Chapter 103

Aventurine: "You call that 'borrowing'?"

Aventurine: "That was clearly coercion!"

Aventurine: "They want me to do their dirty work, and they even put a curse on me—phooey!"

Stelle: "Tsk, who told you to make your objective so well-known in Penacony?"

Stelle: "I'm just saying, couldn't you have been a bit more low-key when you arrived?"

Stelle: "You just had to make such a grand entrance."

Stelle: "Well, look at you now, falling right into their hands."

Aventurine: "It was all part of the plan; I wouldn't call it falling into their hands."

Zhong Li: "Hmm... judging by this video..."

Zhong Li: "Mr. Sunday seems to have already reached a conclusion regarding that traitor."

Zhong Li: "And the characteristics of the suspects he recorded... they do remind me of someone..."

Venti: "Hehe, I think I've thought of someone too!"

Venti: "But, let's keep it to ourselves for now. What if I'm wrong?"

Zhong Li: "Indeed, that is not without reason. I shall refrain from speaking as well."

Lumine: "???"

Lumine: "If you're not going to say it, why are you being so cryptic?"

Paimon: "Hmph, you two are really infuriating!"

Venti: "Hehe~"

Collei: "Speaking of which, Mr. Welt and Miss Acheron were caught red-handed by Mr. Sunday..."

Collei: "They aren't going to start fighting, are they?"

Sucrose: "I don't think it will come to that, right?"

Sucrose: "Their goals are the same right now. If they explain things clearly..."

Sucrose: "They should be able to reach a mutual understanding."

Amber: "Mm, I think so too."

Collei: "Mm... I hope so..."

The video continues.

[My apologies, Mr. Sunday.]

[We couldn't find anyone to announce our arrival, so we entered your residence without permission. I hope you can forgive us.]

Welt turned around to look at Sunday,

and said apologetically.

[Even if there was no one to receive you, the two of you should have sat quietly and waited for the host to arrive, shouldn't you?]

[Not to mention this Galaxy Ranger...]

[As far as I know, the Astral Express has already accepted the Family's commission in an official capacity. I'm afraid there was no need for such a special visit.]

Sunday clearly did not accept Welt's explanation.

[We came here specifically to understand the case with Mr. Sunday, so as to avoid any mishaps during the investigation.]

Welt explained.

[...Very well.]

[Since you both came with good intentions, I have no reason to turn you away.]

Sunday changed his tone and stopped making things difficult for them.

[Don't worry... he didn't discover that we read those documents.]

At this moment, Acheron whispered to Welt.

[Although the truth has not yet come to light, I am not far from it.]

[I assure you all, the traitor will soon pay the price.]

Sunday said to the two of them with conviction.

[May justice be served soon, but I personally have one more question for Mr. Sunday: How exactly did the Family conclude that the culprit is hiding within?]

[If I may be blunt, someone attempting to cause chaos on the eve of the Charmony Festival aligns perfectly with the IPC's interests...]

[The Family should have reason to suspect that the IPC is the one pulling the strings.]

Welt understood the art of checks and balances well,

so he prepared to use Sunday,

to stir up trouble for the IPC.

[Other heads of the Family have raised the same concerns as you.]

[But in my view, the true culprit would never be as flamboyant as that envoy...]

[Not to mention that I have already shackled them with my own hands.]

[However, I would like to offer Mr. Welt's concerns to you both.]

[In my opinion, it is Aventurine you should be wary of...]

[A villain may not be able to shake a high wall, but they can plunge a dagger into the heart of the righteous.]

[He is a businessman, not a philanthropist, yet he is currently scattering wealth throughout the streets and heading alone toward the Clock Studios Theme Park...]

[I wonder what he is planning...]

[The Family still promises to protect our guests, but you would do well to stay vigilant.]

[To avoid... unforeseen worries.]

Miss Ningguang: "Is Mr. Sunday... deliberately guiding Miss Acheron and Mr. Welt to oppose Aventurine?"

Stelle: "Ha, Mr. Yang wanted to use the Family to keep the IPC in check."

Stelle: "But it doesn't seem to be working well, and he's had the same tactic used right back on him."

Welt: "Hmm... Mr. Sunday is speaking in riddles."

Welt: "He seems to understand what Aventurine is trying to do..."

Welt: "Or rather, is this him deliberately letting Aventurine do as he pleases?"

Furina: "Tsk, I have to say, Mr. Sunday is truly deep."

Furina: "Sometimes I think Mr. Sunday is a great person, but seeing how full of schemes he is, I also think he's a big villain."

Aventurine: "Heh, two-faced."

Aventurine: "I don't think he's much better than a businessman like me."

Sunday: "At least I am not like you, with a mind full of nothing but profit, am I?"

March 7th: "So what exactly does Aventurine want to do?"

Stelle: "Aventurine, they're asking you, what do you want to do?"

Aventurine: "How would I know?"

Aventurine: "Go ask the Aventurine in the video, why ask me?"

Stelle: "You really don't know?"

Aventurine: "I don't."

Stelle: "Pfft, suit yourself, don't tell me then."

The video continues.

The scene shifts,

to Aventurine.

[...According to the Pier Point hotline, a major breakthrough has been made in the shocking Egehazo Aventurine case, and the suspect has been apprehended—]

[This fraud case involves multiple departments of the Interastral Peace Corporation and the Intelligentsia Guild, resulting in a massive waste of human and material resources, and causing the Corporation to suffer huge losses—]

[The suspect in this case is from Sigonia-IV, one of the survivors of the second Katica Avgin extinction event, and does not hold an Interastral Refugee Travel Permit—]

[Under the instruction of Diamond, head of the Strategic Investment Department, the Corporation has properly resettled them in accordance with the spirit of the "Charter," and will continue to conduct investigations to further confirm the suspect's criminal motives...]

After a broadcast from the Interastral Peace Corporation,

the scene shifts to Aventurine being interrogated by Jade.

[What a beautiful pair of eyes.]

[Tell me, do they glow in the dark?]

Jade looked at Aventurine's eyes, which were as brilliant as gemstones,