Neo-Aureborn is one of the many metropolises housing millions of people, most of them human, alongside a wide variety of other races such as elves, orcs, dwarves, goblins, fairies, and draconids. All of them live together in peace—or at least, that’s how it seems during the day. Like any great city, it is the birthplace and headquarters of many renowned companies and brands, with their main branches established there. Its central district is usually the commercial and work area, where employees carry out their workdays, wich typically last nine hours. The area is packed with luxury-brand stores, shopping malls, restaurants, and other establishments where citizens can spend their money freely. Advertising billboards, skyscrapers, plasma screens, and neon lights are a common sight. Its streets, crowded with vehicles, and its sidewalks, filled with people, are some of its main tourist attractions, whether intentional or not. The general atmosphere is technological and modern, with robots and AIs treated as citizens like any other, although the city also has natural spaces for those who want to enjoy fresh air.

  The areas farther from the city center have fewer commercial establishments and more residential buildings, educational institutions, and recreational centers. Apartment buildings and housing complexes are abundant, with only a few areas featuring standalone houses. Traffic and the presence of security forces are also lower compared to downtown. This is something residents appreciate, as they feel less watched, though they are also aware that it gives criminals more room to operate.

  The most reliable public transportation options for citizens are the train lines that run through hundreds of stations and the bus lines that also stop at strategic points in the central district and nearby areas. They publicly report the lowest accident rates, making them more attractive than informal options. All of them travel on conventional concrete roads and specialized lanes, but they are also designed to use the elevated highways that allow for a smoother flow of traffic.

  As in any major city, economic differences and purchasing power determine where people live. Those with very high incomes are able to rent or buy luxurious apartments in the residential skyscrapers of the most exclusive districts. Those with more moderate incomes settle for more modest places. People with low incomes must compete with others to secure the best rental deals. And those with even fewer opportunities often resort to crime to survive in such a vast city. For that reason, news of thefts and assaults—especially in the lower districts of the city—is heard almost daily, despite the efforts of security forces to maintain order.

  “Nothing yet, LENA?” Lewis Vance asks his AI sister while driving the black van belonging to their agency. Besides keeping his eyes on the road ahead, he glances to the sides in case a mugger or a drunk looking for trouble appears. His immaculate, elegant black hat doesn’t obstruct his visibility.

  It’s ten o’clock at night in the mid-level district of Neo-Aureborn. As happens every time the sun sets, many doors remain closed, leaving only the streetlights as a sign of life. Still, it’s livelier than the residential zones, with open businesses and people socializing.

  “No reports of a theft matching what we’re looking for,” replies LENA Vance, her avatar with long brown hair projected onto the vehicle’s auxiliary screen.

  “Can you remind me what we’re looking for?” asks Andrew Vance from the passenger seat, staring out the window with little interest.

  “Wasn’t it an engagement gift?” Axel Vance answers with innocence from the back seat. On his phone, he’s watching viral videos of marriage proposals—some that ended well and others that didn’t.

  “Something like that,” Lewis says. “A dwarf hired us to recover a gift he claims was stolen. But he gave us a time limit.”

  The vehicle moves through the city streets until the calm atmosphere shifts into a festive one, thanks to loud electronic music echoing in the distance. The siblings can recognize not only sound effects like reverb, delay, and distortion, but also traditional instruments favored by dwarves, such as metal-string guitars, leather drums, and stone flutes.

  The van pulls up near a public park with a massive gazebo, available for rent for gatherings at an affordable price. From a distance, the Vances can see the open-door party: all the attendees are dwarves, mostly teenagers or young adults. They’re dressed in elegant clothing, including suits and formal dresses. Tables are set up with a variety of buffet-style food for their enjoyment. At the center, a dance floor glows under flashing lights, with several guests moving to the beat of the music provided by a professional DJ. The gazebo is the heart of the party, though some dwarves are scattered in other areas of the park.

  “I thought all dwarves were into metallurgy, like him,” Andrew comments.

  “What century do you think this is?” LENA asks.

  “Year counting varies by race, so I’m not entirely sure.”

  Lewis continues driving around the park, until he spots someone sitting on a bench. It’s a teenage dwarf with neatly styled red hair, wearing an elegant crimson suit, though without the jacket. He’s checking his phone and tapping his foot until the van’s headlights catch his attention. The vehicle stops in front of him, and the three Vance siblings, dressed in their signature outfits, step out to speak with him.

  “Vance Night Agency, at your service,” Axel says, adjusting his elegant blazer. “We specialize in cases no one else wants. Thanks for hiring us."

  “Hi,” the young dwarf says, standing and extending his hand. “Thanks for taking my job at this hour.”

  “It’s our usual schedule,” Andrew replies, shaking his hand as their representative. “So your name’s Dorrek, and you want us to recover a valuable item, right? Why ask us to come in person?”

  “I need you to recover a necklace before midnight… It’s for someone special.”

  The Vances exchange surprised looks, but say nothing.

  “I want you to bring it here.”

  “Alright. When did you last see it?” Lewis asks, pulling out his phone to take notes.

  “I had the necklace when I arrived at the party two hours ago. I checked my pockets a couple of times and it was still there. It wasn’t until nine o’clock that I realized someone had stolen it.”

  “That makes it hard to narrow down…”

  “Didn’t you notice if you dropped it?” Axel asks.

  “I asked all the guests. If it was an accident, someone would’ve returned it. Whoever took it still has it and refuses to give it back.”

  “And you don’t have time to buy another gift?” Andrew says casually.

  “That stone is very special. My parents—who are smiths—crafted it and gave it to me to give to someone important. I planned to give it to my girlfriend tonight, before her birthday ends.”

  “So a cheesy, overly sentimental object at the center of the story. Got it.”

  “If you suspect one of the guests, it could be anyone,” LENA’s voice says from inside the van. “It’s even possible the thief already left.”

  “That was—” Dorrek is the one surprised now.

  “Our older sister,” Axel says as if considering an AI part of the family were the most normal thing in the world. “She’ll help us with the case.”

  The young dwarf simply nods.

  “No need to lose hope,” Lewis says. “This party looks too expensive to have been improvised. Do you have a guest list?”

  “Yes. It’s my girlfriend’s birthday, and she personally chose the guests,” Dorrek says as he lights up his phone again to check the digital invitation.

  “They must have money,” Andrew says. “Did everyone show up?”

  “Of course not. But most of them did.”

  “No time to waste,” Lewis says. “We need to question and check the guests before they start leaving.”

  “Let’s split up,” Lewis orders. “Dorrek, we need you to check if any guests have already left. If so, let us know.”

  “Alright.”

  “And we’ll go catch ourselves a possible thief.”

  It’s ten thirty at night. The dwarves’ party is still in full swing. Many are enjoying the food, the dance floor, or simply chatting while seated at their tables. There is one person—the reason for the celebration—scanning the guests, searching for someone in particular. She is a young adult dwarf woman with long jet-black hair, wearing a flawless, elegant sky-blue dress that reaches the floor. Her eyes scan the crowd for her partner, who has been missing for quite some time.

  “Enjoy the party, Dyllra,” says another young dwarf woman sitting beside her. She is also wearing an elegant sky-blue dress, and her orange hair is styled in a refined cut. “It’s your birthday.”

  “I am enjoying it, Karneth. I’m just worried he left without saying anything.”

  “He’ll come back. Maybe. He said he had a gift for you, right? Maybe he’s nervous. Maybe it’s a pro—”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Dyllra interrupts, embarrassed.

  “Either way, let’s go to the dance floor. It might make you feel better.”

  “Alright,” the birthday girl sighs.

  “And I don’t want to alarm you, but people are saying there are some strange individuals sneaking around.”

  “Are you sure you don’t have anything in your pockets? You look very suspicious,” Andrew says to a young dwarf with a mustache, pointing his phone at him.

  “I already told you I don’t,” the dwarf says, clearly fed up. “Besides, why would I want an engagement necklace? I’m married.”

  “Maybe to impress your wife even more. If you’ve got nothing to lose, empty your pockets.”

  More eager to get rid of the trench coat—wearing guy than to prove his innocence, the dwarf turns out the pockets of his pants and his jacket.

  “I’ll be keeping an eye on you. Don’t leave the party, or you’ll be considered suspicious.”

  “You’re out of your mind, human.”

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  “Did you see any necklace lying on the ground at any point?” Axel asks a pair of young dwarf women who are sitting outside, enjoying the cool night air. He’s taking notes on his phone.

  “If there had been one, we would’ve kept it,” one of the girls says with a flirtatious smile, looking the young human up and down. “Dwarves are greedy when it comes to precious stones.”

  “But we swear it wasn’t us, handsome,” the other girl adds with a smile. “Do you want to… search us?”

  “That would be illegal,” Axel says innocently. “I believe you. If you notice anything suspicious about the theft, let me know immediately.”

  “Aren’t you going to give us your number?”

  “You can call the agency number. My sister LENA will take care of you.”

  “You have no right to barge into a private party,” a young dwarf says, standing beside his partner, who nods repeatedly in agreement. “We don’t have to answer your absurd questions.”

  “Refusing to answer a simple investigative question statistically increases the likelihood that you’re the culprit,” Lewis says as he types and takes notes on his phone screen. “I’ll request a police warrant if you don’t mind.”

  “What’s wrong with this lunatic?” the girl asks, looking at the human with disgust.

  “LENA,” Lewis murmurs into his earpiece.

  “Neither of them has it,” the female AI replies.

  “Sorry for the inconvenience,” Lewis says as he walks away without another word, leaving the dwarf couple behind with confused expressions.

  “You need to work on how you stall for time,” LENA says. “Another minute and they could’ve reported you for harassment.”

  “But it worked. And you know I’m terrible at socializing,” Lewis replies, checking his phone for the scan results. “Four people checked so far, and none of them has the necklace. It’s not hidden anywhere nearby either.”

  “That narrows down the suspects.”

  “And the chances of finding it,” he adds.

  The minutes pass agonizingly for the Vances and for the dwarf who hired them. Every second ticking by before midnight is one less they have to complete the job and get paid. One by one, the dwarves farthest from the center of the party are ruled out, and Dorrek reports no suspects leaving early.

  “Everyone on the guest list who showed up is still at the party. No one claims to have found a necklace,” Dorrek reports through the earpieces of the three siblings, now gathered near a tree in the park.

  “That leaves us with only one option—crash the party and force a confession,” Andrew says.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Lewis replies. “If this party is sponsored by someone with money, we’ll be in serious trouble. Use that big mouth of yours only as a last resort.”

  “So what do we do?” Axel asks.

  “We ask ourselves why someone would steal a necklace—or pick it up and choose not return it,” LENA says through the earpieces.

  After a few seconds of silence, the three humans and the AI realize a crucial detail.

  “Dorrek,” Andrew says, calling him on his phone. “How valuable is the stone in the necklace?”

  “Honestly? Not very. Its value is more symbolic than monetary. It’s made of a metal that’s been heavily worn down over the years.”

  “And how valuable would it be to dwarves?”

  “The metal is very common. I doubt anyone would steal it for its material worth.”

  “Thanks,” Lewis says. “That narrows things down a lot.”

  Axel scratches his head, still trying to follow.

  “It’s too early to be certain,” Andrew continues, “but suspect people closest to you, Dorrek. Who knew about the necklace?”

  “A few people—my group of…” The young dwarf on the other end of the line falls silent, having reached the same conclusion as the Vance siblings.

  “Exactly,” Andrew says. “If a random dwarf at the party had picked it up, they would’ve returned it, since it’s not valuable. If a friend of yours—someone who knew its symbolic meaning—found it, they would’ve returned it too.”

  Axel snaps his fingers. Finally, he understands his brothers’ reasoning.

  “Which means it’s very likely that someone close to you picked it up and doesn’t want to give it back,” Lewis says. “Were you ever outside in the park?”

  “No. Up until the necklace disappeared, I was inside the gazebo the entire time.”

  “So you didn’t lose it here,” LENA says. “I’m sorry, but it’s very likely you won’t be able to give it to her before midnight. If the thief—or whoever picked it up—is smart, they won’t be carrying it anymore.”

  “We need you to question your own friends,” Andrew orders. “We’ll search the park.”

  It′s eleven fifty at night. The party has entered a brief pause, and those closest to the birthday girl—meaning everyone there—offer her words of congratulations while forming a semicircle around her. Some are simple, generic wishes of happiness and a prosperous future, while others take the time to speak more heartfelt words.

  Dyllra, the center of attention, can only feel moved by the kind words from her friends and family. Even so, her eyes keep searching for someone. It doesn’t take long before she finds him—and relief washes over her. It’s her partner, pushing his way through the guests to reach his girlfriend. Everyone’s attention shifts to him, the second focal point of the night.

  “H-happy birthday, Dyllra,” Dorrek says, embarrassed by so many eyes on him.

  “Thank you.” She smiles, waiting expectantly.

  Even more flustered than before, Dorrek steps closer with his arms open. His girlfriend laughs and returns the gesture. The onlookers clap and urge the boy to say his birthday words, their expectations running high.

  “Alright… Before I give you my gift, I’d like to say a few words,” Dorrek says, patting his pocket. “I was lucky it was found before midnight. You see, I’d like to start by—”

  Dorrek speaks with his attention focused on his partner, while also keeping half his mind on the phone in his pocket in case the Vances contact him. At the same time, he scans the crowd, trying to locate his closest friends. Almost all of them are focused on his words.

  Most of the guests, except for one person, remain gathered inside the gazebo. That person—a dwarf—has slipped away into the park, searching for something among the nearby trees. She’s in a hurry, moving at a brisk pace toward her destination. When she reaches the right tree, she crouches down and retrieves something, closing her hand around it.

  “Hello, miss.”

  A phone flashlight shines on Karneth as she turns around, staring in shock at a boy with messy brown hair, wearing a trench coat.

  “Looks like you’re searching for something. Want some help? I specialize in annoying jobs.”

  “N-no, that won’t be necessary, thanks,” the young dwarf replies.

  “Then help me instead. I’m also looking for something… something that looks a lot like what you’ve got between your fingers.”

  Andrew aims his phone’s light at Karneth’s hands.The young dwarf clenches her fists, leaving only the cord of a necklace visible.

  “Someone hired us to find a stone very similar to the one you’re holding.”

  “It’s just a coincidence.”

  “I think so too. Mind if I take a look? Just want to be sure.”

  The young dwarf smiles and crosses her arms.

  “I already told you it’s a coincidence. I don’t have to—”

  Suddenly, someone grabs her wrist and forces her hand open, snatching the stone away.

  “My apologies for this,” Axel says—the one who grabbed it.

  “Hey! Give that back!” Karneth’s confident expression twists into rage.

  Axel steps back, using the height difference to his advantage.

  “It’s the exact same necklace,” Lewis says beside his brother, after comparing the amulet to the photo Dorrek had given them.

  “So you’re the thief,” Andrew says, his expression shifting to pity. “This is the part where you tell us why you did it.”

  “I didn’t steal anything,” Karneth says, lowering her head. “It was on the ground. I was just keeping it safe.”

  “I see. Thank you very much,” Andrew replies. “Then we’ll return it to Dorrek so he can give it to his girlfriend before midnight.”

  Andrew turns to leave. Karneth clenches her teeth in frustration as her hands begin to glow with a blue light—a sign that she’s activated digital magic. At the same time, her high-heeled boots glow with the same blue hue.

  “I told you to give it back!” Karneth launches herself forward in a long leap, throwing a punch.

  Andrew barely has time to react before he’s struck and knocked to the ground. Despite her smaller build, the impact is far stronger than he expected.

  Karneth spins toward Axel and lunges at him to reclaim the necklace. Axel crosses his arms to block her strikes. Thanks to the digital magic, each blow feels like being hit by rocks. She ducks low and delivers a sharp kick to Axel’s knee, knocking him down.

  Axel collapses with a sharp pain in his leg, clenching his fists so he won’t drop the necklace.

  “She’s pretty fast,” Lewis says, imbuing his own hands with digital magic. “We should’ve brought our weapons.”

  Karneth attacks the last Vance brother still standing, throwing punches and kicks. Lewis defends himself as best he can. His hand-to-hand combat skills barely keep him from taking blows to the face, but his speed is enough to block the furious girl’s attacks.

  “You could’ve just handed us the necklace,” Lewis says. “You would’ve saved yourself a lot of trouble.”

  “You wouldn’t understand,” Karneth snaps, continuing her assault.

  Suddenly, she’s forced to stop—Axel and Andrew, their hands glowing with digital magic, grab her arms from both sides. She struggles with all her strength, but their grip and resistance are stronger, and within seconds she’s exhausted.

  “You’re right,” Andrew says, still wincing from the pain in his back. “Honestly, we don’t understand. And we don’t really care.”

  “Our job isn’t to deal with the personal problems of the people involved in our missions,” Axel adds.

  “Then why did you want to hear my reasons?” Karneth asks, breathing heavily.

  “So you could get it off your chest and—hopefully—come to your senses,” Lewis says. “But since you attacked first, you didn’t leave us any choice.”

  It’s twelve fifteen at night. The guests at Dyllra’s birthday party applaud after her partner finally gives her his gift. The birthday girl accepts it gladly and returns the gesture with another tight hug.

  “I wanted to give it to you before your birthday ended, but that situation came up…” Dorrek sighs, satisfied but still a little disappointed.

  “I told you I didn’t need a gift. Just having you here was enough,” she says, lightly punching him on the shoulder.

  “Cut it out with the cheesy stuff or we’re gonna throw up,” one of the guests jokes, making everyone laugh.

  “Let’s keep the party going,” the birthday girl says. “Or are you already thinking about going home?” she adds teasingly.

  Electronic music mixed with traditional instruments fills the air once again, and the dwarves return to the dance floor, laughing and moving with carefree energy.

  “Come on, Dorrek,” Dyllra says to her boyfriend. “We’ve still got some time before the DJ’s contract runs out.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute. I need to make a payment to the humans who helped me.”

  “Oh, right. What a disappointment about Karneth. I never thought she’d be capable of something like that,” Dyllra says. “Did they tell you why she wanted to ruin my party? Was she interested in you? Or maybe in me?”

  “The Vances didn’t want to hear her reasons,” Dorrek replies as he opens his bank app on his phone. “They just handed her over to the police after giving me the necklace. She’s going to get in trouble for using digital magic to attack someone.”

  “And I thought she was my friend…” Dyllra’s disappointed expression quickly turns into a smile. “We’ll think about that another day. Let’s enjoy what’s left of my party. You owe me.” She firmly grabs her partner by the wrist.

  “Before that, I need to—” Dorrek grimaces in pain as her grip tightens, and he notices a faint blue glow in her hand. Managing as best he can, he sends the payment to the Vance Night Agency.

  It’s one forty-five in the morning. A black van moves steadily through the streets of Neo-Aureborn, heading toward the middle-class district. Its driver, Lewis Vance, has one hand on the wheel while sipping orange soda through a straw with the other. His two younger brothers sit in the back seats. Axel finishes off a hamburger, while Andrew calmly eats from a box of fries. After handing their aggressor over to the police, they spent part of their earnings on fast food from the first street stand they found.

  “Pretty convenient there was a stand open at this hour,” Axel says. He isn’t wearing his blazer, afraid of getting it stained with sauce.

  LENA’s avatar—their older sister AI—appears on the vehicle’s auxiliary screen.

  “Is it safe to drive with one hand, Lewis?”

  “It’s fine in the middle of the night when there are barely any cops around,” he replies. “Captain Nightshade himself admitted his officers do it sometimes. Besides, using digital magic drains the body’s energy. We needed to replenish it after that fight.”

  “What charges are they pressing against that dwarf girl?” LENA asks.

  “Assault using digital magic,” Andrew says, chewing another fry. “Or whatever it’s called in the city’s penal code.”

  “We were just defending ourselves,” Axel adds, taking another bite of his burger. “Since we didn’t end up badly hurt, she’ll probably only get a few months.”

  “Did you look into what we asked, LENA?” Lewis asks.

  “Yes. It seems the birthday girl is the heir to an important financial group. Her father holds a respectable position within the organization.”

  “That teenage dwarf is really lucky,” Axel says.

  “Or it could turn into a double-edged sword,” Andrew replies.

  “Why did you want me to investigate?” the AI asks.

  “We’re visionaries, like our late father,” Lewis says, his expression growing more serious. “Just in case something bigger happens in the future, we want to have good contacts.”

  The van continues down the streets of Neo-Aureborn, accompanied by the silence of the night—still young for the Vance quartet.