Chapter 206: Invitation From A 'Friend'

Flora returned with an equally dark laugh.

"We finally think alike. But tell me Princess Tomato, how do you plan to get the rat out of his sewer?"

Adryan smiled and said nothing, he walked out of the hallway and approached Sasha who as soon as she saw him leave the hallway went to him.

"How is she?" The giantess asked worriedly.

"Physically she should recover soon thanks to Opera's care. Mentally is another matter." 

At such an answer, Sasha put a hand to her forehead and sighed frustrated.

"I read what happened to her father in the newspaper, what kind of monster would do that?"

"A cowardly sewer rat that kind of monster." Adryan replied and Sasha nodded in agreement.

Adryan smiled under his mask and spoke darkly.

"Tell me, Sasha. Would you like to help me catch the bastard who hurt a little girl so badly?"

Sasha looked at her boss for a few seconds before grinning wildly.

"What kind of question is that boss? I'd love to do it!"

Adryan returned the same wild grin.

"I hope you have a mask stashed away somewhere because you guys will meet my other friends."

Sasha's expression dropped and she looked quizzically at the masked man.

What did he mean by other friends?

Adryan ignored the tall woman and took out his red fountain pen with a smile.

He will first write to his friend and then leave to wait for Mr. A's party.

Seeing how she was ignored. Sasha let out a sigh but didn't give much importance to it, if her boss wasn't going to explain it now then he would for sure do it in this night team training.

...

Cherwood Borough. Fors and Xio's house, living room.

Xio kept a flat expression on her face, the coffee at her side letting off a little steam. Looking up from her cards, her emerald eyes collided with sapphire eyes.

The owner of these eyes had a small smile. Cards rested quietly in her right hand while her cheek rested in her left.

In the middle of the table was a piece of pumpkin pie from their favorite bakery. It was Xio's favorite flavor...

And it was also the last piece.

The idea of competing in a card game for it was Fors' idea.

Xio's eyes sharpened and she tried to read her friend, but Fors kept her smile without even looking at her cards, confident in her victory.

This made the sheriff growl slightly.

"Fors, I swear if I find out you're cheating I'm going to-"

"Come on Xio! I couldn't trick you! You're my best friend almost my sister! Do you really think I'd betray you just for a piece of cake?" Fors cut in with a smile, but her expression broke as she watched Xio's face go flat with a raised eyebrow.

"If we're talking about dessert I have no doubt you would betray me. I haven't forgotten the time you ate my last piece of blueberry pie and blamed it on my brother."

Fors exploded in a fiery blush and she choked on her saliva.

"I-I-It was ONCE. A-And it was last year! Why do you even remember that!"

"It was a very tasty cake." 

"Xiooo!" Fors groaned pained at her friend's response, but shaking her head, she smiled again though now a little shakily and with a small blush of embarrassment.

"E-either way, let's keep playing, that pie will be mine!"

Xio's eyes lit up.

"Like I'm going to lose another pie to you!"

"Then let's reveal our cards at three! Greatest value wins!" 

If one knew Xio and saw her acting this way they would be stunned to see the always serious and serene young woman act so childish. But if you knew her very well, you would know that this side only came out when it came to sweets she liked. So far only Fors and Xio's family knew this side.

Xio smiled and nodded.

"At 1..."

"At 2..."

"On 3!"

"..."

"Ha! I Won!" Fors shouted victoriously stretching her arms in the air and Xio looked at her cards in shock.

"Come to Mommy~" Fors purred holding out her hand toward the pie. 

Xio kept looking at the cards not understanding how she could have lost but her eyes caught sight of Fors wrists and she could see a card peek out.

Her eyes lit up with anger and she grabbed her friend's wrist stopping her.

"Stop you cheating cat! You said you wouldn't cheat!"

Fors froze for a moment at being caught, but refusing to lose the pie, she indignantly fought back.

"Don't be a sore loser! I won fair and square!"

"Oh yeah?" Xio asked not buying the story.

"Yes!" Fors defended herself but let out a shriek when Xio tried to pull off the white shirt she was wearing.

"Then show me your wrists!" 

Fors panicked and struggled against her friend's grip.

"Never!" She said indignantly but couldn't hide her smile as she struggled against her friend to escape. The same could be said for Xio who had a smile on her young face.

Fushhhhhhh*

But their game stopped when an icy breeze blew through and Fors shivered and rubbed her shoulders.

"Uuhhh Xio did you leave the window open?" Fors asked and Xio shook her head as she pointed to the window she just mentioned. It was closed.

Fors looked at this confused but just shook her head leaving it as if was nothing, returning her attention to Xio she straightened her back.

"Whatever! I won fair and square so the pie is mine- Ah?" The words she was about to say died in her mouth.

Xio looked at her friend confused and looked at the table, her eyes widened and a single sound came out of her mouth.

"Uh?" 

The plate was empty and there weren't any crumbs left.

Fors looked at this alarmed and dropped to her knees and looked under the table.

"It must have fallen during our fight but it's fine! 5 second rule! Xio help me find it!"

Xio was shocked to see this and couldn't understand what happened.

'Did the pie really fall to the floor?' 

Then out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention, on the floor was an envelope with very familiar initials written in red ink.

*J. H*

Xio was the first to see the envelope and any thoughts of what happened were erased by reading those initials she was so familiar with.

'Of course it was you. And now what do you want Holmes?' The sheriff thought somewhat annoyed that she had lost her pie and hadn't been able to see what had happened. 

You could say her reaction was normal... Fors' reaction on the other hand...

"Don't worry dear!! Mama will save you!!" Fors shouted earning a flat look from Xio.

'Fors has been on a sugar-free diet this past week and has been looking forward to eating the pie...' Xio thought as she looked at the letter on the plate while Fors was still complaining about losing her dessert and seemed not to have seen the letter yet.

'It looks like her brain hasn't processed what happened yet... That's what you get after sleeping 10 hours straight... I should hide the envelope and open it in private so she doesn't get spooked...' Xio thought about it for 1 second before grabbing the envelope and opening it.

She purposely left the initials exposed for Fors to read. This was revenge for cheating in their game.

Reading the letter, Xio's expression immediately became serene and any childish ideas of revenge left her mind.

This caught the attention of Fors who stopped complaining about the pie and looked at her friend curiously.

Her eyes unconsciously moved to the open envelope and the initials on it, the writer's brain immediately connected her friend's reaction, the initials on the letter together with the disappearance of her pie... This provoked only one reaction...

Fors' face turned completely pale and sweat began to fall from her forehead, her breathing quickened and her hands began to tremble. With a trembling voice, she spoke to her friend hoping that that letter was not from who she thought it was from.

"X-Xio that letter is from one of your a-friends right?"

Xio looked at her friend's condition and could only sigh.

That was all the confirmation the writer needed. Her vision blurred and she walked zombie-like to the couch and threw herself face down.

Xio followed her friend and stared at her for a few seconds.

"..."

"..."

"Fors..."

"..."

"... It's a letter from Holmes."

"MMMMMMMMMMM"

The only response she received from Fors was a loud scream that was barely drowned out by the sofa pillow.

"What will I do with you?" Xio mumbled in exasperation as she brought a hand to her face.

She just sighed again and looked down at the letter and reread it.

*Hey Miss! Did you miss me?*

It's been a long time since we last spoke and this is the perfect opportunity to contact you!

There is a new job and I will need your help to complete it. I also think you will be very interested.

Does the name Qilangos ring a bell? 

I'd explain everything but it wouldn't fit in the letter so I'll do it face to face, the only thing I'll tell you, for now, is that he will be the prey this time.

If you can please bring Miss Writer too, she could help us a lot in our hunt.

If you are interested come to the ceramics factory at 7:00 a.m tomorrow.

I know it may sound sudden but time is short.

Just so you don't get alarmed I'll tell you now. I will not be alone in the factory, I will be with my team. If you know Qilangos then you should know that we can't hunt him alone.

If you don't feel comfortable you can hide your identity if you like, they know about you but they don't know who you are.

I'm great am I not?

Your good friend James Holmes~

**

Xio saw this and her brow furrowed.

'So Holmes is also looking for Qilangos... And not only that he is planning to hunt him?'

Xio would wait for Fors to recover and discuss it with her more before making a decision.