Xio went out early in the morning to buy a local East Balam breakfast from a nearby restaurant. She seemed to be in quite a good mood, humming all the way back to the inn she was staying at.
But the moment she returned to her room, she sensed that something was off. Although this was not her "jurisdiction," her Beyonder-level "insight" from the Arbiter Pathway still allowed her to detect a trace of incongruity.
Remaining vigilant, Xio probed, "Who's there?"
As soon as her words fell, she saw Abner step out of the shadows. Only after recognizing that it really was him did she relax.
After casually closing the door and sealing the room with spirituality, Xio shot him a sidelong glance to express her displeasure at being startled before asking, "How did you know I was staying here?"
"You should trust a Detective's professionalism. After only one night, some traces won't disappear so quickly." Abner paused, then remarked with a smile, "Sure enough, simple Invisibility and Hiding in Shadows can't completely evade an Interrogator's senses at close range. On the contrary, they're more likely to overlook weaknesses in areas they excel at."
"I'm already a Judge." Xio first puffed out her chest and proudly corrected him. Then, recalling what had happened, she said, "Actually, I didn't notice your traces. It's just that I stayed here for a night and became somewhat familiar with the place, so it wasn't difficult to spot a few things that didn't fit."
Abner nodded thoughtfully. He was not particularly surprised that Xio had consumed the potion last night. After all, her mission this time was extremely dangerous. Any increase in strength had to be pursued as much as possible.
Seeing that Abner was carrying breakfast as well, Xio took it from him and