"Monsieur Henry?"
"Monsieur Henry?"
After calling out twice with no response, Vinani grew concerned and pushed open the door. She immediately spotted Lofan lying in bed, hooked up to an IV drip and covered in bandages, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Realizing what had happened, Vinani's anger flared.
"Monsieur Henry!"
When Lofan remained unresponsive, Vinani stormed over to his bedside, leaned in close to his ear, and shouted:
"Wake up, Monsieur Henry!"
Lofan remained unresponsive.
Vinani paused, puzzled. Given how close she was, if Lofan were truly deep in thought, he should still be able to hear her.
Intrigued, she leaned closer to his face, then even closer.
"!!!"
"Empty?!"
Vinani startled back. Her probing revealed that Lofan's soul fluctuations were now incredibly faint—so faint it was as if he had no soul at all.
"...Miss Vinani, are you perhaps trying to engage in an interspecies bodily fusion?"
A familiar voice echoed in her ear, snapping Vinani out of her reverie. Her gaze landed squarely on Lofan's grinning face.
Under Vinani's perception, Lofan now seemed completely normal, as if her earlier discovery had been nothing more than a figment of her imagination.
Noticing Vinani's continued silence, Lofan playfully nuzzled his cheek against hers.
"Ahhh! Monsieur Henry, what are you doing?!"
Vinani shrieked, leaping away with flushed cheeks, glaring at Lofan from a safe distance.
Yet, this outburst temporarily eased her inner anxieties.
"What's wrong?"
"If Miss Vinani, as a woman, is taking such initiative, then I, as a man, should certainly be even more proactive!"
"Don't let your competitive spirit flare up in such strange situations!"
"Monsieur Henry, you handsome devil!"
"Mhm, mhm, go on, I'm listening."
Lofan realized that if he simply ignored the fact that Melusines perceived the world in reverse compared to humans, her voice was actually quite pleasant to listen to.
"Before, I just had some things I wanted to discuss with Monsieur Henry, but no matter how many times I called out to you, you wouldn't respond."
"You're still recovering from your injuries, yet you still used That Ability! Do you have no regard for your own life?"
"Besides, is there anything urgent right now that warrants Monsieur Henry using That Ability?"
"Well... hmm... there are still some lingering mysteries in the case that need to be resolved..."
Lofan scratched his head. Just then, Vinani leaned in close again, her beautiful eyes fixed on him as she spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Monsieur Henry, if there's anything you don't understand, please tell us so we can discuss it together."
"Promise me you won't use that Ability again, okay?"
Lofan noticed Vinani seemed to have sensed something and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"I'm sorry, Miss Vinani, but I can't promise you that."
Hearing this, Vinani grew anxious.
"Monsieur Henry, what exactly is that Ability? Why does it feel like you lose your soul when you're in that state?"
"Miss Vinani, excessive curiosity isn't always a good thing," Lofan said with a gentle smile.
"Everyone has their own secrets they can't share, and no one likes others prying into their deepest secrets."
"But I'm only concerned about you, Monsieur Henry! If you keep pushing yourself like this, I'm afraid you won't be able to hold on..."
Vinani's face showed a mixture of hurt and sorrow, but Lofan simply smiled and replied.
"Miss Vinani, didn't you have something to discuss with me?"
"I suppose your colleagues from the Marechaussee Phantom told you something?"
"Let me guess: you're returning home, so you came to say goodbye before leaving?"
Seeing Lofan deliberately changing the subject, Vinani couldn't help but feel a bitter pang.
It was only then that Vinani realized how Lofan's smile could be so hurtful. Finally, as if giving up, she said, "That's right. I'm here to say my final farewells."
"Then, if fate allows, we'll meet again someday, Miss Vinani."
"Safe travels on your journey."
Hearing Lofan's farewell, Vinani gripped the letter of recommendation in her hand tightly.
Finally, she pressed her lips together, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
After Vinani had left, Lofan frowned slightly.
It seemed his grasp on the situation had slipped slightly.
No matter. I'll just need to adjust my next move accordingly.
"She's gone?"
At that moment, Captain Elton's sturdy frame filled the doorway.
"Yeah, I'm leaving now."
After hearing Lofan's response, Captain Elton shook his head and entered the room.
"You rascal! You've really hurt Miss Vinani's feelings with this."
"Do you even realize how much effort she put in to get you this chance to rise through the ranks and join the Court of Justice?"
"She didn't say a word this time, which means she's truly angry."
Lofan chuckled at Captain Elton's words. "But I'm about to officially become Deputy Captain. Going to the Court of Justice and starting from scratch would be a demotion, wouldn't it?"
"Henry, you..."
Captain Elton's face showed a hint of helplessness. He couldn't believe someone as clever as Lofan would genuinely think that way. Lofan's words clearly signaled he didn't want to discuss the matter further.
"Sigh... I'm getting too old to understand you young people anymore."
"Speaking of which, weren't you two getting along so well before? What suddenly caused this rift?"
"Henry, my boy, take my advice. Miss Vinani's concern might make you uncomfortable, but she means well."
"Once we're back in Fontaine, find some time to meet her at a café and talk things out. It'll clear the air."
Captain Elton still found the relationship between Lofan and Vinani rather peculiar.
Despite knowing each other for quite some time, they still addressed each other formally as "Monsieur" and "Miss."
Moreover, they were often seen inseparable, their interactions noticeably frequent.
However, Captain Elton found it hard to believe they were romantically involved across species. After all, Melusines and humans have vastly different standards of beauty. While Lofan's appearance was undeniably striking, to a Melusine, he might just look like an ugly brute.
Therefore, their relationship was likely still just friendship—though a somewhat odd one.
Then again, if they were developing romantic feelings, would that make Neuvillette his father-in-law? Since Melusines are a major clan, would Lofan's situation be considered that of a groom in a uxorilocal marriage?
"Captain Elton, you're quite the silver-tongued orator, aren't you?"
"I'm sure you'll handle the report perfectly!"
Cough, cough, cough, cough...
Captain Elton choked on Lofan's words. He raised his hand to give Lofan a hearty pat on the shoulder, but seeing Lofan was still unwell, he softened his blow.
"Alright, I won't press you further."
"Those who disregard the wisdom of elders often pay the price."
"Besides, as we age, our minds lose their sharpness. We need you young ones to help us with the report!"
"Captain Elton, you're not that much older than me, are you?"
Cough, cough, cough, cough... "Ah, with age comes failing hearing too!"
"Just focus on recovering. I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave."
With that, Captain Elton strode out of the room, showing no signs of his supposed advanced age.
Even after Captain Elton's figure disappeared, the smile lingered on Lofan's face as he silently thought to himself:
Captain Elton, that report of yours might need rewriting.
Good luck with that.
Then, Lofan closed his eyes, feigning sleep. In reality, his consciousness had already detached from his body and slipped into another realm.
From a dark corner, No. 2 opened his eyes, then threw off the black cloth covering him and strode purposefully toward the Maison Gardiennage Headquarters.
With each step, a damp footprint appeared on the ground. No. 2 was dripping wet, his oppressive aura making him resemble a demon risen from the depths of the sea.
Passersby recoiled in terror, scattering before him, but No. 2 paid them no heed, pressing forward with unwavering resolve.
Moments later, a piercing alarm siren wailed from the Maison Gardiennage Headquarters.
"Enemy attack!!!"
Hearing the alarm, Captain Elton sprang to his feet, his gaze sharpening from thoughtful clarity to keen alertness. After checking his sidearm and grabbing the one-handed sword resting nearby, he strode toward the commotion.
Before he reached his destination, a window shattered ahead, and a figure hurtled toward him.
Recognizing the Maison Gardiennage uniform, Captain Elton didn't dodge. Instead, he braced himself to absorb the impact, minimizing potential harm to the officer.
Even so, the officer struggled to recover.
Captain Elton realized the situation was even more dire than he had anticipated. Unable to wait for the Maison Gardiennage officer to recover, he moved him aside and vaulted through the shattered window.
Even though he had steeled himself for the worst, Captain Elton was still stunned by the scene inside.
About a dozen Maison Gardiennage officers lay scattered across the floor. Some struggled to rise, while others were completely motionless, their fates uncertain. Reminder: The original team numbered fewer than ten officers. The Poisson Garrison officers were currently suspended and under investigation. Just a friendly reminder in case you've forgotten.
Instantly, Captain Elton's eyes turned bloodshot as he glared furiously at the figure in the distance.
To make matters worse, the drenched man was gripping a Maison Gardiennage officer by the neck, lifting him effortlessly with one hand.
Then, as if discovering a more intriguing prey, the man tightened his grip. With a sickening snap of bone, the officer in his hand quickly went limp.
"Bastard!"
"I'll kill you!"
Captain Elton roared deafeningly at the sight. Without hesitation, he charged forward, drawing his gun and firing.
Without a shred of sentimentality, the assailant tossed the gradually cooling corpse aside, then fixed Captain Elton with emotionless eyes.
With a casual wave of his hand, the fire-spewing bullets halted mid-air, as if blocked by an invisible barrier about a meter in front of the man.
Soon, as the man thrust out his palm, Captain Elton finally understood what was blocking the bullets: wind.
The captain felt as if he had slammed into a solid wall. The gale-force winds then propelled him backward at even greater speed, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.
Gasping for breath, Captain Elton barely had time to register the pain before rolling away to evade another attack.
In the next instant, an even more ferocious gust of wind tore a massive hole through the wall where he had just been standing, collapsing even the outermost walls of the Maison Gardiennage Headquarters. Passersby witnessed the terrifying scene, erupting into screams.
Damn it, this is a massive humiliation!
Overwhelmed by the sheer difference in power, Captain Elton, crouched in hiding and teetering on the edge of despair, even began trying to find humor in his situation, his mind wandering to other matters. Just then, heavy footsteps grew steadily closer.
Captain Elton held his breath, bracing himself for the inevitable approach.
Now!
Captain Elton staked everything on this final attack, lunging forward with his sword and thrusting it with all his might at the man.
But it was ultimately futile. In the next moment, the strength in Captain Elton's hand gave way, his sword clattering to the ground. His sidearm, which he had concealed somewhere, also fell with a sharp clang.
Captain Elton collapsed weakly, losing consciousness completely.
For reasons unknown, the man made no attempt to deliver the final blow. Instead, he turned and strode toward the gaping hole he had previously created, step by step making his way to a room inside the Maison Gardiennage Headquarters. He pushed the door open.
Inside was a makeshift hospital bed, upon which lay a figure receiving an IV drip, seemingly fast asleep.
Upon seeing the figure, the man raised his arm. The circular dial on his wrist began to spin, eventually settling on the "Dendro" range.
He extended his hand toward the figure on the bed, and countless vines surged forth, transforming the room into a verdant oasis in an instant.
"Release Monsieur Henry!"
Just as the vines were about to pull the figure from the bed, a gunshot rang out from behind. But the bullet was instantly deflected by the vines.
Vinani charged forward, firing her gun as she advanced, intending to bypass the man and reach the figure being dragged back by the vines. However, the man's iron-tower-like frame blocked the doorway, leaving Vinani no opportunity to break through.
The man's expression flickered in surprise at Vinani's sudden appearance, but he quickly regained control, commanding the vines to ensnare her as well...