DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 48 - Ryuu Lion who's suspicious of Syr (POV Eina)

It's been two days since Kaen got arrested.

Like always, I'm sitting at my desk with a pile of documents that I've barely touched since this morning.

My eyes are staring at the words on the papers, but my brain's not processing anything I'm looking at at all.

Every few minutes, I hear whispers from the corner of the room.

"...still can't believe he could do that..."

"...heard Goddess Hestia hasn't left the Hephaestus Familia since yesterday..."

"...Eina-san was all pissed off defending him yesterday..."

Every time someone mentions my name, my ears immediately get hot.

Rose keeps glancing at me with this look that's a mix of concern and...

pity?

Like she's looking at someone who's grieving over a loss.

Misha's being even more careful than usual.

She talks to me in this gentle tone that's super unnatural, like I'm porcelain that'll shatter if she speaks too loud.

"Eina-chan, want some coffee? I'll make you some..."

"No, thanks," I answer without looking up from the files I'm not even reading.

Yesterday's anger has already evaporated.

Replaced by something colder—the calculated composure of an experienced advisor.

I'm not just gonna sit here waiting.

I need data.

Data that can help Kaen get out of this case.

Either way, Kaen's an adventurer, and if he's stuck in there too long, it'll slow down his progress.

The Guild's archive room feels quieter than usual.

The smell of old paper and dried ink fills the air, giving off this vibe that this is where truth is stored in neat piles of documents.

I pull Kaen's official file from the shelf with steady movements.

My fingers flip through page after page carefully, looking for...

anything that could give me a clue.

Growth data: Stable. Consistent.

Income: Regular, no suspicious spikes or drops.

Disciplinary records: Clean.

I stop at the last page, staring at the empty notes in the violations section.

Not a single report about fights, no rule violations, no complaints from other adventurers about aggressive behavior.

This doesn't make sense.

I lean back in my chair, staring at the file with narrowed eyes.

This pattern is the pattern of an adventurer who's methodical and super careful, not some impulsive attacker.

Every single one of his reports shows careful planning.

He even always asks for details about monsters before going down to the dungeon.

So why did he suddenly 'explode' in some alley? His profile doesn't match at all.

With my advisor authority, I access a copy of the initial report from Ganesha Familia.

My fingers tremble slightly as I open the official document.

On the surface, the report looks super convincing.

Victim Syr Flova's testimony is written with emotionally detailed descriptions. She describes how Kaen bumped into her, grabbed her neck, and covered her mouth when she screamed for help.

More than a dozen eyewitness names from the crowd are listed as supporters.

For a moment, doubt attacks me like poison slowly spreading.

'Could I have misjudged Kaen? Could there be a dark side he never showed? Could all his innocence and politeness just be a mask?'

I shake my head hard.

No.

My instincts as an advisor who's handled hundreds of adventurers can't be this wrong.

My professional eye starts looking for gaps, no matter how small. I compare the incident time recorded in the Ganesha Familia report with the transaction log at the Guild.

And that's where I find it.

The first clue.

Kaen exchanged his Magic Stones at the Guild counter at 16:32.

The Ganesha Familia report records Syr's first scream being heard around 16:34.

I stare at both times while calculating in my head.

Only Two minutes.

My heart starts beating faster. This is a super narrow time window.

'What's his motive? If this is robbery, why would he do it just minutes after getting money? Doesn't make sense. If it's lust... why so suddenly and in such a busy place with so many people coming and going?'

My mind starts working at full speed.

It feels like...

The more I think about it, the more it feels like someone was already waiting for Kaen in that alley.

Not a coincidence but deliberate timing.

Someone waiting for him right after he left the Guild. Someone who knew exactly when he'd pass through that alley.

I close all the files with decisive movements.

I won't find the truth from these piles of paper. The truth is out there.

I decide to look for more information.

"Misha," I walk to her desk with controlled steps.

"I'm going out for a bit for personal business."

"Eina-chan? Where are you going?" she looks at me worriedly.

"Just... need some fresh air. I'll be back before work hours end."

Before anyone can ask more questions, I'm already walking out of the Guild with a very clear new mission in my mind.

Hostess of Fertility.

That's where I'm looking for information.

Either way, the victim was there, so I'll definitely get some info.

Just like that, I arrive at the hostess.

The tavern's busy as usual, mixed with warm laughter and conversations from customers. The appetizing aroma of cooking greets everyone who enters.

Such a sharp contrast with the serious mission I'm on.

I choose a corner table that gives me a good view of the entire room. My eyes immediately search for a very familiar figure—Syr Flova.

And I find her.

The gray-haired girl is serving a table across the room.

From a distance, she looks normal—smiling at customers, taking orders, carrying trays with nimble gestures.

But a trained advisor's eyes see something different.

Her smile doesn't always reach her eyes.

There's tension in her shoulders that shouldn't be there for an experienced waitress. Sometimes she shows "fragile" gestures—slightly trembling when pouring drinks, jumping startled when a customer speaks too loudly.

Her movements feel like the result of practice, not habit.

Like she knows someone's watching her.

For someone who just experienced harassment trauma, her performance feels...

theatrical.

Am I being a bit too sensitive today?

"Good afternoon, meow! What would you like to order, nya?" a cheerful voice makes me turn.

Anya Fromel, the cat girl with adorable ears and tail, stands beside my table with a wide smile and a small notebook in hand.

"Ah, hello Anya-chan," I smile back, trying to look relaxed.

"Just hot tea for now."

"Okay, meow!" she notes my order with energetic movements.

"Miss Eina rarely comes here, meow? Usually it's just for meetings with advisor clients."

"Yeah, today I just wanted a change of scenery," I answer while looking around.

"By the way, how's everyone here? I heard there was an... unpleasant incident."

I see Anya's expression immediately change.

Her cat-shaped ears droop slightly.

"Oh, that meow..." she glances toward Syr who's serving another table.

"We were all super shocked, meow. Didn't think anyone would dare bother Syr around here."

"Must've been so traumatic for her," I comment carefully, trying to dig for more information.

"Yeah, meow! But Syr's strong! She went back to work the next day, meow!" Anya says in an admiring tone, but then her expression turns confused.

"What's wrong, Anya-chan? Something weird?"

"Hmm..." Anya scratches her head between her cat ears.

"What's weird is actually Ryuu, meow."

My heart immediately beats faster.

There's a clue!

"Ryuu? What happened with her?"

"Usually she's the fiercest when someone bothers Syr, meow. They're super close friends. But since that incident, she's become quiet and keeps asking questions about Syr, like she's suspicious of something, meow."

Anya looks around, then whispers quieter, "Yesterday I saw Ryuu peeking at Syr from behind the kitchen door. Weird right, meow? She should be the most protective, but instead she's like... doesn't trust her?"

That information hits me like lightning.

Ryuu Lion. Syr's closest friend according to reports, and I know their relationship is super close.

She's the one who's suspicious?

Why?

What did she see or feel that others don't know?

"Where's Ryuu now?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.

"Oh, she's out on an errand for Mama Mia, meow. Usually comes back around evening."

I nod while smiling.

"Alright, thanks Anya-chan. Just the tea for now."

"Okay, meow!" Anya runs off toward the kitchen.

I sit in silence, my brain working at full speed processing this new information.

The center of this puzzle isn't Kaen...

It's not Syr either.

All the threads seem to point to one person: Ryuu Lion.

Someone who knows Syr super well. Someone who should be the most angry and protective.

But she's the one who's suspicious.

What does she know?

I reach into my pocket to get money, placing it on the table without waiting for the tea I ordered to arrive.

I have to find Ryuu Lion.

Today.

If there's anyone who can explain something hidden behind all this, it's only her: Ryuu Lion.