Chapter 18: Born Detective

Molly observed the subtle shift in Jasmine’s attention as it drifted toward the corner where she stood. The moment their eyes met, a gentle warmth smoothed the woman’s features. “You came earlier than expected, little snow,” Jasmine said. Her gaze then traveled to Sebastian, and a slight crease appeared on her features as she registered the unfamiliar young man standing beside Molly. She parted her lips, ready to speak, but Fiona’s voice cut through before a single word could leave her mouth. “Nice to see you again, Sebastian.”

Jasmine glanced at her daughter, who offered a confirming nod. “He’s a close colleague of mine,” Fiona explained.

“Did I just hear… close?” Ren purred, savoring the word the instant it left his sister’s mouth. Fiona shot him a pointed look, which he answered with a cat-like curve of satisfaction spreading across his face.

With a snort, Fiona tore her gaze away from him. She stepped out from behind the counter and walked toward Sebastian.

“Nice to see you too, Fiona,” Sebastian said, an upward curl lifting his lips as he observed the sibling’s banter.

Fiona returned a small smirk. Her focus shifted to Molly, who lingered beside Sebastian. “Thanks,” Fiona said, her tone warmer now. “But you didn’t have to risk your safety just to verify who he was.”

Molly’s face immediately flooded with heat. Why did she have to say it here, in front of everyone?

She darted a glance at Jasmine, who wore a puzzled look, before Ren leaned closer and whispered something in his mother’s ear. A flash of understanding crossed Jasmine’s face.

Internally, Molly fumbled, her fingers tightening around the small basket of chocolates as she scrambled for a way to explain that she had simply followed agent 004’s codename, the classic “buy time until identity cleared” method. But before she could physically fumble, Jasmine gave her a look so full of tenderness that it stilled her entirely. “Just don’t hurt yourself,” Jasmine said from where she stood.

Molly’s expression blanked for a heartbeat, caught completely off guard. Then, a subconscious curl tugged at her lips, and she nodded with firm resolve.

Sebastian, who had unwittingly become the center of it all, coughed lightly into his fist, pulling everyone’s attention toward him.

Fiona raised a brow as Sebastian moved with a graceful stride toward the counter where Jasmine remained. Once he arrived, he dipped into a short bow. “Good morning, ma’am. You must be Miss Jasmine?”

Jasmine’s lips curled upward. “Yes, that’s me.”

Ren had already slipped silently to Molly’s side, his footsteps soundless on the floor. He angled his head down and whispered, “I have a feeling he’s about to say something that’ll make Fiona blush.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of Molly’s mouth. The black orb drifted out from her robe pocket.

~ I don’t think so though…

Ren grinned. “Two chocolates for me if it happens.”

Molly mirrored his grin.

~ Deal.

Sebastian, blissfully unaware of the wager unfolding behind him, continued. “I see,” he said, before adding with a noble curl of his lips, “Now I understand where she inherited her unquestionable beauty from.”

“W-what!” Fiona’s voice echoed against the bakery walls. Every gaze landed on her, her cheeks blazing a vivid scarlet. “What do you think you’re saying, Sebastian?”

“Told you,” Ren murmured as two boxes of chocolate dropped neatly into his outstretched hand.

Molly gave a vigorous nod, her eyes glued to Fiona, whose flustered stare swung toward the spot where she and Ren stood snickering.

Almost in perfect unison, a cat-like curve of amusement surfaced on both their faces.

Ren opened his mouth. “Fiona, why didn’t you tell us you have a boyfriend?”

Fiona sputtered, her face reddening deeper by the second. She did the only thing she could think of in that instant. Her gaze whipped sharply toward Sebastian, eyes blazing. “Explain yourself,” she urged, demanding he correct the misunderstanding he had created before it spiraled any further.

Sebastian immediately offered a wry laugh under the weight of her dangerous glare. “Fiona, why the glare? I’m not wrong, am I?” A smirk curved his lips. “You might just be one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen.”

Fiona’s eye twitched. The scarlet across her cheeks burned deeper, as though she stood on the very edge of combusting from sheer embarrassment. “You…” She strode forward in three quick steps, grabbed him by the hand, and hauled him toward the entrance passageway. “I’ll be right back, Mom,” she called, dragging him past the threshold.

“Take care,” Jasmine said, a ghost of a laugh pulling at the corner of her mouth as she watched her daughter tug the charming young man out of the bakery.

A sigh escaped her. “Young love,” she murmured, her attention drifting to Ren and Molly, who were giggling mischievously and craning their necks to peer at the passageway until Fiona finally disappeared from sight.

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******

Fiona pulled Sebastian along, her grip firm around his wrist while low laughter still rumbled from his chest. She led him down the cobblestone path and around a corner where fewer people milled about. Once they stopped, she released him and fixed him with a razor-sharp look. “What was that for?” she demanded.

“Ha… that was refreshing,” Sebastian said, his laughter finally subsiding. He caught his breath and glanced at her, his expression softening. “You have a great family.” He held her gaze, the warmth lingering there. “Cherish them.”

The pointed edge in Fiona’s expression receded, replaced by something gentler. “Thanks.”

Sebastian inclined his head, staring at her with quiet intensity.

Noticing this, Fiona lifted a brow. “What?”

“Nothing much.” He continued to study her for a moment longer before his lips curved upward once more. “Now that I look at you properly, you really are beautifu— Ouch!” He winced theatrically as Fiona’s fist connected with his shoulder.

“Just tell me what someone as important as you is doing here in my hometown,” she said, dismissing his flattery without a second thought.

“But… I was only trying to speak the truth,” Sebastian muttered. However, the serious expression settling onto Fiona’s face made him sigh, his own features sobering in an instant.

“I’m in pursuit of a maniac mage who escaped while being transported to another prison.” He shifted his gaze to meet hers. “I lost track of him near a stretch of forest a few kilometers away from Sigsug.”

Fiona’s expression hardened. “Do you think he’s here?”

Sebastian shook his head. “Absolutely not. He’d be caught immediately if he came here.” His eyes locked onto hers, unblinking. “You know we’re nearing the end of the year?”

Noticing the gravity tightening his tone, Fiona straightened her posture. “Yes. What about it?”

Sebastian tilted his head back, his gaze traveling toward the sky above. “Do you remember what creature travels through the different forests of the world when winter draws near?”