Chapter 128: Comfort In Cold Things

Mochi folded his hands in his lap, his expression shifting from satisfied diner to shrewd informant.

"The Mercy Fragment. Like I said, it’s supposedly part of a shattered healing artifact. Problem is, nobody knows exactly what it looks like or where it ended up."

Kane’s heart sank.

"But," Mochi continued, raising a finger,

"I do know someone who might have more concrete information. Goes by the name Whisper. Deals in ancient fragments, specializes in broken artifacts that most people consider worthless."

"Where can we find this Whisper?" Cyrus asked.

"That’s the tricky part. Whisper doesn’t have a fixed location. Moves around the underground markets, never stays in one place too long."

Mochi pulled out his phone, scrolling through contacts.

"But I can send word through the network. Let them know you’re interested and have serious money to spend."

Kane exchanged a glance with Cyrus.

"How long would that take?"

"Could be hours, could be days. Whisper’s paranoid about new clients." Mochi shrugged.

"Your best bet is to be patient and let me work my magic. Trust me, Kane-chan, when money talks in my circles, people listen."

Cyrus nodded slowly.

"Make the contact."

"I’ll start reaching out to my network tonight. Should have some leads on Whisper within forty-eight hours, maybe sooner if I grease the right palms."

Mochi pushed back from the table, patting his stomach contentedly.

"That was incredible. Thanks for the feast, you two."

"We appreciate your help," Kane said, standing.

Cyrus nodded, his expression more trusting than it had been during their first visit to Mochi’s shop.

The cat spirit had delivered solid information on Bernard Holloway, proving his worth as an informant.

"Keep us updated on any developments," Cyrus said, pulling out his wallet.

"Will do, Scaley Daddy!"

The server approached with the check, and Kane’s eyes widened at the total. Cyrus didn’t even glance at the amount before sliding over his black card.

Outside Kagura, the evening air carried a hint of autumn chill. Kane’s pendant caught the streetlight as they walked toward Cyrus’s Jaguar.

Kane slumped against the passenger seat as Cyrus started the engine, the Jaguar’s purr doing nothing to lift his spirits.

"Three meetings," Kane muttered, staring out the window at the passing streetlights.

"Madam Xiu with her cryptic riddle, Bob promising to search through his father’s collection, and now Mochi telling us to wait for some mysterious contact."

Cyrus glanced at him as they merged into traffic.

"You sound disappointed."

"I am disappointed." Kane’s fingers absently touched the pendant at his throat.

"Rina’s getting worse every day, and what do I have to show for it? A poem about battlefields, a maybe from Bob, and the promise of leads that might not pan out."

Every lead felt like sand slipping through his fingers while Rina’s time drained away. The frustration bled into his voice, sharper than he intended.

"I thought we’d have something concrete by now. Some actual direction instead of more waiting."

Cyrus was quiet for a moment, considering.

"Information gathering rarely provides immediate solutions. Especially when dealing with artifacts this rare."

"I know that." Kane sighed, his fox ears drooping slightly.

"It’s just... watching Rina fragment like that. Knowing we’re racing against time and still coming up empty."

Cyrus glanced at Kane, noting the dejected slump of his shoulders.

"Do you want to take another detour before we head back to the penthouse?"

Kane’s head snapped up, surprise flickering across his features.

"Another detour?"

The question came out sharper than Kane intended. Today had already been a whirlwind of unexpected stops.

Kane’s fingers unconsciously touched the black diamond at his throat, still warm with Cyrus’s energy.

"You’ve already surprised me enough for one day," Kane said, wariness creeping into his voice.

"I’m not sure my heart can handle whatever else you have planned."

Cyrus’s lips quirked upward at the corners, the first genuine expression Kane had seen since they left Kagura.

"Nothing dramatic. I was thinking ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Kane blinked, certain he’d misheard.

"You seem upset about today’s lack of concrete progress. Ice cream often helps with disappointment."

The matter-of-fact way Cyrus delivered this observation made Kane’s chest tighten with unexpected warmth.

Here was a centuries-old dragon, offering ice cream as comfort after a day of frustrating dead ends and cryptic riddles.

Kane studied Cyrus’s profile, searching for any hint of mockery.

"You want to get ice cream, at this hour?"

"Sweet Frost stays open until midnight on weekends."

The fact that Cyrus remembered the hours of Takeo’s shop made something flutter in Kane’s chest.

Cyrus pulled into the familiar parking spot outside Sweet Frost, the soft glow from the shop’s windows cutting through the evening darkness.

Kane’s spirits lifted slightly as they approached the cheerful storefront.

The bell chimed as they entered, and Takeo looked up from wiping down the counter.

His serious expression immediately brightened when he recognized them.

"Kane! Cyrus!" Takeo’s face split into a genuine smile, the reserved demeanor Kane remembered from their first visit completely gone.

"It’s great to see you both again."

Kane felt some of his earlier frustration melt away at the warm reception.

"Hey, Takeo. Hope we’re not too late."

"Never too late for you two." Takeo gestured toward the display case, still fully stocked despite the late hour.

"What would you like? And don’t even think about paying—it’s on the house."

Kane’s eyebrows shot up. "You don’t have to—"

"I insist," Takeo interrupted firmly.

"After what you did for my father, free ice cream is the least I can offer."

The mention of Mr. Hoshino reminded Kane of the terrifying rat spirit attack they’d witnessed.

"Speaking of your dad, how is Mr. Hoshino doing? Any lasting effects from that... incident?"

Takeo’s expression sobered slightly, but his smile remained.

"Dad’s doing much better, thank you for asking. The wound healed completely—whatever Cyrus did worked perfectly."

Kane caught Cyrus’s subtle nod of acknowledgment.

"I’ve been helping out at the shop whenever I can," Takeo continued, scooping generous portions of green tea ice cream into two cups.

"Dad’s still a bit shaken; he swears whoever sent that spirit wasn’t after him. They were after something in the shop."

Kane’s attention sharpened. "Did he figure out what they were after?"

"Not exactly, but..." Takeo hesitated, glancing around the empty shop before leaning closer.