Verdant Skies

The morning sun bathed the palace in a gentle glow, casting long shadows across the hall. Only listening with half an ear as Shou rumbled out the day's duties that needed to be attended, Kouen refrained from pressing a palm to his face at the faint ache pulsing beneath his temples and eyes. A remnant of the late night spent pouring over information and reports in hopes of garnering more information. As he finally reached the room where the strategists usually worked and pulled the door open, he slipped inside and made his way to sit down.

The atmosphere was charged with a sense of purpose, the strategists engrossed in their tasks, and the room seemed to hum with subdued energy. As he settled in his seat, Kouen's eyes drifted towards Koumei and his eyes narrowed at the subtle change that seemed to be present. As the discussions began to unfold once the hour truly struck, he found himself glancing towards Koumei. Head perched on his hand, a faint smile played on Koumei's face which normally wouldn't happen during a meeting like this. There was a thoughtfulness in Koumei's eyes, a departure from his usual focused demeanor. Confusion filled him, he pondered over what was going on with his brother.

Kouen couldn't help but wonder about the cause of this change. His mind briefly revisited the events of the day before—the attempted assassination, Iris's injury, information being found out about the attacker. But none of those would have caused this change, it made his eyes narrow. Deciding to catch Koumei after the meeting in a private place, he tried to focus. The meeting continued, with discussions ranging from political matters to strategic considerations for the upcoming weeks. Despite the importance of the topics at hand, his attention kept drifting back to Koumei. He observed his brother's every move, trying to discern the source of the subtle change in demeanor.

Finally, as the meeting drew to a close, Kouen seized the opportunity. Catching Koumei's eye, he gestured for his brother to follow him. As soon as Koumei nodded, he stood and headed towards his office. Only once the door had closed behind Koumei did he turn to look at his younger brother, a frown forming on his lips, "Koumei, care to explain what's been on your mind?" Koumei peered at him in surprise, "You seemed somewhat...distracted during the meeting."

"Oh-I was?" Koumei flushed to Kouen's surprise.

"You were," Kouen eyed Koumei carefully, "Did something happen after you went back to your palace last night?"

Eyes widening, Koumei cleared his throat and seemed to hesitate before nodding, "I-well, I decided to check on Iris seeing as my staff reported that she'd been held up in her room since the healer released her,"

Frown deepening as he sensed that Koumei was leaving something out, Kouen was concerned about Iris isolating herself, "Was she alright?"

"She was...angry at herself," Koumei chose his words with care, "She wished that she'd had the hindsight to convince Ha to bring along his attendants and Meihou," A sigh left Koumei and he shook his head with a slight smile, "I talk her down a bit and helped her focus on the good things that came of her actions," He grimaced after a moment, "Though if what I've started to realize about her is right, she is probably not going to keep her focus on the good for long,"

"No...she is not," Kouen rubbed at his face though noticed a flicker of something in Koumei's face, "You've left something out, haven't you?"

After a long moment of hesitation, Koumei nodded as Kouen felt a heavy mixture of concern and curiosity. Opening his mouth, Koumei shut it before shaking his head as he muttered, "I...We all promised to have open communication...so...I should tell you," He jolted at that and stared at Koumei in surprise, "I didn't leave Iris after we talked last night. Instead, I stayed and helped her with some weapon maintenance."

"Which you loathe to do," Kouen's eyes narrowed at Koumei.

"I do, but getting to sit beside Iris the entire time even if we didn't talk was...it was nice," Koumei's expression and smile were soft, "But then I found a dagger among her things that she had bad memories with and..." A flicker of hesitation entered his younger brother's eyes before he shook his head with a sigh, "One thing led to another and Iris kissed me,"

Shock coursed through him at those words, Kouen almost forgot to breathe as he stared at Koumei. Even if they'd admitted they had feelings for one another and were trying to explore them, Iris...Iris had never initiated a kiss before. The most she'd done was kiss them on the cheek, so for her to kiss Koumei-Mind racing as he struggled with the revelation, he felt as if the air was becoming too thick to breathe. Emotions sprung up with each breath he managed, surprise, uncertainty, and a twinge of jealousy that he hadn't fully anticipated. Jaw clenching as he tried to reign himself in, Kouen was grateful when Phenex began to hum soothingly and he spoke through slightly gritted teeth, "She...kissed you? Iris...kissed you."

Those words felt foreign on his tongue, Kouen almost wanted to rip them from the air as soon as they'd been spoken. Nodding to him, Koumei spoke softly with a hint of remorse in his eyes, "It wasn't something planned or expected. It just happened when we were having a moment. I...I didn't want to hide it from you, Kouen. And I doubt Iris wants to hide it from you either."

Taking a deep breath, Kouen attempted to quell the swirling emotions within him. His mind grappled with the complexities of the situation, trying to reconcile the idea that Iris had initiated a kiss with Koumei. The air in the room hung heavy with unspoken tension. Slowly he managed to calm himself, Phenex continued to hum in the back of his mind. He took a steadying breath before addressing Koumei, "I appreciate your honesty, Koumei," His voice was far steadier than he felt, "But it's admittedly caused me to feel...emotions that I'm struggling to reconcile," Koumei nodded slowly with understanding burning in his eyes, "This is something we both knew would happen though if a relationship like this formed, so I honestly can't be angry."

Koumei nodded in acknowledgment, the weight of the revelation hanging in the air between them. Kouen's mind continued to whirl with a mix of emotions—confusion, acceptance, and a hint of jealousy. He appreciated Koumei's openness, but it was undeniable that the situation had triggered something within him. Voice gentle, yet tinged with remorse, Koumei spoke as he peered at Kouen, "I understand, Kouen. This is new territory for all of us, and emotions are bound to surface. If you need time to process or talk about it, I'm here."

Pausing as if to gauge Kouen's reaction, Koumei clasped his hands in front of him. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Kouen finally spoke, "Thank you, Koumei. I'll need some time to sort through this. It's not that I didn't expect complexities, but..."

Trailing off as the words for what he was feeling didn't form, Kouen released a sigh. Offering a sympathetic smile, Koumei murmured, "We're working through uncharted waters, En. And with how complex everything is, it's not very surprising that we'll have more than a few stumbling blocks," Koumei let out a low laugh and shook his head, "But like Iris has been saying, any valuable connection is bound to face challenges. We'll navigate this together."

Despite his mind still processing the revelation, Kouen nodded in appreciation, "You're right, Koumei. I want this to work, and I value the connection we're building with Iris. It's just a lot to take in."

Expression softening, Koumei unclasped his hands, "Like we told Iris, En, we aren't in a rush," Kouen's lips twitched at that, "Give yourself time to think and work through your emotions, Iris and I are here whenever you need a sounding board."

Moving to take a heavy seat in his chair, Kouen nodded to Koumei, "I...will. I promise."

Koumei offered a supportive nod, acknowledging the complexity of the situation, "Well, I'll see you later, En," Kouen waved his younger brother away and Koumei began heading to the door before pausing, "Though En," Kouen eyed Koumei for a moment, "If at any point you wished to visit Iris, you're okay too. After all, Kouha isn't going to drag her away from my palace for a couple of days at least."

"I...will consider it," Kouen replied after a moment.

With a final nod, Koumei left Kouen's office, leaving the elder brother alone to grapple with the maelstrom of emotions churning within him. The air in the room hung heavy with unspoken thoughts and the weight of newfound revelations.

Each stroke of her paintbrush with varying vibrant hues seemed to mirror the complexity of her thoughts, the canvas image slowly shifting with the intricate dance of emotions within Iris. Colors blended and swirled together, the essence of a moment suspended in time slowly forming on the formerly white canvas. As the image took shape, she found herself caught in a tug-of-war between conflicting emotions. Between the assassination attempt, finding the dagger, and the kiss, she couldn't help but feel like a lone ship navigating stormy seas. Each wave of uncertainty crashed against the vessel of her thoughts, threatening to pull her into the depths of confusion.

The attempted assassination lingered in the recesses of her mind like a dark cloud. Even with Koumei's reassurances, she kept finding herself thinking back. The very notion of someone seeking to harm anyone she'd come to care for made every instinct inside her seethe. Even now after the danger had seemingly passed for the moment, the sheer reminder of what could have happened to Kouha made her blood boil. Had it not been for the fact she had no actual idea of where to start looking, she would have begun hunting down the one who had tried to assault them in the market. Times like this, the dragon within her seemed to take over even when they were in human form.

Then there was the dagger, a relic from the past that had resurfaced with the power to stir dormant memories. Its cold, metallic surface held the weight of history, and Iris couldn't escape the flood of emotions that surged within her. Even with Seymore dead, she still felt the sting of old wounds and heard the faint cries of those who had once suffered under his hands. There was a bitter taste in her mouth, the phantom tightness of her neck lingered even after she'd handed the thing to Koumei. The canvas bore witness to her attempt to capture the essence of those emotions, the swirls of color reflecting the tumultuous sea of her feelings.

And amidst the storm, the kiss lingered like a gentle breeze—a moment of warmth and vulnerability that contrasted with the chaos around her. Startling as it was to realize, the connection between Iris, Kouen, and Koumei was deepening even as she was beginning to understand what the feelings brewing between them were. Strands of vibrant colors stained the canvas with her contemplations, the various feelings she felt slowly found their way onto the canvas via color. Amid her focus, a knock echoed through the air and she let out a loud curse as a streak of orange was dragged across the canvas.

"Enter!" Iris didn't care if her tone was somewhat clipped.

Glaring at the orange streak that seemed to taunt her, Iris ignored the door as it creaked open. Assuming it was one of the maids coming to drop off something to drink or a snack, she dunked her paintbrush in the water cup while contemplating how to fix this. Only when she didn't hear any questions to see if there was something she needed, she turned her head and jolted at seeing Kouen standing in her studio with a slightly stunned expression on his face. Opening her mouth only to close it, she found herself unable to draw up any of the words that she'd wanted to say-to ask him during the days since she'd last seen him.

Finally, his eyes focused on her, Kouen's eyes held an uncertainty to them that made Iris ache. Part of her wanted to rush over to him and comfort him in some way even if he didn't say what the problem was, she held back unsure if he wanted to be touched right now. He spoke softly, "I didn't mean to disrupt your work. I thought you might appreciate a visit, but I can come back later if you prefer."

Turning fully to him, Iris shook her head as she spoke in a softer voice than before, "No, it's okay," She offered him a warm smile, "I could use a break," She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Besides, I've missed you the last couple days."

Expression softening as a mixture of relief and gratitude crossed his features, Kouen smiled slightly as he stepped further into the room. Eyes flickering about the uncovered canvas', he glanced at the one she'd been working on though didn't comment on it. Warmth coated his voice as he focused on her, Kouen let the door fall shut behind him, "I missed you too."

Gesturing to a nearby pair of chairs, Iris offered, "We can sit there if you'd like, but if the smell of paint bothers you, we can head outside."

Chuckling softly as he took the offered seat, Kouen's smile grew, "I'm fine in here, Iris."

Nodding to him, Iris headed to the door and called for one of the maids to bring them some tea and snacks before going to clean her hands. By the time she was finished, a maid was dropping off a tea tray. She murmured a soft thanks before sitting down and poured two cups of tea. As she handed Kouen his, she asked him, "How has Kouha been? Koumei hasn't seen him, so hasn't been able to tell me."

"He's doing...better than expected though I've had to beat him into the ground more than once," Kouen chuckled as he shook his head, "With any update we've gotten on what happened, he's tried to run off even if it wasn't a solid lead,"

Snorting softly, Iris smiled, "That sounds like him."

"How is your arm? Koumei mentioned your problem with our magics," Kouen eyed her with concern.

"It's nearly healed. Even if Koumei's healer couldn't fully heal me, he managed to coax my magic into healing me faster," Iris took a sip of her tea, "I'll probably need another day before it's healed,"

"I...see," Kouen paused as he eyed her for a long moment, "If you want, I could heal you with Phenex-"

"No," Iris saw a flash of hurt enter his eyes and held up her unoccupied hand, "Not that it isn't sweet of you to offer, Kouen, but I'm nearly healed. It seems like a waste of energy and...I understand how precious your abilities are,"

There was a flicker of gratitude in Kouen's eyes, he murmured, "I just want to make sure you're okay, Iris."

"I'm okay, Kouen," Iris assured him as she dropped her hand, "Are you?"

There was a long moment of silence, Kouen's expression turned thoughtful, "I...am," Iris felt relieved, "It was a lot to process, especially with the attempted assassination."

Reaching across the table, Iris placed her hand on Kouen's and offered him a warm smile, "Emotions are a lot usually," She saw his lips twitch, "Especially when you consider we're three different people trying to navigate whatever's between us," She tilted her head, "Is there anything I can do to help though?"

His hand shifted to curl around hers, Kouen spoke as he shifted in the chair, "I think just having you around helps," She smiled slightly, "Though...I do feel the need to ask something if you're willing to answer...or even able to answer it."

Blinking at that, Iris nodded, "Sure, I'll do my best. We are trying to be open with one another after all."

"What happened exactly?" Kouen asked as his thumb traced patterns across the back of her hand, "Koumei gave me a vague explanation, but..."

"But it doesn't help you settle things in your mind," Iris finished for him and released a low sigh, "To be honest, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, Kouen," She thought back to what led up to the kiss, "Koumei told you he'd decided to help me with my weapons, right?" Kouen nodded to her, "Well...I have-had a dagger," She saw a flicker of confusion enter his eyes, "That asshole back in Astoria, the one I killed right before we fought the jackass? At the palace gates? Remember him?"

"Yes," Kouen's lips twitched into a faint smile, "It's hard not to given the rather...vivid demonstration of your magic you'd given us,"

Cheeks flushing as she couched, Iris shook her head, "Well, I'd stolen a dagger from him. It originally came from a noblewoman who Seymore hurt..." She scowled at the memory before shaking it away, "That dagger is-was a reminder for me of what that asshole was capable of..." Kouen frowned at her, "He hurt a lot of women, Kouen. And Lord Jackass covered it up. He tried to order me to cover it up, but I refused which is why the scar on my neck is so much worse than it could have been...why I've got certain scars."

Kouen's expression shifted from curiosity to a deeper understanding as Iris shared the painful memories. His thumb continued its soothing motion on the back of her hand, a silent gesture of support. "I'm sorry you had to endure that, Iris. No one should have to carry such burdens."

Shaking her head, Iris smiled weakly as she finally understood the look in his eyes wasn't pity, "Thank you, Kouen," She reached for her teacup, "Anyway, Koumei and I...he offered to take the dagger and have it melted down into an ingot. It would be tossed away if I wanted," She felt the faint strings of warmth surge at the memory, "When I told him that if it was going to happen, he needed to get me a new dagger...have one forged here...it led to us having that little moment...unexpected as it was."

"I see," Kouen's voice was soft, "It sounds like a significant moment happened between you,"

Iris eyed Kouen trying to figure out what was going through his mind, "Kouen?"

There was a low sigh before Kouen shook his head and smiled at her, it was a small thing though the warmth present in it eased away the unrest in Iris's heart, "Thank you for answering my question, Iris."

"I want to be transparent with you both," Iris affirmed, her eyes sincere. "I value what we have, the connection we're building. But I also want to make sure you're comfortable and that we're all on the same page,"

"I appreciate that, Iris," Kouen squeezed her hand gently, "I do,"

Silence fell over them though Iris felt far less tense than when Kouen had first entered her studio, she drank her tea and ate a couple of snacks before slowly pulling away from him. At his glance, she asked, "Would you like to see some of the projects I'm working on? Not the...mess I was trying to figure out when you walked in, the other things."

Chuckling as he nodded, Kouen stood, "I'd like to though that one did seem a bit interesting."

Shaking her head at him, Iris began leading him to the canvas' she had set up. As they walked together, one of Kouen's hands settled on the center of her back. Despite her initial reaction to flinch away, she felt reassured by his touch as they walked through her studio.

"That's a lot of maps," Iris murmured as she walked into the upstairs sitting room, "Even considering how big Rakushou seems to be,"

A faint smile formed as she closed the door behind her, Koumei shook his head, "It's not just Rakushou. We're looking at the surrounding area as well," Iris gained a contemplative look as she walked further into the room, "With an assassin on the loose, it's better to be thorough."

"True," Iris reached his side and began looking over the maps, "I assume the red marks are where the killings happened? And that blue-the market assault?"

"Yes," Kouen confirmed from his place at the other side of the table, "Without being able to confirm whether or not the assassin was your assailant, we can't connect it to the murders just yet,"

Leaning forward with her fingers tracing along the marks carefully, Iris murmured, "Definitely a tricky thing, especially this early. I doubt there's a definable pattern yet, not so soon." She glanced between them, her expression growing serious, "How exactly did the murders happen? And how did they manage to link them to the same person?"

Looking at Iris, Koumei frowned as he went over the information they'd been given, "The soldiers investigating the various scenes all found the same calling card, and each noble was murdered with a blade."

"Calling card? That's an amateur move," Iris scoffed and shook her head, "As for the blade, it isn't an unusual thing to kill with," She paused as a contemplative look came across her face, "Though maybe that's the point..."

Blinking as she trailed off, Koumei's eyes narrowed as he considered what she'd just said. Cupping his chin, he murmured, "True, using a common method could be a way to throw off suspicion. But the calling card is still a risky move," A frown formed, "It draws attention...too much when you consider it."

"Like a country's banner," Kouen muttered with a contemplative look on his face.

"Koumei," Iris drew his attention back to her, "What does the calling card look like? Any specific details?"

Leaning forward as he picked up the folder they'd been working their way through, Kouen pulled out a piece of parchment and held it out to Iris. As she took it from him, he informed her, "This is a reproduction based on the descriptions given by the soldiers-"

"A dragon," Iris's voice held a tone to it that made shivers crawl up his spine, "Specifically one in flight..." She tossed the sketch on the maps and Koumei jolted at just how closely it resembled the pendants her friends wore, "Tell me," She crossed her arms and gave them a pointed look, "How sure are you that Gyokuen isn't aware of what happened in Astoria? Because that-" She gestured to the sketch, "Looks a lot like a certain pendant only my friends wore,"

As if a stone had been dropped into his stomach, Koumei swallowed heavily and shared a glance with Kouen. Kouen's expression darkened as he told Iris, "We kept everything vague, Iris. Only those that were there know what happens, I ensure our soldiers would keep the details quiet."

Narrowing her eyes at Kouen, Iris laid a heavy hand on the table, "Someone talked somewhere because that symbol isn't used by just anyone. I only ever made five pendants, Kouen."

Mind racing to comprehend the implications of Iris's revelation, Koumei shook his head, "We can't automatically assume it was one of our soldiers," Iris glanced at him and he continued, "There were a lot of people in Astoria alone who seemed to love Lord Habi despite what he'd done," A grimace crossed her features, "We need to consider whether or not one of them might have spoken with one of Gyokuen's people when they went looking for information."

"I-you're right," Iris rubbed at her face with a deep sigh, "But this all but confirms your stepmother is involved with the assassin," She scowled with a glare aimed at the sketch, "And your theory that she might be trying to pin it on me is starting to look more like a distinct possibility,"

A scowl formed on his face, Kouen's jaw clenched, "Which is why we're going to be cautious, Gyokuen is a cunning bitch after all. If she even gets a single whiff of us sniffing around, she'll either escalate things or use a patsy."

"Which isn't ideal," Iris dropped her hand, "Somehow each time this woman is brought up, I find myself disliking her even more,"

Snorting as he smiled at Iris, Koumei saw her look at him with a raised eyebrow, "You'll find many of our siblings agreeing with you. Only Hakuei loves her, Iris. Even then, it's a reluctant thing," He chuckled as Iris snorted, "Now," He turned back to the maps, "We'll need to take more precautions with our suspicions basically confirmed, but...Iris," She hummed low in her throat, "How good are you at using maps to get around?"

"Fairly-" Iris smiled lightly at him, "Rather than have Kouha show me around, you want me to use maps?"

"While it would be preferable to have him show you around or even one of us, we can't," Koumei shook his head, "But," He tapped the maps, "A map will at least give you some idea of where you are,"

"And I can start gathering information though..." Iris hesitated for a moment and he frowned at that, "If we want to get accurate information, I should probably start visiting locations that certain nobles like to visit...outside of the main palace,"

"That's risky," Kouen remarked with a frown, "Considering there's an assassin on the loose and our suspicions, it would put you in danger-"

"Not if I don't look like me," Iris snapped her fingers twice and Koumei watched as her appearance changed to that of Luna before it turned back with another snap of her fingers, "Magic has its benefits and it isn't like I can't handle myself, I need to gather firsthand information if we're going to get anything useful. It's the most reliable way to understand the situation,"

Unease still lingered even as he acknowledged Iris's point, Koumei sighed, "We can't deny the importance of accurate information, but...we also need to consider the risks," Iris eyed him, "Any magician will have their eyes on you. Judar, the magicians underneath me, and even a few that have come to drop things off have mentioned how the Rukh flock around you...how odd they look. On the off chance, one of Gyokuen's priests is in the area...if the assassin is a magician or is working with one, we have to consider your safety Iris."

"I...fuck," Iris frowned for a long moment before gaining a thoughtful look, "I have an idea. If I appear as if I'm merely exploring the city, it won't raise suspicion. And if I tell you where I'm going beforehand, you can station a couple of guards to keep an eye on me. Discreetly, of course, we can't make people think anything going on," She offered him a hopeful look before glancing towards Kouen, "And if anything seems amiss, I'll signal for help or make my way to them,"

"That could work," Kouen eyed Iris for a long moment before smiling, "Though you'll have to promise us that you won't try to slip out of sight," Iris gave Kouen a faux look of offense, "There is little point in sending back-up if you're just going to slip away, Iris,"

"I-fine," Iris crossed her arms with a slight pout, "I won't be a ninja and vanish without a trace. Happy?"

Koumei sighed, "We're serious, Iris. This isn't a game. If you detect any danger, you signal immediately."

"I get it, Koumei," Iris replied, her tone more serious, "I'm not planning on becoming the assassin's next target. I'll be cautious."

Kouen nodded in agreement, "Good. We're counting on you, but you won't be alone. We'll make sure you have support, even if it's from a distance."

Offering them a slight smile, Iris shifted to look at the map, "I know...now," She gestured to the map, "Where is the best place to begin this plan?"

Unease and tension gathered within him even as they began to make a tentative plan, Koumei's eyes ran across the maze that was Rakushou. The delicate balance between gathering crucial information and ensuring Iris's safety was a challenge they had to navigate carefully. Though he found himself relaxing when Iris's shoulder bumped his and she managed to coax a laugh from him, the soft smile she gifted him was full of mischief despite the dangerous job she was about to undertake.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden hue over the merchants' quarter of Rakushou. Amidst the bustling crowd, a sunflower-yellow-haired teen named Rana strolled, an empty basket swinging from her arm. Her pale blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as she approached a vibrant stall adorned with exotic fabrics. As she was walking up, the elderly merchant behind the stall called out to her, "Good day, young miss!"

As Rana turned to him with a light smile, the merchant was arranging his fabrics with an expert hand. With a cheerfulness that coated each word, she greeted him, "Good day to you as well!" her voice carrying a lightness that seemed to resonate with the lively atmosphere of the market, "Your fabrics are truly exquisite. Where do you source them?"

The merchant's eyes crinkled with a smile as he began recounting tales of distant lands and skilled artisans. Rana listened intently, her genuine interest evident in how her eyes lit up with each new detail. As the conversation flowed, it became apparent that Rana was not just a casual observer; she was a connoisseur of stories, eager to unravel the narratives woven into the very fabric of the market. The merchant initially focused on his wares, found himself captivated by Rana's infectious enthusiasm. There was a twinkle in his eye as he remarked, "You seem to have a deep appreciation for the stories behind these fabrics, young miss."

Rana chuckled lightly, her sunflower-yellow hair catching the sunlight. "Every piece has a tale to tell, and I find joy in discovering those tales. It adds a special touch to the beauty of these fabrics, don't you think?"

Nodding with a warm smile, the merchant's initial formality melts into genuine warmth, "Indeed, it does. You're not like the usual customers who pass by. What brings you to the market today?"

"Oh, a stroll," Rana's eyes scanned the colorful stalls around them, "Sometimes, the simple pleasure of exploring the market is its reward,"

As the conversation continued, the merchant couldn't help but be charmed by this seemingly carefree teen with an eye for the intricacies of the market. The sun continued its slow descent in the sky, casting long shadows over the merchant's quarter. With her basket now containing a few small purchases, Rana bid the fabric merchant a cheerful farewell. As she moved from one stall to another, Rana's interactions painted a portrait of a market enthusiast reveling in the simple joys of discovery.

With the sun dipping below the horizon, casting the market in a warm, amber glow, Rana's steps led her toward the outskirts of the merchant's quarter. As she walked through the narrow passages, a haze seemed to envelop her unnoticed. As she turned the corner, she disappeared without a trace.

Sitting in his study, Koumei looked over the reports that littered his desk as shadows flickered across the wall. Details about the current investigation filled his mind, he found himself frowning as small details jumped out at him. Innocuous at first, they contradicted details found in other reports. The revelation of a rat being among their men was an old one. But with the knowledge that someone important to him could be hurt because of this, he felt anger fill him.

Breaking from those thoughts as a knock sounded on his door, Koumei didn't look up as he called out, "Enter."

The door creaked open, and Koumei's gaze remained fixed on the scattered reports before him. Only when a wicker basket was placed on his desk did he look up, Iris offered him a mischievous smile as she leaned against the basket's handle, "Must be pretty busy if you didn't bother looking up when I entered."

There were faint strands of blonde in her hair, they were fading even as Koumei looked at them. He set down the report he'd been looking through, "Considering the fact at least one report is inconsistent compared to the rest, I admit that my mind was a bit occupied."

Eyes narrowing as she frowned, Iris eyed him, "So you have a rat among your men?"

"Have had," Koumei corrected her as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Kouen enjoys feeding Gyokuen false information. While we ensured those known to us weren't brought along to the Goulon empire-"

"A new one might've slipped through," Iris scowled softly before shaking her head, "Can't be mad right now, it isn't your fault,"

As she clicked her tongue, Iris rose from her leaned position against the basket. Koumei watched as she reached into the basket and pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle. Lips twitching in amusement as pastries and fruits were revealed, he chuckled, "You went out and bought things?"

"Had to keep up my cover," Iris's smile was mischievous as she offered him a pastry, "Especially when I started feeling eyes on me,"

Eyes narrowing at her, Koumei paused in the middle of taking the offered pastry, "Eyes?"

Nodding as she waved the pastry about, Koumei took it from her after a moment. Iris settled down in the seat across from him, "About an hour into my walk around the market and going by the fancy stalls certain nobles like, I felt someone focus on me," She tore a piece off a fluffy roll, "I managed to get an eye on them an hour into them watching me."

Fingers tightening on the pastry, Koumei's analytical mind raced through the possibilities, each scenario more ominous than the last. A subtle undercurrent of tension wove through the air. It took him a moment to find his voice as he leaned back against the chair, "Did you manage to identify who it was?"

Head tilting, Iris's expression finally gained the seriousness it should have had when she broached the subject, "Those odd priests that Kouha pointed out to me when we went to the palace for the party? Whoever it was, was dressed up like that," Koumei's eyes narrowed, "But they hid pretty well, I doubt the soldiers following me had any idea I was being watched. The only time they lost sight of me was in the alleyway, I used magic to vanish from their sight and head to the pick-up point."

If there was any more need to confirm their stepmother was involved, it was that. Koumei's brow furrowed as his mind dissected the information provided by Iris. A web of intrigue seemed to be tightening around them, and he felt a growing sense of unease. He mused aloud, "So Gyokuen is either keeping an eye out for your friends or..."

"She trying to catch me alone," Iris finished off her roll, "Which only begs to question what she could want? Even on the off chance that she has yet to get the full details of what happened, what could she want?"

Pondering Iris's question, Koumei's expression grew as more pieces of the puzzle were scattered, and he needed to assemble them carefully to understand Gyokuen's motives. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he spoke, "Gyokuen's actions are shrouded in mystery, and her motives are elusive. It's clear she's playing a complex game, and we're just beginning to grasp the rules," Iris frowned heavily, "If she's targeting you specifically, it could be a means to manipulate or coerce us. Although Kouen and I have been keeping any true information about our relationship quiet, she might've figured it out. But what she truly desires remains uncertain."

As she picked up an apple and toyed with it, Iris's gaze was contemplative, "Something is unnerving about not knowing what someone's planning," She shook her head, "But lingering on it won't help," She eyed him for a long moment, "Especially when we need more information," Koumei nodded to her, "Which brings me back to why I came in here, I did get some interesting tidbits from the merchants. Not much, they don't pay attention to anything outside their stalls unless they're on the road after all."

"But you've got the information," Koumei set the pastry he'd been holding down and focused on her, "So...?"

Smiling at him, Iris began to relay her findings and Koumei quickly pulled out a piece of parchment to write them down. His mind gripped each piece of information as it was revealed, he dissected it and began to piece together a picture. Leaning back against her chair, Iris looked relaxed, but her eyes were dark with an analytical gleam he'd only seen back in the Goulon empire. As the last pieces of information were given and written down, she told him, "Those merchants keep an ear to the ground when it comes to all things noble, Koumei. They may not delve into political matters, but they catch wind of changes in trade routes, fluctuations in demand, and shifts in power dynamics among the nobility."

"Which benefits us," Koumei murmured as he looked over the information Iris gathered, "So before each of the murders, the nobles all came to the market. They might've purchased different things, but each was there,"

"And according to the spice merchant, the two nobles Gyokuen had problems with both seemed angry...tense," Iris crossed her arms, "While the same can't be said for the other two nobles, it still seems like something we should keep in mind," Koumei inclined his head, "And the last merchants each traveled to mentioned that they were planning to go to the theater that night,"

"Which is also the night they died," Koumei tapped his cheek with the feathered end of his quill, "Which is a common theme that was missing from the soldiers' reports,"

"So," Iris eyed him, "I guess our next move is the theater,"

"Which one?" Koumei asked with a raised eyebrow.

Opening her mouth, Iris closed it as a blush spread across her cheeks, "I...well that-"

Chuckling at her reaction, Koumei smiled as he told her, "It's alright if you didn't catch where they were going, Iris. We still have a solid lead," She slowly nodded though to his amusement she was pouting, "For the next step of our investigation, we'll start investigating the theaters frequented by nobles."

"Sounds like a plan," Iris frowned slightly, "Though if those theaters are usually frequented by nobles, they'd have certain requirements to get inside, wouldn't they?"

Sighing as he realized she was right, Koumei nodded, "You would be correct," He contemplated how they could proceed, "Many of them require an invitation to enter, the few that don't cost a rather large amount of money."

"They would also have more complex measures to detect people...ensure no one snuck inside," Iris bit her bottom lip as he nodded, "While I've gotten into places like that before, I've had weeks...maybe a couple months to figure out my way around their methods. This time-"

"We don't have the time," Koumei sighed through his nose.

Leaning back against her chair, Iris tapped the armrest, "So there's no time to find a way around any security measures and I don't think anyone wants to cough up money just to search for information..." She snorted as he glanced at the basket sitting on his desk, "A large amount of money."

After a long moment of contemplation, Koumei blinked as he realized what they could do, "Well...we could lean into the lie Kouen told our parents at the party," Iris offered him a confused look, "After all, the foreign nobles always seem interested in seeing what our theaters have to offer..."

Sitting up straight as he trailed off, Iris spoke as realization entered her eyes, "You want to go into those theaters without a disguise...as ourselves?" He nodded to her, "I mean that would bypass the security, but how...no, we would have plenty of reason to be there. A bit of magic to create an illusion and we could search for clues without anyone catching on."

Impressed by her quick deduction, Koumei smiled, "Exactly. You should still try to ferret out information from the merchants and see if you can't narrow down which theater those nobles visited," She nodded to him, "And I'll speak with Kouha about helping you prepare an outfit."

Grimacing at him, Iris muttered, "I knew there would be something I didn't like about this."

"It's needed as those theaters have a strict policy for their guests. The theaters for the commoners do not though unlike the noble theaters they're opposed to...certain behaviors," Koumei coughed softly.

Eyeing him for a moment, Iris's eyes widened and her cheeks turned crimson, "They actually-in a theater?"

Koumei chuckled at Iris's reaction unable to help himself, "Yes, some of the noble theaters have private booths where guests can enjoy more...intimate performances. It's a well-known secret among the nobility, and discretion is highly valued in those establishments."

As Iris covered her face with her hands, Koumei marveled over her reaction. She muttered, "I did not need to know that."

Grinning, Koumei teased, "Consider it a glimpse into the extravagant and sometimes scandalous world of the nobility," Iris muttered something under her breath in reply, "But back to our plan, we need to act swiftly. Once you've gathered information from the merchants and narrowed down the possibilities, we'll make our move."

Sighing as she lowered her hands, Iris's face began to regain its normal coloring, "I'll work on gathering that information tomorrow," He nodded to her, "For now, I think I'm going to go get some rest. Using my magic like that today was a bit taxing, it's been a while since I've had to hold an illusion like that."

"With any hope, we'll be done this soon," Koumei offered as Iris stood.

Nodding to him with a light smile, Iris tapped the basket, "Eat the rest of those pastries, I would be disappointed if they got tossed."

"I will," Koumei promised her and she offered him a light smile before turning to leave, "Iris," She glanced at him with a low hum, "Regardless of why, I am glad that we'll be going out together," She flushed lightly even as her smile grew, "Lately it seems as if we haven't spent much time together unless it involves trouble,"

"That's all of our time together..." Iris shook her head, "But I'm glad too..."

With one final glance at him, Iris left his study. Watching her go with a thoughtful expression, Koumei leaned back against his chair. Lips quirking as his mind went to her reactions over the theater, he had to chuckle. Perhaps once this was all over, he'd take her to the theater.