* Chapter 2: The Plot Begins *

Indalecio sat at the kitchen table inside the Ten Wise Men's house in southern Lacour. On the table were multiple stacks of papers several inches high and a small accounting calculator. Indalecio pored over the papers with a look of frustration on his face.

Cyril walked into the room and glanced in Indalecio's direction. "Hey, maggot, what're you doing?"

"Trying to do our taxes..." Indalecio replied. "These figures don't make any sense. According to this tax scale, we owe more than we make in a year..."

"What the hell? You've got to be doing something wrong."

"I don't know, maybe it's my figuring," Indalecio said, holding up a sheet of paper, which contained numerous notations and scribblings. Cyril grabbed it and looked it over.

"If I could read this, I might be able to tell you what you're doing wrong," Cyril said, handing the paper back to Indalecio.

"No wonder," Indalecio said, taking the paper and studying it again. "You were holding it upside..." His eyes suddenly grew three sizes as he failed to finish his sentence.

"What's the matter?" Cyril said.

"Cyril, thank you for being such a fool, you're a genius!" Indalecio screamed happily. He ran out of the kitchen laughing and clicking his heels.

"He's lost it," Cyril said, shrugging off the proceedings and grabbing an apple out of the fridge.

Filia, Decus, and Vesper stood outside the door to Indalecio's room. From within, a furious typing sound could be heard. "Daddy, would you like some breakfast?" she said, holding a large tray of food. No answer came, just the continued sound of typing.

"How long's he been in there?" Vesper asked.

"Almost three weeks," Decus said. "He hasn't eaten, hasn't slept, and only taken a little time for bathroom breaks..."

"What do you suppose he's doing?" Filia asked, with a bit of nervousness in her voice.

"Haven't a clue," Decus said. Suddenly, the door burst open, slamming violently into Vesper's face. Vesper fell to the floor holding his nose while the door managed to stay standing, albeit with a large face-shaped dent. Indalecio proudly walked through the door, his face radiating with happiness.

"Daddy, what have you been doing in there?" Filia asked him.

"I'll tell you soon enough," Indalecio said. "First, call Noel and Chisato, and tell them to come over here."

"Why?" Decus asked.

"Because," Indalecio said. He was silent a moment, almost as if he was savoring the next words he was going to say. "We're going home!"

"Ow...by node..." Vesper said through his bloodstained hands, which were covering his face.

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