Chapter_37: Contract Meeting

The two self-absorbed gentlemen skillfully dodged each chair hurled by the enraged Ms. Velvet. Meanwhile, Ragnar observed from a distance but soon couldn't resist the temptation of the detectives' sumptuous meal and joined them.

"What do you think you're doing, Mr. Frostpyre?" Ms. Velvet shouted furiously, hurling another chair at the men.

The cafe was almost silent, with only a few customers. However, her chair-throwing quickly caused a commotion. Some of the staff even tried to intervene, but nothing could stop her.

"Stop, Ms. Velvet!" the elderly manager, Gordoff Lavender, shouted, attempting to intervene.

The workers quickly moved to shield the men from the chaos caused by her. However, her large body easily pushed through the crowd of smaller workers.

With fury blazing in her eyes, she hurled another chair, which finally struck Ragnar, catching the attention of the two detectives.

"Mr. Ragnar, are you alright?" Mr. Albert asked with concern, continuing to eat. But as he resumed, he noticed the furious Ms. Velvet standing behind him.

"Ms. Velvet?" he exclaimed in surprise. His question only seemed to fuel her anger. She smacked Xavier on the back of the head, getting his attention.

"Ms. Velvet?" Xavier echoed, mirroring his superior's tone.

"Get ready, because I'm going to teach both of you a lesson later!"

…

The detectives were left with the bill, including the cost of the broken chairs, as they left the cafe without finishing their meals. Xavier sadly checked his wallet for the remaining money.

"Why do we have to cover the cost of the broken chairs as well?" Xavier grumbled, with Mr. Albert agreeing.

Ms. Velvet simply responded, "Considering both of you were having fun before an important meeting, it's only fair that both of you contribute to the consequences."

Ragnar felt envious of them, envious of their joyous conversation and the smiles on their faces even after their earlier argument.

Living life to its full potential? Ragnar questioned himself.

…

The ongoing conflict between Mr. Albert and Ms. Velvet inside the carriage continued, despite the carriage driver feeling uneasy.

“Ragnar, tonight is crucial. This meeting holds great significance, so I need you to be at your best,” Xavier said earnestly to Ragnar, who was puzzled by the statement.

"Me? Why me? Am I that important to the meeting?" Ragnar asked, looking at Xavier with confusion, to which Xavier nodded.

"You are one of the key players in this operation. If something were to happen to you, it would complicate the investigation for us," Xavier explained, although Ragnar remained perplexed.

…

Upon reaching the building, they hurried to the meeting room, only to find that they were running late.

"Why are all of you late?" Mr. Marshall asked in frustration, casting a disapproving look at each person.

"Apologies, Mr. Marshall, for the delay caused by these two detectives. We spotted them enjoying a meal at a cafe and had to pull them away," Ms. Velvet quickly explained.

"Nevertheless, we were able to retrieve all the documents you requested. Here they are, Senior Marshall," she said as she handed the documents to Mr. Marshall.

Mr. Marshall maintained a disappointed look on his face as he scolded the detectives, "You even made Mr. Frostpyre late, Ms. Velvet, Mr. Xavier, and Mr. Albert. All of you were tardy; please take your designated seats."

Ragnar took note of the seating arrangements, realizing that he would be positioned between Bane and Ms. Guinevere. As he settled into his seat, he couldn't help but notice the curious gazes of everyone in the room, including the maids and butlers.

He recognized only a handful of people at the event, such as Lady Ana, Mr. Smith, the detectives, and the other witnesses. On the other hand, there were familiar faces like Ms. Selya and Ms. Seraphine.

However, there were some individuals whom he didn't recognize at all, including the brilliant Mr. Khaveh, Mr. Freeman, Ms. Wendy Mori, and Mr. Kevin Lugh.

I won't let my guard down. The reason for this meeting was because of my foolishness. Ragnar deliberately avoided the unknown guests surrounding him, fully concentrating on the ongoing meeting.

Once all the esteemed guests had arrived, the meeting commenced. The maids and butlers were instructed to exit the room due to concerns about a potential intruder.

"Mr. Marshall, could you please read the contract aloud for Mr. Mayor Smith?" directed Hyburg, the director of the detectives, to which Mr. Marshall nodded in acknowledgment.

Mr. Marshall positioned himself in front of the important guests from the office of the Citadel Government and unfurled the scroll to reveal the contract.

He meticulously recited the contents of the contract, ensuring that every individual present could hear each word. In a matter of minutes, he concluded reading through the entire contract.

The contract contained crucial guidelines, including the mutual obligation for both groups to assist each other. The detectives were required to provide security for all key office members, ensure the catch of the criminal, and recover the valuable artifacts from the Royal Property Safe.

Simultaneously, the government and office members were obligated to permit the detectives to obtain copies of important documents, provide them with intelligence for their investigations, and contribute to funding their equipment.

Mr. Smith heard each word from Mr. Marshall. Later, he was given the scroll to sign if he accepted the contract. But he was given another opportunity to read through the entire contract thoroughly.

Before signing, he asked the detectives questions. “How long can you probably catch the criminal and return the important artifacts before the criminal uses these artifacts?”

"We assure you that we can apprehend the criminal and recover the artifacts within a week. Our main concern is the potential use of the artifacts and the duration for which they may be utilized. However, I was informed by an experienced merchant that utilizing these artifacts could take up to a month or two."

The artifacts held significant importance for the future knights and heroes of the city. The theft of any of these items could potentially incite a rebellion in the Lowfire District, a fact that Ragnar uncovered during his visit to a private library following the ceremony.

Yes, Ragnar conducted research on the stolen artifacts, indicating that he was likely prepared for the possibility of these items being used against them.

"Mr. Marshall, it's simply not possible! The city is too vast to locate a mastermind criminal within a week!" Another forceful slam resonated through the room as Mr. Smith expressed his frustration.

I do agree with Mr. Smith. Finding the criminal would be impossible within a month. Ragnar believed the mayor’s statement since it was impossible to apprehend a criminal, that is also intelligent, within a week.

However, there are brilliant minds present in this room as well, as exemplified by the individual who raised his hand in response to Mr. Smith's statement.

"Honorable Mr. Smith, I propose that the sudden theft was not executed by a lone individual, but rather by an entire organization. Indeed, it may be the same group that has rebelled against us on numerous occasions," Khaveh suggested with deference to the mayor.

"Zephis, huh? That seems possible, and it would actually make more sense. I apologize for my sudden outburst," Mr. Smith said as he gradually calmed down.

"Father, I heard that Mr. Ragnar Frostpyre actually had contact with Zephis once. That's what Lancelot told me earlier," Lady Ana said, surprising Ragnar.

Ragnar was taken aback because he had no idea that the person he had encountered earlier was Zephis, a notorious criminal in the region.

Our enemy was that guy? Ragnar vividly recalled the actions of that man, a figure of undeniable evil and strength.

All eyes in the room turned swiftly towards Ragnar, their gaze bearing down on him with intense pressure.

"I was instructed by Lancelot to keep it a secret. Furthermore, I had no knowledge that it was Zephis who attacked me suddenly. Please believe me when I say that I have absolutely no connections with them," Ragnar exclaimed in a panicked tone.

"Ah, Ragnar, your role in this operation is absolutely essential!" Xavier exclaimed with excitement.

What? He believed me? Ragnar composed himself after Xavier's comment

"Ragnar, we can discuss what happened later," Mr. Albert suggested. "Now, let's continue with the contract. Mr. Smith, are you ready to sign it or not?"

Mr. Smith's face lit up with a smile as he signed the contract using his title.

"Detectives! I'm finished here. I have more documents to sign and send to the capital. Ana, please take over for now!" With those words, he was escorted back to the mansion by his knights and maid.

As the important guests started to leave, the only people remaining in the room were the detectives, witnesses, Ms. Selya, Mr. Khaveh, and Lady Ana. Those who stayed were the ones intrigued by the mysteries at hand.

"It's just us left here now, so we need to start investigating with the information we have. In the meantime, the other important guests who are still here can suggest anytime," Mr. Soren Hyburg declared.

"We would be happy to assist, Mr. Hyburg," Lady Ana responded.

Hyburg nodded and stated, "Let's get started then."

"Let's start with Ms. Guinevere. Could you please confirm the carriage number that the criminal had?" Mr. Albert suggested.

Ms. Guinevere hesitated, but after receiving a reassuring nod from Lady Ana, she replied, "It was 5241-JK3. The knights had written it on the stand earlier."

"Are you absolutely certain that's the carriage number?" Mr. Albert asked to double-check to which she nodded. "Xavier, could you please check to whom that carriage belongs?" Mr. Albert asked, handing over the document from the Citadel Carriage Industry.

While Xavier searched for the carriage number, Mr. Khaveh turned to Selya and inquired about her opinion on the possibility of Zephis being involved in the theft.

"It seems unlikely that Zephis is behind this, as we lack evidence to support that claim, apart from Mr. Frostpyre's encounter with him, which could actually prove the opposite," Ms. Selya clarified.

"I agree. The last time Zephis was seen was five months ago when he caused a grimoire outbreak that almost destroyed the city. Since then, there have been no sightings of him or his group, leading us to believe that he may have died from the injuries inflicted by Apollo," Albert added.

However, tension filled the room as Khaveh spoke, "This also suggests that the Zephis encountered by Mr. Frostpyre could be an imposter. We will only know the truth once he explains what happened between them earlier."

"Most probably," Ms. Selya concurred.

"So, you're saying you believed that Zephis is really dead? What about his group?" Ms. Velvet chimed in.

"It's likely that they joined the group responsible for the theft with a new leader. As for Zephis, there's a possibility he's in a coma, but it's more likely that he's dead," Ms. Selya elaborated.

As the conversation progressed, Xavier suddenly announced, "I've found him! 5241-JK3, Fedrick Hallow. He appears to be the personal carriage driver for Mr. Pherill of the bank branch."

The tension in the room escalated quickly, prompting a single thought to cross Ragnar's mind.

Could it be that Mr. Pherill was lured into a trap?

…

Inside a warehouse…

"Mr. Pherill, I've lured you into my trap. Forgive me that death is the end of life. The pain you will be inflicted on is because of my foolish existence, " a man covered in smoke said politely.

Mr. Pherill was barely conscious as he was assaulted by individuals wearing masks. He was bound to a chair with no way to escape, only able to cry out for help.

"It's time for you to meet your end, Mr. Pherill." His men of individuals armed with core-powered guns unleashed a barrage of bullets on the defenseless man.

The thick, golden projectiles penetrated his flesh, striking his vital organs. Mr. Pherill succumbed as the men chuckled menacing

ly over his lifeless form.

"The letter was surprisingly effective. Fedrick Hallow, as cunning as it may seem, you have committed a sin just as I.”