At two in the afternoon, a large griffin with variegated feathers slowly landed in the backyard of the Detective Watson Agency, carrying two adults and a child.
"Thank you both so much."
Detective Watson wiped away his sweat and repeatedly thanked Hai Na and Sherlock. "Without your help, I'm afraid I would have died last night. Please, stay for a meal."
Hai Na gently stroked the head of Liz, her griffin, with some heartache. "You should thank Liz too... I had no idea she could really carry us all the way back."
Liz had not completely transformed into a white-feathered griffin yet. In other words, she still had not reached adulthood.
The steam train would have needed to run for an entire night to cover the distance. Yet carrying two adults, a child, and two people's luggage, she had flown straight back.
"—And thank you too, Miss Liz."
Watson respectfully bowed to the griffin, who was only a head shorter than him.
Liz shook her head proudly and let out a clear, piercing cry like an eagle or falcon. She still could not speak, but she could understand human speech.
The little Sherlock, standing to one side with his arms folded, suddenly said, "Actually, that weight isn't much to her. Griffins are supposed to carry fully armed adult men over long distances... Obviously, Hai Na, you don't weigh much more than armor and weapons combined. And don't spoil him too much. You can't buy a bicycle, refuse to ride it because you're reluctant to wear it out, and carry it everywhere instead."
Liz angrily cried out at Sherlock.
He could not understand what it meant, but it was probably an insult.
Hai Na hurriedly soothed her beloved griffin, hugging her and making meaningless cooing noises like she was comforting a