Chapter 142: A certain day at a certain detective agency

Chapter 142: A certain day at a certain detective agency

Nine in the morning.

That was around the time days at the Shirogane Detective Agency began, at least when we didn't have class.

The agency was on the second floor of a mixed-use building. When I unlocked the door and turned the knob, I was greeted by the familiar sight of the office.

I opened the curtains, then booted up my computer. After taking a quick look to make sure none of the new emails were urgent, I started to do some basic cleaning.

That said, since both the chief and the detective were neat people, the office stayed pretty clean anyway. I ran a broom over the floor, and I was starting to organize documents when the door opened.

"Good morning. You're early, Kimihiko." Nagisa Natsunagi came in, yawning a little. She hung her overcoat on the coat rack, then sat down at her desk and stretched.

"Didn't get enough sleep? I bet you spent all night watching foreign dramas again."

"No, my lab had a drinking party that went late yesterday. The professor stayed, too, so it was hard to duck out early."

"We're in the same lab, right? How come nobody invited me?"

Did the grad students and the professor just not know I existed or something? Would I actually manage to graduate? A little uneasy, I sat down at my desk as well. "I guess I'll get to work." The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Nine thirty AM.

Now that two employees were present, we gradually got down to business...or that's what should have happened.

"Have we gotten any new cases?"

"Just marketing emails from a printer rental place."

"So it's the same as usual. I wonder if we'll get paid this month..." Nagisa slumped apathetically.

We hadn't gotten any proper cases since that infidelity investigation, aka "the stalker incident." That was partly inevitable, though.

The Shirogane Detective Agency didn't have a website. The only way we advertised was by posting a flyer on the bulletin board at the train station, and most people probably didn't even know we existed.

"Well, if that's the chief's policy, we can't complain."

According to Siesta, the service industry was all about assigning the right jobs to the right people. There were already plenty of places where regular people could ask for help and get it. She said our job was to be a place that would help the irregular types.

"I'll think I'll make a shopping run," Nagisa announced. "I'm bored. Do we need anything?"

"Snacks to serve clients with tea, maybe? Although we'll just end up eating them ourselves."

"True," Nagisa said with a laugh. Standing up, she grabbed her coat. "Want me to go with? I can carry stuff."

"Mm. If you're there, something weird will happen to me, so no thanks." "Not fair."

Nagisa left, and I was on my own again. The chief still hadn't come by yet. Ten AM.

I made myself some coffee, and when I got back to my desk, an email had come in.

It was from Noel de Lupwise, the Federation Government official. She hadn't contacted us since her visit two days ago. The email had a link for a video chat, and I got my headset out and responded to the call.

"Good morning, Mr. Kimihiko."

"You can only vaguely guess what somebody else is feeling from memory and the time you've spent with them. No matter how much you think about it, you ultimately have to let your ego make the call."

For example, They must be thinking along these lines, so if I do this, it'll probably make them happy. People are self-centered creatures, and that's the only way we can live. That's why we at least need to build relationships that can survive the clashes of our egos.

"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry; that was an odd thing to say." Noel looked just a little happy. "And thank you... If I'd had someone like you in my family, I think I could have held my head a bit higher."

"Is that a dignitary joke, too?" I asked.

"That's a good question," Noel said, smiling slightly.

"I'm sure you've got a lot going on, but for now, we need to focus on the Ritual of Sacred Return and stay alert."

We had ten days before the unknown crisis was supposed to occur. In the time we had left, we needed to figure out what we could do.

"For starters, could you send us the guest list for the Ritual? We'd like to get a handle on who's going to be attending, just in case. If you can't reveal information about people connected to the Federation Government, then just information on the people who aren't would be fine."

"Very well. I'll send it right over. At the moment, we're working to contact the other former Tuners. As Grandfather said, he wants to have as many comrades as possible."

Right—the more allies we had, the better we'd feel. After arranging to contact each other again, we ended our chat.

"Huh. You worry about some surprisingly delicate things, Kimi."

I'd thought I was alone in the room. But when I turned around, I saw Siesta

standing there.

"How much of that did you hear?" I asked.

"I came in at the part where you were worrying about love." There hadn't been any such scene. Probably.

"If you're wondering, I hear there are many polygamous nations in West Africa."

"Huh. Is that right? What I am wondering is, when and why did you check into that?"

"...I just know it as general knowledge." With a rather pointed cough, Siesta crossed to her own desk. As she booted up her computer, she commented, "I don't think you're wrong, Kimi."

I knew we were on a different subject now, but I had no idea what she was trying to say. I waited for her next words, and then—

"After all, there's a detective right here who was set in motion by one boy's ego."

Siesta's expression didn't change at all, but she was definitely looking at me. "I see," I murmured. I took another sip of my coffee, which hadn't quite gone

cold yet.

"I'm hooome— Oh, Siesta's up." Just then, Nagisa came back, carrying a shopping bag.

"I've been up for ages. I was just late because I took a shower and did some reading and had my tea and watched a movie."

"Ah, mm-hmm, sure. Never mind the excuses." Parrying Siesta with well- practiced ease, Nagisa set the things she'd bought out on the desk. "I picked up some yummy-looking bread at the station. Want to split it three ways?"

Ten thirty AM.

It would be a while longer before we actually got down to business.