"Impossible."
Namita instinctively said, standing up straight.
Zold tapped the scorched marks. "It's obvious. Scorch marks. From their appearance, they're very recent. Fredrich doesn't have a fire ability, neither do the bodyguards… and even the suspect doesn't. Just as you said."
Namita fell silent, walking closer to the drawer.
Though the marks were subtle, he spotted them immediately.
"Maybe it's not that local gang leader," Zold continued thoughtfully. "I've read the files. I thought it was quite a stretch that the gang leader killed Fredrich for wealth. Plausible, but something was missing. The crux of every crime... emotions."
Namita glanced at Zold and suddenly spoke. "... I thought you weren't going to help find the killer?"
"Maybe it's the kids? Or someone else that Fredrich had wronged?" Zold ignored him, continuing to speak his thoughts out loud. "I'll have the mayor look into everyone with fire abilities who's even remotely connected to Fredrich."
Namita cut him off sharply. "You should leave the detective work to me. I actually think that Juzi is quite a viable suspect. Nations waged war due to wealth. Why can't a person kill another for money?"
Namita was prepared to continue, but he suddenly realized that Zold had fallen silent, looking at him silently.
"That police chief said you were pushed on this case, right?" Zold suddenly asked. "Leave this to me. I'm quite interested in this case. I'll ask the Mayor to dismiss you."
Namita fell silent, a deep frown appearing on his face. He hesitated. "... I don't think this is right."
"Namita."
"While I was pushed into this case," Namita continued. "I'm starting to think it's interesting as well."
"Namita."
Namita dropped the cigarette and stepped on it. He looked at Zold with a rare trace of resolve.
"I insist on helping you. Please."
"Namita," Zold repeated, causing Namita to fall silent. He patted the man's shoulders and moved past him. "I usually don't repeat my words, but I think we're quite alike, so I'll make an exception just this once. Forget it, detective. I'm not changing my mind."
Namita let out a small sigh. He took out another cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.
Foo...
Smoke drifted through the air, covering his face.
"I'll drive you back, then."
Zold stopped, glancing at him.
He smiled slightly. "No problem."
***
As the two got in the car, Namita played a song on the car first before starting it up.
"Do you mind if I play some music?" he suddenly asked, looking at Zold through the interior mirror.
On the back, Zold shook his head, leaning against the carseat casually. He answered. "No, is this classical music?"
"Mhm." Namita nodded. "It's from Chopin. Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp Minor. One of my favorite pieces of his."
"It's quite broody," Zold listened casually. "It fits you very well."
"Then shouldn't it fit you too?" Namita replied casually as well. "After all, we're pretty similar, right? You said so yourself."
"I don't listen to music that much," Zold said, shaking his head.
"Is that so?" Namita sighed. "No smoking, no music. You're quite boring."
"Indeed." Zold agreed. "I like being boring. It means that people ignore me most of the time."
"But you're pretty popular…" Namita shrugged. "Even the police chief said that you're the most famous person in the city. You can't be boring."
"That's just human nature," Zold said. "When people see new things, they get curious. But when they realize that it's not as good as they thought it would be, they'd forget about it quickly. The first time I killed someone, I was afraid. The second time, it didn't seem so special anymore."
Namita fell silent, looking at the interior mirror.
He couldn't tell if Zold was joking or not.
Zold's expression was calm, almost unreadable.
The music played softly. As the cold air drifted through the car, a broody, melancholic atmosphere settled inside.
The car steadily moved on the road.
Perhaps it was because the mirrors were closed this time, nobody in the streets gave a second glance at the car.
After a brief pause, Namita suddenly asked. "Do you remember the nine mysterious beings that appeared a week ago?"
"Mhm." Zold nodded. "The Nine Apostles, or so they call themselves."
"What do you think of them?" Namita asked casually.
"It's hard to say…" Zold answered, tilting his head. "They called themselves the Nine Apostles, right? What if they're connected with God? Then if I say anything bad and God hears it, won't I die?"
"If God could hear it, then I should already be in the deepest layer of hell."
Namita shrugged.
"But I'm still alive, aren't I?"
Zold nodded with a small smile. "So? Where are you getting at exactly?"
Namita paused, then continued: "Remember their speech? They said that God has deemed all of us as filth. A God that does not separate good from evil is a malicious one. They claimed to rid this world of evil, but their targets are random. Children, women, disabled people, and even animals are no exception from their punishment…"
He tapped the steering wheel.
"Tell me," Namita whispered quietly. "Is such a God worth worshipping?"
Zold looked at the interior mirror, meeting Namita's indifferent gaze.
"I don't think so." He slowly said.
Namita fell silent for a moment before replying:
"... That's right. A God like that isn't worth worshipping in the slightest."
The car had been on the road for a while.
That was strange—Fredrich Bolard's estate wasn't far from the mayor's office.
"However, God was right about one thing. This world is filled with filth, the most evil people live in this godforsaken place." Namita continued calmly. "A playwright once said, 'Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.'. I think that's true, but if God is not here to watch over them, then how could we keep these devils in check?"
At that moment, the car stopped.
"An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth."
"If devils can put people into misery, then there's no problem in putting them in the same misery, right?"
Namita slowly raised his hands. Then, a dark red mask materialized in the air.
He glanced at the interior mirror before putting on the mask, his features turning slightly sinister.
"If Fredrich Bolard had trafficked and abused children, then there's no problem in putting him in the same misery…"
"Right?"
Zold didn't answer immediately. He didn't seem fazed at the slightest, only smiling slightly.
'As expected...'
Detective Namita was the killer.