Chương 309: Chapter : 309

"And honestly," Ken added, a tiny, genuine smile touching his lips.

"You keep us grounded. You keep us moving forward. Without you yelling at me to tuck my shirt in, I would probably sleep for an entire week. You are the heart of this team." Naomi stared at him. She was genuinely surprised. Ken always joked. He always acted like he did not care about anything. But right now, he was speaking with absolute, profound sincerity. She let out a soft laugh. It was a real, comfortable laugh. The deep frustration in her chest slowly began to melt away.

"You are a very strange person, Ken Eliot," Naomi said gently. She playfully nudged his shoulder with her arm. It was a soft, friendly bump.

"You act like an absolute idiot most of the time. But then you say something actually smart."

"I have my moments," Ken agreed lazily. Naomi looked at him with deep respect.

"I mean it. You do not have combat training. You cannot fight with a sword. But your mind is brilliant. You figure things out before anyone else does. You connected the dots this morning. You knew the ambush meant the mastermind panicked. You see the board clearly." She smiled warmly at him.

"You are exactly what this unit needs right now. We need your analytical mind to navigate this conspiracy. You are the brains, and I will be the shield. Deal?" Ken smiled back. It was a true, honest smile. He felt a deep appreciation for her loyalty. He liked this version of Naomi. He liked the friend who trusted him.

"Deal," Ken promised.

"But you still have to let me take my afternoon naps."

"Do not push your luck, slacker," Naomi chuckled. The quiet, peaceful moment between the two friends felt incredibly nice. The fear of the hidden mastermind felt a little further away. They sat on the stone wall, enjoying the morning sun. Suddenly, the front doors of the mansion flew open. Zinia burst out into the courtyard. The tough earth magic user looked incredibly urgent. She held a small, crumpled piece of paper in her hand.

"Naomi! Ken! Come inside right now!" Zinia called out loudly. Naomi instantly stood up. Her relaxed posture vanished. The fierce vanguard leader returned. She rested her hands on her daggers.

"What is it, Zinia? Did someone attack the gates?"

"No," Zinia answered quickly. She waved the paper in the air.

"A courier just dropped this off. It is an anonymous message. Someone slipped it under the front gate." Ken slowly stood up. He shoved his hands into his pockets. He slouched his shoulders again. He put his lazy mask back on.

"A secret message? Does it have a coupon for a free lunch inside? Because I am getting hungry again." This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"It is not a joke, Ken," Zinia said seriously. She looked at Naomi.

"It is from a mysterious contact. They claim they have vital information regarding Mr. Carrion's murder. They are urgently requesting a secret meeting with us." Naomi's green eyes narrowed with sharp suspicion.

"A secret meeting? It could be a trap. The mastermind could be trying to lure us out into the open."

"Maybe," Zinia agreed.

"But Princess Iris says we cannot ignore it. If this contact knows the truth, it is the only solid lead we have." Ken dragged his feet across the courtyard. He walked toward the door. He knew exactly who Senator Norman was. He knew the whole conspiracy. But he needed his team to find the proof naturally. A secret informant was the perfect way to get the evidence.

"Well, let us go meet this mystery person," Ken said lazily. He yawned loudly.

"I just hope they picked a meeting spot with comfortable chairs. My feet are already tired." Naomi shook her head, but she followed him inside. The short break was over. The 13th Unit had a new lead to chase, and the investigation was about to break wide open.

The address on the crumpled paper led them to the very edge of the outer districts. The paved roads turned into dirt paths. The buildings looked old and broken. The sky overhead looked gray. Ken dragged his feet on the dirt path. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He kept his hands in his pockets. He let out a loud yawn.

"My shoes are getting dusty," Ken complained. He looked down at his nice navy blue pants.

"Dust is terrible for this fabric. We are walking too far. Can we take a break?" Naomi walked right beside him. She did not yell at him. She just shook her head and smiled. She bumped her shoulder against his arm.

"Stop whining, Ken," Naomi said gently.

"We just got here. The tavern is right down this street."

"I am just expressing my feelings," Ken replied. He gave her a goofy smile.

"My feelings say I want a nap." Suddenly, a figure jogged past them, panting slightly. The 13th Unit stopped in their tracks. It was Elma, wearing her spotless white and gold uniform, aggressively doing high-knees in the middle of the dirty outer district. She stopped, acting incredibly 'surprised' to see them. She held a small paper bag in her hands.

"Elma?" Princess Iris asked politely.

"Are you... jogging in the slums?" Naomi crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, wait. You gave us pastries three hours ago. Are you officially stalking us now?"

"Stalking?!" Elma gasped, her cheeks instantly turning a vibrant shade of pink.

"I am doing intensive cardio training! The polluted air of the outer districts builds lung capacity! It is a highly advanced workout! And I just happened to run past a bakery that was giving away free sweet rolls to passing athletes! They are ruining my workout weight, so just take them!" Laxmi burst out laughing, tossing a tiny orange spark.

"A bakery giving away free food to athletes? In the slums? You are a terrible liar, Elma." Ken stepped forward, his eyes lighting up with pure joy. He gently took the bag.

"Don't question the cardio-pastry logic, Laxmi. Elma, you are my favorite delivery ninja. Are these the ones with icing?"

"Yes! Just eat them and be quiet!" Elma stammered, her face as red as a tomato.

"I have to resume my sprinting now! We are still rivals!" She spun around and practically sprinted away, disappearing around the corner. Laxmi laughed out loud. She tossed a tiny orange spark of fire between her fingers.

"She is totally following us. She just wanted to see Ken."

"I am a very popular guy," Ken said. He took a sweet roll from the bag. He took a huge bite.

"And this is delicious. She is my favorite delivery person."

"Eat your pastry and keep walking," Naomi chuckled. Laxmi said, "However, why does it feel like we're stuck in a loop? I mean all the Elma stuff." Ken replied, "Well, let us just ignore these and move forward." They reached the address. It was a rundown tavern. The sign outside was broken. The paint was peeling off the walls. The windows were covered with dust. Princess Iris pushed the front door open. The door creaked loudly. The hinges squeaked.