The Crown Prince Who Raises Alt Characters

#Chapter 164 Suspect Isaac (8) - Withdrawal Symptoms "Ugh." "Isn't it rather uncultured to look at someone's face and say 'Ugh'? Inspector Pierre?" At Isadora's innocently clear greeting, Pierre, the veteran detective of Chaudronbourg, made a face like he was chewing on bugs. "You cat-like woman lurking around a fish shop. What scent did you catch this time to come sniffing around?" "I'd like to meet the suspect in journalist Eduard's murder case. They're still here, aren't they?" Even if the police had confirmed the suspect as the perpetrator, that didn't end all procedures. There had to be a trial in court, and after that, transfer to the prison. When cases were large-scale and the crimes were heinous, related procedures proceeded swiftly, but for 'ordinary' cases that weren't, suspects often spent time idly in the temporary detention center within the police station. Less than a week had passed since the incident occurred. It was almost impossible that a suspect who killed just one person—not even a high-ranking government official but merely a journalist—would have already completed all procedures and gone to prison. "No. Go back." "Isn't visitation one of the legitimate rights of Republic citizens? I properly pay my taxes to the government." "Don't stir up a case that's already closed...! We're already swamped with work every day because there are too many damn criminals!" "Oho." As Isadora's eyes widened and shone, Inspector Pierre's body flinched. It was as if he had seen strangely glowing cat eyes while walking alone on a dark night path. "The fact that you think things will get complicated if I get involved means that you too find suspicious aspects in this case, doesn't it?" "...Stop with the baseless speculation. Play detective at home!" "Rather than me coming with the police commissioner to stir up the police station, wouldn't it be a temporal and mental benefit for both of us if you just cooperate cleanly now?" "Damn it." A deep sigh escaped from Pierre's mouth. The current 'Southern Police Commissioner' responsible for all security in the southern Republic had a strong tendency to die for whatever the woman before him said. This was because not only did he have private connections from his predecessor's time, but it was Isadora who had generously given him achievements enough to get promoted from being originally Chaudronbourg's police chief (regional representative). The moment his former superior and senior appeared at the scene with hands behind his back saying 'Hmm, there's quite a bit of dust here. How about living with some cleaning?', the peaceful police station would be turned upside down. In the end, Pierre admitted defeat. "That suspect was caught very easily." "Yes?" When Isadora tilted her head at the seemingly out-of-nowhere comment, Pierre clicked his tongue. "It means there wasn't a single obstacle during the investigation process. Appropriate evidence remained on the corpse, witness testimony came out at the appropriate moment, and even the alibi was appropriately empty." "...Hmm." Isadora's eyes sank sharply. She realized why Pierre had repeatedly used the word 'appropriately' several times. "Was she thrown out to be caught from the start?" "Yes. Just like giving bread crumbs to a bird and leading it where you want." "What did the suspect say?" "At first she denied the crime, but when pressured a little, she immediately confessed to it. She said it was something she did impulsively because the victim was too clingy and harassing." "Even that is 'appropriate'." If the suspect had confessed from the beginning, there would have been those who found it suspicious. And if she had stubbornly denied the crime, there would have been those who dug deeper into the case. But the suspect did neither, and as a result, the case was wrapped up surprisingly easily and swiftly. "I've changed my mind." "Are you giving up?" "No, I don't think there would be much point in meeting the suspect now to probe. Jumping into battle without proper weapons would just be a waste of effort. I'll come back tomorrow, so please schedule it." "Fuck. Do you think this is a restaurant? Making reservations?" Leaving Inspector Pierre's complaints behind, Isadora left the police station. Even if he said that, he was a sincere person, so he wouldn't ignore her words. Wondering inwardly whether her assistant was doing well, she walked for some time. Suddenly, a newspaper fluttering in the wind came to rest at her feet. ["It's scary because it might appear in my dreams." A fisherman's nightmare! What is the identity of the mysterious corpse caught in the river!? The Rasen River flowing west of Chaudronbourg. There, Mr. A, who was fishing, caught something dangerous. The discovered corpse had its wrists, ankles, and finally neck severed, and is estimated to be a male in his mid-to-late 40s. Some are focusing on the killing method that seemed to drain blood from the body, speculating whether it might be another work of the famous serial killer 'Vampire'─] As if her eyes were fixed on the newspaper article, Isadora silently stared at its contents. Several passersby who saw her appearance trembled. The face that would suit a dress on stage wore an eerily expressionless look. Isadora's fingertips inside her coat pocket trembled finely. She calmly, as if performing a set routine, but with movements that somehow felt urgent, took out her pipe from her coat and put it in her mouth. A unique scent different from ordinary tobacco smoke, like what might come from a pharmacy or laboratory, spread around. "Heh heh hum." Having regained her composure, Isadora resumed walking, even lightly humming a song. As if nothing had happened at all. *** Isaac looked at the suspect's home. A two-story communal housing extending lengthwise. Thanks to its relatively cheap price, it was one of the types of structures actively favored by common people. Using the key received from the client to enter inside, a strange silence greeted Isaac. "Hmm." [How is it. Seems like there's something?] When had she appeared? Lucidra from the shadows casually struck up a conversation. Since the main body was in an economics-related meeting with bureaucrats, she seemed to think this side would be more interesting. Isaac shrugged his shoulders. "We're supposedly investigating a murder case, so it's a bit much for you to make it so obvious you came here for fun." [I don't think that's something for you to say.] "Now now, I'm approaching this with a serious attitude." Letting the demon's sarcasm go in one ear and out the other, Isaac searched every corner of the room. And he came to a conclusion. "It's clean." [You mean there's no evidence?] "In this case, being clean itself is the problem." [Huh?] "Generally, people who live alone don't show that much sincerity in cleaning their homes. Especially for physically demanding work like tavern employees, even if they have a neat personality, they're often too exhausted to do it. But what about here now?" [It's definitely clean, but couldn't that just be the personality of the person who lived here? The type who has to clean even when dead tired.] "That's right. If it were simply that things were organized, that could explain it. But this isn't that." Isaac ran his finger across the top of the old, shabby wardrobe. No dust came off. "A week is enough for dust to accumulate in a house where no one lives. Especially in a place like this communal housing where carriages can pass right in front, and the doors and windows are poorly made so they don't seal well, it would be even shorter. But there's no dust here." ─Isn't that strange? The homeowner who should be cleaning is being held by the police. At Isaac's additional comment, Lucidra let out an "Ah" of admiration. "The client Mr. Maxime who gave me the key to this house said he had never stopped by here. If he wasn't lying, then it means someone who isn't the homeowner came and cleaned the house thoroughly." [Why would they do such a thing?] "The most plausible reason would be evidence destruction. What evidence and why it had to be eliminated is something we'll have to find out from now." Isaac kept his word. He continued his inquiries with surrounding people—neighboring residents and nearby shop merchants. Having gathered sufficient information, Isaac joined Isadora at the office at the appointed time, and the two shared information with each other. Isadora spoke first. "The perpetrator is the suspect, that is, the client's lover Miss Cloe. She did kill him, so even if she's caught by police, it can't be called a false accusation." Taking the baton, Isaac spoke. "However, Miss Cloe's testimony that it was an 'impulsive incident where she couldn't control her urges' is false. She thoroughly planned the crime, and even calculated that she would be caught as a result. And the reason for that is─" "─To cover for the 'real culprit' who commissioned her to kill the victim." Whew. White smoke leaked from Isadora's mouth. "It's natural that the police solved the case easily. Since the perpetrator intended to use herself as bait from the start, there's no way she would properly conceal things." "Well, it often happens elsewhere that subordinates take responsibility for crimes committed by their superiors, but actually carrying out the crime itself is rather unusual. The real culprit even went so far as to destroy additional evidence in case Miss Cloe betrayed them." Isaac repeatedly approached neighbors in the same building and surrounding merchants for inquiries, but hardly any proper testimony emerged. There were a fair number who witnessed someone visiting Cloe's house, but when asked who it was, Cloe would evade answers. "Are you planning to visit Miss Cloe and interrogate her?" At Isaac's question, Isadora shook her head. "As things stand now, interrogation wouldn't seem to have much effect. Rather, let's look at the case from a different perspective." "Specifically?" "Looking at the victim, not the suspect, as the key." Isadora's eyes sparkled. "The real culprit who commissioned Miss Cloe to commit murder led her to be caught. That way the case would be closed as quickly as possible. In other words, the real culprit is someone who would be in trouble if police started digging into the victim's relationships." "True, if they had nothing to be guilty about, there would have been no need to demand sacrifice from Miss Cloe." Isaac, who had been pondering while covering his mouth with one hand, spoke. "Come to think of it, the victim was a journalist. Someone who wanted a journalist dead. A victim who suffered because of the journalist's articles, or a subject of investigation who would be in trouble if the journalist dug into something?" "First we need to gather all the related articles." "Right. ...But what are you doing just sitting there?" When Isaac asked Isadora, who was slumped on the office sofa, she answered without the slightest hesitation. "I've completely exhausted today's quota of labor. I'll leave the rest to my assistant." "Wait, we both worked since morning, but one person rests while the other keeps working—isn't that a bit much?" "If you don't like it, become the boss. Or hand in your resignation." "What an exemplary evil boss you are." Isaac shook his head as if he had no choice, and left the office. Isadora, who had been watching his departing figure, sighed after confirming Isaac's presence had completely disappeared. "...If only I hadn't run out of tobacco." Isadora looked at the silver container that was completely empty after all the pipe tobacco had been consumed. She could easily get pipe tobacco in the same container by going to the market right away, but that was meaningless to Isadora. Since her tobacco was special in many ways, Isadora had to make it herself by hand, one by one. "Originally there should have been plenty left." It couldn't be helped. Since Isaac became her assistant, her tobacco consumption had increased to more than double the usual amount. It wasn't because she was stressed by him. Certainly Isaac was quite cunning and annoying for someone who volunteered to be an assistant, but on the other hand, he also worked well with Isadora. Not only was he competent in accomplishing what she demanded, but his personality that didn't give an inch when dealing with the difficult Isadora was also worthy of high praise. There was no problem with Isaac. The only one with a problem was herself. Suppressing her finely trembling hands as if she had withdrawal symptoms, Isadora began making handmade tobacco. She had to finish preparing before Isaac returned.