Miseria applauded.
“Excellent deduction. I can see why you’re a rising star.”
“Are you mocking me?”
“No, I mean it. You’re mostly right. The problem is: How’d they get the body here?”
“That ain’t a problem.”
“Oh?”
Her smile held a question, and he ignored it, turning back the way they’d come. Past the sea of cops to the graffiti they’d seen on the way in.
“Our killer came through there.”
Art on the wall, done by some local with different colors of paint, sprayed around. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Miseria slowly catching up to him.
“Your reasoning?” she asked.
“A Jump sigil. That’d make it easy to carry the body here, and if you cover it up with graffiti, no one’ll notice the inscription.”
To cast a spell, one had to chant or use a sigil. Chants activated immediately, while sigils allowed people to use magic after a delay. With premeditated crimes, it was standard practice to place sigils in the vicinity.
Miseria was clapping again.
“Wow! Then you’ll just have to remove this paint!” she said, giving him an expectant look.
“……”
“Hmm? What’s the matter, Rogue?”
He took out his phone and made to contact a friend of his in Forensics. They had a pressure washer.
“Nothing, just have to wait for the machine to do that.”
“My, my. Why take the long way around? Just use a cleansing spell.”
“……I’d rather not.”
“Oh? Ah-ha!” Miseria clapped once, as if everything had just clicked into place. “You’re Voiceless?”
“……”
He started dialing his friend’s number…
“In that case, fine. I’ll cast the spell for you. You could have just said.”
She took the phone out of his hand and stuffed it back in his pocket.
“……That’s personal information. Witches don’t need to know.”
“Hmm, you think? I already know your name and occupation.”
“……”
“How long would it take for that machine to arrive?”
“……You’re twisting my arm.”
“No need to be all grim about it. We’re on the same team! You need merely say the word.”
“……I don’t need your help.”
“Are you sure? I could swear Velladonna said to solve this case quickly.”
The smirk on Miseria’s face could only be described as mean. It made his anger start to simmer, but Rogue kept a hold of his temper. Perhaps this wasn’t a hill worth dying on. It was better to crack cases swiftly. For Rogue, and for everyone.
Even he couldn’t believe how reluctant he was.
“……Fine, cast away.”
“That’s better.” Miseria chuckled. She held out her left hand, palm facing downward and the back of it angled toward Rogue.
“What are you doing?”
“Give me a kiss right there. Oh, you’ll have to kneel and express your gratitude in words. Keep the speech to less than a minute, please.”
“Huh?”
His mind went blank.
What is she doing while we’re at the scene of a murder?!
“What’s wrong, Rogue? Do you have a problem with that?”
“S-several!” It was such a wild request he stumbled over his words. “A-are you insane? This is a crime scene! What even for?!”
“Rogue,” Miseria said, taking a step forward. He took a step back. “People need motivation. Even the simplest task is just such a chore without a reason to act.”
“Y-your point being?”
She took another step forward, and Rogue took another step back.
“I’ll be honest with you. I don’t actually care if this case gets solved or not. All I want from an investigation is entertainment. If you supply that, then I won’t hesitate to assist you.”
Her eyes narrowed, taking measure of him. Her hand was still extended ostentatiously.
“……Entertainment?”
He took a third step back but hit the wall. There was nowhere else to go. His eyes met Miseria’s and found a gleam within.
“Exactly. Do you understand?”
“……How could I?”
“Are we at an impasse?”
“……I didn’t say that.”
“Hmm. Yet you don’t seem enthusiastic. Perhaps we should call the whole thing off.”
Her grin was approaching shit-eating.
“……Hold on. Give me some other options. I’ll do one of them.”
“Let me see…” Miseria’s gaze turned skyward, considering this. After a moment, she tapped her cheek. “How about here? It’s softer than the back of my hand!”
“……S-softness wasn’t the issue…”
“Oh? Then you want somewhere harder? My forehead, perhaps? I think you should be capable of that.”
“_____________________”
Rogue was left dumbfounded but also certain of one thing. All Miseria wanted was to make a detective submit to her. She reveled in seeing him falter and writhe. That was her idea of fun.
“Shit…”
Even though he knew what she was playing at, he realized he couldn’t put up further resistance. No matter how hard he tried, it would always end in his humiliation. And if this went on any longer, one of the officers nearby was likely to come nose around.
Groaning, Rogue went down on one knee.
I’ve gotta kiss her hand? Here?
Seen up close, the back of her hand was very pale but had a hint of pink to it, the only sign of life. It was downright bewitching.
……For the sake of the case!
He told himself this was a necessity.
But it didn’t seem like he’d convinced himself.
Rage burned within him. He wondered why he should have to kneel in front of a witch. He questioned what he had done to deserve this. Then he glared up at the root cause.
“Oh, that’s a good look for you, Rogue. The agony of the young is like nectar from heaven.”
Miseria was laughing so hard, there were tears in her eyes. And she was slapping his shoulders like she was congratulating him on a job well done—which only infuriated him.
“I’ll make you regret this…”
“Looking forward to it!”
“Dammit…and you’re plenty young yourself! ‘Agony of the young,’ my ass.”
“Well, I look young at least.”
That reminded him.
Right…witches don’t age.
“But that’s beside the point. I’d better keep my word. This way!”
Miseria dropped her smile like she’d flipped a switch, turning to the wall.
“Dead flesh lingering in the eternal night, become as dust, and begone.”
With this incantation, she cast the spell; a reaction occurred and the phenomenon took effect. The wall in front of Miseria began to glow, and when the light died down, something dark and dirty was flowing away from the wall. When this flow subsided, the wall remained—with no paint left.