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Yukinari looked up when he heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and the Schillings’s butler calling out for someone to halt.
He and the others had been continuing their discussion, still in the mansion. As he had suggested earlier, Yukinari, Dasa, and Ulrike would move into the Schillings residence for the time being. They needed to talk about how rooms and food would be handled, among other matters. It wasn’t something he’d had in mind when he left the sanctuary that morning, so they had come without any provisions or supplies. It turns out that humans need a surprisingly large number of things for their everyday lives. The group was also talking about what they would have to get from the sanctuary and what supplies were already available at the mansion.
Incidentally, because Berta had been living at the household already to look after Angela, she would simply continue to use the room she was already in.
“Another one!”
The pounding footsteps carried Arlen into the living room. He was in his armor and still carried his sword. The butler must have been trying to reprimand him on the grounds that this was not good etiquette. No doubt Arlen had not wanted to spare the time to remove his equipment.
“Fiona Schillings! There’s another one!” he shouted the moment he entered the room.
“Arlen,” she said with just a hint of exasperation. “First of all, calm down.”
“There’s no time to be calm! There’s— Hm?”
It was only then that he noticed Yukinari and Dasa in the room. He frowned. Cooperative he might have been, but he still didn’t seem especially fond of Yukinari and his friends on a personal level.
“Now, Arlen, there’s another what?”
“Another victim of the serial killer!” His tone suggested she should hardly need to ask.
According to Arlen, the scene of the crime was close to the orphanage where Berta had been raised. He had left two knights at the scene and come to inform Fiona as quickly as he could. He must have really been running, because a close look revealed that he was sweating under his armor.
“We only had time for a glance, but it looked like the victim died not that long ago. I left two of my subordinates there with orders to keep the townspeople away. Another one has gone to tell the community watch.”
“Good thinking. What do you make of this, Yukinari?”
“I’m not sure. Let’s go have a look.”
If it hadn’t been that long since the murder occurred, there was a good chance they could gain some useful clue by visiting the scene of the crime themselves.
“Dasa, will you come with me?”
“Of course.” She nodded, patting the bag she always carried. As the former assistant to an alchemist, she had a good knowledge of chemistry. It might not amount to scientific investigation or observation, but if there was anything left at the scene, she might be able to analyze it.
“And Ulrike, you too.”
“I understand,” Yggdra’s familiar said.
She had a perspective rather different from the average human. It was possible she would notice something that Arlen or the community watch had missed.
“Berta...”
He hesitated to bring her along; she wasn’t accustomed to blood and death. He’d figured he would have her stay at the mansion, but before he could say as much, Berta was on her feet.
“If you’ll allow it, I’d like to go, too. As much as possible, I want to be by your side.”
“Oh... Uh, sure...”
She looked so serious, it threw Yukinari off. Her attitude toward him had clearly changed since the battle with the Missionary Order—she had begun to take matters more into her own hands. These days he almost felt he sensed a rivalry in her; if Dasa and Ulrike went somewhere, Berta wanted to come, too. But perhaps he was just imagining it.
He felt a significant gaze from Dasa, but now was not the time to worry about these things.
“Cute little arguments later! Crime scene investigation now!” Arlen said, sounding annoyed.
“You’re right,” Yukinari said, “let’s go.” And then they followed after Arlen, who was already headed for the exit.