Chapter 431: NO．14: It's mainly that Morgan has offended quite a few people

NO．14: It's mainly that Morgan has offended quite a few people.

Trouble, or perhaps not necessarily……

He watched the young man push the door in and the man following behind him enter, and a second thought came to mind.

To him, these two visitors were neither familiar nor completely strangers.

They had met before, even exchanged a few words.

But it was only that brief, and afterward he heard about their respective situations through magazines, the internet, and others' conversations.

One is a rare user of Hei'an power, the other a well-known warrior of light.

If he had encountered this special pair at another time, it would surely be trouble, but lately he feels he might know why the former came to see him.

"Good morning, Mr. Lindon, and Your Excellency, Holy Sword Wielder."

Facing these two distinguished guests in every sense, he stood to greet them, yet besides that, he felt a rare awkwardness.

After all, he couldn't invite anyone to sit down.

And the young man among them was indeed scanning his gaze toward the corner where a chair and sofa should have been.

It was clear he was already noticing the office's distinctive furnishings.

"Good morning, magician, but don't mind me." The man tipped his leather cap, as carefree as an Americano cowboy, merely greeting in that way; his address showed the other remembered him, but only that.

"I'm just accompanying him; you two talk, I'll..." he said, instinctively glancing toward the door, then froze.

He also realized the office's peculiarity.

He had originally wanted to say he'd sit aside, but now he couldn't figure it out.

This also made El-Melloi II a bit embarrassed; just as he was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, the young man spoke: "Good morning, Your Excellency El-Melloi II, please accept this meeting gift."

He said this, pulling two exquisitely wrapped gift boxes and a bottle of black tea from his briefcase.

He placed them on a table that didn't even have a cup.

"I heard you enjoy some strategy games but suffer from stomach ailments; this is my small token of sincerity, please don't refuse, after all Miss Grey's assistance that day could be called a lifesaver."

"Grey is merely my student."

Looking at the two gift boxes, Web did not reach out, merely emphasizing this point.

"I can tell you where she is, but these things..."

"I've also prepared gifts for her, as well as for Ms. Morgan and Miss Desert Hero," Aomo tapped his briefcase, "and my habit is to always prepare a meeting gift for anyone I visit."

"You still plan to see Morgan?" Web frowned slightly.

"I also considered having Grey pass it along," Aomo said, gazing at the other's furrowed brow, then asked, "But it seems she's recently run into some trouble."

"It's not really trouble; just that Ort's activated tissue was stolen half a month ago, and she's been named a suspect."

"Ort's activated tissue?"

"That's right, it's the cargo you originally transported," Web said, glancing at the solemn-looking Red Kai, then turning back to Aomo, "After the delivery, the month's charge logistics and your penguin logistics had no further connection, and less than a week later it was stolen, taken from the Spirit Science Warehouse at the Clock Tower headquarters."

"But she was still supporting me with Grey and Miss Desert Hero half a month ago," Aomo rubbed his nose.

"Normally, someone named a suspect would have their freedom restricted, but when the Heavenly Body Science department is willing to vouch for her innocence and she herself possesses sufficient power, the Law and Politics department's stance is merely observation."

Isn't that just because they can't beat her?

Just like those who clearly bear the title 'Seal Designated' yet can run around freely.

It's not exactly innocence; it's just that there's no concrete proof, yet they can't do anything to the other party.

Aomo was somewhat speechless, yet also felt something was off.

What does that have to do with my inconvenience in seeing her?

"Any recent progress on the case?"

"Starting ten days ago, the Clock Tower began circulating a rumor: Morgan is collaborating with your penguin logistics to steal Ort in order to ruin month's charge logistics."

"That's quite imaginative."

Aomo recalled the penguin logistics chatroom of the past few days, filled only with daily work complaints and dinner plans; the Clock Tower's internal gossip obviously hadn't truly reached the penguin logistics.

"Not many people believe this rumor, right?"

"Indeed, Grey and Miss Desert Hero haven't been implicated because of this."

"But if I go visit Ms. Morgan now, it could fuel the rumor."

"Just seeking out Grey and her like, the rumor-mongers could loop around this much; they'd certainly not mind looping again."

"We've come all this way, and quite a few people saw us on the road; I thought it was because Mr. Kai is famous enough." Aomo said, turning his head to look at Red Kai.

"You're famous too, I thought they'd know your deeds as well." Kai refused to take the blame, "but I say these people just look without greeting, and when we buy drinks, we don't see anyone else coming to use the vending machine."

"That's no longer important; what matters is that I've come to the Clock Tower," Aomo said, turning back to El-Melloi II, "and I've even stepped into your office."

"Through me contacting Grey, and Grey contacting Morgan," El-Melloi II said calmly under the demon's gaze, "there's little persuasiveness, even seeming presumptuous, but the other party can say it, and the facts aren't far off—just unrelated to Ort's bodily sample."

"I think Chaldea should be looking for the real culprit over there; what does Mr. Holmes say?"

El-Melloi II wasn't surprised that Aomo brought him up, merely shaking his head: "He can't come to this world."

"? Even Mr. Moriarty can come over."

"You should know position theory?"

Aomo fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "... Have you taken his place?"

"That's a bit abrupt."

"In my information exists the fantasy mystery literature 'The Monarch El-Melloi II Case Files'."

"Undeniable," Web's subtle expression made it clear he had read that light novel where he's the protagonist, "but detectives in this world aren't limited to just one."

"I believe the Eye of Appraisal is a limited specialization of deductive method."

"... I think Mr. Holmes's position shouldn't be so narrow."

"Then let's not mention this." Aomo, who had been pressing the issue, suddenly dropped the topic, which instead made the other party seem somewhat unaccustomed.

Then he again said: "Since Fuermosi didn't come, Chaldea should have considered commissioning you."

At such a rapid pace, Aiermeluo II faced no pressure in responding: "Give it up, it's meaningless."

"How so?" Aomo asked.

"Anyone can see that Mogen is being framed, but we simply cannot find any suspect."

"These words don't sound like something a monarch Aiermeluo II would say."

"After all, this is just how the world is."

Weibo said displeasedly.

"To find the suspect, we first need to lock onto the target, confirm the method, consider the motive—that is, who did it, how it was done, why it was done—but in the world of mages, we usually approach it backwards."

"We cannot determine 'how it was done' nor 'who did it'; in cases involving supernatural forces, these two elements can easily be concealed, and only 'why it was done' can be determined."

"Because motive, or rather 'the human heart,' is unchanging; no matter how a mage's conduct deviates from humanity, they still possess the weaknesses of the human heart."

Upon hearing this, Cailuo nodded slightly, giving praise, while Aomo merely rubbed his nose with his index finger, appearing thoughtful, and only spoke after the other finished speaking:

"Starting from motive is certainly appropriate, but given your knowledge, you could actually determine a mage's type of magic, couldn't you?"

"Under a sufficiently complete system of supernatural forces, the segment of 'how it was done' still has meaning."

"Even if technology is sufficiently complete, checking surveillance settles it; if there has been an intrusion, then we trace the traces of the intrusion, and designing this problem is just a matter of technological counterbalance."

"Occasionally, the populace can produce quite a few capable criminals, but the authorities are also not unable to produce a more targeted system."

"Of course one can say," Weibo said candidly in response to Aomo's nitpicking, admitting his own shortcomings, "but my understanding of the world's magecraft, or rather magic and source energy, is far from extensive."

"Do you have confidence?" he countered, asking Aomo.

"Confidence can let you see the opponent's method of committing the crime, in a world that has both source energy and technology, and even monsters and Ultraman."