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The detective added the last bit in a more sarcastic tone before stuffing his cheeks with potato salad. Then, with food still dripping from his lips, he closed his eyes and declared that Fuzzy Dice really was the best opponent he could ask for.

「I need to use the restroom for a bit.」

The latte she had drank that morning to wake up had completed its duty, making Mira stand up and head to the toilet.

As she went there, she glanced at the person at the table next to theirs.

(Incredible, he’s indulging in sweets since so early in the morning… Hmm…it doesn’t sound bad though.)

The person she saw was a man with no particular features that stood out, who was happily eating a serving of crème brûlée. There were already three layers of dishes piled up next to him as well. The biggest impact that left in Mira was the idea that the man probably had a sweet tooth that could rival the detective’s.

At the same time, Mira began to think about what she would order for dessert, as breakfast was being paid for by the detective. By then she was also at the toilet, so she went inside.

Meanwhile the nondescript man was watching Mira’s back.

(Hmm, a breeding ground of human traffickers…)

As Mira sat in the toilet she thought about everything the detective had told her.

He had been fighting against corrupt orphanages in secret for a long time, and thanks to him the number of unregistered orphanages had dropped. That did not mean they were gone entirely, however.

It was easier said than done, but some orphanages could secure their own means to offer medical safety to the children.

So Mira thought about the rumored orphanage hidden somewhere in the northeastern forest of Grimdart. If that place had been built by the person Mira thought, then it made sense for them to skip the registration process.

The person Mira was thinking of was one of the Nine Wisemen, the saint Artesia.

Saints excelled at casting supportive spells, as well as being excellent healers. If the best of them was involved with the orphanage, then they really had no need for anyone else when it came to medical expenses. Even if they were to register as an official orphanage, the resources provided would be a far cry from Artesia’s skills. And even if someone were to get sick with something untreatable with holy magic, then she still had ample knowledge of how to mix medicinal potions to find a way to treat it.

On top of that Artesia was extremely fond of children, so she would never allow any human trafficking to happen under her watch. If anyone tried doing that even in a nearby city, Artesia would go there to destroy them herself in a bout of rage.

(It could very well be her, hmm…)

There were plenty of signs pointing at Artesia’s existence in the orphanage Mira had heard about through rumors. But the biggest clues would come from Fuzzy Dice. She still felt like there was more to learn from the detective, so she got up and pulled her underwear up, and then headed back to her seat with a triumphant gait.

「So Mira, you’ve been trying to catch Fuzzy Dice to obtain more information about that orphanage in the forest?」

The detective asked that as soon as Mira was back from the toilet. Reaching that conclusion was easy from observing Mira’s actions and questions.

「Yes, that’s correct.」

Mira nodded and confirmed it, which made the detective glad, as he mentioned, 「I had a hunch that was the case.」

「My investigation so far tells me that Fuzzy Dice does make donations to many orphanages. On top of that, if we tally up the amount he donates to known orphanages, the total comes short of the money stolen during the heist. There’s obviously the possibility that he pockets the remainder, but assuming he donates everything, then it’s easy to conclude that the missing money is going to unregistered orphanages. It wouldn’t surprise me if he has contact with such orphanages, including the one you’re looking for.」

The detective said all of that in one go, before adding that considering Fuzzy Dice’s dedication to being a chivalrous thief, he was definitely supporting unregistered orphanages that actually did good work.

「Hmm, if that’s your assessment of the situation then I’m inclined to believe you’re right.」

The detective was the person most knowledgeable about Fuzzy Dice, so if he believed that was the case, Mira felt like she could take his word for it. Knowing someone else had arrived at the same conclusion also made Mira feel more confident about her own ideas, and she really felt like she had gotten closer to her goal.

(Behaving that way definitely made him become famous though.)

Just like the detective had mentioned earlier, Fuzzy Dice was dedicated to being a chivalrous thief. Mira was convinced of that from all the stories she had heard, and both the detective and her were certain that Fuzzy Dice would never steal for his own gain.

The more she heard about him, the more Fuzzy Dice seemed like a hero of justice. If the situation had been just slightly different, she could even see herself rooting for him. And in case the orphanage for war orphans existed, then it was also very likely that he was involved with them.

Now Mira was convinced she would be able to learn something as long as she could meet with Fuzzy Dice. As those thoughts circled around her mind, the detective said something that would shake things up.

「So in other words, as soon as you know the location of that orphanage, you won’t have a reason to capture Fuzzy Dice anymore?」

The detective was looking at her, his sharp eyes seemingly piercing into her mind. Noticing that made Mira feel slightly guilty. So far they had been talking under the assumption that she would be helping them capture Fuzzy Dice, and that was why the detective was so frank with everything he knew. Not to mention that he had paid for all the pancakes and soft serve ice cream she had eaten the day before.

But now depending on the situation she could abandon the attempt at capturing the thief, something which would depend on how cooperative the thief was when talking to her. So overall the detective’s chances were shrinking.

「I’m sorry I’m only mentioning this after everything you’ve told me, but yes, that’s correct.」

After a moment of silence, Mira gave a firm reply. Capturing Fuzzy Dice was just one possible way for Mira to learn the location she was looking for. Hearing that, the detective’s sharp gaze softened slightly, and he even smiled a bit.

「Well, I actually don’t really mind all that. I’ve been telling you everything simply because I wanted to tell you.」

The detective did not seem to mind that at all, and he even suggested something, 「If I was in your shoes right now, I would even use that as a bargaining chip, telling the thief I’ll let him go if he tells me the location. I’m sure that would make him talk after all.」

「Hmm, if that’s what you say, that’s alright then.」

「Mhm, it’s alright, don’t worry about it. Not to mention that you made it possible for the two of us to enjoy something we usually can’t as we’re both guys. That’s something I appreciate and want to thank you for.」

Just as he was saying that, a waiter brought a chocolate parfait and placed it in front of Mira. The detective had ordered it while she was in the toilet. Once the waiter left, Julius reached for it and placed it in front of the detective, as the waiter had mistaken who it was for.

「I’ve been wanting to try this for so long.」

The parfait looked like a piece of art, and the detective happily plunged his spoon into it to take a mouthful out, smiling blissfully as he tasted it. Then between mouthfuls he began to mutter some comments, saying, 「Keeping a tough appearance is actually important for a detective,」 or 「It’s surprisingly hard to appear like a competent detective while also being a softie,」 and so on. And in the end, he said, 「Seriously, thank you so much,」 sounding genuinely grateful for Mira, as he held the tall parfait glass in one hand and smiled like a child.