She is not an investigator.

Igris paused for a moment before realizing that she was talking about Serafina.

"They're just partners, why are you so concerned about that?"

Amelida shook her head and said in a low voice.

"I only care about our relationship."

"...There's nothing to worry about."

Will we be closer than business partners?

Emilyda still wasn't going to let Igris off easily, and asked with a serious expression.

Igris didn't know how to answer her question, and Igris even felt that the two of them weren't actually that close.

"If you want to make friends, I can find someone you can chat with."

"I like you."

"Thank you, but I don't need your approval, and you'd better not like me either."

Igris simply pulled Emily up from the sofa and walked towards the door on her own.

"And if you really want to get along with me, please at least listen to me a little on some small things. That will make me like you a little more."

Amelida frowned, but nodded nonetheless, and grabbed Igris's hand that was holding hers. Igris was so startled that she immediately shook off Amelida's arm and looked at her with a look of horror.

Don't touch me!

"But... you were the one who brought him up first."

"…Ugh…"

Igris was really not suited to taking care of others. She even began to miss her former terrifying appearance, at least she had a large group of servants to help take care of her.

If she's still like this three days later, then Igoris will have to consider returning her to the Special Investigations Department.

Igris's life was already difficult enough; she didn't want to have another burden on her.

Do you... hate me?

Amelida suddenly asked Igris in a low voice. Although she didn't have a clear expression, Igris could see a hint of worry in her voice.

Do you hate it?

It doesn't seem that bad.

"If you're a normal person, I'd be happy to be your friend."

Do I look... abnormal?

"No, it's just that, from Ling's perspective, your behavior and way of thinking are quite different from ordinary people. I understand that you need time to adjust... but, to be honest, I don't really like you, after all, you almost crushed me to death back then..."

"sorry."

"No...that's not right."

Igris shook her head and said seriously.

“It’s not an apology. I don’t want those things. I saved you because you might be worth saving. You have the ability to think for yourself and you don’t have any major malicious intent, so you can be a normal person, an ordinary person, without being monitored by anyone or needing anyone to take care of you, understand?”

Amelida nodded, indicating that she fully understood what Igris had said.

"Do you really understand...?"

But Iglesias felt that she probably only understood a small part of it.

But never mind, Igris shouldn't be too harsh. Give her a chance to adapt, and maybe they can really become good friends.

"So, what should we eat next?"

"What do you want to eat?"

Igris countered Emily's question, but then added.

"Besides what I made."

The rainbow ball plucked its fins and three "flesh".

"Good choice."

At least they share the same interests, so the two of them might actually become good friends.

"What about the taste?"

"Hmm... I want something sweet, but not something too sweet."

"I understand."

Igris didn't plan to go to any fancy place for a lavish lunch; for her, there were only two places to eat.

One is a fast food restaurant a little further from the office, but no more than five minutes away.

The other one is the dessert shop that Igris loves to go to, which is located just across the street from them.

Mainly because it's close by.

The Gods' Fool - Torrential Rain: A Bounty Offered

Ten slashes for one update, one thousand tips for one update, with no upper limit.

From now until next Friday.

Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding Purple sweet potato pudding

The Gods' Fool - Torrential Rain: The Bounty Has Been Changed

As the title suggests, I currently owe a total of thirty-eight chapters, including both tips and criticisms.

Based on my normal word count, it should be around 80,000 words.

Haha.

I'm wrong.

I don't know how long it will take to pay it off... but just thinking about it makes my hair fall out.

I probably won't be offering bounties anymore; after thinking about it, my life is more important.

I've only managed to write 15,000 words so far... I feel like I'm going to die.

I'll set aside the previous debts for now. Starting now, I'll update once for every 200 monthly votes or 200 blades, or once for every 2,000 recommendation votes or 5,000 tips. There's no deadline.

The Gods' Fool - The Rainstorm: Chapter Five, A New Commission

In the afternoon, the firm had an unprecedented new client.

Although it's not nice to say it like this, Igris increasingly felt that her job would most likely involve refusing other people's requests.

After all, since she started in this line of work, it seems she has only handled two cases, and both of them ended in her passing.

This is probably why her reputation only resonated within Olivia's aristocratic circles.

"...In short, could you please repeat your requirements?"

With a practiced smile, Igris scribbled in her notebook, pretending to be busy jotting things down, while listening to the man in front of her.

He looked to be around forty years old. His clothes were clean and fit him well, and he had a faint scent of incense on him. Either he had a particular fondness for it, or he probably didn't sleep well or was under a lot of stress, so he needed this incense to soothe his nerves.

"...I am like this."

He rubbed his head and said in a low voice, looking troubled.

“I am a retired teacher. I know that retiring at my age is indeed a bit too early, but I seem to have some mental problems, so I was granted special permission to retire. My current work is just writing letters to some students and answering some questions.”

Igris nodded, looking like she was listening attentively and had no intention of interrupting.

"But recently, I seem to have discovered something in my home that shouldn't be there... I don't know, they seem to be everywhere—outside the window...by the door, under the bed, even in any crack. The doctor says my mental state is becoming increasingly unstable, but those things are always there, and I just can't calm down..."

Igris raised an eyebrow, inexplicably thinking of some common forms of mental pollution, but mental pollution doesn't appear out of nowhere; there are always some triggers.

“I thought it was hallucinations…and the doctor prescribed more psychiatric medication and sleeping pills to try to calm me down a bit, but…I could indeed fall asleep, but every morning after I woke up, the layout of my room would change in an indescribable way…Yesterday the table was in the center of the living room, but the next day its position had changed…and so were other things, it must be those things that were causing the trouble…but I called the police, and they didn’t find anything, not raccoons, not…anything else.”

He looked genuinely pained, and his exhausted appearance made Igris frown.

At the very least, Igris could try to help him.

"Don't worry, sir. How should I address you?"

"Oh...sorry, you can call me Adam."

“Mr. Adam… I understand your predicament, and I would be willing to take on this case, but according to our firm's regulations…”

"I know a deposit is required in advance... I've brought it, the specific amount is..."

Igris pondered for a moment, then held up three fingers.

Three silver dollars.

"Three silver dollars...okay."

“No, no, this is not a deposit. I mean… the fee for this commission. I need three silver dollars.”

Adam hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help standing up.

"Thank you... To be honest, my income is not exactly abundant... especially since winter is just around the corner, and my work is becoming increasingly difficult because of this."

"This is just... my ideal price."

Igris chuckled and stood up from her chair.

"If it's convenient, I can conduct some simple investigations right now."

"Of course! Of course you can!"

Adam nodded excitedly, and his previously listless demeanor inexplicably brightened considerably.

“Come on, Emily, let’s go.”

Izaki Grace took her belongings from the mountain and casually greeted Emily Rida, who was nestled on the sofa under the umbrella.

She barely managed to react and asked back with some curiosity.

"Should I go with them?"

"Of course, from now on, you are my assistant."

Every detective needs an assistant. Although Igris isn't strictly a detective, she is for now, so she should also have her own assistant.