《The Wolf's Innocence》 Chapter 1 - Prologue Leila Cassilia despised Arcangelo Urseau. He knew nothing of cooperation and collaboration. He was unaware of consideration. Moreover, he would irritate people without any apparent reason from time to time. However, that didn''t give her any reason to wish for his death. "Arcangelo Urseau! Get a grip!" Leila gnashed her teeth. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "You''re not a real moron, so what the hell is going on?" Leila dishevelled her golden hair that fell to her chest. Her anger surged, and her chest felt tight. However, there was no time to vent her emotions. "They''re probably still nearby, but saving this bastard is our priority." Uncharacteristically, Arcangelo remained quiet. His heartbeat was racing, but he couldn''t move his body. It was a symptom of the poison Leila knew about. "Detective Arcangelo Urseau. You must pay the price for this later." That was why, without hesitation, Leila grabbed him by the collar and gave him a kiss. Little did she know that it would be the beginning of everything that followed. Chapter 2 - ,Mission Failed Mission Failed The weather was good that day. There was no rain or bad condition that often precede a misfortune, nor any ominous sign indicating that something was off. It was truly a fine day, up until the moment they met in the elevator heading to the investigative headquarters. "Ah," uttered Arcangelo Urseau, a Detective belonging to the same investigative unit as Leila, as well as the heir of the Urseau family, a werewolf clan in their teens. The most important thing was that they both had a reputation for being formidable adversaries within the investigative headquarters. They scrutinized each other''s faces. Arcangelo was the first to speak. "Why is Detective Leila here?" "Why shouldn''t I be here?" Leila replied, feeling his sharp gaze piercing through her. Who was she to be treated as an unwelcome guest? She wasn''t even the owner of this place. She twisted her lips. "And what reason does Detective Urseau have for being here right now?" "What other reason should a detective have for being at the investigative headquarters?" Arcangelo replied, not looking particularly pleased. "I didn''t do anything!" Leila trembled. "You came to receive a mission? Now?" Arcangelo replied. "It sounds as if you think it''s strange to come for a mission right now." "The meaning is clear, no need to interpret. I was on my way to the investigation director''s office to hear the mission briefing." However, they both felt an ominous sensation. It seemed the other felt the same way. "A mission briefing? Surely not." The exact same thought passed through their minds. "Is Arcangelo going to receive a mission too? That means we''ll be receiving a mission together, won''t it?" Both of them concluded it was likely, but they couldn''t accept it in their hearts. "Surely that couldn''t happen." "Well, even if it could, it''s highly unlikely." Ding. The elevator door opened with a signal. They both stepped out as if in a competition. Thud, thud, thud. A strange tension arose between them. Leila and Arcangelo looked at each other. Their faces contorted at the same time. Without saying a word, they moved their legs to arrive at their destination faster than the other. But they both arrived almost at the same time. Clang. The door opened. "Could you open the door a bit more qui...oh." The owner of the detective agency pursed his lips to speak, but then noticed the situation outside and kept his mouth shut. Leila Cassilia and Arcangelo Urseau. It was widely known that the relationship between the two was bad. It was understandable, considering the combination of perennial second place and first place. "Did you two come together?" "Absolutely not." Leila and Arcangelo said the exact same thing at the same time. They glared at each other. At that sight, the head detective, Robert Pandeia, sighed. "Close the door carefully and both of you sit down." "Both of us, did you say?" Leila received a strong feeling that her ominous premonition was about to come true. "Yeah. You two have to work together on this mission." She closed her eyes tightly. Unfortunately, her intuition was not wrong. "This is really going to be a pain in the ***." Detective Urseau belongs to a small elite group and receives missions from the highest governing body, the Assembly. They are responsible for criminal investigations as well as top-secret national security missions such as collecting confidential information necessary for the operation of the country or infiltrating criminal organizations. Among them, the most important are the missions directly issued by the head detective . If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "If it''s a mission that even risks our lives, why should we be assigned together with Arcangelo? Is it right to put us together no matter how important or dangerous it is?" She had doubts. They would surely fight. Arcangelo spoke up, ¡°Why do we need to boast about being number one and two in performance?¡± Robert answered compliantly, ¡°It''s the mission for 121.¡± Upon hearing the code name, Arcangelo and Leila''s expressions changed.
  1. That was the name of the poison that was secretly circulating through the slums.
Although the investigation was conducted secretly under the orders of the legislature, with many investigators not even knowing of its existence, Leila and Arcangelo were well aware of it. ¡°Both of you know what kind of poison it is.¡± Arcangelo Urseau, the perennial top investigator of the agency. Leila Cassilia, the agency''s perennial second-best investigator. ¡°Since both of you have been involved in missions related to that drug.¡± They were the best of the best, even among the talented investigators of the agency. Robert glanced at them and got straight to the point. ¡°We''ve successfully identified the appearance of the producer this time.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Leila''s eyes widened. ¡°Yeah, even though the investigator in charge of the mission was severely injured after discovering it and is currently undergoing treatment as a result of being exposed.¡± ¡°Is the body alright?¡± ¡°He''s not dead. He''ll be able to carry on with everyday life.¡± "That statement essentially means that returning is impossible," her face briefly darkened. "So, I plan to assign the mission of capturing the creator to those two this time." "To us?" It was not an incomprehensible decision. They were clearly the most skilled investigators at the top of the agency. It was a given that the mission, which had to be conducted in utmost secrecy and was serious enough, would fall to them. It was a rational decision. "Is it necessary to involve Investigator Leila in this?" Robert was not particularly surprised by Arcangelo''s words. Leila felt the same. "As expected, it has come to this." Arcangelo Urseau hates Leila Cassilia. I don''t know why. At first, he looked at things like everyone else, but suddenly started picking fights. "I understand that Investigator Leila''s abilities are superior to those of other investigators, but it is not necessary to go to such lengths." "Arcangelo Urseau." "Above all, I do not think that Investigator Leila will be of much help in combat." Are they about to fight? "Arcangelo Urseau." Fortunately, before she stepped forward, Robert spoke up. "Although you are the heir of the Urseau family, are you aware that you are currently just an investigator under my command?" Robert''s face was chilling. Arcangelo was also briefly speechless. "I never intended to challenge the authority of the director. It''s just inefficient, that''s all," said the subordinate. "That''s for me to judge, not you. You''re not Urseau Investigator," replied the director. "I think I can offer some opinions from the perspective of someone who will be deployed to the scene," the subordinate persisted. Robert rubbed his wrinkled forehead with his hand, clearly feeling the stress from the conversation. He looked incredibly tired. "Urseau Investigator. This mission requires a team of two, a female and a male investigator," the director spoke cautiously. The two subordinates immediately understood the reason why. "That''s because of the solution to cipher 121, isn''t it?" asked Leila, her face showing surprise. "Excuse me, director, but have you lost your mind?" she added, unable to conceal her disbelief. "I haven''t lost my mind. I''m not old enough for that," the director retorted. "How can you say something like that without being insane?" Leila snapped back, her comment clearly violating the etiquette. Robert, however, did not point out the impropriety of his remark. "That, there, won''t, happen," he finally spoke, pausing after every word. Arcangelo''s reaction was no different from Leila''s. In fact, it was even more intense. He gritted his teeth as he spoke. It was as if he was facing the enemy who killed his parents. "If I ever get addicted, I''d rather die than seek help from Investigator Leila," he declared. Robert let out a deep sigh. "Consider it a safety measure for any unforeseen circumstances," said Leila. She received an immediate response. "Then it would have been better to at least ask about the purpose of that measure," Leila continued, "for the sake of understanding." "Mutual benefit," she murmured to herself. ''Bullshit. It''s not like we''re benefiting each other.'' It was obvious who the device belonged to without even saying their name: Arcangelo, a direct descendant of the family, and Leila, one of many heirs. The question of whose life was more important was something that didn''t need to be asked, as the answer was self-evident. Robert couldn''t answer Leila''s statement because he knew what was in her heart. All she could do was let out a sigh. "...I cannot accept your proposal," Robert said. "So you''re refusing?" asked Leila. There was nothing else he could do. "As you said, I will proceed with this mission alongside Detective Urseau." "What?" "It''s an inevitable matter, Detective Urseau. Besides, it was designed for safety, so there''s no reason to refuse." ¡°Do you really think that''s possible now? I didn''t think I was stupid enough for Detective Leila to not know what this means.¡± ¡°Separate work from discipline, Detective Urseau.¡± Arcangelo looked incredulous. He erased his expression and looked at her. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Detective Leila.¡± Finally, Arcangelo also shut his mouth. Robert thanked her first for stepping forward. Leila glanced away briefly. ¡°...In the end, it''s just work.¡± She knew how to break things down. She knew some things were inevitable. Not everything in the world can be fair and just. Above all, she was familiar with this kind of situation. ¡°So what exactly do we need to do to carry out this mission?¡± She felt eyes on her, expecting her to reveal her true feelings. Leila ignored it. Soon, Robert''s gaze shifted away. But Arcangelo looked at her for a long time. Her eyes held a variety of emotions, making it unclear what they meant. Chapter 3 Robert handed over the locations of five places to Leila and Arcangelo. They were places that were suspected to be residences. "The investigative agency believes that one of these five places is a hideout, three are traps, and the remaining one is a laboratory." "A hideout and a laboratory?" "Yes. To be precise, it would be close to a place where poison is produced." Upon hearing Robert''s words, Leila naturally became skeptical. "You figured that out, but why are you sending us? Wouldn''t it have been okay for us to infiltrate as soon as we figured it out?" "The creator''s combat abilities are better than expected." "How good are they exactly...?" "Under normal circumstances, we would have deployed more people, but since it needs to be kept confidential, we decided it would be better to leave it to Urseau and Cassilia investigators." There was nothing particularly strange about Robert''s words. However, Leila felt that something was off. She couldn''t exactly put her finger on it, but she had a strange feeling in her gut. She felt like there was something he wasn''t telling her. "Maybe it''s because of this." Leila raised her fist, feeling a surge of energy. "Damn it, let''s investigate separately! That''s what we''ll do!" "You speak quickly. If you had said that earlier, we might have been able to investigate one or two more places." "Good grief, Chief. What have I done to deserve such misery? I have been nothing but good up until now..." "..." Leila meant every word. As for Arcangelo, he was on the brink of disaster, especially in the areas that ticked her off the most. "This is terrible. It''s a nightmare..." "Do you usually say that in front of that person?" Arcangelo''s expression became slightly uneasy. "I guess I''m fortunate that I know I''m a nightmare, Detective Urseau." "I knew your combat skills were lacking, but do you have no manners as well?" "Who made me like this?" Leila rolled her eyes. Ever since Robert gave him the mission, she had to endure Arcangelo''s complaints. "Stay apart and complete the mission. Don''t you realize that''s more efficient? Honestly, you don''t seem to be of any help in battle." "Why are we wasting time investigating something in this place without even a creator, especially for so long?" The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ''Is he trying to trigger my neurasthenia?'' I suffered so much that I had this thought. "Enough. Fine. Since this is work, let''s just do what we need to do." Leila took out a map with checkmarks. She had confirmed two locations so far, both of which were traps, so the remaining two locations were likely the hideout and the laboratory. And she had a rough idea of where the laboratory was. "I''ll go this way, so it would be best for Detective Urseau to check one of the remaining two places." "Do you think the laboratory is more likely?" "Probably. There isn''t enough space in the other places to create a secret location." If Robert was right, the hideout and the laboratory were separated. "To be honest, that part doesn''t make sense to me. Usually, these people''s homes are their labs." But Leila didn''t understand all the criminal''s thoughts, so she just nodded. Delving too deeply would make her a monster herself. "If the laboratory is there, wouldn''t it be better for me to go there?" "Do you think Detective Urseau can get more information there than I can?" "......" "Really?" Arcangelo didn''t answer, which meant no. Leila Cassilia may not have the combat skills of Arcangelo Urseau, but she excelled in gathering information through infiltration and disguise. In fact, she was arguably the best among all the current investigators. "This mission is to capture or eliminate the creator, but we also need to obtain information about 121. There is still no antidote for that damn poison." 121 was an extremely unique poison. Unlike other poisons that attack the body, this poison attacked the waveform of the person. "It''s a special power that allowed the waveform of a merfolk to become that of a human. There is still much to uncover about this mysterious energy." "It was difficult to create an antidote. Therefore, we had to apprehend the creator for his sake." "There is no guarantee that another poison won''t be made again." "I understand. There is no need to say more." "Also, there is a condition for our separate investigation." Leila looked straight into Arcangelo''s eyes. "When the creator is found, leave a radio transmission immediately. Whether I discover him or a Urseau investigator does, it is the same." "Do you think I will be the one to fall victim to him?" "It''s better than being careless and dying. Life doesn''t come back once it''s gone." Arcangelo scowled as if his pride was hurt. Leila observed him doing so. "To be honest..., it''s disappointing." Until now, she thought he was a good investigator, even if he tortured her. As the heir of the Urseau family, who is one of the top ten families, he has never used his family''s power to press people down. He proved himself solely with his own abilities. But what is this behavior now? "Transmit every 30 minutes. Even if you find the creator, transmit it. I won''t accept any suggestion of doing a separate mission." "Are you ordering me now?" Leila ignored his words. "I honestly don''t understand. You shouldn''t make it so that it affects me even if I don''t want to be involved in this." "...." He was strange today. "Okay. Are you going to do it or not?" ".... Transmit, I will." "Okay. Let''s do it that way then." Leila immediately turned and walked towards a place that could be considered a laboratory. Arcangelo watched her for a moment and then went his own way. ".... Something is still off." So, he didn''t know. "Should I follow her? No, no. Checking the laboratory comes first." Leila had some thoughts but stopped. ".... I still have a bad feeling." * * * Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Thirty minutes later, when the message arrived from Arcangelo, she felt relieved. "This place is a trap." "Yes. Then the probability of him being here or at the other place is high." "What about that place?" "I haven''t found anything special there yet. Neither has the creator." She had found the house where he was staying, but she still had not found the laboratory or the path leading to it. "Then it''s better to try somewhere else." "No, come here." "Didn''t we say we couldn''t find the creator?" "There''s a sense of habitation in this house." No more words were needed. "Let''s go right away." "I''ll check the inside more." "If there''s a chance of coming back, isn''t it better not to act recklessly?" "Even if we can''t fight, we can run away. At least we can buy some time. So, you should concentrate on coming as quickly as possible." "You..." At that moment, her eyes landed on something. Leila hung up the radio and pushed the bed. What she had been looking for was underneath it. "I found it. The secret passage." She went down without hesitation. In her hand was the gun that had been strapped to her waist. Leila closed her eyes and focused on her hearing. Her hearing was abnormally good, so it was more effective to block her vision and use her other senses at times like this. "Quiet." She grasped the gun and opened the door at the end of the stairs with a clatter. The sound of the iron door echoed throughout the room. As expected, it was a laboratory. "Is nobody here? ... They left such an important place unguarded without even setting traps?" Drip, drip. The sound of water droplets hitting the ground could be heard. She cautiously stepped inside, her hand still on the gun. "This is strange." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The previously vague sense of unease began to take on a definite shape. "A trap." The moment those words left her lips, someone came charging at her from behind. But as if she had anticipated it, she fired her gun towards the direction and the bullet pierced through his wrist. "Aaaah!" She quickly subdued him, handcuffed him, and took away his weapon. Then she pressed the gun against his head. "If you want to live, talk." She had already confirmed that there were no living creatures here except for him. "Where are the research logs?" The man in the white coat writhed in agony for a while before quickly opening his mouth. "B-behind the bookshelf!" "What''s the password?" "That, that''s...ugh! 22012184!" "Good." As soon as Leila got the answer she wanted, she kicked him, knocking him out. The man''s mouth hit the ground and blood started flowing from it. "It''s this way." She paid no attention to his condition and headed to the place the man had mentioned. There was a password, but she had already heard it. Click. Click. Click. After the notification sound, the door opened. She unfolded the documents inside and scanned them. It was really a fake... She had heard a description of the creator''s appearance before coming here. Black hair, red eyes. He was completely different from the brown-haired man lying there. Yet the fact that a man who looked like a researcher was here meant that things were going differently than the investigative agency had expected. "We need to figure this out as soon as possible." She moved her eyes to find out what they had missed. The paper flipped quickly. Experimental number 1. 2... At first, there was nothing. "Is there no useful information? It would be better to look for other documents... Wait." However, she felt a strange uneasiness in the contents and soon realized the hidden meaning within them. Leila''s pupils dilated as she read through the material. "Oh, no..." At that moment, the laboratory door opened as someone''s foot hit it. Leila quickly loaded her gun and turned on the radio with her other hand. No answer. "Darn it." She had to get out of here as soon as possible. She only understood after seeing the documents. "This was never a mission that could be investigated in secret. Even with the massive help of the police, it was something that had to be resolved quickly! "121 was not a simple poison," he said. "It wasn''t just something that happened to be made by chance. It was a poison that was deliberately developed to produce this effect." He had tried it out on humans himself. "The creator must be working with at least some organization, or be a part of that organization. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to experiment with 121 on so many people!" This was not something that Leila and Arcangelo could handle on their own. He must have known that the Bureau was after him from the start.s "This is not the only thing that we did not anticipate. This mission must end here." The lives of the investigators were more important than the success of the mission. She had learned this and acted accordingly. "So for now, we must eliminate everyone here." Leila''s face grew cold. Without showing any emotions on her face, she moved through the attackers. Bang. Bang. Bang. Gunshots echoed through the once-silent laboratory. When the sound stopped, only one person was left alive. Chapter 5 After a moment, Leila slipped out of the house and ran down a dark alley. She had tried the radio, but there was no response. Still, she could confirm that the signal was working. "Radio is useless after all," she muttered to herself. Her body was covered in wounds. Although she didn''t have any life-threatening injuries or large wounds that made it difficult to move, even the small wounds were painful. Despite the pain, Leila couldn''t stop and tend to her wounds. Arcangelo wasn''t near the laboratory, which was why she had to run out like this. "Since we can''t receive radio, someone must be in combat." The mission was half a failure. She had obtained the information, but couldn''t capture or kill the maker. So, at least she had to make it out alive. Leila Cassilia had to return with Arcangelo Urseau. "Ah, damn it, where are you!" She knew that there was no answer from the radio, but she kept it on. It wasn''t that it wasn''t reaching, but that it wasn''t being received. At least she could estimate the distance. "Huh?" Bang. She heard a faint gunshot from afar. Leila didn''t hesitate and headed towards the sound. "Arcangelo Urseau." She didn''t like him. And she thought his behavior today was suspicious. But she didn''t wish for him to die. That was natural. "Arcangelo Urseau!" Leila Cassilia didn''t hate Arcangelo Urseau enough to let him die. Above all, he was her colleague. And there is no one who wishes for their colleague to die. She ran towards where the sound came from. * * * She felt as though she couldn''t breathe. The signs of battle were clearly evident: bloodstains, bullet holes, and chaos. Alone, leaning against the wall, Arcangelo Urseau was breathing heavily. "Arcangelo Urseau! Pull yourself together!" Her vision went white. It was a sight she never thought she''d see in her lifetime. She tried to hide her own turmoil, rolling her eyes and expressing her anger as she always did. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "You''re not really a scumbag, so what the hell is this?" But he said nothing. He didn''t do anything at all. Leila Cassilia knew what was happening. "He''s obviously been hit by 121." He was alive, but he couldn''t move at all. This phenomenon could turn him into a warm statue. The golden time was two hours. If action was not taken within that time frame, Arcangelo Urseau would die. "Oh, what the hell is going on? This is insane." From his current condition, it was clear that those who had done this were not far away. If they hurried, they might be able to catch them. "Calm down, Leila Cassilia. If you don''t act properly here, Urseau will surely die. If you don''t want to lose another colleague, you need to pull yourself together." However, Leila Cassilia chose to save Arcangelo Urseau instead of completing the mission. "Detective Arcangelo Urseau, This is a debt that must be repaid in full later." Leila pressed her lips against Arcangelo''s lips. And then, she opened her mouth and put her tongue inside his. Her red tongue twisted inside his mouth, reaching to the secret, deep places. "What the hell is this madness?" Leila suppressed a hollow laugh. If she were to tell her morning self that she would be kissing Arcangelo Urseau today, it would sound like complete nonsense. "But what can I do? It''s necessary." 121 was entirely different from other toxins. While others attacked the body of their victims, 121 attacked the wave of the mermaid itself. So that the mermaid could no longer be a mermaid and be killed. "Ugh...." To neutralize 121, it was necessary to inject the wave of another mermaid through physical contact and push it out. Otherwise, one would die. "Just the thought of kissing Arcangelo makes me sick." Something inside her flowed ever so slightly towards him. Then, Arcangelo''s stiff body moved slightly. His arm wrapped around her waist. His previously still tongue slipped inside her mouth, exploring the moist, fleshy insides causing her body to stiffen. "Ugh...!" She couldn''t swallow the breath she was holding. As if he didn''t like it, he covered her lips more strongly. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Arcangelo''s eyes were directed towards her, but they were unfocused and devoid of reason. Instincts were winning over reason, as if sensing a life-threatening crisis. "It''s a good sign that instincts are moving. I won''t die right away." However, it was a little uncomfortable for the situation that she had to move soon. "Ugh!" "So, Leila moved her legs and kicked him in the stomach, causing him to pass out. She quickly pried his lips apart and wiped away the drool with her sleeve. It was a repulsive act, as if she were wiping away filth. "Ugh, I feel even dirtier than I thought," she muttered. She hoisted him up, which was no easy task given his size and build. But Leila was a detective, trained to enhance her already impressive physical abilities unique to mermaids. In addition, her humanoid body was more physically capable than the average mermaid, particularly in the lower body where her muscles were developed to an extent that was unimaginable for a typical feline mermaid. A bitter laugh escaped her as she pondered the reason behind her superior strength. She muttered to herself as she walked away. "Well, I''ve taken temporary measures, so I can endure it for a while." She had more work to do, but this filthy place was not ideal in any way. "And on top of that, whether it''s the creator or anyone who has teamed up with him, they might come back here again." She sighed. Today was truly a stroke of bad luck, and there was no other way to describe it. Chapter 6 Leila arrived at a nearby motel with Arcangelo. The owner barely looked at them before tossing the keys their way. He didn''t even ask about their injuries. "This is how we survive in these back alleys," he said. Leila checked her watch. It had already been an hour and a half since they last communicated. Not knowing the exact time made her restless. "There should be some basic medical supplies in the room," she said. "Thank you," he replied shortly. Leila answered the owner''s words with brevity, then climbed the stairs to their assigned room. The interior decor was better than she expected. Leila tossed Arcangelo onto the bed. Carrying someone bigger and taller than her had already made her sweat profusely. "The dust and sweat are annoying, but there''s nothing we can do," she said. She washed her hands first and then helped him remove his clothes. Torn clothes scattered on the floor. He didn''t have any gunshot wounds, but there were several cuts. "I''ll need to wrap his wounds later," Leila said dryly, examining his body. She reached out and ran her hand over his chest. His body flinched. "I don''t know if you''re conscious or not, but try to endure the discomfort. It''s better than dying," she said. Leila stripped off her own clothes. Seeing herself and him in their current state made her laugh involuntarily. "If you were awake, I wonder what you would''ve said when I told you to endure the pain," she said. "......" Arcangelo remained silent. And she was a little angry. "...... What mission did he think he was doing alone when it was going to end up like this? I almost died without him." Leila straddled his body and kissed him on the lips again. Something inside her flowed into him once more. She opened her eyes and observed his appearance. As Leila''s tongue moved, his body responded. When Leila gently brushed Arcangelo''s gums with her tongue, his body became even stiffer. It felt like he was experiencing an unfamiliar stimulation. He felt a slight sense of strength entering his center. "...... Uh." Arcangelo, who was distracted by Leila''s attack, reacted to the wave coming from within. His fingers moved slightly. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Soon, blue irises and irises that resembled pumpkin stones met. "I guess I was losing my mind." His eyes were the same as before losing his mind. Instinct completely overwhelmed reason due to the threat to life. Literally raw. It sent shivers down her spine. "I wish I couldn''t move at all. What a pity." His lips touched hers. The tender flesh became distorted. Arcangelo put his tongue in like Leila had done and licked all over. Leila felt herself reacting as well. "...This is dangerous." This is just an act to save his life. There shouldn''t be any emotions involved. But by acting like this, even a little bit of emotion starts to creep in. "It''s complicated." Contrary to her thoughts, her expression was twisted. "Uh..." Leila stuck out her tongue and mixed it with Arcangelo''s. His body felt like it was slightly paused. However, his pause was brief. Arcangelo forcefully sucked in her tongue. "Ugh!" The preceding action had elicited a subtle arousal, but now it was too intense and painful. It felt like the simulation had become a direct manifestation of my desires. "Well, I didn''t expect this," she said, her expression contorting. Perhaps it would be better if I just knocked her out and took care of everything myself. Otherwise, I might become too fixated on the kissing and not properly decipher the situation. "There''s nothing we can do about it," she continued, surreptitiously moving her hand down to his chest. His movements stopped again. In contrast, what was below only grew stronger. The movement was distinct enough for her to feel. "Hmm," she said, seizing the opportunity to break the kiss. Breathing was slightly difficult. It had been a while since she had felt like this. "Good. Thanks to this, I realize that this is not just simple sex, but work," she said, glancing at Arcangelo while moving her hand. He flinched, but remained still. "I don''t really understand. I heard that 121 is a poison that attacks the waves, causing the body to stop moving and eventually leading to the cessation of vital functions." A strange feeling crept up. "If the body can move, doesn''t that mean the detoxification is already complete?" "......" "Well, it''s still better to be sure." "This is a matter of life and death. I will not take it lightly," she declared. She flicked the end of her briefcase with her hand, feeling something caught inside. Without even looking, she knew what it was. Leila tapped it playfully. "I had a feeling about this, but it''s bigger than I thought. How could they handle something like this on a regular basis?" Perhaps she should wear something that restricted her movements less than this briefcase does. "Can I even do this? Hm. I need to loosen up a bit more." Leila squeezed her eyes shut. "Let me make this clear, this is necessary. I would never betray Urth¨¦se''s investigator." She lowered her underwear, even though she knew it would never reach the ferocious Arcangelo. A secluded spot, hidden by bushes, was revealed. Arcangelo''s animalistic eyes followed it. She felt a sense of danger that he might swallow her up any moment. Leila found the horror thrilling. Thump, thump. Her heart pounded. Chapter 7 "Stay still," she commanded. However, Leila squeezed her heart with reason. She did not completely let go of the rising heat, nor did she waver. Her hand grabbed the tiny flesh hidden in her bush. After a few screams, it started to get wet. "Ugh..." Hot breaths escaped her, making her feel a little embarrassed. So Leila tried to hide her groan as much as possible. In this situation, it was the best thing to do. She still felt ashamed, but at least it was only for that man. "Although Arcangelo seems to have let go of his reason now, if he regains his senses, he''ll probably feel quite embarrassed." He told her to stay still, but he wasn''t really moving. Leila looked at Arcangelo, then suddenly realized something. "...Your body isn''t moving?" Sweat was running down his face. "Damn it." Once she realized this fact, she became anxious. She also realized that there wasn''t much time left. "Everything is not yet ready, but there''s no choice." Unexpected situations kept occurring. Leila took a deep breath, then grabbed what had already become stiff and put it in her mouth. When she put the head in between her legs, she frowned. "Ugh." It was too big, and even inserting it was difficult. Surely, it would swell even more after today. "After this is over, I must take a vacation." Leila endured the pain and lowered her body. A groan also escaped Arcangelo''s mouth beneath her, who was burdened as much as she was. "Hold on. It''s better than dying, isn''t it?" However, instead of assisting the man to become accustomed by slowly lowering her hips, Leila descended even more rapidly. It was not easy to insert something thick and long for no reason. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± If it were not for this situation, it would have been better if the man in front of me was not Arcangelo Urseau. If that were the case, this situation would not have been so burdensome. She pushed him all the way in and took a moment to catch her breath. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. She felt a blunt sensation in her stomach. Breathing was difficult. The wrinkles inside me tightened around the intruder, crushing him. Leila bit her lip and lifted her hips up before quickly lowering them again. ¡°Ugh.¡± She forced her trembling body to move. Their bodily fluids mingled. The bed was already soaked with the water she had spilled. ¡°A flowing sensation¡­¡± What was inside of her flowed into him. His complexion gradually improved. Before starting the mission, I read material on how to deal with addiction in case of unexpected situations. There was a case of treating an actual addict where they reported feeling like something was flowing into them. "Looks like this was the right answer after all." My instincts now tell me that he will be okay. However, what''s strange is that his eyes are still rolled back. Leila opened her eyes thinly. "Why on earth..." At that moment, their positions were reversed. "Ugh!" The beast who had lost reason covered her body with his own. Their lips met. His hips moved slowly. "Max, stop!" He jabbed into Leila''s innermost with his own, then slowly withdrew. Her red eyelids followed his pillar. His lips curved upwards. Thud. With a strength that couldn''t compare to when she moved, Arcangelo slammed his waist into hers. "Ah!" All her strength went into it. She felt like stars were exploding in front of her eyes. Was that satisfying for the mindless beast he was? He shook his waist faster. "Eugh!" Thump. Thump. Thump. His tongue and pillar simultaneously taunted her insides. "If this goes on, I''ll lose my mind." Leila tried to push him away with her free hand. "Urseau, euh, euht!" But both her hands were bound by his. Her lips were sealed, and all she could make were noises no different from the beast''s. "Euh, euh!" In the pleasure that kept crashing like waves, it was impossible for the rationality of a sailing ship to stay put. "Hueuat!" Her head turned white. She felt her walls clenching the intrusion tightly. "Kreut......" Even the beast that had lost its rationality so far surrendered to the pressure and spilled his seed. She felt something else entering her belly. Leila breathed heavily. "Hueu, eu......" It''s finally over. She thought, and as she met his eyes, she felt a chill. "Why... why are you still out of your mind?" His eyes were still those of a beast. As if the power inside him had increased, they had grown even larger than before. No, they seemed to have grown even larger than when they first started. Leila''s pupils trembled slightly. Deeply, her genitals retracted and then slammed back in place. As if she had just awakened a sleeping beast. "I''m sorry," Leila whispered, her voice barely audible. The man next to her smirked, his gaze fixed on her body. "Sorry for what?" he asked, his tone dripping with disdain. Leila''s heart sank. She knew she had made a mistake, but she couldn''t bring herself to admit it. Chapter 8 "Madness, you crazy bastard..." Leila hit her sore waist with her hand. She had hit it so hard that her lips and even her lower body felt numb. Her entire body was filled with muscle pain. Leila strongly regretted her past self, who had laughed while watching him imitate the way she kissed. "Did I laugh? What was so funny that I laughed? Why?" It seemed like both of them had gone crazy. She looked outside where the sun had already set and headed towards the bathroom, stumbling along the way. Looking at the marks left on her body, she didn''t feel good. "Is he really insane?" Even after detoxing, he didn''t stop his actions. Leila''s consciousness had disconnected multiple times, only to be reconnected by the feeling of his legs between hers. "Should I leave him and go?" It was embarrassing to see each other''s faces, should they really leave together? Anyway, if he had a conscience, it would be uncomfortable for him too. "No, that''s not an option. After all, Arcangelo was in a mentally fragile state to begin with." The person who created this situation is the one to be hated and resented. She washed herself with water. "Anyway, the mission was only half a failure. We secured the data, but we didn''t capture the creator." Still, the worst had been avoided. In the end, they both survived. So, it''s okay. "Ugh..." As she came out after a quick wash, she saw Arcangelo with his face against the wall. "Finally, you''re coming to your senses." She put on her clothes over her underwear. They were torn in places, but they were still wearable. Unintentionally, she turned her head at his voice and saw Arcangelo''s face turn red. "Don''t you have any shame, Detective Cassilia?" "Why do I have to feel ashamed?" "What?" "If it weren''t for me, Detective Urseau would have died. What I did was nothing but an act close to rescue work," said the man. Surprisingly, he didn''t seem to be that ashamed. Perhaps it was because he was already taking his share of embarrassment. When one party is excessively embarrassed, the other is less likely to be embarrassed. "What are you going to do?" asked Leila. "What do you mean?" "The sun has set. Are you going to return immediately, or take a rest before going?" If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Leila decided to show her consideration and treated him as she usually did so he could escape the embarrassing situation. "I got the data that was in the laboratory. I skimmed through it, and it seemed to describe the production process." ".....Did Detective Cassilia do her part?" Arcangelo''s impression was crushed by Leila''s words. He felt angry with himself. "You seem to be mistaken. Capturing the creator wasn''t just your mission; it was also mine." "....." "This wasn''t just a failure of Detective Urseau, but also mine." If they had been a little faster, they might have been able to assassinate, if not capture. While thinking about it, Arcangelo said something he couldn''t hold back. "Why did you save me?" "What?" "If you had chased after me immediately, you could have killed me even if you couldn''t capture me! Like this, it''s humiliating..." At that, Leila''s eyes rolled. She pushed him against the wall. "You." Anger boiled up in her from the tip of her head. She had never been so angry before. All of her emotions and thoughts turned to ash before the heat of her fury. "Don''t say such things in front of me." Leila''s words were as cold as ice. At that moment, she didn''t even notice that her opponent was a patient. The scene in front of her eyes kept flashing black and white. A relatively recent memory came to mind. Leila''s lips tightened. "Damn it." She turned her back. She thought she was lucky to have survived until just now, but her mood plummeted in an instant. "Go wash up and get dressed. We have to go back to the bureau right away," he said sternly. Aracangello was the last person she wanted to be with, even for a single moment. It was dreadful. * * * Leila was exhausted. "Well?" Her interlocutor, Robert, seemed equally unenthusiastic. "So you had an emotional altercation because you both failed your mission?" "..." "Is the mission just a game to both of you?" Thwack. Robert slapped the desk with his hand. Leila, who had kept her lips tightly sealed until then, spoke up. "I''m sorry." Meanwhile, Arcangelo remained silent, as if he had done nothing wrong. It was no surprise that Robert was angry. "...Both of you will be punished for this incident. Detective Urseau did not cooperate enough, and Detective Cassilia caused problems due to their emotions." "Yes." "But, I''m grateful that both of you came back alive." At those words, a frown appeared on Arcangelo''s forehead. Leila let out a hollow laugh. Robert could roughly imagine what had happened between them. "Both of you will receive an examination and treatment before returning home. Punishment will be a temporary suspension from work." "Understood." Leila and Arcangelo bid farewell to Robert and left the office of the Chief Detective . When their eyes met for a moment, both of their faces wrinkled in the same way. "I''m glad I don''t have to face that guy for a while." Leila gestured for Arcangelo to go first and rubbed her face with her hand. It had been the worst day. *** However, unfortunately, the events of that day did not simply conclude as a matter of that particular day. "¡­Excuse me, what did you say?" "Detective Arcangelo Urseau has fallen. We require the assistance of Detective Leila Cassilia." The next evening, a call came in from the investigative headquarters. The word was that Detective Arcangelo Urseau had fallen. Chapter 9 Leila hastily dressed and headed to the Urseau¡¯s mansion. When she arrived, there were already several people in his room. "Fortunately, you came just in time, Detective Cassilia," said one of them. "What in the world is going on? What should I do?" Cassilia asked. Among them was Robert. Leila felt a little relieved when she saw his face. It was uncomfortable standing among unfamiliar faces. "So, you are Detective Leila Cassilia. I''ve heard about you," the man said. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Urseau," Leila replied. Especially this man. "You know who I am." "Because Detective Urseau resembles you, I could recognize you right away." His wolf-like eyes scanned me like a snake. Leila felt uncomfortable. Fortunately, Robert spoke up. "Detective Cassilia, can you decipher Detective Urseau now?" "Decipher? What do you mean?" "Haven''t you heard the detailed explanation?" "I came quickly because it was an urgent matter." But it was not unexpected. The only reason they called me to this place was for that one thing. "If it''s deciphering, then the 121 that attacked Detective Urseau hasn''t completely disappeared and is still lingering." Leila''s face turned red with guilt. "I may not know what''s going on, but did I make a mistake in my response?" Otherwise, there was no reason for such a situation to occur. She hung her head in shame. "I understand. We''ll start right away, so it would be best if everyone left." "Just a moment. Detective Cassilia speaking." Leila turned to the person who called her. He was wearing a white robe. It was a familiar face. "He''s the deer humanoid researcher we saw yesterday. He''s collaborating with the investigation agency on 121." If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. And he was also the one who examined Arcangelo yesterday. "Could you hold my hand before we start decoding in earnest?" "My hand?" "Yes, Detective Urseau''s hand." He cast a strange spell on her. Leila grabbed Arcangelo''s hand, which was already stretched out as he wished. Then, she felt something flowing into him. Beep, beep, beep. The wire in the monitor connected to his body moved up and down constantly. The most surprising thing was that he opened his eyes. "Huh?" "As expected." The researcher said as if he had realized something. Leila turned her head to him. "May I ask how this happened?" She couldn''t help but ask. "As far as I know, the decoding of 121 involves injecting the frequencies of other humanoids into one''s body, and to do so, they had to kiss or have sexual intercourse." To Leila''s follow-up question, the researcher grinned widely. "That''s right! That''s why this situation is very interesting." "Excuse me?" Interesting? Her face looked weird. Robert''s face was also very subtle. "There he goes again." Everyone heard it, but no one said anything. Urseau also closed his mouth with a worried look. ¡°Originally, Su-in couldn¡¯t feel her own wavelength. Nevertheless, the current Detective Cassilia senses that her wavelength is dropping.¡± ¡°Uh... Is that so? But isn¡¯t that the case with all of them when deciphering 121?¡± ¡°Why does that happen? Can we really assume that it''s natural?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly wrong. But I don''t think it''s necessary right now.¡± ¡°Ah, let''s just skip to the conclusion for now, shh!¡± Robert covered the researcher''s mouth and I explained. ¡°Without going into details, the conclusion is that the poison that Detective Urseau received is different from the previous ones.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°Yes. It cannot be eliminated by injecting a different wavelength. It can only be put to sleep.¡± Leila''s eyes widened. She looked at Arcangelo, who was sitting up in no time. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Arcangelo was unusually silent. He seemed like a person with no mind. ¡°However, the danger has decreased. Once it''s deactivated, it seems to fall asleep again even with much less wavelength than before.¡± ¡°That was my hypothesis!¡± The researcher intervened with an excited face. Leila''s face also became subtle. At that moment, Arcangelo spoke up. ¡°In short, it''s a ticking time bomb.¡± His impression was deeply frowned upon. Then, Leila noticed something strange. He was still holding my hand. I had already let go of my strength. "It''s hurting a bit." He even held it stronger. She frowned slightly. ¡°You''ll become a helpless, pathetic sight that might collapse again anytime. A loser, a ticking time bomb. "Detective Urseau." "You fit the part quite well." Leila frowned and pointed at his hand with her finger. "I don''t know about that, but for now, let go of my hand and let''s talk." She seems a bit unhinged, should I hit her now? As he pondered this, finally, Arcangelo''s gaze also turned toward them. Chapter 10 As if realizing only then that he had been holding on, his expression became even more contorted. Then he flung her hand away. "But you were the one holding on." Leila rubbed her slightly chilled hand. Anyway, she had a damn rotten personality. "Then we should just keep receiving the waves continuously." She spoke to the researcher to change the subject. Without expecting that it would be a wrong choice at all. "Yes. Then that''s what we''ll do. However, there is one big problem with this." "What problem?" "That only the wavelength that was injected when the toxin was first put to sleep has any effect. From now on, continuously." "...... What?" For a moment, Leila didn''t understand what the researcher was saying. More accurately, she didn''t want to understand it. But damn it, she wasn''t that stupid, and soon she could pick up the implication of what he said. But she hoped it wasn''t just that. "Does that mean...?" "Detective Casilla needs to continue to inject waves into Detective Urseau''s body until the 121st antidote is created." "Well, it probably won''t come to that, but what if a complication arises that can''t be solved with simple contact?" "Do I need to make a bolder move?" Leila''s face contorted strangely. Unspoken words swirled within her, with the presence of a stranger, Detective Urseau, whose face she had not seen before. "Are they all in their right minds...?" she wondered. Her vision turned dark. It was her future. * * * Many things had happened despite her initial intentions. Leila ended up staying at Arcangelo Urseau¡¯s mansion. She also received an indefinite vacation along with a seven-day recovery period. Since yesterday, she had counted six days left. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°...Do you think the Commissioner sees this as the behavior of a decent person?¡± ¡°Well, I guess. It can''t be helped.¡± Leila followed Robert to the Commissioner''s office. She had something to say before moving her luggage. ¡°So, what did you want to talk about? I think I need to hurry home and pack my things. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve been staying elsewhere for a while.¡± ¡°Leila, there''s no one here but us. You can speak freely.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Freely? If I speak freely now, can you handle it?¡± Leila''s eyes were already half-filled with anger. Robert decided to stay silent. Leila sighed and sat on the couch after seeing his reaction. ¡°...Sorry. I know it can''t be helped, but I''m frustrated.¡± Her words were more relaxed than before. Robert felt a bit relieved. ¡°I understand. I''m sorry.¡± ¡°It''s okay. You couldn''t help it. It''s work-related.¡± ¡°You can hate me if you want. It''s my fault.¡± Leila looked at his face and sighed again. Leila Cassilia and Robert Pandeia were close in private. They lived next door when they were young, and their connection went back even before she was born. Moreover, since their family situations were somewhat complicated, they grew up like one family. That''s why, when they were very young, she thought of him as her big brother. ¡°Even my becoming a detective was partly because of you, big brother.¡± Leila rolled her eyes playfully. "That''s right. If my older brother hadn''t asked me to help as a detective , this wouldn''t have happened." "Ugh." "I had a solid body, you know. But because I refused that and took the exam to become a detective , they treat me like this... Sob, it hurts." "Oh, I''m sorry!" Leila giggled. Even though he still couldn''t say anything when this topic was brought up, she felt a heaviness in his heart, but found it funny. "It''s really alright. It''s an inevitable situation. I don''t want to act meanly to sensitive issues related to people''s lives." She shrugged. "It''s not an easy task though." "You don''t have to bear it all." "Even if I get angry with my older brother, nothing will change. It''s just a waste of energy." She stretched out on the sofa. "So, let''s get to the point. What do you want me to do?" "Ugh... did you notice?" "Does my older brother have any other reason to call me to the detective ''s office, besides having something to ask me?" She shrugged her shoulders up and down. "My older brother isn''t the type of person to call me this far just to comfort me." "I ain''t that mean." "I''m just busy. It''s hard to focus on the work of a single detective ." Robert''s face twitched slightly. Actually, the statement wasn''t wrong when he thought about it. Moreover, all those cases were not trivial matters. "Is it my mistake to think that your words have a bone in them?" "That''s right, so you don''t have to ask, Chief of Detective" Robert furrowed his brow with his hand. "Stop teasing...I already know you''re doing this on purpose to make me feel at ease." "Haha. Do you really think that''s the only reason?" "For real, stop it." Leila smiled slightly and closed her mouth. Robert sighed. "Right. Nothing''s going to change no matter what I do, so it''s better to say it in advance so I can rest a little. I''m already tired." Robert closed and opened his eyes. The light atmosphere of the chief''s office slowly became heavy. Leila sat up straight and returned to the position of a detective and the chief of detective¡¯s, not as a friendly acquaintance. ¡°Detective Leila Cassilia, I want to hear your thoughts on the mission you just completed." "Yes." "Although it''s not in the report, did you feel anything strange while performing this mission?" "Something strange?" Leila''s face was filled with doubt at the sudden question. Since he asked her to speak, she had to say something. Chapter 11 However, as it came suddenly, Leila couldn''t think of anything specific. "Even if you ask me that suddenly, there''s nothing I can say. I wrote everything in the report." "Just a feeling is enough." "Well then, let''s start by summarizing what happened." Leila started organizing what happened to sense any discomfort. "I investigated two out of the five locations with Detective Urseau. Afterwards, he went to a mansion that is believed to be a laboratory a bit further away, and I went to an apartment-type mansion believed to be a hiding place." "Why did you decide to investigate separately?" "I thought it would be more efficient. Prosecutor Urse kept telling me that the way I do my job doesn''t fit with his." As she spoke, she realized where her discomfort came from. Leila''s eyes widened. "Wait, are you suspecting Arcangelo Urseau now?" "Detective Leila Cassilia." "Why now, all of a sudden?" She was so surprised that she discarded her respect and got up from her seat. "You know he''s the child of a politician right? So he can''t be excluded from politics. That''s why the test took two whole years." "Calm down, Leila." "Brother, you''re no longer the unstable head of the investigative department when I first arrived. There''s no one here who can ignore your authority." Without realizing it, Leila clenched her fists. "Surely you know what it means to be suspected by such an older brother...." The investigation bureau was a rather nondescript place. Their work was in a similar area as the police, but sometimes even darker. Thus, this place was very closed off. In this situation, being suspected by the leader of that group could not be a small matter. Merely being suspected was no different from death for his career as a detective. "...We are not suspecting without any evidence." Robert let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face with his hand. "Actually, the order for this mission came from the assembly. They specifically included a Urseau investigator to capture the maker of 121." Leila''s eyes widened. In this country, the country of the Suin people, there is no king, but rather 10 hereditary members gather in the assembly to rule the country. And one of them was Arcangelo Urseau''s father, Gaju Urseau. "And Arcangelo Urseau tried to take on the mission alone without you. It was different from usual." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Several thoughts came to her mind as well. He kept trying to separate her from the mission. She thought it was simply because he didn''t like her. "But what if it wasn''t?" Leila shook her head. "That''s just a suspicion. There is no evidence that Detective Arcangelo Urseau acted for his family''s benefit." "...." "Besides, even if he had left me behind, what could he have done? He wouldn''t have known that I would catch up with him soon." She tried to find a valid reason. "Moreover, he is objectively the best investigator. It''s not strange for the assembly to designate him. The members want to get their hands on the maker rather than kill them." To obtain a way to attack the wave. She swallowed her words. Meanwhile, Robert spoke up. "There''s another strange thing, Leila. What was the situation like when you found Detective Urseau?" "There were signs of a struggle, and he was slumped against the wall, poisoned by 121." "And no one attacked you when you left with Urseau?" "...No." Leila ran her hand through her hair, her thoughts racing. "If we think about it that way, everything seems suspicious!" She slumped into her seat, overcome with exhaustion. After the emergency situation yesterday, she now found herself in a situation where she had to suspect her own colleague. Even worse, Ursei was someone she had personally rescued. Leila bowed her head low. "The creator of 121 must be affiliated with some group or at least has some accomplices. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to find someone to test the poison." "...Yes." "And the people who attacked me yesterday could be evidence of that." It was a puzzle with no clear answer. Leila was concerned about the current state of Arcangelo, given the possibility of a collusion between the Urseau family and the creators of 121. But it wasn''t a straightforward hostile relationship, as the state of Arcangelo''s survival was at stake. It was a dilemma. Robert broke the tension and spoke again. "So I''ll secretly assign a mission to Detective Cassilia." "...Yes." "Monitor Detective Arcangelo Urseau closely as you decode his poison. Report to me immediately if anything suspicious arises." "I understand," said Leila. She wanted to believe in Archangelo. Though she disliked him, she still wanted to see him as a fellow investigator. "Should we investigate the Urseaui mansion while we stay there?" "No. It''s best not to touch that place." "Because of the Ouiwon family?" "Yes. It''s too big of a target for only Detective Cassilia to handle." It was good to accept this mission for his sake. Leila nodded her head, letting go of her uneasy heart. "Is this all you wanted to say?" "Yes, Detective Cassilia." "Then I''ll step back now." She stood up and bowed towards him. Robert watched her leave towards the door and cautiously spoke up. "Leila, are you still haunted by the nightmares of the night?" It was not a remark from the chief investigator but rather from Robert himself as a friend. Leila replied as a friend, not an investigator. "As always, you know." "I always say this, Leila, but your way of relieving stress isn''t very good. It''ll ultimately ruin you. Stop trying to be free." "It''s not like I think this is the right thing to do either. If becoming free was possible, I would have done it sooner." Robert hesitated for a moment before apologizing. "I''m sorry." Unlike the previous apologies, Leila only gave a bitter smile before opening the door and leaving. * * * Chapter 12 Robert let out a deep sigh after Leila left. His mind was in turmoil. At the same time, he felt guilty for what happened with Leila. "She must have figured it out," he thought. The orders from his superiors were simply to assign Arcangelo a task and attach a female investigator to the case. Choosing Leila, his own person, was his own decision. In the end, Robert was responsible for creating this situation. "There''s no point in meeting with the old man and the woman. There never was," he said. There were other things he didn''t say to her. He told Leila that he was only suspicious, but Robert was certain that there was a connection between 121 and the Ursei family. He took out the document he had hidden deep in the drawer. It was the result of analyzing Arcangelo''s blood that had been exposed to 121. More accurately, it was data analyzing the residual components of 121 in his blood. "It reacts more strongly to the wavelengths of wolf shifters and snake shifters than to those of other shifters...and the fact that this toxin causes such a phenomenon in attacking wavelengths, there must be a reason." Deeper investigation was needed. However, he couldn''t entrust it to Leila. Leila Cassilia was not only Robert Pandea''s accomplice, but also someone he had to protect. "Who should I write to? Even if I suspect him, Ursei must know that I am suspicious of him." The phone in the room rang. He picked it up. The person on the other end of the line told him what he had expected. "Detective Urseau has taken Detective Cassilia''s files." "I expected as much, but when did he take them?" "The superintendent seems to have taken it as soon as he left the Urseau¡¯s mansion," said the Korean translator. That meant that Detective Urseau had learned the secret that she had been hiding. Robert rubbed his tense head. It seemed that as time passed, he only had more things to feel sorry for Leila about. His face darkened. "Well, thank you for letting me know," he said. He hung up the phone. There was nothing left to do but keep an eye on the Ursay family. He had instructed Leila to investigate Arcangelo, but that was only one part of the puzzle. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "If I keep watching, something will come up for sure. At least it''s clear that the creator and the werewolf clan, the Urseau family, are involved." Several thoughts came to his mind. Much was still unclear, but one thing was certain. "At least the Urseau family will suffer a great deal from this incident." Robert stood up from his seat. There was still much to be done. * * * At that moment, Leila found herself in an unamusing situation. "Madam Kae would like to meet with Detective Cassilia," the messenger said. "Do we need to go right now?" Leila asked. "Yes. We will move your luggage to the room where you will be staying," the messenger replied. Leila knew that at least one confrontation was inevitable since she arrived here. But she was still surprised by the sudden announcement. She rolled her eyes. "I''m glad we didn''t bring anything weird in our bags," she thought. Fortunately, their bags were filled with harmless items. If that were not the case, things could have gone much worse. While Leila would do anything to save Arcangelo, Robert would have been subjected to a political attack. "Please show us the way," Leila said. "Of course." Leila handed the messenger her bags and followed him to the private study on the third floor. Inside, Detective Urseau was reading through some documents. "Get yourself together," Leila reminded herself. He was cold and serpent-like as he studied her. "You''re later than expected," he said. "We took longer than expected to pack our bags and had dinner on the way here. I apologize for the delay," Leila replied firmly. She did not want to show any weakness. "Does the chief investigator have that much to say?" he asked. She folded her eyes delicately. "Of course, I haven''t written it off completely. But I''m only staying at the mansion of a member of the ruling council until the antidote is produced." "He seems to have a long tongue. And he seems to be good at greasing the wheels." She smiled gleefully and muttered to herself. "Wow, she really has a bad personality. Compared to her, Arcangelo has a good personality." He looked at Leila as if he didn''t think she was worth much. It seemed like he didn''t even consider her his equal. "You were close with the head of the investigative agency since you were young, right?" "That''s right." "And you''re also the second-best investigator in the agency''s history, right?" "That''s correct." He''s a sour person. "Not bad, I guess." On the other hand, he seemed to be evaluating Leila in his own way. Leila kept her lips tight and listened closely. "Your background is also good." His chilly gaze met mine. However, there was no trace of emotion on Leila''s face. Chapter 13 Urseau clicked his tongue as he gazed at Leila''s expressionless face. "Did you suspect that I knew your secret?" "It''s a natural action. As the one who constantly detoxifies the body of the only heir and it''s only natural to investigate thoroughly." He tilted his head as if he were intrigued. "Aren''t you anxious about me knowing your secret?" "Not particularly. It''s not a weakness, after all." "How peculiar." Leila and her parents looked alike, not only in appearance but also in attitude, as if they were not parent and child. However, he made her feel much worse than Arcangelo. Leila narrowed her eyes and smiled. "If you thought that was a weakness from the beginning, I would have hidden it more thoroughly. It wouldn''t have been too difficult with the connection to the head of the investigation bureau." His gaze evaluating her slowly descended from above. "Well, that''s settled." That meant that everything they had discussed so far was more like a small talk. Perhaps he was planning to straighten up before starting the real conversation. "You had sex with my son." Ah. "That''s quite a blow." Fortunately, Leila managed to keep her composure and didn''t even bat an eye. If she hadn''t been trained beforehand, she might have coughed or been surprised. "It was just part of the detox process for 121." "And contraception?" "I''ve been taking the pills continuously since I started working as an investigator. It can''t interfere with my job. "Is that so?" His mouth twisted. It was an unexpected reaction. "I regret to hear that." "Pardon?" "If you were to become pregnant, I would have asked you to hand the child over to our side." Leila failed to hide her expression. Her face contorted. "I am a cat chimera, doctor. And you, Mr. Urseau, the detective, are a wolf chimera." "Indeed." "You know how such a child is named in this relationship. And you also know how society treats such a child." This refers to the term "heterozygous hybrid," which describes when a chimera with completely different parents, such as a wolf and a cat or a tiger and a rabbit, have a child. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. And they never receive good treatment in chimera society, especially if they come from a noble family. The more purebred they are, the stronger and more noble they are believed to be. Even among the wolf chimeras, they divide into direct and collateral lines. How cruel it must be for a heterozygous hybrid chimera with completely different parents. "Do you think that''s important? I didn''t expect such words to come out of your mouth." Mr. Urseau tilted his head. His cold, emotionless eyes met Leila''s, and the glint in his eyes reminded her of a jewel-toned pumpkin. "Well, there''s no need to say more if there''s no chance of pregnancy. That will be all. The person outside will guide you." Leila stared at his eyes for a moment, then bowed and said, "Yes, understood." As she turned her back and grabbed the doorknob, Mr. Urseau spoke again. "If you move recklessly within this mansion, you will pay the price, without me having to say it, won''t you?" "Understood." "You seem like a rather clever individual who can handle things on their own. After all, you must be a skilled investigator who managed to safely bring the heir back in such a situation." Leila opened the door and stepped outside, immediately locking eyes with Sijong standing in front of her. "No time to relax." She smiled as if contorting her expression, but the laughter shook slightly. "Thank you." Sijong didn''t miss it, he took note of it and then turned to guide her down the path. She followed him to the guest room assigned to her. The room she was given was like a suite in a hotel with a bathroom, bedroom, and a sitting room. Her bag was placed on the table. "I''ll come to serve breakfast tomorrow morning. If you need anything in the middle of the night, just shake the bell." "Thank you for letting me know." "You can feel free to make any requests. After all, you are a guest of the Urseau family." Sijong closed the door after looking at her, and Leila twisted her smiling face as soon as it closed. "No bugs...good." She checked around the room to see if any bugs had been installed somewhere. Luckily, there weren''t any such tricks. "I suppose there''s no need to resort to such obvious tricks. Thanks for making things easy." However, she needed to do a thorough check to ease her mind. Finally, after completing the confirmation process entirely, Leila let out a sigh of relief. "Ah, I am exhausted," she groaned. She stretched her body out on the bed. The room I was given was located near the central corridor on the second floor. It was a room that would not normally be given to guests. "It is probably a warning to be careful about words and actions since the guards are frequently around. There may also be a meaning to monitor us." Even I would probably do the same, so I had no complaints. "The room is nice." She buried her face in the pillow. "What was the point of bringing up the talk about crossbreeding?" It was not to provoke me. It seemed like the topic did not have much significance to that person. In fact, I did not feel too bad when I heard the story. I acted that way because I did not know the reason of the other person. "If you are going to assign work, at least tell me properly and let me do it. It''s hard to understand what''s going on when information is censored in the middle." A sigh escaped. Robert had something hidden from me about this matter, and I knew the reason, but I was annoyed. "I won''t just sit here... If you are going to make me suffer like this, pay me some money." If I am forced to take an unpaid vacation, I won''t just sit still. Laila kept hitting the pillow and eventually fell asleep. "Ah." She immediately realized that she had fallen asleep. The elegant and clean room had turned into a white snowfield in an instant. It was a familiar scenery. "Another dream." As she walked over the snow, which was so cold that it froze her feet, someone grabbed her foot. The white turned into red. She closed her eyes, hearing a cursed voice directed at her. It was cold. The real her was probably covered with a warm blanket. Chapter 14 Mr. Urseau set down the papers he was holding and in front of him was a steward who had entered unnoticed. "Anything strange?" he asked. "Nothing, sir. He didn''t bring anything suspicious." "And he didn''t install anything?" "Other than checking to make sure nothing had been installed, no, sir." "Hmm." Detective Urseau took a short breath and fell into thought. "I heard he''s someone Investigator Robert values. If that''s true, he wouldn''t have sent him to participate in the 121 operation with Arcangelol." "...." "That means if it''s a lie, it''s information that could get us into trouble if it were to be discovered." He made the right choice. If Leila Cassilia had known about it, he would have silenced her without anyone knowing. That was something that couldn''t be revealed. "What is Arcangelo doing now?" "He''s training in his room, sir." "Tsk. If he had been content with being an investigator, he would have done a perfect job. To fall victim to such poison." Representative Urseau''s face scrunched up. The steward spoke quietly. "It''s too late to change the heir. Besides, even if Arcangelo doesn''t have combat skills, he has many other outstanding abilities." "That''s why he was recognized as the heir, even with his reckless behavior." The congressman lowered his gaze and fell deep in thought. ¡°...Once this is done, I must put an end to my work as an investigator.¡± ¡°Will Arcangelo be easy to follow?¡± ¡°I''ll have to follow him. Fooling around like this should be enough. Nonetheless, that guy is my only heir. It would be troublesome if something happens to him.¡± He rose from his seat and looked out the window behind his desk. His gaze was fixed on the city beyond. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Continue to monitor Detective Cassilia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The butler understood his master''s command and quietly left the study. Congressman Urseau stood alone in the room, biting his tongue. ¡°These people act as they please.¡± His eyes, icy and filled with annoyance, spoke volumes. He turned his body and headed out of the study. Thud, the door closed. * * * Leila had no intention of doing anything here, contrary to Representative Woo''s thoughts. Although Robert warned her not to disturb Representative Woo, Laila herself was aware that moving around here would be dangerous. "¡­Did I sleep all this time?" Unable to move recklessly, she simply slept. She stretched as if she hadn''t fully woken up yet. Arcangello looked puzzled at Laila''s appearance. "What are you getting up early for? Since it''s come to this, you should at least get a good night''s sleep. This bed is so comfortable." "No morning training?" "What training? You should rest well when you can." Unlike Laila, Arcangello had already showered and sweated since morning. "Can Representative Woo really train like that? It''s not completely detoxified yet." Arcangello''s expression turned stern at those words. "I''m fine." "Try to avoid strenuous exercise until the test results come out properly. If any side effects occur, I''ll be bothered." "¡­What?" "I''m too tired for this," said Leila. Arcangelo looked at her with a bewildered expression. "Do people usually say that in this situation? Not that I know of." "Well, did you think I was worried? Should I be concerned about the great and powerful Detective Arcangelo Urseau?" Their argument drew the attention of passersby. Leila glanced at their faces, but no one seemed to be showing any signs of discomfort. She observed them as if they were dolls, expressionless and lifeless. "It gives me the creeps." Leila turned away from them as if she had never looked. "To the person who said that they should have found their objective and completed their mission instead of saving themselves." "Detective Cassilia" "There''s no need to say anything else. I don''t need to be pacified, because I will do what I need to do anyway." Instead, Leila looked into Arcangelo''s clear blue eyes. "Unlike some people, I believe that saving lives is the most important thing. As long as we''re alive, we can do anything." Despite this, she had taken the lives of several people just a few days ago. Leila let out a bitter laugh. "Detective Arcangelo UrseauI, I''ll save you if the situation arises again. It''s not related to my dislike of Urseau investigators." "...." "This is a matter of my beliefs." Arcangelo didn''t say anything in response. Chapter 15 Upon seeing her, he suddenly became more clear-headed. Leila felt a twinge of embarrassment at what she had just said, but she didn''t want to show it. "Anyway, that''s that." "......" "Oh, by the way, since you''re here, it looks like we''re having a meal together. When is Deective Urseau coming?" Although he was less awkward than Arcangelo, this atmosphere was even more tense. If only it were the usual bickering with Vigol, she would have been annoyed but still comfortable. She couldn''t understand why Arcangelo Urseau suddenly fell silent. "The owner has already left for work. He told me to tell you that there is a lot of work to be done because of the Duke''s affairs, so only the two of you will be having a meal." Just the two of them? Their eyes met. The faces of Leila and Arcangelo twisted simultaneously. It was Arcangelo who got up from his seat first. "Well then, I''ll eat in my room. There''s no point in coming all the way to the restaurant for this." "The owner has a message for you, Arcangelo Urseau. Don''t forget what I said." At that moment, Arcangelo had a face that Leila had never seen before. She noticed one thing when she looked straight at him. He had never been truly angry in front of her before. "No, can we really say that he was just angry?" Anger. Hatred. Disgust. All of these dark emotions, along with an inexplicable feeling, crossed his face. Arcangelo sat back down. It was an unexpected move. "The chief of bureau of investigation has a message for Detective Cassilia which he requested to be passed on." Although I didn''t understand why, I had thought about leaving myself if he didn''t leave. Sensing Leila''s mind, Sijong spoke up. "Stay close to Detective Urseau. If you fall behind, it will be treated as unpaid leave." Leila''s face was filled with astonishment. How can he make such a conscienceless statement like that? Ordering overtime work like this! This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "What the hell are you talking about!" "He said that if you continue to stick around, you will receive a bonus of 300% of your salary." Leila sat down. Arcangelo looked dumbfounded. "That''s ridiculous. It''s just money..." "Perhaps it''s hard for a nobleman from a wealthy family like yourself to understand, but this is the plight of a mere salaried worker." His face looked as if he was seeing an oddity. Leila completely ignored his gaze. "I said it, but it was just nonsense." The moment she heard Sijong''s words, Leila recalled the secret mission Robert entrusted to her yesterday. "Decrypt his poison and monitor Detective Arcangelo Urseau from the closest position possible. If you notice anything suspicious, report it to me immediately." That''s a reason for her to stick close to him. At the same time, it''s an order to herself. "Make sure to monitor Arcangelo Urseau thoroughly." Anyway, she couldn''t forget it. "You have to save enough money to live comfortably in retirement. You never know when it''s time to retire as a prosecutor." "Don''t we have to check if we can retire safely before that?" "Even if you face hardships, you can''t die because you''ve saved money until now." "Seriously." Leila rambled on while looking at Arcangelo, her mind becoming muddled. "There''s a possibility of betrayal.... She lowered her eyelids and hid her now cold gaze. "Arcangelo Urseau, could you really be a traitor?" She was still troubled. However, Leila Cassilia was an investigator, and it was the duty of an investigator to faithfully carry out orders. Besides, this wasn''t exactly cutting a colleague''s throat. * * * "It''s annoying," Arcangelo said, his face furrowed. Leila was nodding off in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall. "It''s bothering me," Leila Cassilia followed him around, having heard about it in the morning. She wasn''t doing anything, just watching him and dozing off like a sick chicken. "If you slept so well, why do you need to sleep again? You should have just slept in your own bed." Arcangelo tried to shake Leila hard, but she didn''t respond. It was expected. You couldn''t get a response from someone who was sleeping. Despite knowing this, Arcangelo couldn''t just leave Leila Cassilia alone. "It''s bothering me." Who dared to offer help for my subject? He was complete on his own. He didn''t need anyone''s help. Especially not from a petty feline like that. But eventually, he needed the help of that petty feline. He was damned by that criminal. "There''s really no one more idiotic." Arcangelo tried to shake Leila''s shoulder to wake her up, but as soon as he touched her, a memory flashed before his eyes. "Arcangelo, please, stop it!" He quickly moved away from her. Looking at himself in the window reflection, he saw that his ears were red. "God damn it." He cursed at himself. Chapter 16 If he was going to do something stupid and lose his mind, he would rather have a faint memory. The vivid memory just made him pause and stare. The fingers that wiped me clean. The soft lips that touched my mouth. A body that was hard and firm due to muscles scattered throughout, but emitted a faint scent. And there, on the soft upper part of the body, the only flabby flesh that existed. I can''t even begin to describe how much trouble that caused me yesterday. "Leila Cassilia!" As I recalled it, anger surged within me. Arcangelo shook her body loudly, waking her up. Then, with a thud and a sound, a strong pressure was felt on her neck. Instinctively, he moved his body without thinking any further. "Ah." Leila''s lips moved. Just like before. Arcangelo unwittingly watched her. "It seems like I made the mistake first." Leila''s hand was on Arcangelo''s neck. He was pressing her shoulders down while lying on top of her. Gulp. Saliva went down his throat. The reason why this situation arose was simple. Half-awake, Leila unconsciously tried to subdue the person who grabbed her, and Arcangelo reflexively subdued Leila. Both of them had some kind of occupational disease. "This, there''s nothing to say about it." He admitted his mistake. Arcangelo did it cleanly. Leila was already in an unfamiliar environment. Her level of tension would be higher than usual. No matter how comfortable it seemed. "But..., damn it. Am I in my right mind?" Looking at Leila under me, all sorts of thoughts entered my mind. Even though I knew it wasn''t the time for that. "I''m sorry, Detective Urseau." Arcangelo spoke apologetically. Due to the impact of hitting the ground, Leila regained consciousness and handed over an apology. Arcangelo paused for a moment and slowly removed his hand from her body. He tightly closed his eyes and his voice trembled slightly. "It''s okay, everything''s fine." He wanted to kiss Leila. The one lying beneath him. He wanted to taste her breath and steal the air from her lungs. He wanted to feel her strength wrap around him again. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her. "I must be insane." Without thinking like that, there was no way he could have had such thoughts. He covered his face with his hands and looked away. "Detective Urseau?" Leila narrowed her eyes at Arcangelo''s uncharacteristic behavior. Why was he acting like that? Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Did he try to ask about the incident related to the suspicion that he was investigating 121 on his own... Oh, no, he wouldn''t." Memories of thoughts that were beginning to go in a strange direction came back to her. Part of the reason was because she had accidentally seen his center. She rolled her eyes. "Should I go out?" "...." "I''ll go out. It''s probably for the best." Leila opened the door and left. She held onto the door and touched the back of her head in pain. "Come to think of it, that''s right." She had forgotten because of the various events that had happened since then. They had established a relationship, albeit for the purpose of deciphering. "That was partly due to Arcangelo losing his mind," she remembered. Thinking back, even Leila felt a little embarrassed. If it had been when she was in charge, it might have been different, but when he moved freely like that, it was literally animalistic mating. "Oh, I suddenly feel dizzy too!" Leila ruffled her hair. Then, thump, a small sound of something falling was heard from behind the door. Without thinking, Leila hastily opened the door. "Arcangelo Urseau!" He had collapsed there. Leila rushed to him and took his hand. She felt her own wavelength spreading into him. "I thought everything was fine until now, but suddenly collapsing like this while I looked away." His closed eyes opened. When Leila saw his blue eyes, she unknowingly relaxed. "Are you awake, Detective Urseau?" "...Ugh." "What?" "Get out of here." He forcefully threw her hand away. Leila was angry at his behavior. She had helped him to be able to get up after suddenly collapsing, and he said to get out of here. "Did you forget your manners in your soup?" The anger that had been welling up inside her suddenly melted away when she saw his face. The emotions that surfaced on his face were not anger or shame, but disgust. That feeling was so intense that she couldn''t even speak. "You didn''t have to help me anyway," Leila thought of Arcangelo when he started picking a fight with her. What expression was he wearing? "I didn''t need your help. The assistance of the subpar Leila Cassilia, who falls behind me in performance every year, was unnecessary!" She couldn''t understand why he suddenly acted this way. She didn''t know if he was picking a fight or just irritated, his face twisted in anger. But now she had a pretty good idea. "Don''t act like you hold the key to my life as a perennial loser." Leila frowned. "I may be a cat person, but why do you seem more cat-like." Being brusque on purpose to hide her vulnerabilities and conceal her inner self was a characteristic of cats. Leila sighed deeply. "Don''t think that you hold the key to my life or that performance ranking matters." "Don''t act noble alone." "I don''t think I''m noble. Maybe if you think I''m pathetic." It seemed like Arcangelo was in a lot of pain. Especially since he was saying things he would never say normally. Unless he was in a desperate situation. "But still, thanks to you, I know why you hate me." Seeing him in this state, her anger towards being told she had to complete the mission to save her life also subsided. "I, I''ll...." "Okay, sure. Just get some rest for now." Leila hit him, neatly knocking him out. He would just keep talking nonsense if he stayed awake. "I guess I won''t have to take him with me today. There are too many people." She carefully laid him down and called for someone to take him away. Leila''s gaze turned to the clock as she watched the servant carrying him away. "It was evening yesterday, but it''s already noon today." The time until he collapsed had become shorter. She narrowed her eyes. Chapter 17 "I am concerned," he said. After waking up and seeing his condition, it seemed like there were more side effects than just passing out. "Is it possible for emotions to fluctuate severely?" he wondered, considering how tightly she had held his hand when he woke up yesterday and how irritable she suddenly became today. "Please contact the chief of the investigation team. Detective Urseau has collapsed again," she said. He was tired. Leila squinted her eyes. His throat was a little sore. "But this is okay," he thought to himself. It was okay to be angry for no reason. They could both be angry together. "As long as you didn''t betray the family for personal gain," he said. If that were true, he wouldn''t be disappointed in him, he would despise him. "So let''s hope it''s not just that," she said. She walked towards his room. * * * ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence hung heavy in his room. Leila sat with her arms crossed, while Arcangelo sat upright, holding his head in his hands. "I''m sleepy," he muttered. Although Arcangelo appeared to be lost in thought, Leila, in fact, was not concerned with what he was thinking. She had done everything she could when he had fainted. So now, she simply felt sleepy. "There''s a visitor." "Ah." Just when she thought she might doze off, the person she had been waiting for arrived. Leila uncrossed her arms and rose from her seat. A familiar face appeared before her. "Good to see you again. You were here yesterday, weren''t you?" It was the dear researcher who had come when Arcangelo had collapsed. "We won''t have anything good to gain from meeting too often. Of course, I''m not talking about the stories of Detective Urseau and Cassilia. I just find them amusing." The researcher had brought a machine with her and connected it to Arcangelo''s body. It showed the waves that were emanating from him. "Let''s see. You said he collapsed 30 minutes ago. But the waves are very stable for that kind of thing." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "That''s true, but his initial reaction was unusual." Her words made him tremble for a moment. But he said nothing and didn''t even look at her. Leila noticed his response. "Well, what was unusual about it?" "It felt like it was harder for him to regulate his emotions than usual. Normally, if you were to refine your emotions and then express them once, it would seem like he was expressing them raw." "Hmm." The researcher''s eyes glimmered with a spark of excitement. "It''s probably not a big issue." Despite his amused expression, his tone was calm. "Since the root of our werewolf nature is animalistic, our instincts tend to emerge in the face of persistent threats to our lives. Just like when we first deciphered the code." In his words, the two of them remembered what had happened then. Leila felt annoyance building up inside her, along with a growing heat in her face. She scrunched up her face and turned her head away, and Arcangelo didn''t look much different. "Officer Urseau, there don''t seem to be any issues right now, but is there anything wrong or uncomfortable with your body?" "No, there isn''t." "I thought so, but it''s good to confirm. Thankfully." Somehow, this person seemed rather peculiar. Leila and Arcangelo thought the same thing. But there were plenty of unique individuals among the researchers. The more skilled they were, the more so. "Ah, and while we''re at it, may I ask you two to hold hands?" "What?" "I have a hypothesis I want to test." Arcangelo''s face twisted in disbelief. Leila''s expression wasn''t much better. But she reached out and took Arcangelo''s hand anyway. Then the machine that measured their wavelengths drew a slightly different graph. "Huh?" She blinked. She didn''t feel anything leaving her, like when they kissed or he lost consciousness. Yet the machine showed a change. It meant that, even if she couldn''t feel it, her wavelength was flowing into him. "Just as I expected." "What is this...." "It seems like the Detective Urseau is actively moving to stay alive." Upon hearing those words, a thought occurred to me. A slight tension entered Leila''s eyes. "Even when there are no major issues for survival, do they absorb my wavelength?" The wavelength of a siren is typically used when they take on a humanoid form, but in some rare cases, their wavelength becomes powerful on its own due to the specific type of host they possess. For example, there are sirens with venomous hosts. They can create venom from their own wavelength even in their human form. However, those are a tiny minority. "Usually, they live without even realizing their own existence, like Nana Arcangelo Urseau." It''s a power that is not even visible to the naked eye. Without a machine, it is impossible to measure. "Except for sirens with special abilities such as those with venom, the only time they feel their wavelength leaving is during copulation." That''s when they can conceive a child influenced by the traits of their father and mother. However, even then, a siren cannot feel their own wavelength leaving. The pleasure is too great to be overshadowed by that. "In many ways, it''s unexpected. From the start, the idea of a venom that attacks the siren''s wavelength was unprecedented." "It''s the job of a thesis advisor. In many ways." Chapter 18 The researcher shrugged his shoulders. "It''s a shame we have to proceed with the case in secrecy. If that weren''t the case, we would have written the paper by now." "Do you still insist on keeping it a secret?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" Leila blinked for a moment. Her face darkened, but soon returned to normal. "No, I just think you''re a little greedy." My appearance here will be reported to Detective Urseau. Therefore, I must act in a way that won''t raise suspicion. "Anyway, they should know that the case I''m investigating isn''t a secret mission. So it''s better to leave a slight hint here." She wiped her face as if she were okay, but her eyes betrayed her anxiety. It was Arcangelo¡¯s. "That''s just how the higher-ups are. Oh, by the way, would you like to check on Detective Cassilia too? Since the situation there is also causing some waves, it might be good to investigate." "What do you mean?" "Detective Cassilia is also facing a continuous stream of complications. Since things are happening that shouldn''t be happening, the detective suggested that an investigation might be necessary." "Ah, the chief of the investigation department? "Yes." Despite everything, it seemed that they cared about her well-being. Leila chuckled bitterly. "I understand. Let''s go to another room. There''s no room here." "Is it necessary?" "What?" Arcangelo lifted his head from where he was sitting. "We can do it here. It''s not like moving the machine will take all day." "Here? You want me to lie on your bed right now?... Why me?" Leila''s face twisted, more in confusion than anger. "Hmm." And the researcher who saw that expression lit up. "Okay, let''s move the room." "I can get up by myself." "Forget it." Leila was genuinely startled. "Why are you doing this all of a sudden? Please, just act normal." "Normal?" Arcangelo''s face creased, and Leila finally sighed. "Never mind. Cool your head and rest. Don''t move around saying you''ll train again." "Do I sound weird right now?" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Yeah. Detective Urseau doesn''t sound normal. Anyone would say the same thing. So just cool your head." Leila deliberately spoke bluntly, and before he could say anything, she called for assistance. "It seems like Detective Urseau needs more rest, could you please check on his condition? I''ll come back after the investigation." "I understand," she said in Korean. "Detective Leila Cassilia!" The man stood up and tried to follow me, but the guard blocked his way. Given that this concerned the health of the owner, it seemed that he was following my words as an outsider. "Even Detective Urseau would suffer losses if his successor''s health or life were harmed. Regardless of whether he has affection for him or not." She left the room with the researcher in tow. The deer-hybrid researcher whispered as he pulled the machine along. "Is something really wrong between you two? Are you dating?" Leiila answered with her expression rather than words. Nevertheless, the researcher did not back down. "But you seem quite intimate in your speech?" "I just go along with what the other person is doing. I don''t feel the need to go out of my way to be polite to someone who isn''t showing respect." "Isn''t that a bit different?" Leila pursed her lips slightly. "Why...are you saying that?" "Just curious." "If you''re just trying to pry out of interest, you should stop." It was an uncharacteristically curt dismissal. The researcher was convinced. "You know, while Detective Urseau may not, Detective Cassilia is looking at you straight on. Different from others." Leila stopped her steps. "Is that important?" "Isn''t it an important issue?" With a composed expression, Leila murmured softly, "I am a cat shapeshifter, and Detective Urseau is a wolf shapeshifter. Even if there is meaning behind his actions, the outcome will not change." "I didn''t know you were capable of such words. After all, you are his granddaughter, aren''t you?" Leila turned her head quietly towards where the researchers were, without changing her expression. Although there was no coldness on her face, there was a faint sense of intimidation. The researcher raised both hands. "I saw it accidentally during the treatment process. I didn''t purposely pry." "You should have." Leila resumed her steps. "Wow, scary." The researcher lingered behind and shuddered. But chills ran down his spine. "Even cats are carnivores, I suppose. Goosebumps for a moment, good grief." Nevertheless, his laughter did not cease. "Well, it''s my fault. I recklessly blurted out words that could provoke sensitive reactions." Without hesitation, he followed behind Leila. * * * "I did it on purpose," she said, her anger still palpable even after the person had left. "He must have been slamming on the trigger because he didn''t know any better." If I had been a little less rational, I would have been in big trouble. She let out a deep sigh. "I think I''ll have to keep seeing him in the future. What should I do?" Just the thought of his face made her feel like she was on fire. She slumped onto the bed. His words echoed in her mind. "Arcangelo Urseau likes me." He didn''t say those exact words, but that was the gist of it. She snorted. "What a load of rubbish." Arcangelo Urseau doesn''t like Leila Cassilia. I won''t say that it''s completely impossible, because the future is unpredictable. But the likelihood of him liking her seemed very slim. "Just by the way he acted around me today." Arcangelo probably wouldn''t understand Leila''s way of thinking. Likewise, Leila wouldn''t understand Arcangelo''s. They were just too different from each other. That''s why the chances of them falling in love, a positive emotion, were also slim. Not being able to understand each other is what that means. Chapter 19 "It''s not necessarily true that two completely different people can''t become friends," said Leila, her voice filled with determination. "But how can we even communicate when our ways of communicating are so different?" countered Arcangelo Urseau, a man who refused to accept worry as a legitimate concern. Leila was the kind of person who would worry about anyone who wasn''t a steel-willed warrior. "If it comes to it, we''ll just have to fight," she said. But how could they fight when their opponent saw their concern as weakness rather than strength? "They must have built up resentment towards each other even if they didn''t know each other," Leila remarked as she lay down on the bed. "Well, I can''t completely deny that it''s special," she continued, a touch of hesitation in her voice. The ceiling pattern looked elegant, but it only added to her troubled thoughts. "It''s just that...is this really a good thing?" she wondered out loud, her doubts fueling a sudden surge of anger. She raised her upper body and kept getting angrier as she thought more about it. "Why can''t I just ignore him like I do with other people? I didn''t want to be the only one that Arcangelo Urseau can vent his frustration on!" Arcangelo had no close friends in the investigative team. In fact, he didn''t even see them as real people. "To him, everyone else is just a moving object," Leila struggled to explain. "But when you see it with your own eyes, you can''t help but understand." She shuddered at the thought of how chilling it was to witness. "In that sense, he has become human. Yeah," she concluded uncertainly. She didn''t know why, but at some point, Arcangelo Urseau had started to pick fights with her. "At first, it was fascinating. Arcangelo Urseau was picking a fight with me," reminisced Leila, as she remembered a certain incident that had made her genuinely fight with him, leading up to this moment. "Hold on a moment," she interrupted herself with a sudden realization. "Isn''t this a common romance novel plot?" ... "I don''t know. I really don''t. I don''t know anything. Arcangelo Urseau dislikes me, and I dislike him. That''s just the way it is. Yeah, that''s right," Leila vehemently denied. "I must be going crazy being trapped here for so long. Where is the slightest hint of any development between Arcangelo Urseau and me? That''s right! Nowhere to be found!" With all her might, she stood up from her seat. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "It seems like everything around here is getting on my nerves, causing me to have strange thoughts. But there''s no other choice but to resolve this." After all, Arcangelo Urseau wouldn''t need her right now. He wouldn''t collapse until another 22 hours had passed, so she could be alone for about 12 hours. "Let''s escape." Her eyes twinkled with excitement. * * * "Do you plan to go out in your outdoor clothes this evening?" And caught, of all people, by Arcangelo who had just happened to visit my room. "I didn''t want to get caught by Detective Urseau but, well, I guess I''ll just be shameless." "Isn''t Detective Cassilia''s mission to stay inside this mansion?" "I''m technically on break right now. It''s just a formality." "Then shouldn''t you be more careful about wandering around?" His eyes narrowed, but Leila decided to face him head-on. "But you didn''t tell me not to go out and have fun. Plus, this break is just for show." "Obviously, it''s common sense not to say that." "But more than anything, it''s uncomfortable to have eyes on me wherever I go or whatever I do. It feels like being monitored and it''s unpleasant." This time, Arcangelo kept his mouth shut. "You have to give me some breathing room. Especially since we don''t even know when the antidote will be made." "...So you''re going out in the middle of the night? And with your injuries not fully healed yet?" It''s frustrating, isn''t it? She swallowed the words she couldn''t say. But Arcangelo could guess what she was thinking, even without her saying it. "It''s annoying." She''s annoying when she''s by my side. That''s why I kept nagging her before. I felt better when I was away from her and irritated. However, even though we were getting farther apart now, it still weighed heavy on my heart. ¡°Aside from me, Detective Cassilia is also susceptible to this strange phenomenon. Didn''t the test results confirm it?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± After conducting a brief examination separately from the researcher, they found that my body was accumulating fatigue. Whether it was because the mission had just ended, or because the ripples were still ongoing, we would have to see the situation more clearly. But one thing was for sure: we needed to be cautious. "I guess I''m falling behind in logic." The truth was, I was injured and not feeling well, so being careful was the right thing to do. In the end, Leila gave up on going out. "Alright then. Can I choose some books from the study in this mansion?" "Books?" "Yeah. The thicker, the better." Arcangelo furrowed his brow. "You were stumbling around like a sick chicken during the day. Wouldn''t it be better to sleep during that time?" "¡­Hmm." Leila shrugged her shoulders. She was starting to get annoyed with his persistent digging. "It''s because I don''t want to sleep." "Even though you''re injured?" "It''s my body. Don''t worry about it. Chapter 20 In response to her probing question, a sharp retort escaped his lips. It was the result of frayed nerves. She quickly collected herself and offered an apology. "No, no. I''ll apologize. I''m sorry for speaking out of turn." It felt like being slapped in a river and then screaming rage inside a building. No matter how tense his nerves had become, lashing out at her would have been an inexcusable deed. "I really need to find a way to relieve stress, no matter what." Leila smoothed out the wrinkles between her eyes with her hand. "Sorry. I think I''ve become too sensitive. I''ll go take a break now. See you tomorrow morning." Leaving this place was the first priority. She thought to herself. As she turned to leave, a large hand grabbed her shoulder. "... Is Detective Cassilia going to get angry and leave on her own?" It was Arcangelo. "Oh, please." Leila squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted to avoid him so badly, as she thought his face would make her truly furious. "Did I say something wrong?" "Maybe I''m just tired..." "Do you think it''s okay to let everything slide just because you''re tired? What a convenient way to live your life." He didn''t seem to have any intention of letting go of Leila. "I can hardly believe that you are the same person who said to me before that it was disappointing to link personal feelings with a mission." "..." "If you look at it that way, aren''t you also linking personal feelings with your mission? Even your decision to leave on your own seems like that." Her body wasn''t particularly tired, but her mind was exhausted. She felt like it would be easier to just nod and let everything go. Leila gritted her teeth and resolved to endure with the mentality of "A mountain is a mountain, and water is water." She had spoken without thinking, driven by the intensity of the moment. "When they said we had to complete the mission instead of finding a cure, I was conflicted." However, she couldn''t just let those words pass by. "Who associates real emotions with their mission? Is it the same person who advocated for a separate investigation for understandable reasons? Or Detective Cassilia let her own emotions harm her team?" Leila struggled to keep herself composed. She bowed her head and tried to relax her clenched fist. "Doesn''t this seem like it''s not about the mission?" Arcangelo Urseau was only trying to provoke her. "I suffered a great injury to my pride because I had to rely on you to survive. I can''t just accept it easily, so I''m doing this to defend my ego." If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She knew in her head that getting angry in this situation would only harm her. "Arcangelo Urseau doesn''t want to acknowledge me. The moment he does, something in his heart that I don''t understand will crumble." She recalled the new fact she had learned today. "This is just an unfounded suspicion. It''s a way to protect his own ego." She desperately tried not to get angry. "Don''t act like you''re the only one who''s clean." "..." "That''s why you''re always in second place." However, why should I endure it? "Arcangelo is saying everything he wants to say, everything he shouldn''t say, so why should I be the only one holding back?" He blabbered on without even knowing the meaning behind his words. "Detective Arcangelo Urseau, you know that, right?" Furthermore, he was not ignorant. Arcangelo Urseau at least knew what I was sensitive about. When he said that he should capture the creator instead of saving himself, he knew that I was angry. "A dog with a loud voice is not a victorious dog, but a defeated one. It barks louder because it doesn''t want to admit its defeat." "What?" "You know, how about being honest? I''m not the only one hiding my emotions." I knew my eyes were rolling, but I didn''t want to stop. "The Detective Urseau thinks he''s been defeated." I wanted to say that I''m not the only one who can crush people''s hearts with words. "I became a body that had to cling onto my ankle to survive." "Detective Cassilia, are you crazy?" "Am I crazy? I''m just telling the truth." Leila smiled prettily. "Like Detective Urseau." Arcangelo made a face as if he wanted to strangle her. But Leila wasn''t satisfied with that alone. "In fact, you know that you''re admitting it. That I have Detective Urseau¡¯s life in my hands right now." "Now...." "So, am I the only one going crazy here without saying a word?" Why should I be the only one enduring it? "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention. Did I not tell you that I had to perform the mission instead of saving Detective Arcangelo Urseau?". Why should I be careful not to say something that he might take offensively even in his angry state? "If I had not done so, you would have died a long time ago. You wouldn''t have been able to scratch the surface of the person who saved your life and preserved your dignity here," she continued. "......" "I suppose I didn''t like pretending to be kind alone, so I did as you wished. How does it feel?" Yes, let''s be honest. In truth, Leila Cassilia was annoyed with Arcangelo Urseau. If he had not been poisoned, Arcangelo Urseau would have been bullying her and would not have known his secret. He would not have had to worry about researchers scratching his surface or not being able to rest properly in such an uncomfortable place. Above all, he would not have met someone who would be nervous or fussy with the person who came to save his life. "I held it in so hard, but in the end, it exploded." She spoke what she wanted to say, but her heart was not at ease. She felt like her feet were sinking into the mud, slowly but surely. "Worst of the worst of the worst." She hated herself, him, and everyone in this house. Leila closed her eyes with a strong feeling of self-loathing. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound. "Huh?" Leila opened her eyes and saw Arcangelo holding onto his chest and bending over. Her head turned white. "Is it because of me?" Anger and frustration melted into mud. She hastily grabbed his hand, but his abnormal reaction did not improve. Unlike the previous two cases where Arcangelo suddenly fainted, this was different. Although the waves flowed in, his condition did not change. His head turned white. "Is it really because of me?" said Leila. Chapter 21 "Is it really because of me?" she asked, her voice laced with guilt. Was it because I couldn''t hold back my emotions and poured them out to the patient that it ended up like this? No matter how much I think about it, there was no other reason for him to suddenly become like this than me. "Because I intentionally provoked Arcangelo Urseau''s anger," she thought to herself. Her hand trembled and her stomach churned with guilt. "What is this?" She closed her eyes tightly. In the end, she couldn''t be a perfect saint, and even in this situation, she ended up getting angry. "Am I not allowed to be angry?" He could mock himself all he wanted, but was it fair for me to just hold it in? It was too unfair. Tears streamed down her face. "This is just ridiculous." Despite the trembling hands of a colleague, and the voice in her heart blaming her for causing this, she didn''t like any of it. "Murderer." The familiar voice spoke familiar words. She let out a bitter laugh. Yeah, when has my life been fair? Am I the only one who feels so unjust? Everything is just a ridiculous joke. "Well, there''s no other way," she said. If holding hands wasn''t an option, there was only one way to try. She approached him and lifted her face, pressing her lips against his. At the same time, his hand moved too. Arcangelo pressed his lips together, a desperate gesture like that of a thirsty traveler in the desert longing for an oasis. Leila noticed one thing. Then his lips parted. "You crazy bastard." "..." If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "You insulted me for being emotional, but you still want to live, huh?" "..." "Say something, Arcangelo Urseau. You are still rational now." At the moment, Arcangelo Urseau is not consumed by instinct. He''s doing this absurd thing with a sound mind. "Ridiculous." He scratched his head like crazy, and it wasn''t even funny that he was begging to live. "Are you not going to show any manners now? You don''t even call me Detective." He spoke slowly. Leila responded sharply. "If you wanted to care about other people''s manners, you should have started with yourself." "I thought Detective Cassila was not the type to completely lose it just because someone was rude to her. Didn''t you think about the consequences?" "I was only doing it to a certain extent." Even in her furious state, Leila''s mind remained cool. She realized that he was speaking slowly not to intimidate her, but to gain control of himself. "Are you having trouble moving your body?" "...Are you worried about me after getting angry like that?" "What are you saying? I''m worried because if something happens to you, I''ll be blamed for it. I''m worried about you, not myself," he said, scratching at his conscience shamelessly. "Is that what people say these days?" she asked incredulously. "Of course, it''s what people say. Do you think a cat would say it?" Even a mermaid cannot speak in the form of an animal due to oral structural issues. "Stop beating around the bush and speak quickly. I don''t want to waste any time," she said. "... My body isn''t completely immobile, but it takes a lot of effort to move. And when my temperature rises, my whole body feels pain," he explained. "Your body temperature has risen," she observed. She raised her hand and placed it on Arcangelo''s forehead. He stiffened. "How do you feel? I feel like a wave is leaving my body, but my body seems to be improving, right?" "... More," he pleaded. "What?" Leila frowned and looked at his face. The wrinkles on his forehead disappeared. "Wait a minute. Your eyes have opened." "More," he repeated. "Hey, Detective Arcangelo Urseau!" He placed his head in her hand. Leila was shocked and tried to pull her hand away, but he held it firmly and lowered his body, preventing her from stopping his movements as he explored her lips. "Mmph!" A thick piece of flesh squeezed into the narrow gap between their lips. Flesh mixed with flesh. "Ugh!" His arm wrapped around her waist. He pushed her onto him and kissed her with force. He felt his body soften as he explored her mouth. The pain in his body lessened where his force landed. The attack on his body became less apparent. It was a blissful feeling. But there was something even better. "Urgh, Mmph!" He released his lips to take a breath. They kissed and immediately parted. The flesh that touched his thin body was soft and cool. Chapter 22 If it were possible, he would have wanted to live in this state forever. Although breathing was difficult, it was a temporary inconvenience that could be remedied by taking a break and then returning to it. As he tried to kiss her again, a thud echoed in his head. "Snap out of it, Detective Arcangelo Urseau!" It was Leila who had opened her hand. She had struck him in the head during the brief moment he had taken his lips off hers, and managed to break free from his grasp. Flames danced in her eyes that resembled the color of pumpkin stones. She crossed her arms. "Why are you suddenly losing your senses? Is your body that bad?" "Ugh..." "Since you didn''t hit me that hard, snap out of it and answer me properly." She deliberately spoke coldly and sat far away from him. She didn''t want any contact unless it was absolutely necessary. "If he has consciousness, it''s not that serious." She squinted and observed his condition. "That''s why I made sure to make him faint when moving him." It''s more difficult to move someone who is conscious than someone who is unconscious. They struggle more to stay in their current state. Furthermore, Leila was weaker than him. Something really bad could happen if she made a mistake. "If his condition is really bad, it might be better to make him faint." She didn''t want to recreate what happened at the motel. It was really difficult and she thought she would die. "You''re not in your right mind, are you?" "..." "Oh, you''re just being shy and not talking?" He didn''t say anything and just rubbed his forehead with his hand and stared at the floor. Leila assumed that Arcangelo had regained his senses. "This is not the time for that. Talk to me properly. How is your body doing?" "Is Detective Cassilia not bothered by this at all?" "Are you not embarrassed?" replied Leila firmly. "Of course I''m embarrassed, annoyed, and humiliated. Seeing the face of Detective Urseau who did such a thing is extremely repulsive." "But why do you look so nonchalant about it?" He lifted his head. Arcangelo''s face was slightly flushed. "Huh, what?" Seeing his expression, a dark thought came to mind. It was something that had been on her mind since hearing what the researchers said. "Really?" Arcangelo Urseau... sees himself as a rational being? "No, right?" "What?" "That''s not really true, is it? That''s impossible! It would be more likely for the sky to come crashing down!" "¡­ Could he have gone crazy?" The redness in Arcangelo''s face disappeared. He wore a troubled expression. "Did he eat something bad? That must be it, because he''s been with me all day." The expression on his face was that of someone looking at a strange person. It was not at all directed towards someone he secretly admired. "Should we call a doctor?" He said something unusual, as if he was worried about Leila. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. It was only then that she snapped out of her daze. "It''s different from usual. But it''s the same," said Leila, looking into Arcangelo''s eyes. There was desire, but no affection. Lust, but not love. However, however... "Arcangelo Urseau." "What?" "I don''t attach any meaning to that act. I think it''s just an instrumental act to save you." Her lips moved on their own. "Like performing CPR on someone whose heart has stopped." It was something she had said before. She had spoken to him to comfort him because he was so ashamed. At that time, Arcangelo had shown no reaction to her words. But now, things were different. Perhaps he had had time to cool his head, or maybe there were other emotions that he had not been able to express because he had been so taken aback then. "...What?" He stared at her as if he wanted to devour her. "It''s nothing, really." "Nothing?" And now, when he denied that what had happened that day was important, he became angry. It proved one thing. "That day meant something to Arcangelo in his own way." ...But not to her. "Then does that mean Detective Cassilia can take off her clothes in front of strangers if it''s necessary?" "That goes without saying," he replied with certainty. "But it''s not a possibility to be ignored." "What does that matter?" she asked. If that''s the case, the solution is simple: to trample upon that feeling. "It''s not even anything special," she said with a sigh. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard. She wanted to let out a sigh of relief. "My head hurts," he thought to himself. It could be that it wasn''t love after all. There was also a high probability that it was just possessiveness or a desire for exclusivity towards the woman with whom he had shared his body. For those with a lineage tracing back to wild beasts, their desires were stronger than those of other humans. "Such as a desire for domination, possession, or exclusivity," he explained. That''s why they fought a lot during the era of wars before countries were established. Nowadays, they have become more socialized, so it''s not as bad. "But Arcangelo Urseau is pureblood among the purebloods, direct blood among direct blood," he said. There was a high probability that he inherited those strong instincts. "If it''s really not that special, then you can do it for me, can''t you?" she asked hopefully. That''s the problem. Is what Arcangelo has for his one-night stand, or is it what he originally felt for the other person? "I hope it''s not the latter," she thought. Leila looked directly into Arcangelo''s burning gaze without flinching. "Definitely, if necessary," he replied. ¡°The answer came quickly,¡± he said. ¡°Is it necessary?¡± she asked. ¡°Right now?¡± he replied. ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed. Her face remained unchanged. Archangelo tightened his grip on his fist. ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood,¡± he thought. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn''t have done something like this even if he were annoyed, but he wasn''t in his right mind. ¡°Okay, then you can do it,¡± he finally agreed. The sound of something breaking was heard. His instincts broke free from their leash and began to rampage. Archangello''s eyes blazed open. It could be seen as anger, possessiveness, or even lust. Their lips met. Suddenly, Leila became curious. ¡°Why did you start seeing me as someone special? At first, I was just like any other person to you.¡± It was a question that would never be fully answered. "He will never remain still, whether he disdains or ignores Leila now. If it''s the Arcangelo Urseau I''ve seen so far, he will do so because he abhors such sexual matters." Indeed, he had shown a reaction of great discomfort when he heard a sexual joke. The person who spoke those words at that time felt as if they had become trash. But in fact, that is not very relevant. "Since the moment the chief of investigations began to suspect him, Arcangelo Urseau could no longer be an investigator, and there will be no more clashes as colleagues." Moreover, now that this has happened, Detective Urseau will not remain silent. After all, he could end up losing a successor he had raised so diligently. "Either a colleague who unjustly suspects, or a real betrayer." Whatever the answer may be, it is right that this relationship ends like this. A lower-class canine family''s cat shapeshifter, with few advantages other than their numbers. A wolf shapeshifter who is the direct and successor of one of the ten families who occupy the pinnacle of this country, almost equivalent to kings. "It''s unbearable." It''s impossible anyway. So it''s better not to even start, even if there is a slim chance of becoming true comrades with that person. Chapter 23 Arcangelo momentarily pulled away from Leila''s lips, then lowered himself again to kiss her passionately, their lips meeting seamlessly. She didn''t resist as his tongue delved deeper, as if reflecting his anger, the kiss became violent in its intensity. Leila kept her eyes open and continued the kiss. Arcangelo did the same, with a fierce look in his eyes. The tension between them was different from that of any other man and woman. His hand moved downward and his fingers, which had been caressing her neck, reached her chest. He grasped her breasts firmly. Leila felt relieved that he had grabbed her chest and not her waist, since they were not yet completely undressed. A faint breath escaped her lips as they kissed. "Hmm..." The strange glint in Arcangelo''s eyes at her reaction made her uneasy. He loosened his grip on her breasts slightly and then tightened it again, as if testing the waters. Leila gave him a sharp look, as if to ask what he was doing. "This is just a sexual encounter to convey the waves, so there''s no need to do that," she thought, but apparently, she was wrong. She had expected him to be angry and only do that, but it seemed like she was mistaken. Leila focused her gaze on one eye. She didn''t appreciate his actions. "What are you doing? Let go," she said. Leila did not miss a beat as she took a breath to collect herself, her lips quivering slightly. "I didn''t think Cassilia''s intelligence would be so diminished as to not understand what this is for." "I''m not asking because I don''t know what it''s for. Do I have to spell it out for you? Don''t do it," she said pointedly. "Why?" He moved his hand to unbutton her blouse. Leila slapped his hand away. Arcangelo asked in a dry tone, "Wasn''t it Detective Leila who said she would do whatever it takes to save me?" "Do you really think this is necessary for that process?" "Of course, it is. It would be uncomfortable for Cassilia if I did it right in front of her." Leila frowned at his crude words, slightly questioning. "Didn''t you used to dislike talking like this?" But now was not the time to bring that up. Leila snapped back, "I''ll take care of that." "Are you going to do it in front of me again like that day?" Leila''s face turned red. No matter how composed she was, hearing those words directly in front of her was bound to make her flustered. She gritted her teeth. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "You''re very audacious. Like a criminal." "Anyway, she said she would do her best to ensure my survival. This is part of her cooperation, isn''t it? It wouldn''t be right to be uncooperative." Leila looked into Arcangelo''s eyes. They still burned with anger and rage. I must have really gotten under his skin. There is nothing more to fight about here. But, feeling exhausted and slightly guilty about what I just did to him, I let out a deep sigh. "Fine. Whatever. Do it the way Detective Urseau does!" Besides, it wasn''t even a useless act in the treatment process. He unbuttoned my white shirt and exposed my chest. He removed my bra and examined my chest. As my wave flowed into him, his movements seemed to become a little more comfortable. "I have nothing to say now that it''s actually improving." But then, there is one more thing to point out. "If you can move to some extent, it would be better to go to the bedroom. It''s inconvenient to do it here." Arcangelo looked at her incredulously. "Does Detective Cassilia have no shame? Inviting a man to her bedroom." "That''s not something Detective Urseau would say, I think." Leila also had a similar expression to his. Of course, he had become a wolf-man and was sucking on my chest like a real dog. "What crime did I commit to deserve this?" I really felt like I was going crazy. ¡°Just when will this kid come to his senses¡­?¡± muttered Arcangelo. He may think he¡¯s sane now, but he certainly was not. If he were in his right mind, he would never have done such a thing. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s go,¡± said Leila, forcibly dragging him to the bedroom. Even in the midst of it all, his desire-filled gaze did not leave her. ¡°Come to your senses. I''ll say it properly then,¡± she thought to herself, feeling nothing but embarrassment. She clenched her fist tightly. * * * As soon as the bedroom door closed, Arcangelo pounced on Leila''s body as if he had been waiting for this moment. He sucked on her chest as if to compensate for the pause in his actions. His blue eyes were already clouded over. "Sigh..." Leila raised her hand to cover her mouth. "What a disgraceful act. Do you not feel any shame doing this to me?" Unbelievable. She watched as Arcangelo caressed her legs while sucking on her chest. Leila''s clothing was already in disarray. "I guess it would be better to take everything off." She grabbed his face with her hand. Arcangelo willingly let himself be caught and looked up to see her face. As Leila met his dazed gaze, she felt the sensations of that day when he had been poisoned coursing through her body. "Get a grip on yourself." If he was losing his mind over there, she had to stay in control over here. "Arcangelo Urseau." "Why?" His voice was thicker and lower than usual, sending shivers down her spine. "Isn''t it better to stop this spectacle? You can''t completely recover in this state." "Are you telling me to stop?" She hesitated at his raw words, but soon regained her composure. "If that''s what it takes, then take everything off." At her words, Arcangelo immediately took off his clothes, revealing his muscular and taut body. Leila couldn''t help but let her gaze drift in that direction, even though she knew it wasn''t the appropriate time. "Your body is truly impressive. But did you really need to take off everything, including your upper body? What''s the point?" Chapter 24 Her face grew slightly hot. It wasn''t the first time she had seen this, but it felt different from that day. "Well, you should probably take off your clothes too." "Yeah. Just wait... What are you doing now?" She tried to take off the rest of her clothes, but he pulled down the clothes she was wearing before she could. "It''s better to handle this quickly. For both me and Detective Cassilia." After he stripped her down to her underwear, he put his mouth on her genitals and sucked hard. "Ah!" A loud moan escaped her mouth. She couldn''t even scream as the sound echoed through the room. "Get out." Arcangelo''s words made her almost scream again, but luckily, she was able to shut her mouth and stifle the sound. Her face was hot. "Arcangelo Urseau, this is insane!" It''s not me who doesn''t know shame, it''s them. After coming to her senses, she began to wonder how she would react if she remembered what she had done. "Just stay still!" It''s no use saying anything to him now. He was already moving on instinct. "Ah!" "Haa..." "Please, stop it!" It''s impossible to get through to someone like that. But as he continued to suck and suck, her anger reached a boiling point. She put all her strength into her toes. Even the breasts he was sucking on felt sore. "Ugh, how frustrating," Leila grumbled. She couldn''t take it anymore, even though she knew it was necessary. "I can''t bear to endure it any longer!" She shifted her legs, wrapping her body around his, and with a strong push, flipped him over onto his back. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Arcangelo, who was lost in thought, did not react to her movement. "Ugh!" Even Arcangelo, who was caught off guard by his instincts, could not help but regain his composure. He blinked his eyes. It was the first time Leila had ever seen his expression so dishevelled. "Calm down." "......" "I am not your subordinate or friend. I promised to keep you alive, but there is no reason for me to endure everything for him." But Leila could not afford the same amount of ease in his expression. "There is also a limit to how much I can endure." Arcangelo still looked at her with a dishevelled expression. As she continued to see him like that, Leila''s anger began to dissipate. She sighed and ruffled her hair. "Ah, really. I can''t even properly get angry since I''m not in my right mind." Even if I let out all my anger, I''ll only end up hurting myself in the end. "Enough. Let''s just finish this quickly. Come up a little higher. We have to see it through to the end." "......Fine." "What does it matter if it''s done? If we don''t decipher it, who knows what trouble it will cause later. Lie down," he said, as if determined to maintain his pride even in this situation. Would she ever hear him say thank you someday? She couldn''t bear to hear an apology, but she wanted to at least hear those words. "Let''s not hope for things that won''t happen." She quietly moved her body and aligned her own with Arcangelo.. His body trembled slightly. "Stay still," she said cautiously as she inserted him inside herself. Despite not wanting to admit it, the wetness made it easier for her, thanks to his oral efforts. "......Hm," a small breath escaped from his lips. Still, it looked too tight. "He''s so thick, there''s nothing to be done," she thought to herself. She barely managed to swallow him whole. Just doing that was enough to drain all the energy from her body. His member remained fully erect, as if still filled with vigor. "Whew...." She bit her lip and repeated the process of taking him out and quickly inserting him back in. The pressure was incomparable to when she did it slowly. Her vaginal walls squeezed around him with all their might. "Hueek!" he cried out. "Kkyuk!" she moaned. She could feel the liquid spraying inside her. She breathed heavily. She couldn''t move a finger. This wasn''t a normal situation. "It must be because the waves keep coming out continuously." She felt like she needed to examine her body a little more. She forced herself to move and stood up. As soon as she did, what he had sprayed out ran down her leg. It wasn''t a great feeling. She frowned and tried to head to the bathroom. Then, her leg almost gave out from under her. Fortunately, she was able to lean against the wall and not fall. She let out a sigh. "...Sorry," she said. "What?" she heard a strange sound behind her. She turned around. Chapter 25 "What did I just hear? Apology?" Exhausted, I blinked my eyes, wondering if my ears were playing tricks on me, but then I heard an even more surprising sound. "What?" "I''m sorry. I was too emotional... Now my head is clearing up a bit." "Excuse me, hold on a moment." "I''m sorry and thank you. You helped me even though I was acting impulsively." What kind of change in attitude was this? Leila couldn''t say anything and just stuttered. "He apologized and said thank you? Did Arcangelo really say those words to me?" I didn''t think anything could make Arcangelo Urseau put aside his pride. He never said thank you or sorry to anyone. "Has he ever said those words to anyone else?" Hasn''t that caused problems before? She felt a strange feeling. "So, um, can you...?" Chills ran down her spine. "Um, are you feeling okay?" Without realizing it, Leila took a step back. Even formal language she never used came out. That''s how shocking it was. "...." Leila avoided eye contact. "No, I mean, when you suddenly said that, I was just surprised." "I have some shame too, Detective Cassilia." Ah, there he was, the sharp-tongued Urseau, as usual. I felt relieved all of a sudden. "For whatever reason, it''s true that Detective Cassilia went out of her way to help me, even at great cost. I haven''t expressed my gratitude for that." His eyes drifted towards her legs. Leila noticed it and looked down. Her legs were trembling. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Feeling guilty about what you saw?¡± She could tell. Leila was not sensitive about revealing her vulnerable side to Arcangelo, who was different from her. ¡°You should have told me sooner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s better than not saying anything at all.¡± She smiled slightly. The remark irritated her a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, Detective Urseau. Looking back, I was overly sensitive about something trivial.¡± Leila lowered her head slightly and turned her body around. ¡°Let''s talk about the rest tomorrow. We both need to rest a bit for now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay. I¡¯ll tell the staff about the sheets.¡± That was a bit embarrassing. Her gaze fell on the sheets and the floor, which were stained with semen and vaginal fluids. Arcangelo¡¯s gaze followed hers. As soon as he saw it, heat rose to his face. He quickly turned his head. ¡°Detective Cassilia, no, never mind. Let¡¯s go out quickly.¡± It seemed as if he wanted to say something about feeling embarrassed. But he seemed to have remembered what he had done late, and hastily put on his clothes and went out. Leila smiled without realizing it. However, when she entered the bathroom and closed the door, her smile disappeared as if it had never been there. ¡°Different from usual.¡± She turned on the water. Her eyes, which were the color of jewel-toned amber, looked towards the transparent water. ¡°Even that day, I was more irritable than usual.¡± Arcangelo Urseau was not just an ordinary investigator, but also not a victim of the case. He was a detective who was suspected of deliberately concealing the case. "You have to suspect everything. That''s the mission I received from the chief." She continued to observe Arcangelo. She felt more comfortable when he was driven by instinct. One must constantly observe and scrutinize when rationality is alive. "It''s difficult." She leaned against the bathtub and looked up. "...He sprayed a lot during this time. It will be difficult to extract." She recalled his sharp attitude when he seemed to decipher the draining bacillus. "At first, I thought he might like me, but after it ended, he seems pretty neat?" Perhaps there was another reason. Leila raised her head with a suspicious look. She wiped her body with a towel and put on a gown hanging in front of the bathroom. Just as she was cleaning up the room, she sensed some activity outside. "What''s going on in the middle of the night?" It seemed like they were searching the house, but it wasn''t a thorough search. "Someone''s making a fuss in a room where we need to be cautious." Since it had turned out like this, she decided to listen more. She intentionally turned on the water and listened carefully to the sound outside the door. "Be quiet. You know we shouldn''t be careless with our words." "It''s just talking to myself, so what?" "Still. You could be thrown out." Chapter 26 The atmosphere in each mansion was different, but in some places, just talking during work could get you fired. One of the virtues of a servant is silence, for fear that the secrets of the mansion may spill out into the world. That''s why. She leaned in, listening intently. "Isn''t it the first time the young master has brought a woman home?" But upon hearing the next words, she instinctively locked up. "What? The first time?" She raised her head, and her reflection on the bathroom mirror revealed a stunned expression. "The first time, you say?" Her mind began to race. "He must have met women before. After all, he is the heir to the Urseau family." Without realizing it, Leila nodded her head. Yes, he is the heir to the Urseau family, so it''s unlikely that this is his first time. If this really is his first time, then I... "Do you think the young master is capable of meeting women like that?" "He has a different side to him than what others see. He is discreet." But Leiila knew. Arcangelo Urseau is not the type of person who recklessly meets and dallies with women. He is not the type of person who can live licentiously and shamelessly without feeling any remorse towards others. She felt her legs give out. "This is bad." For everyone, the first time is special. And if they had lived a life where they couldn''t even imagine it until then, it would be all the more memorable. Leila lowered herself onto the seat, contemplating. "How extraordinary would it be for a woman who had always felt different from everyone else to experience her first time?" she murmured. "Please," she clasped her hands together, "tell me it isn''t my first time." It couldn''t be. Absolutely not. * * * Arcangelo placed his silverware down. "Why are you staring at me like that since this morning?" "I wasn''t staring." Leila glanced away from him and moved her utensil slightly. "If it wasn''t staring, then why did you keep glaring at me like I''ve done something wrong?" This whole situation was so uncomfortable, Arcangelo couldn''t bear to look at her. His gaze kept wandering to the spot where he had bitten and sucked on her yesterday. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "It was so soft." Arcangelo unconsciously furrowed his brow as he recalled last night, but when he heard Leila''s nonchalant response, he quickly composed himself. "I''m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable by staring. I was just worried about the strange occurrence last night." He didn''t know how Leila felt about it, but Arcangelo had a restless night. He kept thinking about it. He even had a dream where he was thrusting into her while sucking on her soft lips. "I''m not some horny bastard, what is wrong with me?" That was why Arcangelo''s gaze drifted away from Leila and towards the wall slightly beside her. "How are you feeling today?" "Not bad." ¡°It¡¯s not even a good thing,¡± he said. His appearance was noticeably strange. However, Leila was not in her right mind to notice that fact. ¡°I¡¯ll contact the investigative agency.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We need to re-examine the situation with Prosecutor Urse.¡± ¡°Is that necessary?¡± ¡°Well, I think there may be a strong emotional connection to the sudden disturbance. I want to check it out.¡± ¡°Emotions?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He pretended to be casual as he looked into Leila''s eyes, making an effort not to lower his gaze beneath hers. ¡°Perhaps it''s because he''s constantly under attack, but Prosecutor Urse seems to be getting more sensitive.¡± ¡°That''s...¡± ¡°Don''t be angry, just listen. When Prosecutor Urse''s emotions get intense, it seems to have a negative impact on his health.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Think about it.¡± Arcangelo remembered when he suddenly became ill last night. He was angry and annoyed. It was because she had tried to go outside at night. She was annoyed that he tried to stop her, causing him to become even more upset. He felt like a loser, turning his insides upside down. She felt like she might burst into tears again as she recalled what she had said. "Calm down." But was he wrong? No. Arcangelo Urseau had indeed been defeated that day. Despite the fact that he was supposed to die, he had been spared by the mercy of Leila Cassilia. She was right. He was nothing more than a dog, unable to admit his defeat and barking loudly. "Calm down, Arcangelo Urseau." A small but firm hand wrapped around his hand. As her wave flowed in, his turbulent emotions subsided, and his body relaxed. "In a fight, the defeated one simply dies." The reason why he survived even though he had lost was simply that the maker of 121 had spared him. It was because of Leila Cassilia who spared his life instead of killing him, with a wicked intention to give him even greater humiliation. And thanks to Leila Cassilia, who didn''t hesitate to give her body to save him. "... Detective Cassilia is right." He was a pitiful loser. He was living with that theme, complaining to others and making them feel uncomfortable. "Oh, come on. Get a grip!" Slap. He felt a slight but painful impact on both cheeks. He sensed someone behind him gasping for breath. "Sorry. I kept having weird thoughts. It could make my condition worse." He had been slapped on the cheek many times. As the successor of Urseau and as a detective, he had been slapped countless times. But this was the first time he had received such a clean hit. Unconsciously, he looked at her lips. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to absorb the waves inside her. Suddenly, he felt that desire. "Am I going crazy?" He sprang up from his seat with a start. ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± If he stayed here any longer, he was afraid he would forget there were people around and give in to his desires. He quickly exited the restaurant, but Leila had definitely seen it. His ears, now flushed with red. ¡°...So, I guess I messed up, huh?¡± She covered her face with her hands. ¡°There''s no point in being cruel now that I''ve gained my composure!¡± If there were no one around, she would have wanted to sink to the ground. She lowered her head and let out a silent chuckle. Ha, ha, ha. Chapter 27 Robert let out a sigh. "Looks like an unwelcome visitor has come to see me." I knew he might show up at least once, but I didn''t expect him to come while I was away. "The chief investigator must have a busy schedule. I didn''t know he could keep my room empty for so long." And to top it off, he was caught rifling through the documents in my room, but he didn''t seem the slightest bit remorseful. "Since we didn''t make an appointment, I didn''t even know a guest was coming." He spoke briefly and sat on the sofa to one side. Detective Urseau sat in the honored seat as if it was expected. "So what brings you here? Waiting for me in an empty room for dozens of minutes?" "Are you here to give me some applause?" "It could be uncomfortable if you just rummage through documents as you please, don''t you think?" Detective Urseau frowned, seeming displeased. ''He''s not really upset. He''s just trying to break my spirit before getting to the point.'' It was obvious even without looking. "Anyway, you''re going to come up to the assembly, right?" "Seeing one person and having all the members see it are different things." "Strict, aren''t you?" Fortunately, real secrets aren''t stored in places where anyone can see them. What he was looking at were things that were not particularly important. ''But that doesn''t mean it''s not inconvenient.'' There are things you can see when you collect even small pieces of information. For example, the flow. "What about the investigation into the maker of 121?" "...We cannot find the whereabouts of Detective Urseau after he disappeared. It seems like he went underground." "I should have caught him there for sure," said Robert, rolling his head before he deemed it appropriate to respond. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Surely there must be a lot of dissatisfaction with my successor''s actions. He must have caused a lot of trouble by acting on his own." "I am just relieved that he is alive. Both Detective Cassilia and Urseau are talented individuals." "Well, that''s true. If Urseau¡¯s only successor had died while on duty, I would have had to face criticism." He looked at the man in front of him. He was still grinning. "It was the same on that day." "Are you talking about the day when Arcangelo Urseau became an investigator?" "I see you remember." "It wasn''t something easy to forget." When the man in front of him was younger, Robert and he had been bitter enemies. It was because of an incident caused by Urseau''s successor. "On that day, the director of investigations told me he couldn''t cancel Arcangelo''s appointment." "Because that was Urseau''s will. You know that better than anyone, don''t you?" "He was a stubborn one." "That''s why he only assigned him light duties. He said that if that boy died, you would be responsible." Congressman Ursaei crossed his legs. "So are you trying to hold me responsible for the danger that Detective Urseau faced this time?" Robert smiled at the arrogant congressman. "This mission was not my intention, it was ordered by the Congress." "In the end, if the director of investigations hadn''t accepted my successor, this wouldn''t have happened." "How can you arbitrarily cut off someone''s will?" An invisible sword constantly swayed between the two. "Enough." The first to cut it off was Congressman Urseau. "After this is over, I''ll retire, Arcangelo. I can''t stand paying the price for such nonsense." "Have you talked to Detective Urseau?" "You''re the head of the investigative department." "No matter how much I am the head of the investigators, I cannot retire them recklessly. It''s an abuse of power." Robert''s laughter still didn''t subside. Congressman Urseau stood up and put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Chief Investigator Pandeia." "Yes." "Stay within the lines." The strength slowly entered. "I know that the Chief Investigator is investigating our family. Just stop right there." "......" "After all, the Chief Investigator is nothing but a pawn in Pandeia''s plan. Even if she married a direct female heir and got between them, she is ultimately just a pawn in their plan." Pain was felt in the shoulders. Nevertheless, Robert''s smile did not disappear from his face. "Attacks are just attacks. No one among us really wants to upset this balance." "Is that all you want to say, Congressman Urseau?" "Entrust the mission of catching the creator of 121 to Arcangelo," said the commanding officer. "That is impossible," replied the investigator firmly. Chapter 28 The pressure in the room intensified. "At present, Investigator Ursay is not in a condition to carry out a normal mission for 121. We are in a situation where it is uncertain whether other missions are feasible, let alone one related to 121," the investigator explained calmly, without a hint of despair. "If you don''t want to lose the one and only successor, you should consider giving up this task," warned the commanding officer. "Are you trying to negotiate?" "No. Even under normal physical conditions, success in a mission related to 121 is far from guaranteed." Only then did the tension in the investigator''s shoulders slightly ease. "As the head of the investigation agency, it is my duty to prevent my subordinates from dying needlessly," said the investigator, staring straight at Representative Urseau. And Urseau looked back at him just as directly. "Is it just because of that reason?" "Normally, I wouldn''t have sent an investigator who is unfit for the task. But this case is different." It was a congressional order, but the selection for this mission was not entirely bad. If it weren''t for Leila and Arcangelo, one or both of them would have come back dead. "If Arcangelo had not been there, they wouldn''t have been able to buy time until Leila arrived. And if Leila hadn''t been there, they wouldn''t have been able to quickly figure out how to save Arcangelo''s life." In the end, it was because the two of them were there that they could save each other''s lives. "So, is the only problem Arcangelo''s instability?" asked Representative Ursay, seeming to accept the investigator''s reasoning. But the hand on the investigator''s shoulder did not let go. ¡°Then shall we send Detective Cassilia with us?¡± Robert blinked. "I expected as much." He anticipated that Congressman Urseau would not give up on completing this task with Arcangelo, and knew he would use Leila for it. "We have to accept it." This is coercion. If we don''t comply, Congressman Urseau will use other means to investigate the case. "Well, what can I do? I''m sorry." That''s right. But there was still someone who bothered him. "Inspector Cassilia''s body is not in normal condition either. She is constantly losing energy, and she can''t be the same as usual." "Chief Inspector, is it my proposal?" "You never know what will happen if you are casually assigned to a mission. Isn''t it just as difficult if Inspector Cassilia dies?" This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Congressman Urseau''s brow furrowed even more, revealing his sour mood. "Then, how about giving her a light task to keep her combat skills sharp? After all, the maker of 121 won''t show up for a while." He offered a compromise. ''This is probably the best option.'' And he will not yield any further. The fact that he appeared before him in the first place was evidence of his anxiety. "First, let''s conduct a detailed examination. Checking her physical condition is a priority." "Okay." "If the results show that it''s difficult to entrust the mission there, then we will start with a lighter task," said the speaker. As it was related to health, Congressman Urseaui did not refuse. He stood up as if he had finished saying everything. "Remember, the creator of 121 must be caught by Arcangelo," the speaker emphasized. Robert chuckled as he watched Congressman Urseau leave as he pleased, just as he had done when he arrived. "He doesn''t even bother to hide the connection. But then again, I already know. You can''t meddle without concrete evidence," he thought to himself. The diagnosis was already certain. He had just skimmed through the analysis of 121, which Arcangelo had just received. "I don''t know when the antidote will be created, but can Arcangelo Urusei really stay here until then?" he pondered. Robert didn''t dislike Arcangelo. He did his job well and didn''t cause any major problems. "So far, that is," he added. What was written on the document he held was that injecting 121 with the wave of a wolf-like person resulted in a stronger reaction than injecting it with the waves of other individuals. Robert couldn''t accept anyone who would cover up an incident for their own benefit, even if they were heirs to a famous family. "I only feel sorry for Leila," he said. His cold face crumbled as he thought of her. "How can I really make up for this crime? I brought her here and just kept giving her trouble," he lamented. He could understand why her family, unlike when they were younger, now despised him. How could anyone see someone who uses them like this in a good light? Perhaps Robert would never be forgiven for his actions. "But I have to do it," he said. He looked at his hands, which appeared clean, but looked like they were covered in mud. It was evidence of a crime that would not disappear. * * * "It''s truly uncomfortable," Leila murmured as she stared out the car window, crossing her legs tightly. On the opposite side, Arcangelo sat gazing out the other window. She squeezed her eyes shut. "We''ve barely spoken for two days! And when I do, he only gives me short, curt answers." Since breakfast that morning, they hadn''t exchanged any conversation. "It''s such a beautiful day..." Leila trailed off, her words falling flat. She blushed every time their hands touched, attempting to inject some energy into the air. He seemed oblivious. "At least nothing has happened in these two days. He hasn''t collapsed or had any seizures," she thought, casting a sidelong glance at Arcangelo. He appeared the same as always, and she couldn''t believe he was still addicted. "Yawn..." On the other hand, Leila felt like she was sleeping more than usual, struggling to keep her eyes open during the day. Her exhaustion was becoming more noticeable. To anyone watching, they would have thought it was Leila who was addicted, not him. "We''re almost there," the driver interrupted with a short yawn. Leila looked apologetic. "Oh, I''m sorry." "It''s alright," Arcangelo replied, still not even glancing in her direction as she spoke with the driver. "Someone might think he''s angry," Leila thought with a sigh. "It might be better if he were." Two days had passed. Arcangelo Urseau was conscious of Leila Cassilia. Perhaps, as a woman. Chapter 29 "Goodness gracious," sighed Leila, staring at the ceiling. "I suppose it''s possible that the reason he reacted so sharply that day wasn''t because he liked me, but because it was the first time he had ever experienced that kind of feeling." If it wasn''t because he liked her, then that was a relief, but the fact that it was the first time for him was a big problem. Either way, it was the worst-case scenario. She had no idea how to solve this. "I''m here," said Arcangelo. As he spoke, the car continued to run until they arrived at the research center. "Thank you. They said it''ll take about six hours to run the test and get the results, so why don''t you go rest somewhere." "Yes." As soon as the car stopped, Arcangelo opened the door and got out. Leila quickly followed, giving the driver a rough idea of their schedule before hurrying after him. "Let''s go together. We''re going to the same place anyway." He didn''t look at her or say anything. Then suddenly, he stopped and sighed. "Yeah. Let''s go together." Even he seemed to find it strange that he didn''t say anything until they got outside. "I have no intention of having a long conversation, so a simple answer will suffice," she thought. It wasn''t necessary to speak anyway. After that, Arcangelo seemed a little self-conscious at first, but soon he was acting as if nothing had happened. "Was it section C on the fourth floor?" he asked. "Yeah. It seems to be this way," she replied. As they walked, Leila suddenly felt a strange sensation. "When I was with Arcangelo, we mostly fought," she said thoughtfully. Before he became addicted, they would argue almost every time they met. "When we were at the mansion, we each did our own thing, so it didn''t feel like much, but now that we''re looking for a place together..." She scratched her cheek lightly. "It''s a strange feeling." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It wasn''t a pounding heart or anything like that. It was just a sense of working together properly. "Here it is." Arcangelo had been uncharacteristically uncooperative when they were chasing after 121. Her eyes grew cold as she remembered that time. "Welcome! This area can be quite confusing, but you made it here without any trouble. I was wondering if I should go out to guide you, but it looks like I didn''t have to." As they opened the door to the designated location they received, a familiar researcher greeted them. There was another female researcher beside him. "She''s my assistant. She helps me with my work and assists with 121''s work." "Hello." "Hello. Thank you for coming in for today''s examination." Today, Leila and Arcangelo had come to the laboratory for detailed examinations related to their health. Originally, they should have taken the examination right after the strange phenomenon occurred three days ago, but since they were already here, they decided to take a closer look. "Nothing big has happened in the meantime." She glanced at him surreptitiously. His countenance remained unchanged, as it always did. ¡°Detective Cassilia requests that you come here and change your clothes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Is it only when I remain quiet that there''s no reason to get excited? ¡°Come to think of it, the only time I ever saw emotional changes at the investigative agency was when I was there.¡± ...Does that mean I''m the root of it all? The more she thought about it, the worse she felt, so she decided to stop. ¡°I''m done changing.¡± ¡°Please come this way.¡± She followed the female researcher through a series of tests. The researcher recorded various numbers based on the readings from the machine. ¡°Is it bad news?¡± ¡°My body''s readings have become slightly unstable. It''s not too bad, though.¡± When she asked discreetly, the answer came that it was quite bad, but not extremely so. ¡°While taking charge of this examination, I received the previous data. You had trouble sleeping before, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Leila''s spirits sank a bit. It was uncomfortable to know that someone she didn''t know well had access to her personal information. Especially the fact that she had trouble sleeping was only known to a select few, including the head of the investigative agency. ''I guess I''m just a closed-off person who can''t help it.'' In fact, there are many investigators who are uncomfortable with others knowing their personal information, like Leila. That''s why the investigative agency assigns a dedicated doctor to perform regular health checkups for them. ''However, since this task is related to classified missions, it is appropriate for the researcher in charge of this mission to handle it, rather than leaving it to a doctor.'' ¡°It is understandable from a rational perspective,¡± said the female researcher. ¡°Did you already have this level of fatigue before?¡± asked Leila. Chapter 30 ¡°No, it got worse after they started injecting the waves,¡± the researcher replied, with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Could it be that the body is under stress as the waves continue to leave the body? The numbers also indicate that¡­¡± Leila trailed off. ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to say for sure because there have also been increased stress factors since then,¡± the researcher responded. Despite her rationality, her emotions expressed discomfort. ¡°We will conduct a wave examination. Please come this way,¡± Leila directed. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± This was a particularly difficult moment. ¡°I have already heard about Investigator Cassilia from others. You don¡¯t have to worry too much,¡± Leila tried to reassure her. She understood that it was an attempt to put her at ease, but it only made her more uncomfortable. ¡°Yes.¡± Her mouth felt dry. ''It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a weakness.'' She felt discomfort in situations like this. However, unlike when she was younger, she was now an adult. She could skillfully conceal her discomfort. She painted a smile on her face. * * * Leila''s examination was finished much faster than Arcangelo''s. It was only a simple health and condition check, so it was to be expected. "Well, go ahead and get angry!" "......." However, Leila wondered if there was another reason why Arcangelo''s examination was delayed, unlike hers. "Get angry," she said. As soon as she heard that, she laughed at the crumpled face of Arcangelo. No matter how irritating the examination subject was, he couldn''t get angry as he pleased. Just thinking about that image made her laugh for a while. "Now, we''re trying to see how emotions affect brain waves, right?" "Yes, but it doesn''t seem easy." Unlike Leila, the researcher had a serious expression on their face. Seeing that, she felt a little embarrassed about laughing. "Well, it''s research, after all." It was also an important study involving human life. For now, it was only one person''s life, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn''t happen in the future. "There''s no guarantee that this anomaly will only happen to Arcangelo in the first place." When you can investigate, you should definitely do it. "121 is an unusual poison in many ways. It attacks brain waves, so if we investigate it well, we may be able to obtain various things." She also wiped the smile off her face. But as she looked more closely.... "Am I mistaken that it seems like you''re teasing me on purpose?" The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "It''s probably on purpose. Our teacher has a bad personality, you know." It was a muttered comment that she didn''t expect to get a response to. So she was slightly surprised when the researcher replied. She soon composed herself and pondered the researcher''s words. "Ah." As a Korean to US English translator, I will convey the meaning of the original text in a more literary way, while also correcting spelling and grammar errors. I will use descriptive language and Harper Lee¡¯s style to enhance the quality of the translation. As I spoke with him, memories of what I had suffered at his hands came flooding back. "I don''t think he enjoys teasing on purpose, but he can''t stand not knowing something he''s curious about. He will dig into someone else''s trauma just to find out.¡± Of course, that was the case. Having experienced such things, it was easy to understand. "You must be going through a lot." "What?" The female researcher shrugged her shoulders. "We endure it because we gain a lot. Besides, we owe it to the teacher for bringing us this far on the topic of amphibious humans." "Amphibious humans?" "Yes. And we are venomous amphibious humans." Unconsciously, I flinched at her words. Then I realized my reaction was rude and apologized. The female researcher seemed to notice and smiled slightly. "It''s okay. I know what it means to be an amphibious human with a venomous mother." Amphibious humans typically live together with others who share the same mother. However, there is one exception: amphibious humans with venomous mothers. For example, while frog-like amphibious humans live in frog areas, venomous frog-like amphibious humans cannot. This is because they can produce venom in their bodies. "It''s dangerous, so we live in a place where only venomous amphibious humans reside." Especially with young amphibious humans, there are many cases of accidental poisonings. So, it''s necessary for them to live together separately. "I''m sorry." "It''s okay." Leila made a twisted face. "It''s my fault." However, that is only the case for immature young merfolk. Even though adult merfolk can control their venom, people still look at them with discrimination and suspicion. In modern times, this has become deep-rooted discrimination and hatred. "It''s okay. Really," the researcher said with a familiar shrug of their shoulders. "I didn''t mean to, but I mentioned Investigator Cecilia''s secret because I found out about it." "That is..." Leila paused for a moment. "While they''re in that state, I''ll continue to handle the Investigator''s health checkups. It''s best to narrow down the distance somewhat." Unlike what she had told Congressman Urseau, Leila didn''t explicitly mention that it wasn''t a secret to the researcher. "¡­Yes." Instead, she smiled slightly. "Please take care of yourself in the meantime." As Leila smiled, the researcher also showed a slight smile. Their facial expressions looked somewhat awkward, but not uncomfortable. "Hmm." She turned her head to look at the researcher, who was engrossed in their research. "Although they can be rude, maybe they''re not entirely bad." It seemed like she could release some of the resentment that had been building up towards him. Researcher Hakan. The name of the dear human researcher who cooperates with 121 was the first to be etched in her mind It was a somewhat positive feeling. * * * Tap, tap. As the investigation of Arcangelo was drawing to a close, someone knocked on the door of the laboratory. Unlike Leila, who looked around, the two researchers immediately recognized who it was. "Ah, you finally came." "Who is here to see us?" Arcangelo''s condition was clearly a highly confidential matter, so there wouldn''t be many people who would come to visit him during the investigation. "Who could it be? ...Oh?" Their heads, which had been rolling around, stiffened as soon as they saw the visitor. "...Director Robert?" It was Robert. "Ah, the investigation isn''t over yet?" "It''s almost done." Robert, who had suddenly appeared, spoke condescendingly to the researchers as if he was familiar with them. "Then it would be best to wait. I want to talk to Detective Cassilia until Urseau''s investigation is over. Is there a suitable place?" "I will guide you." Leila''s head tilted to the side. Robert signaled for her to follow him with a flick of his head. Leila followed behind him and the researchers for now.