Right Up His Alley

Early the next morning, at 36 Zouteland Street, Blackthorn Security Company.

When Leon got up that morning, he had intended to ask Klein to go to work with him as usual. But Melissa told him that Klein had left early, without waiting for the man willing to pay the carriage fare.

Leon didn't know what to say to that, so he boarded the public carriage alone and headed to the company.

When he entered, Rozanne was sitting at the front desk, flipping through a novel. She looked up at him and greeted him with a bright smile. "Good morning, Leon. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Morning." Leon nodded, a little curious. "Why do you ask?"

"Your complexion just looks a little dark," Rozanne explained. Then she lowered her head and went back to reading her novel.

In the armory, Klein had already prepared the teaching materials for the day.

He sat behind the desk with the occult textbook open before him and a pen in his hand, drawing something on a sheet of paper.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his brown eyes lingering on Leon's face for a second.

Then his expression changed.

"You look terrible," Klein said with a frown.

"I didn't sleep well." Leon leaned his cane against the chair, sat down, and took a sip of the coffee that had been prepared for him on the desk.

Klein stared at him for a few seconds but didn't press him.

"Shall we start the lesson, then?" Klein asked.

"Sure." Leon smiled, then casually picked up the mirror on the desk and checked his reflection.

Is it that obvious? Leon wondered, looking at his face in the mirror. It seemed no different from usual.

He put down the mirror and lowered his head to watch Klein draw a diagram of the medium for a piece of Ritualistic Magic, listening as he explained the principles behind it.

But Klein's pen paused on the paper several times, and his gaze kept drifting toward Leon.

Perhaps he was thinking about the two unexpected, unusual gatherings that afternoon, or perhaps he had recalled Leon's uncharacteristic behavior the night before. Or perhaps it was both.

The lesson didn't go particularly smoothly. They kept falling silent at odd moments, then starting up again in fits and starts. After ten minutes of halting conversation, the two gradually found their rhythm.

While Klein turned to fetch another book, Leon's left hand suddenly twitched slightly.

He unobtrusively slipped it under the desk, his expression unchanged.

He suppressed the nascent Black Flame before it could surge beneath his skin.

Klein didn't see it.

But to be honest, Leon wasn't in much of a mood for lessons either.

His mind was full of thoughts about how to be a good organizer of a secret gathering, and how to find some time alone before one in the afternoon.

He now somewhat regretted setting the time of the gathering so hastily. One in the afternoon-which working person could have a space to themselves at one in the afternoon?

Even jobs that allowed a lunch break were among the best.

Fortunately, being a Nighthawk really was one of the best jobs around. The only thing he needed to worry about was finding a safe place.

Perhaps I could find an excuse to go out on assignment? Leon thought, his gaze falling on Klein.

He also had to find a way to send Klein elsewhere. Dunn had tied their duty schedules closely together, making it difficult for either of them to act alone.

Time crawled by through that difficult hour.

Just as Leon was about to make up an excuse to leave early, Klein took a deep breath and stood up first, speaking to Leon apologetically.

"We may have to pause the lesson. I need to go to the Seer Club."

"That's all right. The materials Old Neil left are very thorough, so there's no problem with me reading by myself for a while." Leon cleared his throat, sounding thoroughly understanding.

After hurriedly going over a few things Leon needed to know about the armory, Klein left without further delay.

Before Leon could reflect on how good his luck seemed to be today-

Dunn pushed the door open and came in.

He swept his gaze across the armory, a document in his hand. He glanced at Leon, then couldn't help taking another look, his gaze pausing on Leon's face for a moment.

"Don't say it. I know, I look terrible. I just didn't sleep well last night." Leon waved a hand, somewhat helpless.

"An urgent task has come up. We might need Klein." Dunn placed the document on the desk and asked, "Where is he?"

"He just left for the Seer Club." Leon looked up. "Do you need me to go after him?"

"No, you'll do too. I'll have Leonard come relieve you later. Come with me now." Dunn shook his head, then turned and headed straight up to the ground floor.

Me?

Puzzled, Leon followed Dunn to the lounge upstairs.

Another member of the team, the Corpse Collector Frye, was sitting in the seating area, talking to a police officer.

Leon noticed that Frye wasn't wearing his usual formal clothes, but had changed into the police uniform issued to Nighthawks for operations.

Leon had been given a uniform like that on his second day as a Nighthawk. But his predecessor had been a private detective and subconsciously disliked dealing with the police, so he had tossed it into a cabinet at the company to gather dust.

"This is Inspector Tolle of the Tingen City Police Department. He has a request that requires the Nighthawks' help," Dunn said, turning to introduce him to Leon.

"Long time no see, Tolle." Leon stepped forward and greeted him.

He searched his memories and discovered that his predecessor had actually known the inspector and had even dealt with him quite often.

The tall inspector had been somewhat disappointed to learn that Klein wasn't there, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw Leon. He stood and said, "Detective Kaspar, long time no see. If it's you, you should be able to resolve this trouble quickly."

"I'm just a private detective who's good at catching adulterers. Surely some gentleman's affair hasn't become entangled with a supernatural incident?" Leon smiled and asked humorously.

"No, but it's trickier than that. City councilor Mr. Maynard was found dead at home this morning, and the Tingen City Police Department is under a great deal of pressure. I had hoped to use Spirit Channeling to help them identify the killer as quickly as possible, but since Klein has gone out, you might be up to the task as well, having studied Ritualistic Magic with him all this time."

Dunn explained, then added, "Besides, even if you aren't proficient enough in Ritualistic Magic yet, your years of experience as a detective make you far better than the others."

"But most of my experience is in catching adulterers. This is a murder case; it's different. I can't guarantee I'll find any useful clues."

Leon unobtrusively checked his pocket watch. There were still three hours until one in the afternoon.

But his attempt to decline didn't work.

The anxious Inspector Tolle's gaze grew even more resolute after hearing Leon's words.

Dunn shook his head. "You only need to help. You don't need to worry about whether you find anything. Once the task is done, you won't have to come back this afternoon. Leonard will cover your shift."

"All right, Captain. I understand."

Leon did the math in his head. Finishing this simple task in three hours shouldn't be much of a problem.

Although time was a little tight, his predecessor had been a professionally trained detective, after all.

He went to the lounge, dug out his probationary inspector's uniform, and brought his identification. Then he followed Frye and Inspector Tolle into a carriage bearing the police insignia.

In the rocking carriage, Leon began gathering clues in advance, as his predecessor was accustomed to doing.

"Could you tell me how Councilor Maynard died? And what features of the scene left you unable to make up your minds right away?"

"Uh... the circumstances at the scene are somewhat complicated. Speaking of them outright would affect the councilor's dignity after death. Out of respect for the deceased, please see for yourself."

At Leon's question, Inspector Tolle's expression became extremely complicated. He chose his words carefully. "All I can say is that this case is right up your alley."

Right up my alley?

Leon remained doubtful throughout the journey. Only when he saw the body for himself did his doubts disappear completely.

The city councilor's remains were covered with a white sheet. A bulge at a certain spot on the lower part of his body pushed the sheet high up, like a tiny tent.

"...Did he die from pleasure?"