Evah slept like the universe was heading for heat death… er, no, just until the next morning.
Unfazed, he tidied up and headed downstairs for breakfast. At the foot of the stairs, he spotted Klein at the door, chatting with a teen in a coat and hat.
The teen, seeing Evah, visibly tensed—not out of fear, but the reflex of someone caught discussing something private when a stranger appears.
"He's my assistant, no need to worry," Klein said quickly, slapping an "assistant" label on Evah without a second thought.
"Hey!" Evah waved at them, not planning to butt in, and followed the scent of food to the kitchen.
The teen, Ian, visibly relaxed and resumed his conversation. "Detective Sherlock, can you take me to see Mr. Zreal's body?"
Yesterday, Ian had hired the newly arrived Klein in Backlund for a job: find a man named Zreal. As a mystical detective, Klein quickly located the target—in a sewer, dead. Klein had found his body.
Klein wouldn't refuse Ian's reasonable request. After a few words, he prepared to change and head out.
Just then, Evah emerged with half an apple pie, noticing Klein's about-to-leave vibe. Unsurprised, he asked, "Who made this apple pie? It's pretty tasty."
"Uh, Mr. Red did. He's a great cook," Klein said, his expression turning odd. "I'd made breakfast, but Mr. Red tried a bite, wasn't impressed, and remade it himself."
"He's got that skill? Don't judge a book by its cover," Evah said, raising a brow in surprise. He patted Klein's shoulder with his free hand, consoling, "Don't sweat it, Sherlock. Little Red's just got a picky palate. Your cooking's solid, really."
"I didn't mind, just surprised Mr. Red can cook," Klein said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"So where's Little Red?" Evah asked, taking a bite of pie, curious.
"He left after breakfast, probably had something to do," Klein replied after a moment, glancing at Ian waiting by the door. "I'm heading out too, so I'll catch you later."
"Later!" Evah waved as Klein changed and left. He plopped down at the coffee table with his pie, brewed a cup of coffee, and mused, "That client was Ian, right? So…"
Evah's eyes glinted with anticipation. "If Master Rosago comes charging in like in the original, won't he have to face all three of us?"
In the original story, Ian's case dragged Klein into a clash between Loen's military and Intis's Medici spies. Klein was forced to kill Intis's ambassador, then hired Sharon to take out Rosago, who came for revenge. It cost him dearly, but he gained the Marinettist characteristic, birthing "The World."
Now, fate had led Klein to Ian's case again, but whether events would unfold as in the original was anyone's guess.
"Planning something shady, grinning like that?"
Medici's voice cut in, dripping with his usual sarcasm. His figure emerged from the window's reflection, shifting from a 2D image to 3D.
"That hurts, you know. Me, plotting something bad? I'm a mischief-maker, sure, but a staunch happy-ending fan!" Evah said, gesturing at the last bite of pie. "By the way, nice cooking. Didn't peg you for the chef type."
"Hmph!" Medici didn't catch the "happy-ending" bit but got the gist. He sneered, glancing at Evah's plate. "What choice do I have, babysitting two helpless kids? If I don't cook, you'd both starve."
Clearly a jab at Evah and Klein.
Evah blinked, then nodded. "True, Amon and Adam must've been tough to handle. Props for honing those parenting skills."
He'd caught Medici's sarcasm but chose to twist it.
Medici, too lazy to argue, just rolled his eyes.
Evah sipped his coffee. "So, True Creator's orders?"
He doubted Medici would cook just because Klein's breakfast didn't suit him.
"You already know, don't you?" Medici said, pulling an apple from somewhere and biting it fiercely. "The Lord told me to look after you two. Damn it."
"Work hard, earn hard. You're the pro at babysitting," Evah said, half-soothing, then casually asked, "You were in the East District just now?"
"You tailing me?" Medici's red eyes narrowed, sharp.
"Like I've got time for that. Why stalk you when I can just ask?" Evah rolled his eyes, pushing his empty plate aside and sipping coffee. "Just a guess. The True Creator probably sent you to check out the East District, right?"
Crunch. Medici glanced at him, took another bite, and after a thoughtful pause, said, "What did you do?"
"Just gave you an opportunity," Evah said without missing a beat. "Yesterday, I toured Backlund with Mr. Sun God, soaking in the era's vibes. To give Him a full picture, I made sure we visited the East District."
Medici lowered his gaze, recalling something. "The Lord won't tolerate a place that sinful. He always wants everyone to live well."
"Exactly. Mr. Sun God was pretty upset about the East District and wants to make changes—reform, even," Evah said, smiling. He met the Red Angel's eyes. "War's coming to this world, one way or another. Mr. Sun God and I hope it's a war of reform. That's an opportunity for you, isn't it?"
(End of Chapter)