Chapter 1 - Shepherd’s Secret Continuation

"Yes, hello... I'm Inspector Hajina, the one who made the appointment yesterday... I've come to investigate the assault on Mr. Aiwas Moriarty." Standing nervously and at a loss before the grand gates of an estate was a young woman, seemingly in her early twenties, clad in a blue and white uniform. She held a wide-brimmed hat in her arms, her demeanor anxious and unsure. Her auburn curls were tied back in a ponytail, her nose high-bridged. Her lake-blue eyes filled with the panic of having made a blunder. "...I'm sorry, there's been an emergency meeting at the district inspection bureau... Another warehouse explosion occurred yesterday in the White Queen's District, with traces of fire spirits detected at the scene. A demonologist is suspected to have been involved—I think it might be the same perpetrator from the assault on Mr. Aiwas the day before!" Hajina's voice grew quieter as she spoke, "So, that's why..." "—That's why you took the liberty of attending a meeting that didn't require your presence in the first place and ended up two hours and twenty-three minutes late?" An elderly yet commanding voice spoke from the other side of the iron gate, carrying the drawn-out tones of the Capital's distinctive elven accent. The voice belonged to a tall and thin elderly elf, dressed in a butler's attire, who clicked shut a gem-encrusted pocket watch and tucked it back into his breast pocket, fixing an intense gaze on Hajina. Standing before her was a butler with a bark-like creased face, his forest-green eyes more akin to a wolf's than a lake's. The elder elf, towering close to two meters, stood with hands clasped behind his back, an imposing figure reminiscent of a skeletal tree cast in moonlit shadow. Though Hajina was merely an apprentice inspector yet to graduate—having already passed her final assessments and awaiting the Queen’s commendation—she wore an apprentice badge simply because her griffin was still en route. She ought not to be intimidated by a butler. But this one was different. He was, after all, her instructor. Despite adhering to age-old agreements and serving the Moriarty family as a butler since the nation's founding, he had also once been the Chief Inspector 80 years prior. "—I had expected you even later, Miss Hajina." With hands clasped behind his back, the old butler spoke in the elven manner that always carried a trace of arrogance to Hajina’s ears, "Young Master Aiwas was attacked by a demonologist two days ago and only regained consciousness last night. To cooperate with the bureau, he forewent his trip to the Glass Steps Sanatorium, took some medication, and waited beside the fireplace for you for two hours, just as I awaited you at the gate for the same amount of time. "Now it's almost dark—if you'd been any later, you might as well have waited until tomorrow; having waited until tomorrow, he could have had an entire week's rest. As per bureau protocol, a case with a signed commission must show results within a week—given that you were allowed early graduation, I am sure you will swiftly locate the demonologist. "Since the culprit would already be apprehended, why trouble our poor Young Master Aiwas further? It might be better for you to leave; I'll explain to Director Kent." Kent was the Director of the White Queen's District Inspection Bureau, still three ranks above her even if Hajina became a full inspector. If it weren’t for the elder’s sarcastic tone, she might have indeed fled, leaving this issue to a superior. Yet, she was still a senior student lacking enough social wisdom to discern if the elder was genuinely serious or simply mocking her. Intuition told her that she would be truly in trouble if she rashly ran away without first gauging the elder’s intentions. “…I truly apologize.” So Hajina bowed her head first in apology, "I'll also apologize to Mr. Aiwas." Regardless, she had been indeed wrong to arrive late without prior notice after confirming the meeting time. Her gaze drifted toward the iron gate, separating her from the elder. The black, hollowed-out iron gate bore only modest thorn patterns...not quite the impression of a noble house. In truth, Professor Moriarty—that is, the guardian of this case’s relevant party, Aiwas Moriarty—was regarded as a low-key, stable, and highly intelligent marquis. Professor Moriarty was also Hajina's teacher, responsible for subjects like Astrology, Astronomy, and Advanced Mathematics at the university. Having inherited the Moriarty Trading Group, he owned three museums, with the Queen's only planetarium built from his donations. Despite his wealth, he remained quietly academic, supporting many orphanages and adopting numerous orphans—a commendable, benevolent man. Her captain had warned her particularly; beyond just wealth, the Moriarty family was a founding lineage served by elves. Although Head James was gentle in character, prudence was advised. Conventionally, any direct participant in a demonic incident, once out of life-threatening danger, must be immediately escorted to the district bureau for a mental examination by a bailiff, and only returned to a hospital or sanatorium upon clearing the innocence verification. It's because the roles within a demonic ritual—like the host, participants, mentors, and sacrifices—cannot be simply differentiated by the "victimization" status due to injury. A surviving sacrifice indicates the ritual likely failed—as even those not slain during may typically be killed to silence. If there’s an injured party instead of deceased, it might suggest involvement beyond being merely a sacrifice. But this principle turned void here. Director Kent seemed oblivious to this apparent clue, only remembering it upon being directly contacted by the old butler for today’s meeting. And with no accompanying bailiff having been assigned her by the bureau, she was sent as an apprentice without griffin, armor, or sword. Such overt protection... Hajina sensed that even if Aiwas was indeed involved, she likely couldn't bring him in. This very spectacle led her to suspect…perhaps he really was implicated. ...What a charmed life. Merely a common orphan by birth, yet favored by chance, adopted by a professor, now beyond the reach of the bureau... Standing at the gate, Hajina pondered with envy. But just then, the iron gate swung open slowly. In surprise, she looked up to find the elder still impassive, yet seemingly less angry. The old elf glanced at her silently before walking away with his hands behind his back. It took a moment for Hajina to realize she was meant to follow. Hurriedly donning the hat she held, she rushed to keep up. She had taken only a few steps before remembering to turn around and secure the gate, only to see the estate entrance close of its own accord. Moreover, luminescent runes emerged on the unassuming iron gate’s inner side. With sunlight dipping and evening breezes subsiding, Hajina sensed something intangible shrouding the area, altering the estate's ambiance. "I'm not trying to cause you trouble, Miss Hajina." Though the old elf ambled ahead, his voice, now notably softer, rang clear by her ear: "Commitments should be honored, meeting precisely as scheduled. Not too early, not belated. True, breaching rules in school might incur trivial consequences, yet school also lacks patrolling griffin riders, lacks clerks scrutinizing corporate tax records, and inspectors like you who arrest dubious figures. "In this nation, everyone values 'rules.' The inspection bureau, courts, and adjudicators uphold not only Her Majesty's wishes but also the order established by Parliament. "This time, I'll forgive you and not mention your fault to Director Kent—I’ll say you arrived on time, only stayed longer for tea and some snacks. "But that's because Young Master Aiwas is kindhearted. When you were an hour late, I had already decided to call the bureau. Young Master Aiwas stopped me. He said excuses must be given...at least face them first." The old elf’s leisurely words resonated as they strolled to the estate entrance. The next moment, his voice lowered a touch, yet still rang clearly in Hajina's ear: "Though Avalon lacks the so-called 'nobility' of other nations, the descendants of the founders hold their own form of nobility. Without the sacrifice of those twenty founders, everyone would have perished—even the Queen pays respect to the descendants of the founders. "I sensed your sincere apology, which is why I've chosen to forgive your tardiness. But perhaps consider—have you wronged someone or obstructed someone’s path... just as I mentioned, this was a meeting you weren’t required to attend." Upon hearing this, Hajina suddenly froze. At that moment, the elder gracefully turned at the doorway and offered a slight bow to Hajina: "Please, follow me, Miss Hajina. The young master has been waiting for quite some time." Now, he wore the mask befitting a butler welcoming a guest. His earlier demeanor was more akin to that of an instructor addressing an unruly student. Hajina, her mind a whirl, followed the old elf toward the drawing room. The soft carpet underfoot startled her, prompting her to raise her head, about to ask if she should remove her shoes—but the elder elf’s calm and collected demeanor left her uncertain. Thus, she continued with a mix of anxiety, feeling the sudden warmth of the winter hearth. Only then did she realize she had kept an elderly man waiting at the gate in the winter evening for two hours. Filled with remorse and shame, she found herself at a loss for words. Even her suspicions toward Aiwas began to miraculously soften amidst this penitent moment. Thus, she met the young man, Aiwas Moriarty, rumored to have a somewhat roguish reputation. He was seated in a wheelchair, his legs covered by a blanket. His pallid, wan visage bore no trace of blood, yet his strikingly handsome features, which appeared no older than seventeen or eighteen, were markedly different from those of Professor Moriarty. Draped in a pure white, plush robe that gave the impression of having just emerged from a bath, his silky platinum hair reflected the gentle glow of the hearth. He sat before the fire with a serene and focused air, reading a book. His delicate features carried a gentle allure… reminiscent of a poet, akin to the fire dancing in a home’s hearth. The serene scene unfolded like a painting, compelling Hajina’s eyes to widen unconsciously. But suddenly, the young man seemed to sense something and gracefully turned the wheelchair around. It was only then that Hajina noticed the wheelchair he sat in. ...Is this the cost of being attacked by a demonologist? Somewhere along the line, she instinctively dismissed the notion that "Aiwas is the demonologist." The young man looked over, his deep blue eyes like the vast ocean. "Miss Hajina." His voice carried a noble clarity, a refined tone befitting his striking appearance. Despite his frail appearance, his voice resonated with vitality and courtesy: "A pleasure to meet you for the first time, hello. "—May I ask, are you here to arrest me?" (End of Chapter)