Chapter Text
“Help me kill that prostitute!”
Leonard jolted at the slam of the table and the crude words coming from reception desk.
For past three days, his sleep quality hadn’t been great, even as a Beyonder from the Sleepless pathway. Yesterday, he went out with captain all day to investigate the deaths of two young graduate students from Khoy University, the exhaustion still didn’t improve his sleep quality
So now, when Leonard was stealing a bit of time to rest in the rest room and heard that outburst, he couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed. He and Frye exchanged glances from the sofa.
'Who on earth came here asking for a murder commission?'
A bit of curiosity took over. One by one, they walked out and saw Captain already coming out of his office as well, two files tucked under his arm.
A middle-aged woman was speaking loudly and aggressively. Meanwhile, a younger woman, probably her daughter, tried to calm her down. Rozanne offered them a seat and something to drink, hoping a cup of warm water, tea or coffee might ease the situation.
“Good morning, is there anything we can help you with… Mrs.?” Dunn Smith’s voice cut gently in through the noise.
“Clara Ellington, and this is my aunt, Martha Corvin… Sorry for disturbing your morning,” the younger woman spoke first. “We didn’t mean to be rude.”
'Ah, so that was her niece.'
“It’s fine,” Captain Dunn and Frye sat across from them, while Leonard took the reception desk seat.
“How can I not be rude when that prostitute gets to live comfortably after daring to trick my son?!”
“Aunt… please calm down.”
Rozanne placed two cups of tea on the table. Steam rose slowly. She nudged them forward slightly, signaling gently for them to drink first.
“Sorry for our behavior,” she apologized again. “My aunt’s son… um, was deceived by his partner.”
Mrs. Corvin let out a cold snort, but this time she didn’t explode immediately. “That man didn’t just take my son’s money, he messed with his emotionsl too. I want to commission you to find them! My son ran away with that prostitute. Help me find where they went. I’ll drag her back home and open his eyes. he’s been fooled!”
After that final sentence, the reception room went silent.
Captain Dunn coughed lightly. “Excuse me, Mrs. Corvin. Wouldn’t it be better to report this to the police?”
Captain Dunn was actually thinking of refusing the commission since they were still handling another case as the Nighthawk.
“The police won’t take the report because my son left willingly.”
"..."
Frye, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. “I can take the commission,” he said flatly.
Captain Dunn glanced at him briefly, weighing the difficulty of the case, then nodded.
“Alright. You handle it. If you need help, bring Kenley or Old Neil.” He looked back at the two guests. “We’ll prepare a contract for the commission. But before that, we need more details.”
Mrs. Corvin nodded and began explaining more thoroughly. After signing a simple contract and paying a deposit, the reception area finally returned to calm.
Leonard, who had been openly eavesdropping, muttered, “That was so unexpected.”
A snort sounded in his head
"I want to know how it goes. Should I volunteer to help?"
Help? Somehow, that single word already carried Pallez’s mocking tone. Fix your sleep schedule first.
“Leonard.”
“Yes!” Leonard straightened his back like a student caught gossiping in class by a teacher.
Captain Dunn raised an eyebrow slightly, but didn’t bother asking further. He placed two files on the desk. preliminary reports about the case involving the two Khoy University students.
“We’re going to Moretti’s house after lunch.”
Leonard nodded while glancing at the files. One contained preliminary victim information, the other is general information about a young graduate named Klein Moretti. He closed the files and looked toward the captain’s office door, waiting. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Captain Dunn came out again.
“I forgot to tell you, wear your uniform and bring your police badge. We’re going in as inspectors.”
The office door closed behind Captain Dunn once again with a soft click. Not even three seconds later, this time, Rozanne immediately leaned over the reception desk with unconcealed curiosity.
“So?” she asked. “What happened this time?”
Leonard lazily flipped one of the files shut.
“A horrifying murder case,” he answered seriously. “The victim exploded into twelve pieces after reading a cursed love letter.”
Rozanne stared at him flatly. “…You’re making that up.”
Leonard shrugged. “You’re getting better at noticing.”
Rozanne puffed her cheeks slightly in annoyance. "You always do this whenever there’s a case.”
“That’s because civilians aren’t supposed to know investigation details.”
“I work here.”
“You work near investigations.”
“That still counts!”
Leonard grinned while tapping the edge of the file against the desk. "Moretti"
Rozanne narrowed her eyes before suddenly glancing at the name written half exposed on the document.
“Who Moretti?”
Leonard answered vaguely once again, “Someone we’re about to meet.”
Rozanne tilted her head slightly. “Is he related to the victims?”
Leonard looked up immediately. “How do you know Moretti’s a man and not a woman?”
Rozanne blinked. “ah, It’s a woman?”
The corner of Leonard’s mouth lifted slightly. He opened the file again and pulled out a black-and-white photograph clipped between the papers. They got it from the student archives at khoy university. Leonard held it up toward Rozanne.
“This is Klein Moretti.”
Rozanne leaned closer curiously.
The young man in the photograph had gentle features and an unmistakably scholarly air around him. Even through the stiff, poorly lit photograph, he still looked calm and intellectual.
Rozanne blinked twice. "He looks really smart.”
Leonard glanced down at the photo himself. “…Does he?”
“Definitely!” Rozanne nodded confidently. “He has that university student look. Like the type who reads books even during meals.”
Leonard snorted softly. “That sounds miserable.”
Rozanne ignored him and continued rambling anyway. “And he looks polite too. Much more reliable than some people here who nap during work hours.”
Leonard immediately slid the photo back into the file. “I was resting my eyes.”
“Mhm.” Rozanne clearly didn't believe him.
Leonard changed the topic, clearly not wanting to continue. "After this case is over, captain might recruit him as civilian staff.”
"why?! Is he in dangerous?”
“A History Department graduate is useful for us,” Leonard explain. “We need someone to help old Neil with all those ancient documents."
Rozanne look more happy.
Leonard watched her reaction for a moment before smirking faintly. “What? Interested already?”
“Noway! I just think it’d be nice to have another civilian staff member around,” Rozanne defended herself quickly. “Someone normal.”
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
“You saying I’m not normal?”
Rozanne looked him dead in the eye. “since when beyonder is normal??”
“…Fair enough.”
.
The hours before lunch dragged in a slow, hazy rhythm.
After listening to Rozanne’s stories that became more and more ridiculous, she even started talking about a rumor that Mr. Norlan had been having an affair even though he had only gotten married two months ago, which made Leonard realize he didn’t even know who Mr. Norlan was until Rozanne explained it.
Leonard already stopped pretending he was fully awake. He leaned back on the recreation room sofa again, the document about Klein Moretti resting loosely on his lap. One hand still held the edge of the file, but his grip had relaxed enough that it threatened to slip to the floor.
His eyelids dipped shut. Just for a moment. That was the plan.
In the quiet recreation room, the distant sound of footsteps, paper shuffling, and Rozanne’s occasional movement behind the reception desk faded far away. The warmth of the room, combined with his accumulated exhaustion, pulled him down almost effortlessly.
Then—
You know, a familiar old voice echoed lazily inside his head, even for a Sleepless, your schedule is impressively terrible.
Leonard didn’t open his eyes.
"Hmm..."
No, really. I’m serious this time, Pallez continued dryly. How exactly does a Sleepless end up dozing off during work hours? Aren’t you supposed to be good at staying awake?
Leonard shifted slightly deeper into the sofa.
"I'm awake." He whispered.
You were seconds away from drooling on the file.
"It's not my fault I've been having trouble sleeping lately."
Pallez gave a soft scoff.
You’ve barely slept properly in days. Even your spirit body feels sluggish.
That made Leonard crack one eye open slightly. The old man rarely commented on his condition more than necessary.
“…You worried about me, old man?” Leonard muttered under his breath.
Worried? Pallez sounded almost offended. I simply don’t want my host collapsing from stupidity.
Leonard huffed out a quiet laugh.
Maybe pray to the Evernight Goddess before sleeping tonight, Pallez added after a pause. At least She might be able to give you a good night's sleep.
"You sound like my nanny."
And you sound like someone about to pass out in public.
Leonard clicked his tongue faintly and finally sat up a little straighter, rubbing at his face. The movement caused the Klein Moretti file to slide slightly across his lap.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke before Leonard finally glanced down at the document again.
"What do you think about the Antigonus family's notebook?"
This time, Pallez was quiet longer than usual.
An item tied to the Antigonus family was never going to be harmless, he said at last. Especially one capable of affecting people directly.
"Do you know what’s inside it?"
Don't asked me, i don't know
Leonard narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You’re hiding things again."
Better for you not to know
Leonard leaned his head back against the sofa again. "You really know how to ruin conversations."
And you really know how to improve your sleeping schedule. Pallez replied again sarcastically
Leonard ignored that. His eyes drifted back toward Klein Moretti’s information on the report.
[...Interview with the History Department of Tingen University in two days. Recommended by Mr. Quentin Cohen...]
Leonard lowered his gaze “I just hope Klein Moretti is alright…”
Hard to say, Pallez snorted inside his head. Anyone connected to something related to Antigonus is already unlucky.
Before he could respond, the recreation room door opened. Frye walked in carrying several paper bags alongside Rozanne, who was balancing two cups of coffee carefully in her hands.
The smell of warm food quickly spread through the room.
"Fresh salad, Grilled fish and soft wheat bread still carrying heat from the oven!" Said Rozanne brightly.
Frye calmly placed several wrapped meals onto the table. “I will bringing portions for Kenley and Old Neil."
Leonard nodded knowingly.
Kenley was still guarding the Chanis Gate downstairs, while Old Neil was probably still inside the Divination and Mysticism Office, buried beneath piles of strange materials and ritualistic junk as usual.
Rozanne sat down nearby and opened her own meal.
“You should’ve seen Mr. Holt's face,” she started chatting almost immediately. Gossiping about Mr Holt, the owner of the restaurant next door who has been selling them food, “He was so happy to see us buying his food again. Even though it tasted a bit... I mean, hus meal was still delicious. Don't tell Mr. Holt i said that"
Leonard gave a distracted hum while unwrapping his food.
“...And he kept trying to recommend his new mushroom pie to me. Said he improved the recipe after Old Neil complained last week. Honestly, I think the only thing he improved from his pie was the price.” Rozanne continued. “But Frye still bought two anyway. I’m starting to think he genuinely can’t taste food anymore.”
Leonard nodded once.
“…Leonard, are you even listening?”
“Yes.” Leonard give Rozanne smile as usual, "still tired.”
Rozanne blinked. “…That bad?”
“Maybe I'll ask Old Neil for sleeping potion."
Inside his mind, Pallez immediately commented again.
See? Even ordinary people can tell you look half-dead.
Leonard kept his expression blank while taking a bite of bread.
'You’ve mentioned my sleep schedule seven times already.'
probably i will said it until ur sleeping schedule get better
'You’re enjoying this too much.'
But, watching a Sleepless fail at sleeping properly is entertaining.
Leonard’s eye twitched slightly.
'Can you read my thoughts, old man?!'
Pallez immediately replied, and no, I can’t read minds, but your empty brain is ridiculously easy to predict.
“…Ugh,” Leonard groaned quietly, finally earning a confused look from Rozanne across the table.
.
Cherwood Borough, Tingen.
A lower-class neighborhood that was crowded, narrow, and always felt slightly damp, as if the air there never really moved.
The buildings were old apartment houses with dull stone walls. The outer paint had peeled off in several places, revealing a darker, colder original color underneath. The wooden stairs creaked every time someone stepped on them, as if they were always complaining about being walked on.
A mix of damp wood, coal smoke from heating, and faint food smells drifting up from the lower floors constantly blended together.
The file Leonard had read this morning didn’t show anything unusual about Klein Moretti. Only that he was a recent graduate from the History Department with decent grades.
He lived with his two siblings after his parents passed away. His social circle wasn’t very large, but he was known to be friendly and polite, with positive feedback from both teachers and fellow students.
Leonard only hoped Klein Moretti was alright, considering how that young historian would have a promising future if he managed to pass his scheduled interview.
Even though there was a small chance Klein Moretti would make it out safely, since the unnatural incidents involving the two previous victims were clearly connected to the Antigonus family's notebok.
Leonard’s thoughts were cut off when he saw the police officer who had come with them, Bitsch Mountbatten, stop right in front of the door. Leonard and Captain Dunn both moved their hands on their revolver, staying alert. Bitsch Mountbatten nodded at that signal before knocking. After no response for a few seconds, he knocked again.
“Who is it?”
A muffled voice came from somewhere deeper inside the house.
“It’s me, Mountbatten, Bitsch Mountbatten,” he replied a bit sharply, with an Awwa accent. “Police.”
The surroundings returned to silence.
Leonard frowned at the lack of response. He glanced at Captain Dunn, clearly thinking the same thing.
After a few moment, the sound of a key turning was heard and the door opened. A young man appeared, with the typical appearance of a Loen resident. But the scholarly aura around him was enough to catch anyone’s attention.
Now, Klein Moretti’s voice finally sounded clearer in Leonard’s ears.
“Sorry, I just woke up from a nap.”