"..."

"...By the way, what kind of person is Miss Schimmel?"

After raising this question, I observed Xue’s reaction.

"It's my friend."

Xue is still very calm, with no emotional fluctuations visible.

"She loves to joke, but she only does it to people she knows."

"Eh...so you are quite familiar with her."

"She is my friend."

While emphasizing again, Xue's slender and cold eyes glanced at me, which made me feel an inexplicable pressure.

"What do you think of her death?"

I still asked this question.

"I don't know..."

"In other words, you don't know your own emotions?"

"No, in other words, I don't know how to answer."

"Well..."

"Anything else you want to ask?"

"You actually asked me..."

"In other words, I don't want to be tricked by you."

"Huh?"

"Our time is precious, isn't it?"

"So that's what you meant..."

Xue meant for me to finish asking and leave as soon as possible. The look in her eyes just now was probably a sign of impatience.

So cold~~ I haven’t seen you for almost a month.

"Are you injured?"

"What?"

"Cleaning the pacification area must be dangerous, right? Are you injured?"

"...We didn't encounter any demons, so we came back a few days earlier than planned."

"That's it."

"I don't understand the meaning of your question."

"Yeah~~Actually, I didn't come here specifically for interrogation or anything today..."

I smiled awkwardly:

"Of course I just have to ask whatever comes to mind..."

"You still aren't going to tell the truth."

...It seems that they don’t have any sympathy for me.

"Before I came back, you started asking around for news about me. After I came back, you came to see me immediately. It's impossible for you not to be prepared for this."

Snow's faint voice is like a blade, chipping away at my disguise bit by bit.

"In other words, I'm very curious about how you followed me here."

Except for the fact that I followed her, everything else Xue said was right.

Fortunately, the "preparation" that Xue thought of and the "preparation" that I really made were not the same thing.

So, I met Xue’s gaze.

"Sorry~~"

Then he apologized.

"..."

Xue and I each drank a few drinks and left the tavern one after another. No one said anything during the process.

......

The next time I encountered snow was on the third day since then.

This time with Manda - she asked to meet Snow.

Manda contacted Snow through the Wanderer Alliance, and as for me, I was just a character who came to watch.

At this time, I had already met Manda, and we were walking side by side on the street with our heads lowered.

"The snow hasn't stopped yet."

I mean the weather.

I have been using this sentence as a greeting recently.

"Yeah, I really hope the weather can be better."

Manda muttered softly, it seemed that she didn't really like being surrounded by snow.

"Lest you worry too much, let me tell you first. Mr. Stank is with other Wanderers right now, so don't worry."

"Okay."

Manda had just officially ruled out Mr. Stank as a suspect the day before yesterday - the reason was that Mr. Stank and his wanderer friends left the attic after ten o'clock on the night of the crime, and he did not come back until four in the morning.

At the moment, we are moving in two directions - "The murderer wants to kill Schimmel" and "The murderer uses Schimmel's death to promote the next assassination".

Although I already know which one is correct, Manda still refuses to give up the idea that "the murderer wanted to kill Schimuel".

"Speaking of which...if there is really another assassination, how long do you think it will be before the murderer takes action?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"Have you made any progress these days?"

"No..."

During this period of time, I have been in a dazed state, not caring about the passage of time at all.

Even now, I am still at a loss as to when I should wait and what I can do.

Overall, nothing was done.

"...Are you sick?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"I always feel like you have no energy..."

"Oh, is it because I didn't tease you as usual and made you feel bored?"

"That's weird!"

Manda squeezed me with her body as if she was angry.

Although she didn't use much strength, I almost fell down.

"Hey, hey, the road is slippery."

"Well...then don't always say that kind of thing!"

Manda walked forward with strong steps, as if she wanted to leave me behind, her short brown hair messy in the wind.

I caught up with her.

"Walking so fast, be careful not to get lost."

"I'm not a child!"

"Okay, okay...then watch your steps, don't cry if you fall."

"You...hum!"

Oh, oh, oh, I’m angry.

As we were about to arrive at the place we agreed with Xue, Manda emphasized to me:

"...I'll just ask her when I see her later."

"What about me?"

"Just don't do unnecessary things."

"Okay."

We and Xue... to be precise, Manda and Xue agreed to meet at a coffee shop next to an intersection.
To be continued...