Clive opens his eyes and frowns as he looks around the narrow stone cell.
Cold iron bars.
Moisture is clinging to the walls.
Dim light filtering through a grated window near the ceiling.
This morning, he had left his hotel in Rainer City in good spirits.
He had successfully solved a difficult case.
He planned to spend the remaining hours before his train to Olden City exploring the city streets.
Instead, several patrolmen surrounded him.
They arrested him without a clear explanation.
With his strength, escaping would have been easy.
Even without drawing attention.
But escape would escalate matters.
And he dislikes unnecessary complications.
So he followed them quietly.
Now he sits in the cell.
Several hours have passed.
No one has questioned him.
No threats.
No taunts.
Just silence.
He understands the tactic.
The police hope isolation will agitate him.
Cause doubt.
Cause impatience.
Cause mistakes.
He closes his eyes again.
Let them wait.
He resumes cultivation.
His spirit descends inward.
With careful control, he draws a rune across his bones.
The Spirit Bone Array slowly takes form.
Each completed rune strengthens his foundation in Life Alchemy.
He moves steadily toward the peak of the Apprentice Stage.
Outside the cell, upstairs in the police chief's office, Chief Paul sits behind his heavy oak desk.
Across from him sit two special investigators.
One man.
One woman.
The man introduces himself as Brooke.
The woman is Rosalyn.
Paul has heard of Brooke before.
A capable alchemist apprentice.
Rosalyn, however, draws his attention without trying.
She is perhaps the most beautiful woman he has seen.
Yet he avoids staring.
There is something about her.
Like a rose.
Beautiful.
But covered in thorns.
He glances at the steam clock ticking softly on the wall.
"A couple of hours have passed," Paul says. "Shall we question him?"
Brooke frowns slightly.
"Paul, are you certain the sounds from the cells downstairs can be heard here?"
Paul nods confidently.
"When they scream, the sound comes through those windows."
He points to the two large windows on the left side of the office.
Brooke crosses his arms.
"Then why am I hearing no scream?"
Rosalyn finally speaks.
Her tone was calm.
"Brooke, I told you your method would not work. A few hours in a cell will not frustrate him."
Brooke turns to her.
"Then what method will make him answer truthfully?"
Rosalyn replies evenly.
"Ask him directly. From what I know, he rarely lies outright."
Brooke exhales sharply.
He pushes his chair back and stands.
"Fine. Let's go."
He walks toward the door.
Rosalyn follows.
Paul watches them leave before returning to paperwork.
They descend the narrow staircase.
The corridor of cells stretches ahead.
Dim lantern light flickers against stone walls.
Brooke stops halfway down.
He turns to Rosalyn.
"You stay here. I will handle the interrogation."
Rosalyn frowns.
"No. I'm coming."
Brooke's expression hardens.
"Do not forget. I was placed in charge of this mission. You will follow my lead."
Rosalyn stares at him silently.
Brooke forces himself to remain calm.
He is a peak alchemist apprentice.
She may be connected to the Crown, but authority here rests with him.
After a moment, Rosalyn sighs.
"Fine. But do not use force."
Brooke smirks.
"Afraid I'll kill your new lover?"
Rosalyn smiles.
It is a soft smile.
But it unsettles him.
"I am not afraid for him," she says. "I am afraid for you."
Brooke feels irritation rise.
Underestimated.
He straightens.
"I am a peak alchemist apprentice. He is merely a second-tier apprentice. He may be talented in investigation, but not in alchemy."
Rosalyn chuckles lightly.
"If he has no talent, would a Master Alchemist from the Sand Temple accept him as a disciple?"
Brooke falls silent for a brief second.
Then nods stiffly.
"I will be cautious."
He resumes walking.
They pass several occupied cells.
Finally, they reach the last cell at the end of the corridor.
Brooke unlocks the iron door.
It creaks open.
Inside, Clive opens his eyes.
He looks at Brooke calmly.
A faint smirk forms.
"Are you mortified that I solved the case?"
Brooke closes the iron door behind him with deliberate slowness.
The metallic click echoes in the narrow cell.
He walks to the small table bolted to the floor and pulls out the chair opposite Clive.
He sits.
Place both hands flat on the table.
His expression is controlled.
"Maybe," he says evenly. "Or maybe not. Can you guess why I'm here?"
Clive leans back against the cold stone wall.
The chains fixed to the ring behind him remain untouched.
His posture is relaxed.
"No need for me to guess," he replies lightly. "You will tell me."
Brooke does not respond.
He stares.
Clive stares back.
Silence fills the space.
Seconds stretch.
Then minutes.
The lantern outside flickers faintly.
Brooke tries to apply pressure through stillness.
Clive simply closes his eyes again.
After several long minutes, Brooke exhales through his nose.
He breaks first.
"Tell me where your master is."
Clive opens his eyes slowly.
His brows knit together.
"Isn't he assisting with the ruin exploration near Mariopoll?"
Brooke leans forward slightly.
"You didn't receive any message from him?"
"No," Clive answers calmly. "Has the ruin exploration ended? Did he leave without informing me?"
He shakes his head slightly.
"If so, you should wait at his residence or store. Why arrest me?"
Brooke's tone sharpens.
"Answer me truthfully. Did your master contact you?"
Clive's gaze hardens slightly.
"I am telling the truth. He did not contact me."
Brooke's jaw tightens.
"If you refuse to answer honestly, you will remain imprisoned here."
Clive glances around the small cell.
He gestures lightly with one hand.
"Do you truly believe this place can hold me?"
Brooke does not hesitate.
"It would benefit me if you attempted escape. Once recaptured, you would be sent to Deepabyss Prison. You would never see daylight again."
Clive tilts his head slightly.
"Have you forgotten my master is from the Sand Temple? If I take refuge there, what will the kingdom do?"
Brooke sneers faintly.
"So you are prepared to betray the kingdom."
Clive's eyes narrow.
"I have not betrayed anyone. The kingdom imprisoned me without charge. Who betrayed whom?"
Brooke opens his mouth to respond,
The cell door opens abruptly.
Rosalyn steps inside.
Brooke rises immediately, anger flashing.
"I told you not to enter."
Rosalyn ignores him.
She walks directly to the table.
Her hand presses lightly against it as she leans forward.
Her eyes lock onto Clive's.
"Clive. I will ask once. Do you know where your master is?"
Clive meets her gaze.
He does not look away.
"I don't know."
The words are firm.
Measured.
They hold each other's gaze for several seconds.
Rosalyn searches his expression carefully.
Then she straightens.
She turns to Brooke.
"Let him go. He doesn't know anything."
Brooke shakes his head.
"No. I believe he does."
They begin arguing quietly but sharply.
Clive watches them both.
His mind races.
Why are they desperate to locate his master?
Why arrest him for this?
He pieces together possibilities rapidly.
His voice cuts through their quarrel.
"The kingdom wants to keep my master captive because of something discovered in the ruin."
Both Brooke and Rosalyn fall silent.
They look at him.
Clive continues calmly.
"But my master escaped. Now you are scrambling to find him."
Neither denies it.
Clive's eyes sharpen slightly.
"If he hides within a Sand Temple, what can you do?"
Brooke answers immediately.
"Do you know which temple?"
"I don't," Clive replies. "But even if I did and told you, what then? Raid the Sand Temple?"
His tone remains level.
"Would the kingdom declare war against the Sand Temple?"
Silence hangs heavy in the cell.
The implication is clear.
The Sand Temple is not an ordinary faction.
It is vast.
Rooted deeply across continents.
Any open aggression would destabilise the kingdom.
Before Brooke can respond,
The door swings open again.
Chief Paul steps inside.
His expression is serious.
He glances briefly at Clive.
Then focuses on Brooke and Rosalyn.
"You two," Paul says firmly. "I need your help."
The tension shifts immediately.