Evolution of the Ruined Heir

Capítulo 377: Conversation

Moments later, Malakai found himself inside a large office space. Shelves lined the walls, packed with neatly arranged documents.

At the center stood a grand desk, broad, polished, and flanked by two chairs: one for the master of the estate, the other for his guest.

Malakai sat on the latter while Mamush settled into his seat with the ease of a man entirely at home.

Mamush had ordered tea for both of them. The fragrant steam rose gently between them, warming the air as an almost comfortable silence filled the room.

“So, here we are, Ninth Vein,” Mamush finally said. “I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have. I have nothing to hide.”

‘How should I go about this?’

‘In my experience,’ Valentine’s voice echoed in his mind, ‘the best way to handle men who lie for a living is to catch them off guard. So I guess… ambush him?’

‘You mean your experience watching dramas?’

‘Ahem… doesn’t matter.’

Malakai exhaled slowly, shaking his head, and turned his attention back to Mamush.

“Tell me about your relationship with Coinmasters Oner, Bell, Juliet, Rain, and Kone.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure what you mean…”

“You grew up in the Blood Home together, am I wrong?”

Mamush blinked once before replying, “No, Ninth Vein. You’re not.”

“You were all close, brothers and sisters, I suppose. Which is why you’ve been trying to clear room for others from that same orphanage to become Coinmasters in the Vein District. Am I wrong?”

The Vein District was the closest to Crimson Hold, the center of influence and wealth. It meant higher prestige, larger profits, and greater recognition.

A Coinmaster of the Vein District could never be compared to one from the Pulse District.

Mamush shifted slightly in his chair.

“Ninth Vein, I—”

“Everyone believes the disappearances are targeting Coinmasters,” Malakai interrupted, “But the truth is, they’re a message. Someone’s trying to threaten you. Am I wrong?”

Mamush suddenly burst into laughter.

“Ah! Ninth Vein, you truly have a way of making an old man laugh. That joke was too funny.”

“Joke? What part of this do you think is a joke?”

Mamush met Malakai’s cold gaze without so much as a twitch.

“I believe in evidence, Ninth Vein. Or what do you call claims without proof?”

The room grew still as their eyes locked. Then Malakai leaned back in his chair.

“So you’re dismissing the claim that the Sixth Pulse visited you recently to inquire about the same matter? You’re also denying that one of your guards followed and spied on me?”

“The head of the Umbrella Group visiting one of her district heads? Sounds normal to me, Ninth Vein.”

“What about the spy?”

“I assure you, Ninth Vein,” Mamush said in a tight voice, “I have nothing whatsoever to do with her, nor do I know why she followed you.”

“I see…” Malakai tapped his fingers slowly against the desk. “I never mentioned the spy was a female, though.”

Mamush’s eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned back, folding his arms under the desk.

“Neither did I.”

“‘I assure you, Ninth Vein. I have nothing whatsoever to do with her, nor do I know why she followed you.’ That’s exactly what you said,”

Mamush cleared his throat.

“Then you must have mentioned it earlier.”

“Entering your estate until now,” Malakai taped his finger on the desk once more, “I’ve seen fifty one guards and twenty maids. I can describe each of them, down to their height and the color of their eyes. So I speak with absolute certainty when I say this, District Head Mamush… I did not mention the spy’s gender.”

Mamush’s arm suddenly slipped beneath his desk, and a faint click echoed through the room.

“Ninth Vein, I—”

The office door burst open before he could finish. A woman hurried in with a tensed expression.

“There’s an emergency that requires your immediate attention, District Head!”

Mamush immediately rose from his seat. “Really!?” He turned to Malakai with a look of panic, then forced an apologetic smile.

“I must beg your pardon, Ninth Vein. I’m afraid I’ll have to end this meeting early.”

He started moving toward the door, but Malakai’s calm voice stopped him.

“It’s late, and I’m famished from investigating all day. Would it be alright if I spent the night?”

Mamush froze at the door. With his back to Malakai, only his assistant caught the brief flash of irritation that twisted his face.

“…It’ll be my pleasure, Ninth Vein,” he said after a pause. “I’ll have one of my guards escort you to your quarters.”

With that, he exited the office with hurried steps, the woman following close behind.

‘Well, that was… interesting. I’m shocked,’ Valentine said.

‘That he denied everything until the end?’

‘That too. But I’m more shocked by your actions!’

Malakai frowned. ‘But I didn’t do anything…’

‘You think!?’

Valentine suddenly burst from his body and hovered in front of him.

“Since when do you talk so much!? I thought I was listening to another person.”

“What are you talking about? I talk.”

“Never this much! And don’t even try to deny it because I literally live in your head. You never talk this much. Honestly, coming here, I was wondering how you planned to question him. I expected something more like—”

Valentine cleared his throat, shifting his voice as he acted out a scene.

“Did you kill him?” he said in a stiff imitation of Malakai.

“Of course not, Ninth Vein!” he replied to himself in a high pitched voice, pretending to be Mamush.

“I know you killed him. Confess, or I’ll kill you and your entire family.”

“Y-you wouldn’t do that, Ninth Vein, it’s against the law!”

“I’ve been sanctioned by the Blood Sovereign… I am the law.”

“If you’re done,” Malakai said, a vein twitching above his brow, “why don’t you make yourself useful?”

“Ahem. How?”

“You’re a ghost. Go listen to what they’re talking about.”

“Oh! You want me to spy? Sounds so cool.”

Malakai had never felt a stronger urge to stab someone, ghost or not.

“Yes.”

Realizing the danger in his tone, Valentine straightened immediately. “Right, right. On it.”

He floated toward the door but paused mid air. “Oh, and remember, I can’t go too far from you.”

Malakai gave a cold nod.

“Got it.”

Valentine cleared his throat once more and phased through the door, vanishing into the hall.

Hey guys! I realize chapters has been inconsistent, but I’ll like to announce that everything’s been sorted out already. You can expect stable chapters from now on.

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