Chapter 34: Responding
Due to the recent battle between the Temperance and Indulgence factions of the Rose School of Thought—which had even drawn the aura of a Demigod—the official supernatural task forces had been conducting rigorous inspections over the past week. This forced all manner of shady figures to keep a low profile, leaving Xio without any "arbitration" commissions in the East Borough for quite some time.
As Ebner was meeting Ms. Ray, Xio entered a pub in the East Borough that also served lunch. Just as she arrived, she encountered a local resident who occasionally provided her with information.
The young man, about twenty-three or twenty-four, had carefully groomed eyebrows, shoulder-length brown hair, and a face accented with cheap makeup, giving him an oddly contrasting look.
As soon as he spotted Xio, his face tightened. Glancing around nervously, he whispered, "Xio, I need to tell you something. Come with me."
Without waiting for her reply, he ducked into the shadows beneath the wooden staircase of the pub—a place often used by tipsy men and women seeking privacy.
Xio frowned. She knew this young man, Sherman, generally saw himself as female. Life had played a cruel trick on him, giving him a male body, and he had suffered discrimination for many years.
Even if he wanted companionship, it wouldn't be with a woman—especially not with someone who could lift him with one arm. Clearly, he had something important to say! With that thought, Xio followed him into the shadows.
"Sherman, what's going on?" Xio asked, her expression grave.
"Xio, have you offended someone? There's a strange woman asking around about you!" Sherman's voice quivered.
"A strange woman?" Xio's eyes narrowed. After a moment's thought, she asked seriously, "What does she look like? And what exactly happened? Tell me everything."
Sherman rubbed his hands anxiously, casting a glance at Xio before replying, "She's a beautiful woman with a scholarly air, but she's incredibly odd. Any man who looks at her even once ends up spilling his guts without realizing it… You know I'm only interested in men, so I could resist her allure somewhat."
'Could it be a supernatural ability? Which pathway could she belong to?' Xio mused silently. Then she asked aloud, "What was she asking about me?"
"She wanted to know if you had investigated 'Two-Face' Rosen and his advisor. She also asked where you live and how to contact you," Sherman explained. "That's all I know. But it seems a few people who know you agreed to get in touch with her."
Xio nodded and sincerely thanked him. "Thank you, Sherman."
Sherman smiled sheepishly, showing his teeth. "You're one of the few people who treats me decently and has helped me. If you really want to thank me, just buy me a drink once this all blows over."
"Drinking isn't good for you," Xio replied sternly. Without another word, she quickly left through the back door. Recognizing her upon entry, some patrons might try to inform the woman looking for her, so slipping away was the safest choice.
After disguising herself at an old safehouse in the East Borough, Xio made several detours before finally taking the subway to Hillston District and entering Detective Isengard's agency.
Ebner was organizing noble records when he looked up and saw Xio being led in by the housekeeper. Surprised, he greeted her, "Xio, what brings you here?"
Once the housekeeper left, Xio asked bluntly, "Ebner, do you know of any pathways with the ability to charm men and make them act out of character?"
Ebner had no idea why she would ask, but after thinking for a moment, he replied, "There are several pathways with charm abilities. But if it's specifically toward men, the most likely would be the Witches."
"Witches…" Xio murmured, then recounted her earlier encounter in detail.
Ebner narrowed his eyes, instinctively analyzing the situation:
"It's unlikely to be a Sequence 6 Demoness of Pleasure. The allure of a Sequence 6 should affect Sherman regardless of his orientation—he's not a beyonder, after all. So it's more likely a Sequence 7 Witch, perhaps with a supernatural item that limits her charm's effectiveness."
At this, Xio interrupted. "Could it be that 'Witch' Lena—the one who cursed me and was betrayed by Turner?"
"It's quite possible. She seems to be investigating the Turner incident. Since you were connected to Rosen's gang at that time, she might be suspicious of you," Ebner agreed with a nod.
"But we didn't leave any evidence or clues in the Turner case…" Xio frowned, recalling how cleanly Detective Isengard had handled things.
Ebner chuckled. "The Demoness Sect isn't an official organization, and they don't operate with the kind of restraint a Mandated Punisher does. Proof isn't necessary for them. Suspicion alone is enough. Even if they pick the wrong target, they don't care—eliminating innocents wouldn't bother them."
At this, Xio finally understood, though her puzzlement remained. "The Demoness Sect? Wasn't Turner part of the Theosophy Order?"
"It's highly likely the Theosophy Order is just a front for the Demoness Sect," Ebner noted, before shifting his focus to solutions.
Although technically Xio's problem, Ebner couldn't stand aside. She was his friend, and besides, he had been involved in Turner's capture. Ignoring it would only result in the Demonesses eventually tracking him down as well.
But it was a thorny issue. They were likely dealing with a Sequence 7 Witch now—and at Sequence 7, the Demoness pathway granted great survivability and combat power, making its users notoriously difficult to kill.
As he pondered, Ebner recalled his morning client, Ms. Ray. He suspected she was also a Witch. The sense of danger she exuded suggested she might be even higher-sequenced.
Judging by their methods, Lena and Ray seem different… meaning they're separate individuals. Which means we may end up facing both. Ebner couldn't help but feel he'd jinxed himself. That very morning he had resolved not to meddle with the Demoness Sect's affairs, and now he was plotting ways to counter them.
Xio also recognized the gravity of the situation—especially since she was likely to face danger first. She lowered her head, struggling to think of a solution.
At that moment, Detective Isengard entered the agency. Seeing both his apprentice and Xio frowning deeply, he asked, "What troubles you?"
"Professor, it's connected to the 'Instigator' we caught." Ebner proceeded to recount Xio's encounter, along with Ms. Ray's visit and his speculations.
Only now did Xio realize she might have to contend with a Sequence 6 powerhouse. The thought shook her. Recalling Fors' words, she wondered if this was a sign she needed to change her fortune.
"Your guess isn't bad. I just heard the Machinery Hivemind squad laid an ambush at Rosen's hideout and captured a Witch. Later, a Demoness of Pleasure broke her out," Detective Isengard said thoughtfully.
"So it really was a Demoness of Pleasure?" Ebner sighed, realizing the difficulty of facing such a powerful Sequence 6—perhaps even stronger than his teacher.
After a while, with no solution in sight, Ebner glanced at Isengard, who seemed remarkably calm. A thought struck him, and he asked, "Teacher, do you already have a solution?"
"The solution is simple." Detective Isengard smiled.
"What is it?" Xio and Ebner asked in unison, surprised by his certainty. Their usually deliberate mentor sounded unusually decisive.
Taking a leisurely puff of his cigarette, Isengard let the suspense build before finally saying, "The solution? Report them to the authorities."
"Report?" Ebner hadn't considered that. He knew the authorities might not be able to contain a Demoness of Pleasure. If she escaped, retaliation would be inevitable, and the authorities wouldn't protect them forever.
Xio, however, worried for another reason. "Wouldn't they imprison me in the church's underground cells if they discovered I'm a Beyonder?"
"Don't worry, I'll vouch for you. The authorities are always looking for Beyonder informants," Detective Isengard reassured her. He then looked at Ebner. "But reporting them requires finesse. We'll frame it carefully, so the Witches don't know where the information came from. Ideally, we'll report it in a way that doesn't expose you two as Beyonders."
(End of Chapter)