7137 words
"Bony little thing, she is." Astrid commented while watching Freya whose shoulders rose and fell with every breath. "Why are you keeping her around, if you don't mind me asking?"
Kiyotaka took a step towards Freya and looked down at her. Her skin had become supple, but Astrid was not wrong when she called Freya a 'bony-little-thing.' She was still quite thin and lacked quite a lot of feminine proportions.
"I do mind." He replied before gently touching the hair over her cheeks and brushed them back.
"Well, I don't care." Astrid sat on the desk meant for Kiyotaka and crossed her legs. The long skirt did not let her achieve what she was trying to do. "I mean, she is certainly not your type. And she's not strong..." She paused and scoffed, "...God, she's weak. So why?"
Tucking Freya's hair behind her ear, Kiyotaka turned his head slightly. "You are under the wrong assumption."
"About?" Astrid tilted her head, causing her hair to cascade sideways.
Instead of replying, he poked Freya's cheek causing her to scratch the skin where he had made contact. Astrid smiled: "Aren't you going to answer my question?"
"Both." He responded before dipping his finger into Freya's cheek again, a little harder this time.
This caused Freya's long, brown eyes to suddenly snap open. She looked up and blinked a few times, frowning and then wiped her eyes with her fingers, as if trying to wipe away the haze from her vision.
The moment it cleared, she suddenly stood up. She looked at Kiyotaka and then at Astrid, before turning her attention towards the gas lamp and the window that overlooked the world outside.
Realising she had been sleeping, she suddenly began fumbling with her words and began organising the stack of papers. "I, good evening, Sir. The work..." She bent down and picked up another stack of papers before placing it in front of him. "I was able to do only half of them..."
Astrid's eyes flicked from Freya to Kiyotaka and she uncrossed her legs before placing her hands elegantly in her lap. Meanwhile, Kiyotaka picked the half-stack that Freya had given him and sat down on the table where Freya had laid her head down.
As he sat down, Freya pressed her lips together to suppress a yawn and blinked several times before twisting her torso slightly, trying to work the lingering stiffness and drowsiness out of her body.
Kiyotaka's eyes moved from each paper to the next while Astrid stayed silent, staring at the thin girl with a constant smirk on her face. However, her eyes were probing, as if trying to decipher anything special about her.
Now that most of the latent danger surrounding her was gone, and after making sure there were no more spies looking for her using her powers as a Conspirer for the past month or so, she had developed quite a high opinion of Kiyotaka.
But at the same time, she was quite confused. Because in her mind, he was not someone who would let anyone be in his circle for no reason. Astrid, herself, was the prime example of this.
She remained clear of her purpose around him, and was eerily aware of the fact that he won't bate an eye selling her out the instant he feels like he is not getting enough out of her. So far he was using her as an intel-gatherer, company manager and also as his 'mistress' — though she had no complaints with the latter.
But all this confused her even more. There was no prior connection between Kiyotaka and Liv's family. And his age made it hard to imagine that he had accidentally impregnated Liv and is now taking care of his bastard children, since Freya was almost eighteen, and by that logic, it would mean he had that affair at the age of five or six.
It wasn't because Kiyotaka was in love with Freya either. She could tell that the little, bony girl was nowhere near his type. If anything, Astrid considered herself to be that.
Freya was not a powerful Beyonder either. Using advanced deductions, she was able to discern that Freya had become a Beyonder just recently, about two months ago and she was currently a Sequence 8.
There was inconsistency in Kiyotaka's behaviour. After all, his softness when it came to Freya and Daisy was not ever-present. She had a quiet feeling that if things really worsened, he'd prefer sacrificing those two first.
Then why? What could be the reason behind him sheltering two girls which could only add to his troubles? He was quite well known in the aristocratic circles now, which meant that sheltering two unrelated girls under his roof could spell all kinds of rumors.
Astrid had seen quite too often back in Feysac where children were used as a part of political espionage.
It was something that troubled and intrigued her at the same time.
As she sized up Freya from top-to-bottom, the girl turned to look at her.
The corner of Astrid's lips lifted up and then she turned her attention away from Freya and focused outside the window.
Kiyotaka did not look up and kept reading. "You can freshen up."
Freya blinked and sheepishly scratched her cheek. "Thank you... I will be right back."
With that said, she left, leaving the two alone in the room once more. Kiyotaka placed the stack down before pulling out a giant envelope and loaded them inside.
"So? How did she do?"
"Better than you, actually." Kiyotaka turned towards her, leaning over the desk.
"Oh please." Astrid scoffed. "In her dreams. Well, are you going to take us for dinner? I am really hungry."
Kiyotaka took out his gold pocket watch and looked at the time. "We need to leave for home."
Astrid groaned, ruffling her hair. "I want to eat outside. It's been months since I have eaten something gourmet. While I do enjoy eating in your bed, tonight, however, I'd like something that comes on a plate."
As if falling in some thought, Kiyotaka stayed motionless for a few seconds. It was only after Freya had returned, face glistening with beads of water and some hair sticking to her forehead, did he look up and nod.
"There are some where we can go." He replied, causing Astrid to pump her fist. Meanwhile, Freya just stared in confusion. Kiyotaka turned his attention towards her and tapped on the giant envelope. "Good job. Pack your things."
"Are you going somewhere?"
"We are." Kiyotaka responded and then stood up. "We will pick Daisy up on the way."
Freya frowned minutely, alternating her gaze between Astrid and Kiyotaka before nodding. "As you wish..."
*****
Once the three had extinguished the lamps, Kiyotaka nodded quietly towards a group of men who had been standing outside the ZSS establishment. These men took out their crudely made rifles and stood at different posts, guarding the building.
Freya, upon Kiyotaka's instruction, took confident strides forward. After spotting a carriage moving towards them from quite a distance away, she prepared herself to stop it to catch a ride.
Kiyotaka and Astrid were standing shoulder-by-shoulder, a few paces away from Freya.
"You don't smoke now?" Astrid glanced over.
Kiyotaka shook his head and breathed out as a dense plume of fog left his mouth. It was the final day of December and Backlund had now officially entered the prime of winter.
She was about to say something when suddenly her senses flared up. She looked around, a little perplexed, as she could not put her finger on the source of danger. For a Sequence 6: Conspirer, detecting the source of danger, no matter how minute, was quite easy, thanks to her innate Danger Intuition and ability of formulating Conspiracies on the go.
She frowned and during the time she was looking away, suddenly someone appeared from the side. The man was dressed in a heavy jacket and his face was covered by a thick black cloth with no cavities that could help him see.
The man suddenly took out his revolver and pointed it at Kiyotaka. "Duke sends his regards." He said, his voice heavy and distorted, like underwater and then immediately pulled the trigger.
The moment the bullet left the gun and a sound reverberated in the street, Freya suddenly covered her head and crouched down. Astrid, who had wandered a few paces away from Kiyotaka, immediately pivoted on her heels.
Meanwhile Kiyotaka had been observing the man for quite a while now. He had felt his presence and was actively using 'Corrosion,' due to which the person threw up the perfect opportunity and lunged at him out of greed and negative feelings.
This was also the reason why Astrid's disdain for Kiyotaka's selective behaviour had become more prominent a while ago.
As the bullet flew towards, Kiyotaka turned his head and moved his chin. At the same time, the bullet's trajectory got distorted and it ricocheted off the wall before losing itself in another one, to his left.
Kiyotaka did not remove his hands from his pockets and watched calmly as the man fired a few other shots and then threw something wrapped in a piece of week-old newspaper.
All of the bullets were distorted successfully. As for the thing the man had wrapped in newspaper, Kiyotaka took a big stride forward and kicked it back towards him, however, the man was already fleeing.
At the same time, the newspaper exploded and smoke filled the entire street.
Kiyotaka looked back and a flash of red appeared beside him. Astrid casted one glance at him and frowned. She was about to ask why he was letting the man escape, however, as an experienced Conspirer, it was not hard for her to put 2-and-2 together and figure it out.
At the same time, as the smoke still lingered in the street, a carriage pulled by two horses blitzed towards Kiyotaka. Both horses appeared to have no white in their eyes, carrying only black in them while thick, rabid saliva dripped from their mouths.
They were neighing loudly and painfully, clobbering their feet on the cobblestone and madly pouncing towards him. However, before they could close in, Freya suddenly stumbled in between them.
The moment the horses' gaze met Freya's, they suddenly froze and a deep set fear embedded itself in their hearts. Freya raised her hand and opened her mouth: "Stop!"
The horses did not seem to stop, however, the black in their eyes slowly began to de-saturate. By the time they arrived by where they were standing, the horses had turned completely normal.
A moment or so later, their eyes rolled to the back of their heads and the horses collapsed, causing the carriage to tumble sideways, alongside the driver.
Kiyotaka looked down at the horses and the driver that seemed to be cursing and apologising at the same time and then at the dissipating plume of smoke. He turned around and motioned with his head. "Go."
"You owe me dinner." Astrid whispered and with a jump over the fence, disappeared from sight.
Freya's forehead was covered with sweat and her thin arms and legs were shaking. She heaved out a sigh but then stiffened again, feeling a hand on her head which ruffled her hair.
"Good job."
As she turned around, she saw Kiyotaka looking down on her. His features were hazy due to the smoke around them and the crimson moon shining behind them.
She seemed to be still in some kind of daze but smiled and nodded her head before facing him. "Thank you."
Turning his attention away from her, Kiyotaka saw the driver check on his horses that seemed to be writhing and convulsing. "What did you do?" He asked Freya.
"I... I didn't do anything wrong to them." Freya looked around and appeared to be a little skittish. Realising what it was, Kiyotaka lowered his head and brought his ear close to her mouth as she whispered. "I could sense its mental state. It was really... How to say it... Chaotic? Like it was mindless. My current abilities allow me to intimidate a lot of beasts, but to this extent... I didn't do this to the horse... I swear."
Kiyotaka hummed and straightened his back. "I know."
During this time, some of the Zmanger "Security Services" staff who were stationed near the front came running, alongside two constables. One of the police members detained the carriage driver while the other one made his way to Kiyotaka.
As he stepped close to him, his eyes went wide. "Mr. Holmes?"
Kiyotaka focused on the young man's face. "Good evening, Reynolds."
Reynolds was the young police officer who had first accompanied his superior to arrest Kiyotaka as a suspect in the case regarding the murder of Rafter Pound. At that time, he had refused to accompany them without a warrant and then later used the opportunity to finish digesting his Lawyer potion while putting in a complaint against the two at the same time.
"Good evening." Once he did recognise him, his face twisted into a grimace, obvious hatred in his eyes.
After Kiyotaka's complaint and seeing his knowledge of the law, it seemed like he had been demoted and it didn't feel like he was going back to his previous status anytime soon.
"So, what's all this ruckus about?" He moved his head to the side, as if talking to the driver, but kept his eyes on Kiyotaka.
"I don't know! I was going home and my horses suddenly... Oh Goddess... I am doomed. It's done... What am I going to do now...?"
Reynolds held Kiyotaka's eyes and clicked his tongue. "Can you confirm his statement?"
Freya was about to say something when he gently touched her back, causing her to stop.
"Yes. It was an accident, so I have no grievances against the man." Kiyotaka answered. "We will take our leave now."
"Wait." Reynolds called out and looked down. "Can I see her documents?"
Freya blinked and looked down at herself, seemingly confused by the sudden request. She patted the pockets of her padded jacket before turning towards Kiyotaka, who merely looked at Reynolds with a somewhat amused expression on his face.
"Documents?" Freya asked, frowning slightly. "I... I don't have them with me."
Reynolds clicked his tongue.
His earlier irritation seemed to have diminished considerably, and he took out a small notebook from his coat. "That's unfortunate. I suppose we will have to take you to the station for verification, then. What's your name?"
"Freya—" She paused and cleared her throat before continuing. "I do have documents, a parish record. They're at home. My mother had them made at the Church of the Evernight Goddess when I was born. They have my name and the year of my birth."
"Is that so?" Reynolds raised his brows and began writing. "And where is this home of yours? I assume you live somewhere around here?"
Freya shook her head. "I used to live in East Borough, but now I live with Mr. Holmes after our employment with him."
Reynolds' pen stopped moving and he slowly raised his head, glancing at Kiyotaka, who had been patiently observing the exchange. His gaze lingered on the latter for a moment before returning to Freya. "I see. And how old are you, Miss Freya?"
"Eighteen, Sir."
"Eighteen?" He repeated, seemingly unconvinced. "You don't look eighteen. When did you turn eighteen?"
"A few days ago..." Freya answered softly. "Why?"
"Routine questions, Miss. Nothing to worry about." Reynolds offered her a smile which did little to reassure her. "You mentioned your mother had your documents prepared. Where is she now? I'd like to speak with her, if possible."
Freya's expressions suddenly darkened.
She lowered her head, and for a few seconds, the only sound between them was the distressed carriage driver pleading with the other constable.
"My mother... She passed away during the smog incident."
Reynolds' hand paused again. Whatever satisfaction he had been deriving from questioning her seemed to recede slightly, although it did not disappear altogether. "My condolences. That was a terrible tragedy. And your father?"
Freya shook her head.
"I see. Then, if you don't mind my asking, who has been looking after you since your mother's passing?"
"Mr. Holmes has been very kind to us," Freya answered, glancing towards Kiyotaka. "He gave me a job, and he also lets us stay at his house. I have my own room, alongside other benefits..."
Kiyotaka slowly narrowed his eyes. 'Ah... I see.' He quickly understood where the conversation was heading.
If Reynolds had asked these questions during their first encounter, Kiyotaka might have attributed them to ordinary police curiosity. However, the young constable's behavior had been markedly different since recognizing him, and the unusually thorough questions concerning Freya's personal circumstances were beginning to seem rather... deliberate, to say the least.
'Some people never learn, I suppose.'
Kiyotaka sighed internally.
Reynolds, meanwhile, seemed to have discovered something interesting. He straightened his back and looked directly at Kiyotaka. "Mr. Holmes, how very charitable of you. I wasn't aware you had taken to providing accommodation for young girls."
"There's quite a lot you aren't aware of, Constable." Kiyotaka replied, putting his hands inside his coat pockets. The comment made the man's eyebrows twitch. "Is there a particular reason you're bringing this up?"
"Of course there is." Reynolds gestured towards Freya with his pen. "This young lady has just informed me that she's eighteen, which means she was still a minor when she began living at your residence. You're not related to her, are you? Or her legal guardian?"
"I am not, no."
"Interesting." Reynolds nodded a few times. "So we have an unmarried gentleman providing accommodation to an underage girl, without any familial relationship or formal guardianship arrangement. And she also happens to be employed by him."
Freya looked between the two men, growing increasingly uncomfortable.
She was not entirely ignorant of what Reynolds was suggesting, but she could hardly understand why he was making such a fuss over something that had been nothing but a blessing to her and Daisy.
An alchemy of emotions brewed itself inside her heart. There was some hidden traces of guilt, sadness and anger in her, causing her to ball her hands into fists and purse her lips into a thin line, but she refrained from talking in-between them.
But when Reynolds started talking in circles, insinuating a lot of things which grossed Freya out to quite an extreme extent, she just couldn't stay put and spoke out loud.
"Mr. Holmes hasn't done anything wrong. We first lived with him on the instruction of our mother when she was employed. Those benefits were passed over to us after my mother passed away and had nowhere to go. He was the one who helped us. I asked him if I could work for him, and he agreed. He even—"
"Miss Freya." Reynolds interrupted, although his voice remained civil. "I appreciate that you're grateful to Mr. Holmes. However, I would prefer to hear his explanation."
"Why?" Kiyotaka asked.
Reynolds turned towards him. "Pardon?"
"Why would you prefer my explanation over hers? You have been questioning her this entire time, and now that she has offered you an explanation, you suddenly don't wish to hear it."
The constable's lips thinned. The irritation and malice from earlier returned, but he managed to suppress it. Kiyotaka, as well, was getting a little impatient.
He could sense Astrid's presence from a distance, and while she had legal documents of identification in person with her, she was staying a little distance away.
It was a strange situation, given how someone had just tried to assassinate him. And now this stupid constable was wasting his time.
"I'm merely ensuring that everything is aboveboard, Mr. Holmes. You should understand that better than anyone. After all, you were quite insistent about proper police procedure during our last meeting."
Kiyotaka nodded. "So that's what it is about?"
"A little." Reynolds smiled with obvious disdain. "One learns quite a lot after being subjected to a departmental inquiry."
"Good. Then perhaps you could tell me which offense you suspect either of us is committing?"
"I'm not accusing anyone of an offense. I'm just asking questions." Reynolds closed his notebook halfway and tapped it against his palm. "A young lady without identification, found at the scene of a rather peculiar disturbance, claims to have been living with a gentleman unrelated to her since before reaching adulthood. Surely you don't expect me to ignore that?"
Kiyotaka looked at the two collapsed horses, one of which had begun moving its legs again.
He then turned towards the other constable, who was still struggling to calm the carriage driver.
A few of the security guards from ZSS were standing nearby as well, observing the exchange from a respectful distance.
"Your colleague seems to be having quite a difficult time dealing with the actual disturbance," Kiyotaka commented. "Perhaps you should help him instead of investigating my domestic arrangements."
Reynolds's face stiffened. "I am the one who decides what warrants investigation, Mr. Holmes."
"You are free to investigate without objections." Kiyotaka's voice lowered. "But do be careful about confusing a request for information with grounds for detention. You've already established her name, age and residence. She's also told you where her documents are kept. You can verify them at the parish or at my residence, whichever is more convenient."
If you insist on bringing her to the station then I would like you to explain why her presence is necessary. You may also record the reason in your notebook, alongside her statement that she possesses identification and has offered to produce it."
Kiyotaka glanced towards the little book in Reynolds's hand. "I assume you've been recording everything accurately?"
The young constable's jaw tightened.
He remembered the complaint Kiyotaka had lodged against him and his superior with an unpleasant degree of clarity.
Back then, he had assumed that the well-dressed gentleman was merely pretending to know the law. By the time he realized his mistake, the complaint had already reached Inspector Hawthorne, and the consequences had been rather severe.
However, this time he was not going to let the man embarrass him so easily.
"Very well." Reynolds opened his notebook once more. "You said she was employed by you. What work does she perform?"
"Administrative work. Filing, correspondence and recordkeeping."
"And she resides at your house as part of her employment?" Reynolds tilted his head.
"Among other arrangements, yes."
"Does she receive a salary?"
"She does."
Reynolds nodded, then turned towards Freya again. "Miss Freya, are you free to leave Mr. Holmes's employment whenever you wish?"
Freya looked bewildered. "Of course. What kind of question is that?"
"Only reply with a yes or no." Reynolds snapped. The old Freya would have twitched or recoiled, but she only looked at him in an incredulous manner as he continued. "And his residence? Has he ever prevented you from leaving, or made you do something you didn't want to do?"
"No!" Freya exclaimed, louder than she had ever talked. Her cheeks reddened as the attention of several nearby men shifted towards her. "This is ridiculous. I don't understand anything. Mr. Holmes helped me when we had nothing and after my mother died, he helped us not relapse back to those filthy living conditions.
I stayed there of my own choice. What's the point behind asking these things?"
Reynolds stared at Freya, seemingly taken aback by her sudden outburst. The young woman who had been answering his questions so meekly just a few moments ago was now looking at him with outright hostility.
Her hands were clenched into fists, and a faint redness had spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.
"There's no need to raise your voice, Miss Freya." Reynolds said, his expression souring. "I'm merely performing my duties. If your employer has done nothing wrong, then neither of you should have any reason to be upset."
"That's quite enough." Kiyotaka interjected before Freya could respond. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pressed it. "You have her name, address and the location of her documents. If you still wish to pursue this matter, you may direct your inquiries to the parish. I trust you'll find everything in order."
Reynolds looked as though he wanted to say something more, but after glancing at the girl standing beside Kiyotaka, he appeared to reconsider.
He had already obtained enough information to make further inquiries, and provoking another complaint over a matter that had little to do with the incident at hand would hardly do his career any favors.
Clicking his tongue, he shut his notebook and slipped it inside his coat. "Very well, Mr. Holmes. I'll have someone verify the young lady's particulars. Until then, I suggest you make sure her papers are readily available. We are told to stay on high alert after the whole incident. Not to mention those nameless goons who keep committing all kinds of crimes."
Kiyotaka's brows rose slightly at the constable's final remark. "I wasn't aware the police were having such a difficult time maintaining order."
Reynolds scoffed. "You would be surprised, Mr. Holmes. Ever since the smog incident, we've had all kinds of trouble. Robberies, assaults, disappearances, gang disputes... Half the time, we don't even have enough men to respond to complaints. And with the new year approaching, I doubt things will get any better."
"Is that so?" Kiyotaka hummed, seemingly interested. "Well, I suppose the gentlemen responsible for such troubles must be rather pleased with the state of affairs."
"Pleased?" Reynolds repeated incredulously. "Of course they are! Those bastards know perfectly well that we're stretched thin. Why do you think they've become so bold?"
Kiyotaka nodded a few times, appearing to consider his words. It was an interesting piece of information, albeit not something he was entirely unaware of.
After all, he was the one responsible for all that. He had singlehandedly raised the crime-rate in Backlund by a whopping four times, as if it had not already been as high as they were. However, this crime-rate increase was in his area of influence.
Increasing it all over Backlund was quite hard, given it was akin to multiple cities into one with millions of residents.
Coupled with the fact that he had many policemen on his payroll, it became increasingly hard to pin them down, or perform sting operations.
Just as Reynolds was about to dismiss them, his colleague approached from behind, carrying something wrapped in a handkerchief.
There was a noticeable frown on his face, and his uniform had several muddy stains from tending to the overturned carriage.
"Reynolds, there are bullet marks on the wall over there. The people from that establishment say they heard several shots before the carriage lost control. Did you ask these two about it?"
The young constable stiffened. His eyes immediately turned towards Kiyotaka, whose expression remained unchanged. "Gunshots?"
"Yes, there were some." Kiyotaka replied. "I was intending to mention them, but you seemed particularly occupied with the young lady's living arrangements."
Reynolds's expression became rather unpleasant. "Mr. Holmes, this is a serious matter. Are you telling me someone discharged a firearm in your vicinity?"
"In my direction, to be precise." Kiyotaka corrected. "One of the bullets passed rather close to my head. Fortunately, it missed."
"What?!" The other constable exclaimed and immediately began looking him over. "Were you injured, Sir?"
"Not at all. The man was either a poor marksman or I was exceptionally fortunate tonight. Either way, praise the Goddess for letting me see another day."
Reynolds reopened his notebook.
He asked Kiyotaka to describe the assailant, and the latter obliged, mentioning a man in a heavy coat whose face had been concealed beneath a black cloth.
As for his height, Kiyotaka gave him a rough estimate. He also described the object thrown on the street, the subsequent explosion and the thick smoke that had prevented him from seeing where the attacker had gone.
He conveniently omitted the man's parting words.
"Did you recognize his voice?" Reynolds asked, writing hurriedly.
"No. It was muffled by the cloth. I couldn't make much sense of anything he said."
"And you have no idea who might want to kill you?"
Kiyotaka tilted his head. "Constable, I am, although I do not give myself that title, an industrialist. There are plenty of people who would be delighted to see me go bankrupt or get control of my business. Whether any of them would go as far as hiring a murderer is another matter entirely."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I'm afraid I can't provide an answer without making accusations against people who might be entirely innocent." Kiyotaka glanced towards the notebook. "You're welcome to investigate, of course. I would be more than willing to cooperate."
Reynolds looked dissatisfied. After taking down a few additional details, he instructed his colleague to inspect the surrounding streets and gather statements from the nearby establishments.
"You may be required to visit the station tomorrow, Mr. Holmes. Attempted murder isn't something we can overlook."
"Understandable. Although, considering that the assailant is still at large, I would appreciate it if you could prioritize locating him over questioning his intended victim."
The remark earned Kiyotaka another displeased look, but Reynolds merely shut his notebook and stepped aside.
"Very well. You may leave. And Miss Freya, make certain your documents are available when you leave the house next time. I don't intend to repeat myself."
Freya said nothing and just nodded, following Kiyotaka as he turned around and began walking away.
The commotion gradually faded behind them, replaced by the distant rumbling of carriages and the occasional cries of street vendors trying to sell their remaining goods before the year ended.
There were sounds of people selling boiled eggs, steamed corn and other such things. The streets that had plunged into silence a while ago were active again as midnight approached, heralding the start of a new year.
The cold had become considerably more unpleasant, and a fresh layer of fog was beginning to settle over the cobblestone streets.
Kiyotaka walked at his usual leisurely pace, occasionally glancing towards the surrounding buildings.
His thoughts were occupied by the strange assassination attempt
'Duke sends his regards...? Now who might this 'Duke' person be? Is this a title, or a genuine name of someone?'
It was a rather peculiar choice of words, indeed.
The man had been carrying an ordinary revolver and had fled immediately after his attack failed. Whoever had arranged the attempt had either underestimated Kiyotaka considerably or never expected the gunman to succeed in the first place.
It was safe to assume that second was correct. If the first one was accurate, then it wasn't going to be hard to deal with them.
He was about to consider the matter further when he noticed that Freya had fallen several steps behind him.
Turning around, he found her staring at the ground, walking with her shoulders hunched and her hands buried deep inside the pockets of her padded jacket.
She had been unusually quiet since leaving the constables, and although the cold might have explained her posture, the slight trembling of her lips suggested otherwise.
"Freya?"
She immediately looked up. "Y-yes, Sir?"
"Are you alright?"
"Of course." She nodded quickly, though her voice sounded rather strained. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking..."
Kiyotaka looked at her for a few seconds before coming to a stop.
There was a faint redness around her eyes, and her breathing had become noticeably irregular.
He had seen similar reactions before, particularly among people who had endured an intensely stressful situation without having the opportunity to properly process it.
Realising Freya might be going through something similar, he parted his lips. "You did well back there."
Freya blinked, seemingly unable to understand what he meant. "Sir?"
"You didn't mention Daisy."
For a moment, she just stared at him.
Then, quite unexpectedly, her expression changed, and a violent shiver ran through her body. She brought her hands out of her pockets and looked at her fingers, only to discover that they were trembling so badly that she could barely keep them straight.
"I..." Freya opened her mouth but failed to produce anything intelligible.
She lowered her head and tried to clasp her hands together, but that did little to help.
Her breathing quickened, and a strange weakness spread through her legs, causing her to stumble forward.
Kiyotaka reached out and caught her by the arm before she could lose her balance. "Careful."
"I-I'm sorry..." Freya whispered, staring at her shaking hands with increasing bewilderment. "I don't know what's happening. I was fine just a moment ago..."
"It's adrenaline. You've had quite an evening."
Freya looked at him before lowering her eyes again.
His words made sense to her, somewhat.
As an Apothecary pathway Beyonder, she possessed a rudimentary understanding of the human body and its reactions to fear and stress. Nevertheless, understanding what was happening did little to make the sensation any more pleasant.
"I was so angry..." She finally admitted. "That policeman kept saying those horrible things about you. And when he started asking whether you had ever forced me to do something, I just..."
She clenched her fists, only to find them shaking even harder. "I wanted to hit him so badly"
Kiyotaka's eyebrows rose slightly. "Is that so?"
Freya nodded, looking terribly ashamed of herself. "I know it's wrong. He's a policeman, and he was only asking questions, but he kept talking like you were some kind of... some kind of terrible person. He didn't even listen when I tried to explain!"
Her voice grew louder, although it quickly lost its strength. She pressed her lips together and wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket, apparently frustrated that she was beginning to cry.
"My mother trusted you, Sir. She always said you were a good person. Even after she..." Freya paused, struggling to finish the sentence. "Even after she died, you didn't abandon us. How dare that man speak as though you had done something shameful by helping me. Us, I mean."
Kiyotaka remained silent, watching her with a rather unreadable expression.
He was not particularly bothered by Reynolds's insinuations.
They had been crude, certainly, but not entirely unexpected.
A young, unmarried industrialist taking an orphaned girl into his household was bound to invite speculation, especially among people who had little knowledge of the actual circumstances.
However, Freya's reaction was considerably more interesting.
During the interrogation, she had displayed an unusual degree of aggression.
Ordinarily, she would hesitate before offering even a mild disagreement, particularly when addressing someone in a position of authority.
Yet she had openly challenged a constable and expressed her displeasure without any apparent concern for the consequences.
And now, having returned to her senses, she seemed utterly terrified by what she had done.
'I had turned Corrosion off shortly after the assassination attempt. It would make sense if she had become aggressive due to that, given Constable Reynolds who had just arrived at the scene also became somewhat greedy and malicious. But she shouldn't have such an after-effect if that was the case. Which means Corrosion only amplified whatever was present, underneath layers of inferiority complex and timidness.'
"I nearly told him about Daisy." Freya suddenly spoke, drawing his attention back towards her. "When he asked about my family, I was about to mention her. But then he started asking those strange questions, and I thought..."
She hesitated before looking up at him.
"I didn't want him to ask Daisy those things too. She's still little, and after everything that happened... I don't want her to be frightened again."
"I see." Kiyotaka nodded.
Freya swallowed, then continued in a quieter voice. "Was that wrong? I mean, I didn't lie to him. I just didn't tell him everything."
"Why would that be wrong?"
"Because he's a policeman..."
Kiyotaka tilted his head. "And?"
Freya stared at him, evidently unsure how she was supposed to answer.
Kiyotaka sighed lightly and released her arm once he was certain she could stand properly.
"You answered the questions he asked. There was no obligation to volunteer information about someone who had nothing to do with the incident. Had he asked about Daisy directly, that would have been a different matter."
Freya appeared to consider his words.
"Besides," Kiyotaka added, "you were quite correct in keeping her out of it. The fewer people involved in this nonsense, the better."
A small smile appeared on Freya's face, although it was quickly interrupted by a sneeze as she quickly took out her handkerchief and wiped her nose.
She then rubbed her hands together and blew warm air into them. Kiyotaka looked at her for a moment before removing his gloves and offering them to her.
"Here."
Freya immediately shook her head. "No, Sir! You'll get cold!"
"I'll manage."
"But—"
She stopped speaking when she saw him thrust them into her hands. "Put them on."
Her shoulders drooped in defeat, and she obediently accepted the gloves.
They were considerably too large for her hands, but the soft material was pleasantly warm.
She pulled them over her fingers and flexed them a few times before looking up with a sheepish smile. "Thank you..."
Kiyotaka nodded and resumed walking at his own pace while Freya hurried after him, trying to remain close enough that their shoulders occasionally brushed against each other.
As they walked down the street, the smell of roasted chestnuts and steamed corn occasionally wafted towards them.
The streets were bustling with people. Some were already drunk, singing songs in rather terrible voices, while others were gathered around vendors selling warm food and cheap drinks.
Kiyotaka glanced towards Freya, who was still rubbing her gloved hands together. After a moment of consideration, he stopped beside an elderly vendor selling steamed corn from a large metal pot.
The man had wrapped himself in several layers of clothing, leaving only his wrinkled face exposed.
"One, please." Kiyotaka requested, taking out two pence from his pocket.
The vendor nodded and retrieved a steaming cob, wrapping its lower half in a piece of thick paper. He then rubbed a lemon all over it before dusting some kind of brown spice over it before handing it over.
Kiyotaka accepted it and turned towards Freya, who had been curiously watching. "Here."
Freya blinked before accepting it with both hands. "Thank you, Sir. But aren't you having any?"
"I'm not particularly hungry."
She nodded and carefully took a bite. The corn was sufficiently hot to make her blow on it several times before attempting to take another bite.
Kiyotaka watched her for a moment before resuming his walk, and Freya hurried after him, occasionally taking small bites.
A little further down the street, they came across a restaurant that was still open. Although most of its tables were occupied, the establishment was accepting orders for food to be taken away.
After briefly examining the menu displayed outside, Kiyotaka entered with Freya and ordered four portions of roast beef with potatoes, four chicken-and-mushroom pies, some bread and four small apple tarts.
The entire order cost him seventeen soli and eight pence, which he paid without much consideration.
The food was packed into several parcels, and after waiting for approximately thirty minutes, the two left the restaurant and hailed a passing carriage.
By the time they arrived at the manor, the cold had become quite unbearable, and Freya was beginning to look rather sleepy again.
Kiyotaka paid the driver and made his way inside, where the servants — also members of what was formerly Zmanger Gang — greeted him before taking his coat and the parcels he had purchased as well as Freya's jacket.
The interior was considerably warmer than the streets, although the entrance hall was still quite chill.
Most of the lamps had been extinguished, leaving only a few burning near the staircase and the corridors.
Freya took off Kiyotaka's gloves and carefully returned them to him before glancing towards the staircase. "Sir, I'll go and bring Daisy downstairs. She must be hungry by now."
"There's no need." Kiyotaka replied, handing her two of the food parcels. "You can eat with her in your room."
Freya looked somewhat surprised. "But what about dinner together?"
"The hall will take quite some time to warm up. We had the hearth extinguished because of the damp and mold problem around the chimney, remember?" Kiyotaka glanced towards the dark fireplace as she nodded. "Your room should still be warm. There's no reason to bring Daisy downstairs at this hour."
"Ah... That's true." Freya nodded before looking at the parcels in her hands. "Then I'll go and wake her up, if she's already asleep. Thank you for the dinner, Sir."
Kiyotaka only nodded in response. Freya smiled and hurried towards the staircase, holding the food carefully against her chest.
Halfway up, she turned around and smiled widely at him. "Happy new year, Sir."
Kiyotaka raised his hand and nodded his head, quietly acknowledging it. Freya smiled, breathing out through her nose solemnly before disappearing into the corridor leading towards her room.
After their mother's death, Freya had moved into her mother's room with Daisy while Astrid had moved into Freya's room.
Kiyotaka watched her leave before picking up the remaining parcels. He instructed one of the servants to retire for the night and made his way towards his own bedroom.
As he approached, however, he noticed something rather peculiar. There was light coming from underneath his door.
He was quite certain that he had extinguished the hearth before leaving earlier that day. Yet, even before opening the door, he could feel a faint warmth seeping into the corridor.
Turning the handle, he stepped inside.
The bedroom was pleasantly warm, with a lively fire crackling inside the hearth. His coat stand had been moved slightly closer to the fireplace, and a few of his belongings were scattered across the dressing table.
More importantly, Astrid was sitting in one of the armchairs near the fire.
She had apparently helped herself to his wardrobe.
Her previous red-and-black attire was replaced by a thick, dark woolen sweater and a pair of his casual trousers.
The sweater was rather loose around her shoulders, and judging by the bare skin visible around her neck and shoulders, she had not bothered wearing a shirt under it. The sweater had hung dangerously low, revealing a little bit of her perk.
The trousers, on the other hand, fitted her surprisingly well, although the legs were a little too long and had gathered slightly around her ankles.
As she heard the door open, Astrid turned her head. "You're late."
Kiyotaka closed the door behind him and placed the food parcels on a nearby table before taking off his long-coat. His gaze briefly wandered over to her borrowed clothes before returning to her face. "What did you find?"
Astrid, who had been wearing a rather relaxed expression until then, suddenly became serious. The faint smile on her lips disappeared, and she straightened up, resting her elbows on her knees.
"I found him, but there's an issue."
*****
(Note: These images are AI Generated. Not hand-drawn. Both of these)