Chapter 8: The Ripper Case

Magical Guide - It's a guide crafted to aid scholars in breaking through and ascending to the master rank, much like how a martial manual works in the murim world. Essentially, the crux of a breakthrough was entering a heightened spiritual state. This state would amplify all the senses in the body, signifying one's successful breakthrough. There were various methods to achieve this state, some involving practicing specific exercises, while others centered on meditation. However, I opted for an approach based on combat techniques, which is why I linked this magical guide to a martial manual. Glancing at my pocket watch, I saw that it was precisely noon.

Click.

The room's door swung open to reveal a young man, about 17, with jet-black hair and brown eyes. His face displayed a mix of youthful energy with traces of maturity, yet an underlying naivety still lingered.

Impressive. My observation skills seemed sharper than expected. A character like him, barely mentioned in the novel, usually faded into the background.

I should've been indifferent. But unexpectedly, the corners of my mouth rose, displaying a genuine smile. Without thinking, words tumbled out.

"Brat, you're late again."

What?

Confusion danced in my thoughts. The name 'Leibert' floated into my consciousness as those words spilled out. But who exactly was he? My brow furrowed involuntarily as I contemplated the boy before me.

"Sir, I was on time today, but then..." He began, but his words trailed off, perhaps halted by the weight of my gaze.

'What's going on?' I nearly asked aloud. By his entry, it seemed he was acquainted with Sebastian Lemonhgrey, which is to say, with me.

Given my usual stoic demeanor, a frown from me would indicate something grave or unsettling.

Wait! Leibert?! Evan Leibert?!

Evan Leibert, the memories flooded back as soon as the name settled in my mind. He was born into the Leibert family, a middle-class household from the Indus Federation. He and his sister, who was just four years his junior, suffered a terrible fate when they were kidnapped and sold into the world of slavery.

But destiny had other plans for Evan. An unexpected turn of events granted him an opportunity, and he managed to escape. By the time he broke free, however, he was far away in the Medegeas country.

The two siblings struggled to survive in the slums. Evan worked tirelessly; every coin he earned went towards their sustenance. Determined to ensure a brighter future for his sister, he pushed her to attend the weekly free schools hosted by the nearby churches.

A year ago, when I first set foot in this city to start my detective career, I encountered this very lad attempting to pickpocket me. Intrigued by his audacity, I offered him a position as my assistant, providing a salary of 5 pounds and 3 shillings monthly.

I've since had the pleasure of meeting his sister, Lumina, multiple times. She's managed to get a decent education within the span of a year. Yet, even with a salary that rivals and even surpasses that of a middle-class individual, this young rascal chooses to don cheap, knock-off apparel. Truly a frugal young man.

It's somewhat astonishing that I could recall all of this. These specifics were tucked away in a few mid-chapters of the first volume, with this character only making appearances in three or four of those chapters.

Sigh, those fantasy novels did me dirty, suggesting that when one transmigrates, they'd inherit the memories of the previous inhabitant.

Haa... Whoever's in charge of this whole transmigration business needs to do a better job.

"Sir."

Jolting me from my contemplation was Evan. His gaze was sharp, seemingly studying me.

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Taking a moment, I scrutinized him from head to toe. This time, I noticed he was holding an aged brown folder in his left hand and a posh-looking box adorned with the tag from Leuis N' Martha Sweet Bakers.

"Ah, just mulling over a few things," I responded, attempting to keep my face neutral. Noticing my calm demeanor, Evan's initial tension seemed to dissipate. He grinned brightly, sharing his news.

"Sir! Lumina returned to the city last night! She was accepted into the Kloher magic institution! A magic institution!"

His voice buzzed with excitement, to which I raised an eyebrow, commenting, "That's quite fortunate."

"Indeed it is!" Evan replied, his smile unwavering as he moved closer.

"To celebrate, I got this sweet box!"

"Thanks, it looks quite fancy," I observed, noting Evan's typically stingy character.

"I know when to spend!" he answered with a hint of pride. I took the ornate box into my hands but immediately spotted that the seal had been broken.

"Heh," I sighed with a playful smirk. Peering inside, I saw only a lone piece of sweet. Shaking my head, I thought, I take it all back. He's as stingy as ever!

Despite it being our first encounter, a strange yet familiar feeling washed over me. It was as if I'd known this young man for ages, akin to reuniting with a long-lost family member. The feeling was quite nice, quite heartwarming...

"Well... Sir..." Evan began hesitantly, "I actually need that box back..."

"What? It's a use-and-throw box."

"Well, I borrowed it, from a friend." He said a bit embarrassed.

I sighed, "Alright, then." I tossed the box back to Evan. "You can have the sweet too."

"No, sir, that's for you."

"I insist. Consider it my treat." I scoffed.

Anyway, let's do a proper treat. Though, not today. My stomach's acting up. Let's celebrate with Lumina tomorrow."

The sheepish look on Evan's face swiftly vanished. "Sure thing!"

"Also, sir..."

"Yes?"

"I've finished all the paperwork for today. Look here," he said, holding up the folder. "I even fetched the files you requested from journalist Samern. Can I take the rest of the day off?"

"To spend time with your sister?"

"Yeah." He responded. Taking that in, I gave a nod of approval. Evan was still young and inexperienced, but he had grown a lot over the past year. It wouldn't surprise me if he'd already sensed something amiss about my demeanor.

"Sigh, I just broke through and became a master. Even I need some rest. You can go for today." Evan's eyes showed a flash of understanding.

"Alright, off I go." He announced dramatically before heading for the exit. Breaking through was a valid excuse as breaking through did bring a few changes in behavior for some hours.

Once he left, my attention shifted to the old brown folder on the table. The folder, despite its age, seemed of good quality. Intrigued, I wanted to see its contents, figuring it might provide insights into what Sebastian — or in other words, my previous self — had been involved with recently.

"The Ripper Case"

Those words stood out boldly atop the first sheet of paper, which had slightly yellowed with age and carried a distinct scent.

"The Ripper Case..." As I read the words, the first association that sprang to mind was Jack the Ripper.

The initial crime scenes were discovered in the market district, specifically in the underground market. There lay the lifeless form of a woman, her identity nearly impossible to discern due to the savage disfigurement of her face. The brutality of the murderer was evident: each of her ribs had been snapped, sharpened, and then driven into different parts of her body as if they were spontaneously bursting forth.

The skin of her back was flayed, with copious amounts of salt heaped upon the exposed flesh. Her eyes had been gouged out, her scalp torn off as if it were a mere wig, and her teeth shattered as though crushed by a heavy tool.

This was merely the preliminary observation. Upon further examination, postmortem findings revealed that the woman had been subjected to multiple surgical procedures in the days leading up to her demise, including a lobotomy.

Her internal organs had been swapped out repeatedly. Disturbingly, the maniac responsible had attempted to replace human organs, like her kidneys, with those of animals.

The final act of brutality suggested a culmination of rage. The evidence strongly indicated that the perpetrator possessed a mastery-level knowledge, suggesting he could be a medical doctor or even a magical alchemist.

The likely suspect seems to be a magical alchemist associated with the Life Gateway or perhaps a doctor of madness tied to the Corruption Gateway. I raised an eyebrow, impressed. It appeared Evan had a good grasp on these matters.

I proceeded to delve deeper into the contents of the file. As I neared its conclusion, I encountered the penultimate sheet.

"...Hence, after examining all the murder incidents and the evidence presented, I've named this investigation - The Ripper Case."

Following this are the testimonials, assessments, views, and the specific document you asked for from the city's top journalist, Sir Samern.

The testimonials from the renowned journalist mirrored Evan's observations, yet they possessed a heightened structure, lending them a polished aura.

Reaching the concluding sheet, which wasn't affixed to the folder but rather placed inside, a peculiarity struck me. It was made of goatskin parchment, and the characters upon it seemed to have been inscribed with an ink bearing an uncanny resemblance to blood.

Moreover, the language it employed was different, hinting at one of the mystical scripts. But there was an odd familiarity to those strange markings!

Is this...?

Chills ran down my spine!

Hiss!

Even my excellent muscle control couldn't stop the change in facial expression that appeared on my face as soon as I realized what this was. How did this parchment find its way into the folder?

What in the actual F*ck?