Chapter 127

Chapter 127 “Dinner Together”

Duncan’s heart literally skipped a beat after hearing Dog’s description.

Ashes are floating around Nina? A lot of ashes... What does that mean?

Turning his gaze towards the staircase, an uncomfortable feeling gripped the man’s mood as he listened to the faint sound of cooking in the kitchen. It’s the same usual clink and clank of the pots, the normal optimistic girl preparing dinner, yet something’s changed in his opinion with this new discovery...

Withdrawing his gaze to stare at Shirley to ensure there was no lie: “So let me get the facts straight. After Dog told you about a very suspicious target inside the school, you snuck in and approached Nina. Meanwhile, you also started to approach the suntists in the city in search of clues to unlocking the fire from eleven years ago...”

Shirley nodded in confirmation: “Yes.”

“I’m assuming you’re not actually interested in the sun fragment then?”

“...... What’s the point of looking for a fragment of some dark god?” Shirley counters, “So a flame can tell me why it burned the city back then? What I’m looking for is the one responsible for setting things into motion back then.”

“But it’s no ordinary fire,” Duncan met the gothic girl’s gaze, “if it was really a fragment of the dark sun... It would be more powerful than what burned the factory. Shirley, you’re doing something very, very dangerous.”

“I’ll speak bluntly, so don’t be angry.” Shirley thought for a moment before heaving heavily, “I think sitting here with you is already dangerous enough...”

“...... Haha, probably,” Duncan was slightly startled by the frankness and couldn’t help but chuckle. Getting up from behind the counter to slowly walk towards the stairs, “I’m just making a kind reminder. Of course, how to go about it is your business.”

“Wait a minute,” Shirley bolted from her chair as if wanting to say something, “from the way you’re speaking... you didn’t know that Nina was special?”

Duncan halted, and after a slight hesitation, he raised his finger and pointed to his eyes: “It seems that this body’s ‘eyes’ are not very good. That’s why I haven’t noticed it.”

This body...

Shirley keenly picked up on those words and came to a conclusion. She didn’t dare to point out her discovery of course, but she did watch the other party walk up the stairs with her jaws wide open: “What are you going to do now?”

“What am I going to do? Go upstairs and have dinner, of course,” Duncan said rightfully as he glanced down at the girl. “And you two, aren’t both of you coming too? It’s dinner time.”

It’s dinner time.

Dog immediately shook his head like a rocking drum, acting all innocent and clueless.

What FISH!!! That’s a bloody offspring heir of the deep sea! You chopped it up and stewed the guy into a soup! How can you even ask if I want to eat it?! Sure, you changed it somehow, and now it’s a fish, but that’s not the point!

“I... don’t like to eat fish,” Dog answers robotically.

Duncan didn’t know why Dog would behave so weirdly before the soup. To him, this must be some sort of habit of a shadow demon. Instead, the man had shifted his attention to Nina.

Nina looked no different from normal. Although she may have a little more on her mind, the sensible child gave no impression that something was wrong. However, Duncan understood the veiled curtain that shrouded the factory in the sixth district had already taken his niece. The issue was how deep the infection was...

“Uncle?” Nina finally noticed Duncan’s gaze and asked with a look of confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Duncan didn’t answer, only reaching out to gently stroke the girl’s hair like a good elder.

“I’m not a child anymore!” Nina exclaims in defense, surprised by the sudden gesture.

“I know, you’re not a kid anymore,” Duncan laughed, a tiny green flame lingering on a strand of Nina’s hair, “but you’re still a child to me.”

Nina puffed out her cheeks grumpily.

“Uncle, are you going to investigate things with Shirley again in the future?” She finally couldn’t help but ask.

“Within the limits of safety,” Duncan replied casually.

“...... Can you not go?”

Duncan shook his head: “Can’t.”

Nina grew silent for a moment, “Then what can I do?”

“Eat well,” Duncan smiled and pointed to the table, “then sleep well, study hard, and finally protect yourself while your uncle I work.”

Nina stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth, “Okay...”