The day after taking on Lycaon's commission, Geno set off bright and early.
The slightly disappointing part was that Twiggy, who had originally said she'd attend the lecture with him, suddenly had something come up and couldn't make it.
What puzzled Geno, though, was that when he asked what she had going on, she just hemmed and hawed, looking every bit like someone trying—and failing—to hide something.
"Anyway, I can handle it myself. You just go with little Belle and the others."
"Oh."
I dare not say it, I dare not ask—the missus seems to be in a bit of a mood. Could it be that her time of the month came early?
In that case, best not to provoke her.
Muttering to himself that he was pretty sure he hadn't done anything to offend Twiggy lately, Geno drove his little car over to Sixth Street to pick people up.
These two siblings really knew how to milk him dry just to save a bit on gas money.
"Finally here! Whoa~ there's quite a crowd, huh?"
"A lot of them are neighbors from Sixth Street. To thank Zhu Yuan and the others for their help yesterday, they all came out on their own to attend the lecture."
The three of them took their seats, and before long, the host on stage announced that the lecture was about to begin.
Right after, a public security officer with a sloppy face and a burly build walked up from backstage.
"Ahem, citizens, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend today's public security lecture. As a..."
Watching that officer hold forth so eloquently up on stage, the confusion in Geno's heart sprouted like weeds.
Who the heck is this guy? He feels totally out of place compared to the rest of them.
"Where are Zhu Yuan and Qingyi?"
"Hm? You didn't know? The main speaker for today's lecture is that man currently talking—Chief Justin Bringer. Zhu Yuan and Qingyi are just his subordinates."
"Huh? So it wasn't the two of them giving the talk after all?"
Geno rubbed his head. He'd actually assumed Zhu Yuan was the star of the show. After agreeing to come yesterday, he hadn't even glanced at the flyer he'd received—this morning he'd used it to wrap up his fried dough sticks.
"...At least look into it a little. Still, it's not like Qingyi and the others won't have their moment on stage—they'll be giving a speech as representatives of outstanding public security officers."
Oh, that's not so bad then. At least there'll be something worth watching.
But... will the program even make it that far?
Recalling the plan he and Lycaon had worked out yesterday, Geno had his doubts that he'd ever actually get to see Zhu Yuan and the other take the stage.
And while he and the Wise-Belle siblings were sulking over Bringer's boring speech, backstage Zhu Yuan had already downed three cups of Qingyi's tea.
"Calm down, Zhu Yuan. Keep drinking like that and you'll be hunting for a bathroom at the worst possible moment."
"Ah, sorry, Senior Qingyi. I'm just a little nervous."
Cradling her teacup, Zhu Yuan's rather supple thighs trembled nonstop as she tried to ease her own jittery nerves.
"Sigh, understandable. After all, this is a hard-won chance for you to get up close to your idol."
Speaking of Zhu Yuan's idol, it was none other than that very Bringer giving the speech on stage right now.
When Zhu Yuan was very young, Bringer had once saved her life.
In the midst of a dangerous Hollow disaster, Bringer had given Zhu Yuan his only protective suit, leaving himself exposed to the Ether Corruption.
After Zhu Yuan was rescued, the dream of becoming a public security officer took root in her because of that.
"Now that you're about to receive a medal from your idol's own hands, that counts as a wish come true, doesn't it?"
Hearing Qingyi's words, Zhu Yuan stopped what she was doing and fell into a long moment of thought.
Though Bringer was indeed the reason she became a public security officer, once she actually became one—became Bringer's subordinate—her impression of this [Hollow Hero] came to be seen in a rather different light.
Take this very public security awareness lecture: it was supposed to be a good thing that benefited the people, yet Bringer had gone and printed his own portrait on the flyers.
And it just so happened to coincide with the municipal election cycle. Bringer was angling for the position of chief public security officer at the Janus Branch, and his intentions were as plain as day—a scheme everyone could see through.
Combined with the rumors that Bringer was colluding with TOPS, many of the policies he pushed out were meant to line the pockets of those corporations.
Zhu Yuan found it harder and harder to connect this present-day Bringer with that [Hollow Hero] who had once saved her life.
Maybe it really was as some people said—the [Hollow Hero] had already had his courage drained dry by the Hollows...
And while Zhu Yuan was caught up in this brainstorm, Qingyi beside her could tell that Zhu Yuan's mood wasn't great. Just as she was about to offer some words of comfort, she saw Zhu Yuan suddenly spring to her feet.
"Sorry! I'm going to the restroom first!"
I told you she drank way too much!
Coming out of the restroom, Zhu Yuan let out a long sigh, exhaling her tangled thoughts along with the stale air.
There's no point overthinking it. At the very least, what I'm doing now isn't for someone else—it's for myself, for making this city a better place.
People all grow and change. Maybe Bringer really is no longer the hero he once was, but Zhu Yuan would strive to make herself into the next hero—one recognized by even more people, one who devoted herself for the sake of the public.
Rallying her spirits, Zhu Yuan patted her cheeks and then prepared to head back to the waiting room to find Qingyi.
But she'd barely taken two steps when she bumped into someone.
"Sorry, are you all right?"
"Ah, no harm done. Just be a little more careful next time, Officer Zhu Yuan."
That officer merely adjusted his cap, gestured for Zhu Yuan not to worry about it, and then left.
"Phew, I really am..."
Zhu Yuan had only just gotten her feelings in order, and then the moment she stepped out she bumped into someone—it was hard not to feel a little deflated.
But... why do I keep feeling like that person just now seemed unfamiliar?
Even though she'd only been temporarily transferred to the Lumina Square Branch, she'd more or less learned to recognize all the personnel by now. It seemed like she'd never seen that face before...
And while she was pondering this, the program on stage had moved on to its next phase.
"Next, we will present medals of honor to the outstanding public security officers of the younger generation. Please welcome..."
"Oh no, oh no!! The time!"
Hearing this, Zhu Yuan no longer had any mind to spare for what that person from earlier looked like, and hurried as fast as she could toward the speaking stage.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the corridor, that officer who had just brushed past Zhu Yuan broke into a delighted smile.
He took off his cap, revealing a head of smooth golden hair along with a pair of distinctively long, pointed ears. His mismatched eyes—one blue, one red—left no doubt as to his identity: the Phantom Thief of the Mockingbird, Hugo Vlad.
Then he opened the palm he'd been clenching all this while, and there in it sat a tiny little key.
"Next time, do be a bit more careful, Officer Zhu Yuan~"
The Phantom Thief lurking in the darkness was about to begin his magnificent performance.
He hoped this audience would enjoy this one-of-a-kind farce.
____
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