C126: Stählern Kapelle (3)
"……Wait a minute. So leader wasn't the one who instigated the war?"
To the public, James Moriarty was a villain who tried to wreak war by dominating the military industry in the Kingdom of Delica but the truth of the past that came out of Rudger's mouth was different.
Rudger did not answer Violetta's astonishing remarks.
"Anyway. This is how Arpa and I met in the past."
The events of that time were still vivid in his memory but in the end, it was all in the past.
* * *
"That's how me and Betty met. When I got her out of the burning factory, we had a connection."
Casey closed her eyes and said as if recalling the past. Of course, Betty opened her eyes quite a while after rescuing her.
It was more urgent to chase Professor Moriarty right now.
"In the final showdown, I fought with him. At the end, as everyone knows, we jumped down a cliff."
On a distant precipice of waterfalls she pushed James Moriarty with all her might. But the man was not called the godfather of crime for no reason, he blocked all her attacks and rather pressured her.
She still remembered that she was so sweaty and she couldn't use any more mana. On the other hand he stood relaxed and stared at her. She was defeated by Professor Moriarty in magic and was very resentful of that.
As the last straw, she gathered all the strength left in her body that was not moving properly and ran at him.
Perhaps Professor Moriarty was also surprised because no one would have expected that the final choice made by a sorcerer who consumed all her mana would be to throw herself at her opponent and die together.
She fell down the cliff with Moriarty but she didn't die.
'That day. I didn't die.'
When she came to her senses, she was ashore, and her body was covered in blankets.
It's not like someone else came by, found her and helped her. After falling off the cliff and losing consciousness, Casey had opened her eyes once in the middle of a very brief moment.
Her vision was all blurry because of mana exhaustion and the stress of death but she still remembers that moment.
The back of a man burning a bonfire. The man who covered her with blankets and even made a bonfire, though he could have killed her he did not.
Professor James Moriarty saved her life.
'What the hell?'
She tried to move her lips to speak out, but her voice didn't come out and fell asleep. Afterwards, when she fully came to her senses, only the ashes left behind and the dew of dawn remained, but there was no trace of the man anywhere.
Professor James Moriarty, who made the Delica Kingdom so tumultuous, disappeared from that day, after abandoning everything he had achieved.
"I'm alive again now."
Casey, who recalled the day three years ago, sighed inwardly.
Professor Moriarty's last act was far different from the vicious man Casey had seen.
'Professor Moriarty saved my life even though I've been interfering with his work to the end.'
Casey was curious and couldn't stand it. Why did he let her live? Didn't they fight to kill each other?
'He must be a bad guy, a bad guy who tried to start a war in the shadows of the kingdom.'
Her clenched fist trembled.
She was angry because her pride was hurt but also curious about the incomprehensible behavior of the man who saved her life and one possibility came to her mind.
–What if the man who allegedly encouraged all crimes, in fact, wasn't the criminal?
'No, it's a wild guess. The man saved my life, yes. It was just a simple whim. The psychology of criminals is always out of the question.'
However, it was uncomfortable for her to conclude this unilaterally.
She had to know why and everything that happened that day, even his true identity.
'So I'll have to find him and beyond that, the Black Dawn Society, his organization.'
Casey Selmore's new goal has been set and it was the Black Dawn Society that was hiding somewhere in the Empire.
'I'll do it. I'll arrest you this time.'
Her unshakable blue eyes burned with strong will.
"Detective Casey, is that okay?"
"What?"
Enya asked, recalling Betty.
"If you leave Betty like that, there will be a lot of talk. Since she's a piece of evidence, aren't you supposed to remain in the Kingdom of Delica?"
"Oh, that? Enya is right. Betty is supposed to be in the Kingdom of Delica."
"But why…."
"It's a secret."
"What?"
Even Enya was embarrassed by Casey's playful tongue sticking out.
"You didn't tell the kingdom?"
"Yes, I hid everything."
"Isn't that illegal?"
"Well, it's not illegal because I just haven't submitted the evidence 'yet'."
"………You know that's totally unreasonable, right?"
"I know that. But look, the incident that happened that day is not over yet. James Moriarty is still alive, and he's plotting something suspicious in a faraway country."
To sum up Casey's words, the case of the day has not been settled yet, so it's okay for Betty to accompany her.
"More than anything, my inability to believe in the Kingdom of Delica also played a part. There's a lot of people in the country involved in all sorts of incidents, who would I trust to entrust Betty to?"
Just in time, she could see Betty approaching with her luggage in the distance. When Casey waved her hand, Betty distorted her face as if she was annoyed.
Erendir and Enya still couldn't believe that such an emotional girl was an automaton.
In that tiny body steel machines are spinning endlessly.
"Betty's all packed, so I'll have to go."
"Where are you going?"
"The hotel has been completely destroyed. I need to find a new place to sleep."
It was time to say goodbye so Erendir wriggled her hands and thanked Casey.
"Thank you very much for saving me. If Detective Casey hadn't helped me, I wouldn't be here."
"I just did what I had to do."
"Please come and see me later. I'll give you a personal reward."
"Aha. I'm looking forward to that."
Casey also said goodbye to Enya.
"Good luck, Enya."
"Yes. Oh, Detective Casey."
"What's wrong?"
"Well, the leader said that we would see each other again later."
"Leader? You mean Trina?"
Recalling her past ties, Casey smiled brightly and nodded.
"Thank you for informing me. I'll be staying in Leathervelk for a while, so if you want to meet me let me know."
"Yes, I will."
"Well, then, I'll leave."
Casey and Betty left with their luggage. Of course, it was Betty's role to pick up the luggage.
Casey turned her head slightly and looked at the half-broken Kunst. A man sat stunned at the scene where construction was underway.
Was his name Ivan Luke?
She heard it was Luke's director, the blood of the chairman and the person in charge of the Kunst auction house.
'The event that you held on your own happened to be ruined.'
It is said that all the valuables that were supposed to be auctioned on the third day were stolen.
The Beast of Gévaudan also appeared, the building that was hosting all kinds of VIPs was destroyed and there were even terrorist involver.
The amount of damage is impossible to estimate and Kunst's reputation, which had a 20-year tradition, was also buried on the same day.
Since this terrible thing happened, who will come to Kunst auction house to buy and sell items in the future? Considering the size of Luke's company, it's not a staggering amount of damage, but the business in one field has been completely destroyed.
So who should be responsible for that?
'At the end of the day, the general manager himself has to take the blame.'
Ivan Luke's hair turned white overnight and he looked ten years older. In fact, it was surprising that he was still alive but she didn't feel particularly sympathetic since she heard he was a jerk who caused all kinds of accidents.
'I personally don't like people like that.'
Casey Selmore has worked as a detective and solved many incidents and difficulties. She was thanked by several people for capturing countless criminals alive including the high-ranking people of the country, wealthy merchants and high-profile aristocrats.
But she knew that they were no different than criminals. They did not kill directly, but put countless people in pain with their greed and power.
There was no reason to feel sorry for such people suffering.
'I just need to do my job and not waste my time with that nonsense.'
She would stay in this city and think about her future. No, there's nothing to think about, she'll track down the Black Dawn Society.
"It's going to be pretty busy in the future."
"Yes? Casey, what did you just say?"
"Nothing."
* * *
The events at the Kunst auction house were too big to hide. However, news that the Kunst auction house was robbed was not found in any newspaper headlines because that wasn't the main thing.
[Resurrection of the Nightmare. Will the Bloody Night come again?]
The Beast of Gévaudan was the most eye catching issue for the citizens since many people witnessed his terrible appearance.
The cries of the Beast of Gévaudan have spread throughout Leathervelk. Maybe that day, everyone who was sleeping woke up and wondered what was going on.
'It's such an obvious title.'
On the front page of the newspaper, there was nothing but articles about the Beast of Gévaudan. Whether it's a column about the bloody night in the Kingdom of Durmant five years ago, or gossip about how the monster reappeared.
An investigation into the incident was also launched in the city of Leathervelk.
"I'm lucky because there's no trace of the organization I lead.'
I folded the newspaper neatly and put it on one side of the table. When I still remember what happened that day, I felt my eyes tickling with fatigue.
'I didn't expect Casey Selmore to come to this city.'
James Moriarty was the first name he used to dominate the back streets in the past. Of course, since then, he has been referred to as 'owner' and has not given his name to others, but there is nothing he can do about his anxiety.
'Who knew she'd come all the way here to get me?'
She knew about some of the aliases I used, as if she had done some research on my past. If I'm lucky because she assumed I'm in a high position in the Black Dawn Society.
'Well, it wasn't really a mistake.'
With a bitter smile on my face, I looked at Sedina, who was eagerly reviewing the documents. In any case, I am nominally a First Order of the Black Dawn Society. In other words, Casey Selmore's speculation was half correct.
'I hope the sparks don't come all the way here.'
With that in mind, Sedina, who had reviewed all the documents, approached me.
"Sir, I'm done sorting."
"Good job. I'll take a rest now."
Sedina looked at the headline in my newspaper and asked.
"Did it happen yesterday?"
"Yes, I heard there was a huge monster in the city."
"The Beast of Gévaudan is a very famous cryptid."
"This is not a big deal right now."
Perhaps because there was a werewolf incident not too long ago, all kinds of rumors were circulating again with the advent of the Beast of Gévaudan. Of course they weren't worth listening to.
"Even so, it's fascinating. According to the article, the Clockwork Knights overpowered the monster, but I didn't know the Knights were so strong. I think we'll have to raise our rating."
"Maybe."
To be honest, this part was unexpected. I thought Casey Selmore would openly tell the world that James Moriarty was alive but there was no mention of the name anywhere in the newspaper. The only ones that defeated the Beast of Gévaudan were the Clockworks Knights.
That Casey Selmore kept it a secret?
'I don't know what she's up to.'
But I'm relieved she didn't tell anyone. Later I'll have to contact Circus and Old Kids separately and order them to keep the name James Moriarty a secret.
"Did you hear anything else?"
"What news are you asking about?"
"They said they moved because the Beast of Gévaudan appeared yesterday."
"They?"
"The Knights of the Holy Land of Bretus."
The Holy Land of Bretus?
The name she brought up forced me to frown with blatant displeasure.
'Why the hell are they……'