"APTX4869… what stage is its development at now?"
As expected, Vermouth was extremely concerned about the progress of APTX4869. At this point, it could be confirmed with certainty that she was connected to the drug—and that her dislike of Shiho stemmed from it.
Then, had she also disliked him before? After all, he had once been part of the research division as well, working alongside Shiho in Laboratory No. 5 to replicate APTX4869.
"No comment."
Ritsu knew that very few people were aware of the true nature of this research. Even among those who knew about it, many believed the organization was developing a poison that could kill without a trace. He had no idea how much Vermouth actually knew about the drug, so he couldn't risk sharing any information.
Vermouth didn't seem upset by his refusal. Instead, she smiled. "You're really rigid, aren't you? The fact that I can appear in a place like that should tell you I'm trusted by the Boss just like Gin is."
"I'm sorry, but I still can't tell you."
Both attempts at probing him had failed. Vermouth brushed her hair aside, revealing a small earpiece clipped to her ear. She tapped it lightly twice and spoke respectfully, "Boss, are you satisfied now? His lips are tighter than you expected."
"!"
A flash of surprise crossed Ritsu's blue eyes. He hadn't expected Vermouth to be in direct contact with that gentleman. Their relationship must be quite close, did that mean her status was on par with Gin's? After all, very few code-named members had direct access to the Boss and he himself certainly didn't.
"He is indeed a most suitable piece on the board. Vermouth, make good use of him."
"Yes, Boss."
"Keep an eye on the situation over there. A valuable piece tends to attract attention. Don't let that side make a move on him."
"I see."
"Enjoy your dinner."
The voice in the earpiece fell silent. Vermouth removed it and placed it back into her handbag. The respectful demeanor she had shown vanished the moment the Boss ended the call.
Resting her chin on her hand, she said lazily, "The Boss wants us to enjoy our dinner. To save your sleep time, let's talk while we eat."
"Fine. Go ahead."
"Aren't you curious about my relationship with the Boss?"
Ritsu calmly picked up his lemon water and took a sip, his expression unchanged. "Curiosity kills the cat. I don't need to know that much, just tell me about the mission."
"You really are interesting." Her slender fingers tapped rhythmically against the table as she smiled faintly. "I'll give you a chance to ask me one question."
"Anything?"
After seeing her nod, a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes. Resting his chin on his hand as well, he looked straight at her and enunciated each word.
"Your. Age."
Clearly, she hadn't expected that. Vermouth laughed softly, brushing her hair aside. "How rude. Don't you know it's impolite to ask a lady's age?"
"You said I could ask anything."
"Fine, then I'll answer."
Ritsu found himself unexpectedly curious, his gaze sharpening. But the moment he heard her answer, he couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes.
He'd been played again.
"A beautiful woman is forever eighteen."
"…At least try to make it believable. You debuted at seventeen."
"If you already know my age, why ask?"
Sensing the meaning behind her words, Ritsu didn't press further. The waiter arrived with their dishes with impeccable timing.
Out of habit, Ritsu pulled the mushroom puff pastry closer. The main course should always follow the appetizer and besides, puff pastry loses its texture once it cools, which would be a waste.
Cutting into the crisp pastry, the filling of diced white mushrooms and shredded shiitake flowed out, coated in a creamy white sauce clearly made from light cream. Using his knife and fork with practiced ease, he cut off a piece, dipped it into the sauce, and brought it to his mouth.
The first sensation was the rich flavor of butter, followed by the savory cream sauce and a hint of pepper.
The chef had likely added a touch of dry white wine, giving it a subtle herbal note that perfectly balanced the dish, enhancing its flavor without making it overly rich.
"Next month, a ruby called 'Carmen Lucia' will be exhibited at a museum in Brussels, Belgium. Members of that organization will likely make a move on it. I need you to investigate."
Ritsu set down his utensils and took a small sip of rosé. He wasn't particularly fond of the taste, so he only tried a little before putting it down.
"You mean that code-named member, Leo, will also be there?"
"Yes. Leo has a large build, nearly two meters tall, with blond hair and a terrifying scar running from the corner of his mouth to the right side of his face."
"Anything else useful?"
Vermouth drained the rest of her wine in one go and said slowly, "There's actually something else I'm personally interested in. I'd like you to look into it for me."
"If it's related to the mission, I'll handle it."
"It might be connected. The disguise techniques I use were taught to me by someone known as the 'genius with magical hands', Kuroba Toichi."
Kuroba Toichi… a name he had never heard before.
Ritsu pulled out his phone and looked it up on Yahoo. It turned out he was a genius magician but five years ago, he had reportedly died in an accident during a fire escape act.
"You want me to find a dead man?"
"No body was ever found, which means there's a possibility he's alive. And that 'accident' was caused by that mysterious organization. As for how he got involved with them, that's something you'll need to investigate."
A genius magician and a mysterious organization searching for Pandora.
Ritsu lowered his head and calmly cut into his beef bourguignon. "Fine. Will you be going to Brussels with me?"
"My schedule next month is packed, so I won't be available. But I suggest you use some form of disguise, don't expose your real face to the enemy."
"Are you going to teach me disguise techniques?"
"Yes. I'll be staying in Tokyo this month. How much you learn depends on your talent." Vermouth ate her scallop risotto slowly before continuing, "I'll start teaching you once my film shoot is finished."
"And your voice-changing skills, self-taught?"
"You're quite ambitious. Planning to learn that from me too?"
"If I'm learning, I might as well learn everything."
"Alright. I'll teach you all of it."