"Ah, Xiao Ping, pleased to meet you!" Old Man Rayner extended his hand for a handshake towards Xiao Ping, who looked at it coldly before extending his own hand, the one wearing the black glove... and shook it.
Old Man Rayner tried to squeeze Xiao Ping's hand, but Xiao Ping didn't let him and squeezed back. When he saw the old man beginning to show signs of sweating, Xiao Ping suddenly exclaimed: "Uncle Rayner, that hurts!"
Huh? Is he doing this to spare me embarrassment? Interesting! Old Man Rayner thought to himself before withdrawing his hand from Xiao Ping's and displaying a friendly smile.
James saw what happened and knew Xiao Ping had overpowered Old Man Rayner in strength during the handshake, but he pretended he hadn't seen anything... and said: "Uncle Rayner, where is the thing I told you about!"
"Hehe, don't worry, I haven't forgotten it. I brought it!" Old Man Rayner said as he took out an investigation permit from his coat and handed it to James.
"Thank you for your effort, Uncle!" James said while putting the permit into his own coat and gestured to Xiao Ping with his hand that everything was fine now.
"No need to thank me. I'm happiest when you ask for my help. So, please tell me if you need anything!" Old Man Rayner said.
"I'll keep that in mind!" James replied, continuing: "Another victim, ha!"
"Yes, it's victim number 25 for this month! But... that's not all!" Old Man Rayner said, suddenly stopping, grabbing both Xiao Ping and James by their shoulders and pulling their heads closer to the middle as he said: "This isn't the important victim who died yesterday! It was Vice Viscount Alfred Rick Coulassen, a Baron!"
Another victim, but a Baron! Xiao Ping was inwardly surprised.
"What? Why didn't they talk about such a crime occurring?" James asked while clenching his fist tightly.
"The city mayor doesn't want information about this crime to leak, so he ordered the Mengle Down newspaper not to leak any information about this event! Even most high-level police officials don't know... and if I weren't a highly trusted inspector, I wouldn't know either!" Old Man Rayner said as he walked between them.
"Damn it!" James said loudly, angry, but he suddenly felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked and saw it belonged to Xiao Ping, who opened his mouth and said: "Anger won't do anything but let your emotions control you. The killer could lead you to your doom with the simplest trick! So calm down and let's go conduct investigations on other streets!" After saying this, Xiao Ping walked towards the carriage parked by the curb... and James followed him after calming his anger.
And so they moved between the streets and houses visited by Antonius Miros according to James Beyond's information, until noon, when the duo went with the carriage driver for lunch and ate some tender grilled meat with rice at a restaurant in the city's eastern district. And of course, all on Xiao Ping's tab.
After lunch, they toured the western district by carriage until evening, but they didn't gather any clues about Antonius Miros's whereabouts, as if he had hidden and burned all evidence before fleeing.
Hmm, this fugitive is smart too, like the killer. And I believe his escape plan wasn't just a mere coincidence... it's more than that! Xiao Ping thought to himself as he looked at the streets from inside the carriage.
"Alright, stop here!" Suddenly, James's voice was heard, and at the same time the driver stopped his horse.
James got off the carriage first, followed by Xiao Ping, but James turned to him and said: "Pay him now!"
Damn you, James, you'll see what I'll do to you later! Xiao Ping said to himself, but he said aloud: "Alright, I know, I'll pay him now!"
"Yes, that's good of you!" James said while standing on the sidewalk which was in front of a large university, its walls covered with some twisted weeds.
"What? Ten Liras?" Xiao Ping suddenly exclaimed.
"Yes, sir. I've been driving you since eight-thirty, so it will be ten hours at five-thirty...!" the man said very deliberately.
"Alright, alright!" Xiao Ping said as he took out ten liras and handed them to the man who... left immediately without even thanking Xiao Ping for feeding them lunch with him.
"Tsk, ungrateful!" Xiao Ping said as he turned towards James, who was looking at the colossal school before them.
"Wait, James, what are we doing here?" Xiao Ping asked when he saw the situation was strange, coming to a school.
"Nothing... I just wanted to show you the person you'll be guarding for the rest of your life!" James laughed as he walked towards the school gate, and the guard let him in immediately... followed by Xiao Ping.
When they entered, they saw many flowers of different colors, and between each color there was a path designated for the passage of students and teachers, paved with granite stones.
All the paths met in the middle, where there was a huge fountain of a woman holding a jug and pouring water into the fountain in an endless cycle.
There were many short lampposts on the sides of the paths, and there were also separate hanging lanterns which... began to light up as night approached.
The university consisted of 4 floors, each with its own different and elegant design... not to mention the design of the inner courtyard's scenery, which was very beautiful architecture.
Xiao Ping stood and looked at all that beautiful construction in its place, showing no expressions, but sinking into deep thoughts. What does he mean by that? And why do I feel an omen of misfortune?
Ring! Ring!
Suddenly, Xiao Ping's thoughts were cut off by a loud ringing sound followed by the loud sound of many heels stomping the ground, causing numerous vibrations and a resounding echo.
It was none other than the girls' heels, who were running enthusiastically towards the exit, but seeing Xiao Ping, who was carrying an umbrella and wearing a black glove... made him pique their interest a little, and they wondered to themselves: What reason brings this handsome boy to the school looking like this?
There was no one to give them an answer. Suddenly, James jumped up and pushed his hair back and said: "We're here to pick up Catherine... do you know where she is?"
"Huh? Catherine?" said Xiao Ping, feeling that something bad was about to happen.
"Are you talking about me?" Suddenly, a soft and gentle voice of a girl rang out. Suddenly the huge crowd split into two halves, and they all looked towards that girl who began making her way towards James and Xiao Ping.
She was a girl with long green hair and gentle honey-colored eyes, wearing a modest dress and high heels, while carrying a bag on her waist.
"Yes, we were looking for you," James said as he approached. All the girls stood in front of him, but Catherine pushed them aside and stepped forward herself, saying: "Brother James, how many times have I told you that I'm not a child anymore for you to come and pick her up? Also, I'm in closed study sessions, so don't worry about me!"
"Hahaha, don't say that, Catherine. You're like my little sister, so there's no harm in checking on you from time to time, right?" James asked.
"Yes, brother!" Catherine replied quickly and said: "Where's Madeline? And also, who is this?"
"Ah, Madeline should be at the café now! I apologize, but she's very busy so she didn't come with me... sorry!" James said while continuing: "As for this person, he's my partner! And also..."
"And also, what?" asked Catherine.
"He's your personal bodyguard!" James said.
"What!" all the girls in the university courtyard screamed when they heard that.
"Brother, this is no time for jokes!" Catherine said firmly.
"But I'm not joking! He really is your bodyguard, isn't he?" James turned towards Xiao Ping, who was shocked by the situation before him and felt as if a chain was tied around his heart and soul, unable to move with this girl beside him.
"Yes, that's right!" Xiao Ping said as he felt the power of the contract he had previously made with Old Man Herbert, and felt some hatred towards him and his granddaughter.
"What! Are you really my bodyguard?" Catherine said in astonishment.
"Yes, I will be your guard from today until the last day of my life!" Xiao Ping said those words and felt severely insulted by this situation, but he didn't show anything on his surface and remained calm.
"Well then, I don't care what the old man told you, so stay! I want to talk to my brother!" Catherine said while waving her hand dismissively.
James looked at Xiao Ping and transmitted a telepathic message to him, saying: 'Ping, step back a little. I'll finish this soon, and please bear with it a little!'
'Alright, you have it,' Xiao Ping said in his telepathic message as he retreated ten steps back.
'Do you see what they've done to you?' Suddenly, hallucinations echoed in his head.
'They're just using you! You should leave with us and find relief from all this hypocrisy!'
'You must accept the darkness! No... you must become one with it.'
'Get out of my head! These hallucinations don't work on me! Abyss Pistol!' Xiao Ping said to himself while continuing: 'Go now. I'll make the right choice when the right time comes. The darkness might not be an unacceptable option.' After saying this, he heard no more hallucinations.
Xiao Ping took out the strange cigarette case and lighter, lit one while taking a drag and exhaling, looking at James and Catherine, who was laughing and showing a smile on her beautiful face. He realized that James was trying to lighten the burden and weight of studies for this girl, so he showed no reaction.
But he said to himself: 'James sees a future in this girl, and Herbert sees an inheritance in her... As for me, I see only a silver thread tying my neck to the guillotine of fate. If this thread breaks, I fall. I'm not her heroic guard; I'm her prisoner with a "dead" contract.'
....
End of Chapter ~ To be continued