Chapter 152: Chapter 76. Covering One's Ears While Stealing a Bell
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"So how is this any different from covering one's ears while stealing a bell?!"
El-Melloi II pinched his nose as he pulled his foot out of a mud pit. Seeing his beloved leather shoes evolve into small mud shoes, El-Melloi II became somewhat irritable.
"Well, what's wrong with a necromancer walking through a graveyard?" Kairi Sisigou said nonchalantly, "Besides, this is a shortcut."
That's right. After listening to Cyd's suggestion, Sisigou had proposed taking this graveyard route directly to the workshop's location.
Considering the possibility that the Department of Policies might show up halfway and kidnap Wills, El-Melloi II reluctantly agreed to Sisigou's proposal.
But why is this path so hard to walk!
"Well, the girls didn't complain, so as a Lord, shouldn't you have some dignity?" Sisigou gestured towards Reines, who was curiously looking around, and Gray, who was keeping her head down.
"It's not a matter of dignity," El-Melloi II sighed, "How much longer do we have to walk?"
"We're almost there. This graveyard tunnel leads straight to the base of the mountain. At our current pace, we'll soon reach the hall or something like that," Sisigou said, spreading his hands.
"Sneaking in through the back entrance to the crime scene really makes us look like we're going back to destroy evidence," Cyd quipped.
"It'll be even more interesting if we get caught in the act," Reines said with a mischievous smile, "They might directly conclude that you're the culprit."
Wills's expression became a bit conflicted.
"By the way, is there any evidence or clues that could make them suspect you as the culprit?" Cyd asked while rubbing his chin, "If there is, it'd be best to let us know now, so we can come up with a countermeasure."
"Indeed," El-Melloi II nodded.
"Well..." Wills fell silent for a moment before showing an awkward smile, "It seems like every time someone dies, I'm at the workshop."
The graveyard fell into a dead silence, even Gray looked as if she was thinking that maybe he should just turn himself in.
"Such crucial information..." El-Melloi II sighed, rubbing his forehead, "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"
"I always thought it was just a coincidence," Wills shrank his neck.
"There are no coincidences in this world, only inevitabilities," Cyd patted Wills's shoulder, "Even though you're the prime suspect now, I believe it's not you."
"Detective sir!" Wills, moved to tears, grasped Cyd's hand.
"My dear brother, your client is about to be stolen by the person you were hired by," Reines said, elbowing El-Melloi II in the side, "If this continues, your payment might go down the drain. Well, you could always squeeze it out of him later."
"Doing that would bring divine retribution," El-Melloi II muttered.
"There's no such thing, but... ugh..." Reines's expression suddenly changed as she covered her eyes and took a step back, "Thank you for your kind words, brother, it seems divine retribution has arrived."
"It seems the leyline balance has deteriorated to an extreme," El-Melloi II sighed, "Why did Lord Codrington let the leyline go berserk like this?"
"Who knows," Reines accepted the eye drops offered by her maid, Trimmau, and applied them to her eyes, causing the flame-like color to recede and return to normal.
"We're almost there," Sisigou nodded after surveying the surroundings, "Although it might be a bit late to say this, be careful not to step on any traps. They may be old, but..."
"Click—"
El-Melloi II's mouth twitched as he looked down at the depressed stone beneath his foot.
"They're still functional..." Sisigou scratched his face, "Perhaps a bit too late."
"Clatter—"
Small stones fell to the ground, and Sisigou's instinct as a mercenary prompted him to take a step back, pulling out the shotgun strapped to his leg.
"Boom—"
A massive boulder fell from above, and as the weakest in physical ability with minimal magic circuits, El-Melloi II could only watch as the boulder came crashing down on him.
"Master, look out!" Gray instinctively lunged towards El-Melloi II, reaching out to push him away.
But someone was faster than her. White hair flashed before Gray's eyes, and she felt a gust of wind as El-Melloi II crashed into her arms.
"Boom—"
The boulder hit the ground, sending up a cloud of dust that made Gray squint, but she could still make out the pure white figure standing before the boulder.
"Sh—"
"Bang—"
The deafening sound of a gunshot drowned out Gray's voice as a second falling boulder was blasted apart in mid-air.
"Although I want to say the trap's power isn't that great, so we can relax, but..." Sisigou reloaded his shotgun and aimed it at Cyd, then suddenly adjusted his aim and pulled the trigger.
A red glow streaked past Cyd, shooting down the wraith that had appeared around the corner.
"It seems we've been mistaken for intruders in the tomb," Sisigou said as he spun the shotgun in his hand, "It's a bit troublesome, they're starting to get excited."
"Although we indeed could be considered, um—" The flame-like glow reappeared in Reines's eyes as she grimaced and knelt on the ground, clutching her eyes, "It's still strange, I just applied the eye drops!"
"Sisigou, you take them and go ahead. I'll cover the rear," Cyd said as he twisted his neck and placed the [Reforged Pandora] on the ground.
"Detective sir, come with us," Wills said worriedly.
"It's fine, it's fine," Cyd waved his hand, "In our line of work, we're quite capable of fighting."
El-Melloi II lifted Reines and handed her to the maid, Trimmau, "Leave it to him."
"I'll stay to help!" Gray suggested.
"No need, it's a small matter. There might be more wraiths ahead, so you'll need to protect them," Cyd said as he grabbed [Pandora] with his left hand and walked towards the wraiths that were gathering but seemed too scared to approach.
"I understand!" Gray hesitated for a moment before nodding and turning to follow El-Melloi II.
"The bystanders have left," Cyd rolled his shoulders, tossing aside his flashlight as black light began to seep out from the crystal representing Hades's blessing. [Pandora] started to transform, its sharp blades glinting in the tomb.
"Wraiths bound by the tomb, unable to find peace," Cyd raised his scythe and took a step forward, "I will free you."
"Is the detective really going to be okay?" Wills shouted anxiously at Sisigou, who was searching for the mechanism.
"Don't worry, if he can't handle it, then there's no point in us running," Sisigou grinned as he pulled the lever.
With the sound of gears turning, light began to shine down from above.
"Let's go," El-Melloi II said, patting Gray's shoulder as he stepped onto the stairs.
"Yes, Master," Gray took one last look at the dark tunnel behind them before following El-Melloi II out of the tomb.
Waiting for them outside were a long-haired woman in glasses and a tanned-skinned lady.
"Hey there, everyone, making such a ruckus beneath our feet," the woman with glasses smiled at El-Melloi II, whose expression had stiffened.
"Long time no see, El-Melloi II."
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