episode_0094

Before Erningstone entered the room where the victims were gathered, he looked inside through the small window in the door.

There are a total of 5 people in the room. If you think there are people on both sides of the wall with the door that is not visible from the outside, there are at least 7 people… … .

From what I heard from the security guard, there were a total of 3 victims. According to the explanation I heard from the guard, it was clear that there were two girls crying over there and that girl sitting blankly to one side.

I guess so… … .

‘It’s a little strange… … .’

Unlike the other two girls who were crying incessantly while being hugged by another girl who seemed to be their friend, Earningstern felt a bit of a sense of strangeness as he saw the girl with blue hair sitting alone.

‘Blue hair. ‘Is this the daughter of the Argyll family?’

Surprised for a moment that there was another nobleman’s child among the victims, Earningstern frowned and took a closer look at the girl who felt somewhat foreign.

The girl was staring blankly into space, as if she had been completely shocked and dazed, and her appearance resembled the legitimate daughter of the Durin family whom she had seen in the basement of the academy.

But the only thing I could tell from here, beyond the door, was that the female student was sitting blankly.

This was because only the female student’s profile was visible, and her face was difficult to see due to the backlight from the sunlight coming through the window.

“Ha… … .”

Earningstern, who was quietly looking at the blue-haired female student, shook his head.

Just watching through a window like this doesn’t mean you can find out more. Hasty judgment can be detrimental to the investigation, so let’s take a closer look.

Earnings Stone cleared his throat and decided to provoke them by deliberately speaking a little louder as he entered.

After opening the door and entering, Earningstern quietly looked at both corners of the room and trembled.

“Ah, what are you talking about… … .”

Why is the Crown Prince here? Were any of the victims related to the Crown Prince? No, there wasn’t. Even if there were, the only one would be the daughter of the Argyll family sitting over there.

Earningstern was momentarily embarrassed and his words trailed off, but he soon regained his composure and continued speaking.

“Excuse me in the midst of confusion. The royal investigator is called Terra Earningstone.”

As soon as he finished his self-introduction, everyone except the Argyle family’s daughter turned to him.

okay. Except for the Argyle family’s daughter. Her eyes were unfocused, and unlike the other two victims who showed natural emotions of doubt and caution, she did not show any trace of emotion.

Even people who have lost their minds after being greatly shocked tend to react to external stimuli. They may become agitated by someone’s emotions, and may look in that direction when someone calls them or touches them.

But that girl was different. It didn’t show any reaction and just sat still like a well-made doll.

At that moment, Earningstern was convinced. Like the legitimate son of the Durin family, the daughter of the Argyll family was hypnotized or brainwashed.

“I need some cooperation in the investigation. Is there anyone who can help me?”

Even though I said this, I never thought that someone would actually come out to help me. Although they are old enough to be considered adults, they are young chicks who have not yet been directly exposed to the winds and waves of the world.

There’s no way he could maintain his sanity after seeing a person’s head being smashed in front of his eyes.

As Erningstone said, he glanced in the direction where the crown prince was. Then, as if he didn’t know, he calmly raised his eyebrows and bowed.

“Prince, I didn’t know you were here.”

Seeing his calm and frail appearance, the crown prince also calmly accepted his greeting.

“Okay. I am relieved now that Lord Erningstone is here. Did you say you needed help? I think I can give you that help.”

“It is an honor for the Crown Prince to personally help you.”

The two caught each other’s meaning in an instant, glanced sideways and turned their backs.

“This doesn’t seem like an appropriate place to talk. Let me change my seat.”

“Yes, good.”

Earningstern nodded and left the room first, and the Crown Prince looked at Seria once and followed Earningstern out of the room.

The two of them left the room and moved to a reasonable distance away without saying a word.

“Okay. Lord Earningstone. The fact that you came here means that you have already visited other places. What happened?”

“So――”

* * *

dark.

I can’t see anything.

I can’t hear anything.

Where on earth am I? Why am I here? I am… … . I am… … .

Clap– Clap– Clap–

It walked out of the black darkness with a very slow clapping sound.

It wasn’t visible, but it was visible. I couldn’t hear it, but I heard it. In a situation where my head was a bundle of contradictions that felt like something was going to happen, all I could do was watch it walk out.

-It was amazing. I knew he was going to get revenge, but I never thought he would completely smash his head off in front of everyone.

The voice was clearer than the last time, when it sounded like several people were speaking at the same time, and it sounded like there was laughter somewhere.

who is this? Where are we? Why am I here? I tried to spit out the questions that came to mind, but it was no use.

The questions that popped into my head just lingered in my throat and couldn’t come out.

―Thanks to you working so hard for revenge, I had a really fun time watching it. I don’t usually say things like this… … . thank you.

It laughed and walked a little further forward. The vaguely visible shape is… … . Surprisingly, it belonged to a man. No, it looked like it belonged to a woman.

Every time I closed and opened my eyes, its appearance changed. Sometimes it took the form of a child, and sometimes it took on the form of an old man. Also, it was both a man and a woman.

But it was always black. The face, hair, hands, feet, and even the heart. It was completely unrecognizable as a haze-like shadow surrounded its body.

Only one. What I can clearly see is a pure white mouth. There was only one thing.

-okay. At this point, you might be starting to get curious. Who am I? No, are you more curious about what I am? Ah, of course you don’t have to answer. My appearance and the way I speak are nothing more than an illusion created by your mind to protect itself.

What on earth are you talking about? Why are you doing this to me?

-To you, I am something that has no form at all. Something I can’t understand. Therefore, in order to protect itself, your brain gave the intangible being called me a human appearance.

I put all my strength into trying to open my mouth, but my whole body didn’t move, as if I was trapped in ice.

The only thing I could do now was breathe and blink.

It had the appearance of an adult woman, but when I blinked, it changed into the appearance of a boy and a girl holding hands.

-Today I am just a letter. I can’t listen to my brother.

―Even if my brother answers, it means nothing.

As it said that, it approached little by little, and as it approached, forgotten memories began to surface one by one.

The first thing that came to mind was the memory of being brainwashed by that pig. The next thing that came to mind was the memory of Argyle being hugged by that guy. and. and… … .

I wanted to touch my forehead because the pain felt like my head was going to tear, but my body didn’t move at all.

-It doesn’t matter what I am or who I am. What matters is whether your revenge and what you did to get your girlfriend back were successful.

The moment I heard those words, my terrible headache got better. girl friend. okay. Theadron Argyle. It’s more about her. I’ve been suffering from headaches like this since then.

Please answer me. What happened to her? Has the brainwashing been lifted? What are you doing now?

As I was looking at it with wide eyes, it tilted its head to one side and said.

-Your revenge was successful. The pig that brainwashed you and two other girls had its head completely crushed by your hands and died on the spot.

For a moment I was happy about those words, but I couldn’t help but question the words that came out of its mouth.

Two other girls? no. There were three girls, including Argyle, that he was taking with him. It wasn’t two people.

―You must be thinking. Apparently, there were three women that he was carrying around. Not two people.

It took a few steps closer to me. Soon it turned into a girl wearing our school uniform, just like when I first saw it.

It smiled with its strangely long, torn mouth, stretched out its index finger, and placed it in front of its mouth.

At the same time, slowly. Memories that had been hidden behind a veil began to appear in my mind.

-But I think you’re forgetting one thing. Your girlfriend, Theadron Argyle… … .

The last memory I didn’t want to recall. The moment I admitted it, I felt like I couldn’t bear it, so I kept it hidden until the end.

at last–

―You brainwashed it with your own hands, right?

It came to mind.