September 19, 1882
Antonio sat in his office, staring at the door intently, waiting for someone.
Click.
The door handle turned, and Austin walked inside the office with a thick file in his hands.
"Is that everything you gathered in the previous loop?"
"Pretty much. It's not much, and you've already discovered forty percent of it."
"Forty percent? Man, I should've worked as a detective instead of a gardener," Antonio remarked sarcastically.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. The reason I gathered so little was because the original Antonio was very uncooperative."
"Whatever."
Antonio opened the file, skimming through the information one by one.
Time passed.
Austin dragged a chair across and sat in front of him, waiting for Antonio to finish.
Until—
Antonio closed the file, placing it down and looking directly at Austin.
"A lot of questions, I presume?" Austin asked, raising a brow.
"Of course. But before I ask those, can you tell me how you were able to gather this much information by yourself?"
"An information guild called 'Black Leeches,' located at a pub in Luketown."
"An information guild? How did you even find out about it in the first place?"
"I wasn't sitting idly, you know. I had to do quite a lot of digging to find it."
"Then have you used the information guild in this turn?"
"No. I was too busy figuring you out and preparing that damn report for you."
"Well, at least we found out something important from that report that even you didn't know before," Antonio said, pointing at Austin.
"Sure. Then what questions do you have about the file that I gave you?" Austin said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
"So, you were somehow able to attend the Veiled Conclave gathering by collecting information from the guild and stealing an invitation from Antonio's father, right?"
"Yes. What about it?"
"Did you perhaps meet anyone with the alias Grey Watcher or hear anything about them?"
"I didn't meet anyone with that alias, but I do remember it being mentioned in a conversation once."
"You did? Did you hear anything else?"
"No. I was busy at that moment collecting information about Lucien Graves."
"Fine. Then what about this part? You say that Jill Carter had been working for Cedric in the shadows, and my— I mean Antonio's father, Victor, is someone involved with both Cedric and Lucien."
"Yes, I was able to find that much. But I didn't discover anything beyond that. All I know is that the last time Victor came in contact with Lucien was on September 28—nine days from now. As for Jill Carter, I think the reason lies in her family owing the Stuart family a debt."
"Yeah, that seems possible. We'll have to plan something for September 28, but for now let's focus on the gathering on the 21st. Also, it seems you investigated Cedric's son—Thomas, was it?"
"Well… yeah."
An awkward silence fell between them.
Antonio stared at the paper for a bit longer than usual, his expression completely deadpan.
"That is the most unremarkable name I've heard so far. I could go out on the street, ask four people their names, and at least two of them would be named Thomas," Antonio remarked with a scoff.
"Turns out one of the greatest guild leaders has zero sense of naming," Austin said with a smug smile.
"Well, getting back to the topic, it seems you didn't find anything of interest related to him—just like his name."
"Yeah, and it's also very unlikely that he's involved in any of this since he wasn't even present on the day of the murder. He was reported to have been at the bank."
"But he does have a military background, does he not?"
"Yes, but he only trained in the military for about two years before switching to business."
"Alright. I think we're done with this."
"I expected you to ask more questions."
"Well, I have basic reading comprehension, if you didn't know that. Anyway, have you prepared a disguise for the gathering?"
"Well, I have a mask that covers my entire face and distorts my voice a little."
"I'll have to get a wig then. We're going to attend the gathering as siblings. Also, we'll be able to keep an eye on Victor since, this time, his invitation hasn't been stolen by someone," Antonio said, pointing at Austin.
"Also, if we attend as siblings, it's less likely for our identities to be exposed since neither of us has a brother or sister," Austin added.
"You have it written down now."
***
September 21, 1882
Time: 7:32 PM
The alley was narrow and dim.
Antonio stood near the far end, partially shadowed by the overhang of a building, leaning against the wall.
Waiting.
Staring at his pocket watch.
Footsteps approached.
"…You're late," Antonio said, putting the pocket watch back into his coat.
Austin stepped into the alley a moment later, adjusting his coat slightly.
"By two minutes."
Antonio glanced at him.
"Still late."
Austin exhaled lightly, as if deciding not to argue.
"…You ready?" he asked.
Antonio's gaze lingered on him for a second longer.
"Let's go."
The carriage was already waiting at the end of the street.
Unmarked.
Ordinary.
Both of them put on their masks and approached quietly.
The driver didn't speak.
Didn't look at them either.
Antonio stepped in first, taking the seat across from the door. Austin followed, sitting opposite him.
The door shut.
The carriage began to move.
"So, a blond wig, huh."
"Well, that's because you're blond, and I think it's better for me to be more disguised since I'm well known here."
"Makes sense. So, what alias did you come up with?"
"You tell me first."
Austin let out a quiet sigh.
"Green Baker."
"Well… it's something."
"Your turn."
"Thorn Keeper."
Austin scoffed.
"Suits your gardener background."
"Well, at least it's better than Green Baker."
"I beg to differ."
"Keep begging."
"Whatever. We're almost there."
Eventually—
the carriage slowed.
Then stopped.
Antonio stepped out first.
Austin followed.
Painter Alley was quieter than the rest of the city.
Not abandoned—
but deliberately avoided, since it was where artists usually lived.
The buildings stood taller here and closer together.
Austin's gaze moved once across the alley before settling ahead.
"…Same as before," he muttered.
Antonio said nothing.
His eyes were already fixed forward.
Velmora Hall stood at the end of the alley.
Tall and silent from the outside.
But an entirely different story waited inside.
Its structure carried a quiet elegance—refined, but not welcoming.
At the entrance—
they stopped.
The doors were already open.
"…No turning back now," Austin said quietly.
Antonio didn't look at him.
"…There wasn't one to begin with."
Antonio stepped forward, only to be stopped by two tall figures.
"Invitation," one of them said coldly, extending a hand.
Antonio reached into his coat and handed over the black envelope.
After a brief check, the man nodded.
"You're good to go."
Both Antonio and Austin made their way inside.
And the world changed.
Warm light spilled across the hall in steady layers, cast from chandeliers hanging high above. The marble beneath their feet reflected everything, polished to a near mirror.
For a moment—
neither of them spoke.
The space opened wide before them.
Tall pillars lined the hall, their surfaces carved with intricate patterns. Rich carpets stretched across the floor, muting footsteps into silence. Tables stood arranged along the sides, covered in dark cloth, with expensive plates, utensils, and food laid out.
Servants moved through the space with quiet precision.
Guests filled the hall.
Scattered in small groups.
Talking.
Laughing.
Drinking.
As if this were nothing more than a gathering of the elite.
And yet—
no one spoke too loudly.
No one moved without awareness.
Antonio's gaze moved across them.
Masks.
Some subtle.
Some not.
Different designs. Different colors.
But all serving the same purpose.
"Baker, stay close. We have to remain in a group," Antonio said quietly.
"Yeah, but we need to find one first."
"You're the one with experience here. How do we blend in?"
"Look around. There must be a group that looks relatively awkward. Those are the people who are new here—just like us," Austin said, subtly pointing toward one of the tables.
"Not bad. Let's go."