"Ah, that was new. I never thought someone would get wet from one of my scales," Madeleine chuckled as she twisted her serpentine lower half down the hallway in the direction of the door Keiko had indicated.
Before she could open the door, however, it opened on its own. The entire entrance underwent a special transformation, as if to detect Madeleine's body: the door widened and lengthened to make it much easier for her to enter the office.
Séraphine was already awake with a cup of steaming coffee, which she took a sip of. She looked at the actress who had just entered, raising an eyebrow.
"Nice to see you again, Madeleine," the witch greeted her with obvious familiarity, licking her lips to wipe away the slight drops of coffee that had seeped out.
"Uh, I really wouldn't want to be here, you know? It means I'm in trouble, a reminder that I'm in danger." The Lamia, who had previously been friendly, approachable, and calm, now wore a sad countenance. She leaned part of her torso against Séraphine's desk and lay on it languidly.
"But you're here because you know I can resolve your issues," Séraphine pointed out, bringing up the main point of the matter. Madeleine rolled her eyes before sticking out her forked tongue and taking in the scents in the air.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even go near a place like this. By the way, would you offer me a cup of coffee? I haven't slept well lately; those guys keep watching my house," Madeleine said in a tired tone. At the actress's request, Séraphine took a thermos from her desk.
Opening it, the aroma of coffee filled the office. Using the container's lid, the witch poured the coffee, which had already been sweetened. She then passed it to Madeleine, who took a sip but quickly scrunched up her face in discomfort.
"Too sweet! I still think what you do to drinks is horrible," the Lamia complained. Séraphine shrugged, unbothered by the woman's reaction.
"The brain consumes a lot of energy. When you're thinking about work, like detective work, or magic, sugar is almost as vital as blood," the witch replied. She took another drink from her cup, licked her lips, and enjoyed the aftertaste.
"So sweet on the outside, but so bitter on the inside. I don't understand. Is it necessary to kiss people and only trust those you test your rare spell on?" The Lamia attacked out of nowhere in a moment of carelessness caused by her altered mental state due to her lack of sleep.
Her words made Séraphine frown, as she was obviously disgusted by the sudden comment. However, she noticed the apology in Lamia's yellow eyes. It seemed she hadn't been able to rest in a long time.
Before Madeleine could apologize, Séraphine tapped her fingers on the table, interrupting her, and spoke instead.
"I don't know what my personal life has to do with this. We are acquaintances, Miss Abraham. Now, we are not in a tea shop but in the process of solving your problem," Séraphine emphasized, making Madeleine's expression more serious.
"I'm sorry. My mind is so slow that it filters my thoughts. Yes, let's solve my problem," the Lamia replied in a leisurely tone. She then gulped down the coffee she had been given despite her obvious distaste for the excessive amount of sugar in it.
Madeleine patted her cheeks before slipping a hand into her cleavage and pulling out a black envelope, which she dropped on the table. She gently pulled Madeleine closer to the witch.
Séraphine took the envelope, which appeared to have been opened beforehand. She already knew the type of letter it represented; it was used for threats in Blume's criminal underworld. It seems her client had received one.
These days have been quiet. It's just the constant vigilance of those bastards. They don't even disassemble anymore. I can see their heat signatures as clearly as the sun in the sky.
Yesterday, however, those guys left, giving me a rare moment of peace. But in the evening, they knocked on my door and left this envelope in my mailbox. Madeleine's explanation made Séraphine narrow her eyes before she took out the letter.
The removal of those Peeping Toms coincided with the resolution of the previous day's cult-related case. It was already dusk when Séraphine returned to the city from the suburbs, enough time for outsiders to check the cottage and relay the message to their superiors.
The letter contained everything she expected: a threat of execution, an order to yield to the requests of an unnamed boss, and a series of actions to demonstrate her commitment to comply.
"Did he ask you for pictures of yourself naked? He dared to ask you this kind of thing." Séraphine was not the letter's intended recipient, yet she felt deeply attacked and uncomfortable by its content!
Nude photos of a woman are a terrible weapon. While that would be harmful in general, this kind of material, especially of a famous person, would certainly be a powerful blow.
It was no longer an attempt to force someone to give in to a person's requests. It was an attempt to put a leash around her neck and tie her down forever. They were blatantly asking her for blackmail material, and their certainty was disgusting.
If they didn't, they would kill her. Lamias were physically powerful and had natural abilities dependent on their biology and the Aether. However, even these beings could die. Not for nothing were humans the predominant species in the world.
"Um, isn't that bad? Among my people, nudity is natural. Only for humans is it taboo and private," said Madeleine, causing Séraphine to look incredulously at her before setting the letter down on her desk and rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Give me back my emotions! Does that guy ask for several complete films? With how expensive film is to develop, not to mention pocket cameras? I barely have a pocket camera and a couple of rolls of film," the witch muttered in response after sighing. The difference in values between her and her client was something she overlooked due to the letter's contents.
"I tried doing it in private, but I don't plan to give that guy that role," the Lamia added, sparking interest in Séraphine's eyes. However, now was not the time to find out more about the movie.
"Well... I also have information about that guy. Let's talk more in-depth about that movie producer, Howard Stone," the witch said with annoyance in her voice. Madeleine's eyes narrowed, and a powerful aura emanated from her body.
"He introduced himself as kind and considerate. He was the one who gave me my first starring role. I had heard rumors about him, but I didn't believe them until Norma mysteriously disappeared..." Madeleine began to tell her story, explaining some key things about her interaction with Howard Stone.
"I understand Norma told you that Howard abused her, right?" Séraphine asked, having taken the case file, causing the office to turn somewhat chilly.
"Yes... my mistake was dismissing it as an exaggeration on her part. She had previously caused scandals on set over trifles. She cried and begged me for help, but I did nothing.
However, when Howard improperly fondled my breast and I resisted, I understood Norma. But it was too late. When I tried to find her, I learned that she had disappeared shortly after saying she was going to the police on the set.
No one speaks up: the cameramen, the makeup artists, not even the director. Everyone is afraid of him. They all know what he's up to, but they let it go. After all, Howard Stone is a millionaire film producer and one of the pillars of the Blume film industry." At this point, Madeleine's voice broke, and her words revealed a cruel reality.
There was no need to mention a cult; this situation was terrible enough. Even worse, Madeleine's words and Séraphine's knowledge indicated that this situation had been ongoing for a long time.
Did the police know about it? Probably, but perhaps due to certain circumstances, they could not act against Stone. Would Élodie be able to help her? The witch thought this as she released the air she had been holding while listening to the Lamia speak.
This topic could not be taken lightly. A more evidence-focused methodology was required, not charging in as before. While there would probably be confrontations, the focus was on putting Howard away and making him pay for the damage he had caused.
However, Séraphine had a strange feeling in her chest. Her main interest was not in stopping Howard's actions with the actresses but in his possible involvement with a cult.
This made her feel a little guilty, but she had her reasons, so, as always, the witch decided to protect herself with money. As long as she was well-compensated, she could devote herself fully to solving this problem.
Séraphine looked into Madeleine's yellow eyes before nodding slightly.
"Fine, but you should know that I need a higher payout. It seems that Howard Stone is not only linked with gangs, but also with something bigger and more dangerous for Blume," the detective commented to the client. However, she kept the rest of her words to herself.
'And because I want to know who is randomly spreading summoning rituals to cause chaos in the city,' she thought. Séraphine had made some connections during the day.
An unusual connection existed between the invocation that the wealthy man had performed in his unfinished house and the one that Miriam had performed. It appeared as though someone was attempting to locate or establish a ritual, beginning with the fundamental steps and subsequently summoning a Spirit Servant.
Then, she gave a werewolf woman an unknown ritual, tricking her into believing that she could save her husband through the summoned entity. However, it only attracted an Inferos, a powerful entity that possessed her and 'saved' her husband after she fell into utter degeneration.
"I have no problem paying more. I want to be at peace and make movies quietly. I don't want to live in fear or commit acts I don't want to," Madeleine growled, sticking out her elongated tongue to sniff the air.
"You said you had one of the victims for support, didn't you?" asked Séraphine, bringing her mind back to the case. Although the case seemed insignificant, the money motivated her significantly, visibly improving her mood.
However, all of this was merely a means to conceal the fact that she attached more importance to the cult. Going deeper, she also felt a deep distaste for Howard Stone. As a woman, how could she not feel distaste for a rapist who was likely to sacrifice women? So, her two goals merged into a greater purpose.
The witch also wanted him to suffer a fitting punishment. Séraphine's mind was focused on how money could silence her contradictions. She didn't want to invest too much emotion in this because she knew it would cloud her judgment.
Madeleine was no mere lamia. If one were to use a hierarchy similar to that of lycanthropes, she would fall into the 'alpha' category. Her abilities were superior to those of her species. When she sensed the scent particles in the air earlier, she detected something interesting.
The detective in front of her gave off a scent of confusion. The Lamia didn't know much about Séraphine other than that they had met at Bar O'Connor and interacted at a few events and banquets. However, she could consider herself familiar with the witch.
However, beneath that confusion was a steely determination that made Madeleine hopeful. Yes, she is strong, but she lives in a civilized, technologically advanced society.
It didn't matter if she could lift cars over her head or break concrete walls with a punch. The laws were there to prevent indiscriminate lynching and murder, even if it was in the name of justice.
If she made a move, do you think bullets wouldn't pierce her scales? A cannon could shatter her! A well-placed enchanted bullet could shatter her skull! So, no, she had to do everything the proper way, the legal way.
She wanted justice, not for herself, but for Norma. She could never forget how she had ignored someone who was suffering. She even felt terrible for only starting to believe when she was the target.
Although she could have taken Howard Stone's head off with her powerful arms, Madeleine knew the best outcome, for herself and the other victims, would be to make the man pay dearly.
He should lose the power that made him feel entitled to outrage and end the lives of those women. He should be relegated to what he truly is: a pathetic, sick man who deserves no compassion.
The conversation between the two women reviewed all of Howard Stone's known and rumored actions. Even Séraphine was more open about mentioning the man's possible involvement with a cult. This did not justify his actions; it only made them worse.
They also planned their next course of action during this process, and, as was inevitable, they had to deal with the police. Luckily, Séraphine had met an officer the day before who seemed interested in 'interesting activities.'
After an hour, an exhausted and hungry Élodie walked through the front door of the agency. She felt that the whole situation was particularly odd.
Hitting a nasty bastard over the head with her warhammer? How could she refuse? Especially since he had done so much wrong. She was supposed to be a police officer, the one who protects others. It was perfectly reasonable to crush his skull with a swing of her weapon.
After feeling like an excited fan meeting one of her favorite actresses and receiving a purple scale from Madeleine that she would keep forever, the trio of women decided to start their operations.
It was time for a classic detective investigation!
The group first decided to investigate an abandoned factory, one of the locations Francisca had identified as a key site for Howard Stone's actions.
Technological advances supported by science and alchemy were making the city more prosperous and showy. However, they left an obvious trace of obsolescence in places that could not adapt.
The place they went to was a textile factory that employed a large number of people. However, new technologies have displaced many industries, including the clothing industry.
It was now much easier to obtain materials for making fabrics, and processing them was no longer as difficult as it had been 100 years ago. Over time, many factories like this one closed.
Only the most prestigious tailor shops, with superior craftsmanship that machines or simplified processes could not imitate, were able to survive. That's why, when they arrived, the place looked like a dilapidated building full of garbage and debris with a bad smell.
However, there was an eerie atmosphere, despite the daytime. It was barely 3 p.m., but the atmosphere was dark and oppressive, much like the vibes the cottage had transmitted to them.
This place was not as simple as it seemed.