The stage

“You doubted me, Sir meidovvei. How shall I take your pitiful request seriously?”

The servent of Sir meidovvei wanted to insult the detective, but the raised hand of Sir meidovvei stopped all his plans of insulting the detective.

Sir meidovvei took off his cloak and hat. handed them to the servent, and asked for a permission to sit. Such behaviour was not expected from a man like him. The detective himself was a bit shook from his attitude.

Asking a permission to sit was a good card Sir meidovvei played very well to try and earn the respect of the Detective.

" You can sit down, But you’ll have to give me an easier name than Sir Medeivvei. with all respect, Medeivvei, but clearly this is not a real name to carry around. Am I right?”

“Call me Palphourm, detective. I do not promise an easier name, frankly names holds little value to me. so should you, detective.”

The detective then adjusted his legs and started to put some thought and care of what would the respectful Sir Palphourm say about his sudden request.

" I’m all ears, Palphorioum,,, ”

Sir Palphourm chukled a bit for a reason the detective do not understand, He began his request nonetheless:

“I have a sick daughter, In my mansion we try to give her hope, love and forge her most loved hobbies such as drawing. I'm Proud of her!

Her sickness though, began to be much reskier than it had ever been. All we could have done was supporting her mentally.”

The detective was not amused by the request initially. but tried not to interrupt Sir Palphourm.

" The sickness of hers is.. simple. It’s like a strange knot of threads. I remember feeling like my sense of safety is shaking the moment I wanted to solve the problem of her sickness myself.

I’m very well known of my strong senses, Detective Asheknot.

Her coughs got a bit stronger Everyday. But she’s never healed. Never cured. That is the mystery of my daughter.

I suppose you might ask me to find better doctors, but that is not the problem I’m sure- ”

" Maybe she is drinking a slow poison.”

" I’m afraid that is not her mystery, detective. It was an option until the main nurse of the mansion reassured us that it was the right medicine for the poor girl. Yet she does not clearly see the exact problem of her strange sickness.”

Detective Asheknot’s partner asked of how strange Sir Palphourm keeps calling the matter a “mystery”. It makes the whole thing seems.. Ambitous.

"I must leave now to attend other matters. I'll leave these Invitations here for you and your respected partner."

" An Invitation? Why's that, Sir Palphourm?" Arthur was very confused, So was the detective whom he eventually replied:

" I suppose this invitation promises a lot more than a sick daughter and a caring father!"

Sir palphourm put cold smiley face. It freaked Arthuer without a doubt. Detictive Ashknot was very amused. At the end.

Arthur was more confused from the detective's words and prceeded to ask Another question: " I still don't understand the importance of the Invitation?"

" Time will reveal The hidden paths, Dear Arthur. I suppose Detective Ashknot got a clue already.

Well then.. I think it's time for me to leave. I'll be expecting both of you.

The Audience cannot wait, dear Ashknot!"

Ashknot had a very serious and focused face. He was very interested of his mystery.

Arthur showed the guests the way to leave. and closed the door while standing still. The voice of the detecive was unclear at first, but Arthur eventually heard him repeating himself.

" Arthur? Arthur you hear me?"

" Ah! yes of course! shall we discuss all this with a cup of tea?"

" That would be great. Thank you Arthur."

The interance of Sir palphourm was very heavy on both Arthur, and Ashknot. Filled with many clues of his real intentions, but it seems no matter the number of tea cups Ashknot drinks.

He never realized or even stood close to what Sir palphourm really wanted from them. Except for his pure intention of wanting to scare enemies away from his daughter.

" I'm certain he has Another reason, bigger and much more important than his daughter, but it's left for the unknown I suppose."

"I'm sure we'll find out tommorow. I recommend sleeping And I know it's never going to be an option for you tonight. so instead of sweet dreams, I wish you all the positive and sweet thoughts."

before Arthur was heading to his room, he stopped in the middle when a question popped on his mind:

" but There's one thing that is bothering me, Ashknot."

"What is it?"

" Why did you mention that he requested you in a pitiful way? I never understood that."

" We know each other, and unfortunatly for him, I know quite a lot about him and what dangerous games he will play with us tommorow. It's quite pitiful in my opinion, and he knows that."

"Oh.. I see! Then we can perhaps predict him very well-"

" No. That is his trump card, Arthur. He is at his best when he is performing on his own stage, The mansion."

Arthur did not quite understood what Ashknot is trying to say, and he surrendered to his bed and slept, While detecive ashknot was lightining another cigarette and staring through the living room's window. Endlessly.