Thirty minutes later in the palace; inside Ray's room.
"Hmm… So, the staff in that café adds a substance in the drinks huh. The name you said, what was it? LST something? Ray sat in Kai's wheelchair, while he remade the whole scenario as Kai filled him in with the detail. Ray was thinking more into it, wondering how Kai knows of about the drug being used.
"Not LST, it's LSD. Also, if you are wondering how I know about it, then it's all thanks to the thing that you have in your ear."
Kai said so while he sat on the bed and played with the Rubik's cube, while Ray reached out to his right ear. Feeling the metallic presence of the earpiece which stayed invisible to the outside, but Ray could feel it in his ear and through his finger touch. Ray whispered to himself about how he still felt strange wearing something with such great abilities; but Kai cut him off saying that he got more stuffs which can blow Ray's mind. But to this, Ray simply responded saying he probably won't be shocked anymore after seeing everything so far.
Kai laughed at this, as he turned to look at Ray and said that they should probably discuss on what to do next. Ray smiled and agreed; but with a curiosity he asked whether that drug was dangerous. Since so far, there have been no news of anyone falling ill or anything after visit that café, and about how Kai stated that the use of the drug was just in a small amount in the drink; which shouldn't be much effective to the consumer. To this, Kai gave Ray a thumps-up, saying he made the right choice to take Ray into this mission of his.
"You are right, but there are a few things which is not mentioned yet. First, the drug itself is not chemically addictive and doesn't cause any form of organ damage, but it can be dangerous due to its powerful effects on the mind, especially in uncontrolled settings; like for people with mental health vulnerabilities such as having some kind of childhood trauma.
Second, maybe it was not only given through drinks but the pastries and other edible as well. We aren't certain about that, are we?"
Ray listened attentively, as Kai kept going on about how the drug hits a person's brain; giving example of how one consumer can have visual distortion, pattern hallucination and time shift. Ray took in the details as he created an image in his mind on how it works based on Kai's explanation. But then, he remembered about the mention of the unknown substance with the drug. Looking up, he asked if Kai got any intel on that unknown substance as well to which Kai nodded.
Reaching out his hand to his pocket, Kai pulled out a small bottle similar to the one which Celestina and Maximus exchanged. Apparently, Kai was able to extract a small amount of liquid from their bottle with his magic and tested it out with Eva.
"And you know what, that unknown substance was something which was actually very easy to identify."
A silence fell upon the room, as Ray asked what it was. Kai just leaned back to the wall, smiling as he said;
"Blood."
Upon the discovery, Ray was stunned. But a question quickly rose in his mind.
"Wait… If it was blood, then why didn't anyone feel that something was wrong with their drinks? I mean, the taste of blood isn't hard to identify right?"
Kai nodded in agreement, as he slowly began to clap his hands.
"Great! You got it in one go huh.
Well, no need to think too much and keep it simple. Imagine having one drop of blood from your finger and mixing it with red wine in a small cup. And later add to the drink in small amount each, mixing it carefully so the taste of the wine shall vanish. And for the finishing touch; add extra sweet flavor to the drink so the consumer only tastes the sweetness."
To Kai's explanation, Ray nodded in understanding. To two kept discussing, about what does the mastermind behind this actually wants and what could be extracted by doing so with the common people in the city. But the answer to the questions were complicated, as Kai expressed that whatever the plan is; it's all related to a person's mind, like brainwashing. After talking more about the working about the actual goal to this, Ray finally asked the question;
"What's next?"
Kai simply pulled out his pocket watch as he gave a thoughtful look, slowly speaking up;
"Boys' night out."
But Ray didn't get what he meant, as Kai sighed and said that the two of them shall walk around the city tonight. Ray was about to ask why; when he suddenly understood the meaning behind those words indicating that the two of them shall search around that café tonight.
Tapping on the wheelchair with his index finger; Ray agreed to Kai's plan as he expressed how he never thought of doing such things before. But just then, a sound of knocking came in the room. Both Kai and Ray turned their gazes towards the door as Nino's voice came in.
"Ray, are you there?"
Outside, Nino waited when Ray's voice reached to her. Asking her to come in, Nino went in where she saw Ray leaning by the window; while Kai seated on his wheelchair with his casual appearance and the classic wig, holding a book in his hand. Ray happily walked close to Nino, hugging her tightly as he asked if Nino had missed him. To this, Nino chuckled as she replied back; saying she did miss him a lot. While the two were immersed in their world, Kai just stared at them with a blank face.
But while the two cuddled, Nino's eyes met with Kai's as she pushed Ray back and said that she almost forgot the main thing she came in here for.
Kai titled his head as Ray asked the question if Nino was looking for something from him. But to this, Nino paused for a while with worried look; glancing at Kai as she said that it would be best for the two of them to come out first.
"You will know once you come out," Nino said as Kai and Ray slowly followed her, with Ray pushing Kai's wheelchair. As the three reached outside at the main entrance, they saw Mono peeking outside. As the three reached closer, Nino tapped on Mono's shoulder asking why was she peeking out. Mono was slightly surprised, but quickly got herself back. But just when her eyes landed on Kai, she paused for a bit as she tried to form her words;
"Uhh… well… you… uncle…"
But no proper sentence formed, when Ray and Kai heard a familiar sound calling to them.
"Brother!!"
Calling out, Elysia rushed to Kai, followed behind by Lala and Ana. While Elysia and Ana had cheerful look on their faces, Lala had a complicated expression. Elysia, quickly standing next to Kai started to say how she ended up in the palace; as Hiro told her to stay in the palace and tell the same to Kai, since there will be some sort of work going on in their mansion for a while. Alongside her, Ana too was happily looking around saying she never thought she would be inside a palace someday. But behind them, Lala was still shaken, thinking of how she tried to decline staying in the palace and would move in with the other maids, but she was literally thrown inside the carriage by the maids and how nervous she was the whole way.
But then Ray cut in between, asking if something is going to happen in the mansion. To this, Lala wanted to speak something but then she glanced at Kai and paused.
"Why is everyone giving me complicated glances?"
Kai spoke with Ray through the earpiece as he also responded back; saying he too noticed those gazes towards Kai. In that moment, Celestina and Maximus were back taking off their disguise and in their usual wear. But the two had a worried look as they walked inside. But the moment they saw Kai and the rest, they froze and looked at each other with a complicated look.
"Not that look again…,"
Kai thought to himself as he wheeled himself ahead to the two and asking through the projectile; "Did something happened back in the mansion?"
His question was simple, but both Maximus and Celestina paused, taking deep breathes as Celestina looked at the rest with her usual smile and told them to settle in first. The girls nodded, walking away where the maids helped them to their rooms with Ray and Kai staying behind. As it was left with just the four of them, Maximus sighed and sat down on Kai's level and looked at him.
"Kai, I want you to listen carefully and stay calm."
To Maximus words, Kai and Ray gave each other a brief glance. Then, Maximus slowly began to explain that Sakura went out with her maids for some work in the city and there she saw someone who looked exactly like Kai, just the hair and eyes color were different. And now, she suspects that Hiro cheated on her and now she wants a divorce.
"An Illegitimate child!?!?!"
Ray exclaimed in surprise, talking about how there's no way Hiro would do that and how everyone in the empire knows about Hiro falling head over heels for Sakura. Maximus too agreed to him, while Celestina suggested that maybe it was just a misunderstanding. But right behind them, Kai held his face. covering his eyes as he thought to himself.
"What have I done…!!"
-To be Continued