Extra's Perfect Ending

Theia couldn't help but blame herself. If she had insisted on following Reeva, maybe he wouldn't have gone missing. She and Hilda made their way to Holen's office—the last place Reeva said he'd be. The journey took about an hour, and by the time they arrived, Holen had already closed up shop. The office was dark, just like the surrounding buildings. Unsure where Holen lived, they knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock. The door remained silent. The sun had long set, and most businesses wouldn't be open at night—especially not a private investigator who likely valued the late hours to work on commissions. Theia didn't know what to do next, so she knocked on the door again, three more times. "I don't think he's here," Hilda said after Theia's persistent knocking. She decided to search for another clue in the area. Holen's office was located on the first floor of a multi-story building, common in this part of town. These buildings typically had three or four floors, rented out as either residences or workplaces. In Holen's case, his office was next to another rented room. Hilda decided to knock on that door instead. Knock, knock, knock. "Coming!" a female voice called from inside. Footsteps approached, and a small peephole opened, revealing the eyes of an elderly woman peering through. "Who are you people?" she asked suspiciously. "Hello, I'm a maid of the Koshav family. I'm here with the young miss to inquire about the Master's whereabouts." The old woman's eyes shifted between Theia and Hilda. "Koshav family… The one that sells burgers?!" "Yes, ma'am." The old lady's face lit up with a wide smile. "I'm willing to help, but I've been hearing about these burgers for weeks now, and my old bones couldn't wait..." "We're willing to provide burgers if you help," Theia quickly assured the old lady. It was technically her and her "brother's" business, after all. "You don't have to go that far for me," the old lady chuckled, clearly pleased. "Would you like to come in for some tea?" "I'm afraid we can't do that," Theia replied. "My brother is missing, so I'd like to know what you know." "Oh, right, forgive this old lady," she said, scratching her head. "It's not much, but I was out getting groceries for my husband when I saw your brother coming out of Mister Holen's office. Looked like he needed something investigated." "What happened after that?" Theia asked, urging the old lady to get to the main point. They had already expected as much from what Reeva had told Theia before he left. What they needed to know was what happened afterward. "Well, I followed him, hoping to get a free burger," she said, embarrassed by her admission. "But then he stopped by where a heretic was being encircled. A group of priests came to cut the heretic's tongue and took him to the church. I remember seeing Mister Koshav going in the same direction, but I'm not sure. I was running late for my groceries, you see." This was the biggest clue they had so far. The church was located near the shore, while the burger stand was on Grand Road. They didn't go in the same direction when leaving Holen's office. "Thank you for the information, Granny." "And don't forget the burgers!" Theia and Hilda left the granny and returned to the main road. The old lady's story seemed reliable, especially given her enthusiasm for the burgers. She wouldn't jeopardize her chance of getting some by lying. "What do we do now?" Theia asked, unsure of the next step. Visiting the church as someone with a star foundation was akin to suicide. At such late hours, they would face all of the church priests since they slept underground. "Let me handle it. If something goes south, you bail me out with the turtle and the frog." Theia smiled, her spirits lifting a bit. "I can do that!" The two quickly made their way along the road to the shore. The streets were dimly lit by street lamps, and a few people still walked about despite the late hour. At top speed, it would take them about 30 minutes to reach the church. However, after about 10 minutes, Hilda noticed something. "Act natural. We're being followed." Theia's body tensed for a split second before she forced herself to stay calm. She wouldn't be a burden this time. "Who are they?" Theia whispered, trying to maintain a steady pace and resisting the urge to turn around. "Two hooded figures, about 20 steps behind us. They've been following us for the past two minutes. They're likely mercenaries or thieves. Their skills are a bit lacking," Hilda relayed, having easily identified the amateurs trailing them. In her line of work as a maid of the Antores family, she has many encounters with such people. "They're not from the Sun Church?" "The church doesn't trail people. They hunt." Theia didn't like Hilda's statement one bit. She recalled the time when she was escaping the church with Reeva, hidden in the frog's mouth. If it weren't for her family treasure guiding her, the church would have caught her, as she was paralyzed after using her mystic power. She didn't want to be in that position again. "What do we do?" Theia asked, ready to confront the mysterious figures. "We head to the church," Hilda said. "They won't dare make a move in the presence of the Sun Church." Naturally, the church is the bet way to deter any thief or people since they wouldn't dare defile the church. However, as they continued, Hilda noticed something unsettling. A group of priests was walking straight toward them. They moved with purpose, cutting through the sparse crowd as they approached. "Run?" Theia asked, uncertain of what to do. They had planned to use the church as a deterrent for these potential thieves, but now the church itself was heading straight for them. Hilda decided to gamble on a risky option.