CHAPTER 30 – DOCTOR VOLTAIRE

HIRAYA MISTELTEIN

The following day, the Junior Detective Associate- Alris Vortigern meticulously drafted an invitation letter for our school doctor, Pete Voltaire. However, this wasn't your ordinary summons. The letter bore the intrigue of an exclusive rendezvous, scheduled in a desolate lot notorious for witnessing the untimely fates of the former school president and several other students. It was the only locale suitable for our clandestine meeting, following Lysander's precise instructions.

The appointed day to meet the Doctor of Neo Arcadia has arrived. We'll rendezvous at the familiar vacant lot, characterized by discarded cars, heaps of junk, and piles of worn-out tires. Situated on the outskirts of Tasty Town, this desolate spot borders a forest reserve. Importantly, its remote location ensures the absence of innocent civilians, minimizing the risk to their lives in case of unforeseen complications.

"Why aren't we opting for a more conventional location? Wouldn't it make more sense to conduct the interview at the police station?" I inquired of Lysander.

"No. Too many dragonoids," Lysander retorted.

"Are you resorting to prejudice again? Not all dragonoids are adversaries, for goodness' sake," I protested with a pout.

"I know. That's why I had you extend the invitation to these three red-eyed idiots. It's just a precaution in case things take a turn for the worse," Lysander explained, gesturing towards the three steadfast dragonoid companions by my side.

Next to the stacks of worn tires, the three dragonoid girls meticulously prepared their weapons. Kate, her crimson sword glinting, expertly sharpened it with a whetstone. Charlotte, armed with a formidable .50 caliber sniper rifle, diligently cleaned its components with a vacuum cleaner. Meanwhile, Gaeun, wielding a starry magic wand, sang a soothing lullaby, infusing an otherworldly aura into the atmosphere.

Observing from a distance, I noticed Alris on the open field, engrossed in the details of his brown coat and meticulously inspecting his leather shoes. He stood there, exposed to the scorching sun for fifteen minutes, attempting to gauge when the elusive Doctor would arrive.

The puzzle of the school doctor's connection to Neo Arcadia continued to baffle me. Logically, there seemed to be no correlation between Dr. Pete Voltaire and the notorious terrorist group. He wasn't an activist supporting the dragonoids, nor was he a dragonoid himself—just an ordinary human. Yet, the enigma persisted, leaving me with unanswered questions about the true nature of his involvement.

"Hey, Lysander," I leaned in, bringing my face close to the silver-haired time traveler, my voice reduced to a whisper. "What did Doctor Voltaire do in the previous timeline?"

"A lot. During the height of the Purge of Humanity, he was a Dragon Knight working for Gazelle Lockwood," Lysander disclosed.

"And?" I probed.

"And he was the one responsible for some horrific experiments. You'll see once he acts up," Lysander replied, his gaze fixed on some distant point.

"Wait, if you knew that the Doctor is part of Neo Arcadia, why didn't you tell me back then? We could have prevented the invasion much sooner," I questioned, puzzled.

"It's the same reason why I instructed you to invite him to an open space without any other people. The risk is too high," Lysander explained, a note of gravity in his tone.

A pout formed on my face. This grumpy, blue-eyed individual now spoke with a robotic tone, shrouded in mystery and bossiness without providing any explanations. Despite the plethora of inconsistencies in Lysander's words, I inexplicably chose to trust him. I sensed his lingering frustration with me over some trivial matter, but for the moment, there was nothing I could do about it.

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Observing Alris unwillingly basking in the sunlight by himself, I decided to distance myself from Lysander and approached the Junior Detective. Alris greeted me with a kind smile.

"Miss Hiraya. So, what did our informant say?" he inquired.

"Nothing much. Just be careful and expect the unexpected," I sighed, relaying the vague advice.

"Oh, okay," Alris replied. "He's the famed Lysander Faradeiss, right? I heard that he is a renowned dragon knight slayer who burned the terrorists singlehandedly. He must be a really awesome mage."

"Yeah, he does give off that vibe, but honestly, he looks like he'd accidentally set himself on fire if left alone," I remarked with a smile.

"Hahaha. You two seem to have a lover's spat," Alris teased.

"Eh!?" I was taken aback by Alris' words, my cheeks flushing. "L-Lysander and I don't have that kind of relationship!"

"Oh, I thought you guys were a couple, and he's getting jealous because of me," Alris mused, looking up at the sky.

"No way. I don't think Lysander sees me that way," I reasoned.

"So you're single, then," Alris calmly stated, a hint of a handsome smile playing on his lips. For some inexplicable reason, seeing him happy and contented caused my heart to flutter.

I felt a warmth and rapid heartbeat emanating from my chest, a familiar sensation that I had grown accustomed to and found rather pleasurable.

Suddenly, my sharp elven ears caught the hushed voices of my comrades concealed behind the stacks of tires.

"You three, line up. I will cast an Anti-Pulse spell on you bitches," Lysander declared coldly.

"Hey, what's the deal with you? Stop being so rude! And you look grumpier than usual!" Kate protested with her raspy masculine voice.

"This is my normal face," Lysander retorted.

"Stop pretending, Monsieur Lysander. You're jealous. You're jealous because Prez is getting friendly with that handsome detective," Charlotte's sassy voice echoed.

"Fuck off, Charlotte," Lysander snapped, a hint of irritation in his tone.

"Um, don't worry, Lysander. You don't need to be so serious all the time. There are plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sure you will find another girl that would break your heart," Gaeun shyly offered.

"You're not helping, you know?" Lysander retorted, clearly irritated.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at the peculiar dynamics of my schoolmates, but in their own way, they were the best of the best. Lysander, in particular, stood out as the linchpin of everything happening in our town, and perhaps even the world.

"Head's up. He's coming," Alris muttered, his crimson eyes glinting with seriousness as he fixed his gaze on the entrance of the vacant lot.

There, we both observed a red car pulling into a parking space a few meters in front of us. The doctor emerged in his lab gown, sporting brown wavy hair and rectangular-framed eyeglasses. His kind smile welcomed us.

"Mister Junior Detective Associate and Madam President of the Student Council," Doctor Pete Voltaire greeted. "I'm sorry I'm late."

With my keen elven ears, I detected the faint sounds of breathing emanating from inside his red car. I could sense three other people concealed within the vehicle, attempting to stay out of sight. Though they were hidden in plain sight, nothing could prevent me from hearing their presence.

I glanced at Alris, signaling that he was not alone. Alris nodded, his expression growing serious as he fixed a gaze on the doctor.

"Doctor Voltaire, I believe you know why I invited you here," Alris stated.

The doctor nonchalantly shrugged. "I don't. Please, pray tell."

"You're here because we want to learn about Neo Arcadia," Alris declared in a cold tone.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Doctor Voltaire snorted.

"You do. Somebody ratted you out." Alris smiled menacingly. "Remember Maggie Antlers?"

"I don't. Please stop wasting my time." Doctor Voltaire stared menacingly at the junior detective.

Alris extracted a notebook from his coat, flipping through its pages until he found a blank one. Although he appeared to be reading, only I could discern the emptiness of the page. Flashing a sly smile, Alris directed his gaze towards the doctor, initiating a bluff. "Based on the information gathered during Gregory Lecheron's interrogation, Maggie Antlers implicated a certain Doctor Pete Voltaire as the overseer of dragonoid experiments among the students. Can you confirm the accuracy of this statement?"

"Heh, absurd," the doctor chuckled, turning his back and opening the door to his car.

"Wait, Doctor!" I cried out.

Suddenly, the doctor's face transformed into a Cheshire cat grin as he withdrew a heart-like substance from his lab coat pocket. The crimson eye with a black sclera at its center pulsated like a sonar.

"Activating Artificial Pulse!" he announced with an ominous tone.