“At the museum, when we shook hands in order, that guy tried to crush my hand. Why? It was a provocation. He considered what kind of person I am and did that, either to point it out or yell at me in that situation. It’s utterly astonishing arrogance. For a moment, I was boiling too and tried to crush his hand in return.”
“I heard about that on the way back.”
“Ah, I see. Well, you see, we were both holding back, but since we can constantly exhibit these physical abilities, only my kind can make such provocations. It’s a simple matter.”
“I didn’t notice at all.”
“…………I got it, I got it. My bad, I’ll tell you right away next time. I thought it would heal overnight, so it was okay.”
“It’s a bad habit, Lonzder.”
Norman directs an intense gaze at her as she gives a wry smile.
He only noticed the injury to her hand after leaving the museum, when they arrived at the library crime scene.
She had kept her right hand in her pocket the whole time, which struck him as odd. He immediately wrapped it with the ointment and bandages he had in his coat. Having been a doctor’s son and a military medic, that sort of thing wasn’t a problem for him.
The real problem was that she didn’t mention the injury.
A much bigger problem than the thief’s identity.
“Heheh.”
She laughs softly as she rubs her bandaged right hand with her left,
almost caressing it like a precious gem.
It’s a soft, gentle smile, unlike her usual ghastly grin.
“That feeling alone has satisfied me quite a bit.”
“How cheap.”
“No, I’m a high-class woman as a rule. I choose my suitors, and the price depends on the buyer. Anything else you want to ask?”
“What do you think the ability is?”
“Probably phasing through matter.”
“Even though he tried to crush your hand?”
“That’s the basic ability of the [Deviant State]. Phasing, in any case. He can probably phase through walls, floors, or whatever he wants.”
“……And his motive?”
“There was nothing at the crime scene.”
She takes a bite of her hamburger, then wipes the sauce from her lips with her finger.
The way she licks that finger is strangely sensual.
“Rest assured, Norman. I’m confident about this.”
“And his motive?”
“Because the other party is the Phantom Thief Tistle.”
“Huh?”
“Kukuku.”
She laughs mockingly,
shaking her single red strand of hair.
“No, you don’t need to understand. Just admire jewels. Not flowers, dogs, or fairies.”
“Hah.”
She’s playing coy.
Well, that’s not unusual, so it’s fine, but…
“If you know that much, can’t you do something about it, Lonzder?”
“Weren’t you listening? That’s why I’m feeling deflated.”
For a moment, her mood seemed to improve, but it quickly reverted.
“Listen, Norman.”
She prefaces with one thing.
“I had high expectations after seeing that notice. I even thought it would be better if it was just an ordinary human. Then I could play a deduction game, thinking it might be some drunken fool calling himself a ‘Phantom Thief’. But what happened when I opened it up? There was no back-and-forth, no phasing or anything. The point is, meet my expectations.”
Having said her piece, she lies back and sips from her bottle of liquor.
“Hmm, isn’t that just being a sore loser?”
“That’s why I said it didn’t have to be me. Ah, that’s right. I heard you were going to the capital with the ‘Fairy’ next week. How about switching places with me?”
“Even if you say ‘how about,’ I only heard about it the day before yesterday, so how do you know?”
I shrug my shoulders to deflect the question that leaves me perplexed. Her deflation is more severe than I expected.
As I ponder what to do, I ask:
“I understand about the abilities, but………. then why become a phantom thief?”
“Huh?”
“Well, with that ability, wouldn’t it be better to infiltrate a bank or something?”
“Probably arrogance due to being a [Deviant State]. He was provoking the police, after all. Or maybe it’s just a hobby or something–“
Her offhand remark is cut off midway.
“Lonzder?”
Rising abruptly, she places her hand on her chin.
“………………Why?”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
She murmurs that small question.
The most important question when dealing with ‘Unlaws’ cases.
“Why did he become a phantom thief? If it was for money, he could just rob a bank. To get used to his ability? But even then, he’s been flawless since the first heist. Was the act of being a phantom thief itself the goal? A hobby? Fetish? No, then the timing of him provoking me doesn’t make sense. Would a fool who wants to be a phantom thief reveal his identity like that? Arrogance due to being a [Deviant State]? Rather, if it’s the behavioral principle of a [Deviant State], then——“
Her stream of words abruptly stops.
“Norman.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll take care of dealing with the phantom thief myself.”
She gives a cheerful smile.
A complete change from her earlier lack of motivation.
“Oh? The detective is making a comeback?”
“No, the detective business is still on hiatus……or is it? In a way, it might be a detective’s job. Fufun, it’s getting a bit interesting. Alright, I’ll praise you, Norman. You raised a good question.”
“I feel like I just said a normal thing.”
“That’s fine. You’re my partner, after all.”
She stands up, satisfied.
“I can do it now. First, let’s deal with that diamond. I’ll have Leonard handle it.”
“He’ll probably give you that unpleasant look again. Speaking of the diamond……I heard it has a pretty crazy backstory?”
“Hmm?”
“The Blood Diamond – it’s just a regular large diamond, right? Do you know why it’s called the Blood Diamond?”
“A diamond bathed in blood, I suppose?”
“Yeah.”
This is a fairly common tale,
as tales go.
The jewel displayed at the Balldlum Museum is said to bring death, or something like that.
Apparently, it was originally mined near the border of some country, and the neighboring countries fought over it, with quite a few people dying. Even after that, it remained an object of desire, with more people dying in battles over its possession.
Hence, the Blood Diamond.
A diamond shining with the blood it has bathed in and absorbed.
“I was surprised, but it seems some people associated with this diamond have actually died in Balldlum too. The person who directly oversaw its transportation to this city and the one who arranged for it to be exhibited at the museum. This might be related to the phantom thief, you know. If we investigate further, there could be more deaths. It’s a cursed diamond.”
“Nonsense. It’s a valuable gem with history. People would fight and die over it. This ‘curse’ is just people’s preconceptions arising from a sequence of facts. Money is enough reason for people to kill, and people die easily.”
“Well, I guess so.”
I shrug my shoulders casually.
It’s a topic I’d rather not dwell on –
memories I don’t want to revisit. I wanted to dig deeper into the diamond, but I shift the conversation away since I don’t want to talk about the Western Front.
“What about the diamond itself? You don’t dislike it, do you?”
“As a work of art, I don’t dislike it. As an accessory, I have no need for it.”
“And his motive?”
“Any jewel would pale in comparison if I were to wear it.”
She laughs.
Brilliantly sparkling like a jewel.
“Well then—let’s begin the resolution.”
●
The phantom thief Thistle quietly sank into the floor.
It felt like plunging into mud.
But that mud solidified by Thistle’s will, allowing them to walk through it freely.
They slipped lightly through the roof of the museum. Oddly enough, they could breathe within solid matter and felt no pressure. Though their vision didn’t work, they could somehow sense the presences of humans.
They emerged on the second floor of the Balldlum Museum, the largest exhibition space.
In the center of the vast hall stood a single glass case.
They didn’t use a smoke screen. They knew who was there.
They could sense it, somehow. The presences of a human and a kindred spirit.
A tall, tanned woman.
Hair black with a streak of red. An actress-like beauty who smoked cigarettes with powerful poise.
Wearing a men’s shirt, pants with one leg cut off at the calf, and a jacket worn over the shoulders without putting her arms through the sleeves.
Her right hand holding the lit cigarette was neatly bandaged.
A boy about her height. Ashen hair tied back behind his neck.
A felt hat, coat, and dazed expression giving him the air of a small animal.
His face was well-formed, but with an air that would likely attract older women rather than his peers.
Lonzder-EnhanceDiah and Norman-Hamish.
“Normally…”
Lonzder didn’t seem surprised when Thistle suddenly appeared from the ceiling.
“…you’d lay out the reasoning for how you deduced my identity, but I suppose that’s unnecessary this time. Though is this really the best place? It’s a museum.”
“—Heheheheh, it doesn’t matter.”
The phantom thief’s unrestrained words
prompted an involuntary outburst of an old woman’s voice.
Norman flinched, eyes widening
as if realizing Thistle hadn’t revealed their identity to him.
As Thistle removed their mask, exposing their face, Lonzder laughed.
“I was wondering what kind of wicked woman would show up—but you turned out to be quite the wicked old hag, Filgie-Mule.”
●
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