After getting Sandra's report, I changed my clothes into black pants and a white shirt before following her to the church to meet up with the other members of the shadow squad.
Of course, I also brought the [Purple Eye] I put inside a tight <Holy Barrier> with me. Because this was a living monster, albeit it looked like a single eye with limbs, I couldn't put it inside my inventory like that cursed eye with black sclera.
Still, it was faster than I thought. I initially guessed Mair Steelwill or whoever the real mastermind was would move a day before Queen Eve's coronation, which means tomorrow. But he might've become too impatient with my charity event and made a move this fast.
'It's good for me. The faster I finish this, the easier my day will become.'
And I would be able to have a date with Eli and Tris tomorrow. Well, I also needed to visit Emilia soon to prepare for the Sin Kingdom. She was too busy with her teaching job because Alesia targeted her to always help her.
'That damned headmistress. Doing as she pleases…' I thought as I landed in front of the church with Sandra and entered without hesitation.
We went underground through the stairs and passed through the Cleaning room again. No matter how many times I saw it, it still left a bad taste in my mouth.
After walking for a while, we reached the end of the hallway, and Sandra opened the door for me. Nine people who were dressed in dark clothes immediately kneeled in my presence.
Lisa and Lara also wore similar clothes. They bowed deeply and gestured their hands, pointing at the only couch in the room.
"Welcome, Your Holiness."
"Please have a seat. We will explain what we found in today's investigation."
"No need," I answered as I looked around.
Sandra closed the door behind me and kneeled on the side.
"Just explain it to me right now. Time is an essence."
"Yes."
The twins replied at the same time and raised their heads. They recounted what happened after they escorted Eli back to the mansion and joined the investigation.
Following my instruction, they rejoined the shadow squad to investigate Viscount Steelwill and his two sons. They pretended to be explorers stumbling upon the city and asked some people there about the city's situation.
The citizens didn't notice anything different, except that some people went missing in the mine for a few days before returning, looking tired. That was already something common in the city, so no one questioned it. Not even the twins.
A few shadow squad members also monitored Viscount Steelwill's mansion. The head of the house, Jonathan, and the first son, Colten, were always seen around the perimeter of the mansion unless they were on business.
However, according to the shadow squad's investigation, the illegitimate second son would always go out at night to drink in a bar. He would always return around midnight night, drunk and not with a straight mind.
Combined with the information I told them from Gon, that was enough to warrant attention, and they chose to focus their investigation around Mair Steelwill while leaving only one member to monitor the mansion.
"And just before midnight, we thought Mair Steelwill would return from the bar once again. However, he suddenly disappeared, and we lost track of him. Some people also went missing the same night, lost near the mountain where the steel mine was located."
"How many people went missing that night?" I asked curiously, leaning against the wall and playing with the [Purple Eye] by juggling it with one hand.
"A total of 9 people."
"With Mair Steelwill, there are 10 people who disappeared."
Lisa and Lara answered while bowing their heads.
"Our apologies, Your Holiness. If only we followed him closer, this wouldn't happen."
"Our apologies." The other shadow squad members lowered their heads further and apologized at once.
"No, you did a great job." I smiled at them. "Rest well. As for Sandra, you know where Mair Steelwill last seen, right?"
"Yes, Master." Sandra answered and raised her head, "I recorded the coordination with [Teleportation Gem]. We can move at once." She took out two shining [Teleportation Gems] and stood up.
"Alright. Let's go."
"Please wait, Your Holiness."
Lara unusually raised her voice, stopping me. I turned at her with a curious gaze.
"Is there anything else?"
"We will come with you, Sir."
The one who answered was the shadow squad member I saved that time, Liam.
"I want to repay your kindness for saving me from being parasitized."
"It's fine." I said in a calm voice, taking one of the [Teleportation Gems] from Sandra, "Stay here and protect the church. I alone will be enough."
"But–"
"You will just be a burden." I pressed as I intentionally let out my bloodlust slightly.
Everyone in the room, excluding Sandra, was immediately unable to move. Their bodies were pressed down by an invisible force, making them grunt in pain.
"It's a matter of secrecy only a few humans and Elves know. There is a chance you won't be able to return if you follow me. I can't protect all of you if I concentrate, understand?"
I stopped my bloodlust, and they could breathe normally again. No one said anything, and they kept their heads lowered, looking at the ground.
"Good." I nodded, satisfied with their silence. "Return to the mansion and rest, both of you. Inform Garcia and Vivian that I will be gone for a day."
"Y-Yes, Your Holiness."
"Your wish is our command."
They answered with a shaking voice, still a bit afraid of my bloodlust from earlier.
But I knew they would recover, so I didn't do anything to them.
"Let's go, Sandra."
I ordered Sandra and activated the [Teleportation Gem]. My vision was distorted for a second, and then I felt the wind hitting my face. The smell was so strong that I needed to cover my nose.
The tiny and cramped room from earlier had turned into a city scenery surrounded by mountains. I stood on the roof of a building high enough that nothing hindered my vision. The monster, [Purple Eye], was still in my hand.
'Good.'
I was a bit worried that it would be left behind when I teleported. But it seemed like it wasn't the case.
A second later, Sandra appeared on my side, with her lower face covered in a mask and her white hair tucked into a hood.
"Are we in Steelwill Viscounty?" I asked the Dark Elf as I kept looking around.
The moon shone brightly behind the ragged peaks of mountains. The smell of sulfur and gas was strong here, unlike the sea breeze of the Port City.
"Yes, Master. Over there is Viscount Steelwill's mansion."
Sandra pointed at a big mansion with a tall mountain covered in lush forest behind it. Then, her finger moved toward a mountain with a ragged peak.
"And that's where the mine is located. We last saw Mair Steelwill from the bar under us walking toward that mine before we lost any track of him."
"Hmm…" I hummed and looked at my radar.
When I looked at it, I noticed something strange.
"Huh?" I muttered in surprise.
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