Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 856: Tingen Team Reunites
When Angel and Klein entered the private room, two people were already waiting in the room.

It was Dunn and Daly talking in low voices.

Unlike her usual black robe and strange eyeshadow and blush makeup, today Ms. Daly wore a dark blue dress. The design was a bit like an evening gown for formal occasions, but it was closer to everyday style. A large area of ​​white shoulder and neck skin was exposed, which formed a sharp contrast with the dark fabric.

She only put some light makeup on her face, which made her skin, which was less bloody than that of ordinary people due to the influence of the potion, look much more rosy. On her earlobes hung a pair of earrings made of various complex symbols, which allowed her to retain a hint of the mysterious aura of a "psychic".

Dunn, who was sitting next to her, was wearing a simple white shirt and dark brown vest. He didn't wear the old-fashioned and dull windbreaker. This made him look a little younger than usual and closer to Ms. Daly's style.

The two people's whispered conversation came to an abrupt end when Angel pushed the door open, but a few key words still reached her ears.

They seem to be discussing what to do before the end of the year... Isn't it too soon to get married?
Several thoughts flashed through Angel's mind. He did not use divination to confirm them, but asked with a smile:

"Where's Leonard?"

"He's coming from the East District, so he'll be late." Daly glanced at Klein, who had used the Faceless Man's ability to return his appearance to the Tingen period, and finally stopped his gaze on Angel. She replied, "Recently there are rumors that the 'Aurora Society' has returned to Backlund. He used to investigate serial murders in the East District, but now he's tracking down these cultists."

The serial killers should be Sherman's case, but I have already told Leonard her identity and reported it to Archbishop Anthony who manages the Backlund Diocese. Even if she is caught, it can be solved quickly... But weren't all the bases of the "Aurora Society" in Backlund cleared by the three major churches after the great haze? It's only been half a year, and they are back again?
Considering that Catalina of the "Witch Cult" is protecting Viscount Stratford, and Laura and Vincent's investigation into the royal and military factions behind the smog has recently entered the "finishing" stage and seems to be preparing for some major events, Angel believes that the "Aurora Society" may also be preparing to intervene in this matter again.

Could it be that less than a year after the great smog, Backlund was about to face some major disaster again?
Angel thought with some worry, but considering that today was the day when several members of the Tingen team would reunite, she put these vague worries behind her and sat down with Klein, occupying one-third of the table in the private room, leaving the last space for Leonard who had not yet arrived.

While waiting, the four of them were not idle. Klein was very interested in the circumstances of Dunn Smith's "disappearance" over the past year, but the latter was obviously unable to reveal anything due to certain restrictions. He subtly turned the topic from work back to the trivialities of life and asked about the relationship between Angel and Klein.

"It's been over a month since you got 'engaged'. Have you decided when to hold the wedding? And which identity to use?"

Dunn asked with a smile on his face after glancing at the ring on Angel's ring finger.

Which identity... Angel was stunned, then he remembered that Dunn and Daly were not aware that Christine and Dwayne Dantes were also one of their fake identities. He was probably asking about the choice of "Angelica" or "Angel".

"I think Angelica Thatch is a good match. The combination of the Pirate Queen and the crazy adventurer... But other pirate generals, such as 'Vice Admiral Disease' or 'Vice Admiral Iceberg', might be disappointing."

Daly also joined in the conversation, teasing in a light-hearted tone.

Fortunately, she didn't say anything about the "Golden Queen". It was too embarrassing to reveal my identity in front of old friends. Leonard must have told her these things when he was secretly investigating my and Klein's identities. Maybe it was also due to those books in the "Great Pirate Series"... Angel glanced around uneasily, and after a moment he replied:
"Perhaps after these recent events are over, we will choose a suitable time... As for the identity issue, I think it doesn't matter which one I choose. My relationship with him will not change because of this."

Klein, who was silent at the side, glanced at her, as if thinking about something.

When the room fell into silence for a moment, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Leonard, wearing a black windbreaker, walked in. Seeing that everyone else was there, he smiled awkwardly and said:

“The key figures always appear at the end.”

This self-deprecating remark eased the atmosphere in the room, returning to the relaxed atmosphere they had when they were still in Tingen. Even Klein couldn't help but laugh and said:
"Then you will be punished by improvising a poem."

This was a "special program" arranged by everyone for Leonard, who was often late for class. It would usually end with him reciting a poem he had copied from somewhere.

This time Leonard also moved his lips, as if he was about to say something, but in the end he just pursed his lips and sighed softly:
"I have almost forgotten..."

This attitude of surrender was understood by everyone, and he took a seat, waiting for the waiter to bring plates of food and pour glasses of champagne. The aroma of baked foie gras, fried mullet, and chicken mixed with the aroma of wine filled the entire room and activated everyone's taste buds.

Angel and the others raised their glasses and looked at Dunn, who naturally stood up, looked around the room, and said with a smile:
"Cheers to the reunion of everyone in the Tingen Squad and the Backlund Squad!"

His humorous remark made everyone laugh.

Daly, who was not actually part of the Tingen Squad, looked at him seriously, raised her glass and took over the conversation:

"Happy birthday to you too." "Happy birthday, Captain."

Angel, Klein, and Leonard raised their glasses together. The five of them clinked their glasses above the table and drank the limited amount of champagne in one gulp.

Since everyone was familiar with each other, they started eating without too much formalities. This restaurant, which has the same name as Old Weir in Tingen City, did a good job in recreating the flavors of dishes from various countries in the Northern Continent. Rorsted's grilled fish, Intis's foie gras, and Disy's oysters all had 80% to 90% of the local flavor, which made everyone praise it.

"It's a pity that Xijia is not here, otherwise she would insist on writing tonight's dinner into her novel, and the title would be 'Reunion of the Dead'."

After putting the tender and fragrant foie gras into his mouth, Klein muttered.

Indeed, our tombstone is still standing in the Raphael Cemetery in Tingen... Angel looked around and found that three of the five people present had been declared dead, and the living were in the minority.

"I will be returning to Tingen City in the near future to handle some matters. If nothing goes wrong, I should be able to meet Xijia, Luo Yao, Frye, and Coenli. I don't know if Luo Shan is still doing her clerical work. She has always felt that staying up late is too harmful to the skin."

Leonard took a sip of the newly added champagne and spoke in a low tone.

He knew that, either for the sake of confidentiality or to protect their families, the three people present would not be able to restore their original identities in a short period of time and could only continue to act in secret, which meant that when he returned to Tingen, he, the only survivor, would have to bear the gaze of everyone again.

Shaking his head to get rid of this emotion, Leonard unbuttoned his windbreaker, revealing his shirt with the hem untucked. The dull temperament he brought from work also changed, returning to his usual casual self.

Then, he looked at Dunn and Daly who were sitting side by side, and asked cunningly with a smile on his face:
"Captain, besides celebrating your birthday, there should be something more important at this dinner, right?"

Angel stopped serving the wine, and Klein also stopped tasting the oysters.

The two men looked at Dunn together.

Dunn, who usually had to endure the stares of all the team members from time to time, was a little restless at this moment. He was about to say something when Daley beside him spoke up:

"Speaking of which, when we were in Tingen, Angel told me about her hidden thoughts. She said that she had just joined the Nighthawks and became interested in the mature and reliable Dunn. Then she asked me... 'If you don't want him, then I'll do it.'"

As Daly spoke with a smile on her face and in a tone that made people think, Klein and Leonard looked at Angel in disbelief. Even Dunn, who was reaching into his pocket to take something out, looked over in shock, as if he was surprised that he had a secret admirer.

"really?"

Klein asked with a stern expression.

"No... that's not it. I just wanted to give Daly a push, to make her brave enough to confess her feelings to the captain..."

Angel never expected that she would become the focus of conversation at Dunn's birthday party and the "proposal" scene that might occur. While explaining to Klein, she suppressed Daly with her eyes. She saw from the corner of her eye that Dunn had taken out a small box from his pocket, and immediately raised her voice and said:
"Captain, now is the time. Be brave!"

Her cry drew everyone's attention to today's protagonist, and she wished she could use "invisibility" to leave the scene, or go directly into the mirror world, leaving a mirror substitute who would be laughed at by everyone to bear everything on her behalf.

Fortunately, other people had no time to pay attention to her. Everyone's eyes were on the small wooden box in Dunn's hand. The box was surrounded by brass edging, which looked classic and elegant. It was about half the size of a palm and had a crack open.

Although there is suspicion of plagiarizing Klein, choosing this time is also good... Angel laughed secretly after getting rid of the gaze, and looked at his captain expectantly. At the same time, he also noticed that Daly's expression was a little stiff, and there was an incredible emotion in her eyes.

"Well, thank you all for coming tonight," Dunn said with a smile on his face, taking something out of the box, "I am very touched and happy..."

He blew on the monocle in his hand, wiped it with his sleeve, and put it on his left eye.

(End of this chapter)