The Black Saint is My StalkerCh143 - We are partners now

Edited by dreamandwonder

After Franz’s explanation, Graham had no doubt that Iszak too, had gotten himself caught up with this entire mess. 4wXuEp

So even a noble blood wasn’t off the table; whatever it was that harassed Merriva’s supernatural beings was something that shouldn’t be underestimated. The very thought, however, made Graham scowl.

If it could subdue Iszak, then it undoubtedly could have subdued Han Li.

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Reality dug deeper.

Anxiety rose like a grating itch. Graham barely managed to park his car into the tiny spot before rushing out and storming up the building. Cyrus’s office was on the fourth floor and damn did he and Franz scale those stairs quickly. cjrHpJ

But knocking on the door and pressing on the doorbell failed to yield any result.

Graham grimaced, his impatience thick. He held the doorknob tightly in his hand, twisting and pulling while his emotions slowly but surely simmered. But just as he was about to bash the open, Franz tapped his shoulder.

“Allow me.”

Graham almost forgot that Franz was beside him. Why were his thoughts so scattered? Gathering his composure, he nodded, his expression impassive. With a step back, he gave Franz room.

The corrupted blood placed his palm against the door, first feeling for any wards. But he didn’t feel anything. Slowly, his body became a cloud of crimson. The mass of red squirmed in the air before squeezing in through the bottom of the floor.

Graham waited. The door clicked open. “Come inside,” Franz croaked, his dark eye bags darkened further, looking even worse for wear. With a nod, Graham entered the office. He strolled over to the window first, closing the blinds and darkening the room. Franz sighed with relief, leaning back against the wall.

It was up to Graham to explore first.

Everything was orderly, not a single thing out of place. There was something sweet in the air that made his nose itch, but Graham’s sense of smell was only as good as human. He asked with his drawl, monotone voice, “Do you smell that?” 6HbJjB

“…Hm?” Franz roused from his reverie, blinking heavily as he forced his eyes open. Being exposed to too much sunlight and not having enough blood in his system made Franz extremely lightheaded and weak. And unlike a noble blood, he couldn’t just sleep it off either. Franz would have to feed soon. But he held back the thirst and scented the air.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Franz rubbed his nose, swallowing deeply when he caught a whiff of Graham’s fresh blood that pumped through his veins. He shuddered, willing the thirst down. But after ignoring Graham’s sweet smell, he noticed something else that roused his memories. Franz froze on the spot, a tremor made itself at home under his skin and his breathing became ragged, his stomach churned.

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“…P rff.” Xgjtjw cbvvfv ja atf lcrluta, gfmjiilcu ktja Ajsvfc rjlv jybea atf rwfii ifoa yftlcv. Bffqlcu atlr lc wlcv, Xgjtjw yfujc ab ibbx atgbeut Jsger’r vfrx. Ktfgf, tf obecv cfjais qjmxfv olifr bo qjalfcar; Ljc Ol’r kjr mbcnfclfcais ifoa bc atf abq. Xgjtjw raffifv tlr fwbalbcr, wbnlcu delmxis. HcyQBe

He dug out all the files and scattered them across the desk, and began to scan each and every one thoroughly.

Each of them had conveniently an attached image of the patient. And their faces stirred a sense of recollection, making Graham frown. Where had they seen them before? It was something recent, but the memory wasn’t intimate enough for him to recall them right away. It was only after scanning the file details that Graham was able to connect to dots.

All the patients at Cyrus’s clinic were supernatural beings.

And not just any supernatural being, but people that have gone missing; part of the list that Miguel had asked Graham to investigate! To think that such an important link was so close to him all along. Hadn’t Cyrus been Han Li’s therapist for years already? yVYzaH

“Come here,” Graham said to his companion. But when he looked up saw Franz’s sorry state, he decided not to force the corrupted blood too much and instead relayed the information calmly:

“These patients are all beings that have gone missing under similar circumstances as Han Li and Iszak.”

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“…Hah,” Franz let out a humorless sound. His face was twisted with both anger and pain, “This bastard…Cyrus S. Morgan, correct? He must be one cocky imbecile, leaving such incriminating evidence unattended in his abode.”

“…It is quite easily accessed.” Graham couldn’t help but agree. He felt like this could be one of two things. One, this information was purposely planted here and used as a lure for them to snatch and follow. Or two, this being was so confident in itself that it did not worry about discovery. RvGDe2

Or perhaps a third option, it was simply too stupid.

But Graham had a feeling that the answer wasn’t so simple.

While he quietly mused the possibilities, Franz scowled and shifted his weight between his legs. His fatigue caused bloodthirst and his bloodthirst caused agitation. “So what do you reckon we do now, Lord Astley? What is the next step? Should we raid his abode?”

“…Perhaps.” Graham looked down at the various files laid out on the table. “But I believe that I have a better lead.” cPyNtM

“Oh? Make it known.”

“Han Li told me that he was getting a very good deal for his treatment at Mr. Morgan’s clinic. Looking at the files closely, it seems that the majority of the costs have been covered by the DASR of all places.”

“…The DASR,” Franz echoed with visceral annoyance, flashing his fangs that threatened to cut into his own lips.

“Correct. I had my own prior suspicions about their involvement, but this only further coincides with my hypothesis. I have…an old acquaintance that is a high-ranking scientist. We will extract information from her.” LvWePJ

Franz was in agreement, nodded, and perked up despite his obvious weakness. But before he could leave, he was interrupted by the Saint of Eternity again. “Wait, one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“I do not need you dying early on me. We are partners now.” Graham drew a dagger from his coat and drew it over his wrist, cutting in deep.

  pYxVFX

Franz let out a wry laugh, “P-partners…huh?” That was all he was able to say before bloodthirst took over and he lunged at Graham with frantic speed, latching onto the saint’s wrist like a man caught in a desert finding water.

Graham allowed the corrupted blood to have his fill. He had a feeling that he was going to need Franz in peak condition sooner rather than later.

After combing through Cyrus’s office, they decided to stop by at the man’s apartment just in case, while Graham attempted to call Emilia Rose. The scientist, begrudgingly, did not answer, so he left her a sweet voice note in hopes of getting her attention like he had done so in the past.

Cyrus’s apartment wasn’t that different from his office. Both were decorated with a similar sensibility, both impeccably neat, both devoid of Cyrus himself. HQDIvG

Graham, however, being as sensitive as he was to miasma, could feel trace amounts in the air, unlike the office that was completely devoid of notable demonic presence.

But worse, this miasma was one intimately familiar to him.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Han Li had been here.

As much as he wished to ignore it, Graham’s heart rapped in his chest. He inspected the empty living room, where the miasma felt the strongest. dj 54b

Han Li felt so close yet so far. And Graham feared to imagine what might have happened, he feared to know the truth that might have become of the half-demon.

Though, such speculative thoughts were of no use to Graham. So he willed them away, over and over again, until his heart stung and his limbs felt a bit numb— (because of blood loss, Graham reasoned, from feeding Franz earlier).

Graham did not care about his internal state, either physical or mental, neither were of consequence. Instead, he leaned closer to the couch, where he could sense the remnants of Han Li’s signature miasma still saturating the air.

(Graham longed to hold him.) EDsONt

He narrowed his eyes, spotting a discolored spot on the couch’s cushions.

Blood.

(Graham had so many things he wanted to say to Han Li, but he had no idea how to word them properly.)

He frowned as he scrutinized the marks and splatters. It wasn’t much blood, perhaps from a minor cut, nothing to worry about— 14MQ2L

Until Graham recalled the earring he found in the middle of the woods.

His heart clenched. Silently, the Saint of Eternity stood.

(He felt as though he should apologize to Han Li, but what was it that he would even apologize for?)

“Lord Astley! Come take a look at this,” Franz’s voice echoed from a different part of the apartment. Having fed a little, the corrupted blood was faring much better, and was able to properly investigate alongside Graham. 45pm h

The Saint of Eternity followed the voice into what appeared to be a private study.

“Look at this,” Franz strolled up to Graham, showing off a letter of recommendation written for Mr. Morgan.

The name that penned the referral, however, was much more interesting.

It was Aaron Lancert, the President of the Department of Anti-Supernatural Research himself. ubmKeO

“There’s more,” Franz said.

Author: the plot…! unfolds! Sorry for uploading the chapter a bit later today e_e I overslept this morning woopss…. but! it’s here!!! s-so enjoy? t-try not to kill me…too soon?

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