Chapter 165 - <8>
A week and two days had passed since they arrived in Tashkur. Tomorrow would mark a full week since Ritz was imprisoned. In that time, the situation had not improved, and as of now, they hadn't found a single clue. There had been no word from the brothel madam, Faye.
Franz was lying on his bed, lost in thought. It was almost evening. After spending the morning walking around the city, he had returned to the inn for a break and was now idly waiting for Anil, who would be joining him for more questioning. This was because they were changing their investigative strategy starting today.
After returning from the brothel the previous day, they all had a discussion and reworked their approach to gathering information. They concluded that the most crucial element was the woman Ritz had been with. The next day, Anna spent the entire day with Ritz creating a composite sketch of the woman. Though somewhat crude, Ritz had said it “looked like her,” so the sketch was complete.
From then on, they decided to split up, with one team taking the sketch to search for the woman, and the other taking the drawing of the view from the window to search for the room. With this, there was no longer a need to visit Ritz, who had no more information, and naturally, Anna ended up teaming with Edward to search for the woman.
It was Edward’s decision; he judged that a woman and a man who was clearly a foreigner would be the best combination for searching for another woman, especially one thought to be an outsider. It would be easier to ask questions among both the people of Tashkur and the immigrants if they framed it as searching for someone who had been missing for a long time, rather than looking for a woman connected to a case.
At the same time, Edward was also searching for Ritz’s lost sword. Since it wasn’t used as the murder weapon, the culprit must have disposed of it somehow. If it had been sold, they might be able to get some information from the seller.
It was a distinctive weapon, so it would be easy to find if it had been sold, but it would be a problem if the merchant left town before they could confirm it. With each passing day, winter was approaching, and the number of merchants seemed to be dwindling. Franz was fairly certain this was not just his imagination.
Thus, Franz was inevitably teamed up with Anil to search for the view from the window. To get inside buildings and be shown the view from the windows, it was better to have someone from inside Tashkur, and someone whose face was known in the entertainment district.
But for the past few days, the view from the window that Ritz described had not been found at all. The distinctive Twin Towers and the three adjoining roofs were a sight that simply couldn’t be found in the lower-level entertainment district. Yet, the tavern where Ritz had been right before going to the room with the woman was definitely in the entertainment district, and it was hard to believe the room in question was in the upper-level residential area of the Birdfolk.
After hitting a wall for several days, the two of them in charge of searching for the building decided, after last night’s joint report, to switch their search for the room to the nighttime. Although the time Ritz went to the room was quite late, they couldn’t go around at that hour, so they decided to start searching for the same view around dusk. The area they could cover in a few hours was limited, but it couldn’t be helped. If it got too late, they wouldn’t even be shown the rooms.
As the meeting time approached, Franz sluggishly got up, casually smoothed his bed-hair with his hand, and bundled himself up in every piece of winter clothing he could find. Despite being puffed up, he grabbed his bag and went downstairs.
He was heading to a dark place, so even though it was within the city, he figured it was necessary and took Sara’s lamp. Sara, who was always sleeping, raised her head and looked at Franz. He wondered if it was okay to keep the salamander cooped up like this, but other than on their travels, there was really nothing he could do for her.
Anna seemed to play with her when she was bored, but that probably wasn’t the proper way to interact with a spirit. Now, Franz regretted that he might have been better off returning Sara to the lava when they were in Roshozu, the land of fire. But if he did that, he wouldn’t be able to handle Fire Spirits in places where fire power was weak.
Franz’s current power was weak; he was merely using the flames that enveloped Sara as a medium to summon and use Fire Spirits. He could handle flames if they were nearby, but that wasn’t always the case. It might be unfortunate for Sara herself, but there was no point in thinking about it now.
The inn they were staying at this time had been recommended by their guide, Anil, and as such, the facilities were clean and well-maintained, and the food and people were not bad. The innkeeper’s family were all four human, but several mixed-bloods and Birdfolk also worked there, and the scale was quite large. There were over ten guest rooms, and there were quite a few lodgers, but most of them were the merchants and tourists who were flooding the town at this time of year.
Few of the merchants staying at this inn had moved on yet, and the tourists seemed to be planning a long stay. As a result, the inn was as lively as it had been on the day Franz and the others first arrived. For the group investigating the murder of a prominent Birdfolk figure, it was a blessing that there were many humans and few Birdfolk, as they drew less attention.
As he was about to pass through the bustling dining hall, which was nearing dinnertime, he was suddenly called out. He turned around to see Edward and Anna having an early meal. He gave a small bow and sat at the same table, and Edward offered him some red wine, which he gratefully accepted.
Perhaps because he had just been sleeping and was thirsty, even the lingering astringency in his mouth tasted delicious, and he drank it all in one go.
“Are you sure it’s okay to drink like that? You’re going out again, right?”
Anna asked worriedly, and Franz nodded as he placed the glass on the table.
“I’m fine.”
Recently, he had started drinking a little, as he was often made to join Edward and Ritz. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to be a lightweight.
“I wish I could drink too…”
Anna, who was watching him enviously, was surprisingly weak to alcohol. He thought being weak to alcohol was a matter of constitution, but Anna stubbornly believed that she would be able to drink when she became an adult, so he decided against denying it and shattering whatever dream she was holding onto.
“How goes it, any progress?”
As he refilled the glass that Franz had emptied in one go, Edward asked with a smile.
“…None.”
“I see.”
Accepting the wine glass that had been filled halfway, Franz sighed.
“Will we really find any evidence this way?”
“Who knows. We can only believe that we will.”
Even as he said it, a hint of fatigue lingered in Edward’s tone. Perhaps this kind of steady, plodding work didn’t suit him. It was the job of a leader to make big decisions based on the detailed circumstances investigated by their subordinates.
In that respect, Ritz was probably the one who was good at gathering information. Ritz’s specialty was his ability to delve into the dark underbelly of a city with his familiarity and audacity.
“I’m going to go see the night view with Anil now.”
After downing his second glass of wine, Franz stood up. He thought he might get hungry, but thanks to the wine, his hunger was somewhat sated, and his body was warmed up for going outside. The timing was just right.
“Franz, a suggestion.”
Edward stopped Franz and motioned for him to sit down again.
“What is it?”
As he sat down without thinking, Edward lowered his voice.
“Tonight, Anna and I don’t plan on returning to the inn.”
At his serious tone, Franz’s expression changed.
“…Why is that?”
Edward slowly swirled the wine glass as usual. As if he didn’t want anyone to hear, he feigned an expression of enjoying the wine’s aroma, and without becoming agitated like Franz, he continued in a low whisper.
“I’m thinking of watching the area around that assembly hall with Anna, during the few hours from when Ritz met the woman until he was discovered by the Autonomous Guard.”
He had heard that the Autonomous Guard posted a watch around the assembly hall every night, and that there was nothing suspicious. He was confused as to why they would watch it now, of all times. As if she were in on a secret meeting, Anna leaned forward toward Franz.
“Even if it’s not strange to the Birdfolk, there might be a sight that looks strange to people who aren’t, right?”
“…Like what?”
“For example, if someone was flying in the sky in Sears, you’d be really surprised, right?”
“That’s true.”
“But in Tashkur, no one would be surprised. It’s normal here.”
He started to understand what she was getting at. In other words, perhaps there was some kind of anomaly that they, as outsiders, could discover. That might be connected to the mysterious circumstances of how Ritz was transported.
As if understanding that Franz had grasped the general idea, Edward continued, toying with his wine glass, taking over from Anna’s words.
“I’m not doubting the words of the Autonomous Guard, but I want to see with my own eyes whether it’s truly impossible for several people to carry Ritz up to that room from the window, and whether the culprit couldn’t have escaped. For that, we have no choice but to stake it out at the same time.”
“I see.”
“We plan to be back by morning, but if something unexpected happens, we won’t be able to be contacted. Please be aware of that.”
In other words, if some kind of problem arose on Franz’s end, they wouldn’t be able to help.
A wave of anxiety spread through his chest. The thought of what would happen if, by some chance, he encountered the culprit and was pursued, made his vision darken. But he suppressed that anxiety with his own will. First, he had to stand on his own. He must not think of relying on others first, but must protect himself with his own strength.
“Understood.”
“Let’s plan to report to each other at breakfast tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
To become someone who could trust himself, he had no choice but to take the first step. As he stood up, nodding, Anna called out to him again.
“Hey, can I borrow Sara-chan?”
“…Sure.”
He handed over the lamp he was holding. There should be oil-powered lights in the city, so even without Sara, he should be able to handle flames in an emergency.
“I’m off.”
“Take care.”
“Be careful.”
This time, neither Anna nor Edward stopped him. Anna was smiling and waving while eating her dinner. The two of them were probably planning to rest at the inn until the time Ritz met the woman, and then head out.
Seen off by the two of them, he left the inn, and a strong, cold wind stung his cheeks. Without bothering to hold down his messy bangs, Franz buried his face in his muffler. At this cold, it would probably snow soon. Franz, who had grown up in a city, couldn’t imagine a snow so heavy that it would isolate the entire city from the world below, but soon, such a winter would come to this city.
Unconsciously, he touched the Flame Spear tucked into his belt. Then he touched the bag he was carrying. The bag that Constanze had given him when he returned home contained medicinal herbs, paper, pen, and ink. He was relieved that it contained his usual tools, as usual. For Franz, ‘as usual’ was one of the necessary conditions for calming his heart.
In addition to that, the bag contained the picture Anna had drawn of the view from the window that Ritz had seen. It was tattered from being carried around every day and shown to people all over the place. He was anxious about whether he would really find this view, but since there was nothing else he could do now, it couldn’t be helped.
He sat down on a bench outside the inn and looked down at the entertainment district that spread out below the inn. From the road in front of the inn, he had a panoramic view of the entertainment district and the pastureland. Looking up, he could also see the residential area of the Birdfolk on the upper levels.
Unlike in the daytime, many lights were lit, and the city was filled with a reddish, warm light. In every window, even though it was just after nightfall, lights were lit, illuminating the lives of the people. If he could fly like the Birdfolk, what would this sight of flickering lights in a giant, mountain-like city look like?
When he sighed, his breath turned white as if frozen. The thought that Edward and Anna were going to stake out in this cold made him shiver. For Franz, who was sensitive to the cold, it was a pretty tough story. Perhaps the two of them, knowing this, decided to do it without telling him.
That was quite pathetic, but since he couldn’t hold back the two who were physically fit, he resigned himself to it. More importantly, finding the view in the picture with Anil was the priority. As he sighed again, a figure suddenly flew from the entertainment district. He instinctively tensed his whole body, and the figure, whose expression was hidden in the darkness, landed in front of Franz.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
That calm voice was Anil’s. Usually, Anil didn’t fly to match Franz’s pace, so he tended to forget that he was a Birdfolk who used flight as a means of transportation.
“You’re right on time.”
He involuntarily took out his watch and replied, and Anil smiled.
“Shall we go then?”
Prompted, he finally realized.
“The sky.”
“…What is it?”
“It’s more efficient to look from the sky.”
He hadn’t noticed until now, but if he had Anil look at the outside of the buildings from the sky, it would be much quicker. Then he wouldn’t have to get permission from people every time. And at night, he probably wouldn’t stand out even if he flew through the entertainment district. He explained in a few words, and Anil nodded.
“That would certainly be more efficient. But what will you do, Franz? You can’t fly, can you?”
“No.”
“Even if we split up to search, it would be difficult to meet up.”
“You’re right.”
“And isn’t the view from the sky and the view from a window at completely different heights?”
“…”
He thought it was a good idea, but unfortunately, it seemed to be completely useless. He reluctantly started walking as usual. But as if he thought it was a shame to waste the idea, Anil spoke to him as he walked beside him.
“But all I have to do is float up and check the position of the windows of the lodging places, right? If so, I can look outside without having to get permission from the lodging facilities or inns at this hour. If I find a similar view, then you can look at that view from inside the window, Franz. How about that?”
“…That might work.”
“Then let’s go around the lodging places in the lowest level in order.”
“Okay.”
Starting with the cheap inns on the lowest level, they had decided to re-examine all the places they had visited before, so the two of them ended up walking down to the very bottom level. On the lowest level, there were few inns and shops, and instead, there was a Birdfolk fortress.
Looking at that fortress from the lowest level, the fortress that completely surrounded Tashkur was quite high. According to Anil, it was built to be high enough so that even if a Birdfolk who had caused some kind of trouble in this city and was exiled came back, they wouldn’t be able to fly over the top of the fortress. Even if this fortress seemed meaninglessly high to a human, it might be a necessary height for the Birdfolk.
Looking up, the top of the fortress was high enough to cover the houses of the entertainment district, which were several levels higher. The reason there were few shops and inns in this area was probably because it was difficult to live in the shade of this fortress.
But no matter how rare a sight it was, it was no use being obsessed with that fortress. The fortress that covered this city was long and wide, but outsiders couldn’t stay there. In other words, the only people inside this fortress were those whose professions were related to immigration screening, and the guards of the Autonomous Guard.
Unlike in the daytime, he felt like he wanted to see the majestic fortress illuminated by the flickering oil lamps a little longer, but this was no time for that. With a feeling of reluctance, he decided to investigate the buildings on the lowest level, which were cast in the shadow of the fortress.
Investigating the windows of each house one by one was a time-consuming and laborious task, but unlike before, being able to fly and check before getting permission shortened the time spent negotiating with the innkeepers, and the work progressed smoothly.
The lowest level was the largest area in Tashkur, and yet it had the fewest private houses. If anything, it was a region with many park-like spaces with scattered trees and squares. The intricate foundation of the city, the exposed rock face, and the well placed in the silent square created a sense of desolation that was different from the daytime.
There were no moving shadows other than Anil flying in the sky and Franz looking up at him, and it gave the illusion that this Tashkur, inhabited by many people, had turned into a ruin. Shaking his head to dispel such an illusion, Franz turned his gaze to Anil, who was flying in the air in front of him. Franz felt a kind of admiration for Anil, who was buffeted by a strong wind with his back to the wall of a house.
For the Birdfolk, flying did not mean continuously flying on the wind. They could catch the wind spirits and jump to a much higher distance than usual. And when they fell, they caught the wind, so it was slow. In other words, the time they spent in the air when they jumped was terribly long.
So, strictly speaking, it could not be said that they were continuously flying. Nevertheless, the sight of them repeatedly jumping and slowly falling was as powerful as a bird of prey repeatedly descending and ascending sharply. Continuing to fly might only be possible in this city, but still, Franz was very impressed with how useful this technique was.
In addition, if they used the power of the wind, they could move things without touching them. Letters aside, they could even exchange small packages while staying at home. Their power would be very useful in a city with many slopes and intricate paths like this. If Franz were a resident of this city, he would surely live his life using the wind without taking a single step out of his house. Even now, Franz was not what you would call diligent, but he would probably become even more of a slacker.
Unlike the power of the wind, Franz, who handled the Fire Spirits, had no useful skills like Anil’s. Fire meant destruction first and foremost, so it was the most unsuitable ability for helping people. Anna’s Water Spirits, Anil’s Wind Spirits, both could be useful to people. All of them could harm people if used incorrectly, but they would not cause a major disaster with a small mistake like Franz would. Like when he set fire to the Marguerite Circus Troupe’s tent with the Fire Spirit he instinctively unleashed when he saw the dark spirit.
If he had been able to think more calmly before acting at that time, the result would have been much better. He wouldn’t have made Ritz perform a life-threatening rescue mission, and he wouldn’t have made Anna worry and cry. Edward wouldn’t have had to cast aside his act and direct the circus troupe members to fight the fire.
So, he sincerely hoped that he could at least learn to handle the Fire Spirits more skillfully, so that even if he wasn’t useful, he wouldn’t cause a major disaster and hold them back.
While Franz was immersed in such sentimental thoughts, Anil continued to fly, and eventually, the two of them finished circling the lowest level. Even if it was wide, if there was little to see, it didn’t take much time. However, unlike Franz, Anil’s fatigue had reached its limit. It was only natural, as he had been constantly flying up.
Just as he was about to call out to the exhausted Anil and suggest they stop, he noticed a lone figure sitting with his head down in a square that he had thought was empty in the corner of his vision. The woman, sitting on an old block of stone in the square, seemed to have her face covered with her hands. A closer look at the figure’s clothing revealed that she was a Birdfolk woman.
“Anil.”
When he called out unconsciously in a low voice, Anil, who had descended, wondering if something was wrong, looked in the direction Franz was pointing. He immediately stiffened.
“Do you know her?”
“…It’s my sister.”
“Your sister…”
It was the hot-tempered woman named Kamala, whom Franz had met only once at the brothel.
“What is she doing here…?”
As Anil was perplexed, Franz asked with his eyes what he was going to do. After a moment of hesitation, Anil started walking towards Kamala. Franz followed silently behind him. Even as the two of them got closer, Kamala did not look up. As if he had made up his mind, Anil called out.
“Sister.”
Kamala slowly raised her head, and Franz was surprised by her expression. Unlike when they had met before, she was exhausted and haggard.
“You’ll catch a cold if you fall asleep here.”
Anil gently cared for his sister, and Kamala smiled weakly.
“Yeah. Thank you.”
“You should go home and rest. You’re tired, aren’t you, sister?”
“…Yes. But I’m fine.”
The gap between her and the fierce woman he had seen before left Franz speechless and unable to move. As if she had finally noticed him, Kamala’s eyes widened.
“The one from before…?”
“…Hello.”
Not knowing what to say, he involuntarily gave a foolish greeting.
“Ah. You were re-investigating that case, weren’t you?”
Kamala’s gaze and words shifted from Franz to Anil. It seemed she had no intention of talking to Franz.
“I heard you’re working to prove the culprit’s innocence.”
“Sister, that man is…”
“Not the culprit? I’m tired of hearing that.”
“But…”
“The man who did it, he was a worthless man who slept with a prostitute before committing murder, wasn’t he?”
“Sister…”
“There’s no need to protect a man like that. Even that kid over there, with his dark eyes, looks like a murderer. He’s the culprit’s companion, so of course he does.”
It was a somewhat forceful sarcasm, like when she had snapped at Faye at the brothel. Her strong-willed hazel eyes stared coldly at Franz. Franz intuitively understood that she was the type of person who would never forgive a man who played around with women like Ritz. Kamala’s eyes seemed to even hate such men.
But even in that sarcastic tone, there was a hint of fatigue, and rather than being offended, he felt pity. She had probably been searching for her lover, Barat, since that day. And she hadn’t been able to find him. That anxiety was overflowing from her whole body, impossible to hide. Perhaps she had no intention of hiding it, as even Franz, who was dull to human observation, could tell.
If the man really had run away as Faye said, what would she do? If she, who seemed to not have the slightest thought of being betrayed by her lover, was betrayed by him on top of her father being killed, wouldn’t she just break?
The exhausted Kamala in front of him and the faintly remembered, madness-tinged sad eyes from the past overlapped, and words uncharacteristic of him came out of his mouth.
“You’re tired.”
At the words he muttered, a hateful expression appeared in Kamala’s eyes.
“What? Are you trying to be considerate?”
“Not really… that’s not it.”
“You’re a murderer’s companion, but you’re going to try to pretend to be kind? It’s so funny I could cry.”
“I have no intention of being kind.”
To Kamala, who was trying to shower him with ridicule, Franz cut her off with a single word. He didn’t know how she took it, but he could see that Kamala clenched her teeth as if taken aback. But he had no intention of following up with any kind of support for her.
Franz knew that he was not the type of person who could treat people kindly, and if he were in Kamala’s position, he would probably want him to just get out of his sight. But for some reason, her attitude bothered him. It felt like there was a piece of fear lurking in the depths of her defiant eyes. He had seen such eyes long ago.
The one and only Diva who had supported him in his childhood… Katerina.
At the same time as he remembered his cruel treatment of Constanze, he began to remember her, Katerina. She had just silently stayed by his side, but she was a person with a burning intensity. But Franz was not mature enough to understand her feelings, and he did not have the tolerance to forgive her.
Now, the pain of his childhood, unsealed from his heart.
He couldn’t help but feel that she was holding a similar, unidentifiable, sincere pain. Of course, that was just a sentiment he felt, having remembered the past. It was probably just a mixture of the sentiment he felt for the end of Katerina, which he had just remembered and learned about, and his current feelings.
So he knew he shouldn’t confuse them, but it bothered him somehow. But just as the young Franz could not understand Katerina, he had no idea what Kamala was thinking. Katerina had been family, but Kamala was a complete stranger.
While glaring at the silent Franz with open hostility, Kamala snapped at him.
“A companion of a promiscuous murderer is also promiscuous, I see. Did you think I would forgive him for killing my father if you sympathized with me? You and your companions, I don’t know what you’re like.”
It was true that Ritz was promiscuous. Franz also sincerely thought so. But to have all his companions dismissed as ‘promiscuous’ in one go, Franz felt a little indignant. But he swallowed his rebuttal, and as if she saw an opening, Kamala attacked.
“Did I hit a nerve? Did you think he would be released if I said I forgave him? If so, that’s a shame. A man who buys prostitutes has no reason to exist. He should die for the crime of killing my father. Even if a man like that dies, no one would be sad.”
“Sister! How can you say that!”
Anil suppressed his anger and faced Kamala. Kamala turned her hateful gaze, which had been directed at Franz, into anger and glared at Anil.
“What? Isn’t it obvious?”
“He’s not that kind of person. We came here from the foot of the mountain together, so even I can tell what kind of person he is.”
“Whose side are you on? My father and me? Or the culprit’s gang?”
“I told you, he’s not the culprit!”
From behind the arguing siblings, Franz muttered softly.
“…It’s true that Ritz is a good-for-nothing man who buys prostitutes.”
It was a small voice, but the words echoed well in the darkness of the stone pavement. In an instant, the argument between Kamala and Anil stopped.
“I admit that too. But that doesn’t mean he has no reason to exist. He has meaning among us who travel with him.”
After saying that, he paused and looked at Kamala. For some reason, Kamala recoiled slightly as if intimidated. He didn’t know how much he could say, but if he stayed silent after saying this much, he would feel bad. So he decided to say what he wanted to say for now.
“Among our companions is his best friend of forty years. He said they were comrades who fought together, risking their lives.”
“So… what?”
“And Ritz has a partner. She’s a girl, but she’s still a child, and yet they need each other.”
“So what? Are you asking me to forgive him and release him?”
“No. He’s not the kind of person who would commit some senseless murder when he has someone important to him. And he’s not someone whose existence can be denied by others.”
When he said that flatly, Kamala’s expression distorted. Had she been suppressing her sadness by hating the person who killed her father and despising his companions? And perhaps she had been trying to fill the sense of loss from losing her father by desperately searching for her lover.
Wasn’t there sadness hidden in her defiant eyes after all? When he thought so, he couldn’t see her as annoying or frustrating. Hiding sadness with defiance was something that Franz, Constanze, and the Diva had all done, so he could understand it somehow.
“What we want to know is the truth. That’s why we want to hear your story.”
Words of strong will, which he probably couldn’t have said before, came out of his mouth. He wanted to hear from her about her father, Ashok, and her lover, Barat. Not from Anil or the people in the city who hated Ashok, but from her, his daughter.
“…That partner girl, she cares about the culprit, doesn’t she?”
Franz nodded. After all, she thought it would be fine to give him all the rest of her life, so that was probably true.
“Even though he’s that kind of man?”
“Yes.”
“Then does that girl know that he’s the kind of man who buys a woman’s body with money?”
“…No.”
“See? Even if she’s his partner, she’s being lied to. He’s that kind of man, after all.”
“So you’re saying he would kill someone?”
When he replied without a moment’s hesitation, Kamala looked down slightly and bit her lip. He couldn’t see her expression, but he could feel that she was thinking about something. After a while, with a hard expression, Kamala looked up at Franz.
“Do you believe you can find out the truth?”
It was a cold but serious expression. Even Franz, who was dull to human emotions, could clearly see that she did not believe them.
“Probably. It will take time, though.”
“I don’t think so, but I’ll make a slight concession.”
With that, Kamala stood up from the stone she was sitting on. Lightly brushing off the hem of her clothes, she turned her back to the two of them.
“I’ll talk to you just once. Have that girl with you then.”
“Anna?”
“Yes. I want to see the face of a girl who trusts and cherishes a dirty man who buys prostitutes. And then I’ll laugh at her. I’ll tell her she’s being deceived.”
For Franz, who heard it, it was the most painful thing to hear. He felt that if such a thing was said to Anna, it would cause a big problem. But since Edward would be there, the damage could be minimized.
“…I’ll go to the inn when I’m free. It’s the inn where Anil always takes his guests, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I understand. If I can’t meet you then, that’s it.”
“Sister.”
“I have my own schedule. That much is only natural.”
Without turning back, Kamala started walking, and then she flew away on a strong gust of wind and disappeared.