Just a Sneeze

                                 «««.†.»»»

Yenza woke up, his body aching and his eye heavy with exhaustion. His hands and torso were wrapped in bandages.

"Finally, you're awake," Kairen said.

Lan sat by the window, one leg resting on a chair. "That chain nearly cost you your life. It’s crazy."

Yenza groaned. "It’s on me. I had a feeling something bad was going to happen, but I ignored it. Always trust your gut, guys."

"Anyway, how did you find me?"

Kairen replied, "We waited for you. Lan kept searching, and I joined him."

Lan added, "You know the sunken ship? That huge one? We could see it from town. The whole village heard the impact and saw the side of the ship break apart."

"We got there before the guards did."

Lan glanced out the window. People were chattering more than usual. A carriage pulled up in front of the house.

An old man with an umbrella stepped out.

"Hey, Kairen, looks like we have a visitor," Lan said.

Knock knock...

Kairen opened the door. Standing there was a tall, sharply dressed man.

"Sir, why are you here?" Kairen asked.

"I'm here to meet the boy everyone’s been talking about," the man said, looking at Yenza. "So it's you."

He handed an envelope to Yenza.

"I'll make some tea," Kairen offered.

"No rush. Feel at home," the man replied, stepping inside.

"I’m Yukan, a detective sent by the Euxler family," he said, settling into a chair.

Lan leaned closer to Kairen. "Do you know this guy?"

"Who doesn’t? He’s the Eye of Euxler. Their most renowned detective."

Lan nodded. "Ooh."

As they sipped tea, Yukan began, "I came because of last night. The people on that sunken ship—they were outcasts. An anomaly. We thought their entire bloodline was erased. But the latest reports say they're still alive... and now they're among the most wanted. The Euxler family celebrated their eradication, yet here we are.”

Yukan paused, a flicker of guilt on his face.

"The family wants to meet you," he added.

"You mean the head of the family?" Kairen asked.

Yukan nodded. "Yes."

He turned to Yenza. "So, what’s your answer?"

Yenza hesitated. "I can’t. We’re on a mission."

"To find the missing lady?" Yukan said. "No one’s found her. Many guilds have searched—no trace."

Kairen frowned. "Then maybe the kidnappers never passed through the town."

"You may be right," Yukan said. "But what if that’s exactly what they want us to think?"

Yukan continued, "You're headed to the next town, right? Resmnt Town? Come with me first. Meet the Euxler family. Being recognized by them could help you—and your guild."

Lan started to protest but closed his mouth. "You can have him for a few days. It won't affect the mission."

"You sold me out for recognition?" Yenza scoffed.

Lan hit him lightly. "Idiot. It’s useful for both you and the guild."

Yenza sighed. "Kairen, what do you think?"

"Visit them," Kairen said calmly.

Yenza smirked. "I thought you'd say otherwise."

"Detective," Yenza said, turning to Yukan. "I have a question. What did you find at the massacre site?"

Yukan looked serious. "I probably shouldn't say—but I trust Kairen. We found nothing."

"Nothing?" Yenza said. "No blood, no evidence?"

"None. It looked like a setup."

"Do you have any doubts?"

"Not right now. But I’ll find something."

Lan added, "Your wounds are healing fast, but your broken arm may still take some time."

Yukan stood. "Be ready. I’ll be back in a few hours."

He left the house, entered his carriage, and rode off.

Yenza got up slowly, gazing out the window.

The door creaked open again.

Lan muttered, "What, you coming for the chain again?"

Yenza’s eyes widened. He turned quickly. "You let that thief in again?!"

"I’m not a thief! Say that again, you brat!"

Kairen intervened, "Enough! It’s over. His name is Mosai."

"Mosai, huh?" Yenza muttered. "Good name. When we arrived at the sunken ship, both of you were already there. Anyway, where’s my chain?"

Lan tossed it to him. "Don’t lose it again."

† After a few hours………

A carriage pulled up again. Yukan stepped out.

"Did I come late?" he asked.

"No, no," Yenza replied.

Yenza climbed into the carriage. "Bye, guys. I’ll be back soon. Find her as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, we will," Kairen said.

Lan grinned. "Don’t go chasing anyone. You might break your other arm."

"Shut up, Lan," Yenza muttered, smirking.

The carriage began moving, the image of his friends fading from sight.

"How long’s the travel?" Yenza asked.

"We’ll reach there by midnight. We’re taking a shortcut through the wasteland, straight to the Euxler border. The Euxler region occupies half the continent."

"And the other half?"

"Belongs to Solzen," Yukan said.

"Both families seem kind on the outside," Yenza said, "but I bet they’re rotten underneath."

Yukan chuckled. " I know. You think how because I work for them."

"I feel sleepy. I’m going to nap for a bit."

Gasp….

Yenza sat up, startled. "What was that?"

"You had a bad dream," Yukan said calmly.

"Is it night already? Why didn’t you wake me?"

"There was nothing to do."

They rode into a lit-up street, alive with fireflies, food stalls, and warm lanterns. The smell of grilled pork and chicken made Yenza's stomach rumble.

"Are we in Euxler now?"

"Yes," Yukan replied as the carriage came to a stop.

He stepped down in front of a luxurious inn. "You’ll be staying here tonight."

Yenza followed him. "Are you busy now?"

"Why?"

Yenza’s stomach growled again.

Yukan laughed. "I get it."

They walked to a nearby food market. Yenza’s eyes darted around—so many choices, he looked overwhelmed.

He glanced at Yukan, who was deep in thought.

"You’re always thinking," Yenza said. "If there’s anything I can help with, tell me."

They entered a small, cozy shop run by a kind old woman. The smell of chicken and vegetable soup filled the air. They drank rum and enjoyed their meal.

As they ate, Yukan leaned in.

"You asked what I’ve been thinking about. I’ll tell you. A few weeks ago, we held a secret meeting for selected Euxler members. We discussed something important—but it never happened. Someone snitched. There’s a rat in the family. And I think something big is going on."

Yenza went quiet. "A rat in the Euxler family… The only other side with enough motivation is Solzen. But why would they risk it?"

"Any theories?" Yukan asked.

"I’ll think about it. Might take a while."

"Thanks for the meal," Yenza said. "You’re not coming?"

"I’ll stay a few minutes. Don’t forget, tomorrow we will meet the family."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

Yenza strolled back to the grand inn, soaking in the lively streets.

Along the way, he overheard someone talking about a rare flower.

"It looks like a heart. It beats. You can only see it before sunrise, deep in the forest, near Blue Lamp Lake."

Yenza paused. "Blue Lamp Lake... Interesting."

Yenza walked to the inn and entered his room. It was grand and luxurious—being part of the family certainly had its perks.

The room featured a tall bookshelf filled with various books. One caught his attention: Mystic Plants. Curious, he picked it up and flipped through its pages, searching for information on the Blue Lamp plant. Eventually, he found an entry, but the description was far different from what he’d heard.

According to the book, the Blue Lamp didn’t emit light naturally—it only beat like a heart when people were nearby. That detail stirred Yenza’s curiosity and suspicion even more. He kept reading, but exhaustion overcame him, and he fell asleep with the book in his hands.

†………»……..»………»

It was a quiet early morning. The sounds of frogs and insects echoed in the distance. Yenza stepped out of the inn, his breath visible in the cold air.

“It’s freezing,” he whispered to himself.

He made his way toward the forest, following the directions from the book. The moon still hung in the sky, casting a faint glow. As he walked deeper, the moonlight began to dim under the dense trees.

Yenza knelt, placing his hand on the ground to feel for the rhythmic energy described in the book. He closed his eyes—there were many faint pulses, but one area stood out. It had an unusual rhythm.

Following the subtle beat, he entered the Blue Lamp zone. In that particular spot, the moonlight pierced through the canopy and reflected a bluish hue on the pond. But… There were no flowers.

"Damn it," he muttered. "I came all this way for nothing."

Disappointed, he sat under a tree, resting his head back and staring up. Then, he heard it—a soft rhythm.

A small flower began emerging from the ground.

Time passed, and more flowers sprouted around him—so many he couldn’t count. In the center of the pond, a single flower stood out. It looked just like the illustration from the book, shaped like an unfolding hand.

The more he gazed at it, the more it drew him in. He walked slowly toward the pond. As he reached for the flower, it gently opened like fingers unfurling. When he touched it, the petals wrapped softly around his arm.

A strange, warm sensation flooded through him.

The flower burst into glowing fragments, swirling around him. The other surrounding flowers flickered with light, then also burst into glowing pieces, drifting throughout the forest.

Yenza stood in the center of it all, breath taken by the beauty of the Blue Lamp zone.

As the sun began to rise, the lights faded—as if it had all been a dream.

He looked at his arm. Where the flower had touched him, a faint, flower-shaped scar remained.

As he walked back through the woods, he accidentally stepped on a flower, releasing a unique, fragrant scent—but he didn't mint it. He thought it was just another unique flower.

Back on the streets of Euxler, Yenza smiled to himself. The morning had been unforgettable.

† Morning arrived………

After freshening up, Yenza waited for Yukan to show up. A few minutes later, a carriage stopped outside the inn.

“Get in,” a voice called.

Inside the carriage, Yukan greeted him. “Looking good. How’s the arm and the rest of your injuries?”

“Mostly healed. The arm’s getting there too.”

The carriage rolled through the streets and into the capital of the Euxler region—Mozlian State.

"Everything looks amazing here," Yenza remarked.

Yukan nodded. "Yeah, it's a beautiful region."

When they arrived at the grand mansion, Yenza couldn’t help but admire it. “This place is incredible.”

“Don’t get distracted. Come on, we need to meet the man,” Yukan said.

Inside, several maids and workers moved efficiently through the halls. The main room had a ceiling made of stained glass, casting colorful patterns on the floor.

At the center sat an old man with a short beard.

“You came sooner than I expected. Have a seat,” he said. “So you’re the one.”

Yenza stayed quiet.

“Tell me—how are those people you killed?” the man asked.

Yenza hesitated. “They had no choice.”

The man smiled. “Good. I like you. I want to offer you a place in our family.”

Yukan glanced at Yenza.

“Thanks, but I have a guild. I can’t leave it,” Yenza replied.

“If you agree, your guild can have a place in our family too,” the man said. “Kairen has always been part of us. I don’t resent him for leaving. Tell him I said hi.”

As they left, Yenza asked in a low voice, “Isn’t it lonely in that mansion?”

The old man smiled faintly. “Lonely? Never. There are many things to play with.”

Yenza frowned as they walked out. “What did he mean by that?”

“Don’t mind him. He’s always like that,” Yukan replied with a serious look.

Suddenly, Yenza sneezed.

“What’s wrong? Caught a cold?” Yukan asked.

“No idea. I’ve been holding that sneeze since we were inside.”

“You can’t hold in a sneeze forever,” Yukan chuckled.

Yukan continued, “Remember what I told you last night?”

“Yeah, I thought you were just drunk rambling.”

“I remember what I say, drunk or not,” Yukan replied.

“If you want to find the rat, arrange another meeting with the same people,” Yukan advised.

“I can arrange that, but then what?”

“Don’t worry about that part. You just need medicine for that sneeze.”

“I think it’s from that flower I stepped on during my walk,” Yenza said, sneezing again.

Yukan raised an eyebrow. “What did it look like?”

“Pink. With colorful petals.”

Yukan’s face lit up. “That’s called a Shrink Pore.”

He paused. “Yenza, want to join a hunt?”

“I’m not in shape to fight.”

“You won’t need to. Just collect more of that flower you stepped on this morning. That’s all.”

“Then meet me at a perfume shop in the marketplace. There’s only one—you’ll find it easily.”

“Alright. See you there,” Yenza said.

Back at the inn, the first thing he did was look up the Shrink Pore in the mystic flower book. As Yukan said, it causes sneezing when exposed to specific scents.

Later, Yenza returned to the forest and carefully gathered several Shrink Pore flowers. He wrapped them gently to avoid breaking them.

Then, he made his way to the market. The fragrance from the shop guided him to a small perfume store.

Inside, Yukan was speaking to a man with a large mustache and an elegant suit.

“Yenza, you made it fast,” Yukan said.

“You said it was urgent,” Yenza replied.

Yukan introduced the man. “This is Zen, the owner and master perfumer.”

“Welcome, young man,” Zen greeted. “So, what did you bring?”

Yenza handed over the flowers.

Zen carefully examined them. “Interesting… What kind of perfume are we making?” he asked, eyeing Yukan.

Yukan handed over a small pouch of powder. “Add this to it.”

Zen nodded. “Alright. Give me a few minutes.”

While Zen worked, Yenza asked, “What’s the plan?”

“I arranged the meeting. It’s in two days. We have something else tomorrow, so rest for now.”

“But that’s not what I asked—”

“I’ll explain tomorrow.”

“Alright then. I’ll be at the inn.”

Time passes~~~~~~~

The day passed. Sunrise warmed the trees. By nightfall, Yenza had nearly finished two books.

“I’m going to sleep,” he mumbled.

† The Next Day In the Forest †…….

Yenza and Yukan stood before a group of gang members from the Solzen family.

“What’s the reason for calling us out here, detective?” one of them asked.

“I’ve got a job for you,” Yukan replied, holding up a list and a vial of perfume. “Spray this scent on every person listed here.”

A gang member flipped through the list. “There are hundreds. What’s the payment?”

“How much Valz are you expecting?” Yukan countered.

“Valz isn’t the issue,” the gang member said. “We want intel about the upcoming meeting. We’re trying to earn the Solzen family’s trust.”

“You’ll get it. Just make sure to do it today—and cover your nose when spraying.”

“Don’t forget our deal, detective.”

“You know me,” Yukan said.

One gang member eyed Yenza. “Who’s the guy with the broken arm?”

“My assistant,” Yukan said calmly.

They left the meeting spot. Yenza asked, “Now will you tell me what this is all about?”

Yukan took a deep breath. “Those people on the list—they attended the previous meeting in Euxler. Only Solzen members can attend the next one. The scent we gave them is the Shrink Pore blend.”

“And the one you gave me?” Yenza asked.

“That’s Blue Lily scent. When it mixes with the Shrink Pore, it causes uncontrollable sneezing. Once the meeting starts, release it into the room. Anyone sneezing isn’t from Solzen.”

“A brilliant plan, detective. That’s how we’ll find the rat.”

One gang member returned with a photo. “We sprayed everyone—except this one. His name is Yato. We couldn’t find him.”

The hunt wasn’t over yet.

† Next morning, just minutes before the meeting…

Yenza entered the hall and identified himself as a member of Solzen. The room was filled with nobles and wealthy figures, but something about the atmosphere felt off.

As he stepped further in, a man bumped into him. "Sorry!" the man blurted before quickly rushing ahead into the meeting.

"What was that about?" Yenza murmured.

But the moment that man entered, the entire energy of the room shifted—it felt lighter, and the strange tension in the air vanished.

A loud voice echoed: "The meeting is about to begin."

Everyone moved to their assigned seats. Yenza took a place at the back, allowing him to observe the whole room.

A few minutes passed. Yukan gave a discreet signal.

Yenza nodded, picked up a small container that held a faint aromatic scent, and gently opened it.

In the silence of the room, someone sneezed. Then a second. And a third.

Yenza noted the three individuals carefully. So did Yukan. As time passed, their sneezing grew more intense…..uncontrollable and violent.

Yenza and Yukan exchanged a knowing smirk.

"Got you, rats," Yenza whispered.

Yenza wore a chain around his wrist, disguised as a bracelet. The crystal embedded in it began to hum softly, as if trying to warn him.

His eyes shifted to a unique light orange hue. He raised his head slowly—staring toward something only he could see.

Yukan's smirk faded slightly as he too sensed it.

Then, both Yukan and Yenza said .

"No way…"

                       ………….★………….