The Storm Was Coming

After ten minutes of Pardo's explanation, Belle finally understood—Kosma was a shy, socially anxious boy with a flair for the dramatic!

That only made her like him more.

"Um, weren't we discussing something important?"

Beside them, Cui Ji timidly raised a hand, though she too had been caught up in the three-way comedy routine Pardo, Belle, and Kosma had put on.

"Meow! I totally forgot!" Pardo tilted her head adorably. "Hey, Cui Ji, why're you talking like me?"

Cui Ji: "..."

"All right! Let's hear the rest of Griseo's plan!"

Realizing they had gotten sidetracked, Belle hastily took over as host and got the "strategy meeting" moving again, without the slightest guilt over having caused the distraction.

"Belle, how far has your investigation with Victoria Housekeeping gotten?"

"Hm?"

Belle paused at Griseo's question. Griseo had barely been at the shop lately and hadn't taken part in this commission at all. How did she know about it?

"Lycaon from Victoria Housekeeping told us they'd gathered some information. Then my brother and Vivian went to investigate Hartmann..."

Belle stopped mid-sentence as realization struck.

Hartmann!

Wasn't he the heir to the Ravenlock Family?

"Damn, it's all connected!" Belle swore, a rare occurrence for her.

While Griseo had been away these past few days, Belle and her brother had been investigating the Sacrificial Ghost Core. After considerable effort, they had learned that Hartmann had it—and that he had ties to the Praise Society.

To recover the core before anyone else could, her brother had decided to sneak into Ravenlock Manor with Vivian and steal it.

Meanwhile, after several days of twists and turns, Griseo's investigation had led her right back to the Ravenlock Family.

And the mayor was behind Victoria Housekeeping, while Griseo had just been to City Hall.

Could all of that really