Chapter 418: Uninvited Guest
Amuro's mind raced, piecing together the fragmented intelligence. Raiden Ei possessed immense seniority and was considered an elder figure; she held the title of a Minister of Inazuma. Zhongli shared that exact same aura of ancient authority, making it highly probable that he was a Minister of Liyue.
Then, what about the identity of that little girl named Nahida? She associated freely with them, sharing their elevated status, yet lacked the physical markers of age. Could she be another Minister within the Teyvat Organization? Amuro's thoughts spun into bold, dangerous territory.
also, according to Glenlivet's reports, Raiden Ei had walked the earth for hundreds of years. If Zhongli mirrored her standing, had he also survived through the centuries? Was the mythical immortality granted by the tears of Pandora simply being handed out wholesale to these executives?
Pushing his staggering internal revelations aside, Amuro offered a charming, measured smile to the group. "Actually... guessing Keqing isn't exactly wrong," he concluded aloud, wrapping up his public deduction. "Given his demeanor, Zhongli can indeed be considered Keqing's elder."
As Amuro methodically finished laying out his reasoning, the reactions around the table varied wildly. Conan merely crossed his arms, his lips curling inward in a silent, disdainful scoff at the blonde detective's showmanship. In stark contrast, Sonoko and Ran's faces lit up with sheer admiration. They immediately showered Amuro with praise, marveling at his brilliant deductive skills.
Their fawning was suddenly interrupted by a hesitant voice.
"That... um, actually," Natsume began, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "Besides Keqing, there's also Ganyu. Zhongli can be considered Ganyu's elder, too."
In her mind, a familiar, high-pitched voice chimed in. [If you count it like that,] Paimon calculated rapidly, [aside from certain Adepti, Zhongli can basically be considered the elder of the entire Liyue!]
[What's there to be surprised about?] Natsume shot back mentally, keeping her outward expression perfectly neutral. [Just tell me if I'm right or not!]
Sonoko and Ran blinked, stunned into silence for a brief moment before turning their surprised gazes toward Natsume.
"I can't help it. Who told Zhongli to have the absolute highest seniority?" Natsume muttered. Facing a barrage of eyes filled with intense curiosity and lingering doubt, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. She fidgeted slightly under the spotlight, ultimately using that vague excuse to brush off the heavy implications.
Conan's mouth twitched. If that's the case, then Zhongli's seniority is truly off the charts, the young detective thought dryly. Sister Natsume might as well just list who isn't Mr. Zhongli's junior. It would save a lot of time.
Sonoko's wide, surprised eyes slowly narrowed into a playful glare. Planting her hands firmly on her hips, the heiress deliberately shifted her seat, scooting a good distance away from Natsume to display her utter dissatisfaction.
"Natsume, you're only telling us such a huge detail now?!" Sonoko demanded, her voice carrying a dramatic hint of reproach. "Ran and I weren't even the first to know!"
Natsume blinked, adopting a picture-perfect look of innocence. She slowly spread her hands in a helpless gesture. "Oh, Sonoko, you guys never asked me before. Besides, is this really that important of a secret?"
Sonoko froze. Her mind raced to catch up with the logic. She blinked twice, tilted her head, and realized Natsume actually had a very valid point. A few seconds later, the heiress sheepishly scooted her chair right back, leaning close to Natsume just as affectionately as before.
Amuro snapped out of his own reverie. Natsume's casual admission only cemented his darkest suspicions: Mr. Zhongli had undoubtedly lived for hundreds of years.
Masking his intense scrutiny behind a warm, entirely disarming smile, Amuro leaned forward. "Then, Natsume, how exactly did you come to know people with such incredible seniority?" he asked, feigning polite interest.
The question acted like a magnet. Conan instantly snapped to attention, his sharp eyes locking onto Natsume beneath the rim of his glasses. Beside him, Ran and Sonoko's curiosity flared up anew, both girls turning their heads to fix Natsume with bright, expectant gazes.
Surrounded by a table full of impatient faces demanding a story, Natsume felt a deep sense of helplessness. Imaginary black lines slid down her forehead. She couldn't exactly explain the truth of her transmigration or the Teyvat Organization's actual origins.
Unable to withstand the sheer weight of their collective curiosity, she sighed inwardly, preparing to spin a plausible half-truth.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak, a smooth voice sliced through the café's ambient noise, completely derailing the conversation.
"What are you all chatting about? You seem so happy. How about letting me join?"
Seeing Natsume snap her mouth shut, Conan felt a sharp pang of regret at the lost intelligence. But the very next second, as the cadence of the intruder's voice registered in his brain, the young detective's blood ran cold. His body instantly froze in his seat.
A few feet away, Amuro experienced the exact same visceral reaction. Like a synchronized flash of lightning, both undercover operatives whipped their heads around, their guarded gazes locking onto the figure who had silently approached their table.
A chillingly familiar face smiled back at them. The exact same panicked thought flashed through both Conan's and Amuro's minds: How did Cointreau suddenly pop up here again?!
Amuro's tactical mind immediately spun further, analyzing the Black Organization executive's sudden appearance. Surely not! Gin sent me here to gather intelligence. Cointreau's younger sister is only one of the targets—at most, her priority level is just a fraction higher than the rest. Gin wouldn't authorize anything unnecessary. Is Cointreau actually that worried about her? This guy doesn't look like a massive siscon at all.
Staring at the uninvited guest, Amuro felt the sharp, pulsing throb of an incoming migraine.
Cointreau, for his part, masterfully pretended not to sense his colleague's powerful aura of rejection. Offering a polite, charming greeting to Ran and Sonoko, he smoothly pulled up a chair and sat down, smoothly integrating himself into the group under the girls' and Natsume's welcoming smiles.
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