CWMBR 62

Chapter 62

***

Sponsored by Curufin. Thank you ❤️(⅕)

***

*The past

"Brother?"

Ain's sudden silence seemed odd to her, and the girl called out to him in a puzzled voice. Just as Ain, who had been briefly lost in a strange feeling, snapped back to his senses and was about to answer...

"Oh, someone's coming! Brother, I gotta go! Bye!"

Perhaps because of previous experience, today the girl was the first to keenly sense the approach. She waved her hand hastily in farewell and quickly fled.

Ain shook his head, staring blankly at the window that had emptied in an instant. From the moment she appeared to the moment she left, she was truly a girl who did exactly as she pleased.

“.....Ah, her name.”

Last time, she'd left just before he could hear her name, and today, he hadn't even gotten to talk to her. Ain sighed belatedly, then quickly shook off his disappointment.

After all, hadn't the girl found a new way to sneak in? It was a bit dangerous and worrying, but... since she seemed to enjoy climbing trees, she'd probably come again tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow.

Should he just tell the servants to cut off the sharp top of the fence altogether? No, replacing it with a low, modest fence to create an environment that would blend in with the neighborhood atmosphere might be better.

But he couldn't wait for her.

"Young Master, the Master has sent word! You may return to the main house immediately!"

The maid burst into Ain’s room right after the girl left, reporting in an excited voice.

He departed as quietly and swiftly as he had arrived.

Thus, the large mansion stood completely empty, as if no one had ever lived there. Particularly, as if Ain Wise had never existed from the start, not a single trace of him remained.

****

*Present

One exceptionally misty dawn, something surfaced in the middle of the Valea River, which flowed through Glynford.

That morning, the front pages of all the newspapers circulating within Glynford carried the same news.

It was a breaking report: a body had been discovered in the Valea River. The man's identity was revealed as a photographer who had worked for the Blombolt Daily before resigning.

***

*Present

As Ain and Declan exited the police station, officers followed behind them.

"What a coincidence."

He glanced around, conscious of the surrounding eyes, then murmured in a low voice, almost to himself.

"So this was the man Lord Wise was looking for..."

He was a detective from Glynford Police Station who had been cooperating with Ain’s separate request for 'assistance'. The confidence he had shown when first starting to search for the photographer at Ain’s request had completely vanished. Now, watching Ain’s expression, he said,

"We'll have to wait for the coroner's opinion, but considering when he truly vanished, he must have been dead for at least ten days."

"I see."

"From what we've gathered so far, he wasn't exactly a model citizen. He had so many enemies everywhere that it wouldn't be surprising if someone killed him."

There was no need to speculate. The severe decomposition in the water meant determining the exact cause or date of death would take time, but to Ain, it was undoubtedly murder. He descended the stairs quickly, his expression sour, then paused mid-turn toward his parked car. He had spotted two familiar figures.

"Sanne, Gilum."

Sanne and Gilum, dressed in uniform, halted as they were about to enter the police station. Sanne, who had been walking ahead, greeted him with a quiet smile.

"Well, well, well, to see you here, lord Wise."

"Here to see the body?"

Sanne, who had been staring at Ain with a faint smile, nodded flatly.

"………………Well, he was also a guest at the Glynford Grand Theatre party, after all."

"You can't get testimony from a corpse."

“What we need to confirm can be sufficiently ascertained from the constable as well.”

Sanne’s gaze shifted to the constable standing nervously behind Ain. The constable, perhaps recognizing the royal investigator’s uniform, looked away with a slightly uncomfortable expression. Sanne, who had been watching the constable with a meaningful look, turned to Ain and asked in a crisp voice.

"But what brings you here, lord Wise?"

"I don't think I need to tell you that."

"Well, since you're a direct party involved in a matter we're officially investigating. I was just a bit nosy, wondering if it might be related."

Sanne replied smoothly. Ain regarded her with a somewhat displeased look.

Sanne and Ain were old acquaintances. Before this lawsuit, a scholar who had been coming in and out of the Wise household as Ain's tutor had been close friends with Sanne. Because of that connection, Sanne had even given Ain a couple of private lectures. From that experience, Sanne was a capable and intelligent woman, but she had a somewhat inscrutable side. But what bothered Ain most was that she treated him like a child.

That attitude remained unchanged even now, greatly irritating Ain's sensitive nerves. Ain had rarely been treated like a child even when he was actually young. How dare anyone look at him like a child now that he was an adult? In that sense, Sanne’s gaze was extremely, intensely, profoundly unpleasant. Had he not known of her exceptional abilities, he would have immediately requested the royal court replace the investigator.

"You think the investigation will wrap up early?"

Instead of answering his question, Sanne stared meaningfully at Ain, who was changing the subject, before readily playing along with his intent.

"I see you heard from Lady Wise. Yes. We may reach a conclusion sooner than expected. However, Miss Green isn't being particularly cooperative. If it's alright with you, perhaps Lord Wise could…”

"Why me?"

Ain cut Sanne off sharply. Despite that sharp rejection, Sanne pressed on without hesitation.

"Because she's the one who provided the 'decisive evidence' Lord Wise submitted to us. Given that level of connection, I imagine the Lord could make her more cooperative."

"There's no relationship to speak of."

"Oh dear, Lord Wise."

Sanne sighed exaggeratedly, lifting her chin slightly. Her gaze fixed on Ain held a hint of pity.

"If it's a claim most people don't believe, shouldn't we reexamine it?"

Her voice, unlike her gaze, was gentle and overflowing with sincerity.

"Of course, we know Lord Wise speaks the truth. But isn't it true that most people perceive it differently? Might that indicate your own conduct is not entirely without fault?"

Declan, who had been watching their conversation from the side, quietly covered his mouth. To openly point out Aine like that—truly, the royal investigator's spirit was different, he thought with quiet admiration. Sanne, who glanced at Declan with an amused look, shrugged her shoulders with an unconcerned expression.

"I'm just saying there's another perspective here. Well, we'll be going now. Gilum, let's go."

Gilum quickly followed behind Sanne. Declan, who had been staring blankly at the two as they strolled into the police station, couldn't help but mutter in admiration.

"Wow. They sure are bold."

Ain frowned, clicked his tongue, and resumed his halted pace. Seeing him about to leave him behind, Declan hurriedly chased after Ain.

"Wait for me!"

***

"I'm sorry, Miss. I have no intention of going back."

The woman looked troubled and waved her hand dismissively. Her eyes held a resolute determination.

"………………Alright."

Bridget had come looking for an employee who had recently been laid off from the Grand Theater. She had worked in the dressing room and was so skilled that she had been urged several times to open her own shop, yet she had remained a loyal employee of the Grand Theater. Bridget had hoped that after all the years they'd spent together, she might persuade her to return. But judging by her attitude, she had no intention of going back to the Grand Theater.

Bridget, her lips trembling, showed lingering regret.

"Please reconsider, though. The Grand Theater needs experienced people. I'll leave it at that for today."

Bridget lowered her gaze. This was the fourth time she'd asked a former employee to return, and the fourth rejection. At least this refusal was relatively mild. The first and second employees hadn't even bothered to exchange more than three words with her.

Bridget, shoulders slumped, sighed quietly and turned away. Behind her, a sigh-laced call reached her ears. 

"Hey, Miss."

Had the regret etched across her pale face moved the woman's heart?

The woman, who had been coldly dismissive throughout, spoke to Bridget with a hint of apology.

"Miss, you weren't there, so you wouldn't know, but the atmosphere that day was truly awful. It probably wouldn't have mattered who you went to see. Everyone came out grumbling they wouldn't go anywhere near the Grand Theater."

"………………I see."

They said it was a unilateral dismissal notice. Without even the slightest plausible reason, they were just kicked out. They were mostly long-time employees, people who had stuck it out out of affection. It seemed the betrayal felt all the more profound because of that.

Bridget, who had been speechless for a while, just moving her lips, forced a smile.

"Thank you for telling me."