The green-haired woman stands in front of the captain's office door.
She's about to face Captain Armin Vasistas, a stern and authoritative man, but also one of the few who recognizes her talent as a detective.
This meeting is crucial.
The captain has called her into his office, and Deedee knows it might be about the case she's been investigating for weeks.

Deedee knocks on the captain's door and hears his "Come in!" before entering.

Captain Vasistas is seated behind his desk, with a serious expression.

"Detective Lang, please have a seat," he says, pointing to a chair in front of him.

Deedee takes a seat, remaining calm even though she's a bit anxious.
She can already imagine what the captain is going to tell her, and she knows she won't like it.

"Captain, what do you want from me?" she asks.

"I've received reports about your aggressive behavior towards your colleagues, and most importantly, towards the suspects," the captain begins.

"Regarding that, I apologize. I've always acted with the best interests of the investigation and the police in mind," the woman justifies herself.

"You're putting me in a difficult position, Lang. Higher-ups want to move forward and redirect our efforts towards other cases."

"What are you saying, Captain?"
It's a rhetorical question.
Deedee understands what Captain Vasistas is telling her, but she wants to hear it clearly from him.

Captain Vasistas stares at Deedee with a stern expression.

"The Drusla-Vonner case is closed. We've seized a significant amount of drugs in the raid and arrested the gang leaders. There's nothing more to investigate."

Deedee is devastated.
However, she can't give in.
She needs to persuade Vasistas to keep the case open.

"Captain, I know it may seem closed, but I feel there's something bigger behind this. These two aren't the masterminds behind the drug trafficking. I'm convinced they've always acted as intermediaries, and now that we have them, maybe we can push them to talk."

The captain sighs, appearing tired.

"Lang, I understand that you're a talented and determined detective, but your methods are crossing the line. You've ignored protocols and put your colleagues, the suspects and yourself in danger. We can't allow that."

"I was just trying to do my job. I can't ignore my instincts. I know there's something more significant behind all of this, and I can't close the case like this," Deedee says angrily.

"Look at the facts. We found the alchemical equipment to produce the drug, we found the drugs, and we arrested those who were manufacturing and dealing it. After that, this drug disappeared from the market," the captain tries to reason with her.

"It's impossible that those two idiots synthesized the formula for a drug from scratch, without any alchemical knowledge. There's a motherfucker out there who has the ability to create drugs, and we can't let that happen because I'm convinced that drug trafficking will resume," she presents her viewpoint.

The captain raises a hand to stop her. "There are several ways to obtain alchemical formulas for drug production, Lang. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but we need concrete evidence to continue the investigation. If you have evidence that proves others are involved, present it. Otherwise, you have to accept that the case is closed."

"FUCK, I CAN'T ACCEPT IT!" Deedee bursts out.
She is furious and disappointed.
Unfortunately, she has no concrete evidence to present.
She can only rely on her instinct, which she is confident in because it has never betrayed her.
But it's not something she can rationally convince the captain of.
Deedee knows this, but she can't accept it. She is frustrated.
She has set her sights on prey, and as a hunter, she can't let it escape.

"Watch your language, Lang!" the captain slams his fists violently on the desk. "So far, I've tolerated your attitude, but you're crossing the line!"

*KNOCK KNOCK*

There's a knock on the office door.

"I'm busy!" the captain exclaims.
On the other side of the door, Agent Muller insists, "Captain, it's urgent!"

The man sighs in annoyance. "Then come in."
Vasitas gives permission.

Muller enters. He looks agitated.

"What happened?"

"Nikola Drusla has committed suicide."

The immediate reaction to those words is shock.
Deedee is frozen; she didn't expect the junkie to do such a thing.
Then comes the immediate remorse.
Could it be because of her interrogation?
The aggression with which she pressed him for information?

"Are you sure, Muller?" Deedee stupidly seeks confirmation.
They would never joke about something like this.
He's definitely dead, but her mind can't accept it and seeks confirmation.

Muller nods.

"This is a massive problem... Shit," even the Captain curses.
Vasistas' nervousness is off the charts.
This is a headache he'll have to handle and it will mess up the entire police department.
She can imagine the insults and curses the Captain is holding back.

"Muller, leave us. Prepare a statement for the press that doesn't reveal anything," the Captain orders.
The STADAV agent leaves the office, closing the door.

"You've gotten us into deep shit, Lang. If it comes out that the guy went crazy during the interrogation, we're all fucked."

"Captain, are we sure it's a suicide?"

"ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING, DAMN IT?!" Vasistas yells.
Deedee lowers her head.
She wants to argue, but the Captain is furious.
"The case is closed."

"B-but..."

"And you are suspended indefinitely. I have to cover up everything, and your presence is inconvenient for the district."

"Suspended?!"

"Detective Deckara Demora Lang, hand over your badge." The Captain's tone allows no objections.

Deedee is too proud to cry.
It hurts, but she can't show it.
She takes the badge.
She looks at it.
Being a cop sucks, but she's still proud of it.

With anger, she slams the badge on the desk.

*THUD*

"I won't stop seeking the truth!"

"Don't do anything stupid, Lang. The police won't have your back. I suggest you take a vacation and clear your head while I clean up this mess."

Deedee curses inwardly.
Then she turns and heads towards the door.

"Lang, we can't afford scandals. Am I clear?" the Captain asks her before she leaves.

"Yes, Captain," the woman replies, lacking conviction.

"Fuck me," the Captain mutters, sighing.

Deedee leaves the Captain's office with determination.
Even though she's now suspended, she will continue the investigation.
She won't have the authorities' support.
She might even break the law.
But she won't stop until she has the answers she needs, even if it means going against the will of the police.
Her prey won't escape her.

***
*STRAUSS POV*

The blank page stares at me.
I stare back at it.
I feel like a writer with writer's block.
Not because I don't know what to write.
But because I'm afraid to write.

Am I still human? Will I still be beyond this line?
Why do I hesitate?
This is what I want, the path I've chosen to take.
Deepest Darkest Black.
As I told Luysia, though, even in that darkest abyss, there is a light.
My conscience.
You won't hold me back, conscience. Not in this life.
I must move forward, reach the peak. I can't waste time on the scum.
I have to move forward and crush it.

I've already had the contractor sign the blank sheet.
'Nikola Drusla'

My ability [CURSE MAKER] allows me to create curses without any limits other than my imagination and the conditions for activation. Through it, I've managed to create various curses, including the Voodoo curse, Hidan's curse, and even replicate the Master-Servant contract.

If I wanted to, this would be the moment to stop, to take another path.
I'm still in time.
I shake my head. I take the pen and begin to write, every letter feels heavy.
Besides the consumption of MP, I also feel the weight of responsibility.

'Neuesdorf, X November 20XX

I, the undersigned Nikola Drusla, have signed and accepted the rules and conditions of this contract;
therefore, I am ending my life by hanging myself in my cell using a bedsheet.

Signature,
Nikola Drusla'

The latter is my masterpiece, a version similar to the notebook of the death.
The blank contract.

The conditions and rules are stringent, and they also require the consent of the contractor, including their blank signature.

I'm trembling.
My hand is trembling.
As soon as I finish writing, I feel the curse activate.
It worked.

[[ Nikola Drusla Killed: 150 Exp Earned ]]

The system alerts me.
Despite the suicide, the system attributes the death to me.
It rewards me with experience points.
I am the killer.

My heart is pounding.
*THUMP THUMP THUMP*
I can feel it. It's racing.

I've killed a person.
An innocent person.
A horrible person, a human reject.
Did he deserve to die?
No, but I killed him anyway.

The feeling of having done something terrible and irreversible is distressing.
Cold. I'm freezing. There's no turning back.
This thought doesn't stop the nausea spreading through my body.
It's like I have seasickness.
This is the first murder I've committed.
I'm sure it will be the first of many.
Some will deserve it, others less so, but in the end, the responsibility is solely mine, and I'll have to live with this darkness.

I didn't think I would feel so terrible.
I feel like shit.
I was more human than I thought.
I need to let off steam, to not think about it.
I don't think I could sleep now.

Rero isn't suitable; with her, sex is pleasant, passionate, almost sweet with love.
Certainly, I couldn't vent my feelings with Professor Merfal to the extent I am with her now.
Neither Welze Juble could understand me, and I certainly couldn't confess to her what I've done.

I can only release this darkness with Luysia.
She's perfect for how I feel right now.

I stagger, trying to leave my room.
I try to hold back the urge to vomit.