..."
Elias put on a stern face, invoking the authority of the head of the household in an attempt to reject this ridiculous proposal.
"Lottie, be good, come home with me."
However.
"Al!"
Charlotte let go of Cecil's hand and walked right up to Elias.
She reached out and gripped his sleeve tightly.
The girl gently tugged on his arm.
Those bright, large eyes looked at him pitifully.
"Please!"
Charlotte's voice had a hint of pleading in it.
"I promise to be good and not run around!"
"You go back first, and then you can come pick me up later, okay?"
This...
Who could resist this?!
Elias felt as if something was stuck in his throat.
The stern words of rejection he had prepared were completely forgotten in an instant.
His expression started to crumble.
Originally, he wasn't the type to be so indecisive.
But for some reason, he was incredibly hesitant and weak on this issue today.
Elias looked at his sister.
Ask yourself.
Who in the world could hold their ground and cruelly refuse a red-haired beauty with such a pleading look?
Moreover, this person was his own sister, linked by blood to this body.
The bond from the depths of his soul completely shattered Elias's rational defenses.
"Sigh..."
Elias sighed deeply in his heart.
"Fine!"
Elias said with a bit of resignation. She was determined to pit her brother.
If she slipped up, she slipped up. He'd just have to smooth it over next time. What else could he do?
What else could he do but spoil his own mischievous little sister?
Rate on N.U.
