Capítulo 375: Connection
With a thought, vita swirled before Nyx, and in a flash, the perfect image of the woman’s face materialized in the air.
Malakai gave a curt nod and turned to leave.
“Let’s go—”
“Wait!”
Malakai paused mid step and turned back toward her.
The woman exhaled sharply, staring at him with a horrified gaze.
‘He’s insane…’
Every word he’d said was half true, but that didn’t matter. In the eyes of the Sovereign, his report would be everything.
If the Ninth Vein claid she’d attacked him, she might as well dig her own grave. The entire west would co for her.
“Why are you twisting everything!?” she demanded. “None of that happened!”
“That is for to determine,” he said. “Now stop wasting my ti. Who are you?”
The woman clenched her fists.
‘He leaves no choice.’
Who would’ve thought a fourteen year old could be this cunning?
“…My na is…”
…
“Elara Sanguine. Are you familiar with the na?”
The instant Malakai stepped back into the carriage, he asked without preamble.
“What the hell are you talking about!?” Octavia exclaid. “Where did you suddenly go!?”
“We were being followed.”
“Impossible!” Octavia gestured sharply toward the guard handling the reins. “Yatad would’ve warned us!”
“Yet, here we are.”
Octavia’s brows furrowed. “If Yatad couldn’t sense the spy, then how did you?”
“You ask a lot of pointless questions.”
“They’re not pointless!” Octavia shot back, crossing her arms. “Besides, Mama always says to question everything, especially when it involves suspicious people like you!”
Malakai didn’t respond, just stared at her. Octavia glared right back, refusing to flinch.
“Uh…” Renlo scratched the back of his neck, raising his hand hesitantly. “I-I believe Malakai.”
“Who asked you!?”
Renlo froze, then slowly lowered his hand. “…Sorry.”
“Tsk.”
“Are you going to answer my question or not?”
Octavia turned back toward Malakai, exasperated.
“Hmph!” She huffed. “You didn’t even say please.”
Malakai glanced away, clearly done arguing.
Grinding her teeth, Octavia flicked her hair and muttered, “Fine! I’ll answer for the sake of the investigation. What was the question again?”
“Elara Sanguine,” Malakai repeated. “Do you know her?”
Octavia tapped her chin. “Hmm… doesn’t ring a bell. But honestly, I’ve always been better with faces.”
“Nyx.”
At Malakai’s command, the vita in the carriage stirred and shaped itself into a three dinsional outline of a woman’s face.
The carriage ca to an abrupt halt.
“Tenth Vein.”
The cold voice echoed from outside the carriage.
‘The guard.’
A heavy aura washed over the group almost imdiately.
‘He’s reacting to Nyx,’ Malakai realized. The manipulation of vita within the carriage had alerted him.
“It’s alright, Yatad. She’s with us,” Octavia said quickly.
The aura receded at once, and the pressure lifted.
Octavia looked back at Malakai, a knowing smile forming on her lips.
“That’s the Red Eclipse, isn’t it? So that’s how you knew we were being followed.”
Her eyes flicked toward the image of the woman’s face, then back to Malakai.
“This is her, right? The one who followed us.”
Malakai didn’t answer, but his silence was enough.
“Thought so,” Octavia said with a smug smile. Then she turned her focus back to the floating image, scanning it carefully.
“Hmm… she looks familiar,” she muttered, closing her eyes. “If my mory serves right… she’s one of Mamush’s people.”
“Mamush?”
“Yeah.” Octavia opened her eyes. “He’s the District Head of the Vein District. Very shrewd man.”
‘She was telling the truth then… a District Head, huh?’ Malakai’s thoughts churned. ‘What’s the connection?’
He recalled Octavia’s earlier explanation of the Umbrella Group’s hierarchy. A District Head was the next rank above a Coinmaster.
“What exactly does a District Head do?” Malakai asked.
“They oversee everything that happens in their district,” Octavia explained. “All the Coinmasters report directly to them.”
‘What’s the connection…?’ Malakai thought.
The fact that a District Head had sent soone to spy on him was beyond suspicious. It took courage to spy on investigators sanctioned by the Sovereign himself, especially when those investigators were the Ninth and Tenth Veins.
‘Desperation.’ Malakai squinted his eyes.
Elara had confessed her na and whom she served, but when he pressed further, she refused to say another word.
From the look in her eyes, Malakai had realized he wouldn’t get more from her, and so, he’d let her go.
‘Is Mamush the culprit?’
It made sense. The victims were mostly Coinmasters under his jurisdiction.
‘Maybe it’s a power play,’ he thought. ‘He kidnaps the loved ones of his subordinates to keep them in line.’
He frowned slightly. ‘What do you think?’
From the dark recess of his mind, Valentine’s voice echoed.
‘It’s too easy.’
‘What do you an?’
‘The one thing I’ve learned after years of watching drama,’ Valentine said, ‘is that in any mystery, you never trust your first assumption.’
‘But it makes sense,’ Malakai countered.
‘Then explain the victims in the other district,’ Valentine said. ‘Why would Mamush target Coinmasters outside his own territory?’
‘To throw off suspicion. It’d be too obvious if he only went after people in his district.’
‘Hmm…’ Valentine still sounded skeptical. ‘I just don’t think this is the right answer. It’s too simple. If it were really that straightforward, the Sovereign, and even the clever Sixth Pulse, would’ve solved it by now.’
Malakai frowned. ‘He’s right.’
There was still sothing missing, sothing that didn’t fit.
Suddenly, Octavia’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts.
“Hey! What are you thinking?”
“…Nothing.”
“Like hell it’s nothing!” Octavia snapped, leaning closer. “From your face, I can see you’re still trying to figure it out.”
She flicked her hair with a smug grin. “Well, huhu, good thing I already figured it out.”
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Octavia crossed her arms, her smile widening. “Beg .”
Malakai turned away without a word.
Octavia cleared her throat loudly, glaring daggers at him. “Ahem! Fine! I’ll tell you. There’s a connection between the victims and Mamush!”
Malakai’s brows furrowed instantly. If she was right, this could fill in the blanks.
“What is it?”
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