Chapter 103: Suspects

  Slurrrrp.

  The sound was loud, long, and aggressively refreshing.

  Raito sat at a small, shaded table in the heart of the Kah-Kamun marketplace, a tall glass of iced fruit punch clutched in his gloved hands. He drained the last of the liquid, the ice cubes clinking musically against the glass, and let out a long, satisfied exhale that seemed to deflate his entire body.

  "Ah, I feel alive again," he joyously declared, wiping a bead of condensation from his upper lip.

  "That is because you are wearing multiple layers of wool in a climate that is actively trying to cook you," Yukari scolded, sitting across from him. She took a dainty, civilized sip of her own drink, her eyes critical as she swept over his attire.

  The midday sun of Zarateph was a physical weight, a heavy, golden blanket of heat that shimmered off the cobblestones. And yet, Raito was still clad in the full, heavy tweed glory of the 'Great Detective.' The cape hung heavy on his shoulders, and the deerstalker hat was surely trapping enough heat to bake bread. Sweat rolled down his temples in steady rivulets, soaking the collar of his dress shirt.

  "And like I said," Raito countered, adjusting his heavy lapels with a stubborn dignity, "this is necessary equipment to conduct a proper investigation. Can't you see Master Shilook's aura radiating from me?"

  Yukari narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure that 'aura' is just sweat and body odor," she said, giving him a withering side-eye. "You smell like a wet dog, Detective."

  "How rude!" Raito gasped. He leaned forward, and with a quick, mischievous flick of his finger, sent a droplet of sweat flying from his forehead directly at her.

  "Yuck! That is disgusting!" Yukari shrieked, recoiling as if he'd thrown acid. "Get away from me!" She placed her hands on his chest, trying to shove him backward, her face twisted in mock horror.

  "No, I can't," Raito said, grinning. He caught her left hand in his, his grip firm despite the heat. He lifted their joined hands, letting the sunlight catch the matching silver bands on their ring fingers. "Married, remember? Till death—or sweat—do us part."

  Yukari stared at the rings, her expression softening against her will. She huffed, a small, defeated smile tugging at her lips. "You're lucky I love you," she muttered, though she didn't pull her hand away.

  At a table adjacent to theirs, another couple was engaged in a very different kind of afternoon.

  Samira sat with her chin resting in her hands, a giggle bubbling up in her throat as she watched the runaways bicker. Across from her, Malik was hunched over the table, his face inches from the translucent crystal they had found in the ashes. He held a magnifying glass in one hand and a pair of tweezers in the other, his expression one of intense, scholarly focus. The chaos of the market—and the antics of the table next door—didn't seem to register to him at all.

  "Do you think we will also be like that once we get married?" Samira asked, her voice wistful as she looked at Raito and Yukari, who were now playfully arm-wrestling. "So... lively?"

  "I hope not, Princess," Malik responded instantly, not even looking up from the crystal. He rotated the gem with the tweezers, frowning at a refraction of light. "I don't like noise. It interferes with concentration."

  Samira pouted, her cheeks puffing out. "Why not? They look like they have so much fun!"

  She reached out, grabbing Malik's face with both hands and forcibly turning his head until he was looking at her. "Also," she said, her voice firm, "it's Samira. SA-MI-RA. Stop calling me Princess. You are my fiancé, remember?"

  Malik blinked, his eyes widening behind his thick glasses as the sudden proximity of her face registered. His ears turned a bright shade of pink. "Ye... ye... yes, sorry, Samira," he stammered, his voice losing its academic detachment.

  "Good," Samira said, releasing his face but keeping her gaze locked with his. She smiled, a bright, sunny expression that seemed to outshine the desert sun. "Now stand tall. You will be my husband in a couple of weeks. Act like it!"

  Malik slumped back in his chair, adjusting his glasses nervously. "What do you see in me, anyway?" he whispered, turning back to the safety of his crystal, though his focus was clearly shattered.

  "I'll tell you once we get married," Samira responded immediately, clearly hearing the whisper he thought was private.

  "Sorry!" he shrieked, shrinking into his shoulders as Samira grinned teasingly at him.

  Back at the first table, the arm-wrestling match had ended in a draw (mostly because Yukari refused to actually try). Raito and Yukari had stopped their hijinks, their attention drawn to the sweet, awkward exchange happening next to them.

  "Ah, young love," they said at the same time, their voices taking on the sagely tone of an old married couple, despite having been married for couple of months.

  "Were we ever like that?" Yukari asked, tilting her head. "All blushing and shy?"

  "Nope," Raito uttered, popping a piece of ice into his mouth.

  "Yeah, you're right," Yukari agreed with a laugh. "I remember more running. And hiding. And you screaming."

  "Most of my injuries came from you, though," Raito pointed out, gesturing to his ribs. "Friendly fire."

  Whap.

  Yukari slapped his back, hard.

  "What was that?" Yukari asked, angry but smiling.

  "Nothing, ma'am!" Raito corrected himself instantly, snapping a crisp salute with his free hand.

  The two couples exchanged gazes across the gap between their tables. The scholar and the princess; the janitor and the general. And in the heat of the Kah-Kamun market, they laughed.

  Moments later, the two tables had been pushed together. The group huddled close, their heads bowed over the center of the table where the small, translucent crystal sat reflecting the harsh sunlight. The noise of the market created a natural privacy screen around them.

  "Wang-Son, report," Raito began, his voice dropping back into the gravelly, serious tone of Detective Shilook. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers.

  "Yes, Sir Shilook," Malik replied automatically, snapping a small, seated salute.

  "Urgh," Yukari groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "Not you too, Malik."

  "I made him do it," Samira whispered loudly, pointing at her fiancé with a beaming, proud smile.

  "Of course you did," Yukari sighed, defeated.

  Malik cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at the crystal. "I can't really determine too much with the limited tools I have right now," he admitted, poking the object gently with his tweezers. "But as far as what I found... this thing does seem to behave similarly to a Core."

  "A translucent Core, eh?" Raito stroked his chin, narrowing his eyes. "Interesting."

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Right," Malik continued. "This thing seems to react to elemental energy like a Core does. But in what way, and how... those are the questions I still have to find out more about." He ruffled his chestnut hair in frustration. "If only we had a lab with a similar caliber to those in Cindralis."

  "But at least we have a lead," Yukari said, looking at the crystal. She turned to Raito, crossing her arms. "What now, oh Great Detective?"

  "Of course, my dear Ru—I mean, Yukari," Raito corrected himself mid-syllable, dodging a potential smack. "This is the perfect time to go over the suspects list."

  He leaned further over the table, his expression turning deadly serious beneath the brim of his deerstalker hat. "But, before we begin, I want everyone to hide the knowledge that we found a crystal from anyone. Understand?"

  "Why, Sir Detective?" Samira asked, blinking.

  Raito looked up at the sky, squinting dramatically. "Call it... detective's intuition."

  "Ohhhh, so cool!" Samira clapped her hands softly.

  Yukari and Malik sighed in perfect unison.

  "Wang-Son! Bring me the list!" Raito demanded once more, extending a gloved hand.

  Malik fumbled in his robes and pulled out his notebook, flipping to the page filled with names. "Here," he said, showing the group. "There are twenty names. Plus the hooded person Raito might or might not have seen."

  "This is too many," Yukari said, scanning the list with a critical eye. "It's going to take us a week to interview this many people."

  "Should we split up? Cover more ground?" Malik suggested.

  "No," Raito shook his head, the flaps of his hat swaying. He pointed a finger at the paper. "Start by crossing out us. Mr. Tanvir. Lady Lihua. Mila. And the Queen."

  "Reasoning?" Yukari prompted.

  "For the Lords—Lady Lihua, and Mr. Tanvir—they are powerful enough to level the whole museum without needing that mysterious fire," Raito explained, ticking points off on his fingers. "Mila is not the type to be interested in historical artifacts; she'd rather be training. Malik is the one who found the structure, so destroying it ruins his own credit. The Princess and the Queen were possible targets of the assassination attempt themselves."

  He paused, gesturing between himself and Yukari. "And we... are way too dumb for this."

  "Hey!" Yukari snapped. "Don't lump me in with you, idiot!"

  She huffed, looking back at the list. "But... he is right. This idiot and I are too detached from Zarateph politics to even have any feeling of wanting to burn down a museum. We have no motive."

  She took the charcoal pencil from Malik and struck a line through their names.

  "That leaves twelve," she said, tapping the paper. "And the hooded figure."

  Raito leaned over, squinting at the remaining list. He stared at the names for a long moment, his brow furrowed in deep, performative concentration. He hummed thoughtfully.

  "Yeah," he admitted, dropping the detective voice for a second. "I have no idea who these people are."

  "Of course you don't," Yukari said, shaking her head. "We are foreigners to this region. These names mean nothing to us."

  She turned to the two locals at the table, her silver eyes serious. "Can you tell us more about who these people are?" she asked. "Backgrounds, relationships... maybe some small details that wouldn't be in official records?"

  Malik and Samira exchanged a glance. Malik pushed his glasses up his nose, a glint of scholarly enthusiasm returning to his eyes.

  "Yes, Miss Yukari," Malik said, clearing his throat loudly. He tapped the first name on the list with his pencil.

  "Let's see. First, we have Lady Tala. Age 52. A Human scholar specializing in metallurgy. She is the one who spotted the fire first."

  He moved his finger down the list. "Then we have Mr. Tseh. Age 332. A Tortoise Sacred. He was the guard stationed at the front door on the day."

  "Wait, he is the one who let us in the museum" Yukari interrupted, her brow furrowing as a memory of the chaotic escape flashed through her mind. "But, we didn't see him when we ran out of there."

  "Odd," Raito muttered, tapping his chin with his unlit pipe. "But please, continue."

  "Right," Malik said, flipping a page. "Next is Mr. Adou, age 421. A Camel Sacred, scholar of ancient languages. Then Mr. Zahir, age 48, Human, specializes in anthropology."

  He continued down the list, his voice a steady rhythm against the market noise.

  "Ms. Zayna, age 221, Crane Sacred, epigraphy expert. Dr. Jalal, age 45, Human, biologist. Mr. Naim, age 42, Human, archeology and excavation expert."

  "Ms. Shahir, age 39, Human, geography scholar. Dr. Kadiem, age 53, Human, specializes in illnesses and diseases."

  "Mr. Mahir, age 247, Lizard Sacred, a scholar of Coreology—the study of Cores."

  "Mr. Mirash, age 43, Human, astronomy scholar."

  Malik took a breath before reading the final name. "And lastly, Dr. Nezhat, age 313. A Fox Sacred, scholar of botany, and the representative of the Adventurers Union."

  He closed the notebook with a soft snap.

  "Here is the list of twelve people that we currently know of," Malik summarized, looking up at the group. "The eleven scholars that were gathered there to share their theories and expertise over the structure, and Mr. Tseh, the guard who went missing during the fire."

  "That is still too many," Raito sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, his detective persona fraying slightly under the weight of the task. "I would like to narrow it down more somehow."

  He leaned forward again, fixing Malik with an intense stare. "Wang-Son, do you notice anything odd amongst the scholars gathered? Any history of crimes? Known jealousy? Outbursts? Or maybe money problems? Family issues?"

  Malik frowned, tapping his finger against the cover of his notebook. "Not that I know of," he answered slowly. "Everyone seemed ecstatic to discuss what I found. It was a major discovery, a career-defining moment for all of us. And since they are all highly decorated, respected scholars... I don't think money should be a problem for any of them."

  He adjusted his glasses, looking apologetic. "Also, I am not that familiar with their families. I am not close to any of them personally. I mostly keep to the archives."

  "Hmmm..." Raito let out a long, melodramatic sigh, slumping back in his chair. "Hard work it is then."

  "Meaning?" Yukari asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Door-to-door questioning!" Raito declared, jumping to his feet. He adjusted his cape with a flourish. "We must look them in the eye and discern the truth!"

  He turned and started walking away with purpose. "Let's go!"

  "Do you even know where they live?!" Yukari shouted after him.

  Raito froze mid-step. He fidgeted, then slowly turned back around, a sheepish grin on his face. "No."

  Yukari sighed, shaking her head as she grabbed her crutch and pushed herself up from the table. "Malik, please lead the way," she said, her voice weary but resolute.

  "Yes!" Malik answered, standing up quickly. "Where should I start?"

  Raito pointed his pipe dramatically toward the city streets. "Where else? The odd man out. The missing guard. Mr. Tseh! Onwards, Wang-Son!"

  "Ye... yes sir!" Malik saluted, scrambling to gather his notes as Samira giggled, linking her arm through his to drag him along behind the eccentric detective.

  They walked through the winding streets of Kah-Kamun, leaving the vibrant marketplace behind for the quieter residential district. The buildings here were taller, tightly packed apartment complexes built from the same sturdy ironwood as the rest of the city, their balconies overflowing with laundry and potted plants.

  "He is currently living in room number 303b," Malik said, checking his notes as he scanned the rows of doors. He stopped in front of a weathered wooden door on the third floor. "Ah, here it is."

  Raito cleared his throat, adjusting his deerstalker hat. He took point, his expression settling into a grim mask of authority. He raised a gloved fist and knocked firmly on the wood.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  "Mr. Tseh?" Raito called out, his voice dropping to a deep, resonant bass. "We have some questions we want to ask."

  Silence. No response from within.

  Raito frowned. He knocked again, harder this time. "Mr. Tseh? Are you there?"

  Still nothing. The door remained stubbornly shut.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Raito knocked multiple times, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway.

  Suddenly, a door opened—but not Mr. Tseh's. It was the neighbor's door to the right. A large, rowdy-looking man with a scruffy beard and a stained undershirt stepped out, looking irritated.

  "What are you guys doing?!" he barked. "Stop knocking! It is so loud! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

  "We're sorry," Samira stepped forward, her voice sweet and apologetic. "But we are currently looking for Mr. Tseh, the museum guard."

  The man's eyes widened as he recognized the princess. His irritation vanished instantly, replaced by a flustered panic. "Oh! Princess! Pardon me!" He bowed deeply, almost knocking his head against the doorframe.

  He straightened up, scratching his beard. "Mr. Tseh, eh?" He glanced at the neighbor's door. "He hasn't left his house since yesterday, so he should still be there." He pointed a thumb at his own door. "If he left, I should have heard it. The doors in this complex are loud. See?"

  He swung his door back and forth. Creak... creak... The hinges groaned loudly in the hallway.

  "See?" the man said. "Impossible to miss."

  Sniff. Sniff.

  Raito’s nose twitched. He froze, his nostrils flaring. His eyes widened in sudden alarm.

  "Move!" he shouted.

  Before anyone could react, Raito pulled Koenka from beneath his cape. With a flash of crimson light, he slashed at the lock of Mr. Tseh's door.

  CRACK.

  The lock shattered, and the door swung open.

  Immediately, a pungent, overwhelming odor rolled out into the hallway—the thick, cloying scent of rot and decay.

  "Ugh!" Samira gagged, pinching her nose shut with both hands. "What is that smell?!"

  Raito didn't answer. He pointed his sword into the dim apartment, his face pale.

  "It's that."

  Hanging in the center of the hallway, suspended from a heavy beam by a thick rope around his neck, was the bloated, decomposing body of a Tortoise Sacred.

  "Hieee!" Malik let out a high-pitched shriek, his knees giving way as he collapsed to the floor in shock.

  Beside him, the rowdy neighbor took one look at the gruesome sight, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out cold with a heavy thud.

  "Call the guards! Quick!" Raito barked, his voice tight with urgency as he turned to the others. "This place is now a crime scene!"

  He stared at the swaying body, his heart heavy.

  "Drats," Raito murmured, lowering his sword. "We are too late."

  He looked around the silent, stinking apartment, his mind racing. "Either he saw something and was therefore silenced... or he is involved with the main culprit. Either way..."

  He clenched his fist. "This whole case has become much more complex than it needs to be." He looked back at Yukari, his eyes grim. "I hope there are no more victims."