There's a Second Round

"A man calling himself the Morning Star sent us a set of photos, all of them evidence of Valerius's crimes," Chevreuse said, placing the file on the table and addressing Clorinde beside her.

"Hmm." Clorinde nodded calmly.

Seeing this, Chevreuse couldn't help but ask in confusion, "You don't seem surprised at all. You know this Morning Star?"

"I don't know." Clorinde offered no further explanation.

Chevreuse sighed softly, tapping the edge of the case file with her fingertips. "... That's true. Several recent cases of nobles committing suicide without explanation are suspected to be related to this Morning Star, but we still can't confirm his identity."

Although those nobles were all wicked and their hands stained with sin, they should stand before the court and receive a fair judgment, not be settled by vigilante justice.

"The Captain! A brawl has broken out in the direction of the Vasari Passage!" A Special Patrol Unit member rushed into the house and saluted Chevreuse.

"Understood, I'll go right away."

Chevreuse stood up in response, picking up the equipment beside her. She turned to Clorinde beside her. "By the way, a new dessert shop opened near Vasari Passage, the food is pretty good, do you want to try it?"

After speaking, she adjusted her belt and gun, and strode towards the door.

"Thank you," Clorinde replied softly. Seeing that Chevreuse was busy with official business, she also stood up and slowly saw her off.

"You're welcome! When I get back from this case, just remember to teach me and my team a few sword moves!"

Chevreuse's voice faded into the distance in the corridor.

"Welcome! What would you like to order?" Clervie greeted them with a smile, her eyes crinkling.

"Good afternoon. Do you still have the butter palmiers and macarons from last time? One of each, please." Chevreuse approached the counter and took her order with practiced ease.

"Okay~ Please wait a moment~ The macarons are still baking in the kitchen, they'll be ready soon." Clervie readily agreed, deftly arranging the pastries with her fingertips, humming a light, cheerful tune.

"What good thing happened to the boss recently? He looks so happy?" Chevreuse casually asked.

"Hmm? This is indeed a good thing; I've reunited with a long-lost friend here."

"Oh, that's a good thing," Chevreuse chimed in.

Based on Chevreuse's years of experience in handling cases and judging people, her intuition told her that the shop owner's demeanor was completely different from when they first met.

This cheerful and sunny disposition used to be shrouded in a sense of acceptance of life and death, a belief that terminal illness would eventually be cured. But now...

It's hard to say for sure, it's just a vague feeling, like she knows she's cured of her terminal illness, has regained her memories of her past life, met a male and female companion, and even had a gathering with them yesterday.

Chevreuse shook her head; what kind of nonsense was this?

Ring ring--

The wind chimes at the door rang once again.

Xingsu clutched her waist and walked slowly into the store.

"Welcome, oh? Isn't this Xingsu? What happened to your waist?" Clervie looked at Xingsu at the door with a mischievous grin.

"..."

Xingsu gazed at Clervie with a deep, melancholy look.

Arlecchino suddenly appeared in her room after drinking kerosene; she certainly wouldn't believe it without Arecino's help.

Clervie, you really are...

Well done!

Chevreuse also looked at the newcomer; this was the first time she had seen Xingsu.

He was clutching his waist and looked quiet and gentle, but I could sense a dangerous aura emanating from him.

Clervie leaned against the counter, her smile deepening. Deliberately not revealing her true feelings, she simply raised her voice and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything? Want some dessert to tide you over?"

"... Yes, I'd like some snacks and cakes." Xingsu sighed, giving up on arguing with Clervie.

"So, do you want what Pepe likes to eat, or what Pepe likes to eat?" Clervie blinked, her tone full of teasing.

"..." Xingsu was speechless for a moment.

"Pfft... Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore. Here! I prepared this especially for you."

As she spoke, Clervie bent down and pulled a delicate paper bag from under the counter, handing it to her.

Xingsu glanced down into the bag; on the top layer was a soft cake, accompanied by a fresh bouquet of flowers.

"Remember to eat with Pepe when you get back!"

"Okay." Xingsu took the paper bag, turned to look at his side, and saw Chevreuse thoughtfully examining him. He then asked, "By the way, La Signora, have we met before? Why have you been staring at me since earlier?"

Chevreuse snapped out of her daze, suppressing the inexplicable wariness in her heart, and replied calmly, "... It's nothing, take care of yourself."

Hearing this advice, Xingsu's lips twitched slightly.

He said no more, picked up the paper bag, the wind chimes tinkled, and he pushed open the door and walked out of Clervie's dessert shop.

"Is this your friend?" Chevreuse asked Clervie, looking at the swaying shop door.

"Yes."

"What does he do for a living?" Chevreuse followed up with the question.

"Hmm... He's a teacher, and sometimes he even goes to welfare homes to teach the children."

"I see. He seems like a nice guy." Chevreuse agreed verbally, but she couldn't shake off the strange vigilance she had felt earlier.

"Yes, yes, the macarons should be baked by now. I'll go get them for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, Clervie turned and strode into the kitchen.

Chevreuse was the only one left in the shop.

The inexplicable dangerous aura emanating from Xingsu just now, coupled with the changes in the shop owner Clervie before and after, kept swirling in her mind.

Was it just my imagination? Or was it an oversensitivity stemming from years of handling cases?

Chevreuse tapped the counter lightly with her fingertips, secretly making up her mind.

Regardless of the truth, she'll visit this dessert shop more often in the future to observe it closely.

It's definitely not because this dessert shop is delicious and affordable, absolutely not!

Due to some personal reasons of Teacher Xingsu, the children's afternoon classes have been cancelled.

Although the children love Xingsu, they prefer not to have classes.

Xingsu was happy to have some free time, so he chose to strike while the iron was hot and deepen his relationship with Arlecchino.

"Lord Xingsu, you're back." Lyney, who was playing with the children using magic, caught sight of Xingsu slowly returning, supporting his back. She quickly stopped what she was doing, stepped forward to greet him, and asked with concern in her eyes, "Um... is your back injured? Who did this? Do you need our help...?"

"No need!" Xingsu hurriedly interrupted, a faint blush still lingering at the tips of her ears, and quickly changed the subject, "By the way, Lyney, Arlecchino still in her office?"

"Ah... yes, Father was unusually quiet today, hardly showing his face at all. It wasn't until noon that the children saw him walk into his office," Lyney replied obediently.

"Okay, I understand."

Xingsu carried the dessert bag, walked to the heavy office door, and gently pushed it open.

"Pepe, would you like some afternoon tea? I just got it from Clervie."

Arlecchino sat upright behind her desk, her fingers just setting down on the file. Hearing this, she looked up, a gentle light spreading across her crimson eyes, and replied, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I just finished making tea."

Xingsu stepped forward and gently placed the paper bag containing the snacks on the table, secretly hiding the bouquet of beautiful flowers behind his back.

While Arlecchino bent down to open the paper bag and take out the exquisite cake, he quickly took out a bouquet of flowers from behind him, handed it to her, and quietly offered this unexpected little surprise.

"Do you like it? I specially prepared... flowers... for you..."

Then, Xingsu watched in disbelief as Arlecchino took out a cake, and then took out a box of Lan Jingling from the paper bag. Xingsu looked down stiffly, and saw a box of Dawei Ge in the paper bag as well.

"..."

"..."

The air fell silent instantly.

The two looked at each other, and for a moment they were speechless.

"Um... would you like me to explain?"