While Marcus met Lina Adelheid and Violet is finally with Jane… Sophie and Fiona have finally arrived where they are supposed to be, namely in the middle of Prussia to help George Pushkin
Sophie: "Finally.."
Fiona: "Hahh.."
(Tschtt)
Marcus: "Hello?"
Sophie: "Oh Marcus how are you?"
Marcus: "Good I met a woman named Lina Adelheid.. Sophie...aren't the Adelheids not only arcanes but also cursed?...with..this curse with the forbidden river?"
Sophie: "You probably mean Rumpelstiltskin's lake ...yes….they were cursed by it the curse makes these people always feel pain in their body...but they have roots in their body that heal their wounds….and they also do not age but they can be killed by poison or dangerous wounds that cannot be healed…."
Marcus: "Ok.."
Lina: "(Sneezes!)"
Marcus: "Bless you….oh I have to go thanks for the help Sophie.."
He hung up.
Sophie: "Hmmm."
Fiona: "hmmm."
(Meanwhile)
Violet: "(Cough)"
Jane: "alright...then stay here with me…"
She looked around.
Violet: "So you are a journalist…."
Jane: "Yes…"
Violet: "I see…."
Jane: "So you are new in the Dark Umbrella..what."
Violet: "Seems like the Dark Umbrella is more popular than expected.."
Jane: "Indeed ...after all they are the ones who solve cases either no one could solve or supernatural cases you are cursed or mages or even arcanes…..but anyway….you must know that this job is not peaceful…..in the last five years about eighty members have died.."
Violet: "Eighty?"
Jane: "Mhm…..this war by the way as I said I believe that the House of the Cursed Children members are involved or also the Fingers of the Liar.."
Violet: "How do you know these people House of the Cursed Children."
Jane: "Dear….I survived the black hole…..what do you think why I am here?…"
Violet: "Right you are also cursed…..but you must have been in a safe place right?"
Jane: "Well…..yes...or almost dying…"
Violet: "What?"
Jane: "Hehehe….it is like this dear…..before the black hole appeared...I was an old woman.."
Violet: "Wait...right not every cursed person does not age.."
Jane: "Indeed..there are of course curses that make you stop aging...for me it is not like that because I am not cursed but an arcane..."
Violet: "Hmm."
Jane: "And you dear….are you cursed?"
Violet: "Yes….and I even took the curse of death personally.."
Jane: "Why?"
Violet: "I laughed at a funeral as a child...that is why...people say you should leave the dead alone...but I only laughed because a dog licked my hand.."
Jane: "Oh dear…"
Violet: "The curse makes me feel pain in my body….or even cough black liquid….and that I cannot age….so I only die if someone wounds me deeply."
Jane: "I understand...."
Violet: "I must say Titia is completely different here."
Jane: "Isn't it much more old fashioned unfortunately I cannot show my skin like this anymore."
Violet: "You like showing skin?"
Jane: "Sure….well...stomach and back ….not chest….no…"
Violet: "I think it's good that ...you stand up for prostitutes..but why?"
Jane: "Ahh..hehehe..my mother was one herself..and then she was murdered....even though she stopped when I was born…"
Violet: "Oh..sorry."
She stood up and looked at the window..it was raining ..
Jane: "You know….of course it's not good...when people do that…..but many have no choice because of war and poverty….."
Violet: "hmm."
Jane: "There are many who are so ashamed that they kill themselves….every year about five percent of prostitutes take their own lives….in war it is even more …because many soldiers come and rest like that…."
Violet: "Hmm...I don't know...I don't like this idea..I used to steal ...but I don't sell my body."
Jane: "Hehehe...stealing is not decent."
Violet: "Do we want to talk about decency here?….Then I'm sorry if I say it stealing is much more decent than prostitution ...yes here I can say I had no choice…"
Jane: "Hmmm these women neither...often they are lied to they are told yes we have a job for you...and then that...and if they do not want to do it...they are kidnapped and tied up and it is done with them just…without their consent."
Violet: "oh..is it...really that bad?"
Jane: "Hehe….unfortunately yes that is how it is…..of course I am sure there are some who do it voluntarily but ..does that give anyone the right to hurt and kill them?"
Violet: "No..absolutely not..no human should do that….you should only kill those who hurt others so...kill or attack or abusers."
Violet: "Hmm?"
Jane: "Good...so you are working for the first time?"
Violet: "My first mission for the Dark Umbrella."
Jane: "Great and they sent me someone who is doing their first mission that makes you feel really safe."
Violet: "I will protect you."
Jane: "We will see.."
(Meanwhile)
Marcus: "Hmm."
Lina: "Hmm.."
Marcus: "You are 21 years old right?"
Lina: "Yes.."
Marcus: "That means you are two years younger than me."
Lina: "Oh.."
Marcus: "Listen….what do you plan I would like to take you with me...but I do not want you to keep killing with me….hmmm....ah..I got it ….Sophie and Fiona can help….the Lilly Mond still needs more members ...Ulita and Manja decided not to join colletta and Rio are graduating and Sternlicht ,Hosenträger and Chloe are still children….,only Violet has just joined….then you can join too….what do you think?"
Lina: "ohh.."
Marcus: "Don't worry I often work with the Lilly Mond so we will see each other again...Oh by the way with Sophie you might get along immediately as for Fiona ...she is kind but she ...does not know how to deal with others….so…..she might seem a bit disturbed...just like you..she has experienced terrible things."
Lina: "ohh.."
Marcus: "Good...I remember that master Meliodas wanted someone who has experience with weapons ….and you are a soldier…...Sophie ,Fiona and Violet have experience but not necessarily in that area…..so you would be well suited..what do you think?"
Lina: "..Um…..I don't know..what about my kingdom…"
Marcus: "You don't have to worry about that….we will hopefully end the war soon….but…..you ….do not have to take part anymore….."
Lina: "Huhhh...….My...sir...I have killed many people."
Marcus: "Marcus..call me Marcus….I am younger than you...I do not like it when people call me that I am nothing special ...formality is not necessary .."
Lina: "Excuse me?"
Marcus: "You also do not have to say please…..if you want something just say give me that...instead of please give me that....we are not in school….and formality is overrated …"
It is rather because Marcus never liked school and always thought teachers overreact when someone forgets to say please…well…..might be true for some and not for others.
Lina: "Uh.."
Marcus: "Were you ever in school?"
Lina: "Yes…"
Marcus: "Since when have you been at the front."
Lina: "Since the beginning of the war…"
Marcus: "Hmmm…"
Lina: "Mar...marcus...I have..a question."
Marcus: "Hmm?"
Lina: "how...do I make sure….that I forget...that I killed people..?"
Marcus: "You can't…."
Lina: "Huh.."
Marcus: "It is something you have to live with…...you did nothing wrong….it is just how it is in such chaos...war against other kingdoms…..the blame lies with the nobles and politicians who did this to you…..when I look into your eyes I can see that you did not want this at all…"
Lina: "But…..I have.....killed two for nothing ...it was in a village ...I was...hungry and angry at them..because their...son whom I saved..tried to rape me.. ….out of anger I went to them ...because I knew where they lived...through his ID ...and..well…..I smelled food.."
Marcus: "I have also killed people…..more than you think...at least eighty...I stopped counting after that…..it has been two years now.."
Lina: "huh .."
Marcus: "I am basically someone who kills dangerous people…..murderers and criminals …."
Lina: "Oh."
Marcus: "You have to live with it…...that is why I would rather have you in the Lilly Mond..they are mostly for investigation of course ….there can also be missions where you kill others but only if necessary and that is even rare….."
Lina: "hmmm…."
(Meanwhile)
Sophie: "George Pushkin….was kidnapped...and we..are here to investigate."
Policeman: "What...you Dark Umbrella hmph...that is our task….our job."
Fiona: "well it has been more than a week...either you messed something up or you are doing something wrong….are you aware that if something happens to him the war will last even longer?"
Sophie: "Yes...apparently you are not really good at it….stop looking at us like that and please let us in."
Policeman: "Denied."
Fiona: "Hahh…..hopeless."
Sophie: "What about…"
Fiona: "Come forget it….it is pointless...apparently they want this war to last longer."
Policeman: "huh."
Sophie: "You have children right?….I can see a ring..you are married...think of your children."
Policeman: ":My children ..do not have to go to war..they are still young."
Fiona: "So it is ok if other people's children die?"
Policeman: "That is not what I meant I just meant I should not worry."
Sophie: "Please…..let us go to his office.."
Policeman: "No means no…...get out….as if it was not enough that they are cursed detectives...also women…..how wonderful…...go get married and do housework."
Fiona: "tsss….you are an asshole."
Policeman: "What did you say?"
Fiona: "Anyway…..let us hope the war lasts longer because of your hands..so that your children go to the front so you regret every decision."
Policeman: "Hmm.."
Sophie: "You could really be a hero...but instead you want more people to die..what a shame."
A call came
Policeman: "Hello?…."
Commander: "What is that noise.."
Policeman: "There are two girls who want to solve the case of George Pushkin…"
Commander: "Yes… hmm..wait a moment..who do they work for?"
Policeman: "Who do you work for?"
Sophie: "The Dark Umbrella organization."
Fiona: "Mhm."
Commander: "Hm?"
Policeman: "Dark Umbrella…"
Sophie: "We are detectives who work for the Dark Umbrella…"
Policeman: "Detectives who work for the Dark Umbrella."
Commander: "Then let them through the Dark Umbrella is just like the Owls a recognized organization …."
Policeman: "Oh..ok."
He looked at them..and hung up.
Policeman: "Come in please…"
Sophie: "Thank you."
Fiona: "Thank you very much."
Policeman: "mm.."
They went inside.
Policeman: "Please excuse me..I did not know that you are from the Dark Umbrella..I thought you were journalists or journalists pretending to be detectives."
Sophie: "Is that a thing?"
Policeman: "Yes...recently many journalists have dressed like detectives."
Fiona: "Well look at that…...some people really overdo their job."
Sophie: "Indeed."
They walked further.
Sophie: "When did you find out that he was gone George Pushkin."
Policeman: "when his wife finished her shower.."
Fiona: "Hmm….Oh and where is his wife?"
Policeman: "Miss Magdelene? she is here but...why do you need her?"
Sophie: "We need to question her."
The policeman nodded he left for a moment and then returned.
Magdelene: "what is it?"
Policeman: "Excuse me but the two detectives want to talk to you."
Sophie: "um.."
Fiona: "uh….I thought you were bringing his wife not his daughter."
Magdelene: "How rude I am his wife ...I may look young but I am his wife.."
Policeman: "She is his second wife his first one died some years ago.."
Sophie: "um."
Fiona: "Ok…..but you look very young."
Magdelene: "Because I am..I am 20 years old..I even just turned 20 three months ago.."
Fiona: "How old was he again."
Sophie: "55.."
Fiona: "(Sweats)…..uncomfortable anyway...uh…excuse me….you were showering when he disappeared right?"
Magdelene: "Exactly….it was a long night….and I wanted to shower….when I was done ...he was ...gone…."
Sophie: "Did you notice anything before that."
Magdelene: "We were too busy…to notice anything?"
Fiona: "Uh…listen when she says too busy she doesn't mean."
Sophie: "No idea...let's just hope she means something else…"
Fiona: "Mhm….and...uh….when he disappeared...did he leave anything behind?"
Magdelene: "No..he was not dressed."
Sophie: "Fuck...they definitely did it."
Fiona: "Shhhh….(Cough)….(Cough)….uh…..ok….."
Magdelene: "He always sleeps naked only with underwear."
Sophie: "Oh."
Fiona: "Phew…..ok."
Magdelene: "listen…could you please…...bring him back to me….I feel lonely without him."
Sophie: "Oh."
Fiona: "Uh.."
Magdelene: "Hehe..you must know…..I have an illness...so no one wanted to marry me…..but he did not care…..that I am sickly…..he treated me kindly…."
Sophie: "Oh.."
Fiona: " ...hmm...ok….did you notice anything strange:"
Magdelene: "...um...Oh yes...while I was showering...I heard something.."
Sophie: "What exactly?"
Fiona: "Hm?"
Magdelene: "It sounded like someone was in pain….or someone whose mouth...was covered."
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "Do you mean someone covered his mouth with a hand?"
Fiona: "Yes...could be..anything else?"
Magdelene: "Yes…..there was a voice…..a creepy deep voice...but only for a second so I thought I imagined it….it said something…..namely…..you are in the way…"
Sophie: "Ok."
Fiona: "hmm."
Sophie: "Anything else?"
Magdelene: "Oh....about five days ago someone knocked on the door…...I..opened the door...but I saw no one….when I told George about it he started trembling and told me never to open the door….then we found out it was not the door…...but...the window."
Sophie: "Oh ..creepy."
Fiona: "(Sweats) don't scare yourself…"
Sophie: "Hahhh..ok…..and how did you find that out."
Magdelene: "Because when I went for some air...I saw the footprints it had snowed ….so I could see it clearly...the window is there ...and if you look closely anyone can stand behind it ….as long as they are not too wide."
Sophie opened the window and looked through it and Fiona looked as well.
Magdelene: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "She is right."
Fiona: "Indeed.."
Sophie: "Hmm..good...it seems...it really is a kidnapping….a creepy one."