In a guest room at The Reverie in Penacony.
Professor Dr. Ratio stood with his arms folded across his chest, his face expressionless, a trace of displeasure and anger already showing in his stern eyes.
The door opened, followed by slowly approaching footsteps and the sound of the door closing, and finally, the playboy's voice:
"What's wrong, Ratio? Don't look so glum... Hey, I only just noticed. Where's that handsome plaster head of yours?"
The professor turned to look at the blond man before him. "You're late. By exactly four minutes and sixteen seconds. You had better have spent that time solving the mystery of Akivili's fall-if not, I would advise you not to trouble the Nameless."
"Trouble them?" Aventurine blinked. "Even you think that? Does nobody actually believe I just want to be friends with them?"
Dr. Ratio narrowed his eyes at Aventurine.
With that child named Jiang Yu around, of course he believed it, but that wasn't the problem. The problem lay with Aventurine himself.
Judging by the way he communicated with others, most people would struggle to tell whether he was scheming, provoking them, or trying to make friends.
Of course, the professor would not say that outright. Instead, he gave a cold snort.
"A noisy fellow won't make any friends. A little trivia for you: the Atini Peacock has one of the most unpleasant calls of any bird in the universe, and that outfit makes you look just like a peacock in full display."
At this point, the professor paused. His gaze swept over Aventurine, and his tone grew a little graver:
"...And it seems this peacock has had all his feathers plucked-did the Family confiscate your luggage?"
Aventurine raised his eyebrows, then put on a look of regretful helplessness. "Yes, that fellow in the gray