A moment of charged silence passed before Pandora changed topics.

  "Do you know how to operate a cellphone?"

  “I haven’t had the chance to even touch one before, but I’m a quick learner,” Acacia replied.

  "I suppose we'll see. At least you can read and write. The keypad shouldn't prove too challenging."

  "I was top of my class at Heinemann," he countered, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "Mathematics, Chemistry, and Language Systems. Being the smartest was my only defense against..." He didn't finish the thought, but Pandora's expression suggested she understood.

  "You wanted to work here, didn't you?" she asked, uncharacteristically soft.

  Acacia was quiet before he finally allowed himself to speak.

  "...I originally thought Thaumaturgy was a science that could help people. Even though I couldn't use it myself, even though it made me a target for bullies... I found the lectures fascinating. Part of me still prayed, entreated God that he could make me a Thaumaturge."

  The Irregular sighed.

  “Obviously, that never happened.”

  He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

  "Thaumaturgy is nothing but a weapon—a tool for harming others. When it's not being used to kill, it only serves the wielder's selfish interests. I was naive to think people would use it for the greater good. If SST endorses that kind of power, I want nothing to do with them."

  His gaze then fixed on Pandora.

  "Remember that boy, Trifa, after my escape? Another Irregular. Your first instinct was to strike him down. He would have had no defense. I don't think you're inherently cruel, but Thaumaturgy makes it too easy to act without consideration. A power that enables such violence...I can’t accept it.”

  Silence stretched between them as Pandora absorbed his words. For someone with her reputation—an unstoppable force of justice, solver of impossible cases—his perspective must have seemed alien.

  Yet, something in his argument seemed to reach her.

  "Do you resent me then, Acacia?”

  "No. But that doesn't mean I forgive your casual use of it. Even if you saved me, I can't absolve you of your past actions. That's not my place. You're part of the system, and I'm sure you carry your share of sins. Ask those who've suffered from your Thaumaturgy if you want forgiveness. You might not even know the full scope of destruction you've caused, and that's how power works. A science of miracles? It’s nothing but pretty words for ugly truths."

  "My sins..." Pandora whispered, a weight of memory that made her seem far older than her years.

  The staff member's return broke their heavy moment.

  "My apologies for the wait. Your device is ready." He presented a sleek box containing the cellphone.

  "It looks amazing!" Acacia's earlier intensity vanished beneath genuine excitement.

  "If you could fill out this form," the man slid over a paper and pen. "We'll need your name for registration."

  Acacia hesitated briefly at the surname field before writing "Belmont" carefully, a name unfamiliar to the rhythm of his hand.

  "Remarkable penmanship," Pandora noted, the man nodding in agreement.

  "My mother was a calligraphy teacher," Acacia replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Both Pandora and the clerk recognized the diplomatic deflection for what it was. No one’s handwriting could ever be that good, even if one’s parents were a teacher in calligraphy.

  "If I may ask, Mr. Belmont," the clerk ventured, "your name has Tachyonian and Wallachian roots, but—forgive my presumption—your appearance suggests Sugoroku heritage. Are you of mixed descent?"

  Acacia caught Pandora's subtle warning glance. "Actually, I'm Pandora's cousin—practically a sister to me. I'm spending summer break here to experience her life and work. As for my appearance, just some interesting genetic expression I guess?"

  Please don't murder me for the sister comment, he added silently.

  "I see, I see," the man nodded sagely.

  Pandora cleared her throat. "If you'll excuse us, I need a word with my... cousin. Perhaps you could finalize the phone's setup?" She displayed her identification again, prompting another reflexive bow from the clerk.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Of course, Lady Kircheisen! It's been an honor!" He practically sprinted toward the back, leaving Acacia trying to suppress his amusement.

  "He certainly seemed enthusiastic about meeting you."

  "I’m the second-ranked High Inquisitor in the Centrum Supremum. Like you noticed, I’m quite the celebrity." she replied with a hint of pride and a hair flip that made Acacia roll his eyes.

  “Who’s first then?” he sneered as to rain on her parade.

  "William Ainsworth—head of the House of Ainsworth. He's the one who granted me my position, along with the court judges, about a year ago."

  "The one who solved the Empire's most infamous case? I've heard rumors."

  "He maintains his privacy and only partakes in public affairs when he needs to show up for his House, hence the limited information about him."

  "Sounds thoroughly unpleasant, just like you,” Acacia smirked.

  "Be grateful you'll never meet him. His standards for those he deems as ‘annoying’ are stupidly rigid. He’s brilliant, clearly, but utterly lacking in basic human understanding. His prodigy status bred such arrogance that he views most people as tools to discard whenever he loses interest in them. I'm still surprised he recognized me as human, given his initial dismissal."

  "Perhaps he was captivated by your beauty," Acacia suggested with exaggerated innocence.

  Pandora's eyes narrowed. "If that were true, he would have lost interest after our second meeting."

  "Ah, then it must be love~" he sang, dodging her withering glare.

  "Shut up."

  The clerk's return spared Acacia from further retaliation. "Everything's prepared. This is the Seven Shades Mark I. It’s our newest model, not officially releasing for another two weeks. The keypad is optimized for finger input, with ten standard numerical keys. Customization options are currently limited."

  "That works fine," Acacia nodded, giving a cursory glance at the device. "The layout seems intuitive enough."

  "Wonderful! We hope you'll enjoy exploring its innovative features. Please do share your feedback in the future!" The man beamed as he handed over the package.

  "Thank you very much," Pandora and Acacia responded in perfect unison.

  “Holy crap, this is your house?! It’s friggin’ huge! The hell?! It has cobblestones leading up to the front door, and a garden and backyard too?! What kind of mansion is this? Where the hell are we?! This isn't the royal palace I've heard so much about! We must've traveled at least half an hour to get to this place! I thought that the Royal Capital was at the center of the Empire! Wait, what the hell?! It looks like a castle! This is totally a castle! Why did you bring me to their castle?! What’s even happening?!"

  "Stop yapping," Pandora cut through his stream of exclamations. "It's neither castle nor mansion, just a well-maintained modern home. The government provided it as my base of operations in Windsor. I need somewhere to sleep, eat, and work on cases away from the capital to preserve my sanity. Though I appreciate your dramatic reaction."

  "You're welcome..." Acacia surrendered his attempt to comprehend the enigma that was Pandora Kircheisen. "But you're certain this isn't some noble residence? My knowledge of aristocratic housing is… admittedly limited."

  "It's a three-bedroom house with standard features: living room, kitchen, dining room, basement. Dude, what use would I have for a mansion without staff to maintain it?" She seemed genuinely puzzled by his persistence.

  "Did you actually just say 'dude' unironically?"

  "I did, and I'll do it again, dude."

  "Apologies, my fair lady!" He acerbically bowed with a faux noble accent.

  Their bickering continued as they entered the house. After removing their shoes, Pandora led him into a spacious living room that managed to feel both elegant and lived-in.

  "Welcome to the heart of the house," she said, gesturing to their surroundings. A large couch faced a wall-mounted television, while a tasteful chandelier cast warm light across a coffee table. A stone fireplace dominated one wall, an antique clock mounted above its mantle. Through sliding glass doors, Acacia glimpsed a meticulously maintained garden.

  "That a Sakura tree?" he asked, noting the distinctive shape.

  "Good eye. The Cherry Blossom—symbol of the Sugoroku Empire. Rather surprising to see such imports so soon after the war."

  Acacia turned his attention back to the interior. Bright lights streamed through open windows and curtains, illuminating walls that remained purposefully bare. It made sense as this was a temporary residence, after all, not a permanent home.

  "The staircase?"

  "Yes, with the bathroom just there. Mind the vacuum cleaner stored below."

  "Everything's so big!"

  Pandora sighed, patience wearing thin at his continued amazement. "The layout includes several guest rooms, the basement, main bathroom, and additional spaces. Your room is upstairs with its own bathroom. The second guest room is in the basement. Kitchen's there, fully stocked—though don't waste food. Laundry's in the basement. Dining room is off-limits barring guests. The backyard features a grill, the garden you saw, open space, the Sakura tree, and a pool."

  "A pool? Why would you need—"

  "For Thaumaturgy. The bathroom isn't exactly ideal for that purpose."

  "That can be taken in a variety of ways...wait, how much money do you make?!"

  "Access to my financial records requires a fee."

  "Which is?"

  "Stop asking me questions until tomorrow and get your ass to sleep is the fee." A sickly sweet smile graced her features.

  Acacia muttered something distinctly uncomplimentary in a foreign tongue before heading upstairs.

  "Take a shower first!" Pandora called after him. "And help yourself to food if you're hungry! I'm going to bed, and if you put one foot inside my bedr—"

  "Not hungry! Just going to sleep!"

  "I see. Then...good night. Sleep well." Something in her tone made him pause briefly before continuing to his room.

  After a shower that introduced him to water pressure he hadn't known was possible, Acacia sank into an unfamiliar bed that felt like lying on a cloud. For the first time since that night of fire and loss, his dreams held no shadows of the past.

  Perhaps it was the exhaustion of the day.

  Perhaps it was the strange sense of security he'd found in this house of contradictions.

  Or perhaps it was simply time for new dreams to take root.

  very soon.