Chapter 17: Shooting His Shot

  After returning to the detective agency, Ms. Silver instructed Mr. Magician to spend his time training while she filed reports and search for a new commission.

  Mr. Magician went down to the underground temple, followed the marbled path, and took the middle bridge to the training area.

  “What should I practice? Being able to use weapons is next to useless if I don’t have any characteristic to supplement its downsides. A firearm maybe?”

  Mr. Magician let out a sigh and then heard a loud sound reverberating in the shooting range… Is that Mr. Specter? Ms. Silver said that he was left behind.

  Mr. Magician walked into the shooting range and saw a beautiful woman in her early twenties wearing a cream coloured coat. She was practicing her aim with a hunting rifle.

  After firing another shot, Ms. Snow put down her rifle, took a steady breath, and prepared to leave the shooting range.

  Mr. Magician decided to greet Ms. Snow. He walked up to her and lightly tapped on her shoulder. Ms. Snow turned around and saw him. A mischievous smile appeared on Ms. Snow’s face.

  “Well, good day to you, Mr. Magician~. Are you here to practice your shooting or are you here to try your shot with me?”

  A bit taken aback, Mr. Magician took a half step back before he decided to answer with the same flirty tone.

  “Good day to you as well, Ms. Snow~. I heard that Mr. Specter was here, and I planned to greet him, but I was rather pleasantly surprised to see you here instead.”

  “Hmm~.”

  Ms. Snow didn’t say anything, she hummed instead with a playful tone. While putting away her hunting rifle, Ms. Snow thought about what to do next.

  Though she didn’t show it, Ms. Snow was rather surprised about the response she got from Mr. Magician. She planned to tease the young man and have him blush until tomorrow.

  After contemplating her options, Ms. Snow turned to look at

  Mr. Magician before speaking.

  “Do you want me to watch over your shooting practice?”

  Mr. Magician thought for a moment and remembered the instructions that Ms. Silver had given him… Well, she did tell me to practice something. Practicing the only weapon that would prove useful in my hand is a smart idea, especially if Ms. Snow is willing to watch over my shots.

  “Yes, if it isn’t too much trouble!”

  After hearing his answer, Ms. Snow looked at Mr. Magician as if her prey had walked straight into her trap. She decided to answer back.

  “No need to worry! I had nothing else to do, watching over your shooting will help time go faster. Though, I would have preferred if you were here to flirt with me, but I will take what I get.”

  Mr. Magician felt a bit aggravated, he had walked straight into Ms. Snow’s trap. While slight flirting was often used in high society between friends, Ms. Snow’s last sentence went a bit too far.

  She didn’t say anything rude but for a friendly banter to suddenly turn a bit serious was a common thing unmarried women would do to men they either wanted to tease or put in their place.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  It was as if saying no to a relationship before either of the two showed any signs of wanting it.

  Mr. Magician was nothing more than a commoner that came from a rather pitiful background, he had nothing to do with, nor should he have any reason to understand the norms of high society.

  However, as a mystic working with the police, he will have to interact with people of high society from time to time.

  Learning about high society norms was a must. He started reading the newspaper during the three days he was stuck training in the temple which helped a lot.

  Instead of being the only one blushing, he decided to make Ms. Snow blush as well. He saw his chance when she turned around to place a revolver on the table within the shooting booth.

  Mr. Magician moved in close and placed his hand on the table while trapping Ms. Snow within the shooting booth. Standing close,

  Mr. Magician spoke with the calmest and “coolest” voice he could muster.

  “Why can we not do both, Ms. Snow?”

  Ms. Snow was pleasantly surprised, a small smile appears on her lips. Ms. Snow leaned back, letting Mr. Magician’s body support her body weight.

  Mr. Magician’s heartbeat accelerated. He didn’t know how to proceed. He thought she would lightly push him away and then say that he is too forward, schooling him about how to properly handle a similar situation.

  However, she leaned her body against his instead. A soft and seductive voice left Ms. Snow’s lips.

  “In this day and age, you have an interesting way to approach women.”

  “Huh?”

  Most commoners would think that her words were meant as a compliment.

  However, Mr. Magician’s understanding of high society manners and norms told him that Ms. Snow’s words were meant as an insult.

  “Minus points for trying to act cool, obstructing a lady, and lastly approaching without consent!”

  Ms. Snow started listing what Mr. Magician did wrong. She snapped her fingers and Mr. Magician was sent flying into the wall. With a thud, Mr. Magician groaned in pain as Ms. Snow continued talking.

  “I could feel your heartbeat when I leaned back. I will give you credit for being brave enough to try something like that.

  Some women would like it when a handsome man approaches them like that, but not everyone will.

  Now, let’s start shooting!”

  “Understood…”

  Mr. Magician let out a pained voice. After practicing his shooting skills with the help of Ms. Snow for a whole hour, he then decided to walk up to the first floor of the detective agency after thanking Ms. Snow for her time.

  He entered the office and saw Olivia sitting at one of the desks, working. This time, Mr. Magician decided to greet his coworker from a respectable distance.

  “Good day, Ms. Olivia.”

  “Good day, Mr. Magician!”

  Olivia turned around and greeted the young man in a black suit. Mr. Magician looked around and didn’t see Ms. Silver nor Andrew. He decided to ask a question to the blond woman in front of him.

  “Where is Ms. Silver and Mr. Andrew?”

  “Ms. Silver? Oh, the Saint! She just left and I don’t know where she went, but she left a letter for you on my desk. I was just about to go and get you.”

  Mr. Magician thought for a moment and decided to ask a question he have been thinking about for a while now.

  “Are the civilian employees allowed down in the temple?”

  The civilian employees aren’t mystics. They are employed for their abilities in administration and economy.

  They are not informed about the missions the mystics may have even when they are the ones driving them. Usually, they are only told about surface level information about the commissions and anything to do with the non-mystic police.

  However, if their lives could be put in danger because of mystical elements they will be informed about the situation and protected.

  It wouldn’t be surprising if the civilian employees weren’t allowed to be in the temple, especially if you include the fact that whenever they ate together, they would eat on the second floor of the detective agency.

  Olivia thought for a moment before answering, her mind was still somewhat preoccupied with her work.

  “If we are given instructions that force us to enter the temple then, yes. Emergency protocols say that if we think that our lives are in danger or if we feel that something is wrong with our bodies, we are to enter the temple and pray. If that doesn’t work, find one of the mystics.

  Technically, if one of you mystics simply give us permission to enter, then we may enter whenever we want. The goddess watches over all of her followers, even those on the outer edge of her influence. She will not punish a believer for entering one of her temples.

  Now read this letter! I have work to do!”

  With an energetic voice, Olivia handed Mr. Magician the letter she had on her desk.