Kapitel 75: Arc 2, Chapter 53: Detective Namora

"Based on the price drop, the information of the talking velatos conveniently slipping his mind and the location of the attack, Moren Mataya is definitely involved," Fumeko rubbed her chin, staring at red lines.

Notes rearranged under her room light, connected by pins and string. Fortunately, the board had not broken by the cabinet falling over it.

"Jotou assumed right, letters to Kor were being intercepted; that, or he's lying. But that part I'm going off of Jotou's assumption and Kor seemed genuine… Then again, him and his 'pretences'…"

Other evidence written down included; Anastasia's death, without even a suspect. Krialin Coverup?

Velatos origins. Made from people's fears? Nightmares? Method of death varies… The words, 'Eyes' and 'Rejuvenate' with a bold line across them.

Healing magic can harm them, so a type of undead… "Hence, someone is making them," the words 'Trailon Regime?' was freshly written beside it.

"The guild and the Ordinate have some sort of connection…" A red thumbtack pinned the word 'Regime?' and she brought the red string across to 'Ghosts broke my evidence board'.

"It tried to kill Sobi and possess Jotou… Why not kill me or her in our sleep? Or possess Jotou in her sleep? Weird priorities for a supposed assassin… or is it?"

The major theory the brunette had crafted, "Could the Regimes be behind the velatos attacks? The Trailon Regime is relatively close to Kria…"

The clock ticked to sharp three; she no longer heard the sound of Asobi's theatrics from the wall. Purple pinafore and a white poofy-sleeved shirt—she strapped a dagger to her side.

Her door creaked into the dark hallway—broken lock still. Lights did not come through the seams of their rooms. She went forward, twisting the knob on Hotaru's door to peek in.

The redhead's ears stuck to her head; she had curled up under her sheets as she presumably hugged her tail. She breathed with her mouth open, not even caring that the blanket no longer covered her feet.

"Out cold. Hm, maybe one day I'll get to pet that tail of hers."

Fumeko shut the door, going over to the Asobi's. Peering in, the magician slept in her usual attire. Now that she had a better look without cowering in fear, her room was kept neat.

"Yea… wowowowow…" Asobi murmured something, holding onto the edge of her covers. Hat on her nightstand and as she twisted to the right, a little shower of white illusions went over her head.

"Show off," Fumeko shut the door. Then there was one more to check. Fumeko looked to it… Her eyes had lingered longer on this room one too many times upon passing by.

Fingers barely even holding the knob, she peeped in. Left arm hanging off the bed, mouth open as saliva drooled; a leg twitched under the covers.

The blonde's hair webbed over the pillow—she was completely knocked out. Fumeko's lips curled up a little, "Even like this you're kinda cute… I miss being roommates…" she pouted.

"Sleep well, I'm gonna go figure this all out. I wonder what you're dreaming about…?" she whispered into the room. Fumeko closed the door, "Back on task." Fumeko went out of the house, biscuits in hand.

She crunched down, "Everyone's asleep, no need to worry about them," Fumeko took out a note from her pocket, sticking it onto the side of the house where Jotou's bicycle was parked.

'Borrowed Jotou's bike for important business. Don't worry, will be back soon. -F'.

"There," she unlocked the bicycle lock from the key Jotou would leave on the counter, getting on top of it with a sigh.

The night gave no glow, the clouds shaded the dark streets. Having to carefully maneuverer at the dead of night, the pedals of the bike did not spin fast.

She checked around the corners of the streets; she hopped off the bicycle and opted to walk with it instead. She leered- "Ting!" What was that!?

Fumeko spotted an alley cat, fallen onto some bins. She peered up from it, "Probably tried to jump from one roof to the other," she suspected.

"Keep it up. Full detective mode; suspect everything and don't be suspicious," she repeated, arriving at her destination. Looming over her, lamps that usually lit the area were turned off.

She kept the bike aside and stared at it in the corner in an attempt to memorize the location. She proceeded on foot, peeking through the bars that fenced the area.

"Woosh!" Like the wind, shadows coalesced and she was within the compound, walking on grass. "If I only had that trick years ago," she murmured.

She shrugged off the spell… That moment being warped by inky blackness, when she loses sight of her target… Only to reappear where she was looking to.

There was no getting used to it as far as she could tell; the tingling sensation she felt was enough. All those years in awe of it and now she could do it herself…

Shadow—a dark area produced by light hitting an object. What did that say about her? Perhaps it said nothing entirely. It was simply an element of magic obtained by random chance after all.

Lightning to shine bright and strike, water that healed and soothed and light that made machinations of imagination come to life…

Shadow, to run away and scurry. To hide, appear and disappear. It may well have its uses, but what did it say about her? After all, she could have had a mobility affinity with any element, could she not?

Always going to be behind a shadow? Stuck; watching from behind as the light shines on something else… Maybe that is not what shadow even meant. Maybe it could be something else?

The thoughts rambled across her mind as she snuck her way in, till she could catch a glimpse of a window. Looking through it, the floor was empty—no people, not even security…

She could do magic; that in itself was something to look up to. And so, with a smug smile, she was ready to leap forward despite her fears. The world was filled with mysteries to uncover.

"How else will I know what's out there!?" that memory played in her head. The words she said, no, screamed to her father… And now she was here.

"Woosh!" Into the Maleficos Ordinate headquarters. She breathed, "I actually made it in? Huh… I thought for sure there'd at least be magical safeguards," she hushed, tiptoeing into the place.

"Alright, stairs up to that floor; hopefully I'll recognize it…" her brown pupils squinted, moving further in. "They knew we were coming that day; they could hide anything they wanted to," Fumeko hushed.

"Exactly," another voice came from the darkness around her. Fumeko swivelled around on the spot, pulling out her dagger. She could see a tall figure emerging.

"Woosh!" She blinked, bringing the dagger to stab anything she could.

"Swoosh!!" She was halted by a light blue glow, her hair flying back as it held her like she was on a plate. The glow pushed her onto the ground as light blue walls of wind surrounded her in a cage…