The fairy maid cheers for her deceased master today.

Not long after, Ax and his group stepped into the branch office again.

"Sheriff Doyle is in his office. I'll take you there." A young officer politely led the way to the door of the sheriff's office.

Ax knocked gently on the door, and only after hearing "Come in" did he push the door open and enter.

Sheriff Doyle was sitting behind his large desk, engrossed in his work.

Upon hearing the sound, the sheriff looked up and revealed a hearty smile.

"Sir Moore, Miss Elena, Miss Angel." Inspector Doyle stood up and nodded slightly in greeting. "We're all acquaintances, please have a seat. Have you made any new discoveries this time?"

X and Elena sat down in the leather chairs opposite the sheriff.

Angel stood obediently beside X, while continuing to curiously examine the various items in the office with her blue eyes—the brass inkwell, the brass binoculars, and the police badge on the wall.

She now enjoys observing her surroundings. Several times she has been praised by her owner for her good observations, and she has already developed a sense of dependence on them.

"Sheriff Doyle, we've found an important lead," Ex said, his voice calm but firm. "It concerns the cases of Caroline and Lucy, and the theft of silverware."

Sheriff Doyle leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped on the table, showing his high regard for the topic.

"Please continue."

"We found her notes on researching double barriers in Caroline's apartment, proving that she originally planned to use magic to project aliens to threaten Lucy, rather than real aliens... but clearly, her plan went wrong."

Ax recounted the events of the day in an orderly manner.

"...But we found this in Lucy's apartment."

He took the embossed paper out of his pocket and handed it to Sheriff Doyle.

"Watch out for James Wilson."

The sheriff read it aloud, his expression instantly turning serious. He took the paper and carefully examined the handwriting.

"Are you sure... this is Lucy's handwriting?"

“We weren’t sure at first,” Elena added. “What’s even more disturbing is that Officer James then showed up at Lucy’s apartment, found the same clue, and then he…”

Irene paused subconsciously, seemingly hesitating whether or not to speak.

The sheriff said sternly, "Please speak."

"He threatened us. Right there in Lucy's apartment, he warned us not to investigate anything further, or he would make us disappear."

Sheriff Doyle stood up abruptly, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a harsh screech.

"What? He threatened you?" His voice trembled slightly with anger, and the officer's composure was completely shattered by this sudden news.

Ax nodded, remaining calm. "Yes, Sheriff. James warned us to stop investigating his case. He only asked us to investigate the whereabouts of the silverware, or we'd be in serious trouble."

"This is absolutely intolerable!"

Sheriff Doyle slammed his fist on the table, causing the ink bottle to sway slightly.

"As a police officer, threatening a detective who is assisting in the investigation! This completely violates our nine principles of policing!"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but the anger in his eyes was still clearly visible.

"James Wilson... I always thought he was just a bit reckless. Now it seems I was really wrong about him."

"Sheriff, do you know anything about James's background?"

Ex immediately asked, keenly catching the information in the sheriff's words.

Sheriff Doyle sat down heavily, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

"To be honest, I don't know much. James was assigned to our branch about a year ago, supposedly through a direct recommendation from a high-ranking nobleman. As is customary, we accepted this 'recommendation,' but I don't know which nobleman it was."

He gave a wry smile and continued, "This situation is not uncommon here. The influence of the nobility is ubiquitous, and even the police system cannot completely avoid it. Therefore, James enjoys considerable freedom in the police station and often investigates cases on his own, so I cannot interfere too much."

"So that's why you agreed when he asked to join the investigation into the silver theft?" Elena asked astutely.

"Yes. I knew there might be a nobleman behind him," Sheriff Doyle nodded in acknowledgment. "I thought this was a good opportunity to demonstrate the police department's cooperation with the nobility, but now it seems I may have made a serious mistake."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the busy street.

"James's actions have gone beyond the scope of police duties and may even involve criminal activity. I must report this to headquarters and recommend that James be suspended from his duties for a full investigation."

Ax immediately expressed his gratitude.

"Until then, I advise you all to be extra careful." Sheriff Doyle turned and looked sternly at Ax and his group. "Do not act alone, and avoid direct confrontation with James. If you notice anything unusual, notify me immediately."

Ax nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.

"We understand, Sheriff. But the investigation cannot stop; the secrets behind the silver theft must be uncovered."

"I understand your determination. But please remember, in London, some nobles are far more powerful than you imagine... That's all I can say."

■

After leaving the branch office, the three returned to the machine workshop by horse-drawn carriage.

The carriage wheels made a rhythmic sound on the stone pavement, and the carriage swayed slightly with each bump.

"Master, is Officer James really that scary?" Angel asked softly, her eyes filled with worry, her little hands tightly gripping Ax's sleeve.

At first, she thought that James was not as good as Jack.

But after hearing Sheriff Doyle's explanation, it now seems that James also has considerable resources behind him.

AX gently patted the back of her hand, reassuring her, "Don't worry, Angel. We just need to be more careful."

"But he said he would make us disappear!" Angel's voice was even softer, almost a whisper.

Elena leaned over from the opposite seat and said softly, "Angel, James is just trying to scare us. In London, no one can make someone disappear out of thin air, not even a nobleman."

Although Elena immediately thought of the fairy Lucy when she said this... she didn't voice the thought.

"Really?" Angel's big eyes flickered with unease.

“Of course,” Axe replied confidently. “And we also have Inspector Doyle’s support. He’s a respected inspector at Scotland Yard, and his words carry weight.”

First, reassure your little maid. Don't worry too much about things that haven't happened yet.

“Of course, Inspector Doyle is also right,” Axe continued. “As he said, the influence of the nobility is pervasive. Even a police force like Scotland Yard cannot completely avoid the infiltration of the nobility. Therefore, caution is advised.”

"But why? Why would nobles get involved in a silver theft case? And why are they doing it secretly?"

Angel bit her finger, her eyes full of confusion.

"Good question. Perhaps those magical silver items have other uses." Ex smiled slightly. "Maybe it's because those silver items are very important to certain people."

But no matter what...

Ex sighed softly.

I have a feeling that as I investigate, I've gotten myself involved in something really serious.

But now Ax is genuinely curious... The silver theft case seems to have more to it than he expected.