Damien and Calliope exchanged uneasy nces before their eyesnded on Lnd.


    "What an absolute moron," Nigel muttered, cracking his eyes open just in time to see Lnd sobbing uncontrobly, snot hanging from his nose. Disgust flickered across Nigel''s face. “If I keep talking to him, I''ll catch his stupidity by osmosis."


    He scooted a little farther away from Lnd on the bench.


    "You''re the idiot. Your whole family''s made up of idiots," he added, his voice dripping with disdain. "If you must cry, do it outside. And clean your nose while you''re at it."


    "B-but I don''t want to go! I''m staying right here by Mr. Howell''s side." Lnd hupped through his tears. "If I wipe my snot on him, maybe that''ll make Mr. Howell so mad he wakes right up!"


    "If you even try it—!" Nigel''s face went pale, panic and annoyance mingling.


    At that moment, Lnd suddenly seemed to realize something. "Mr. Howell!" he cried, almost a beat behind the rest.


    "Mr. Howell, are you awake now?"


    "Tell me you haven''t turned into an idiot..."


    "Mr. Howell, what''s one plus one?" Lnd persisted.


    Nigel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you out of your mind?" he muttered, wondering for the hundredth time how he''d ended up saddled with an assistant like this.


    "You''re not stumped by one plus one, are you?" Lnd pressed, earnestly holding up three fingers.


    Nigel gave him an incredulous stare. "One plus one is two," he said emphatically. "Now move over and wipe your nose. And if you try to get any of that on me or anything I own, I''ll personally toss you in the sea for the sharks."


    Lnd sniffled, sounding wounded. "I''m not going to. As long as you''re still alive, I won''t wipe it on you!"


    Calliope nced at Nigel. "Your assistant is... certainly devoted," she said, eyebrow raised.


    Though ''devoted'' might be putting it kindly.


    Nigel, for all his brilliance andposure, somehow had a helper whose stupidity was almost... endearing.


    Nigel heaved a sigh. “Yeah. He''s not exactly the brightest.”


    Lnd, busy scrubbing at his eyes and nose with his sleeve, protested, "Boss, you don''t have to say it ou louder may not be a genius, but i''m loyal to you and that should Count for something."


    Nigel let out a long exhale. "He had a head injury as a kid. Left somesting effects."


    Calliope nodded with dawning understanding. "That checks out."


    “Seriously?” Damien, arms folded, leaned against the door frame, curiosity lighting up his face.


    "What, you think I''d make that up?” Lnd shot Damien a fierce re.


    Damien''s features softened with pity. "Alright then. I won''t pick a fight with you— doesn''t seem fair, considering your... condition."


    Lnd bristled. "What, you think you''re better than me? Maybe my head''s a little off, but I''m a lot stronger than you!"


    Damien just looked at him, speechless.


    Meanwhile, Nigel massaged his temples, trying to will his headache away, and asked Calliope, "Any idea how I got poisoned?"


    Calliope gave him an up-and-down look. "How should I know?” she replied. “All I can say is it wasn''t my handiwork."


    "I''m not using you," Nigel replied tiredly. "I just wondered if you could deduce how it happened. Far as I remember, I haven''t eaten or drunk anything from strangerstely."


    Calliope shook her head. "There are plenty of ways to get poisoned. I couldn''t tell you when it happened but judging by your symptoms, the toxin hasn''t been in your system for long. Did youe into contact with anyone? Whoever did it had to be close to you."


    Nigel pondered. “Before we went to the bar, I was only with Lnd. No one else..."


    His words trailed off, suspicion dawning as he turned to Lnd.


    "Wait. You gave me an apple, didn''t you?"


    Lnd blinked, thinking. "Yeah-l told you it was great and you didn''t want to eat it, but I insisted. Why? What''s wrong? Someone gave m? that apple. They said it was really expensive-I couldn''t bear to eat it myself, so I saved it for you!"