Episode 74
Translator: RaidenTL
Episode 74
Adrian, his face deathly pale, staggered down the hallway. Elysia and Evan followed, catching his unsteady steps from time to time to keep him walking straight.
Elysia clicked her tongue and chided him.
“I told you, you didn’t have to come in.”
“I-I’m fine. Urp!”
“Yeah, right. You look perfectly fine.”
Holding a paper bag she’d prepared under his chin, Elysia glanced down at her notebook, which was filled with writing.
She and Evan had just left the cellar after examining the body and recording everything they needed. Evan’s extensive medical knowledge had certainly been a great help.
She had asked Adrian to do one thing for them, but she doubted the request had registered. Terrified by the mere fact that he was in the same room as a corpse, he had only managed to nod with a dazed look on his face.
Snapping her notebook shut, she calmly patted the back of Adrian, who was dry-heaving as the scene replayed in his mind.
“Please, calm down. It’s over.”
“It has to be!!! Sob! I-I think I’m going to have nightmares.”
Elysia raised an eyebrow, dumbfounded. She had clearly told him that she and Evan would go in alone and that he should wait outside, but he was the one who had insisted he was fine and pushed his way in.
So why he now looked as if he’d been dragged into a slaughterhouse against his will was a mystery.
“I don’t get it. I told you not to come in, so why—”
“I thought you were looking down on me!!!”
“I was, but don’t you think I had a good reason to?”
Walking with her arms crossed, she soon found herself at the main gate of the mansion, where carriages were lined up. After helping Adrian into the carriage from the Campbellton estate, Elysia tapped the closed door with her palm.
“Don’t forget you promised to help me.”
“Honestly, I don’t know anymore. Drug analysis or whatever, I might just go home and spend the whole weekend sick in bed from the shock.”
“Right. See you later.”
Such a drama queen. If he truly had a weak stomach, he would have fainted the moment he stepped into the room with the body. With a faint smile, Elysia sent the carriage on its way and turned to ask a servant.
“Did he have a message for me?”
“Pardon?”
“The young master of this house.”
Seeing the servant’s awkward smile, she sighed deeply and shrugged. Well, what could she do? If he was this adamant about not handing over the will, she had no choice but to give up.
As she lingered, her reluctance clear in every step, she was about to board her carriage when she heard someone rushing down the stairs.
“Wait, hold on!”
As if he’d run straight out of the bathroom after a shower, Blair, clad in a robe, hurried over and grabbed her hand.
Elysia spotted a piece of paper in his hand and gave a subtle smile, as if she’d known this would happen.
SYSTEM: Evidence Acquired: Caden Hertz's Will
The evidence has been added to your inventory.
“Do not, under any circumstances, damage it… My family has already closed this case. So—”
“I have to repay you. For trusting me.”
You have accepted the ‘Case Request’.
Client: Blair Linton
Request: Uncover the truth behind Caden Hertz’s death.
Blair stared blankly at her grinning face, then hesitantly held out his hand. What’s this? What am I supposed to do with that? What’s he up to?
Before Elysia, who was staring down at the offered hand without understanding its meaning, could react, Evan intercepted it, shaking it firmly. He answered with a cold smile.
“We will be sure to repay you.”
Elysia, busy examining Hertz’s will and the mountain of notes she had written, didn’t see just how frigid Evan’s expression was.
♥ SYSTEM: The ‘Blair Linton’ route will now be closed.
Reason: Interference from another Capture Target (Evan Sylvester). ♥
Nor did she see the romance that might have blossomed being snuffed out.
*
Evan stared down at the key resting in his palm. It was currently 11 AM, and he had been waiting for Elysia to wake up for a good four hours. He recalled what she had said last night as she placed the key in his hand.
“If I’m not up by ten, use this to come in.”
“…Just come in?”
“Why not?”
With a big yawn, Elysia waved a casual goodbye, as if no further explanation was needed, and slipped into her room. That was yesterday.
He looked down at the key with a serious expression. Did she really mean I could just walk in? He knocked on the door one more time.
“El.”
Unsurprisingly, there was no answer. He sighed softly and muttered.
“I’m really coming in.”
Still, the room remained silent. Evan hesitated again. Was she really okay with me just going in?
Elysia wasn’t one to say things she didn’t mean. Trusting in that, he inserted the key into the lock. With a click, the door swung open. In contrast to the brightly lit hallway, the room was dark and gloomy.
He glanced around at the mess of items scattered about, just like last time, and thought, Should I set aside a day to clean this up for her?
He walked further into the room and stopped before the massive bed. It seemed she had fallen asleep while organizing her case notes, as she hadn't even pulled the covers over herself.
Evan gathered the papers strewn across the bed one by one, then leaned down to look at her face.
“El.”
“…”
“You need to wake up.”
He brushed the hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear, revealing her characteristically sharp features. His gaze was unwittingly drawn to her slightly parted lips, and he quickly snapped himself out of it.
Hurrying over to the window, he pulled the curtains halfway open before returning to her side.
“Wake up, El.”
“Ugh…”
Elysia scrunched up her face and curled into a ball. Come to think of it, she must have been uncovered all night. Evan quickly wrapped the blanket around her and asked.
“Are you sick?”
“…Ah, just tired…”
“Let me check your temperature.”
He brushed her messy hair aside again and placed a hand on her forehead. Relieved by her normal temperature, he pulled his hand away. A smile spread across his face as he looked down at the woman who was squirming, unable to open her eyes.
He gently took her arm and shook her.
“Wake up, okay?”
“Ah… Ugh, what time is it…”
“Eleven.”
Wriggling deeper into the blanket he had covered her with, Elysia finally opened her eyes. Her hazy gray eyes blinked a few times before finding their focus. She rubbed them and mumbled in a groggy voice.
“Don’t wanna go out…”
“Want to sleep a little more?”
“Mhm, but I’m hungryyy…”
He watched her pour out words that were more like instinctive whining and finally broke into a laugh, unable to hold it back. Ah, she’s so cute…
With a fond smile, he sat on the edge of the bed and said.
“Sleep a little longer.”
“But… I want breakfast, I’m hungry…”
“I’ll bring it to you. That’s okay, right?”
“Ugh…”
“What time did you go to bed?”
Elysia’s eyes fluttered shut again, her lips moving as if she were trying to count. Then came the answer.
“Eight?”
“No wonder you’re tired.”
“I’m not… usually… like this…”
She struggled to keep her heavy eyelids open. Her body used to be able to handle a week of stakeouts and all-nighters without getting tired, but just a little activity these past few days had left her like this.
Evan gently rubbed her eyes and said in a voice tinged with laughter.
“I’ll go get you something to eat.”
“I have to get up…”
“I’ll have them prepare a bath for you at the dorm, too. Just rest.”
Swallowing his disappointment at not being able to watch this adorable sight any longer, he started to get up, but froze when Elysia suddenly grabbed his hand.
Her hand was warm from being tucked under the blanket, and as it touched his skin, the heat seemed to spread to him. Slowly, he sat back down on the bed where she lay, playfully twirling a strand of her hair as he whispered.
“Do you even know who I am right now?”
“You’re my senior.”
The unexpectedly clear reply made Evan pause and gaze down at her. That’s right, it’s me. And even half-asleep, you can tell it’s me. Because we’ve seeped into each other’s lives as naturally as I am me, and you are you.
As if reading his thoughts, Elysia murmured.
“Who else but you, Senior… would I be this comfortable with…?”
For a moment, he looked stunned, then his eyes curved into a gentle smile as he murmured back.
“You’re right, of course.”
Her words weren’t a surprise. They could become lovers, friends, or perhaps companions.
The form of their relationship might change, but they would continue to remain by each other’s side. That was one fact neither of them doubted.
A single glance was all it took to know. It was just that he had been the one to first propose a shape for their relationship, and Elysia was still in the process of finding her answer.
Elysia’s hand slowly slipped from his, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling closer like a child seeking comfort. He felt his heart drop with a thud.
Her face, half-drenched in dreams, smiled as she mumbled.
“…Even if I.”
“Yes.”
“Even if I… take too long to decide.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He answered firmly, looking down at her half-asleep face. Her eyes, heavy with sleep, scrunched slightly as she asked.
“Even if I’m late… you’ll stay by my side, right? You won’t go anywhere…”
He slowly lowered his hand to caress her cheek, and a languid sigh escaped her lips. In a low, subdued voice, he replied.
“You asked me to wait, so I will. Even if you told me to live my whole life with this one-sided love, I would.”
He smiled, his fingers tracing the line of her dark eyebrows as she leaned against his warmth.
“You know my answer is you, anyway.”
“…”
“Just like your answer is me.”
Hearing his words, Elysia nodded in her hazy state. I know. I know all too well that we’re already each other’s answer.
That was why she was trying to be just as careful in her decision as her senior had been. To decide what I want you to be to me…
She opened her eyes again when one of the dorm maids came to inform her that her bath was ready. Stumbling to her feet, she opened the door. As soon as the maid who had prepared the hot water left the bathroom, Elysia plunged into the tub.
“Shall I help clean your room as well?”
“No, don’t touch anything.”
She hated it when people touched her things. The words came out sharper than she intended. Elysia, still in a daze, splashed water on her face. The warm water trickled down her cheeks. She groaned, thinking.
I’m going to die.
She had scribbled everything down in her notebook in such a hurry that she needed time to organize and review it. By the time she had slowly and neatly transferred her notes to clean sheets of paper and mulled things over, the sun was rising outside.
She had agreed to meet Evan at ten, so she figured a short nap would be fine…
But when she opened her eyes, the sun was high in the sky.
As Elysia idly splashed the surface of the water, she heard a clattering sound from outside the room. The footsteps were familiar; it was Evan. Instead of reacting with her usual alertness, she closed her eyes and listened.
The rustle of paper being picked up from the floor, the sound of a window being opened for ventilation… It was strangely comforting.
A peculiar feeling washed over her as she rose from the tub. She put on an indoor dress that was hanging on the side and flung the door open to see the back of a man picking up the last piece of paper from the floor.
“Ah, you’re done bathing?”
Elysia just stared at him with wide eyes. His green eyes were like fresh leaves that had sprouted by the window without her noticing. The man’s eyes curved into a gentle, teasing smile.
“You said you were hungry. So hungry you couldn’t sleep.”
“…I did?”
“You were even whining a little.”
“I did?!”
“Mhm, you did.”
Her cluttered desk was now somewhat organized. The papers on which she had scribbled calculations and formulas were stacked neatly in one place.
A simple sandwich with ham, cheese, and lettuce sat on a blue plate. Elysia stared blankly at the scene before trudging over to the desk.
“You opened the window.”
“The air in here was stuffy.”
“You cleaned up the mess I made in the room, too.”
“I just tidied up the things that were in the way. I didn’t throw anything out, just put them on the bookshelf, so don’t worry.”
She blinked and took a bite of the sandwich. It felt… comfortable. She had been thinking she needed to set aside a day to clean, but she never imagined that day would come so soon.
Seeing the wooden floor for the first time in a long while, Elysia marveled at its original color. She had completely forgotten that she hated other people touching her things.
Evan poured a cup of well-brewed black tea and asked.
“What were you doing up all night?”
“Just… thinking about a few things. I need to talk them over with you now.”
Evan nodded, his expression focused, as if to say he was ready. Elysia took a light breath and began.
“Yesterday, at 12:27 PM, the time the suicide was reported… Caden Hertz was already dead.”