-~*~-
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After consoling herself down, Yanyi was back to her track of mind and went out of the room where she was bawling her eyes out in front of her Professor. For some unexplainable reason, she felt as if someone is hugging and patting her head from behind, but she just went out of the room. The only thing behind her is a door?
Normal people will probably be shaking in their boots about that matters, but who says Yanyi is normal? I don't. She turn her head to the door and take a few steps back and make a delightfully ladylike bow. "Thank you, Professor Ouwil.", is all she said, bringing her strands of hair that has been flailing like crazy away behind her ear.
She now proceed to walk over to where the chief's office is and see Luyao and Kazuto sitting around his table looking over documents. "Oh! You're back." Luyao notices her the moment his eyes caught a bright blue sky silhouette entering the office. He put away the documents in his hands and take out all of the related clues and documents that the officers has able to dig up.
Luyao — "Here is all the related documents on the murder case and the files regarding the missing girls. I believe that you have nothing to do until you clock out, right?"
Yanyi — "... No..."
Kazuto — "Good! You can proceed to do these in the meantime. Also, since you are free until you take this, could you go to the coffee shop two blocks down the street for a fresh medium hot americano with 3 pumps of-!"
Yanyi — *smack his head with three stacks of thick files* "I'm not your personal maid, you fucking spoiled BRAT!"
It didn't stop there for Kazuto is not someone who can take insult that easily. As he said himself, "If I take an insult easily, how can I proudly call myself a Marquess's son!" and it leads to him giving out another one. When two children from house that often get into trouble among each other, you can imagine how it looks right now. The blue is chasing he red all over the premises, screaming at the top of her lung.
The Inspector has nothing to say and shakes his head is dismissal. He never have anything fun to do here aside from job anyway so a little change of situation of entertainment would surely make his life much more interesting. Seeing that there's nothing for Yanyi to do for now, Luyao decided to send her home for the day.
Luyao — "Yanyi."
Yanyi — "Yeah?" *continue to pull on Kazuto's hair*
Luyao — "I think you can go home now. Go and take a rest."
Yanyi — "Why? Am I hindering you?"
Luyao — "No. Simply put, there's nothing to do for now, except to review back all the information we got. And plus, I would rather have you in a tip top shape both physically and emotionally."
Yanyi let go of the red head and push him so hard that he fell down on the couch and then proceed to roll onto the ground. "Hey!" He shouts in protest and pain, rubbing his back from the impact. Yanyi ignore the annoyance call and stare directly into Luyao's blood crimson eyes. The chief inspector surely have his own perfect reason to be able to get this position as he didn't flinch and stare back at her. Yanyi didn't back down and with her arms crossed, she asked, "Am I allowed to bring the information back home and review them there?" Luyao was about to protest but after reconsidering that one, no one knew who she really is despite being the heir of the "Family". Two, the way she can stare directly into his eyes without flinching gives him enough reason to trust her with the documents' safety. And finally three, if he said no then she won't leave which is contradictory to his purpose.
Therefore, in order to fulfill his achievements and with all the weight considering her prowess, he nodded and pointed towards the documents on his table which she can bring back home. "There's a lot of them so I implore that you ask for one of the officers to bring you home in order to maintain the confidentiality of not only your party and associates but also your identity and home. Of course, the priority is the case."
"Okay." A small smile adorned her lips and proceed to run to the balcony and yell for an officers to help her task. Kazuto who is there listening to everything while laying still on the ground says nothing for a while until Yanyi herself s away from station in fear of her listening to what he is about to say. "You know who she is, isn't you?"
Luyao — "Yes, and I would like to help her in keeping them a secret until she is ready to reveal."
Kazuto — "And you are sure that no one knew who she is by being in this state, revealing her literally to all the possible danger?"
Luyao — "Well you are able to roam around without any problem, so I figured that she'd experienced the same."
Kazuto — "I don't know how your brain works, bro."
Luyao — "My brain works perfectly normal and I would argue even better than that of yours, Kazuto."
Groaning towards his brother's cheeky response, Kazuto left the police station while taking with him a few of the documents that they are supposed to review together. "I guess I'm reading that one at home then." Luyao mumble to himself and continue to read through all the documents left on his table. Most of them are not elated to the case as two people had already ran away with most of them and that left Luyao to be stuck with reviewing the late reports of his subordinates.
-~*~-
*At the Apartment*
Because Yanyi was sent home early, she decided that she wants to do a few things to calm her mind down. Sighing she starts to think how to possibly get her mind away from any despicable thoughts that could potentially harm her well being. Rummaging through her coat she felt the little trinket that she has mistakenly or not, taken from Professor Owil's body.
"Prof... If you would see me at this moment, would you be proud that I'm handling myself like this?" She question her own sanity to what she is currently doing talking to herself. Yanyi isn't someone who really believe in ghost even when she is someone who has a firm grip on religious things as it is a part of the noble things to do.
You know that shiver you get sometimes unconsciously when you are alone or that feelings when you feel like someone is watching you? Yeah Yanyi can felt that and her shoulder shivers and flinch a bit. She didn't think much about it and try to make it somewhat an optimistic thought that perhaps her Professor is overlooking her right now.
"Well! Enough mopping around. Time for work." She walk over to the kitchen to make herself a cup of chamomile tea and starts to look into all the documents that she has taken back home. Most of these documents are that of the missing case. She figured that there's practically nothing to do with the killing case as the information from the Signia is quite important for their investigation.
Yanyi has a reliable photographic memory and with the files in front of her, she tries to see whether the missing case victims are the same from the previous night in the LCTV. Low and behold, all of them are. Well, all but one. The girl that leads the others are not present in the files.
This didn't bother her much as she had thought that perhaps unlike the other girls which has an official guardian that can take care of them, she perhaps has none. It's quite uncommon to find someone as young as her to have no one as her guardian. But, who can really judge, not everyone is born with luck.
Talking about the leading girl, she was quite curious as to what route did the girl take exactly and why did she do so. Walking over to her room and making sure to close the door to the living room to avoid any unnecessary theft. She finds her map of Kinsel and find the street in which the case is at. Slowly her fingers trace back the route the girl had taken from the LCTV angle.
"Weird, why did they take a longer route than and normal route?" She starts to guess that the girl that leads the team gives of a really mysterious vibe. It's something that Yanyi can't tell to either trust or not. "They all came back from a concert last night."
Eyeing the clock mounted on her pale orange wall, she notice that the hours are quite late already. "There a high likely chance that they'll be spending a night here right after a concert, but the same can't be said for tomorrow." Figuring that the boy band might leave the city tomorrow, Yanyi prepared for an early night so that she can catch onto them early tomorrow morning.
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-~*~-
*The Next Morning*
Waking up early before the moon could set entirely, Yanyi prepare herself and head out to her next goal, catching up with those boy band group before they could depart to another state. Irene who hear rushing footsteps outside of her room came out still in her pajamas, holding onto her pillow and yawn in confusion as she saw Yanyi walking out the main gate. "What is that girl doing so freaking early in the morning?"
Resolving that it was none of her business, she went back to sleep and we can move on to Yanyi's adventure. Because she woke up even earlier than any animal, she has to run to her destination as no actual human being would work so damn early or so late into the night you could say. After a legit 30 minutes of running, Yanyi arrived at what she presume to be where they live for the time being.
Ding Dong! Ding Dong!
she rang the doorbell and patiently wait for anyone to answer. She can't really be angry when she gets a respond nearly 10 minutes after waiting. It was the manager of the group as he seems to be much older than those boy band members. The manager seems to know Yanyi from the news that has been going around and was quite surprised and shocked to see the girl in front of their temporary residence.
Manager — "Miss Detective, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"
Yanyi — "I need to intero-! Interview your artist for a case."
Manager — "They are not the suspects, are they?"
Yanyi — "No no no. I just need their help for something. Could you perhaps wake up two or three members to help me?"
Manager — "Ah! Yes! I'll get them right away!"
While waiting for the manager Yanyi went ahead and look around the premises of the apartment. This apartment is partially owned by her father but with how much assets and investments her father had made, most of the people didn't know what she looks like. Besides, there's others who has the same last name as her, though half of them are related to her by blood her family refuse to acknowledge them due to their unfavorable attitude.
Soon enough three males who seems two to three years older than her steps into the living room still in their pajamas. The manger introduce that they are the oldest of the group and has been given the responsibility of being in an 'interview' with Yanyi. Yanyi is not someone who likes to take the precious time of others away as she also hates if being made like that so she explain everything quite quickly with detail.
The first person to talk is the leader if she is not mistaken, where he recall back their schedule for the night and day of the incident day. "Well, we practically didn't go anywhere during the day as we are preparing for the costumes, choreography, vocals and other things for the night." It was soon followed by the youngest among the three and weirdly enough, the one who looks to be more mature than the two older ones.
"We have the concert for 3 to 4 hours and everything starts at 5 in the afternoon. After that, according to our company policy which each fans need to be accustomed to, no one can enter or leave during or when the show is on live." Yanyi proceed to question what is the reason but this is much more lenient to her curiosity. This time she was grace with the third and last members that has yet spoken. "It is to ensure the safety of the fans as well as ours. Each doors of the venue is heavily guarded so no trespasser or stalker could vent through."
And here she thought that a life as the children of a high noble is the hard, turns out every life is hard. Maybe she just got the bad end of the stick during her time of innocence. "I hear that you guys are moving to the state of Ikravel today, right?" The manager and the members nodded in sync as it is a part of their schedule. However, the next request of hers are rather shocking as usually police won't involves people as them to protect their identities and connection as the civilians.
The group members looks over at their manager, not knowing what to reply as he is the one who handle almost every venue and location of their performances. Stuttering, the manager tries his best to answer their questioning gazes. "W-Wel-Well, we have made reservation for the apartment in Ikravel and it is hard to rebook once it has been done, Lady Yanyi."
Yanyi — "Don't worry about that, I'll handle your accommodation and performances venue. Just says this name and they'll fix you in for the best apartment." *Writes something on a paper and handed it over*
Manager — "O-Okay then... I guess we all could stay for a while. It-It's just... Lady Yanyi should tell us in advance when we could leave to make sure that we don't anger their fans."
Yanyi — "No problem. Oh, and regards to your company. Just say the same name and they'll understand."
Manager — "Yes ma'am. We'll do our best to fit ourselves to the situation."
Yanyi — "Great! If you have any trouble, head over to the main police station and ask to see me. I'll be in your presence in a giffy."
After that she takes her goodbye and went out the door. The sun has already reach the time where people went over and go out for work but Yanyi figure that since she is here already, might as well go somewhere that she has yet to visit in a long time. It's not as far as usual as she is already near the premises and figure that it was 2 months or more since the last time she send her regards.
She walks over to the temple and in about 30 minutes she arrived at the Aurilias Temple where she would send regard to the four Aurils. However this time it wasn't only for the purpose of sending her regards but also for praying that her Professor gets to be in a better life in which there would be no one who can target him just because of his kindness. After praying, she went over to the bench just outside of the temple gate to catch up with everything that she had known so far.
According to the statement of the group members, the venue is held at 5 in the afternoon and it lasted for about 3 to 4 hours which makes the audience to leave at around 9 in the evening at most. However the incident happened at around 11 or 12 midnight which put the travel to at most 3 hours. Considering the amount of audience the exit could also be involves which can be 30 minutes at most and the waiting for other people could take 30 minutes as well. Therefore it leave with 2 hours.
Considering the time, the carriage workers or any other public transport would be hard to get and the easiest way is to travel by feet. It would take 1 hour the most if travel without any other distraction but with a group of girls it would pose a few distraction. More than a few, so 2 hours made sense and the route is also take in consideration as it was a longer route than normal.
"But what can any of this help with the investigation?" Yanyi was so into her own thought that she hardly notice the figure that leans against the pillar just on her left beside the bench. His sudden familiar voice brings Yanyi back into reality and causes her to jolt in surprise. If you were a normal human, you would hardly notice the jolt, but the man is someone who she knew for a long time.
"Uncle Jerad, what are you doing here?" She pat the side of the empty bench and offer him for a seat but he simply moves closer and refuse to sit. "Simply sending my regards and... praying for your... victim." The words of the victim can circulate quickly and Jerad came across it after when doing his part of contribution. He wasn't really friendly with the Professor as someone who he used to know but can't seem to remember who.
Still he knows the Professor's connection to Yanyi and how they dotted on each other by posing trouble despite their different birth era. "My condolences, Yiyi." He gives out but Yanyi can't do anything except for smiling in sorrow. She is also grieving his death but she is somewhat and weirdly relieved that he is now in a better place. "All we can do now is pray that he is given a better life and a long one at that. Though, more on me since I want to find who killed him."
"And I can contribute on this development." He handed her a white file that is in the size of an A4. It was quite surprising for Yanyi as usually it would take 2 days to get this out, yet this former general of the Xue army only took 1 day to send it over to her. She creases the file before turning her head to Jerad in confusion. The man smile and said something along the line of. "I owe him for caring for you." and left the Temple without giving a second glance.
If Jerad is already walking out without joining her to the station for further discussion, then everything that she needs must already be inside of the files. Also considering how if they were to talk about the work stuff in a place where people usually come in and out in random pattern then she would prefer not to talk. She then make her way to the station in a carriage so not only travelling time can be cut short but also for the safety of the documents in her hand.
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Luyao who had already been inside the office alongside Kazuto is continuing where they left off yesterday when Yanyi came in with the document in hand. Noticing the white file upon her entrance, Luyao made no effort to hide his curiosity. "What is that you're holding onto?" Sensing the question is directed to her, Yanyi trotted to his table and pull out a chair.
"I came across Jerad this morning and he gave me this." She flop the white file onto the table which gain the attention of both males. Luyao didn't know who this Jerad is and after Kazuto explain their plan on the incident day, he understood and made no comment on it. "I haven't taken a look into it yet so all information are clean as the snow."
They each took out a paper from the file and read them quietly. Yanyi is a quick reader so she relay her paper's information before putting it away. "The report that Jerad made is informing how the signia is not a linking one, therefore it won't do us much to track them down easily. Typical." Most cases that involves signia are often made by an unlink signia to make the tracking process harder.
"Mine are basically the information of the research, you guys take a look. Can help us in the long run actually." Kazuto lay the paper in the center of the table where everyone can take a clear view of the report. It spells out like this.:-
[ Cryst Type :— Azure Aqua {Non-Linking} ]
[ Cryst Purity :— 37%
[ Weapon Type :— Meele & Long Range --> ( Info :— This weapon was a sword that can shapeshift into a whip {Like a jousting stick} ) (The sword is 1.2 meters long ) ( The whip is 3 meters if not extended. 25 meter if extended. )
[ Cryst Cut :— Seven side {Pleiades} ]
[ Cryst Owner :— Cannot be track down due to the insufficient pieces of the original weapon. The Cryst is broken as well hence records of tracking could not be found. ]
[ Cryst Origin :— Not from our empire. The purity of the Cryst is even lower than the regular Cryst that are mined and polished in the empire's mines.]
[ Weapon Smith :— Someone from Anderil. The design of the weapon is a preorder one that is usually forge by the Anderil weapon smith. The quality just firther enhance this theory. ]
"Huh. Well this can pose useful somehow. What's on your paper, Chief?" Yanyi crosses her arms and watch as Luyao is still on his papers and doesn't pay attention to the info in the center. Hearing his call, the Inspector proceed to lay down his papers in the same area. "A report about other item and info that could pose useful to search for the perpetrator. The report is a length one but the main idea contains.
[ ... The tip area of the weapon seem to be melted off. The likely cause of this is either direct source of high temperature from outside, or the more plausible reason, the high mana use in concentration for the same result. It should be 3 minutes of constant exposure to such thing in order to melt them off. Hence, I figure that the second theory works best ... ]
In the expression of Kazuto, his eyes slowly darted to Luyao who watch him, waiting for his realization. Though their secret interaction are not quite secret as Yanyi is able to tell that both of them has something that they have yet to tell her. Just as she was about to ask what is the matter, Irene came barging in with two plastic of takeout for lunch. They can discuss along lunch anyway. Food is number one.
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-~*~-