I'm not a hero, but I didn't say I couldn't beat you.

"Have you heard about it? Alian, that store over at School West Street? Do you want to go there and try it?"

"What kind of store is it? It's so mysterious."

At 03:30 in the afternoon, Alian’s last professional class of the day ended. When she was packing up her textbooks and preparing to go back to the dormitory, her friend Caitlin came up and said with a smile.

"It's that...what's it called...right! Private Investigation Agency! Aren't you wondering about the strange things you saw in the abandoned teaching building a few nights ago? Do you want to go over there and ask."

“……………Is it really useful?”

Alian asked dubiously.

"They say it's pretty reliable, and since it can be opened next to Prometheus University, it can't be some kind of fish shop. A senior I know went there for consultation, and it's very cheap~"

"But, if what I encountered that night was really a disaster...then..."

"Oh, you should try it first! You also know the rules of our school. If this incident is really entrusted to you to solve, and the result will be reported directly in your name, you can get a lot of credits!"

Alian shook her head and said.

"It doesn't matter if you get credits or not...but...forget it, I'll just try and ask. I hope it helps..."

To be honest, Alian has been having nightmares for many days because of this incident.

The reason was just that day, she was taking her pet dog for a walk around the school. Because A-Lian likes to find some novel routes every time she walks her dog, she ends up walking behind an abandoned teaching building unknowingly.

Then, she regretted it...

There, she saw a monster biting human bodies——

The monster also saw her.

The moment she was stared at by those scarlet eyes, a chill came over her. Suppressing the desire to vomit, she picked up the puppy and began to run away in a hurry.

When he came to his senses, he was already sitting in the school security office, waiting for the investigation results of the security team.

But the result is... everything works.

There are no strange creatures near the abandoned teaching building, and there are no disaster reactions.

Did he see it wrong?

However, Alian firmly believed that she was not wrong.

So much so that every time I sleep recently, I dream of those scarlet eyes——

Then I woke up in a cold sweat.

"Then I'll go first~ There are still activities in the club~ See you in the evening!"

Caitlin waved her hand and left the classroom in a hurry.

"Hey……"

Alian picked up the small bag and glanced out the window.

From this C1 teaching building, you can just see the abandoned teaching building in the distance.

"West Street...it's indeed not far from here."

........................

"Is it here?"

Alian wandered around West Street twice and sent Caitlin several messages before finally finding the so-called investigation firm.

The main thing is that this store...has no signboard...

Even if there is no signboard, the store does not look like an office, but looks like a coffee shop that can be seen everywhere.

Although there is not a single customer in this cafe.

"Is this really a private investigation firm..."

Walking to the entrance of the coffee shop...ah, no, office, Alian looked at the tables and chairs placed at the door, wondering if her friend was teasing her.

Forget it...it's here now.

Alian knocked on the door tentatively, then gently pushed the door open.

"Hello, may I ask——"

"Jingle bell~"

When I opened the door, I saw no one in the store.

"Eh...is there no one there?"

Alian looked around. Just as she had guessed, the store looked like a coffee shop. There were coffee beans and a coffee machine on the bar. It was empty and no one was seen inside.

"Crash-"

I heard a strange sound of water, which seemed to come from the ajar door behind the bar.

"Hello! Is anyone here!!!"

Alian shouted again tentatively.

"Ah?! It's coming, it's coming!! Ah!!!"

"Bang!!"

After a panicked sound came from behind the door, there was another sound of a lot of heavy objects falling.

"What's wrong??"

"Wait! Don't come in!!!"

Hearing the screams, Alian subconsciously rushed over and pushed open the half-open door.

Then, he saw a mess of blood-red translucent limbs coming into view.

Waving, twisting, toward her—

"Ah, you saw me...there's nothing I can do..."

"!!!!!!!!!"

A cold, neutral voice came from behind.

The tentacles stretched out, but Alian, who had not been able to rest for several days, had completely passed out before the other party caught her.

bang——

It fell to the ground, along with the scattered debris.

"Ah this..."

..............................

"Da da da da da..."

"Well--"

The dusk sunlight shines on the girl's face through the glass, and the sound of the keyboard is not very loud, but it is indeed obvious in this silent environment, slowly waking up Alian from her sleep.

She sat up from the sofa and looked around with hazy eyes.

"I am..."

"Huh? Are you awake?"

The keyboard sound stopped.

Looking towards the source of the sound, the young man was sitting at a round table not far away, with a laptop and a cup of black tea in hand. he asked with a smile.

"Want something to drink?"

"What to drink...wait! This is it!!!!"

Recalling the frightening moment before losing consciousness, Alian was so frightened that she immediately jumped up from the sofa.

"Yes! That's right! Call the police! You must call the police immediately!!!"

"Wait wait wait wait wait!!! Calm down first!!!!"

The other party ran over in panic and shouted.

"Don't worry yet!!! I guarantee it's safe here!!"

"But--"

"Tell me first, what did you see before you fell into coma?"

The young man pushed the excited Alian back to the sofa and said comfortingly.

"I... I saw..."

Alian pointed to the door behind the bar and said.

"There is a monster with blood-red tentacles inside..."

"…………"

After listening, the young man stroked his forehead and was silent for a while.

"I asked why that guy was so hesitant and refused to say what he did."

"???What's the meaning?"

Alan panicked.

"Ah, it's okay, please don't worry, what you see is not a monster, it is... uh... a containment object."

The young man knocked on the table and said.

"Come out, Slate Man, and look at the good things you did! I asked you to look after the store, but you scared the customers. What's going on?"

"What can I do? I didn't know she would just rush in like that..."

A small, shimmering figure jumped up from behind the bar and said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I scared you just now."

"?????"