OUKA arrived at St. Rollins Academy in the evening. The campus was full of students on their way home from their last class of the day. The old school building was cordoned off with rope, preventing anyone from getting close. Ouka saw Rabbis on watch duty patrolling the area.
As expected, the Church is investigating this incident too. I want to inspect the old school building, but it won’t be pretty if I get caught by the Rabbis. I’m definitely in for a whooping if they tattle on me to Kiriko… How do I go about this?
Ouka scanned the area and spotted a bearded gentleman in front of the dorms located next to the school building. He meticulously swept the entrance with a broom.
Is he the dormitory custodian?
Zeroing in on the possible lead, Ouka walked over to the gentleman and called out to him. “Um, excuse me? Are you the dormitory custodian?”
The bearded gentleman stopped sweeping to get a look at him. “I am. Who might you be?”
“This,” Ouka said, patting the quarterstaff hanging from his belt, “is who I am.” The custodian straightened up upon seeing it.
“You’re a Rabbi? Did you come here to investigate the incident that occurred in the old school building?”
“Please forgive my casual appearance. I had been enjoying a day off when I was roped into conducting an investigation at the Torah Lord’s behest.”
“I see.” The custodian nodded, convinced by his explanation for why he was out of uniform. Ouka was grinning like a madman inside.
Hey, I ain’t lying. This old guy’s just drawin’ his own conclusions.
With those wicked thoughts at the back of his mind, Ouka inquired, “I’m sure the other Rabbis have questioned you as well, but would it be possible for you to relate what you know of the case to me as well?”
“Well, that’s the thing… I’m not really sure what happened. There’s so much blood all over the place, and we still don’t know whose it is,” the custodian answered, rubbing his wrinkled brow. With worry lacing his tone, he added, “…And the circumstances are very unsettling for me… Three students disappeared from the dorms the same day the incident occurred.”
“Students went missing?”
“Yes. Students from our high school division: Sophomore Lovel Sinclair, and the freshmen, Erie Reyer and Heath Coleman, are gone.”
Ouka furtively balled his hands into fists.
Lovel was the name of the girl Spinoza asked him to find. And Erie and Heath were more than likely the two kids he’d run into yesterday. Seeing how the girl called the Fresh Golem “Heathy,” it was extremely likely.
Goin’ by that bit of info, the bloodstains in the old school building are Heath’s…? If I have to guess, somebody killed Heath, and Erie turned him into a Golem in a last-ditch effort to make it out alive. The pieces fit if I think of it that way.
Ouka began forming a hypothesis about what happened and pressed on with the questioning. “What kind of person was the security guard who went missing?”
“He was a very gentle old man who cared deeply for the students. The other Rabbis seem to be of the opinion that the security guard must have kidnapped the students and vanished, but…I highly doubt that’s the case.”
Now that theory definitely missed the mark. The fact of the matter was that Erie had been wandering Chest Island last night. It’d make more sense if whoever killed Heath had also killed the security guard.
Ouka was starting to see the whole picture of what went down at the old school building. But there was just one more thing that he needed clarity on.
“Then let me ask you, what kind of person is the missing student, Lovel Sinclair?”
He had essentially zero information on Lovel so far. He needed to gather clues that would help track her down.
Ignorant of Ouka’s true intentions, the custodian cooperated and began detailing what he knew. “If you are all right with what I know of her…”
✦ ✦ ✦
Erie
ERIE was hiding in the shadow of the school gates eavesdropping on Ouka’s conversation.
Why is Mister Navarov with that scary man…?!
She was met with the unexpected when she came to check on things at the Academy—Ouka, the man who harassed her yesterday, beat her there.
The dorm custodian Navarov was a kind and friendly gentleman. Such a virtuous man was unlikely to suspect what a cretin Ouka truly was.
Erie wanted to warn him, but she lacked the courage to step out of her hiding place. Navarov accommodated Ouka by answering any questions he had.
“If you are all right with what I know of her… Lovel entered the Academy dormitory eight years ago, at the age of nine, and has lived her entire life here since—as an orphan.”
Electricity shot down Erie’s spine when she heard who they were talking about.
He’s asking around about Lovel?! Is he hunting her down as well?! Now that I think about it, Mister Navarov told me that Lovel disappeared the day before yesterday. Did she get drawn into some sort of trouble and end up with that man after her?
Ouka, unaware that Erie was listening, commented, “She’s an orphan? Then that would make this dorm her home.”
“Yes, it is. I became the dorm custodian around the time she enrolled. I’ve watched her grow since the very day she settled in, and I can say with certainty that she is a fine young woman… And that is exactly why I am wrought with worry. This is the first time she has ever gone missing.”
Erie felt just as worried as Navarov. She didn’t know why Ouka was pursuing Lovel, but he was a dangerous man who had tried to destroy Heath. Surely, Lovel would be in grave danger if he managed to catch her.
I have to let Lovel know! But where is she right now? Erie recalled the girl she spotted on her way to the Academy from Chest Island.
“Oh…!” Erie gasped. She thought she’d mistaken someone else for her favorite upperclassman, but now she was certain that had been Lovel. No doubt her delinquent appearance was a disguise meant to throw off her pursuers.
I’m pretty sure Lovel was heading toward the mine… I might find her if I hurry!
Erie shifted, trying to leave the dorms with Heath. In that exact moment, Ouka turned around.
“Hm…? AH, little lady?!”
He found me! Erie kicked off in a frenzied dash.
“WAIT!” his voice bellowed behind her.
“Miss Erie?!” Navarov called after her.
But Erie raced away at full speed without looking back—in order to warn Lovel about Ouka.