Chapter 813 The Crime Scene
The temperature of the room suddenly dropped as it was suddenly filled with draconic energy from Aersus—the Soul Eater Dragon.
At this time, he fixed his molten gaze upon Rowena, the unsuspecting curator.
His draconic form, now humanoid, bore the weight of countless years, and a mere human could not receive such a gaze.
Rowena's breath hitched.
She had spent her life unraveling mysteries, but this—this was beyond her capabilities.
With a mere glance from Aersus, he ignited her very essence!
The room trembled.
Rowena's scream curdled in her throat, but before it could escape, her skin blistered, her bones turned to cinder.
She crumbled in the blink of an eye, proof of the Soul Eater's hunger, his wrath, and the abyss that churned within him.
***
On the next day, the morning sun crept over the rooftops of Veravale, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets.
The city stirred as the people woke up and started preparing for the long day.
However, at this time, the museum, nestled in the heart of the district, seemed to be very busy even before the sun was up.
Apparently,?Rowena's death was immediately known because of the guards who had been looking for her the whole night.
At this time, the investigators that had been called by the first responders arrived promptly…
Each one bore a distinct aura, their expertise etched into their very beings:
One of them was Paranormal Investigator Priscilla Hoffman. Her black hair framed a young face similar to Aubrey's age…?Well, she was in the same batch as Vale and the others in the Dark Arts Academy. This time, she was no longer with her twin brother and was working alone as a Paranormal Investigator.
Priscilla's eyes scanned the room, attuned to the subtlest disturbances. She sensed lingering energies—the remnants of Rowena's demise.
"She died without entering her Mystic State…" She muttered. Mystic State was the equivalent of Phantasm State in the Mystic Arts.
"I can agree to that… This is intriguing… Whoever stole that Dragon Scale is definitely dangerous."
Beside her was Arcanist Bureau's Special Agent Thorne Blackwood. His tailored suit belied the arcane tattoos that crawled up his arms. Thorne's gaze swept the room, assessing magical anomalies. His fingers twitched, ready to invoke protective wards or offensive spells.
He couldn't help but sigh as he didn't expect that a powerful criminal was lurking in his city.
In the meantime, Occult Consultant Professor Noah Featherstar, the previous Club President of the Battle Arena Committee, where Vale belonged, agreed to their statement.
"The criminal must be a Master Class Arcanist. I can't find any clues as to how he escaped after killing the curator."
His scholarly demeanor masked a fascination with forbidden knowledge. Noah adjusted his spectacles, examining the ashen remains.
Then, if one looked closely, the book in his was filled with cryptic symbols. It was actually a mysterious Dark Grimoire that helped him in such investigations.
He then nodded at Priscilla since they somehow knew each other in the Academy.
Aside from these three, there were also other experts in various fields who were called to look into this matter.
Artifact Expert Dr. Isolde Stone. Her gloves traced the edges of the Dragon Scale's pedestal.
Isolde's eyes gleamed with reverence. She could tell that the Dragon Scale didn't get taken away so easily. It seemed to have been triggered by some sort of Spell to activate.
"The Scale was taken by hand, at the very least. A spell took it out, or perhaps someone activated it to take it away." She explained.
"That's also my guess… The Sealing Formation Arts surrounding the treasure wasn't forcefully destroyed from the outside but from the inside. The robber… or murderer, seemed to be capable of controlling the Dragon Scale.
Exorcist Sister Miriam spoke up. Her rosary clicked softly as she murmured prayers. She didn't sense evil or malevolence energy, so she was sure that it wasn't done by a devil or demon. Nonetheless, she could tell that the surroundings were filled with the aura of the dragon.
Finally, Police Inspector Victor Hawthorne spoke up after writing all of their findings.
"I noted it all. Is there anything you can find, or can you provide more clues? Perhaps about the identity of the culprit if you have something in mind. It would also be great if you could tell us Rowena turned to ashes." Victor asked.
His trench coat, or perhaps his whole body, smelled coffee, and he seemed to have just woken up as well...
He didn't seem enthusiastic about this case either.
Nonetheless, he knew that he had to get as much information as he had to get a decent report that he could show to his boss.
He listened to their replies once and noted everything down.
Finally, he surveyed the room—the shattered glass, the slightly scorched floor, and other details to ensure that he didn't miss any important detail.
His notebook documented mundane details—the mundane footprints, the clean surroundings, and others.
At this time, Noah, the Occult Consultant, adjusted his spectacles.
"The Dragon Scale," he mused, "held immense power. But why would someone target it? Is it to gain a new weapon or, perhaps, a ritual sacrifice?"
'I don't like where this is going…' Priscilla thought as she considered backing out on this one. Anyway, this doesn't seem to be a paranormal case.
Miriam also didn't speak, and there weren't any Demons or Devils involved, just like they initially thought.
Dr. Isolde Stone, the Artifact Expert, also crossed her arms as she knew that her task here was over.
Victor's pen scratched against the paper.
"And how do we proceed?" he asked, his voice gruff.
They exchanged glances, their collective expertise converging.
But it was Miriam who spoke next. "I suggest that you seek guidance from the Dragon… of the Shadow Immortal," she said.
The room fell silent. The Shadow Immortal—a name whispered in fear and reverence.
"But," Noah hesitated, "they rarely intervene. Well, you can probably try." Priscilla squared her shoulders. "This crime involves a dragon scale," she said. "We have no choice."
Victor could only agree, but looking at it, he could tell that the investigators he called were no longer interested in this case.
He tried to convince the Bureau's Special Agent, the Paranormal Investigator, and the Occult Consultant to help him with the case, but they all refused!
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