Ashton shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, yer talkin’ about the tale of the evil empire that aimed to conquer heaven, drawing the anger of God, ain’t you? The one whose people were wiped out by the ancestors of the angels—the ancestors of Her Majesty, the present-day queen—in a single night? Oh, aye, and then the tools of that empire, floatin’ in the sky, were scattered throughout the world. ’Course, those mysterious tools, with their bloody amazin’ powers, turned into the perilous Demonic Heirlooms, seeking to upend the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead in order to restore the empire. Now, Her Majesty’s set about sealing them away, retrieving them through her inquisition.”
The true story was that the tools had been cursed by the mad god, since they’d cooperated with the angels to subdue him. That was why they’d become the Demonic Heirlooms. Still, as far as the official story went, what Ashton said was correct.
Ashton scratched his head irritably. “Well, the inquisition does exist. I ain’t saying it’s a total lie. But can you really believe that things like that are still around? In this day and age, when science can stand in for magic? What do you think, Lord Marquis?”
“Whether I believe it or not, the fact is that inquisitors who possess magic are around, cleaning up cases like this one. Isn’t that evidence enough that the Imperial Heirlooms still exist and are dangerous?”
“It’s because you swallow tall tales like that that the inquisitors can walk around like they own the place.”
Octavia blinked at this retort from Ashton. Ah, I see, Raven’s smile seemed to say. “Now that you mention it, the police and the inquisitors don’t get along, do they? I hear there’s no end of disputes over jurisdiction. Could it be that you snapped back during one of the inquisition’s investigations, and you found yourself relegated to a regional post?”
“Shut up, you. Anyway, I don’t believe in such things as the Heirlooms. I don’t believe in them, but I know there are people who do believe and do stupid things because of it.”
Although he had doubtless never seen an Heirloom himself, his flexible way of thinking betrayed a curious level of understanding of them.
Ashton folded his arms and looked at Octavia then. His expression was serious. “Just a moment ago, didn’t you say something about this not being an Heirloom? You’re sure?”
“Yeah. There’s no doubt.”
“If it’s not, then what makes this thing worth so much that Crow, the Phantom Thief himself, left a letter announcing he was going to steal it? Ain’t it just a normal doll?”
At Ashton’s glare, Raven glanced away to look at the doll.
At once, he gazed at it in clear astonishment. “No. This isn’t the doll I sold her.”
Raven hurried over to the display case and pressed himself up against the glass.
Octavia exchanged glances with Ashton and turned back to Raven, who was staring at the doll unblinkingly. She asked, “What are you talking about, Raven?”
“The model is the same, but there are subtle differences. The pattern of the lace on its sleeves, for example, and the bow in the ribbon as well.”
“Ain’t that something the owner, Miss Colette, might’ve done? Changing its clothes when she played with it?”
“Would she go to the trouble of creating a dress that was utterly identical except for the lace pattern?”
Ashton was holding back laughter.
With a look of certainty in his eyes, Raven continued, “The color of its eyes is different, too. I’m sure they were darker before.”
“With such a small difference like that, you’re probably just seeing it wrong.”
“I don’t make such mistakes. Do you mind if I open the case to make sure?”
At Raven asking him a favor, a sour look came over Ashton’s face.
Octavia added, “Raven has a good memory. It would be best to let him check. If what he says is true, it means that someone swapped out the doll.”
“All right. But just a look. Don’t try any funny stuff. Oi, open it up,” said Ashton, instructing one of his subordinates to open the glass case. He took the doll in his own hands and carried it over to Raven.
Raven’s eyes narrowed. He motioned for Ashton to turn the doll around as he looked it all over, then said, definitively, “There’s no doubt in my mind. This is a different doll. But why...”
“You don’t mean... No, it couldn’t be—it’s already been swapped out by the Phantom Thief?”
“There’s no way,” said Ashton.
“How can you be so sure?”
Ashton had spoken quickly. Now, at Octavia’s query—albeit after making a face—he took a look around the room. “I need to question you,” he said. “Come with me.”
Ashton chose a meeting room on the fourth floor of the trading company’s building. It appeared that the police were using the whole fifth and fourth floors for their investigation and for security.
“The truth is, the letter of announcement from the Phantom Thief is a fake,” said Ashton in a hushed voice, just as Octavia and Raven were sitting down at opposite corners of the desks they had pushed together in the center of the room.
Octavia blinked vacantly for a moment, then cried, “A fake?!”
“Oi, keep your voice down! For the time being, we’re keeping mum about this information. It’s related to our investigation!”
“S-Sorry.” Octavia hurriedly covered her mouth. Finally, she shifted from her half-seated posture to actually sit down. “B-But what do you mean? A fake...”
Ashton rubbed the back of his neck. He seemed unsure about whether or not he should answer.
Beside her, Octavia could sense Raven smile suddenly. “Perhaps it’s that the letter was different from the others he’s left?”
Ashton was rubbing the back of his neck, but his hand froze. He narrowed his eyes at Raven. “How’d you know?”
“Letters from Crow, the Phantom Thief, are famous for one unique characteristic, aren’t they? Presently, since we have received nothing but the letter, it’s the only thing one could use to make that judgment.”
“Is that right?” asked Octavia.
In response, Ashton opened his mouth in resignation. “Well, I suppose there are those who already know, but...just as he says, the Phantom Thief’s letters have a particular characteristic. I guess you could call it an anti-counterfeit measure, a gimmick. If someone who possesses magic holds one of his cards, a pattern of wings will start glowing on it, like if light were shining through it.” After saying this, Ashton took a card out of his pocket and set it down on the desk in front of him.
Tonight, at nine o’clock, I will come and help myself to Miss Colette’s doll.
Crow, the Phantom Thief
“This was the letter we received this time. We do at least have someone on the police force with magical knowledge. When we had that fellow hold the card, it didn’t glow. Looking closely, the design is different, too. So that’s how we know it’s a fake.”
“I also possess some magical power. May I touch it?”
“Go ahead.”
Octavia gently touched the edge of the card. It didn’t glow.