In unison, the members of the Mythos Garden, especially Nicole, felt their hearts sink into their chests.

‘Actively investigate them? But isn’t this a dangerous endeavour? We’re messing with powerful people, after all.’ Juno leaned on his hand as he considered it. ‘Even I was terrified by that gaze brought on by learning of the Phantom Syndicate. If little Capulet, a sixth-degree Arisen is terrified by them, then shouldn’t we continue to grow stronger before proceeding with this? It still seems too early to be this brazen…’

As they watched the Demon of the Garden, his hair gradually deepened in colour, turning an oaky brown, his eyes returning a sky-blue hue.

‘Ah, this is Lumière Croft- the One of Spades! He wouldn’t normally take part in these meetings, so why is he taking control of his own body now?’

As Lumière glanced at each person, gaging their awareness of the differentiation between ‘Ophelia’ and ‘Lumière’s’ appearance, he began to speak.

“Really, it will be me who’s investigating the matter behind the Phantom Syndicate. That’s what I’ve been tasked with.”

Hearing this, Juno smiled coyly. ‘I see. So it’s the case that Lumière Croft is as much a member of the Mythos Garden as we are. I wonder, does he have a codename? And if he’s been tasked with it, why mention it to us? Is there something he wants us to do?’

“If that’s the case, why propose it to us? Is there some matter that you need our help with?” Cartwell wondered aloud, matching Juno’s concerns.

“No, it’s just that I wish you to know of this. After all, members of the Phantom Syndicate were watching over the battle against the Nameless beasts. This was a key reason why I was able to use them in my plot. I hope in the future, when I encounter a problem, I can count on your help. I hope you’ll continue to grow stronger in the meantime.”

‘Nameless? Is this what they’re called officially? The orthodoxy sure has a strange ‘naming’ sense…’ Juno chuckled.

Nicole slowly raised his hand.

“Yes, Capulet?” Lumière had sat up straight in his chair, different from the mannerisms of Ophelia, who would usually lean on his hand.

“Why is it that you had us come along when Heaven’s Roses was guaranteed to present themselves?” His serious side had emerged.

“Were those the men in white cloaks that we saw? You were wearing something similar when you joined us, weren’t you, Capulet?” Cartwell suddenly interjected. Having assumed that Juno would ask the question, Lumière was pleasantly surprised. It was uncharacteristic for Cartwell to seek out information on his own accord.

“Yes. It is the same. I am part of the same team as them.” Nicole replied without second thought. “Ah, maybe I wasn’t supposed to say that…”

“The same as I. We’re affiliated with the Church of the Crown of Thorns.”

This made Cartwell’s and Zelia’s eyes widen, coming to a realisation. If Lumière Croft was associated with the Church, this meant that every day was a risk for him. After all, he was a heretic. Moreover, they had seen him blaspheme the Goddess on at least one confirmed occasion.

‘Is he really both a heretic and a servant of the Goddess, as well as the host of a Demon? Perhaps Mr. Ophelia has some way to keep him out of the sight of the Goddess, in the same way that I couldn’t divinate his future. Of course, I would never compare my sight to that of a Deity…’ Zelia was truly taken aback. It was almost too insane, even for a heretic.

Although they were both surprised by the revelation, Cartwell and Zelia remained silent.

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However, Juno had a few questions on his mind. Seeing as he had two experts on the matter sitting before him, he thought he might as well ask.

“Why is it that some ‘Nameless’ talk, and others don’t?” He leaned forward in his seat, his tone deep and convincing.

“Ah, that’s because they have stages of maturity, just like a person.” Nicole eagerly replied, not hesitating to give up information for free. “At first, they will struggle to mimick a person. But they will gradually learn from their surroundings, the same as a child would. Then, they will gradually adapt, until their camouflage, as well as their speech, has become perfect. They will be indistinguishable from the original person. This is because while they take over and replace the flesh of the host, they keep the part of the brain that houses memories, fusing with it in order to learn from the original person and mimick them easier.”

‘This boy… it’s almost too easy to get information out of him. I’m beginning to feel a little guilty. Perhaps Mr. Ophelia will take offense if I press further…’

“I see. Thank you, little Capulet. I’ll treat you to a drink sometime as thanks.”

“It’s no problem, Mr. Shylock.” Nicole smiled brightly, seemingly rid of his anxieties amidst the rest of the group now. “It’s a small piece of information. Besides, as comrades, shouldn’t we share information freely?”

This jolted Juno significantly. As well as the others, it made them feel a bit guilty for seeking compensation for information in the past, as well as buying it from others. They began to think that maybe the little mage had been right. As those working towards the same objective, it was clear that they should share key information with each other to serve the greater benefit.

However, for Juno, what he had locked onto specifically was that Nicole had called him a ‘comrade’. His hands shook a little bit, and he hid them in his lap while taking a less casual sitting position.

He had tried for a long time to abandon the memories of war. While he had gained a method of growing as a merchant through the connections he had forged, there was nothing else about it that he cared for.

Juno was a man without memories of his past. As a soldier, he had tried all he could to make connections so that he could have a memorable future. The extent that this took was damning. There was only incompetence in the military that served the Empire. It was like they just didn’t care that a war was raging like a constant flame on the border.

He had become sick of it, almost crazed. He took it upon himself to manipulate the battles using his connections, and as a result, he had become a man ashamed of his past, broken by the blood on his hands. This had made him unpredictable at times, passive when he shouldn’t be, and cunning when he should.

Every time someone called him ‘comrade’, he would be thrust back into that past. It was an unfortunate stain on his soul, something that would always torment him.

He took a deep breath, focusing in on the conversation that had continued without him.

When no one had been paying attention, Lumière had changed his visage once more, his hair a deep white, and his gaze a piercing violet.

Zelia had been the only one to notice.

“Mr. Ophelia, I have a request.”

Eyes turned in unison to the feminine voice across from them, surprised. No one had made a request to Mr. Ophelia since Cartwell had used his wish. They all feared the hefty price of a Demon. That meant it could only be one thing.

“I would like to use my wish.” Zelia spoke suddenly. She had been silent nearly the whole meeting, which was common of her. Yet, it became obvious that it was because that she had been mulling over something.

‘Another fool, using a wish from a Demon this early… do they not think of their future benefit?’ Juno sighed inwardly, leaning back in his seat, finally relaxed.

“I wish to know if the Argyle family had a hand in the murder of their son, Casimir Argyle.” Saying this, the others could visibly notice her conflicted expression.

This made Cartwell tense up. He knew the reason why Zelia was asking for that sort of information. She had her deepest suspicions that it was the fault of her ex-family. She just wanted to know if her hatred and the justice she sought was justified.

After all, what she wanted was justice writ in blood.

Lumière leaned on his hand, smirking.

“Very well. Give me a few days, Ms. Laertes.”

“A few days? Ah, very well.” Zelia looked down, fidgeting with her hands. ‘I thought he would tell me instantly… but I can wait.’

Sensing her anxiousness to move things forward, Lumière smiled. “I’m not omniscient, Ms. Laertes. But don’t worry, I’ll get the information you seek.”

‘The question is, how will I go about doing so? I can’t ask this bastard merchant, he’s a part of the Mythos Garden. Seeking information from him will diminish the Ophelia persona. Can I try and seek the information through Constantine Adler’s channels? But that runs the same risk, as Juno is connected through those channels too. I can’t ask Artis Faulkner, as she hasn’t been in Leiden for quite some time. I doubt Thomas Hawthorne concerns himself with internal noble politics.’

Lumière grinned, coming up with a solution after exhausting his options.

‘Perhaps I shall consult a King.’