"Are you certain it was wise to come with us rather than remain with Miss Hazel?" Heiwa asked as the carriage rolled steadily down the stone-paved road.
"Of course," Miss Li Hua replied, increasing the rhythm of her fan without looking back. "She is in capable hands."
I watched the scenery shift, the familiar streets bending into something unfamiliar. "Has Lord Morgenstahl's residence been changed?" I asked at last.
"Yes," Heiwa answered after a moment of quiet observation. "It was relocated shortly after the outbreak. I was informed by one of the soldiers stationed nearby."
That settled like a weight behind my ribs.
"Are you planning to meet the new provincial governor?" Miss Li Hua asked, her tone deceptively light.
"No," Heiwa replied, turning her gaze back to the passing buildings. "I don't believe it would serve any purpose."
Miss Li Hua hummed softly, and I couldn't tell whether it was approval or skepticism.
The ride smoothed after that. The city narrowed, buildings rising on either side like disciplined sentinels. Eventually, even those gave way, the street thinning until forest pressed close, branches arching overhead like ribs.
"We've arrived, miss," the coachman announced, stopping before a tall, wrought-iron gate guarding a manor that felt… displaced.
"Are you sure they were informed of our visit?" Miss Li Hua asked, stepping down gracefully, parasol already open.
"Absolutely," Heiwa replied, adjusting her áo dài. "I wrote ahead. It was only after the letter was sent that I learned of the relocation."
Miss Li Hua turned slowly, surveying the structure. "Western architecture," she observed. "Interesting."
Before I could comment, the gate opened.
"Apologies for the delay," Miss Krämer said, bowing slightly as she ushered us inside.
The carriage was already gone.
Lord Morgenstahl awaited us in a sitting room washed in pale light, accompanied by the rhythmic ticking of a clock. He gestured for us to sit as though we were old acquaintances.
"Good afternoon, Miss Li Hua, Miss Heiwa—and Victoria. You all seem well," he said, removing his spectacles, delicate with their fine detailing."
"Thank you for receiving us," Heiwa replied. "And for accepting the gift."
"My thanks," he said, setting it aside.
Miss Krämer returned almost immediately with tea and light refreshments.
"I trust Earl Grey is acceptable," he said, lifting his cup. "Please, help yourselves."
The atmosphere was calm. Too calm.
"So," he continued, "your letter mentioned concerns regarding mana-enhanced disease."
"That is correct," Heiwa said, adding milk to her tea. "We have reason to believe the outbreak was not natural."
"You are the only mage I know personally," she added, glancing briefly at Miss Li Hua, "so I hoped you might provide insight."
"Gladly," he said, taking a sandwich. "If nothing else, it gives me an excuse to explore the city."
Heiwa flushed faintly, clearly remembering promises unkept.
"Mana users," Lord Morgenstahl continued, "are… diverse. As you may know, I am an artificer."
I nearly blinked.
Artificer. So not just a nobleman with elegant gloves.
"I do not cast spells in the conventional sense," he explained. "I construct devices that utilize mana."
"So there are different classifications," Heiwa said carefully. "Mages, artificers—"
"And enchanters," he corrected gently, running a gloved thumb over the rim of his porcelain cup. "A Mage calculates the fire. I build the engine that holds it. But an Enchanter... an Enchanter etches the law that tells the fire it cannot burn."
He set the cup down with a distinct click. "If the disease is anchored to a specific location, we are not looking for a spell. We are looking for a carving."
"Then the perpetrator may not be a mage," Heiwa murmured. "But an enchanter remains possible."
"Indeed. However—" he paused, setting down his cup, "—we must also consider necromancy."
Miss Li Hua nodded. "That was my thought as well."
"Yes," he said. "And if that is the case, apprehension will not be simple."
"Why?" Heiwa asked.
"Because," he said, tapping his pocket watch thoughtfully, "one is rarely only a necromancer."
Silence.
"A necromancer might first be a mage," he continued. "Or worse—an enchanter."
Understanding dawned—too slowly.
"A mage… with undead auxiliaries," Heiwa said softly, covering her mouth.
"Precisely."
Miss Krämer entered with more tea, and the moment fractured.
"But motive?" Miss Li Hua asked, adding sugar to her cup. "What would drive such an act?"
"That," he said, sipping water, "is unclear. A mage thinks in systems. A witch thinks in reasons. If you want motive—consult a witch."
"I see," Heiwa said quietly. "You've been most helpful."
"The Church may also prove useful," he added, glancing toward the window as our carriage returned.
"We thank you for your time," Heiwa said with a bow. "We'll keep you informed."
"It was my pleasure," he replied, escorting us out. "And—should you permit—I wouldn't mind assisting further. I might even have a tool prepared that would make the investigation easier."
He paused. "The cemetery would be a logical starting point."
As the carriage pulled away, I exhaled.
"That was… productive."
"I had no idea he was a specialized mage," Heiwa admitted, rubbing her temple.
Miss Li Hua smiled faintly. "I suppose I forgot to mention it."
The road stretched ahead.
Certainty had been stripped away.
And something colder had taken its place.