Shizuku exhaled, shaking her silver hair.
Her unusual ability often leads her to be called upon for inexplicable murder cases.
Because once she witnesses the vision, the culprit immediately becomes clear.
Sometimes seemingly impossible murders were simply the result of the perpetrator going to incredible lengths.
But this time…
“We couldn’t see the culprit, could we?”
“No, we couldn’t.”
Indeed, the vision did not reveal the culprit.
And ‘Visions’ cannot perceive other ‘Unlaws.’
“Which means the issue is determining what kind of ‘Unlaws’ was involved.”
Shizuku did not answer my remark right away.
Instead, she took a wrapped confection from her pocket.
Carefully peeling it open with her gloved hands, it was a chocolate snack.
Displaying her utter lack of interest in the case.
“Figuring that out is your job, you know.”
“…And here I was hoping you’d act like the great detective.”
The problem is,
how to get this completely unmotivated ‘great detective’ invested—
because if she applies herself, this case should be easy to solve.
●
Setting aside whether Shizuku Teardrop is the great detective or the assistant for now.
Realistically, the leg work of interviewing falls to me, so I have to do it.
We know it involves an ‘Unlaws,’ but that’s it.
Still, since I’m the one tasked with handling ‘Unlaws’ cases, I need to find the culprit.
“Of the potential suspects…rather, there were five people present at the estate around the estimated time of the murder.”
We had moved from the murder scene to a living room of equal size in the estate.
Facing sofas with a low table in between.
Norman and Harrison sat across from each other, while Shizuku sat next to Norman, keeping a slight distance as she hugged her knees.
“Five people?”
“Yes. The servants, and one guest who happened to be staying over.”
“This estate is pretty big, so is five a lot or a little? Are there potential suspects from outside?”
“There are, and we’re investigating that angle too. But this place had pretty tight security. As a rule, the gates and all doors were locked at sunset.”
“I see. Very security-conscious.”
“After the late husband was killed by robbers, and Mary inherited this estate, she implemented those measures. She also dismissed any servants she couldn’t fully trust.”
“I understand.”
“…”
I sensed Shizuku pursing her lips beneath her hood.
Probably thinking something like, ‘And yet she still ended up murdered,’ with her typical indifference.
Norman thought for a moment, but he knew Harrison would be angry if he said such a thing.
“At the time of the incident, there were five people in the mansion,”
the fatigued detective repeated.
[The butler], [the butler’s apprentice], [the footman], [the lady’s maid], [the physician] – those five people.
None of them had an alibi around 11 PM, the time of death.
“…None of them?”
“The [lady’s maid] and [physician] were in their respective rooms, either asleep or preparing to sleep. The [butler] was in his private room, preparing for the next day. The [butler’s apprentice] was cleaning the boiler room in the basement. The [footman] was organizing books in the library. However, their rooms were somewhat separated, so they didn’t seem to have seen each other.”
“I see. How did you find out about it?”
“The sound.”
“Pardon? …Ah, no, you’re right. Of course.”
“The [butler] rushed over first, shortly followed by the [footman]. Then the others gathered.”
“So the room was locked, and there was no response when you called out. You had to force it open, and Mrs. Mary was already dead inside, right?”
“That’s right.”
“How shocking…”
” …… “
He felt like he heard a voice saying he should think it through more carefully.
When he turned his gaze, it was averted with a “hmph.”
“…Ah? Why are you looking at me?”
Even if this fatigued detective did the same, it would only be unsettling, though he didn’t mean any offense.
No, he must be a good person.
“Uh, then Detective, can I…no, may I speak with the suspect candidates?”
“Ah, I’ve already spoken with them.”
“I’m always in your debt.”
“It’s my job,”
he muttered with a dissatisfied sigh as he left the parlor.
Norman liked and trusted Harrison’s attitude.
Anyone who was so passionate about something so incomprehensible must be Unlaws to some degree.
“Ah, finally.”
And as soon as Harrison left, Shizuku spoke up.
“Norman.”
“What is it?”
“I’m hungry. I want shawarma from Downey Street.”
“Let’s go eat after we hear them out.”
Shizuku shrugged wearily at Norman’s response.
“Is the interrogation that important?”
“Of course it’s important.”
It’s his job, after all.
Personally, he couldn’t care less.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
●
“I may not like work, but I can’t deny the convenience of being able to casually enter stores.”
Shizuku muttered cheerfully as she used chopsticks to pick up the foreign sandwich roll—shawarma—made of baked meat and vegetables wrapped in thin bread dough.
“[Cartesius] provides for our living, but we do have restrictions on going out.”
“…Well, we’re restricted from going out, but not forbidden, right?”
“Honestly, Norman, what are you trying to make me say?”
“Shouldn’t that be what you want to say?”
Shrugging, Norman took a bite of his differently-shaped shawarma.
It was a half-moon shaped bread stuffed with meat and vegetables, meant to be eaten by hand as fast food. The spicy sauce whetted his appetite – it was one of Norman’s favorites.
About an hour’s walk from Wallwood Manor,
they had visited a diner on Downey Street.
It was a late lunch. Neither of them had lost their appetite after the murder scene.
“Hee, so what do you want me to say?”
Shizuku ate the roll shawarma, meant to be wrapped in paper and eaten by hand, using chopsticks in small bites, feigning a taunting tone.
“You don’t go out without me, do you?”
“Hmm, not quite.”
“My apologies.”
“It can’t be helped.”
She chuckled softly.
The diner had a few counter seats and four table seats, but the two were seated in the farthest corner, a half-private booth out of sight from the counter and the outside.
When out of sight, Shizuku’s expression changed considerably.
“Well, truthfully, I don’t really need to go out for more than groceries and daily necessities, so it’s not a problem.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes. I don’t really want anything more than this.”
She said it casually, not removing the leather gloves even while eating.
Aside from Shizuku, Norman had never seen anyone in this city use foreign eating utensils, but she needed them. She couldn’t remove her gloves, and eating with her hands would be unhygienic, so she used chopsticks.
Of course, she also used knives, forks, and spoons depending on the dish.
She wouldn’t even use her fingers for the side of chips.
“…Want some?”
“Oh. Fufu, trying to keep me in a good mood?”
When he offered her some of his chips by picking them up with his fingers, she gladly ate them.
Watching her small mouth nibble on the chips bit by bit, he said,
“…About the case, though. From what I’ve heard, none of the five suspects had a bad relationship with Mrs. Mary. In fact, it was good. Normally speaking, they had no reason to kill her.”
“What’s ‘normal’?”
“Good question.”
At the very least, the culprit was far from normal – far from common sense.
That’s what an ‘Unlaws’ case was.
“Slurp.”
“You’re even licking my fingers, but do they taste good too?”
“Doesn’t the salt on the potato chips taste better than the potatoes themselves?”
“I can’t disagree with that.”
“What a scandalous thing to say.”
“The chips are golden yellow, though.”
“Not your best.”
Harsh.
“But you can’t be lukewarm about cases, can you? Not you, anyway, Norman.”
“Well, that’s true. I don’t care about the case, but I have to do my job. What does the great detective think?”
“Well…”
She took a bite of her sliced roll shawarma, thought for a moment, swallowed, and said,
“She did die in quite the sexy negligee, didn’t she?”
“That’s what you focused on?”
“Yes. Well, what do you think about that sort of thing?”
He seriously considered her words.
“…Not bad, I suppose, but isn’t it a bit different for you?”
“If you’re choosing your words carefully because you think I have a complex about my chest, I’ll be upset.”
“I’m glad you wear clothes that suit you.”
“Nfu… That was a good line.”
“Feeling motivated now?”
“Hmm, I could use a bit more.”
She shrugged and raised her index finger, still gloved.
“If I had to say, what concerns me is that the culprit had an intimate enough relationship with her to welcome them in that negligee.”
“Ah…I see, I guess?”
Norman tilted his head, then considered the positions of the five suspects.
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