"Karabo..."
Upon seeing the object in Aesc's hand, Olga Marie's eyes widened.
"Wh...what?"
She barely suppressed a cry.
At the same time, the name murmured from Trisha's severed head was what truly shocked everyone.
All eyes, except those of the panicked Olga Marie, turned to Karabo.
Who could have guessed that this priest, who had so proactively stepped forward to examine the corpse, would become the prime suspect mere seconds later.
"I see." Hishiri Adashino's lips curved into a slightly deeper smile. "This bears a striking resemblance to the murder case from seven years ago. The head was taken then, too."
"If a similar case occurred, I should have some memory of it," a magus from the surrounding onlookers spoke up.
"That's because our Department of Policies sealed the information," Hishiri Adashino lifted her wide sleeve, admitting it bluntly.
"The Holy Church was involved back then as well," Hishiri adjusted her glasses, "And the investigating priest at the time... Karabo, that was you, wasn't it?"
If Trisha's final words had painted Karabo as the prime suspect, then Hishiri Adashino's revelations were practically pointing a finger, declaring him the murderer.
You were present when similar incidents occurred.
"Karabo Frampton."
She called his name again.
"Your eyes... they are Retrocognition... no, while there's no strict distinction, they lean towards the Cognition type, don't they?"
Karabo's hand shot up to cover one of his eyes.
"You can do it, can't you? Recreate events that have already happened." Hishiri Adashino made a slashing motion through the air. "Simply record and store the slash in a forward carriage, then recreate it as Trisha passed by."
Slash—
Not the sound of a slash, but the onomatopoeia from Hishiri Adashino's mouth.
"Couldn't you sever her head at any time, then?" Without waiting for Karabo's rebuttal, Hishiri pressed on. "And this Lady Aesc, who managed to find Trisha's head where no one else could... she is your accom—"
"If you don't shut your mouth and continue slinging mud my way," Aesc's blue eyes fixed intently on Hishiri Adashino, "I'll make you understand exactly how we managed to survive against Ghost Liners."
Let's start with thirty minutes of freefall in the Water Mirror for you.
Hishiri Adashino's smile instantly froze solid.
"A fine deduction, Madam," Lord El-Melloi II spoke up from the side. "However, there are three issues with your reasoning just now."
"First, whether Mr. Karabo's Mystic Eyes possess such a capability."
"Second, assuming they do, another magus could have hypnotized Mr. Karabo to kill Miss Trisha."
Lord El-Melloi II continued speaking rapidly, indifferent to Hishiri's reaction.
"Third, your deduction lacks a motive."
"Regarding the second point," Aesc picked up where he left off, "Karabo, you haven't answered me yet. Do you have any recollection of what you were doing in the lounge car?"
"Ah... those slashes." Hearing Aesc's question, Gray, standing nearby, recalled the sudden, inexplicable slashes that had appeared mid-air during their earlier fight.
"...No. I have no memory of entering the lounge car at all." Seemingly still processing the flood of information, Karabo paused for a moment before responding to Aesc. "My earliest memory is from after I met you, my lady."
"How is that possible? We clearly saw you in the lounge car. You were looking at the scenery..."
Before Olga Marie could finish, everyone present realized the truth.
Karabo had been hypnotized and controlled.
And... Karabo's Mystic Eyes really could accomplish such a thing.
"Well, well," the auctioneer, Leandra, exclaimed excitedly, her voice rising. "If he's capable of such a feat, Mr. Karabo's Mystic Eyes might even reach the rank of 'Jewel'."
Her excitement wasn't from uncovering the truth.
Nor was it a cheer for deducing the method.
This auctioneer was genuinely, profoundly moved by the discovery of a precious set of Mystic Eyes.
"In that case, for everyone's safety, the Mystic Eyes Collection Train will temporarily take Karabo into custody."
The auctioneer fixed her tightly blindfolded gaze on Karabo, continuing with a fanatical fervor.
Since realizing he might have been hypnotized, Karabo had remained silent, even as he faced detention.
For safety's sake?
These followers of the Dead Apostles sure have a way with words.
Seeing the 'deduction play' nearing its end, Aesc packed the head into a nearby suitcase and led Olga Marie out.
After all, they still had an appointment to keep this evening, though she wondered if the other party would dare show up.
As she passed Hishiri Adashino, the beautiful smile had returned to the woman's face, like a fox who'd gotten the cream.
"I'll notify them to change your room for you. The room next to ours is still vacant," Lord El-Melloi II said, having followed them out.
"Come with us for now. We won't abandon you," Aesc comforted, gently patting Olga Marie's head.
Olga Marie nodded in silent agreement.
"Normally, it should be impossible to escape to the outside," Lord El-Melloi II stood on the platform, watching the receding railway tracks.
"It would be possible if one could fly," Aesc commented from beside him. "I did a quick search of the other rooms and carriages on the way here. Found nothing."
"Hmm... The ability to vanish so suddenly during the fight earlier suggests a flying Noble Phantasm. They probably jumped out the window and escaped."
The sunset was deepening.
Though with these thick clouds, there was hardly any sun to be seen.
We're here.
The person on the roof made no attempt to conceal their presence, radiating a powerful aura.
Aesc watched the crimson lightning flash within the dark clouds.
"They're on top. Let's go up." Aesc grabbed Lord El-Melloi II and Gray and leaped towards the roof of the carriage.
"Wah...!"
Lord El-Melloi II let out a rather undignified cry.
"Miss... could you possibly give some warning before doing something so stimulating next time?"
"I'll try. Mostly, I didn't want to keep our guest waiting."
The armored woman on the roof was already looking their way, a smirk playing on her lips.
"You're early?"
"Couldn't very well let a magus arrive early to set up magecraft, now could I?" The armored woman crossed her arms. "That would just be troublesome."
"...Are you the one who stole my teacher's belongings?" Gray had already deployed Add beside her.
"Hahaha! Correct. I am a subordinate of that thief," the armored woman laughed heartily.
"...I didn't get to ask before," Lord El-Melloi II pushed up his glasses, which he still wasn't used to wearing. "Who are you?"
"Hmph. I really can't stand the look of your face."
The armored woman didn't answer his question. Instead, she suddenly raised a finger, listing points. "Stingy, petty-minded, gloomy and weird, grumpy in the mornings, always reading moldy old books, acting obsequious yet full of arrogance, putting on a face like you've suffered so much, but when it's all over, you're the one who made the biggest mess of the situation. Well? Hit the mark on every one, didn't I?"
"Absolutely," Aesc replied flatly. "It's like you're narrating his daily life."
"Sh..."
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.