(Zhenya POV)

*Knock* *Knock*

“Hello?” The door creaks open a smidgen, letting a boyishly youthful voice escape.

It takes a second for them to register us, but that’s all Fredrica needed to get a firm grasp on the door. Muffled rattling came from the other side as Fredrica reeled back, fishing out a messy-haired boy by the doorknob.

“So, you’re the voyeur who can’t take a hint. Hmm?”

Basking in the evening glare, his light turquoise blue hair almost seems to shimmer like water. Coupled with a naturally messy, curly disposition, it took on the appearance of rolling waves.

Bangs covered most of his face. So I can’t comment on that, but he stands almost as tall as me.

His skin was deeply tanned. Not uncommon, especially with those who work outdoors, but this was folds darker than anyone's I’ve seen.

Dragging him inside, we found the place littered with paper clippings. Even pinned to the walls and bookcases, like some deranged obsessives workshop.

“You know breaking and entering is a crime.” He piped up in defiance.

“And peeking on the women's baths isn’t?” Fredrica rebuked, looking intently around the room. I don’t like how pale she’s getting. “Zhenya looks like my assumptions were correct. These scraps are about the Flowering Night incident.”

“Then you should understand the importance of my work!” He tried gaining some semblance of control, but Fredrica ruthlessly fired back.

Even if he didn’t just implicate himself, that familiar black cloak hanging by the door sure did...

They’re really going at it, aren’t they? Let’s hope Fredrica doesn't kick up a noise complaint and explore a bit, investigate we’ll say.

I’ve been eyeing up his bookcase. Despite being flooded in paper, this place was well maintained. With the exception of a book, which had thick dusty film covering its top, made even more noticeable by the evening glim.

Fairly ornate, it had a built-in lock. Hehehe, do I smell a secret?~ And it’s gone. Snatched by an overly flustered detective.

He cradled it dearly against his chest. “Hey? Y-you alright there?” I reach out, expecting a shivering heart. But no. He was composed, sturdier than he’d been since our arrival.

“I won’t stop. Not until that husk is remembered for the monster she is.” A cold determination pervaded each whispered word.

But that barely registered with me. Cause a curious photo fell out when he snatched the book “What’s your name?” I asked matching his steely gaze.

He stayed silent until I showed him the photo.“What? How did you-” He sputtered, almost lunging at me, but stopped halfway, clenching a tight fist. “Right. Let’s sit and talk this out.” Spoken all in a strained breath.

“Alright, how bout you give us your name first.” I know this makes us sound like the bad guys. But I needed to pursue this here and now!

“Nirve. My name is Nirve. The person whose home you’ve ransacked.” His bravado stood firm, even as he made his impatience clear.

“Nirve, happy to meet’cha. Now would you mind explaining this to me?” I hold the photo up again. It was of Sushila happily posing with five other people. One of them looking a whole lot like a kid Nirve.

Fredrica followed up, confirming the background to be of the Island Archipelagos. A bit wide-eyed at what this sudden revelation entailed.

He let out a sigh, knowing the question would follow. “You see this man here.” Pointing at the muscular man next to Sushila. “He’s my brother and chosen leader of the Coalition’s first attempt at a dungoneering team.”

They did share similar facial features and hair colors. “And it’s her. Fault. They’re dead.” Hatred and sadness overflowed from each word.

“Su isn’t the type of person who would do that.” Freddie stood up for her, and I wholeheartedly back her up.

She can be prickly or feral at times. But, intentionally killing people? People she’d unabashedly smile with? No, way.

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“Isn’t the type of person? I can hardly imagine. But my recounts alone won’t change your mind. So instead, I will do what I’m best at!” Unthinkable of his past self. Nirve went full-on detective mode, ego, theatrics, and all. “I’m a detective by trade, and I’m not about to let the truth go unasked.”

“So you posit Sushila, a victim that night? A woman free from blame? Pah! You’re defending a murderer.” Dismissing our statement with a finger, he slid behind his desk and animatedly whipped out a binder. “This is just some of the statements I’ve gathered.” ‘Some’ he says with the joy of a sugared-up kid.

“Don’t give me that look, these were hard to get. Unlike now, the A.A didn’t bother keeping detailed records or entries!” Alright, I’ll give him that. Let a man relish in his work, I say.

“About a day before the incident. Said group, consisting of Sushila and four others, were heard. Boasting about how they were about to hit it big and Sushila would be key to doing it.”

“Hold it! Where were you during all this?” Fredrica was a little too enthusiastic, pointing out that he was obviously part of said group.

“Alas, I was only a child. Kept from the spirit of adventure forced to stay home. When fateful news came of their untimely demise, I decided my course. It was only two years ago I crossed the great blue and set up this little agency.” Freddie nodded sagely, accepting his reason.

“Heads in the stars, they strode into the dungeon and the next bit, I think you know. Though what came after that? Perish the thought, Sushila emerged from the dungeon alone as the pollen settled. Staggered and mumbling, ‘They’re all dead.’”

What followed was him explaining how the A.A under their own laws couldn’t persecute Sushila for lack of evidence. Not because their investigation was lacking, but because the chaos left in the aftermath demanded their immediate attention.

It was only through dedicated work that he now even had pieces to form a coherent story.

“Wait, but your story is full’a holes.” Now Fredrica was on the offensive, “First of all, how do you get off? A big discovery and Sushila being the key? She was the only one that came out? That’s hardly condemning! And her words clearly made in shock of what she saw rather than an admission of guilt.”

Frederica's smugness intensified. But Nirve wasn’t done yet! “I see you’re no novice, but I still have an ace up my sleeve.” He pulled out another photo, this time of a flower? Fruit? Crystal? “It’s called an origin bud. The only one of its kind.”

The bud in question was a bowl-like crystal, a hemisphere where one side was curved and the other flat.

“It was the only good thing to come out of the whole affair. Stories say that it’s a fragment of a larger object. But even as a fragment, it has the power to contest even the Kingdom’s own Emperor’s personal catalyst.” Fredrica brought this up reverently.

“That's the one. Right now, it’s kept under locks in a museum, but that’s beside the point. Now, who and where do you think it came from?” No...

“Yep, it was confiscated from Sushila that fateful day, the only other thing to leave the dungeon. This gives her a motive, does it not?”

“Not so fast! If that was the case, then why would she give it up willingly?” A finger came up again. Nirve was waiting for this.

“Willing? No. Quite the opposite. The town guard had to pry it out of her hands. And the last thing she uttered was ‘I can’t fail’.”

With that last piece, Fredrica found herself at a loss.

“But still, it doesn't attest for her time in the dungeon!” This point still bugged me. “Her ‘failing’ could mean any number of things. Like what if her teammates entrusted her to bring back the fragment?”

“Zhenya... There’s no way we could know now.”

“Precisely! She was the only survivor. And with monsters flooding the entrance, I’ve long since concluded that no one could’ve gotten in at the time.”

“What if there were clues left behind in the dungeon?” There has to be something. “The room! There has to be something in the room they found the fragment.”

Unfortunately for my mojo, the other two dumped the biggest fact on me. The room was never found. And Sushila never disclosed its location.“We’ll just have to go find it then!”

How many times do I have to repeat myself? It’s no use. It’s clear enough that the husk did it.”

“Then we’ve reached an impasse.” Fredrica cut in. “If you’re so keen on seeing her guilty, keep collecting your second-hand evidence. Because Zhenya and I, we’ll find that room and prove to you she’s innocent.”

He was somehow both elated and pissed. A hand perched quizzically under his chin, he started talking again. “So it would seem. But there is still one thing that may shed light on her conscience. It’s actually why I... visited last night.”

He brought out a plain ring about as good as any regular folk could afford. It was clearly still a work in progress, missing its crowning jewel.

Incredulous staring~ x2! “Alright, look. I did not expect her to be out there bathing.” The Detective persona slipped for a second before quickly recovering.

“Anyways, show this to that heartless shell and tell me how she reacts.” Nirve was convinced we’d see things his way after this.

But we saw it as a way to prove Su’s innocence. Accepting the unfinished item, we returned to the inn, a few more objectives in tow. That being the ring and finding this elusive room.

And thank the goddess for Fredrica. She had the mind to covertly prod the patrons for how deep the dungeon was on the night of the incident.

Three floors, that was our range.

(Curator POV)

“Today’s the day. Alice, make sure to watch over the dungeon while I’m gone, okay?” She nods. “and remember. Just tap me, and my consciousness will come zooming right back, okay?” She nods again.

Alice, such a good girl.

Anyways, I’ve made my preparations to visit G. We pitched the whole thing to Whit as basically a field trip. Though, G made no attempts to hide the fact that he wanted to see my plants and have someone to talk to.

[You all good?]

And I nodded for Whit to connect my consciousness to G's.

The ordeal transpired within seconds. My vision was taken from the dungeon and carried amongst the clouds to where G resided.

Speaking of him, the first thing I saw of G was his true core.