"Yes, hello...... I'm Superintendent Hayna who made an appointment yesterday...... to investigate the attack on Mr. Ivas Moriarty. ”

A young woman in a blue and white uniform who looked to be about twenty years old was standing nervously and helplessly in front of the gate of a manor, holding her large-brimmed hat.

Her curly brown hair was tied in a ponytail behind her and the bridge of her nose was high. The lake's blue eyes were full of panic that something had been messed up.

“…… Sorry, there is a temporary monitoring meeting of the District Supervision Bureau...... There was another warehouse explosion in the White Queen yesterday, and traces of flame spirits were detected at the scene, and it is suspected that a demon scholar was involved - I think it may be the wanted criminal who attacked Mr. Ivas the day before yesterday! ”

Haina said, her voice getting quieter and quieter: "So, so ......"

So you took it upon yourself to participate in the monitoring meeting, which you were not actually asked to attend, and you were late...... Two hours and twenty-three minutes? ”

The old man's stern and old voice sounded across the iron gate. It was a special tone with a long note, an elven accent peculiar to the people of the royal capital.

He snapped the jewel-encrusted pocket watch in his hand shut, retracted it to his chest, and stared at Hayna solemnly.

Standing opposite Hayna was a thin, tall old elf dressed in a butler's suit.

The wrinkles of skin on his face are reminiscent of tree bark, and his dark green pupils are closer to wolves than those of a lake.

The old elf looked nearly two meters tall, and his hands behind his back looked like ghosts reflected in the moonlight by dead wood at night. The back, which was as straight as a loose and motionless back, was full of strong oppressive force at the moment.

Although Haina is actually a probationary inspector who has not yet graduated, she has finally passed the graduation examination with a perfect score and can be officially inspected by the queen at any time. Now she has a probationary badge, just because the griffon that was rationed to her is still on the way to be deployed.

It stands to reason that she shouldn't be so afraid of a housekeeper.

But the old man in front of him is different.

Because this old elven butler is his own instructor.

Although he followed the old conventions, he served the Moriarty family as a steward from the very beginning of the country...... But at the same time, he is the Great Inspector General, who stepped down 80 years ago.

"—I thought you'd be later, Miss Hayna."

The old butler put his hands behind his back and said in an elven tone that always brought a little arrogance to Haina: "Young Master Ivas was attacked by a demon scholar the day before yesterday and was in a coma until he woke up last night. But when he heard that the Supervision Bureau was coming to ask some questions, he cooperated and gave up going to the glass staircase sanatorium. I just took some medicine, and I waited for you by the stove for two hours, and I waited for you at the door for two hours.

"It's getting dark now, and if you're any late, you'll be late until to-morrow; Since it's already late for tomorrow, I don't think I'm in a hurry to recuperate this week. According to the rules of the Supervision Bureau, if a case is signed, a result will be given within a week of filing-with Miss Haina's good cultivation of graduating with full marks, presumably the demon scholar will be able to find it smoothly.

"Since the culprits have already been arrested, why embarrass my poor Young Master Ewass? You might as well go back, and I'll explain it to Mr. Kent. ”

Kent is the head of the White Queen's Divisional Inspectorate, and even if Hawena turns positive, she is still three levels above her.

If the old butler's tone was not so yin and yang, she would immediately pull out her legs and run now, leaving this trouble to her superiors. But the problem is that she's actually a senior now.

Although it can be said that she is calling for wind and rain in school, she has not graduated after all.

She didn't have enough social experience to discern whether the old man was seriously making such a proposal or just sarcastic. But her instinct told her that if the old man didn't plan to do this, she would just run away stupidly, and I was afraid that she would really be in trouble.

“…… I'm really sorry. ”

So Haina could only bow her head and apologize first: "I will apologize to Mr. Ivas too." ”

In any case, the meeting time had been booked in advance, but I was so late without saying a word beforehand...... I was indeed at fault first.

She looked at the iron door that blocked her from the old man, and her thoughts began to drift subconsciously again.

The large black hollow iron door is only decorated with low-key thorn patterns...... It doesn't look like a famous family.

In fact, Professor Moriarty, the adoptive father of Ivas Moriarty, who was the person involved in this incident, is indeed a good man who is low-key, calm, intelligent and erudite. Professor Moriarty was also taught by Haina at the University of Astrology, Astronomy and Advanced Mathematics.

He inherited the Moriarty Chamber of Commerce and owned three museums under his name, and even the only planetarium in the White Queens was built at his expense. is so rich, but he just quietly does his studies in college. He even sponsored many orphanages and adopted many orphans, and he was a great man full of kindness.

When she came, the captain also specially told her that the Moriarty family is not only rich, but also a family of founders with elves to serve. Although the head of the house, Mr. James, has a gentle personality, he still needs to be careful.

According to the rules, any direct participant in the demonic incident must be escorted to the local supervision bureau wearing a precept lock as soon as they are out of danger, and they must be examined by the lawyer. Innocent is confirmed before being sent back to the hospital or nursing home.

This is because the identities of the ritual host, ritual participants, ritual teachers, and sacrifices in demonic rituals cannot be easily distinguished by the identity of the victim "injured or not".

Since the sacrifice survived, it meant that the ritual had largely failed - the sacrificed sacrifice was not necessarily dead, but it was usually killed in order to extinguish it. Therefore, when there is an injured person instead of a dead person, the injured person may not be a sacrifice, but it may also be a ritual-related person.

But this rule is no longer valid.

Director Kent was as blind as a man, completely ignoring the clue that was within reach. It was the old butler who took the initiative to contact the Director of Kent and make an appointment for today's meeting, and he seemed to "suddenly remember" about it. And when she came, the Inspectorate did not even match her with a lawyer, but only let herself be a probationary inspector without a griffon, no armor, and no sword.

Such an obvious cover-up......

Haina felt that even if this matter really had something to do with Ewas, she might not be able to take the other party with her.

But because of such a big battle, she felt that maybe this matter really had something to do with the other party—if she was innocent enough, why didn't she want to be examined by the lawyers?

…… That's great.

Obviously just adopted civilian orphans. Just because of luck, he was valued and adopted by the professor. Now he has become a big man who can't move the Inspectorate......

Haina, who was standing at the door, was stunned and thought a little sourly.

But at this moment, the iron door suddenly and slowly opened.

She looked up in amazement and saw the old man's face, which was still expressionless, but inexplicably felt as if he was not so angry.

The old elf looked at her silently, and then walked back slowly with his hands behind his back.

Haina was stunned for a moment before realizing that she was keeping up.

So she hurriedly put on the hat she was holding in her arms and hurriedly followed. But as soon as I took a few steps, I remembered to turn around and close the door. But when she turned around, she saw that the door of the manor had closed by itself.

Not only that, but there were even bright runes lit up from the inside of the unremarkable iron door.

The daylight is skewed and the evening breeze stops for a while. Faintly, Haina felt as if something intangible had enveloped the area and changed the atmosphere of the manor.

"I'm not trying to trouble you, Miss Haina."

Obviously, the old elf walked in front of him, but the old man's much gentler voice sounded in his ears accurately: "But what you agree with others, you must obey." The appointment is the time to meet, no need to advance or delay. Yes, breaking the rules in the school may not be so serious, but there are no griffon knights patrolling the streets, no law wizards with armed knights to regularly review the tax accounts of various companies - there is no supervision like you can arrest suspicious people directly.

"Everybody in this country values 'rules'. The Ombudsman, the Law Court and the Arbitration Hall are guarded not only by Her Majesty's will, but also by the rules established by Parliament.

"I will forgive you this time, and I will not tell Mr. Kent about your mistakes—I will say that you arrived on time, only to have two cups of tea and some snacks after understanding what had happened.

"But it's because Young Master Ivas has a kind heart. By the time you were an hour late, I had already decided to call the Inspectorate. It was Master Ivus who stopped me. He said that there should always be a chance...... Whatever the reason, you have to meet first. ”

The old elf said slowly, and walked for a long time before he reached the gate of the manor.

The next moment, his voice was a little lower, but it still sounded clearly in Haina's ears: "Although Avalon does not have the so-called 'nobles' of other countries, the descendants of the founders are equally noble. Without the sacrifice of those twenty founders, all would have died - even the queen had to respect the descendants of the founders.

"I feel your sincere apologies, so I forgive you for the overdue. But you might as well think carefully about whether you have offended someone or are in the way of someone...... As I said, this is a monitoring meeting that you don't need to attend. ”

Hearing this, Haina was suddenly stunned.

At this time, the old man who walked to the door turned around gracefully and bowed slightly to Haina: "Please follow me, Miss Haina." The young master has been waiting for a long time. ”

At this time, he put on the mask of a butler to greet the guests.

The previous attitude was more like an instructor facing uncompetitive students.

And Haina, whose brain was in disarray, followed the old elf to the living room.

Startled by the soft touch of the carpet beneath her feet, she looked up to ask if she needed to take off her shoes—but the old elf's nonchalant attitude made her unsure. So I could only follow behind with apprehension, feeling the sudden warmth of the fire in winter.

Only then did she realize that she had asked an old man to stand at the door and wait for two hours on a winter evening.

With guilt and shame, she didn't know how to open her mouth.

Even the suspicion of Ivus was diluted in this confession.

So, she met the somewhat unruly Evas Moriarty.

He was in a wheelchair with a blanket over his lap.

His pale and frail countenance was bloodless, and he looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, with a handsomeness completely different from that of Professor Moriarty.

He was dressed in pure white fluffy pajamas and looked like he had just come out of the shower. The silky white-blond hair reflected the warm light of the fire. He was reading quietly and intently in front of the fire, and there was a tenderness in his delicate countenance...... It reminds her of the poet, and the fire rising in the fireplace of her home.

It was a beautiful picture that looked like a painting. Haina's eyes widened subconsciously.

But at this moment, the boy heard something, pushed the wheelchair and turned around dexterously.

It was only then that Hayna noticed that he was in a wheelchair underneath him.

…… Is this the price of being attacked by a demonic scholar?

I don't know when she instinctively rejected the possibility that "the demon scholar is Ivus".

The boy looked over, his dark blue pupils like the sea.

"Ms. Haina."

It is a clear voice that gives people a sense of nobility, and it is a gorgeous voice that matches the appearance.

His voice was more energetic and polite than his frail face: "Hello first meeting."

"—Excuse me, are you here to arrest me?"