Omniscius [Genshin Impact]

Part Thirteen

25: One Match and a Forest

Heizou's eyes glimmered with fascination as they darted from right to left on the book in his hands.

"Fascinating... What will happen next?" he said curiously and flipped a page, "Interesting, interesting."

Bam!

"Heizou!"

"Yikes!" Heizou nearly threw the book and fell off his chair at the shout of his name and a foreboding slam of the door.

He looked up, flinching at the sight of an irritated scholar in white with ropes binding her wrists.

"Hey! We did not give you permission to run inside the police station!" a doushin scolded.

"Haha!" Heizou giggled, "Usually it's the other way around. Arrested individuals would rather run from the station, if anything."

"That is if they deserved to be arrested. I do not! I come in here every now and then but never in ropes!" Soleil glared at Heizou in irritation, "You'd better have a proper reason to arrest me or so help me, I am sending a letter to Fontaine and fetch someone to give you a proper beating in the most legal way possible!"

Heizou blinked in surprise. "Wow. This is the first time I'm seeing you so worked up," he grinned, "How fascinating. I guess there is a first time for everything, hehe."

"You think I'm joking?" Soleil hissed at him, making the detective raise his hands in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay, I won't mess with you. It's a shame I can't enjoy this sight for long," he sighed and waved a hand at the officers, "Release her, guys."

The officers removed the ropes around Soleil's wrists, not allowing the girl to process things quickly as they left the station.

"What..." Soleil said in disbelief before turning to Heizou, "What on Teyvat was that about?!"

"I can't keep Madam Kujou's guest in ropes. That would, uh, put me in more trouble and have my efforts backfire," Heizou said wryly as he scratched his cheek with a finger.

"Guest?" Soleil asked confusingly.  Heizou didn't speak anymore as Kujou Sara approached them. There was a slight crumple to her eyebrows.

"Don't think I didn't hear what happened here, Detective Shikanoin. Looking all friendly now won't make anything better or worse," she said, frowning in displeasure at Heizou.

"Hey, in my defense, I highly doubt Miss Soleil will ever agree to come here without a little push. You know she doesn't do anything without asking for anything so I opted to bargain, hehe..." Heizou smiled but froze to see Soleil's and Sara's glare.

Heizou cleared his throat. "Ehem. I'll shut up for now," he looked away. "A wise choice," Kujou Sara snorted.

"Probably the wisest he's made today," Soleil added with her own little glare and turned to Sara, "I'm getting the implication Heizou had to pull a nasty trick so we can meet."

"Which should have been done on more formal terms. Do note that I did not insist him to do anything out of line," Sara sighed, "The detective has always been...creative with his work. But as of now, I have no idea what came over him."

Sara side-glanced at Heizou sternly. "To be fair, I have my own reasons for having her arrested. I mean, it could be a serious case if I pushed for it," Heizou shrugged.

"Oh...? So you were planning on taking me to court. I see, I see..." a shadow fell on Soleil's face as she smiled and cracked her knuckles, "I see."

"That wasn't what I meant! Well...partially," Heizou mumbled the last part, but he scooted back to see Soleil approaching him. Sara's brow twitched.