Deva and her friends are, of course, wearing Prem Primes to the gala, although that of the #Kuromi dress designer herself is somewhat subdued; she cannot afford to out-glamour her customers. Still, despite being only 1/4 #Noirfey, Deva has decided to dress in accordance with local customs for this holiday of #Noxvaelia. (#Imperium belongs to @Viva-la-Luna)
"Is that honestly what you wish to do?" Velen asks his ersatz sweetheart. Deva suddenly gets enraptured by a particularly beautiful flower, in the opposite direction. "Feign a fight, Cat?" "We have to some night," Catleya murmurs. "If we don't, our romantic association gels and threatens..." she clears her throat, voice oddly husky, "to become permanent..." Bare fingers communicative of emotion, Velen cups her face, kisses her longer than he intends, and says, "Ah, the end of the world."
"You're going anyway, of course," Deva remarks as though stating that the sun would set next eve. "Yes. As soon as I can get free of work and social obligations," Catleya confirms. "I'll try to get leave to travel to Ville Eternelle as quickly as I can, then," puts in the young Cleric, as if his going as well was already established. "Velen, that's not necessary. We can pretend to split up before I leave, and the separation will be presumed to finish off the relationship," Cat rationalizes.
The culprit, though, is someone powerful within the Chandratte Syndicate. This may explain why, with the object of finding out more information about her father by becoming a member of the underworld, Catleya has had almost no success. Finally, Cat tells them the most baffling bit of data, or advice really, she has gleaned; she is to look for more evidence pertaining to Sobralin D'Esperis's murder in the capitol city of Noxvaelia. None of the three is able to come up with a reason for that.
However, they've learned through the Yuugure spy network that Catleya's father wasn't merely a talented artist, but also a skilled thief, who may have had Syndicate connections. He was additionally somewhat cocky, a braggart, and at times volatile. Catleya begins her tale backwards, by first reassuring Deva that Master Ingyen's cover hasn't been blown. She then relays what she's learned from the Bird Man, namely that although Sobralin's death was meant to look like an official hit, it wasn't.
After all three conspirators have rejoined and made certain that no other ears or minds are prying, many truths are laid bare. Velen tells Deva of his inquiries with the families, that his mother and Catleya's mother both possess half the picture of who and why Sobralin was killed, but have not investigated further and will not disclose the piece that they know. Meretris appears willfully ignorant. Deva reveals to Velen her identity as a Kuromi spy, and that she foiled Cat's deadly mission.
