Volu 4, Chapter 1: Searching for the False Book-Seller – Part?2
Eventually, Haiza simply forgot the story and dismissed it as the nonsense of a drunkard.
However, Mirepoc who was reading his Book didn’t share this notion. Parney had clearly stated that she t Lascall Othello. Mirepoc, who never drank didn’t really understand it, but she probably wouldn’t repeat again and again that she t soone if she didn’t actually know him.
Eventually, the investigation on Lascall Othello continued without bearing any fruit. Even after Haiza’s death, several Ard Librarians and trainees took over it, but they were no longer investigating seriously. Three years into the investigation and Hamyuts aborted it.
However, Mirepoc was thinking – if she were to investigate Parney right now, won’t she find a different result?
Also, if Lascall Othello had anything to do with the Indulging God Cult, wouldn’t it an that Parney knew so trendous secret?
Mirepoc was pacing along the road, hearing the never-ceasing sounds of car engines and horns. A little sick of it all, she walked through Fulbeck’s city center.
She found a signboard in front of a stone-made five-story building. She set her foot inside this building that was designated as “Fulbeck Central Security”.
“An Ard Librarian? Why so suddenly?”
The answering sheriff made no effort to hide his surprise at her visit.
“It’s an unofficial visit.”
“On what business?”
“I ca here to check docunts pertaining to the Parney Parlmanta murder case.”
“Why only now?”
“I’m sorry, but this is a confidential matter.”
Mirepoc was brought to the reference room by the confused sheriff.
Materials about Parney Parlmanta were buried in one shelf of that room. In addition to the dossier, there were also newspaper clippings and other papers such as articles from gossip magazines stored there.
Mirepoc thanked the sheriff and began reading the material.
Parney was murdered one year after eting with Haiza. The shocking killing thod of decapitation and the mysterious criminal all drew the attention of the world.
The culprit was as of yet uncaught. Even the most important clue, Parney’s Book, had not been stored in Bantorra Library. Although the Ard Librarians have embarked on the search of the Book, it was obviously not yet found.
“Are these the only investigation docunts?”
Mirepoc muttered and closed the notebook she was holding. There wasn’t anything important there.
She scanned through the newspaper clippings and gossip magazines just in case. Sensational amounts of theories and evidence decorated the pages. There was an amazing amount of articles. And yet, none of them had any credibility.
Was the cri made by a fanatical fan? An assassin hired by a movie company? A resentful actress who did not receive any roles? Was she killed by a Book-stealing organization for her Book? Theories of a criminal from the governnt, theories of a criminal from the Ard Librarians, and even theories of it being punishnt from the Gods were floating around.
Mirepoc’s head hurt. It was impossible finding the truth in the vast amount of information. Closing the scrap notebook, she returned it to the shelf.
“Lies are the best way to conceal the truth, aren’t they…”
She tried recalling who once said these words.
At that mont, she heard a knock and a man ca inside the room. He was a firm-built man that could already be called old.
“I am sheriff Moodly. Is there any way I can help you?”
The man introduced himself with a small bow. The na Moodly sounded familiar. She often saw it in the investigation material. He was the person at the center of the investigation.
“That is generous of you to offer. However, since this is an unofficial visit, I did not request for any help.”
“Is that so.”
Moodly readily withdrew. Mirepoc was thankful for that. She didn’t want a sheriff that had no combat abilities hanging around.
“Why are you checking that incident now?”
Mirepoc answered,
“That incident is not my goal. I am investigating a different case, but I suspect this one to have so connection to it.”
“…I see.”
Moodly thought for a while. She noticed a tinge of fear in his facial expression.
“Is sothing the matter?”
“No, it is nothing.”
Moodly shook his head to the side. And then he began grumbling while recalling the old days.
“We really don’t know anything about the Parney murder. It’s as if all evidence was gone without a trace. If, at that ti, we had an Ard Librarian with us we might have solved it.”
Mirepoc denied it.
“That’s unreasonable. You can’t just leave anything and everything for us Ard Librarians.”
The job of the Ard Librarians was to protect the peaceful death of people. For that, they protected the mines, the Books, the Library, and fought against those who disturbed the order of the world.
No matter how much of a famous actress she was, if it was a re murder case it wasn’t a job for the Ard Librarians.
“More importantly, Parney’s Book is said to be sowhere in this city.”
“Indeed. There is so information that a Book-stealing organization possesses it, but we couldn’t find any evidence of that.”
“We have also been trying to look for it, but regrettably we cannot do anything about it.”
There were countless criminal organizations that were involved in the buying and selling of Books around the world. Since Fulbeck was such a large city, none of the sheriffs could easily lay their hands on them.
“It was a horrible incident.”
The two of them sighed at the sa ti.
Mirepoc left Central Security and started walking around the city again.
As she walked she started thinking. Were there really any clues about Lascall Othello in this city?
It was possible. On top of Lascall Othello and the Indulging God Cult having a connection with one another, did Parney Parlmanta also have sothing to do with the Cult?
Thinking this far, she smiled wryly at the low possibility. It seed almost impossible. But while impossible, the probability was not zero. As long as it wasn’t zero, she couldn’t just leave it alone.
Mirepoc felt as if she was trying to find a needle in a haystack. The needle was Lascall Othello and the haystack was the vast sea of information.
She didn’t know if there was an actual needle inside the haystack. And was the thing inside even a needle? It could also have been a harmless wire. However, if she just leaves it there, it might prick soone one day. She wasn’t able to find it, but she couldn’t stop looking for it.
She was looking for a mysterious man in this vast city. It was extrely exhausting.
“…Good grief.”
Mirepoc flew from the Library full of energy, but the road ahead seed more difficult than she anticipated.
Thinking about it, her ability was used by transferring her thoughts to other people. That ant it was useless if she was by herself. She was powerless while having no allies. She once again fully realized this.
“Oh, I was looking for you.”
A person ca to speak with Mirepoc. It was a woman clothed in a blue evening dress who seed to be in her thirties. She was quite different from the woman she t before.
“Excuse , but who might you be?”
Mirepoc gently reached for the gun in her clothes. However, she imdiately ceased. No matter how she looked at it, the woman didn’t appear likely to do her any harm.
“I’m from Falluin Won’s Departnt Store. We have been told to assist your work today and co to pick you up, Mirepoc-sama. You talked with that lady earlier, right? We have heard about you from her.”
“I didn’t hear anything about this.”
Mirepoc instantly answered. In the first place, can the owner of a clothing store even help her?
“Yes yes. Don’t be concerned about that and follow .”
A car already appeared next to them. The woman guided Mirepoc into the car without waiting for her answer.
The car parked in front of the departnt store. Mirepoc was dragged inside.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Isn’t it obvious? You’re going to choose clothes. What you’re wearing is also lovely, but when in Fulbeck you have to dress like Fulbeckers do.”
That didn’t have anything to do with her.
“Everyone, Mirepoc Finedell-sama is here as per her reservation.”
She tried breaking off. However, before she could run away, she was surrounded by the female clerks gushing all around her. Flustered, she was pushed into the dressing room.
An hour passed since then.
“How is it now?”
One after the other, the clerks ca inside carrying dresses. Mirepoc did as she told, took off her clothes to try new ones, and then took off those as well. How much clothes had she tried on by now? They were all far from Mirepoc’s tastes.
“It fits you.”
The female clerk put a mirror in front of the dress-up doll nad Mirepoc.
“How is it? How is it?”
“…”
This ti she wore a walking dress. Having gotten used to military uniforms, Mirepoc felt the soft fabric was terribly unreliable. The area around her neck was wide open, and the gathered skirt would probably be easily lifted by any gust of wind.
“It’s this year’s latest fashion. You wouldn’t be able to walk around the city without wearing at least sothing of this level.”
What does she an by that, wasn’t I walking around just fine before? But Mirepoc already lacked the energy to make any rebuttal. She never knew changing clothes was so tiring. She truly underestimated the normal won of the world.
“How is it? How is it?”
Frankly, she didn’t care at all. But, if she were to say this, the next clerk would bring her more clothes. Mirepoc was already fed up with this.
“This is fine.”
She said and left the fitting room.
“So you’re buying this…”
The face of the clerk was stuck with a smile as she said this.
Mirepoc wore a thick gun belt on top of the white dress. She put her rapier on the left side and on her right side a gun and a spare magazine. She fastened the boorish emblem of an Ard Librarian on her chest in place of a pendant.
“Umm, it would be more elegant if you wouldn’t do that.”
The clerk tried stopping her.
“I know.”
In place of the sandals prepared for her, she wore thick, sturdy boots. Then, she looked at her appearance in the mirror once again.
No matter how she looked it all seed wrong. She never thought a dress and a gun belt would be so unfitting for each other.
“…Are you about to walk the city like this?”
“Clothes are good enough as long as I’m not cold.”
Mirepoc answered, half desperate.
“By the way, how much is this?”
“We have already received paynt.”
The clerk said. Mirepoc was surprised. This is just like so man buying a gift for his mistress. Who told them to take here in the first place?
“Excuse , but why did you bring here?”
“We have been told that if we were to find a military uniform-wearing woman walking around the city, we need to bring her here and find her a decent-looking outfit.
Since you were walking around in that military uniform you were far too conspicuous.”
“And who told you that?”
“I did.”
A man’s voice ca from behind. Mirepoc turned around, startled.
“Mattalast-san!”
Mattalast approached. He then closely looked at Mirepoc’s getup.
“You look weird.”
Mirepoc once again confird the strength of her patience.
She placed her fingers between her eyebrows and took two deep breaths. He did sothing kind for her. There was no point in being angry.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
The two of them walked out of the departnt store and down the road. Mattalast walked several paces ahead and Mirepoc tried keeping up with him.
“Mattalast-san, why are you here?”
“I’m also on vacation.”
“To pursue Lascall Othello?”
“Of course not. I’m on vacation.”
Mirepoc thought it was a lie.
Mattalast lowered the trombone case from his back. This was the case of his rifle known as the Tenor. That gun wasn’t used even in the Monster incident or during Mokkania’s revolt. Having to use it ant Mattalast was serious.
He had the habit of behaving as if he wasn’t going to cooperate. He was a person whose thoughts couldn’t be understood.
“Where are we headed?”
“There’s a place I want to show you.”
“Okay.”
No matter what she thought, he was a most reassuring ally. Mirepoc boarded the tram together with Mattalast.
The tram ran through Fulbeck in a web-like pattern. The complex twisting railway tracks slipped through the gaps of cars and pedestrians. A single woman was sitting in the very back.
She was perhaps in her twenties. She had rust-like red hair and greenish-blue eyes.
Although it was already warm, she wore a n’s black frock-coat. Below it were a tight red dress and black leather shoes. That black and red attire should have stood out, yet inconspicuously blended into the scenery. This was because of the dark atmosphere surrounding her and her natural ability to erase her presence.
The woman pretended to be looking at the scenery outside her window.
Wondering if her disarrayed breathing and throbbing heart could be heard, the woman noticed she was nervous. Although her line of sight was outside the window, her attention was directed towards the seats in front of her. Mattalast Ballory and Mirepoc Finedell were seating there.
The woman’s na was Al Norton.
Al was thoroughly analyzing the two people in front of her. If they were to have a fight with her she would have no chance of victory. When push cos to shove, she would have to make her escape through the window.
However, they didn’t act like they noticed her at all.
They probably only boarded the sa train by re coincidence.
She thought that they would suspect her since she instinctively stared at them, but it seed she had no reason to worry. Due to Mirepoc Finedell wearing a strange attire, most passengers were looking at them. It seed that Al’s peek fell into the sa category in their minds.
“…”
She could faintly hear sounds of conversation from ahead. Al invoked her Magic Right. She emitted invisible and intangible threads from her body. Several threads stretched forward, attaching themselves to the two people’s bodies.
Her ability was nad Sensory Threads. Al possessed the sa ability as that of the Indulging God Cult’s mortal enemy, Hamyuts seta.
Their conversation was transmitted through the threads.
“…Thinking about it, have you seen Parney Parlmanta’s movies?”
“No, not at all.”
“Have you ever been to a movie?”
“No.”
Mattalast shrugged.
“How harsh. From now on is the era of cinema instead of the opera or stage. I think of movies as the art of the new age.”
“I have no interest in art in the first place.”
“Is that so…”
What a boring conversation, Al thought.
“Do you know anything about the cinema?”
“Sowhat.”
“And about Parney Parlmanta?”
“I’ve seen her enough to get sick of it.”
“So what do you think about her?”
“I don’t really like her. ‘The Duel at Tanieze Plains’ was good, but it was probably because of Louise’s dazzling performance as Shiron.”
“I wasn’t asking about that.”
“Louise’s acting was really good. Seeing how she devoted herself to evil with all of her heart was part of her charm. Well, after knowing the real Shiron I have so mixed feelings, though.”
“Like I said, I wasn’t asking about that.”
Boring indeed. Al retracted her Sensory Threads.
But, as could be inferred from their conversation, they probably ca looking for Parney Parlmanta’s Book. So they could pursue Lascall.
Al ridiculed them in her mind.
These bastards are looking for Lascall, huh. Thinking this, she got off the tram. The two people didn’t even look at her as she passed next to them.
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