svetikya Page 135
Page 135
Yuki Takada turned his head casually and found Saori Chishima intently observing their reactions, a hint of something unreadable flashing in her eyes.
When their eyes met, she immediately resumed her professional smile.
“If you’re interested in Leonardo da Vinci, there’s a special exhibition upstairs showcasing his manuscripts and some lesser-known works,” Saori Chishima suggested.
Inspector Megure was clearly interested in the suggestion: "Great! It'll be perfect for avoiding the crowds."
On the way to the special exhibition, Yuki Takada noticed that Saori Chishima was surprisingly familiar with the museum's layout.
She led them through various hidden passages and shortcuts, avoiding the main crowds.
The special exhibition hall was indeed not crowded, and the display cases showcased various manuscripts and design drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. Inspector Megure was completely immersed in the exhibition, having long forgotten the embarrassment of the French book.
“Look at this!” Sato Miwako pointed to a small oil painting. The label read, “Possibly a work in the Leonardo da Vinci school, pending authentication.”
The painting depicts a woman sitting sideways, whose silhouette bears a subtle resemblance to the Mona Lisa, but she appears younger and has a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
Chishima Saori stood in front of the painting, her expression somewhat complicated: "This piece was only recently taken out of the warehouse and is still being appraised. However, I really like it."
Yuki Takada noticed an unusual emotional tone in her voice. As he tried to catch more details, Saori Chishima turned to the group and began to fluently describe the characteristics of Leonardo da Vinci's creative process.
As she explained, Yuki Takada discovered that this seemingly ordinary tour guide had a far greater understanding of art history than the average staff member.
Her explanations were interspersed with insightful analyses of the painting techniques and historical background.
"You are truly an expert in art," Yuki Takada couldn't help but praise.
Chishima Saori adjusted her glasses and smiled modestly: "It's just my job."
After the tour, Saori Chishima handed each person a business card: "If you come back again, I can take you to visit the restoration studio, which is not usually open to the public."
When she handed her business card to Yuki Takada, her fingers paused slightly, and there was a hint of expectation in her eyes: "Mr. Takada, I hope to see you again."
Yumi Miyamoto keenly noticed this detail, raised an eyebrow at Yuki Takada, and smiled mischievously.
As we left the museum, the setting sun had already painted the Parisian sky orange-red.
Megure Juzo held his newly bought art book with great satisfaction, while Sato Miwako and Miyamoto Yumi excitedly discussed the works they had just seen.
Yuki Takada kept glancing back at the museum's entrance, clutching the business card in his hand, lost in thought.
"What, are you interested in that tour guide?" Miyamoto Yumi leaned closer to him and asked, half-jokingly.
Yuuki Takada gently shook his head: "I just feel that some encounters are not accidental."
Section Chief Matsumoto, on the other hand, remained relatively calm, arranging the assembly time and precautions while his eyes continued to vigilantly scan the surrounding environment.
"Two hours of free time, after which we will meet at the entrance of the 'pyramid' outside."
"Do not act alone, always in pairs, and keep communication open," Section Chief Matsumoto instructed in a deep voice.
The colleagues dispersed and blended into the crowd.
Chapter 172 Meeting
Yuki Takada naturally formed a group with Miwako Sato and Yumi Miyamoto.
He appeared to be admiring the artworks along the way, but most of his attention was focused on observing the people around him.
He only glanced at him, but found that there were quite a few people around him. One couple immediately embraced and kissed him passionately in front of him.
Yuki Takada glanced at it with some surprise, but then thought about it and realized that it was indeed true; Paris, France, was indeed the city of romance.
They openly display their affection in public.
However, upon reflection, this unfamiliar environment and dense crowds undoubtedly provide the perfect breeding ground for potential threats.
Yuuki Takada scanned his surroundings but found no signs of danger.
Immediately, he breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed there was no major danger nearby.
Sure enough, compared to those in China, they wouldn't have followed them all the way to Paris, France, just for these people.
"Takada-senpai, could you spare some time for your trip?" Sato Miwako walked over, looked at Takada Yuuki who had just breathed a sigh of relief, and said earnestly.
"Hmm?" Upon hearing the voice, Takada Yuuki turned around and looked at Sato Miwako, who was walking up to him, asking with a puzzled expression, "What does this mean?"
"That's literally what it means."
Sato Miwako stared intently at Takada Yuki, saying, "Ever since that photo booth photo shoot, I've been thinking about finding an opportunity to have a proper talk with you."
"Wait a minute..." Seeing her reaction, Yuuki Takada thought to himself, "Is Miwako Sato captivated by the surrounding French scenery?"
What... what exactly is going on?
"Anyway, we've already made an appointment, Takada-senpai." With that, Sato Miwako left with Miyamoto Yumi.
"No...that." Seeing that she was about to leave, Yuuki Takada immediately thought of chasing after her.
Just as he was about to turn around and chase after her, he unfortunately bumped into a blonde woman, and her belongings instantly fell out of her backpack.
Oh no... I actually ran into a French woman.
"Really, how could we have bumped into her all of a sudden?" Hearing a loud commotion behind them, Sato Miwako immediately pulled Miyamoto Yumi over.
"I'm sorry," Yuki Takada said in his fluent English.
Yuki Takada stood there, momentarily at a loss for how to react.
Sato Miwako's words echoed repeatedly in his mind, stirring up ripples in his thoughts.
"Sir, are you all right?"
A voice speaking in English with a French accent brought him back to reality.
Yuuki Takada then remembered the blonde woman he had bumped into and quickly knelt down to help her pick up her scattered belongings.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice what was behind me."
Yuki Takada apologized in fluent English, deftly gathering up the scattered cosmetics, notebooks, and a pen.
“It’s alright, the streets of Paris are always so crowded.” The blonde woman smiled slightly, her eyes a rare violet color that shimmered with an unusual light in the sunlight.
Yuki Takada noticed a dark blue book peeking out of the side pocket of her backpack, with the words "Les Ombres de la Seine" printed on its spine.
The Shadow of the Seine?
Yuuki Takada's heart skipped a beat; the title of the book inexplicably aroused his vigilance.
"Are you a tourist here?" the blonde woman asked casually as she took the last item from Yuuki Takada.
“Yes, from Japan,” Yuki Takada replied briefly, his professional habits preventing him from revealing too much information.
"You're from Japan, right? I love your comics the most." The blonde woman looked at the other person excitedly. You see, her interest in comics was influenced by Japanese comics.
The blonde woman stood up, gracefully slung her backpack over her shoulder, and softly reminded her, "Be careful, the streets of Paris are not only crowded, but sometimes... dangerous."
Yuki Takada stood still, his brows slightly furrowed.
Was that warning just said offhand, or was there a deeper meaning behind it?
"I know a nice coffee shop around here, and I'm looking to meet some foreign friends." The blonde woman looked at the group in front of her, displaying her hostly attitude.
Yuki Takada and Miwako Sato exchanged a glance and finally agreed.
Seeing the group standing there in a daze, the blonde woman stood in front of a coffee shop not far away and waved to them, "Come on over!"
Yuuki Takada took a deep breath, putting the previous events behind him for the time being, and walked towards the blonde woman.
I noticed that Sato Miwako's expression had returned to its usual cheerfulness, as if the serious conversation had never happened.
"What were you two whispering about?" Miyamoto Yumi asked with a sly smile, nudging Sato Miwako with her elbow. "Miwako, you look so serious."
“Nothing special.” Sato Miwako avoided Yumi’s probing gaze and turned to Takada Yuki. “Senpai, we’ve walked for so long and our legs are sore. We can find a place to rest.”
Yuki Takada nodded, and led by the blonde woman, the four of them entered the café called "Le Café Caché".
The store is decorated in a retro style, with dark wood furniture and warm yellow lighting creating a cozy atmosphere. The walls are covered with paintings of various styles, from classical oil paintings to modern abstract art.
"What an art-themed cafe!" Yumi Miyamoto exclaimed, taking out her phone to start taking pictures.
Yuki Takada chose a window seat, from which he could clearly see the situation on the street.
Years of professional instinct prevented him from fully relaxing; even in such a comfortable environment, he remained vigilant.
"What would you like to drink?" A young man wearing glasses approached, speaking English with a heavy French accent.
After the blonde woman finished taking her order, she introduced herself briefly in somewhat broken Japanese: "My name is Ariel Kruger. Nice to meet you all."
After that, Yuki Takada and his group gave a brief self-introduction.
Yuuki Takada asked curiously, "But I must say, your Japanese is quite good. Did you study in Japan?"
“Yes!” Ariel Kruger recounted that she had spent some time in Japan and happened to really like the anime and manga there. It was during that time that she secretly learned a bit of the Japanese language.
"I learned it from manga!" Yuuki Takada turned his head slightly and glanced at Miwako Sato.
“That’s right!” Ariel Kruger said, becoming increasingly excited. “Japanese comics are really good. When I was studying in Tokyo, I bought a ton of comics from there.”
"..." Yuuki Takada listened to Ariel Kruger's words, and the three of them exchanged glances, roughly understanding that the blonde woman in front of them was no different from those otaku in Tokyo.
Apart from their different nationalities, their behavior and mannerisms are largely the same.
Lost in her own thoughts, Ariel Kruger continued to dream: "One day, I will also create those perfect comics."
"Huh?" Yuuki Takada was taken aback. "You mean you're going to create those manga?"
Ariel Kruger nodded, then rummaged through her backpack: "Our country also has something called comics, but I still admire Japanese comics more."
Chapter 173 The Blonde Woman's Invitation
As Ariel Kruger spoke, she handed the manuscript she had previously created to the people in front of her for their review.
Yuuki Takada took the manuscript from her hand and examined it carefully. "Did you draw all of these yourself?"
“Yes.” Ariel Kruger, lost in her own world, gently stroked her face with both hands. “I’m sorry for making a fool of myself.”
Yuki Takada took the manuscript and looked at it together with Miwako Sato and the others.
After flipping through five or six of her manuscripts, the two frowned slightly, feeling that the comic in front of them had serious problems. Not only was the art style terrible, but the plot was also very weak.
Looking up slightly, I saw that the other person was completely absorbed in their own world, recounting their disastrous plot, and as a romantic comedy comic, even the main character's name was strange.
The three of them couldn't help but sigh softly at the same time.