Continuation of the last chapter...
"Is this an arson case?" I muttered to myself, a cold smirk playing on my lips. "Alright, it seems Reika Higashihama finally has her first case... the detective club is in action..." I muttered arrogantly, a thrill coursing through me.
"Reika, this is clearly a case of arson," Reiko said anxiously, shaking her head gently. "How could an arsonist even get here? There is no way they could bypass our security systems. We need to put out the fire first!" she stated with fiery determination.
"Grab the extinguisher I saw in that nearby building, quick!" I ordered authoritatively, immediately rushing towards the scene to investigate.
"Alright, I am on it!" Reiko said with urgency, sprinting in the direction I pointed.
I need to examine the facts first. I already suspect foul play here. With this school's advanced and tight security systems, it is nearly impossible for an arsonist—or even a student—to enter the premises without being detected. Unless...
Standing amidst the chaos, I scanned the scene, observing the crowd screaming and running around in panic. My eyes caught a megaphone on a nearby table. I reached out to grab it, but just as I was about to use it, someone tapped my shoulder. Instinctively, I shifted into a defensive stance.
"Hey! What are you doing? It's just me!" Reiko exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise as she stepped back slightly.
"Move aside for a moment! I'm going to use this!" she shouted, aiming the extinguisher directly at the flames. She squeezed the trigger, dousing the fire until it was finally extinguished, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
I turned on the megaphone immediately and cleared my throat...
"Attention everyone, this is Reika Higashihama and..." I said coldly, adjusting my glasses before shoving the device towards Reiko. "Come on, introduce yourself!" I whispered sharply, pressing the microphone against her chest.
Reiko let out a sigh of exasperation, scratching her head gently before taking hold of it.
"I am Reiko Kazumi, the President of this club. We are the Detective Club, and we are officially taking this case..." she stated firmly, placing a hand on her chest with unwavering confidence before handing it back to me.
"We are taking over to solve this mystery! Anyone who refuses to cooperate will immediately be deemed a suspect. Do not move from your current positions. And to everyone responsible for this booth earlier—we order you to return here immediately for questioning. Thank you!" I declared in a sharp, authoritative tone.
Putting the megaphone aside, I began inspecting the scene again, patiently waiting for the staff to arrive.
The crowd froze for a moment. Suddenly, murmurs and subtle mocking laughter began to ripple through them...
"Detective Club? Damn, isn't that the group that lost almost all their members because their leader is useless?"
"I heard rumors that if they don't find five new members during Recruitment Week, the club gets disbanded for good."
"Seriously though? They couldn't even solve a missing kitten case for a whole week, and then they delivered the worst possible news in the end."
"Well, from the looks of it — seems like Reiko finally managed to find one stupid person to join her club."
Damn... now that I think about it, I thought inwardly. I'm not a Public Security Bureau officer anymore. I've been reduced to a mere high school student with zero credibility. Who is actually going to listen to me? And this club's reputation... I completely forgot how bad it was.
Reiko bowed her head, clenching her fists tightly in frustration. I held her hand gently to comfort her and adjusted my glasses calmly.
Suddenly, a loud, sharp clap echoed from the entrance of the booth area...
"Anyone who refuses to cooperate with their investigation will answer to us."
Suzune emerged gracefully from the crowd, her arms crossed firmly over her chest.
"We, the Student Council, support this investigation and will provide any resources necessary to solve the case!" she declared authoritatively, stomping her foot firmly to emphasize her point.
"Of course... that is, assuming they are actually capable..." Suzune added coldly, a subtle smirk playing on her lips as she looked down at Reika with challenging eyes.
These people are literally plotting something, I can see it in that Student Council President brat's eyes.
Before we knew it, the Student Council members had positioned themselves directly in front of us...
"What are you waiting for?" Suzune said coldly, her sharp gaze locking intensely with Reika's eyes.
"Start the investigation and solve this case..." she added with mocking arrogance.
She leaned closer, bringing her lips right next to Reika's ear.
"If you can."
— TO BE CONTINUED —