“HCL reaction results in fire, added with the just a small amount of gas in the house. Is it necessary for a pharmacist and a sole daughter to have them in their house? I found formalin and some other chemicals to keep a corpse fresh,” another day, another report of the on going case to the Acting Grandmaster, Jean, “and only some given consent institutes are allowed to purchase them.”
Jean hummed, nodded in every sentenced presented by Albedo. Her fingers intertwined with one another, trying her best to keep her sigh away from her reach. Had it been a few days since she last went outside for a normal breather?
Even now, she hadn’t realized the sun had long seeped through the window curtains, shining on her blonde hair, deepened her ocean eyes as well. “Now, I’m waiting for the next order from the Grandmaster,” Albedo added to his report before ending it with a cough.
“…Hmm… I’m starting to believe the victim here is the other way around. Are you sure there’s no evidence in supporting Lora’s confession of the missing girl’s health condition?”
Albedo shook his head. “No, I’ve asked her multiple times but it seems like she’s refusing to hand out the health record一” ending his answer with another cough. Jean’s ears perked up, her eyes averted from the paper on her table, back to where the blonde platinum man stood.
“Have you been overexerting yourself lately, Albedo?”
“…I should be the one asking you that, Grandmaster. But for your information, I hardly push myself unlike certain someone,” he coughed again, but this time, Jean couldn’t identify if that cough was indeed aimed at her or a genuine one.
Soon, she preferred not to figure it out.
“Ahem, Albedo. How’s that new friend of yours?” Jean asked, hoping it might ease the unfamiliar atmosphere. She’d been nagged for the past few days of her health, she possibly didn’t want another, right? Upon waiting for his response, she brought back her gaze to the paper she’d forgot to skim through.
“The assistant’s doing alright, I suppose. I plan to bring her together to Lora’s house. I’ve got a sense they might be connected一”
Jean sighed, standing up from where she sat and made her way to the book shelves across her table. “You don’t have to hide her real identity. I’ve known of it for a long time, in fact, I brought her in thinking she had a potential to be a knight,” she announced.
Her gloved fingers grazed over the thick cover of books, eyes carved deep into the searching of a certain document. A document that might reveal and had the blonde man to make his final decision.
She’d hate to say this, but one’s freedom was in the hand of a stranger that happened to hold the case.
“I’m starting to believe everyone’s asking me to take on her side and close the case as how it currently is,” Albedo said, turning away his heels, had his gaze to land the opposite way from the blonde woman.
“…You don’t have to listen to them, it’s up to you. But even a knight should consider their actions. I’m giving you full authorities, I trust you won’t make yourself regret your decision,” Jean announced, her ocean eyes didn’t spare a glance, only having it fixed on the shelf.
Until, her fingertips slid the book away from the shelf. Her eyes scanned over the book, from the title to its content resulting an amused smile made its way, creeping up to her stoic face. “Take this as well, it might help you.” She turned her heels, walking forward to where Albedo stood.
The sunlight came and basked him, she couldn’t decide if he was shun by the sun or the sun was shunned by him. However, whatever it was, a glint of competence made from capabilities was sure to brim brightly in his azure irises.
“You may excuse yourself, Albedo.”
***
Hail Herbs, a pharmacy ran by an anonymous person. No identity, no appearance to the public, hence no criminal or activity records. Despite all of that, Hail Herbs’s medicines work well and managed to alleviate or stop a disease from spreading or getting worse. They were highly praised and had prepared supplies if there had been a war.
There’s been rumors of their medicines一an odd chemical, ironic taste, and a scent a crazed murderer once cried out: “Blood!” contained within the mysterious herbs. All meds are always served in a form of liquid, never in hard pills. And another rumor came after, that this institute was loved by the government, people who spoke ill of this company were rid off.
No one knew how long it’d stand, who was the founder, how did the business grow一
His thoughts were disrupted when he heard a door clicked open, revealing a man in blue to walk in his laboratory. Albedo looked down on the book that’s still opened, closing it soon with a heave of sigh.
“How can I help you?” Albedo asked, lifting his chin to meet eyes with Kaeya’s night blue ones, carefully trying to inspect the intention behind the smirk of Kaeya’s一with a slight stare, anyone would’ve noticed the least genuine smile as it never reached his eyes.
He couldn’t be more bothered than he was already.
“Why so cold? I was simply checking on you一and, ah. I see, so you’ve received the book from the Acting Grandmaster,” Kaeya marked, his eyes drawn to the book covered in red. The title didn’t seem to appease him, but Albedo didn’t care.
“If there’s nothing you need, you may take your leave. I have something to do一”
“I was just wondering what relationship do you have with Y/n?”
Huh?
Relationship? If he was honest, their relationship had been nothing but just an inspector in search for the guilty, only for them to compromise before the inspector decided to bring the guilty with him or to set the guilt free. Nothing more, nothing less一yet, it was peculiar enough for him to distinguish the odd feelings budding inside him, the moment he’d decided their relationship was just an inspector and the guilty, something just didn’t sit right.
With thoughts roaming in his head freely, his lips were sealed tight. Meanwhile the cold frost of his eyes didn’t waver, his fingers tapped on the table in a rhythmic pace. A friend wouldn’t sit right to describe, but formalities didn’t seem to be the case as well.
“That’s none of your business, Captain. This doesn’t have anything to do with you, I can’t disclose of something she didn’t consent me with.”
“She’s a friend of mine, I’m quick to notice the change in the atmosphere after running into such situations between you two all the time,” Kaeya confirmed, crossing his arms before he continued, “I was actually here to ask for the update of the case, but that didn’t seem to be it. You seem to gradually take sides despite you refused to admit it, seeing the book on your table, spread out like that.”
Albedo stared back down to the book, then back up to where Kaeya’s eyes were. He didn’t know what or why, a hunch in him told him few words: “Guardian”.
“Anyways, since I got my update already without you having to verbalize it, I believe you’re slowly figuring out the truth on your own,” Kaeya announced as well. His fingertips grazed over the book cover, whilst doing so, something passed in speed in Albedo’s eyes一the smirk was discarded, shun by the expression Albedo couldn’t quite mention. He wanted to ask if he knew something about the book, but who was he kidding with? It’s Kaeya he’s speaking of.
“Anyways, how’s the deal going? Are you about to bring her back to her house? Or have you decided something else?”
Again, it wasn’t Kaeya’s business to begin with.
Wasn’t his answer already clear?
He was tasked to find the absconded girl in the first place, and to bring her back to the rightful house of hers一despite the responsibility put in front of him, a doubt gradually followed him instead. The meaning he’d been meaning to discover but couldn’t distinguish, carefully knocked something beneath his head.
What was the true reason based on his decision?
“…I don’t have to submit my report of my decision, it’s something I deal with alone一”
“A decision is meant to be careful if you’re a knight. One wrong choice and everything’s gone.”
“Then, my answer to you will still be bringing her back. At least until I could find a reason to end the case.”
“Then will love won’t be a strong reason? I’ve heard of knights sometimes betrayed their country for their lover, or sometimes went against the superior for it,” Kaeya replied, and as usual, behind the unrealistic gloss of confidence and mischief of his eyes, a spark of memories flashed before his eyes, “I’m not only implying for romantic love, it may be platonic or a family.”
Ah, something he’s in the middle trying to figure out as well. Wonders of the world he couldn’t place his fingers in, he too hoped to feel the same to explore more, as a person once mentioned it’d be better for him to feel than learn.
“I don’t understand what you mean, my apologies. But someone’s words can’t shake the world to change and follow what you favor them to do, Kaeya. I’m speaking this as a friend, I hope you keep that in mind and keep your words of not meddling in any further.”
He expected for him to reply, to continue his debate to protect his “friend”, but he knew well the moment he spoke those words, Kaeya remained still as a stone. Nothing that moved but the smirk creeping up his face, amused. “Very well then.”
And just like that, the creaking door echoed in the empty room, clanking heels against the cold floor followed.
…
Behind the door, where two men conversed stood a girl patiently waiting一now, hesitated to step in.
Carved like stone, nothing but silence filled the h/c haired girl, her lips pursed to a thin line with thoughts roaming her head free despite not caring about it. Hearing just a drop of word back inside the room, her eyes fell to her feet.
She was used to being alone. To stand and walk on alone, ghosted by lots when she asked for help. Like a rope wrapped around her wrist, she held onto it tight, not caring if it might’ve damaged her hand. She was a fool to place her trust in a man she’d only met for three weeks. Even so, her foolishness led her to believe she was a step closer to him.
Yet, why did it feel… so odd? As if it’s wrenching her heart and cried for her, bled for her instead of her crying out loud feeling betrayed?
“You fool…” she didn’t know who she said those words to. Herself, perhaps?
A feeling of warm liquid gleaming her eyes, threatening to roll down her cheeks if she blinked, she reminisced how there were never tears shed upon coming all the way here. She’d long dried her tears after all, even if she were to hit her chest over and over, no tears seemed to flow out.
Looks like she’s going to have dinner alone again.
***
First written: 27 June 2021
Edited: 12 October 2022
YOU ARE READING
Beauty /Albedo x Reader/
FanficAlbedo who had to solve a case of a missing girl for six years, came to a deal with the girl he was searching for, Y/n, and came to do the deal with her. He'd get to explore three different emotions一yearning, hate, love. And Y/n would be able to ro...
