Chapter 7 – The detective

 

[Zexalone]

“That was amazing, I dunno that she can be like that”

Well, I just slept with her,

“Sigh~”

I need more information, the lady that I just slept with, nothing to get. I mean, I was hoping that the lady I choose know something about the incident.

I guess, I need to investigate this matter to get more information in this area.

“Yeeeey~”

But, seriously, I never thought that I’ll be a detective. Thanks to the mission given by Momo.

….

When I get home, I found a letter and a newspaper.

The content of the letter…

‘For the next mission, I want you to search any clue to this criminal case. You can see it on the page 5, small column in the right corner.

We have directed guards to investigate this case. But we don’t believe them one hundred percent. I hope you understand why we asked you to do this.

I already inform the others to help out too.

-BC’

The accident is about some people went missing in the last 3 days. That was where we still at the village. Some of them injured, and no clue who did this.

….

After I gather some information, I only know that the weapon used in the accident. Based on the wounds from the victims, the weapon has a needle. But, the weird part was when the victims explained that the weapon used was a big brown things that sharp at the tip. Some of them even say it was a blunt weapon and some said that the weapon texture itself very rough, no hand grip like the sword. So it must be something else.

Another things that I learned, the accident took place on near prostitute district. All of the missing people were a young man, and young woman who have a nice body. I guess, healthy people will be the target.

That’s the only thing that I can gather, because they began to suspect me for asking about the information.

So, I decided to tell the others about it.

….

In order to avoid any suspicion, I write down the clue on my identity card, and looking for the others.

First, I went to Alvern.

On my way to Alvern’s shop, something catch my eyes. Some people that selling stuff on the road side selling a log for fireplace. In this kind of area? Near the capital city? That was suspicious. Because, from what I know, logs can only be obtained at the suburbs area.

“Sup!”

“Hey there, wait for a bit, let me finish this transaction”

“Okay,” looks like it will take a while.

So I decided to look around. A lot of alchemy bottle on display.

This green bottle is the antidote potion. The red one that, hmm… a light red? This might the low regeneration potion.

As I look around, I end up in the corner of the shop.

Some suspicious potions displayed.

“That’s for sex vitality”

“Oh, I see”

“….WHO?” I turn my face towards to sound

“Hi there,”

He was Xyfer standing behind me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask,

“Hmm? Just hanging around.”

“Don’t you have a job in the castle?”

“Nope, but now I want to know why are you in this corner?”

“I..umm..” I can’t say that I want to inform Alvern about the clue.

“Don’t worry, your secret about you want a sex vitality potion is safe with me” He said while laughing.

“Uhh… ssshhh…” I guess, I need to just bluff him.

“Hey, I’m done here,” The sounds of Alvern calling us.

“Let’s go” He said.

Then, we go to where Alvern call us.

….

As we walk side by side, I keep thinking. Should I tell Xyfer? What if he already know our mission? In the letter said that ‘I already inform the others to help too’

“….”

It’s not like I don’t want to but, I don’t know who else know this mission.

“Come, let’s talk in my workshop” Alvern shows the way.

….

In Alvern’s workshop.

“Take a seat” Said Alvern.

Me and Xyfer took a seat.

In his workshop, you can see a lot of glasses, a hammer, small hammer, fireplace, small cauldron, and anything related on alchemy.

“Do you bring what I ask you?” Said Alvern.

“Yeah, here” Xyfer pull out something.

“Nice, now I can make the potion” He said.

The things Xyfer pulled was kind of plant. Not just one, but a lot. I don’t want to know, because it’s pain in the ass to know it.

But, it might be useful. Better not ask now.

“What potion?” I asked.

“Potion that can paralyze the person who drink it, it can be mixed”

“I see, for what you use it?”

“Wait, before you guys continue on discussing it. I better leave” Said Xyfer.

“Why?” I asked.

“You know, to avoid any suspicious. If you want to know, there’s someone, well not someone, an assistant to be exact. Assistant of the judgement whenever they ask a question. They can use magic that can tell any lies. I heard they can see it from their aura.” He explains.

“That is amazing, ah, so you don’t want to hear anything that Momo asked us to do?”

“Yes, if I leave now, before you guys start discussing it, when I say ‘I don’t know anything, I just deliver a materials’ It will save me, since I did not hear anything you guys discuss” He said.

“I see,”

“Thanks anyway,” Said Alvern while doing his work in mixing the herbs and etc.

“Okay, see you around”

“Wait, a sec” I stopped him.

“Yes?”

“What if Momo got interrogated. She can’t lie right?” I just realize, if Momo were asked, she would not be able to lie right?

“Do not worry, they trust Momo. But if they don’t, they can’t use magic on her. So she will be saved” He said and continues to walk into the door.

“See you” and he left.

I guess, Alvern ask the materials from Momo via Priepie. But, how?

“If you wondering how I can ask for materials, just call Momo’s pet” Alvern explained it.

“Okay, but now I guess you know our mission right?”

“Yes, is it about coup d’etat rumors right?” He said.

“What? No.” I shocked.

“Then? What is it?” He asked.

“Wait, don’t tell me. Each of us had different mission?”

“Really? I thought we got same one”

Then I told him about the mission I got from Momo.

“Well, that’s suprising. I asked to investigate the coup d’etat rumors amongs the noble and royal” He said. Then he began to explain his mission that he got from Momo.

From what Alvern said, the rumor is old enough, I believe it had been a month since the rumor start. Momo asked Alvern to investigate, because of the incident of missing people made Momo afraid of the rumor.

Maybe the mission that Momo gave to us was different from each other, and it might interconnected.

“I don’t know where the rumor started, and I was asked to investigate near the capital. I mean, the people that might connected to the rumor.” He continues.

He took a glass, and serve it in front of me.

“Here, a beer,”

“Thanks, then what were you doing in the last two days?”

“First think that I need to know, is the general rumor that people know. I stayed indoor and just asked my customer if they know anything”

“Step by step huh? I though you would go straight to the field”

“To be honest, I’m a little bit lazy to do this.”

“Why?”

“When we were able to go adventure, why the HELL ARE WE HERE??!?”

Uhh, he snapped.

“RRRAGH!!”

BRAKK~ *the sounds of a lot of things got messy*

“Cheer!” I raised my hand, and look at him.

“Sigh~ Cheer~”

….

“So, what did you get?” He asked me.

I explain everything, the incident, the wounded people, the clue that I get.

“Hmm, from what you told me. We still do not know the exact weapon used in this incident”

“Yeah, still hard to figure it out”

“We need a code name for this clue,”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Big Brown P”

“…excuse me?”

“Big Brown P”

“…”

Really? There’s a lot of name that can be used. Why the hell we use that kind of name?

“I know what you are thinking. No one expect it you know. They will find it as a joke.”

“How come?”

“Look, I know that you will walk around to get more information and from the incident? It often occurs on prostitute area.”

“Make sense,”

“So, how you can find this P?”

“I think, we got to see it directly, well, do we need to bait them to target us?”

“Who wants to be a decoy?”

“…hmm? Of course”

“”KINO!!”” *we shout together*

….

So I left Alverns after we share information. The next morning, I went to Kino’s house.

“Hey,” I knocked Kino’s door.

No answer? Is he out or something? I try to open the door.

“...where is he?” but no ones there. The only things that I get was a piece of paper ‘I work as a waiters’

I guess, he asked to work as one of the staff in the hotel. What a pain in the ass. Why he did not mention which hotel he worked.

But, glad I found him. Just when I investigated in prostitute area, I found him in one of the hotel. He was standing at the cashier. So, in order to meet him without getting any suspicious. I flirt with a lady, and bring her to Kino’s hotel.

….

After I make sure the lady is sleeping, I go down to meet Kino.

“Hey, Kino?” I shout his name.

But no answer.

Where could he be?

STEP STEP STEP *a sounds of someone walking fast*

“Hey Kino, you there?”

A man with a fat belly arrived at the door.

“Huh? Where’s Kino?” He asked me.

“I do not know, who are you?” I ask.

“I’m the manager, so you don’t see him?”

“No I’m not,”

“Where the heck is he?” He went to the other room to see Kino.

“Is something a matter?”

“Yes, with him.” He looks at me.

He looks suspicious, so I decided to observed him for a while.

“Are you a customer?”

“Yes. Here is my room key.” I show him my room key.

“Hmm, it’s definetly this hotel room key”

“Do you suspect me?”

“No no, I just want to make sure. Look, Kino’s not here, and I meet you. Of course I need to know who are you, and why are you here right now?”

He is not wrong,

“I’m a customer here, I just want to chill out here by buying some drink. But, no one here.”

“Shall I get you something?”

“Sure”

….

“Here’s the drink”

“Thanks”

I think I should keep low profile. I do not know who he is, even he is just the manager, but…

“…” Let’s just wait for a while.

“Sir, if you want to smoke I recommend you to go outside for a bit. Because it’s a little messy here” He said while bringing a broom and a mop.

“Ah? Okay”

….

When I go outside, I decided to walk around this area. The street is pretty much quiet. Just one or two people walk around.

“…”

Let’s look around, there might be something.

Just when I walk into a small alley near the hotel.

DUK~ *a sound of something got kicked by me*

“..?”

I look down, there’s a log of wood lying around. Of course it’s weird, it is lying near a trash can. Just like somebody throw a thing that is not used anymore.

“…!!”

A thing that is not used anymore?

I take the log, and start looking at it. It’s blunt, same as the usual log used for fireplace. But, one of the end has a small hole.

“…”

It’s like something is put in here, the hole is pretty neat.

“…!!!”

THIS IS THE P!!