I Will Hold Your Hand Gently

Chapter 54: A Half Day Off

"My lord," Oliver greeted Zwei as he entered the office.

Zwei gave a brief nod, with Peter trailing quietly behind him. The room wasn't empty; Jerold and Viola were already present. His closest aids and people whom he trusts with his life were all there. Without a word, Zwei reached his chair and sat behind the desk. Oliver stepped forward and handed him a thick file of documents. Zwei took it and began reading, carefully going through each page from start to finish. Once done, he placed the papers down slowly.

"Who else is aware of this?" Zwei asked.

"A letter has already been sent to His Majesty," Oliver replied. "The Spheral House has eliminated all remaining evidence, except for him."

"Should we take that as a stroke of luck... or a carefully laid trap?" Viola asked

"Was there anything unusual about him during the trial?" Oliver asked as he turned towards Jerold.

Jerold shook his head, "I found it strange that someone of his talent would come here, but he never once acted suspicious. If he did murder Earl Greyhound, why come here? Wouldn't it have made far more sense to go straight to the Spheral House instead?"

Viola nodded thoughtfully. "Then what is he doing here?"

Jerold shrugged, "No idea."

"Peter," Zwei's voice cut in, firm and commanding, "Bring Hunter in for questioning."

Peter bowed low. "My apologies, Your Grace. Sir Hunter is... taking the evening off."

"...What?" Zwei was taken aback by his words, "Who...?"

There was a brief, awkward silence.

Oliver blinked, then suddenly gasped. "Ah—right! That was me! I gave him my approval!"

Everyone turned to look at him.

"I didn't know that he was involved with Earl Greyhound's death!" he added weakly, his voice trailing off as the weight of the moment sank in.

Peter cleared his throat. "Shall I call him back?"

Zwei leaned back slightly in his chair, the silence growing heavier.

"Until when, Oliver?" he asked, tone flat.

Oliver straightened slightly, choosing his words with care, "Until tomorrow. I only gave him the day."

Zwei let out a long sigh and shook his head. "Assuming he doesn't realize we're onto him, we'll wait. No sudden moves. If the Spheral House catches wind of this, we lose our advantage. But if he fails to return tomorrow..." 

Zwei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Bring him back, along with his family."

A beat of tense silence passed before they all responded in unison, "Understood, Your Grace."

******

Cielle walked into town with Hunter beside her, dressed in a simple commoner's outfit to better blend in with the crowd. The last time she had visited was during the Spring Flower Festival. Though the town was no longer bursting with music or draped in vibrant blooms, it still pulsed with life. Food stalls sizzled with the scent of street food, booths lined the roads with colorful trinkets and handmade goods, and the air buzzed with chatter and movement as she wandered through the busy square. One particular food stand caught her eye. A man shaping melted sugar with a stick, as if performing magic.

Cielle slowly walked up to the food stand and watched as the man turned the melted sugar into something completely different. A thin trail of steam curled into the air as the man dipped his stick into the bubbling vat of golden syrup. The scent of caramelized sugar wafted through the small market square. The warm, rich, and sweet smell made Cielle's mouth water. She watched, entranced, as he pulled out a glistening glob of amber sugar, its surface catching the sunlight like molten glass.