Resetting Lady

“We’ll be troubled if you do this.”

When Raymond paid the precinct a visit, the policemen grew uncomfortable. The knight was famous in many ways, and he was still a part of the military. The policemen were displeased by his interference. What he’s doing could be considered an infringement of authority.

“Why don’t you just accept it as an ordinary citizen’s report?”

“Sir Knight, if you do this, it really…”

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.”

“Look here, if this was really just an ordinary citizen’s report, you would have just written a statement and left after that.”

At the sharp voice, Raymond looked up. Then, he was faced with a man who definitely would have reacted like that to him.

“Albert.”

“Been a while. How long has it been?”

The brown-haired young man with a splendid mustache shook Raymond’s hand. He was Inspector Albert Strieder, who graduated from the same academy. He was the classmate who gave Raymond this brutal advice: if you don’t kill, you’re the one who’s killed right away.

After graduating from the military academy, he was instead assigned to the police force. He followed his father’s footsteps. If Raymond knew that he’d bump into Albert here, he thought that he should have met him in advance.

Raymond took Albert’s hand and shook it.

“You’re still alive, huh.”

Albert smiled as he placed a hand on Raymond’s shoulder.

“I thought you were gonna go straight to hell after getting shot in the head. On the back of your head.”

“Sorry for not meeting your expectations. I don’t have a bullet in the back of my head, but I’ve seen my fair share. You can still comfort me.”

“…Can’t you take a joke?”

With Raymond acting all friendly like this, it made Albert feel a bit uncomfortable. The assuaging treatment that Albert was giving Raymond right now implied a hint of rejection already. However, Raymond stopped him there and went straight to the point.

“Albert, are you the one in charge here? There’s something I’d like to ask about the corpse that was found this morning.”

“Why are you asking?”

Raymond immediately brought the matter at hand without even going through the motions of exchanging the appropriate greetings, and at this, Albert showed signs of discomfort.

Pointing to himself, Raymond answered.

“I was the one who found it. I sent a servant first, but the report wasn’t received properly.”

Albert’s eyes went wide, then he looked at his subordinates, who had become intimidated by Raymond.

“No, it was received. Oy, you. The dead body of the woman on Seventh Avenue. You received it, yeah?”

“Huh? Y-Yes, that’s right.”

When Albert asked, the other policeman answered hastily. But Raymond immediately refuted the insincere response.

“I’m talking about the body that was found in the forest this morning—that’s the report I sent. I heard that there’s a woman found in the sewers earlier, too. The one from Seventh Avenue is yet another one?”

Scowling openly, Albert raised both hands and expressed his objection. He then answered sullenly.

“Hey, Raymond. You’re stepping out of bounds here. You can’t press us like this. Leave this matter to us and just let it slide. Just calm down for now… You… I think you’re almost delusional. Especially what you said last time about… What was it? Anyway, about that woman.”

“You mean the victim? Nothing that the papers are saying matches up. About how she’s been selling her body ever since she was thirteen and then she died at eighteen, and when she died, she was wearing red clothes. That’s what.”

“Isn’t that just an ordinary newspaper article? It serves to moderately relieve the citizens’ curiosity.”

“Then as a witness myself who found the body and is anxious about this, can’t you fill me in?”

“Shit, give me a break.”

“Albert.”

“I know my name, Raymond.”

The air inside the room had become drastically tense. The two men were close enough to each other that they could exchange blows at any given time, and all the others around them looked like they’d do anything to leave this place.

“Shit, don’t insist arbitrarily that it’s a serial murder case. There are more differences than commonalities between them. And prostitutes die frequently in this city. You’re a soldier, not a cop. Don’t try to do my job.”

“Show me the files.”

“It’s impossible to talk to you.”

“I just want to confirm something with your records, Inspector. There must be a connection with the sketch I sent you. The culprit has a habit when stabbing the victims. All I want is to cooperate with you.”

“Just stop it here. You’ve told me about what you know, and at this place, I know better than you. You can’t solve a case just by pinpointing that habit. There needs to be a witness.”

“Albert.”

Albert groaned and rubbed his forehead. Then, he glared at Raymond.

“To be honest, if you were a commoner, the first suspect would be you.”

“…Ha.”

“So thank you very much for being a noble. It’s because of your reputation and your station that you’re not being suspected.”

“I’m grateful to death, thank you.”

“This isn’t an army full of your own subordinates. You’re in the city right now! There’s a procedure to everything! We’ve also built our own methods of dealing with things.”

Albert forced a smile and gripped Raymond’s shoulder. After he had let all those words out with a loud voice, he felt a little better.

“Help me out here.”

“……”

“This isn’t the warzone, and you’re going to be a member of the Assembly soon, too. Just wait and see. Dead prostitutes come up once a month. Most of them got beaten to death by men. And there’re some that couldn’t be found. With what happened this time, it’s obvious. Those women got tangled up with the wrong, ill-tempered gentlemen.”

“So what you’re saying is that it’s fine for those women to have died because they’re prostitutes?”

“Don’t get started with me. There’s no end to these things. I’m just saying that I can’t focus on this case all of a sudden just because you, a noble, found a body. If you want, go and try to get a bigger budget for us later.”

“……”

“Isn’t there just two months left until the elections of the Assembly? I’ll leave it to you, so please.”

I’m not earning much here. And you’re just wasting my time.

Raymond adjusted his clothes and pushed the door. From behind, Albert shouted loudly.

“Let’s not do boring things next time and meet up when we both have time! My father wants to see you, too. You’d like that, too, yeah?”

“……”

“Got it? Hey, where are you going?”

“This poor citizen is trembling with fear, so I’ll just hole myself up in my room and cry.”

“I’ll send you a telegram, so clear your schedule! Got it?”

“…Fine.”

After Raymond answered reluctantly, he went out to the streets. Xenon was sitting on a bench at the other side of the road, and when he saw Raymond come out, he raised his hand.

“Lord Raymond, how did it go?”

“Nothing fruitful.”

“Did you hear anything?”

“Absolutely nothing. I didn’t hear a single thing. He told me not to interfere.”

“Well… They’ve got to have their own circumstances, too.”

“…Seems like you know these things better than I do.”

Scratching his head, Xenon inquired.

“Um, uh, I know I’m sticking my nose too far in this, but… When you found the body, um… uh… You were calm like you were already expecting it, but you seem to be greatly flustered now. May I ask why it’s like that?”

Raymond pondered for a moment. How should he answer? To be honest with you, I think my fiancée is connected to the serial murders. That’s why I’m going crazy right now.

Should he answer like that?

But instead, Raymond smiled bitterly and dismissed the other man’s words.

“You’re meddling too much.”

“…Yes, yes.”

Raymond ruffled his hair and let out a sigh. What did those words mean anyway. Truthfully, he couldn’t even believe himself either. He found himself being swayed by her ridiculous words.

“I’m someone who’s from outside this novel.”

Unless he really got shot in the head, it was impossible to believe such nonsense. But at the same time, it was difficult to ignore what she said.

At first, Raymond tried to comfort Carynne. Then, he was at a loss for words. And ultimately, he was left in a state of confusion. Raymond was left with no choice but to visit the city’s police precinct.

“At the end of the day, I didn’t find out anything, but…”

“You did your best though, Lord Raymond.”

“Thanks for the consolation.”

But he didn’t gain anything.

With one hand, Raymond pressed down on his eyes. He’s exhausted. Though it was unbelievable, if he had a lead, and if it was a matter of murder, he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Even if it’s not his job. More so, even if it was something that he could prevent.

“This isn’t the battlefield, but dead bodies keep showing up.”

“…I know, sir. Please go home and rest for now. You’ve done all that you can, Lord Raymond.”

Ding, ding—

The evening bell rang.

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