Chapter 229: New Code-named Member
Alhaitham listened to Cointreau's words, his mind immediately recalling the two failed potions he had been forced to drink. His face remained a mask of neutrality.
He was beginning to regret submitting those two concoctions as his research findings. Not only had it cast doubt on his abilities, but it had also failed to secure him the peace and quiet he desired. Still, after a moment of consideration, Alhaitham gave a slight nod, acquiescing to Cointreau's request.
A satisfied smile bloomed on Cointreau's face. He clapped Alhaitham on the shoulder, his tone encouraging. "With your wisdom and ability, I'm certain you can create this miraculous potion."
Having said his piece, he didn't linger, turning to leave the laboratory. He paused at the door, as if remembering something. "Oh, right," he said, turning back. "I saw my younger sister a few days ago. She mentioned Kaveh is coming to Japan soon. Apparently, he has a score to settle with you."
"Oh?" Alhaitham raised a single eyebrow. "Settle what?"
He already knew from Kaeya that Kaveh was on his way, but he was at a loss as to how he might have offended the man.
"I don't know the specifics," Cointreau admitted with a shrug. "But my sister said it has something to do with you running off to join the Organization without a word."
'What does that have to do with him… wait.' Alhaitham's initial confusion gave way to a sudden flash of Khvarena-like insight. He had a thought.
Though Kaveh was a renowned architect, he was, in this world as in their own, perpetually short on funds. Alhaitham had always been aware of this. Consequently, when he first arrived in Japan, he had intended to graciously offer Kaveh the use of his hotel suite. It had multiple bedrooms, after all; there would be no inconvenience.
But then the unexpected situation with the Organization had arisen. As a researcher, it was no longer practical for him to live off-site, so he had checked out of the hotel and moved into the base.
However, Alhaitham distinctly remembered booking the suite for a full month. He had also given the address to Kaveh. Couldn't Kaveh have simply moved in upon his arrival? With him absent, Kaveh would have had the entire place to himself—an arrangement that should have made him happier, not angry.
'Could it be that because I wasn't there, Kaveh had nowhere to stay?'
Alhaitham couldn't make sense of it. If that were truly the case, why hadn't Kaveh said anything at the time?
Cointreau observed the flicker of contemplation on Alhaitham's otherwise calm face and heard his hesitant muttering. He guessed the man had likely figured out what Kaveh meant by "settling accounts." Since that was the case, there was no need to press the matter further.
With a decisive turn, Cointreau walked out of the room without a backward glance, leaving Alhaitham standing in thoughtful silence, his brow slightly furrowed.
Out in the corridor, Cointreau reached a fork in the path. He paused, considering his next move. He needed to find Vermouth to procure some materials for Alhaitham's research. He turned, heading toward her known location.
He had only taken a few steps when he saw a familiar figure approaching from the opposite direction: Bourbon, whom he hadn't seen in some time. It was clear from his trajectory that he had just come from a meeting with Vermouth.
Cointreau didn't know what they had discussed, but he could make an educated guess. It almost certainly involved disguise. Vermouth was, after all, the Organization's unmatched master of the art.
'Perhaps,'Cointreau mused,'the "Scarred Akai" will be making an appearance soon.'
As Bourbon drew closer, he felt a strange sense of dissonance looking at Cointreau's refined, yet unfamiliar, face. A flicker of unease went through him, but he masterfully suppressed it, his expression remaining as placid and composed as ever.
"I heard you don't seem to believe that Kir dealt with Shuichi Akai," Cointreau said, breaking the silence as he took the initiative.
At the question, a knowing smile touched Bourbon's lips. "That's right. I don't think a man like that would die so easily... He's a 'silver bullet,' after all." The final two words were laced with a evident, biting disdain. A flicker of raw resentment burned in Bourbon's eyes for a moment, so fleeting it was almost imperceptible.
"And when Sherry vanished," Bourbon continued, his voice hardening, "I suspected the FBI might have been involved. I intend to investigate that as well while I'm at it."
"Oh, so that's how it is." Cointreau nodded slowly, as if in understanding. "I was beginning to think you held a personal grudge against Shuichi Akai, given how much attention you're paying him. Turns out it's just because of the 'silver bullet' moniker."
His voice was a low murmur, laced with an implication so subtle it seemed to vanish the moment one tried to grasp it.
Bourbon's eyes narrowed slightly, a new hint of vigilance entering them. He keenly sensed the hidden barb in Cointreau's words but couldn't immediately decipher its true intent. To avoid being led into a passive position, he smoothly pivoted the conversation.
"By the way," Bourbon began, his tone deliberately casual, "I heard the Organization gained a new code-named member in the last couple of days. Something about it being related to that group we were cooperating with. Who is it?"
He posed the question nonchalantly, a practiced attempt to fish for information. He suspected this new member might be a key figure in the alliance between the Black Organization and the mysterious 'Teyvat.' He had to ascertain their identity and background. At the same time, he hoped the question would probe Cointreau's own knowledge, allowing him to gauge the man's standing within this new partnership.
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