Chapter 186: - Serena's Detective Agency

༺ Serena’s Detective Agency ༻

“Eeek!”

Miho, having partially reverted from her monstrous form, struggled to get up with all her might.

“Stay still.”

“Hiccup...”

However, with just a single command from Lulu, she hunkered down again. She started trembling in fear, without a hint of anger.

‘...What’s going on here?’

As I watched the scene unfold in a daze, I turned my gaze to the shattered Stone of Domination glistening in the distance and my mind raced with thoughts.

‘The Stone of Domination clearly had been destroyed...?’

Miho, the mystical beast turned monster, was treated as the final boss of the first-year scenario. In other words, defeating her was a feat in itself, let alone control her.

So, how did Lulu manage to subdue her with just her words? Although many strange things had happened so far, for this one, I could no longer make sense of it at all.

“M-master, what should I do?”

While I was pondering these thoughts, Lulu turned her head and anxiously asked me.

– Crackle... ckle...

Her Magic Eyes were still burning in a deep, ruby hue.

“Could it be... that Magic Eyes?”

Only then could I grasp the circumstances to some extent.

This miraculous event was probably the result of the Magic Eyes that Lulu possessed.

‘This is so strange.’

However, just as I said before, I could only grasp it to “some extent,” leaving many lingering questions.

What was the exact nature of the ability newly acquired by Lulu’s Magic Eyes? I thought it was simply the ability to help her analyze and comprehend something.

And what triggered this ability to develop? There weren’t any signs leading up to it.

“For now... put her to sleep.”

“Y-yes.”

However, since Miho’s condition looked dire, I decided to put my thoughts aside and instead give an order.

“...Go to sleep.”

“Ugh...”

Soon after, Miho, having almost completely shaken off the effects of her monster transformation, closed her eyes and collapsed, unconscious.

“......”

And then, a silence followed.

“Uh, mmph...”

Amidst the silence, Lulu, who had been staring at me for a while, suddenly spoke with hesitation.

“P-pet me, please.”

“.....!?”

And, simultaneously, I could feel a strange impulse.

Of course, as someone with a high mental strength, I could resist it, though an ordinary person might not have been as fortunate.

“Uh, uhh I’m sor...”

Meanwhile, Lulu nervously apologized for issuing the command she may have wanted to test.

“Ack... Ugh...!”

Suddenly, she reached out and touched her eyes, swaying unsteadily before collapsing.

“Uh... Uh...”

“Lulu? Are you ok... Ack!”

Startled, I rushed to her and, after feeling her body, found myself surprised.

‘Why is her body so hot...?’

Her body was burning like a fireball.

– Crackle...

Moreover, her eyes were bloodshot from continuously emitting sparks.

Should this continue, Lulu would undoubtedly suffer grave injuries.

– Crackle!

Hence, I exerted a measure of force to lull Lulu into unconsciousness and, fortunately, extinguished her burning Magic Eyes.

“Phew...”

Looking alternately between the unconscious Lulu and Miho, I sighed, before I turned my gaze to Serena, who had been watching me all this time.

“.....Hmm.”

She gazed at me, Miho, and Lulu in turn with a suspicious look, all the while staying silent.

Then, she fixed her gaze on me.

“So annoying, it was an expensive item.”

Revealing my identity to the daytime Serena would put me in a difficult situation. So, to avoid being exposed to her, I spoke in a cold tone and then strongly kicked Lulu in her direction.

“Believe that I really kicked her.”

Of course, I hadn’t actually kicked Lulu. I simply pretended to, issuing the command to Serena, who was under the influence of the Absolute Obedience magic, to believe it.

“F-Frey.”

While I maintained my facade, Serena, who had been staring blankly at me, approached me anxiously.

“What’s going on...?”

“Don’t mind that. Just bring a healing potion. After administering first aid, we’re leaving here.”

“H-here you go.”

Saying so, Serena took out a healing potion from her pocket and spoke with a timid expression.

“C-could you stay a bit longer... We could simply chat or discuss what happened just now...”

“You don’t have to worry about what happened just now.”

“I see, but still, stay with me just a little more...”

“I’ve already told you.”

My words carried a chill as I felt that staying here any longer could lead to various difficulties, but then Serena pointed at my lower attire hesitantly.

“...A-are you really going out in that condition?”

“Ah.”

Only then did I realize that my lower attire was torn, and I frowned.

‘...Come to think of it, I haven’t accomplished my original goal of coming here.’

With that realization, I sighed and spoke to Serena.

“Now that I think about it, I have a request for you...”

“Yes! I understand! I’ll prepare it right away!”

Before I could finish speaking, Serena responded with a wide smile, clapping her hands.

– Whoosh!!

Two masked assassins suddenly emerged from underground.

“...Take care of them.”

Serena ordered the assassins with a cold tone.

“...Uncover the secret that the Church is hiding.”

“H-huh what?”

Serena’s eyes widened.

“T-to what extent...”

“All of it.”

After firmly answering her, I stood up.

“Then, thanks for your service.”

“W-wait, let’s just talk a bit more...”

However, as I was standing up from my seat, Serena tried to grab my repaired pants.

“...If you do a good job, I’ll take you on a date for a day.”

“.....!”

Hearing that, she froze, her mouth hanging open.

“Then, I’ll be going now...”

I smiled faintly at the cute Daytime Serena before leaving.

“...Gag.”

Seated on the sofa, Miho made a displeased face and mimicked a disgusted sound, prompting me to shift my gaze toward her.

“What are you looking at, human?”

Miho glared at me as if she was going to devour me.

“Birds of a feather flock together, huh?”

I muttered under my breath, still wary of another possible attack. My only thought was to escape the reception room as soon as possible.

‘...I guess there must be a plan, right?’

It still seemed like an eccentricity of the genius Young Lady, no matter how I saw it, but since it was Serena’s plan, I tried to conclude my thoughts with the belief that there must be an intention behind it. With that in mind, I headed to the first floor.

“M-master...”

“Let’s go, Lulu.”

Along with Lulu, who was waiting for me with bandages over her eyes, I left the Detective Agency while muttering to myself.

‘I should take a break today...’

I should rest well today and start looking for the other sub-heroines tomorrow.

.

.

.

.

.

As Frey guided his tired body and headed towards his carriage with Lulu...

“What the hell is this...”

Serena, who had been sitting in the reception room until then, looked down at a note in her hand with teary eyes.

[101 Ways to Win a Man’s Heart]

Number 72: Appeal with a different appearance than usual.

Despite Serena dedicating her whole life to Frey, she had no experience in love, thus she had to learn about love through books.

– ...And if the man shows any reaction, it means he noticed you. In other words, the mission is a success!

“Why isn’t it working...”

Not realizing that her plan had completely succeeded, she was in tears.

“Oh, right! A date!”

Shortly after, she clapped her hands and stood up from her seat.

“Miho, reschedule all the appointments. I’m going to work on the task that Frey assigned from now on.”

“What?”

To Serena’s excited speech, Miho furrowed her brows, before eventually speaking..

“Are you being serious? You’re postponing all the cases just for a date with that person?”

“Yes.”

“...Even the case assigned by the Empress?”

“Yes.”

“Sigh...”

Miho sighed deeply out of worry.

“Don’t you actually hate that person?”

She asked with a displeased expression.

“Why should I dislike Frey?”

“...Never mind.”

But soon, after realizing they were on different wavelengths, Miho shook her head, mumbling and frowning as she organized the files.

“By the way, what was that earlier...”

– Knock, knock.

All of a sudden, someone knocked on the reception room door.

“Lady Serena, a client has arrived.”

“......”

A blind assassin informed that a client had come to the Detective Agency.

“Later, I’m busy right now. Add them to the appointment book and send them away for today...”

However, Serena, who was occupied with Frey’s request, took out her coat and prepared to leave.

“I came on a recommendation!”

“...Whose recommendation?”

When someone entered despite being blocked by the assassin, Serena asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“It’s, it’s this person...”

“...Is it Miss Ferloche?”

Finally, Serena took a look at the messily written recommendation letter handed by the client.

“Please, come in.”

Quietly sitting down, the client spoke.

– Creak...

“So, what brings you here?”

Serena inquired eventually as she studied the client patiently, Miho by her side..

“By any chance...”

Wearing a reversed robe, the client hastily clasped their hands together.

“...Have you heard about the rumor that’s spreading widely these days?”

“Which kind of... rumor are you talking about?”

“It’s about the Hero.”

The ring on the client’s clasped left hand softly gleamed.