Amphi tapped his boots against the wooden floorboards of the deck, observing the crowd as they gradually split into smaller, organized groups led by one or two individuals. Although he had anticipated this would happen, it was still fascinating to watch it unfold.
Although his memory had returned, it still felt somewhat unclear. The scene was like a stage, a performance, a crime playing out right before him. Had he experienced this before? A detective should be used to this.
However.. No matter what dangers he was used to, none could quite compare to this.
The malnourished impostor (who had stolen Amphi's credit before) stood in the center of the largest group of people. Everyone's eyes were glued to him. They looked at him as if he were their king and they were his subjects, waiting for his command like loyal but scared dogs.
Interestingly, there were two more groups. Despite having fewer members than the impostor's group, they still managed to attract people. What could they have achieved in this small time frame to draw in many people?
One group had a more convincing leader than the other: a woman who spoke first. Her voice was clear, and she carried herself with confidence. She appeared reliable, keeping a watchful eye on the people surrounding her like a hawk with her fledglings. Her eyes burned with a fire, her face full of determination, she looked ready to protect the people around her at a moment's notice.
Twelve people chose to follow her.
The person who piqued Amphi's interest the most was the last group leader, a man without any distinctive features. He appeared ordinary, perhaps a bit handsome, but still very average. Despite not having contributed to any of the previous activities, he successfully formed a group in equal standing to the women's.
Interestingly, even the 'aware' crowd (which comprised the faceless 'NPCs') had divided into three subgroups. Many of them were unfamiliar to Amphi, except for the smallest of the three. The distinguishable leader of this group was none other than the rich kid, the NPC who had created the biggest scene.
Perhaps the most interesting group, however, was Amphi's, which consisted of the self-proclaimed leader; Harold, and his lackey, Amphi.
Amphi felt out of place in this group; he would have preferred to work alone. However, the loud man named Harold insisted on sticking with him. Amphi tried to convince himself with the rhetoric, "Two is better than one," hoping that, if necessary, Harold could serve as a meat shield.
"What do you do for a living?" Amphi suddenly asked, breaking the thick silence that was settling between the two. His hands rubbed the corners of his notebook, fiddling with it around in his pocket as he looked up at Harold.
"My job? It's..." He paused, his brows furrowed as he thought. His mouth parted, then closed again. Small sounds escaping his words, but not a complete word, almost as if the words were at the tip of his tongue, but no matter how hard he tried to say them, he just couldn't.
Despite the large number of people crammed together, everyone stayed in dead silence. Their eyes were both hostile and curious as they eavesdropped on every active conversation. Amphi's words reached not only Harold but also those who were listening in, sparking another debate.
Pandemonium erupted once again.
"I don't remember!"
"Were we drugged?"
"I remember my name... but I can't remember anything else..."
People who heard the commotion from afar joined in, and soon everyone was hysterically discussing their missing memories. Chaos was brewing.
"Ah, whoops," Amphi thought, stepping into the shadows to avoid being dragged into the commotion as if he wasn't the one who set things in motion. 'It's not my fault it took them this long to notice...'
"Hey! Stupid voice, did you drug us?!" a man shouted from the crowd, looking up at the dark, murky, rumbling clouds.
'Shouldn't they be looking at the staff on the boat?' Amphi thought in confusion. While the sound did sound like it came from above, it was odd to assume it was coming from the sky with such clarity. 'Well, humans are weird… I guess?'
"This should be illegal… Is there a lawyer here?" Harold spoke out.
Amphi stared at Harold, his forehead throbbing. 'Well, I don't think you need a lawyer to figure out kidnapping and drugging is illegal, Harold.' He grumbled, his annoyance shooting through the roof as he evaluated their panicked cries.
Because of these two, a domino effect occurred, leading more and more people to start shouting at their surroundings. Perhaps losing oneself is more frightening than waking up in an unfamiliar place, although Amphi would argue the opposite should be true.
The rows of faces became blank once again. The NPCs stood motionless, stripped of eyes and life as if caught in an endless pause.
The metallic voice reverberated again.
[ Beep, identified ___ has failed the side quest: Do not alarm the NPCs. ]
[ ___ has failed the side quest: Do not alarm the NPCs. ]
[ ... ]
"What does that mean!"
"Please, say something different!"
"Everyone, let's take a moment to breathe!" The voice of reason cut through the chaos. It was the woman, the leader of the third group, stepping forward to restore calm.
"I, like all of you, do not know what is happening. However, that does not mean I will panic and make things worse. We already know what happens when we scream mindlessly, but we do not know what the consequences might be!" She drew in a sharp breath before continuing, "I do not want anyone to be in danger unnecessarily. While I cannot provide answers, I promise to search for them alongside all of you. So, please, I beg you to stop this senseless chaos."
Her eyes and voice were clear, resonating through the halls as all attention turned to her. Though her words may not have offered any new or special concept, in a crowd of panicked people, she stood out like a beacon of light and reason.
The halls now honored her presence, and soon, the conversations shifted to center around her insight.
'A politician? No, she's a news reporter,' Amphi thought, examining her more closely. 'She's impressive; I wouldn't be surprised if the groups all merged to follow her.'
"And no one is injured yet," the imposter muttered, joining in. It became clear who the two powerhouses of this place would be.
With furrowed brows, Amphi glanced at the third group. The leader of the group still had nothing to add, yet the others remained by his side. "Did they know each other before this?"
Even with Amphi's exceptional detective skills, identifying the motive proved difficult. The man with tanned skin looked like a gardener—nothing extraordinary about that. The atmosphere around him seemed distant yet respectful. People looked at him as if he were just another one of them, lacking any familiarity or reverence.
'Whoever he is, I will figure it out soon,' Amphi determined, before his gaze returned to the others. The simmering pain in his gut remained, warning him of what was to unfold.
"Harry, would you like a chisel?" Amphi inquired as he stepped out of the shadows with a knowing, closed-eyed smile.
"My name is Harold—hold on," he said, pausing for a moment. "I remember now!"
He stood, lost in thought as he stared at the sky, memories washing over him like waves.
Harold had a thick scent of wood and polish on him, and his hands were rough with blisters all over. His arms were especially built he was used to handiwork. Putting those factors together, Amphi took an educated guess. Not many people would know what a 'chisel' was unless they worked closely with equipment, and the rest was up to Harold.
"That's wonderful," Amphi remarked, noting, 'Specific words, phrases, or objects can evoke their memories.'
"How did you know I was a carpenter?" Harold asked, his eyebrow arched in curiosity–and perhaps skepticism.
"A true detective never reveals his secrets!" Amphi chuckled slyly.
"Ohh, that makes sense," Harold said, giving Amphi's shoulder a friendly smack. "I'm kind of surprised, though, you look way too young."
"Harry,"
"It's Harold."
"Go look around the dock and tell me if you find anything out of the ordinary."
"I'm not really good at this stuff…."
"I don't care, now go!" Amphi shooed the carpenter away, taking a deep sigh of relief after getting rid of the pest.
Harold, on the other hand, was left to wonder how the once meek guy, flattering him just a second ago, was now ordering him around.
"Now, it's time for my investigation," Amphi muttered as he scanned the dock for any signs. He looked for a piece of paper or a board sign—anything that might indicate which country they were in or the nearest city.
The ocean stretched out endlessly, with no land or even bumps visible on the horizon. It was simply a vast expanse of blue. Even if Amphi grabbed the ship's steering wheel and tried to run away, escaping would be nearly impossible.
As he looked around the island, he noticed it was bordered by beautiful beaches adorned with luxurious items like high-quality grills and benches. The owner of this place must either be extremely wealthy or was being heavily funded by a group of affluent investors.
"I'd like to think this place is too well-known to host widespread kidnappings, but…" Amphi muttered, recalling the many movies and even real-life experiences of the atrocities that people can commit.
Amphi paused, dubious by the distinct sound of heels clicking sharply against the wooden floor, drawing nearer and nearer.
'Who could it be?' he wondered. He didn't know anyone except Harold here, and unless Harold found a fresh pair of heels, Amphi doubted it was him.
"Aren't you coming?" A soft voice spoke, "You'll be left behind."
'Oh, it's just someone meddlesome,' Amphi thought listlessly, turning towards her with his eyes closed. "Or I could jump off of here."
Her eyes widened, worry now etched into her features as she shifted in discomfort, unsure if he was joking or not. Tucking a strand of her fiery red hair behind her ear, she muttered, "Uh, don't do that?"
Upon closer inspection, the woman wore a revealing long black dress that accentuated her curves. It drew attention to her body; however, she appeared to want to dig a hole and bury herself. Appearing both cold and uncomfortable at the impractical design of the dress.
"Think fast!" Amphi laughed as he tossed his long brown coat into her hands.
"Oh—huuh!!" she blurted out as her hands clumsily grabbed the coat. She looked at Amphi in confusion before taking in the situation.
"You look uncomfortable in that, have it." He smiled.
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, her face bright with gratitude, yet weighed down by suspicion behind the kind action. Her eyes darted behind Amphi, her discomfort evident despite her gratitude.
"It's just a coat; stop being so stiff." Amphi sighed. He hated coats anyway.
"Let's get going now; we don't want to be left behind, do we?" Amphi said, pointing at the crowd that was drifting further apart.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, reaching a small epiphany as she looked closer at Amphi, and quickly draped the coat as she began walking toward the crowd, moving at a quick but awkward pace, leaving Amphi behind.
Amphi grumbled as he jogged to catch up with her, walking alongside her afterward.
"Really, thanks though." She repeated as she gazed at the horizon. "It feels a bit awkward to receive help from a kid, though." She laughed, rubbing her cheek with a mix of awkward gratitude.
"Kid?"
"Huh?"
"I'm older than you!"
"But I'm 19!"
"And I'm 22!"
"What!?" she exclaimed, utterly flabbergasted. Her sudden shout drew the attention of others, their gazes fixed on the unfolding commotion with a mix of curiosity and surprise.
"Forget it." Amphi turned away, his pout making him appear even more childlike. Yes, he did look particularly young, but being mistaken for a kid was too far of a stretch for him.
"I apologize for assuming…" Rose mumbled, feeling anxious as she toyed with her thumbs. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She searched her pockets, pulled out a piece of candy, and handed it to Amphi. "Will you accept candy as an apology...?"
Amphi stared at her, utterly shocked by her audacity. What was he? A child? Would candy solve all the problems in the world?
"Forgiven!" Amphi exclaimed, snatching the candy and quickly popping it into his mouth before Rose could even react.
"Yuck, I can't stand watermelon," he said, all while continuing to eat the candy.
"I have other flavors..." she whispered, her fingers diving into her pockets as she searched eagerly. With a triumphant smile, she revealed a handful of options.
"What kind of sweet freak…" Amphi murmured, eyeing the array of treats before decisively choosing every coffee-flavored candy.
"Do you like coffee?" she asked, popping a strawberry candy into her mouth as she did.
"Yeah, I'm not a fan of sweets," he said, walking alongside her with a relaxed posture.
"Then, why did you accept them?"
"Are you stupid? Who would refuse free things?"
"Oh... I guess you're right." She muttered.
He glanced at her for a moment, absorbing every detail and checking if he had missed anything, when suddenly something captured his attention. "What's that?" he inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.
"What?" she whispered, a look of confusion crossing her face as she noticed him pointing directly at her face.
"What do those numbers mean?" he asked, glancing at the number 178, written in black ink beneath her left eye, which was partially obscured by strands of her hair. He had seen faint images of a similar marking on Harold before and had initially dismissed it. However, it didn't seem like a coincidence anymore...
"Huh? Um, I don't recall…" she began, but then her eyes lit up. "Wait! You have it too!"
"What?! Where?!" Amphi gasped, his eyes widening as he scanned his body.
"Look right here on your neck—it reads 501," she said, gently tracing a spot on his neck that he couldn't see without a mirror.
"501…" Amphi murmured, his fingers instinctively reaching into his pockets. With a sense of urgency, he pulled out his notebook and began jotting it down, determined not to let the information slip away.
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously.
"Writing, if you can see," he said quietly, tucking the notebook back into his pocket. "I need to have everything essential right at my fingertips."
"I see..." she said, quietly stepping aside to let Amphi pass, who appeared to be lost in thought.
"Ladies, and gentlemen!" The captain roared, his voice loud and clear.
"Welcome to La Isle! We hope you have a wonderful vacation. Tonight, you'll indulge in a delightful dinner served indoors, where a charming butler awaits to cater to your every need at the sound of a bell. Enjoy your stay!"
His delivery felt overly rehearsed, revealing a lack of authenticity that made him truly unconvincing.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, allow me the pleasure of escorting you to your luxurious accommodations," Said the man who suddenly appeared from the shadows. He was elegantly dressed in a sharp black and white suit, embodying the quintessential butler.
Without delay or question, the group of NPCs followed after the butler with confident ease as they chatted amongst each other without a worry in sight. The people, on the other hand, exchanged nervous glances with raised shoulders and bloodshot eyes.
However, as the leaders made the first step to follow after the NPCs, everyone else followed suit.
"By the way, I never got your name," She said, fiddling with candy wrappers in her hand as she eyed Amphi with curiosity.
"Amphi Dementyev, what about you?"
"Rose Benedict. Typical, I know." She laughed, twirling the strands of her glaring red hair, showing off the obvious connotation.