Vivi cuffed Peter Chris to a railing and called Director Hogg of the security department.

Now it was time for vigilante work. Vivi had tracked Peter down to the tavern using the gargoyles. The Evil-Willed Flowers monitored the underground, while the gargoyles watched the city from above. Between the two, Vivi had eyes everywhere—a flawless setup.

Peter had shared what little he suspected about the mysterious individual—tall, imposing, and leaving no traces of handwriting or communication. Even the bank account used to pay Peter was likely untraceable. Still, Vivi contacted the AI and sent a request to investigate.

This was an “internal” City Hall matter, not something that needed the Bat family’s involvement—especially since Tim was already quite busy.

She summoned a gargoyle from Peter’s street to handle the preliminary work. Holding the cardboard Batman standee under one arm, she prepared to climb over a wall when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, remembering she’d forgotten someone.

The cardboard Batman trembled in the wind and rain. Red Hood, visibly exasperated, asked, “Where exactly are you taking him?”

Knowing Batman as well as he did, Jason Todd initially hadn’t noticed anything odd about the “standee.” It had to be some kind of magic.

It must have altered perception, Jason reasoned. To Vivi, it was just a cardboard cutout. To everyone else, it appeared to be Batman himself, lifelike and intimidating.

This could be devastating in battle, Jason thought. She’d already won.

A massive gargoyle soared through the rain to join them. It was one of the larger ones, standing taller than a grown man even with its wings folded. Jason immediately recognized it—it belonged to the park near Otisburg and usually perched on a stone pedestal, watching over the children playing below.

A smaller gargoyle followed moments later, more typical of the decorative ones adorning Gotham’s skyscrapers.

Vivi placed the standee on the back of the larger gargoyle, adjusting it before pulling out a long pole. She turned to Jason. “This is what I’m doing. I just realized… the city’s better off with Batman around. People naturally fear him, even if he doesn’t say a word.”

Just like Peter—Batman had only stood there, and Peter had confessed everything out of terror.

For over a decade, the myth of Batman had loomed over Gotham, far more terrifying to criminals than the newer vigilantes. But Batman wasn’t here anymore. The gargoyles had taken over his job.

Jason realized what Vivi intended: she was planning to tie the “standee”—her ersatz ^[1]T/N: means an artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Batman—to the gargoyle’s back.

He studied the standee. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed real—a living, breathing person. Yet it was being moved around like a prop. Jason reached out and touched “Batman’s” face. His hand passed through the surface, startling him.

…This was unnervingly creepy.

Finally, his fingers brushed against something solid. Blinking, he realized Vivi was adjusting the standee’s expression. It cycled through [Gentle Smile], [Intense Stare], [Thoughtful Frown], [Angry Glare], and finally, [Crying].

Jason: “…”

The first few expressions were fine, but seeing Batman with tears streaming down his face—a sight he’d never imagined in his lifetime—left Jason completely numb.

“The pole you’re using for support is made of alloy,” Jason commented dryly. “Is your human-shaped standee shockproof?”

Vivi ignored him. Once the plastic-and-wooden support structure was in place, she secured the standee with ropes. After a few test pushes to confirm it wouldn’t wobble too much, she said to the gargoyle, “Go.”

The massive gargoyle spread its wings and ascended into the stormy sky. In Vivi’s eyes, it carried a simple cardboard cutout. In Jason’s eyes…

The gargoyle climbed higher, braving the rain and wind. Batman stood majestically on its back, his black cape billowing, silhouetted against flashes of lightning. Together, the gargoyle and the dark knight would patrol the night—striking terror into criminals. They’d quickly realize that while “Batman” would stand stoically, unmoving, staring coldly, it was the gargoyle that would deliver the punishment.

Perfect. By tomorrow, merchandising stores could start selling “Batman and Gargoyle” combo figures. Jason even recalled an old gacha series featuring Batman crouching atop a gargoyle. Why not update it to have him standing on one now?

“The gargoyles will lead me to her,” Vivi said. “Nothing escapes their gaze. Want to come along?”

“You work for the mayor?” Jason countered. “Why ask a criminal like me instead of one of Batman’s birds?”

“Because I work for the mayor,” Vivi replied with a shrug, “and you don’t seem to mind that.”

Inviting Jason was a win-win. She’d gain free labor, and if the gargoyle couldn’t handle him, she’d have to step in herself—a noisy affair. Given the upcoming [City Reputation] evaluation in a few hours, Vivi intended to squash anything that could make headlines.

Jason seemed to weigh his options before agreeing.

With one gargoyle after another leading the way, the pair traveled from Otisburg to the Diamond District, and finally to Gotham County.

If Gotham City was a modern urban jungle—with its mix of Gothic architecture, glass facades, and spires glittering under city lights—Gotham County was something else entirely.

Gotham County was nothing like Gotham City.

While Gotham City was an island metropolis composed of several large and smaller islands, Gotham County was situated on the mainland, connected to the city by several iconic bridges. The city’s main power station was also located there.

Unlike Gotham’s towering skyscrapers, the county had none to speak of. Under the heavy rain, the castle-like buildings exuded a somber and eerie atmosphere. Gargoyles soared overhead, but none crossed into Gotham County.

This stark contrast didn’t escape Jason’s notice. Riding his motorcycle, he turned to glance at Vivi, who was astride a pony that somehow kept pace with his bike.

“Is that even a horse?” Jason asked incredulously.

“When Gotham City first started seeing gargoyles take flight thanks to a magician, the residents of Gotham County smashed their gargoyle statues,” Vivi replied, pulling her horse to a stop. “But they soon realized it didn’t help. Even if they destroyed the statues, the gargoyles would still emerge from their rooftops and backyard corners. So they sent all their statues to the city, and since then, no new gargoyles have appeared here.”

Jason gave a noncommittal grunt. “These houses are so old I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t have security cameras.”

“There are cameras on the streets, of course,” Vivi sighed. “I’ve already had someone reviewing the footage, but the suspect changed clothes halfway through.”

As she guided her horse into the county, Vivi checked her system’s map. The buildings here were far apart, with vast stretches of land between them. Some homes even had private lakes and forests, making it the perfect place for a quiet retirement.

Peter’s account of being tasked to “monitor the mayor,” “relay information,” and “bribe logistics” painted a picture of a premeditated scheme. Everything had been set in motion before Anna Alek arrived in Gotham or was chosen as the mayor by the council. Vivi knew that during the transitional period when Anna moved from New York to Gotham and was vetted as the right candidate, Peter must have met his contact.

Her eyes fell on a particular structure on the map: Rothschild Manor.

“The council likely believed the mayor was just a figurehead,” Vivi mused aloud. “Her resume wasn’t remarkable. No one would’ve been suspicious of her at first. But sometimes, these actions aren’t about suspicion…”

She turned her horse. “I think I have a suspect.”

Lady Rothschild rarely stayed up late.

But tonight, sleep eluded her.

Her real name was Andrea Alek. She had a sister, Martha Alek. After marrying, Andrea became Lady Andrea Rothschild . She had outlived her short-lived husband and bid farewell to her wayward sister.

Now, she was alone.

Her sister, Martha, had left her one remaining connection: a child born out of wedlock, Anna Alek.

For a long time, Lady Rothschild mourned her sister’s death. But when she finally turned her attention to Anna, she found her niece—a product of the Diamond family’s upbringing—a disappointing fool. Anna yearned for her father’s attention but never considered her poor mother.

Even worse, young Anna despised her status as an illegitimate child and refused to visit her aunt.

It was time to bring Anna back to Gotham. Lady Rothschild couldn’t tolerate the idea of her only family member being someone else’s “bastard.” Fortunately, Martha had ensured that Anna carried the Alek name before passing, making her the sole heir to both the Alek and Rothschild estates. As for her late husband’s relatives? The unruly ones had long since succumbed to illnesses, while the obedient ones remained docile as sheep.

Power gave her everything.

And she wanted Anna to understand that too.

Yet her dear niece had become a thorn in her side. Gotham’s mayor, while exploiting the Court of Owls, had also started collaborating with others. The recent trial only heightened Lady Rothschild’s sense of losing control.

In her study, Lady Rothschild dismissed her maids and sat staring at a photograph on her desk, seething with frustration.

As dawn broke outside, her personal maid finally saw her replacement arrive, nodded tiredly, and returned to her quarters.

Unbeknownst to her, the real maid had been knocked out, tied up, and stashed under the bed. The one taking her place was a near-perfect impostor. While the height was similar, her shoulders were slightly broader than those of a typical girl.

The disguised “maid” pressed her fingers against the door, and the black-framed glasses she wore flickered with data. Suddenly, she froze mid-motion.

Then, without drawing attention to herself, she walked to the window.

She saw someone jump down from a tree, leaves rustling as they landed gracefully—like a cat.

A very agile cat wearing a red hood. Moments later, another figure leaped down. A black cape fluttered, and the metallic gleam of a pipe caught the light.

Vivi could have used her stealth skills to sneak in, but this sprawling manor rendered those skills unnecessary. Compared to her advanced abilities, the guards patrolling the estate might as well have been blind.

However…

[Maid (Robin in disguise)]?

Vivi stared at the map, confused.

A bug?