She is not an investigator.

The Gods' Fools - The Gravedigger and the Violet: Chapter Seventeen, You'd Better Be

Why are you here... no, who are you?

Igris frowned slightly as she looked at the bartender who had once worked at Maulkenson.

She must have known something, but at that time, she chose not to tell them anything and let the disaster fester.

And now, she has reappeared here, in this church.

“You seem hostile towards me, probably because I didn’t make a good impression on you last time… but I must reiterate, minors cannot drink alcohol.”

“I’m an adult. Also, I’m asking about your identity.”

Igris sat down beside her, and although she didn't do anything else, the threat was obvious.

"Me? An unemployed bum who enjoys archaeology and theology, occasionally does odd jobs, and travels around. Is there a problem with that?"

The woman turned her head, her eyes, thick with dark circles, to look at Igris, and then at Igris's hand reaching for her waist.

"—Okay, I know what you really want to know. Come with me, let's talk outside."

She stood up and staggered toward the church entrance, with Igris following behind.

Mirabelle noticed the two leaving. Although she was curious, she couldn't follow them and could only watch helplessly as Igris walked out of the church.

Outside the church, the woman did not stop immediately, but continued walking into the distance.

Where are you going next?

Igris called out to the woman, who stopped and glanced at the unusually wary Igris.

"Find a secluded place."

There's no one else here.

The woman frowned and sighed helplessly.

“You can call me Daphne. I’m just looking for something… and I just happened to come here.”

"Looking for what?"

"Some...treasure."

Daphne rubbed her face. She always looked listless, as if she had been chronically sleep-deprived ever since Igris first met her.

"The Theos Manor holds many treasures, and my goal is simple... to find it, steal it, and then leave."

Seeing Igris' wary look, Daphne shrugged and continued.

"Second, but I gave up on that plan. Third, they told me that there was some kind of curse that deserved to die there. Although I don't really believe such rumors... it's best to prioritize safety. Besides, let me guess, you came from that manor, right?"

"You guessed right, or do you know Mirabelle?"

“I know her, the owner of this manor. If I want to take anything from it, I definitely need to know her… but I have given up on that idea and am ready to leave.”

Igris glanced at her briefly, frowned, and continued to ask.

"Just you?"

"...You're asking a bit too many questions."

Igris reached into her pocket and gripped the hilt of her sword.

“I need to make sure you are safe, otherwise I don’t mind arresting you on behalf of the police.”

"...The wanted poster has already been posted here?"

"Of course not, but now we do."

Daphne sighed with some difficulty, covered her face with a mask, and looked at Igris, who refused to back down.

“I never intended to fight you. The fact that you survived that disaster proves you do have some strength… but I’m sorry, I’m stronger than you.”

A short dagger emerged from her hand, and a finely crafted crossbow was also in her grasp.

Not many people use this type of crossbow now, but it is much quieter than bullets.

Igris didn't draw her gun because the distance to the church wasn't that far, and she didn't want to alert Mirabelle.

Moreover, she rarely heard anyone say that phrase.

"Your confidence shouldn't end your thieving career here."

Clang!

The hilt of the sword in Igris's hand suddenly sprang to reveal the blade, just as Hyde had handed it to her in that thick fog.

"You mean you're going to use that oddly shaped straight sword to deal with the crossbow bolts in my hand?"

Daphne waved the crossbow weakly, as if trying to remind Igris just how dangerous what she held in her hands was.

But Igris didn't care and simply walked slowly toward her.

"You better not expect me to go easy on you just because of your appearance."

Daphne was still hesitating, and Igris didn't even know what she was hesitating about. The battle wouldn't stop because of her words.

"So you really want to fight? Or are you planning to kill me for the bounty? Times have changed. Nobody's going to pay you a fortune just because you have my head."

"You talk too much..."

Igris swung her straight sword forward with a sudden burst, and Daphne retreated without hesitation, raising her hand crossbow.

"Are you really prepared to go head-to-head with crossbow bolts? I mean, even though it's anesthetic, it still hurts quite a bit when it hits you."

Are you going to fight or not?

Igris planted her straight sword in the ground and frowned as she looked at Daphne, who was still talking incessantly.

"I never intended to fight you. You came in all screaming about dying right away. You're right, I'm a thief, but have you ever seen a thief who picks fights all the time? I just steal a few things..."

Daphne's voice suddenly stopped, and she instantly aimed her crossbow at Igris and fired without hesitation.

The arrow came swiftly, hurtling towards Igris's neck at incredible speed.

But in the next moment, Igris's sword, which was stuck in the ground, suddenly rose up, raising a cloud of dust, and with a crisp sound, knocked away the incoming arrow, which fell to the ground.

Igris shook the dirt off her sword and looked up at Daphne, who was standing there stunned.

"Alright, now you can obediently accept your fate and die."

"I surrender."

Daphne decisively raised her hands, threw the crossbow and dagger on the ground, and kicked them aside.

Igris's hand, holding the straight sword, froze in mid-air as she looked suspiciously at Daphne, who had decisively surrendered.

"I always have a feeling that you're the kind of person who'll take advantage of my moment of carelessness to launch a sneak attack."

“You’re right, but I do surrender. I’ve never seen anyone deflect a crossbow bolt from that distance with a straight sword.”

"Then you do have relatively little experience."

Igris had seen people who could deflect bullets, so what was this arrow compared to that, especially since it was topped with a tranquilizer dart?

"Although I could arrest you or dump you at the police station and let the police deal with you... that's not the outcome I want."

Igris slowly approached Daphne, who had her hands raised, and swiftly snapped the blade back, using the hilt to lift Daphne's chin.

"Next, come back to that manor with me. I will leave before sunset. When that time comes, take me to meet your team."

"You want me to betray them...?"

"I need to make sure they're all guys like you."

Igris shifted the hilt of her sword, and the blade instantly sprang out, its cold touch slowly landing on her slightly trembling neck.

“If I’m sure you don’t pose any threat to her, I’ll let you go.”

Daphne breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and said lightly.

“We’re not terrorists, so of course we won’t hurt her.”

"You better be."

The Gods' Fools - The Gravedigger and the Violet: Chapter Eighteen, ????

Inside the church, Igris and Daphne, who had just gone out, returned. This time, however, Daphne sat down next to Mirabelle without saying a word, and Igris followed suit. The two looked at Mirabelle in silence.

Mirabelle remained silent for a moment, but finally couldn't help opening her eyes and looking at Igris beside her.

"...Is this your friend?"

"Indeed, do you mind?"

Igris nudged Daphne beside her, and only then did she reluctantly nod to Mirabelle as a greeting.

Mirabelle didn't mind, but she didn't expect Igris to have friends here.

"Hello, my name is Mirabell, and I am Igris's older sister."

"?…elder sister?"

Daphne turned to look at the silent Igris and couldn't help but make a strange face.

It's like wanting to laugh but not daring to.

"You look...surprised?"

Mirabelle's expression wasn't very pleasant either, after all, she should at least look more mature than Igris.

"Maybe? At least she hasn't mentioned you to me, maybe... she doesn't want to talk about it?"

Igris coughed lightly, but Mirabelle was the one who felt awkward. After all, it wasn't Igris' fault; the two of them weren't very familiar with each other before.

"I haven't even asked your name yet..."

"Just call me Daphne. I was traveling around when I ran into her and we chatted for a bit."

Mirabelle nodded thoughtfully, glancing enviously at her own wheelchair.

"I used to dream of traveling the world, but unfortunately..."

"Since it's our first meeting, I didn't prepare any gift. Please accept this; I hope you won't find it offensive."

Daphne immediately changed the subject and slipped a ring into Mirabelle's hand.

Mirabelle looked at the ring in her hand with some surprise. It was set with a beautiful sapphire and looked quite valuable.