When Arthur came back downstairs, Brenda and Sarah had finished their conversation. She politely asked him if there was anything he needed help with, and he politely declined, discreetly signaling to Sarah that it was time to go.
Arthur and Sarah left without leaving a single trace, bidding Brenda farewell and heading out.
In the car, she immediately asked, "Did you find anything?"
Sarah was a little anxious.
Deep down, she didn't want to be the one to incriminate a teenager, and she had vehemently opposed it when Arthur revealed his theory earlier.
But she also knew he had done everything he could within the limits.
Arthur's expression was as serene as ever, making it impossible for Sarah to guess his answer.
Still, she had a bad feeling.
"I found a few things."
Arthur replied. He then took out his phone and showed Sarah the photos, while also explaining the strange process of getting into the room.
Although Sarah didn't have a keen understanding of the psychological states he was talking about, that couldn't stop a police officer's intuition from smelling something suspicious.
"But... what's with this bookshelf?"
Sarah looked at the photo with a bit of confusion. She could understand why Arthur would take pictures of the room's layout, but she didn't understand why he had an entire photo dedicated just to the bookshelf.
Knowing Arthur's personality, he wouldn't do anything without a reason.
"Try searching for the names of these books online."
"Search for the names... okay."
With a hint of confusion, Sarah took out her phone and quickly searched for information on the books based on the titles on their spines.
And then, she frowned.
"This is..."
"Exactly. The books neatly arranged in the central position, the ones Martin cares about, are all books about philosophy."
Arthur said with a sigh, which confused Sarah even more.
"They're just philosophy books, it's not like they're obscene publications. If Martin's room was full of obscene material, preserved animal specimens, or other bizarre stuff, that would be more concerning, wouldn't it?"
Sarah said half-jokingly. It was clear that her understanding of this was still quite superficial.
Though this superficiality was caused by many real-life cases. Besides past trauma caused by family or human factors, some murderers or criminals were also sparked by an interest in things like obscene publications.
However, this case was different.
In Martin's case, the locked door, the hidden key, and the cherished philosophy books gave Arthur the feeling that this boy was nurturing something else in his soul. It was much more hidden, careful, and dangerous.
"Sarah, do you know what the psychological state of a 13-year-old child would be if they were truly passionate and immersed in philosophical books?"
"What do you mean? Oh, psychological state, you say?"
Sarah stroked her chin for a moment and then said, "I guess they'd feel... intelligent? You know, those philosophical books often talk about profound things. So if I were that age and understood even a part of it, I'd already think I was amazing."
"Exactly."
Arthur nodded, then added, "To describe it precisely, it would be... arrogance."
"Sarah, imagine you're 13 years old sitting in class, surrounded by classmates who are just idly thinking about what to eat for lunch. Suddenly, the teacher poses a tricky riddle that's hard to solve with simple thinking."
"No one in the class can solve it, and you bravely stand up and confidently announce the answer. You are met with the teacher's surprised gaze and your classmates' awe. Can you feel that sensation? That feeling where your breath catches, your chest tightens, and you just want to hold your breath, letting the excitement flood your entire body?"
"Yes, that's arrogance. The feeling that you possess qualities superior to others."
"And for Martin, this arrogance would only be more profound."
"He's a child from a broken family. A child like that, subconsciously, already feels inferior because of the incomplete family. This would stimulate a reaction in Martin if he's the type of child who has a hidden defiance. To cover up his inferiority regarding others' circumstances, he would try to possess another quality that is superior to others."
"When he's not from a wealthy family or a truly talented child, the only thing Martin can turn to is intellectual arrogance."
"A teenage boy, immersed in philosophy to try and be more profound than his peers. And just like the example I gave, with that mindset, when standing among a crowd who can only think about what to eat for lunch, all Martin would feel... is arrogance."
"Profoundness from philosophical thinking isn't so unusual. Because, Sarah, philosophy is the study of the nature of the world and all things. It's profound because of its mundanity that can be seen in all things, not because it's an unreachable height. Many philosophers in history were the same."
"But a 13-year-old child? I'm sorry, but I don't think this is a true profoundness, but rather a deviation dressed up as one."
"Imagine a child having philosophical arguments injected into their head—things like 'this world is meaningless,' or 'justice, morality, and conscience don't exist'—while not fully understanding the context and true meaning, but just looking at the literal words? With their arrogant mindset, they won't think they're being shallow; they'll just think they've understood."
"Of course, there are plenty of teenagers like Martin. But the transformation from intellectual arrogance to an arrogance that changes the world around them can't just happen that easily."
"Therefore, I believe everything I've said is just the foundation, the foundation for a third party to have an influence."
Arthur said in a low voice. This was the target he was locked on.