Chapter 128: Interlude Two: Behind-the-Scenes Deal

Interlude Two: Behind-the-Scenes Deal

—"I have fully understood the matter. You have worked hard; the Investigation Bureau will appreciate your efforts."

In the bedroom bathed in sunset, the girl's voice came from the mirror on the table. A girl draped in a golden robe, smiling, nodded slightly at the mirror surface: "I will promptly dispatch magic girls from the Special Strategy Bureau to assist in the pursuit of Black Ash Dawn, and I will provide you with corresponding compensation and rewards, Young Lady Cuique."

"You know that is not what I want to hear."

Across the mirror, the girl in the blue dress spoke without expression: "If you just want to speak in official jargon, let us stop here, Your Excellency the Director."

This was after the attack on the night of the Full Moon Festival; Cuique had made contact with the Investigation Bureau. Because this matter involved the true high command of Black Ash Dawn, Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan had accepted this conversation.

After Cuique described the beginning and end of the matter, she showed no special reaction, merely giving a very official, yet utterly useless, response as usual.

This made Cuique extremely dissatisfied, which led to the dialogue above.

"Official jargon... you seem to have something else to say?" Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan appropriately expressed a bit of confusion.

A porcelain teacup appeared in her hand at some unknown moment; she seemed to have intended to end the conversation, but now had to stop her action: "Very well, if you are willing, perhaps we can fill in some gaps."

"I do not intend to beat around the bush with you anymore; you deceived me, Your Excellency the Director." Cuique spoke bluntly.

"... I do not understand what you mean, Young Lady Cuique." Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan blinked.

"Regarding this incident, you could not possibly be unaware of the causes and consequences."

Cuique lowered her eyes slightly: "What happened in the Donghua State Domain, what Black Ash Dawn did—you know it all. Every move they made was right under your nose. Over the past two years, more than ten magic girls went missing, and countless commoners were sacrificed. You sent investigation teams here more than once, and even captured numerous villains returning to the Kingdom. Do you really want to tell me that you truly know nothing?"

"You seem to have a great misunderstanding of me, Young Lady Cuique."

The hand holding the teacup paused slightly; Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan shook her head and said, "The Gem Scepter and the Investigation Bureau are not as omnipotent as you imagine. The Investigation Bureau only knows they have designs in the Donghua State Domain and cannot understand in detail what they did in every city."

"Your Excellency the Director."

Through the mirror, Cuique stared at Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan: "Do you think I am a fool, or do you think the investigation teams under your command are fools?"

"No one is a fool; you are all outstanding members of the Investigation Bureau, and you are also the hero of this incident, Young Lady Cuique."

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan spoke quite sincerely: "You know, although the Investigation Bureau has been investigating the serial disappearances in the Donghua State Domain, the mastermind behind Black Ash Dawn hid very deeply. Especially the chief culprit this time—Moth—who holds a high position in the Special Strategy Bureau. With the Investigation Bureau's limited manpower, it is impossible to bypass such an entrenched power structure to reach the truth. If not for you, my colleagues in the Investigation Bureau might still be unable to solve this incident."

For some reason, although Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan maintained a very upright attitude during the conversation, Cuique inexplicably felt somewhat annoyed.

This was also one of the reasons she had never liked Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan—this person could always remain completely uninvolved, with an attitude toward all matters that was smooth and vague, making it impossible to discern her true thoughts.

She had come with a questioning attitude, yet it was like punching a cotton pad; there was neither a conclusion nor any satisfaction, only a deep sense of powerlessness.

But she knew deeply that she could not show her emotions in front of this person. Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan was skilled at hiding herself and also skilled at seeing through others; exposing her own emotional tendencies to Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan would solve nothing and would only leave more room for exploitation.

Even if she was dissatisfied with this person, she had to be moderate in her approach.

"Flattering my achievements cannot cover up your deception, Your Excellency the Director."

So she suppressed her impulse to speak coldly and continued without expression: "I need an explanation."

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan put down the teacup in her hand.

"The Investigation Bureau did not play its proper role in this incident. As the Director, I express deep regret and reflection, and I am also very grateful for your contributions and results. Furthermore, I extend deep sympathy and care to the citizens of Fang Ting City who were affected."

She lowered her eyes, her expression slightly compassionate: "Hereafter, the Investigation Bureau will dutifully complete the pursuit of the remnants of Black Ash Dawn. If Young Lady Cuique has any needs, we will also do our best to provide materials for post-disaster reconstruction to compensate the Special Strategy Bureau employees and the public who were harmed."

"Is this the explanation you wanted?"

"No, Your Excellency the Director."

Cuique remained indifferent: "You know what I want."

"... I think, if you came today just to accuse and question, there would be no need to report the details of the incident in Fang Ting City so thoroughly."

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan raised her eyelids slightly, her cat-like vertical pupils fixing on Cuique:

"Then, what do you need me to do for you? My... prospective colleague?"

Here comes the main point.

Cuique sighed slightly in her heart.

She knew that demanding the truth from Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan would yield no results; therefore, she could only find a way to extract some benefits from the other party. The other party's display of such an attitude clearly indicated agreement with the hidden meaning in Cuique's words: either explain the truth or provide compensation.

If Cuique were just an ordinary magic girl, she would not be qualified to negotiate with the other party like this—as one of the oldest Gem Scepters in the Magic Kingdom, Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan could simply ignore anyone.

But she was not; she had once been a candidate for the Gem Scepter.

Now, she was not approaching Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan as an Investigation Bureau Inspector, but as a Sapphire Scepter candidate, or even someone surpassing the status of a candidate, to express dissatisfaction and use this identity to coerce the other party into making a choice.

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan chose the latter.

"I have two demands."

So Cuique brought out the draft she had prepared long ago and said, "The first demand concerns the dispatch of magical affairs. I hope you will transfer the authority to dispatch and assign the three magic girls named Bai Mei, Xiao Jin, and Boxue within the Magical Affairs Bureau to my name."

"What do you mean?" Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan's vertical pupils continued to stare straight at Cuique, as if able to see through the heart.

"Transfer them under the name of Cornflower." Cuique responded seriously.

"You want to be their full commander, and no one except the Queen can order those children without going through you?"

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan asked, "Why? You seem to have very little trust in the Magical Affairs Bureau?"

"To be honest, I have very little trust even in the Kingdom's Wang Ting."

Cuique spoke without expression: "Having experienced so many dangerous incidents, I cannot place the assignment and life-or-death decisions of my daughter and junior members in the hands of the Magical Affairs Bureau. Therefore, give them to me."

"... You seem to have some misunderstanding about the functions of the Investigation Bureau, Cuique."

After Cuique clarified her demands, Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan gradually returned to a relatively gentle demeanor, raised her finger, and tapped the teacup as if somewhat troubled: "We and the Magical Affairs Bureau are merely parallel entities at the same level; we cannot interfere in their affairs."

"The Magical Affairs Bureau is nominally directly under the Wang Ting, but in reality, all magic girls within the organization have factional backgrounds from the other four major bureaus. One could say the power has long been completely divided among you. Do I need to remind you of this fact?"

Cuique also tapped the table in a counter-attack: "My initial refusal of the Sapphire Scepter was actually beneficial to you; it indirectly helped you keep the cake in your hands. Now that it concerns the Magical Affairs Bureau, I feel you have no reason to reject me."

"I feel there is no need for me to remind you that rumors should not be easily believed; the Gem Scepter does not have that much power."

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan smiled and shook her head: "However, if you insist on this demand, then as an individual magic girl, I indeed have some friends in the Magical Affairs Bureau who can accomplish this. I can ask them to operate on this matter."

"The second matter."

Having received the other party's promise, Cuique was unwilling to say a single word of nonsense and pushed the topic forward directly: "Regarding the truth of Cherry's death, you have been investigating for two years. What exactly have you discovered during this period? Tell me now."

Jin Lu Jinlv Maoyan smiled at her, saying nothing.

"Dean?" Senior Cuique called out calmly.

"... I did not expect such a simple request." The golden-green cat's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I am not someone who likes to make things difficult for others." Senior Cuique's expression was blank.

"This makes me personally feel indebted, Young Lady Cuique."

Continuing to tap his teacup with his fingers, the golden-green cat's eyes said, "Because I actually cannot provide you with much information."

"You have investigated for two years."

Senior Cuique reminded again, "Do not tell me you have reached no conclusion."

"No, in fact there is a result, but it may differ somewhat from what you expected."

The golden-green cat's eyes replied, "Because you actually already know this conclusion—the murderer is someone from the Black Ember Dawn."

"Who?" Senior Cuique pressed.

The golden-green cat's eyes shook his head.

"You know it is the Black Ember Dawn, yet cannot find the specific murderer?"

Senior Cuique's face was indifferent: "How exactly do you want me to believe you, Dean?"

"It is not that we cannot find them, but this result... feels somewhat strange."

The golden-green cat's eyes raised those vertical pupils: "According to recent investigations and eyewitness records, for a period after Sakura's death, a group of Black Ember Dawn members did indeed leave Fang Ting City, and were suspected of carrying the Heart Gem that went missing at the time of Sakura's death."

"And then?" Senior Cuique clenched her fist.

"And then, their bodies were found a week later in the wasteland outside the city." The golden-green cat's eyes lowered his gaze slightly: "All dead, not a single survivor."

"What about Sakura's Heart Gem?"

"It was stolen again."

The room instantly fell into silence.

"You mean..." Senior Cuique opened her mouth, striving to maintain composure on her face, yet could never speak the answer she found hard to accept.

"Yes, if this investigation is correct, the true murderer who killed Sakura may already be dead." The golden-green cat's eyes gave the answer.

Senior Cuique was silent once more for a long time.

"... I do not believe this answer."

After a while, she spoke again: "If Sakura's Heart Gem was taken, then the person who did this may also be connected to her death."

"I do not deny it." The golden-green cat's eyes nodded lightly.

"So the direction of the next investigation should be who took Sakura's Heart Gem."

"We will attempt to proceed in this direction."

"... Then, I have no other requests."

Senior Cuique took a deep breath: "I have wasted your time. Thank you for listening to my request, Dean."

Having said this, she reached out and touched the mirror surface, about to end the call.

— "There is one more thing, Young Lady Cuique."

However, the golden-green cat's eyes' voice came from the mirror surface once again: "I just said that for this second request, I actually have not done much."

Senior Cuique stopped her hand's movement, looked at the other person once more, and waited for the golden-green cat's eyes to explain further.

Seeing Senior Cuique's face reappear within the mirror surface, the golden-green cat's eyes said slowly and deliberately: "What I want to say is that the Strategy Bureau of Fang Ting City, because of this incident, has in fact become riddled with holes and lost its proper function, has it not?"

"Yes, Dean."

"Then have you considered restoring its function yourself?"

"... Restore it myself?"

Senior Cuique raised an eyebrow. "This seems to have nothing to do with the work of a Magical Girl; this should be the matter of your Investigation Bureau and the city government."

"No, I am not asking you to assist the government in completing the reconstruction of the Strategy Bureau. What I mean is that the position of Director of Fang Ting City is currently vacant."

Shaking his head, the golden-green cat's eyes folded his hands on the table, his expression somewhat playful:

— "Then, are you interested in this position?"

(End of this chapter)