"Yes, hello... I am Inspector Hayna who made an appointment yesterday... to investigate the assault case involving Mr. Aiwass Moriarty." A young lady, about in her early twenties, wearing a blue and white uniform, stood nervously and helplessly in front of the grand entrance of a manor, holding her wide-brimmed hat. Her chestnut-colored curly hair was tied into a ponytail at the back, and her high nose bridge. Panic about messing something up filled her lake-blue eyes. "...I'm sorry, the division's Supervisory Bureau had a last-minute inspector meeting... Another warehouse combustion incident occurred in the White Queen District yesterday, and traces of Flame Spirits were detected at the scene, suspected involvement of a Demon Scholar—I think it might be the same fugitive who attacked Mr. Aiwass the day before yesterday!" As Hayna spoke, her voice grew quieter and quieter: "So, that's why..." "—So, you took it upon yourself to attend that inspector meeting, which you were not actually required to attend, and you are late... by two hours and twenty-three minutes?" An old and grave voice resonated from the other side of the iron gate. It carried the long, drawn-out tones peculiar to the Elven accent of the people of the Royal Capital. He snapped his gem-studded pocket watch shut and tucked it back into his chest, staring sternly at Hayna. Standing opposite Hayna was an old, thin, and tall elf wearing a butler's uniform. The wrinkles on his face could remind one of tree bark, and his dark green pupils were closer to those of a wolf than to the waters of a lake. The old elf seemed to be nearly two meters tall, and his posture with his hands clasped behind him was like a phantom of a withered tree under the moonlight. His pine-straight, motionless spine emanated an intense aura of oppression at this moment. Although Hayna was actually an intern inspector, not yet graduated, she had passed her final assessment prematurely and could be knighted by the queen at any time. She was currently wearing the intern badge only because her assigned Gryphon was still en route. Normally, she shouldn't be so afraid of a butler. But this old man was different. Because this aged Elf Butler was her mentor. Though he followed an ancient covenant, serving the Moriarty family as a butler since the inception of the state... at the same time, he was also a former Grand Inspector who retired eighty years ago. "—I assumed you would be even later, Miss Hayna." The old butler, with his hands behind his back, spoke with that Elvish accent that always imparted a slight sense of arrogance to Hayna: "Mr. Aiwass was attacked by a Demon Scholar two days ago and remained unconscious until last night. But upon hearing that the Supervisory Bureau was coming to ask some questions, he very cooperatively gave up going to the Glass Step Sanatorium. After taking some medicine, he dragged his weak body to the fireplace and waited for you for two hours, while I also waited for you at the gate for two hours. "Now it is almost dark, and if you were any later, you might as well simply postpone until tomorrow; since it's already postponed until tomorrow, I don't think a week's worth of recuperation is urgent. According to the rules of the Supervisory Bureau, a case that has been signed off on must yield a result within a week— given Miss Hayna's commendable conduct that allowed her to graduate early, you must be able to find that Demon Scholar smoothly. "Since you have already apprehended the criminal, why trouble my poor Mr. Aiwass? You might as well return, I will explain to Mr. Kent." Mr. Kent is the Director of the Supervisory Bureau in the White Queen District. Even after Hayna becomes a full-fledged inspector, Kent would still outrank her by three levels. If the old butler's tone hadn't been so sarcastic, she would have taken to her heels right this moment and dumped this troublesome matter onto her superiors. But the problem is, she's actually still a senior student. Despite being able to call the wind and summon the rain at school, she hasn't graduated yet. She didn't have enough social experience to discern whether the old man was seriously making such a suggestion or just mocking her. But her intuition told her that if the old man had not intended to do so, and she foolishly ran away now, she would indeed be bringing disaster upon herself. "...I'm truly sorry." Thus, Hayna could only bow her head in apology first, "I will also apologize to Mr. Aiwass." In any case, she had already scheduled a meeting time in advance but didn't say a word before being so late... She indeed was at fault to begin with. "But that's because Mr. Aiwass is kind-hearted. I had already decided to call the Supervisory Bureau when you were an hour late. It was Mr. Aiwass who stopped me. He said, 'Everyone deserves a chance... Whatever the reason, they should at least be given an opportunity to meet first.'" The elderly elf continued at his leisurely pace, taking a while before reaching the entrance of the manor. Then, his voice grew softer, yet still clearly reached Hayna's ears: "Although Avalon has no so-called 'nobility' like other nations, the descendants of the Founders are equally noble. Without the sacrifices of those twenty Founders, everyone would be dead—even the Queen must respect the descendants of the Founders. "I sensed your sincere contrition, and so I forgave your tardiness. But you might want to consider carefully whether you have offended someone or blocked someone's path... As I mentioned, this was an Inspector meeting that you needn't have attended." Upon hearing this, Hayna suddenly froze. The old man at the door now turned gracefully, bowing slightly to Hayna: "Please follow me, Miss Hayna. The young master has been waiting for some time." It was then that he donned the butler's mask to greet the guest. The previous demeanor was more like that of an instructor facing a disappointing student. And Hayna, her mind in turmoil, followed the elderly elf to the living room. The softness of the carpet under her feet startled her, and she looked up, wondering whether she ought to remove her shoes—but the elf's indifferent composure made her uncertain, so she could only follow with an anxious heart, warmed by the sudden heat of the fireplace in the wintry season. Only then did she realize that she had made an elderly man wait at the door for two hours in the evening cold of winter. Feeling both guilt and shame, she did not know how to begin to speak. Even the suspicions she had towards Aiwass were strangely diluted by this penitence. Then, she saw the somewhat reckless and dissolute Mr. Aiwass Moriarty. At the moment, he was sitting in a wheelchair, a blanket over his legs. His pale, fragile face was colorless, and his appearance, seeming to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, was strikingly different from the handsome features of Professor Moriarty. Drapped in a pure white fleece nightgown, he looked as though he had just come out from a bath. His soft platinum hair reflected the warm light of the fire. He was reading a book quietly and intently by the fire, his delicate features conveying a gentle intention... It made her think of poets and the flames rising in the fireplace at home. That beautiful scene was like a painting, and Hayna unconsciously widened her eyes. But just then, the young man heard something, adeptly turning his wheelchair around. It was at that moment that Hayna noticed he was seated in a wheelchair. ...Could this be the price paid for the attack by the Demon Scholar? From some point on, she instinctively dismissed the possibility that "the Demon Scholar was Aiwass." The young man looked over, his deep blue pupils akin to the sea. "Miss Hayna." This was a voice that carried a sense of nobility, clear and luxurious, matching his appearance. His voice was more vibrant and polite than his frail appearance suggested: "Nice to meet you for the first time, hello. "——Are you here to arrest me?"