Dunn stepped out of the carriage after saying that, leaving Galad stunned in place.
When he finally came back to his senses, Galad lowered his gaze, carefully checking his own appearance. Sure enough, his fingernails were neatly trimmed, and his hair was carefully cut, exactly as Dunn had said.
Siris had never sent servants to care for them. The original Galad had been insane most days. That left only one possibility.
It was Cecilia.
Looking at his clean hands, Galad felt a warmth rising in his chest.
He couldn't tell if it was the lingering gratitude of the body's original owner or his own appreciation for simple human kindness as a modern man. But either way, he suddenly felt a deep affection for that persistent, lovely little sister.
When this ordeal is over, if I can still live with her, I'll treat her well, Galad vowed silently.
Looking up, he saw the others from the second carriage had also disembarked.
The brown-eyed Nighthawk, Klein, walked in front, with Cecilia and the policewoman following behind. In Klein's hand burned a candle, its flame quivering softly, faint whispers curling around it like unseen threads.
"Klein, how is it?" Dunn asked meaningfully.
"No problem," Klein replied. He blew out the flame, and in that instant Cecilia trembled, blinking as if waking from a trance. She looked around in confusion, only now realizing she had gotten out of the carriage.
So she also underwent an inspection in the other car…
The policewoman departed with the coach, leaving both groups to merge into one.
Dunn led them to the door of the Blackthorn Security Company and pushed it open.
Inside was a modest reception hall: classical sofas and cushioned armchairs around a log-colored coffee table, with a partition blocking the deeper rooms.
At the front desk sat a brown-haired girl, slumped over, her head bobbing as she nodded off.
Are all Nighthawks this lax? Well… it is nearly midnight… Galad thought.
"Rosanne," Dunn called, his voice raised slightly, tinged with helplessness.
"Oh! No, Captain!" The girl shot upright like a spring. "I wasn't sleeping; I was just distracted!"
"No, no, no, you haven't even wiped the drool from the corner of your mouth," Galad muttered inwardly.
"Hahaha, exactly, Captain, I can testify," Leonard grinned, twirling the emblem in his hand. "Rosanne wasn't sleeping. She was simply taking a stroll through the Goddess's Kingdom, contemplating life."
Rosanne glared, cheeks puffed, but Leonard only chuckled.
"Alright… Bring some tea. And wipe your mouth while you're at it," Dunn instructed mildly.
Rosanne stomped off, and Dunn turned to his men. "You two, return Goddess's Gaze and Calming Candle to Charnes Gate."
"Okay." Klein and Leonard exchanged a look, but neither moved.
Dunn thought for a moment, then added, "Also, Leonard, call Seeka and Frey out of the recreation room."
"Yes."
Again, they nodded, but their feet remained rooted.
Dunn rubbed his temples. "Hmm… right, Charnes Gate is too dangerous at night. Forget it just leave the sealed artifacts in my office for now. We'll deal with them come morning."
Only then did the two finally begin walking, though even as they went, they kept glancing back at their captain, as if worried he'd forgotten something else.
Are they always this cautious… Or is Captain Dunn really that forgetful?
Galad and Cecilia exchanged glances, both slightly unsettled. The "profoundly reliable" impression Dunn had left earlier was beginning to blur.
"Please, sit," Dunn said, seemingly oblivious.
Just then, Rosanne returned with steaming black tea. The porcelain set was fine, the aroma rich, but the siblings were too tense to savor it.
"Mr. Dunn, what happens next?" Galad asked.
"You stay here under protection." Dunn raised his pipe instinctively, but, seeing Cecilia, set it aside and took a sip of tea instead. "We'll act at once to arrest Siris's accomplices, interrogate him, and put an end to their madness. Until the matter is fully resolved."
That's not what I meant… I was asking about me.
But Dunn offered no more, and Galad knew better than to press.
A few sips later, Leonard reappeared with two more Nighthawks.
"Leonard, Frey, come with me. Seeka, you'll stay and protect our guests. Klein, are you going home? I can have the carriage take you."
"No need, Captain," Klein yawned. "Better to stay here than wake my family. I'll rest in the lounge."
"Alright." Dunn nodded, then turned to Galad. "If anything happens, tell Galad. And in case of danger, you must obey her orders."
With that, he donned his hat and strode out with his men, leaving behind only Luo Yao and the siblings.
She was striking: long black hair, clear eyes, slender brows, and an aloof demeanor. She said nothing, simply observed them, her gaze lingering on Galad for a moment too long.
"Um… Good evening, Ms. Seeka," Galad ventured.
"Good evening." She nodded slightly, her voice calm. "There's a lounge in the back. Come."
"Thank you."
She led the way behind the partition.
As Galad followed, he glanced back. Sure enough, Rosanne was once again dozing at the desk, her head tilted.
Hopefully she won't be caught again when Dunn returns…
The short corridor beyond had three offices on either side. Luo Yao guided them into the second room. Several sofa beds lined the walls, newspapers scattered across the table.
Klein was already lying on one bed, fully dressed. He cracked an eye open at their arrival and offered a small smile.
Galad returned it.
"Sit. Rest if you're tired," Seeka said simply. She chose a sofa bed herself, smoothed her hair, then opened a newspaper and began to read, her aloofness clear.
Galad had intended to strike up conversation, but seeing her demeanor, he let it go. Instead, he asked Cecilia softly, "Are you tired?"
"No, not really."
"Then let's sit a while. Want to read?"
She shook her head.
Galad picked up a newspaper himself. Tingen City Proper People's Daily? He smirked. Let's see what counts as "proper" news here.
The headlines amused him:
'Citizens rejoice at the repeal of the Grain Law.'
'Baron Henry confesses his love for Lady Sharon at a banquet, then brawls with three gentlemen.'
'Famous opera actress exposed for an affair with both the theater owner and his stepson'
Tsk tsk… truly the concerns of proper citizens. Stimulating indeed.
Beside him, Klein closed his eyes to rest, while Galad flipped pages quietly, occasionally glancing at them. Cecilia leaned against him, at first tense, but soon drifting into drowsiness.
And so, time passed in silence.