When night fell, Shien and Roxie returned to the royal capital.
"I'll head back first." Roxie spoke as though she were somewhat tired. "You should hurry home too. Don't make Vivian and the others worry."
"You've got some nerve saying that." Shien looked a little tired as well, making his tone incredibly languid. "You made me waste an entire day. This month of mine is precious, you know."
"Yes, yes, I wasted it, all right?" Roxie no longer had the energy to keep arguing with Shien. She merely said, "Then tomorrow—"
"Don't drag me around everywhere again tomorrow." Shien hurriedly cut her off. "Rather than continuing to rely on luck like today, I think you should just go find that demon official."
"Find him?" Roxie paused slightly.
"Yeah." Shien offered his suggestion. "Probe him a little and see how he reacts."
"True." Roxie nodded thoughtfully. "If that monster really has something to do with Lord Jacinta, then once he learns that we defeated it, he should show some reaction, right?"
"Of course, it's also possible that he won't react at all." Shien shrugged. "Maybe he has some way of learning about it the instant that monster is defeated."
"Besides, we still can't be sure this has anything to do with Lord Jacinta." Roxie sighed. "Still, probing him is indeed feasible. I'll do as you say."
"Good luck." Shien said in the detached tone of someone for whom it was none of his business. "I'll silently cheer you on from the library."
In other words, he would not be accompanying her.
"You can rot in that library for all I care."
Roxie was already too tired to mock Shien any further. After throwing that remark at him, she finally pulled herself together and headed toward the royal palace.
Shien turned around