image [https://i.imgur.com/kbL9KFM.jpg]
----------------------------------------
- We have news about the incident... Unfortunately, the rumors were true!
- At 7.57 this morning, a resident of the small village next door was jogging as usual…
- The victim... The victim is 'Conri Tanisha'!!! The communication officer... of the m-minister!!!
- On September 2, tragedy struck in the town of Shiru.
- We have new information about the death of Conri Tanisha.
- This…
- A homicide!
- Murder. He didn't die naturally.
- Or suicide!
- Hello, I'm 'Michaël Mourni' and this is BTV3.
- You've reached the Bexel News Channel!
- We are live from the town of Shiru, where the corpse—
- It's now 10:52 a.m. and the police have yet to find a culprit or potential suspect!
- We have new information—
- So—
- We—
The sound of the television fading out, accompanied by a long male sigh. The man standing in front taps his chair with the three middle fingers of his left hand. He squints at the black screen, but then presses down on the floor with his right foot to turn towards a very luxurious laptop. A thin screen, gorgeous colors and a multicolored keyboard. Unlike the screen on the big TV, the computer is still on, showing a certain site. As he admires it, his phone vibrates, accompanied by a snippet of the 'C2C - Down The Road' song. The man grabs the phone and answers the call before putting it to his ear.
- This is me.
He listens to what the person on the other end of the call has to say and ends up smiling.
- Really?
- Yes.
- I see.
He hangs up and looks around the site again.
Ten days later, just before 8am.
This same man stretches as he steps off the train, his head hidden by a black cap and a scarf around his neck
He smiles broadly and looks up.
- Let's hunt the cute little fox~!
And with that, he strides into the station, suitcase in hand and blond hair escaping from his cap.
CHAPTER 43
⎾Sleeping Little Beauty : Internet Mystery ; First Line⏌
- So we STILL solved a murder, Miss Fox?!
A boy a year older than the girl next to her. French classes start in just twenty minutes, but Deshya has arrived early alongside Amora, her best friend of several years. Deshya scratches her cheek.
- They all seem to fall on me, ahah..." she confesses.
- Are you cursed?" interrogates Abdoul, the boy she's talking to.
As he ask this question that many are thinking, a girl grabs his ear and forces him back. Abdoul cries out in pain and the white-haired girl smiles.
- He's talking nonsense, don't worry," Lam reassures her.
Deshya sneers, but inwardly, as she asks herself the same question. However, just like the sunday of the week before, nothing happened. Colin and Mona's party wasn't a disaster again, and they decided to keep Korone at home, which made her Sunday beautiful. Her meeting with Raiji went well too — well, rather the second time, during Thursday. She doesn't think she's cursed, just unlucky. What intrigues her is what happened during the party: Korone's sudden disappearance. Korone explained to her why she had really felt ill, why she had suddenly been kidnapped... but also about his strange words.
- Is it possible that this man is linked to my own fox attributes...?
She knows it may be fanciful and that she can't link everything 'strange' with her situation, but the man's last words are what make her say such a thing.
'- Tell her how you really feel. She's a girl who was destined to meet you.'
This is what Korone told her, what the man expressed to her before fleeing. Deshya thought long and hard about it, but she couldn't possibly know anything about this man, especially as she asked Colin Furas if he'd have any idea who he was, especially as he hadn't come to the party the day after, but he confessed he didn't know. Deshya had wanted a list of all the guests, but looking for everyone would be complex, and there was nothing to say that this man was really invited to the party, so she abandoned the idea. Besides, the joy of finally having a little sister dominated her heart, so she didn't bother with the story, especially since if the man had really wished Korone harm, he would never have let her live or join Deshya again.
- He wouldn't be connected with the sniper who almost killed Korone, so... Is it possible that he's the one who killed him?!
If the man wants Korone to live well and be happy, then it's a possible theory. All she knows about the probable culprit behind the death of the gunman who almost killed Korone is that he was seen running down the street, an eagle hood over his head. Although one of the eyewitnesses is convinced that it was indeed a man he observed, nothing is certain, especially if his face was hidden behind a hood. Korone doesn't seem to be in any danger, but Deshya won't let her guard down. She won't let anyone harm her new little sister. She won't.
- Deshya?
A female voice calls her. Deshya turns her face to her best friend and smiles.
- Sorry, I was in my thoughts.
- Oh, that's all right!” Amora smiled back.
- I just wanted to know if on wednesday you'd like to go for a WacDonald's with Frie, Lam and Abdoul!" she suggests.
- Maruno might come, but it depends on whether he's with his girlfriend or not," admits Lam.
- You can ask Tessa if she wants to come!
Amora winks at her and Deshya rubs her chin, keeping her smile.
- It's true that I haven't eaten any for a while. I'll ask Tessa if she wants to!
Deshya accepts, which makes Amora very happy — and she's not hiding it! As always, to show her joy, she takes her best friend in her arms and lets out a cute noise, accompanied by her feet flapping, a reaction that more or less everyone in Amora's entourage knows. Abdoul shakes his head and sighs, though he smiles faintly too.
- Only Amora could be so tactile," he says.
- Weren't you the one who wanted to hug Lam to thank her for giving you an answer to a test, but she refused?" teases Frie.
- Since when do you tease like that?
Abdoul blushes with shame as he scratches his cheek, which makes everyone laugh. Lam strokes his hair — or rather, the cap on his head — and tells him everything's going to be fine. Abdoul nods, smiling broadly. Amora giggles when she hears Frie's remark, as this is not her style. Deshya is also amused, but quickly stops smiling as she pats Amora's back.
- You're... choking me…
- Oh, sorry!
Amora apologizes and backs away from her best friend. Deshya assures her that everything's fine, but she coughs anyway and sighs, giggling. The friends laugh together in the playground.
A few minutes later, the bell rings and classes begin. Class 4B, where Deshya and her best friend are, starts with 'French'. The class teacher is on time and greets the class before making introductions. As expected, no one is late or absent this Monday.
Immediately afterwards, the 'Religion' class begins. Another teacher joins the class, barely older than the one in the previous class. She doesn't make the introductions and so starts the class rather quickly, first asking the students if they have all their belongings, which she has asked them to take exclusively for 'Religion': a binder specially used for this class, as well as a book she considers important. With the exception of two students, everyone is in order. Deshya had almost forgotten to buy the book because of her tiring week without rest, but fortunately her mother has a good memory for such things. The woman turns to the blackboard and is about to write on it when someone knocks on the classroom door. The teacher turns her face towards it.
- Yes ?
Just then, the door opens and someone enters the classroom, his face partially hidden by the many items of clothing on him, such as a scarf or a bonnet. All the students are intrigued, even the teacher, who squints. The person arrives in front of the blackboard, a few steps away from the teacher, his eyes and part of his face barely visible behind the long scarf. Deshya clenches a fist and swallows.
- He hides his body and face... Don't tell me that…
If that's what she thinks, then they're all in danger. Should she stand up and take action? Scream danger? Warn everyone that he may be a person with evil intentions...?
- ?!
However, as Deshya ponders, she notices that the person next to the teacher turns his gaze towards her, as if he had noticed her agitation. The girl in the fox sweater therefore doesn't move, frozen under such a gaze.
- Hm.
The person smiles behind his scarf and turns back to the class before bowing gently.
- Forgive my intrusion, I'm not staying long. I need the help of one of your students, that's all.
The students don't hide their astonishment and Amora leans towards Deshya.
- He's a strange one, isn't he...?" she asks.
Deshya frowns.
- Wait... That... That voice…
The person's voice is masculine, but there's a feminine side to it, albeit a very faint one. Noticing the reactions of the students, as well as the teacher who seems wary of the newcomer, the person apologizes again and gently waves his hands.
- Ah, sorry, I didn't want to be recognized in the street, that's why I'm dressed like this!! I'm not a strange person, I'm—
Clearly, this person is a man. After apologizing, he touches his cap and removes it, showing the top of his head. Immediately afterwards, he undoes his scarf and shakes his head when it's removed, showing the whole class his long, smooth blond hair. He then opens his eyes, now visible to all.
Long blond hair, red eyes. The man is recognized by all at once. Deshya's eyes open wide, mouths agape, and even before some of the cries have been heard, the man pronounces his identity:
- Minos Kiyon, you know me as 'Belium's Best Detective', don't you?
He winks and some cries can be heard; cries of joy. Deshya holds her fox ears and Amora gently smacks her best friend.
- It's him, Deshyshy!!! It's Miiiinooooos!!!
- I-I know!!!
She closes her eyes, the pain of the shouts of joy piercing her ears, but the teacher strikes the table and yells at the students to calm down instantly. They comply, but some can't contain their excitement, which makes the man with the long blond hair laugh. He winks again and Deshya admires him attentively. Even though she seems calm, her legs are moving under the desk, her heart beating rapidly. The man who appeared before them all... 'Minos Kiyon', one of the best detectives in the whole world, the one considered to be the best in all Belium... She, as well, wants to scream with joy and jump on the spot, but she keeps her composure and simply devours him with her eyes. The man scratches his cheek and turns back to the teacher.
- It's like I'm creating a scene... I don't want to take up your time and I'm in a hurry myself, so I don't delay," he admits.
He grabs a bic from the teacher's desk and raises his hand.
- I have to leave soon, but who wants an autograph first?!" he offers.
As he expected, hands go up and students are already pulling notebooks and sheets of paper out of their briefcases. The teacher tries to stop the man, but finally gives up when she sees that the students all seem to be in ecstasy. She knows very well who the man is, so she can understand their excitement, however…
- What do you really want?" asks the woman.
- I just need one of your pupils, that's all," Minos replies without looking at the teacher, who is signing the sheets, satchels and pencil cases of the schoolchildren.
- Wait, you want to borrow one of the kids...?
He nods with a smile, offering no further context, and finally arrives in front of the desk of the girl he's interested in.
- Yo.
He smiles.
- Fox-eared detective.
Deshya's eyes open wide, riveted on the face of the man in front of her. A living legend, a handsome man with an effeminate side who is often seen in the newspapers.
- M-Me?
Deshya points to herself and blinks. All the students turn their attention to the girl in the fox sweater, even the woman who's their teacher. Minos smiles broadly and approves.
- Deshya Oveja, the girl who solves case after case.
He holds out his hand.
- I need your help. I mean it.
Whereas he had been smiling a second earlier, he now showed a piercing, serious gaze. Deshya finds no words to reply, staring at the man with the long blond hair with a mouth agape. Seeing the girl's lack of reaction, Minos sighs and steps up beside her.
Before carrying her.
- A-Ah?!
He takes her in his arms like a bride and grabs her satchel with his other hand, asking the pink-haired girl to put the things on the desk into the bag. Amora doesn't move immediately, her brain on overload. However, she finally complies, blushing. Minos winks, sticking out his tongue.
- Thank you~!
Amora nods several times and Minos leaves the classroom carrying Deshya. Before leaving, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a 200 euro bill to place on the teacher's desk.
- For your trouble. I'll borrow her for the day!
Minos is about to leave when Amora knocks on her desk. The man turns around.
- D-Deshya is gorgeous and sooooooo cute, but she's a mi-minor!!! I don't—
- I'm not borrowing her for that... Are you out of your mind?!" shouts Minos.
At her words, he closes the classroom door and walks down the corridor, pouting.
- I'm 29... Like I'd be interested in a 16-year-old! Mph.
Deshya blinks, cheeks flushed, while Minos walks on, looking ahead. In the classroom, the pupils watch Amora, who has sat down again, bowing her head in embarrassment at having dared to think such a thing. Lam chuckles.
- The courage to dare say such a thing to Minos, you really are a true friend!" she said.
- Hmmm…
Amora makes herself very small, but nobody blames her, as they still can't believe they've all just met Minos Kiyon. The teacher grabs the 200-euro bill and blinks.
- ... What just happened there?
But no one can answer her question: they have no idea.
Minos Kiyon whistles his way out of the school building. Deshya remains silent, unable to utter a single word. Her blush has subsided, but her heart is still beating rapidly in her chest. She hasn't stopped staring at the face of the man with the first name 'Minos'... after all, he's her favorite detective along with 'Kira Miname', the one considered to be the best in the whole world. To see him for real so soon, to be held in his arms, to have been 'chosen' by him for some as yet unknown reason…
- And he knows I'm known as the fox-eared detective…
How could she ever calm down under such conditions? Even if her heart is totally set on Tessa and she feels no attraction for Minos, meeting a celebrity like this, the person who inspired her to read detective stories and take an interest in detectives in general, can only make her crazy with joy. It's a different feeling from love.
- Sorry to pick you up like this, especially since you had class... but I really need you," Minos confessed.
The man arrives at the school gates and exits the playground through the back entrance. He drops Deshya and hands her back her satchel before grabbing a suitcase that had been patiently waiting for his master's return. He waves his blond hair and admires the girl in front of him with his red eyes.
- I'd rather not waste a single second, so introductions aren't necessary, I think?" he says.
Deshya opens her mouth, but shakes her head without saying a word, which makes Minos smile. He nods, as if convinced of something.
- Before I explain, would it be possible to talk about this at home? I can't really show what's going on in the street, especially as I'm afraid I'll be recognized…
As he says this, he once again hides his face behind a simple cap and long scarf. Deshya blinks, mouth still gaping.
- Y-You... You want to come to our house?
- I have my face hidden, it looks like I'm kidnapping you from your classes, I'm carrying you in my arms and now I'm saying I have to come to your house... If I wasn't known like this, you'd think I was a sexual abuser…
He scratches his hair through his cap.
- If I didn't have to rush like this, I could have told you meet after school, raaah!!
Minos grumbles as he holds his wheeled suitcase, while Deshya continues to watch him in amazement.
- Am I dreaming?" she wonders.
She pinches her cheek, but doesn't wake up. This means that the man in front of her is real... That what she's experiencing isn't fake. That Minos Kiyon has really come for her, knowing her identity…
- Can I give you a hug?
Deshya spread her arms aside, blushing. Minos tilts his head, watching her.
- I beg your pardon?
- I've always dreamed of meeting youuuuuuuuuuu!!!!
Deshya hops around and waves her arms in front of her. She takes the popular detective's hand and opens her mouth wide, eyes wide.
- It was you who inspired me to read novels by Arthur Conan Doyle, Rex Stout, Agatha Christie or even Dorothy L. Sayers!!!!
- Even Dorothy?!
- Yes!!! You're the one who inspired me to take so muuuuch interest in the subject, to become who I am!!! When I see you're on a new investigation, I can't wait for you to come and solve it!!! Sometimes, when you post mysteries on the internet, I just jump right in and try to solve them before anyone else!!!
- Is that you, 'FoxyDeshy'?
Stars appear in Deshya's eyes.
- You even know my pseudonym...?!
Minos scratches his cheek with his free hand.
- Once, you solved the case so quickly that I actually understood who the murderer was just by reading your message.
- I helped Minos?!
Deshya hops on the spot and lets out cute noises that even Amora has probably never heard — except when she's talking about Tessa. The man blinks and Deshya grabs his other hand.
- I don't believe it, I don't believe it, I don't believe it!!!
- I confess I'm amazed that the famous fox-eared detective has so much energy of her own.
Deshya lets go of Minos' hands and bows several times.
in front of him.
- Sorry, sorry!!! It's just that—
- No, I'm fine.
Minos waves his hand, laughing.
- It's not like I'm someone who's going to complain about that, I think it's sweet, but... Ah, you want a hug that bad?
Seeing the girl's puppy-dog eyes, he sighed and spread his arms.
- Okay, but—
Deshya leaps into his arms and embraces him with great joy. Minos looks at her and smiles.
- Well, I can't say I blame her.
However, when Minos notices that they've been embracing for five minutes, he forces Deshya back to the ground and crosses his arms.
- I understand that you're very happy to meet me and that you want to ask me lots of questions, but I'll be honest and clear.
He frowns.
- I'm not here to have a meeting with a fan, but with a detective. I need your help.
As if she'd just been struck in the heart, Deshya opens her eyes wide and her playful expression immediately calms down. She opens her mouth wide, then closes it and sighs all the air out of her lungs. She clenches a fist and nods.
- Okay, I've fangirled enough, sorry.
- No worries.
- On the other hand, no disrespect…
Deshya looks up at Minos.
- I'm just a simple teenager who loves mystery, I'm nowhere near your level. If anyone could use another's help, it's me.
Deshya remains humble, but that's how she really feels: she can be treated like a genius all you want, be praised by the police themselves or even recognized in the newspapers, she's sure to be nowhere near the level of Minos Kiyon, considered the best detective in the whole country. He is a living legend, a man who is popular even with those who have no interest in detectives. The man smiles and strokes her hood.
- It's good to be humble, but I've seen your accomplishments. A mere teenager, you say?
He shakes his head, showing his teeth.
- So we have a generation of geniuses, if you're a 'mere' teenager.
Minos's words touch Deshya, who lowers her gaze and pinches her lips. Minos pats his suitcase and sits down.
- I promise I'll talk about the case soon, but it's really impossible for me to explain here. If you don't want it to be at your place as a precaution, since we don't know each other, there's no problem. I can quickly rent a hotel or somewhere else, but I just think it's weirder. I don't mind being Minos Kiyon and you seem to be a fan of mine, but safety is important to me.
He points to the pockets of his fox sweater.
- You can talk it over with your parents, it'll be better. I can promise to be the real Minos, but you're still a minor and I'd rather not get into trouble, especially since if I used my status and popularity to my advantage, I'd be sad on my own.
Deshya nods and grabs her phone. As she'd suspected, Minos is a formidable man who never abuses his power or popularity. She only knows him from the newspapers and the Internet, and his exploits are reported everywhere, but she's pleased to note that she hasn't been mistaken about him. Being able to be at his side makes her want to jump with joy again and again, but she keeps her cool and calls her father, hoping he'll answer. Fortunately, he quickly picks up.
- Hello, Deshya?
- Ah, dad! You're not going to believe this!
- Can I ask you why you're calling me when you should be in class? You don't dare skip, I hope, do you?!
The man's scream rings out so loudly that even Minos can hear it. Deshya grits her teeth, closes her eyes and pouts.
- You're hurting my ears...!
- Are you holding your phone in front of your sweater's ears?
Minos blinks at the girl. Deshya opens her eyes wide and waves her hand that's not holding the phone, smiling embarrassedly.
- A-Aaaah, it's just because... This way I'm playing the game to the hilt, since I can hear well like that too, a-a-ahah!
- Eh, I see.
Minos stuffs his hands into the pockets of his pants and stands up.
- Who's that next to you?" asks the girl's father.
- You're not going to believe this! He came to get me in class and it seems he needs me for an investigation!!
On the other side of the line, she can hear her father sighing heavily.
- An investigation...? Who are you talking about? Wait a minute, huh?
Gatito's confusion amuses Deshya, but her excitement prevents her from laughing. She tenses with joy and answers him with great glee:
- Minos Kiyon!! You know, THE Minoooos!
On the other side of the line, Gatito remains silent. Time passes with Deshya unable to stop smiling, Minos amused and Gatito speechless. Finally he speaks:
- I'll call your school and tell them you're skipping classes. Bye.
- A-Ah!! Wai—
- Hello, Deshya's father, right?
Just as Gatito is about to hang up, Minos grabs Deshya's phone and places it next to her right ear, smiling.
- I suppose it's hard to believe your daughter, but she's telling the truth. If you want someone to scold, it's Minos himself, since I'm the one who forced her out of class.
- ... No kidding?
- I can make a voice call if you don't believe me!
- ... No, I believe you. Anyway, my daughter wouldn't lie to skip school, but…
He sighs.
- I'll believe in you. Why does she call me?
- I need her help with my investigation, but I can't really look after her on the street, so I asked her if it would be possible to discuss it at her place, as it would be easier and I have to work there, but it's impossible from here. However, your daughter is still a minor and I'd prefer her parents' agreement, as well as one of you coming to get us, because you can't trust just anyone, even someone like me who's very popular all over the world.
He rubs the underside of his nose.
- Well, I trust myself and I'm attracted to women older than me, but that's not enough.
- Still speaking with honesty, not knowing what a filter is, eh?
Gatito sighs and Minos smiles.
- Of course, Inspector Gatito!
- I've got time to pick you up, since I've got nothing to do at work. I'll talk to the boss, but it shouldn't be a problem. Where are you?
- In front of Deshya's school, behind the playground.
Gatito lets out a muffled sound of agreement and picks up. Minos hands the phone back to the girl, who looks at the man in astonishment.
- Inspector Gatito... That's what you said, isn't it?
- I've already worked with him on a murder investigation nearby, two years ago. What's more, I know more or less all the members of the Belium police force, especially in the main cities like the capital, Tetazo and Beita.
- Eeeh... EH?!
Deshya opens her mouth wide.
- Y-You've worked with my dad before?!
Minos nods, smiling broadly. Deshya clenches a fist in front of her.
- He never told me...!
Even though he can't hear her thoughts, Minos understands what she must be thinking and starts laughing. Deshya admires him again and refrains from laughing, but ends up imitating Minos.
At exactly 9:32 a.m., Gatito's car pulls up in front of Tetazo high school, where Minos and Deshya are waiting. When they see the muscular, red-haired man roll down the car window, they stop chatting and head for the car. Gatito sticks his head out the window.
- Well, I've confirmed that it really is Minos, but I'm not surprised," admits the man.
- But you thought I was lying to you to get out of school!" his daughter yells at him.
- I was teasing you, you're the type who wants to go to class even if you're sick. Well, I doubted you'd actually met Minos, but it looks like you have…
The two men look at each other... and then both smile. Deshya opens the car's rear door and invites Minos to get in, taking his suitcase and stowing it in the boot. The man with the long blond hair thanks her and happily complies. After taking care of the suitcase, Deshya sits down on the front seat, right next to her father. She thanks him for picking them up and Gatito starts the engine.
- Well, that's normal. On the other hand, I hope it's really important, because to go and make my daughter skip school... Whether you're the best detective in Belium or not, I don't accept it.
- Honestly, I'd have preferred to contact her after class, but I want to waste as little time as possible," admits Minos.
- I see.
Gatito begins to roll down the narrow road and Deshya turns her head and part of her body towards Minos after tying herself up.
- Can I know which investigation it is?" she asks.
- Of course, of course. I'll talk about the details when we get to your place, but it concerns a case you must have seen a little while ago.
- A case that happened only a short while ago?
He nods and takes his seat.
- The assassination of Conri Tanisha, the Minister of Defense's communications officer.
Gatito and Deshya frown at the same time and the girl's fox tail suddenly stops. The red-haired man stares intently at the road, but gives a quick glance at the car mirror, quickly analyzing Minos's expression. From the look on his face, it's clear he's totally serious... In any case, Gatito has no reason not to trust him.
- As far as I know, we still haven't found a suspect, let alone a culprit," says Gatito.
- But it's been a week since it happened, hasn't it? Not even 10 days now?" asks Deshya.
- His body was found on September 2, and the time of death was the morning of the same day. As you just said, Gatito, the authorities still have no leads on the criminals... Well, that's not entirely correct.
- Not entirely correct?
- We have a lead, but we can't find out who's behind it. We've tried to find a way to find out more, but we can't: we've hit a dead end... What's more, something unexpected has happened along the way, so we're dealing with a follow-up to the investigation.
Deshya frowns again.
- A follow-up, you say?
- Conri's murder is still a mystery, since we don't know why he was killed, or who might have done it. However, one thing is certain: whoever is behind this first murder has no intention of stopping there. This is the case I'm currently working on: to prevent another person from dying.
Deshya opens his eyes wide and Gatito turns a corner, clutching the steering wheel in his hands.
- How did...?
Deshya doesn't finish her sentence, as Minos cuts her off immediately.
- It's on my computer that I can show you what I'm talking about, since what I'm about to explain has never been publicly stated. However, this is where the disturbing element appeared," the detective explains.
- Which is...?
However, Gatito won't have his answer immediately. Minos promises to explain everything using the laptop he has in his suitcase when they get home, since his mouse is a USB key and he prefers to sit quietly to talk about it. Gatito nods and accelerates down the road. Deshya observes the landscape through the windshield and lets her feet move in happiness, something Amora often does when she's feeling very happy. Deshya is intrigued by the whole affair, but continues to be in heaven at having been chosen by Minos Kiyon to help him. Nevertheless, she remains astonished: why her? Sure, she's solved several murderous investigations since then, as well as a kidnapping, but she's still a teenager who's far from being a real detective... Would the great Minos come 'fishing' for a girl like her to help him in such a serious case, a life on the line?
They arrive home at around 9.50 a.m. and Deshya gets out of the car first. Gatito follows her, eventually by Minos, who first goes to the trunk to retrieve his suitcase. The policeman takes his house keys out of his pocket and inserts them into the door lock before opening it, Minos closing the car boot. When Deshya enters her home, she is greeted with a big, beautiful smile.
- Big sis!
A little girl not even 1.40m tall came to her, jumping up and down. With her beautiful white hair and big mauve eyes, she raises her arms to be held by Deshya. The latter giggles and cuddles her before turning back to her father and Minos.
- We can sit down in the kitchen, if that's okay?" suggests Deshya.
- No problem, but we'll probably have to use your computer too, it'll be more efficient than just having one," Minos replies.
Korone stares at the man before pointing.
- Who's this?
Deshya smiles and replies happily:
- Minos Kiyon, the man considered to be the best detective in the country!
Korone opens her mouth wide and hops into the arms of her new big sister.
- Oooh, I know, I know! Is it really him?
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
- Ahah, yes! I wouldn't lie to you!
- Hiiii!
Unable to confine her joy within herself, Korone decides to embrace Deshya more firmly, and her reaction unleashes a 'Maaaw' from Minos. Entering the house, he gently strokes Korone's hair and smiles at her.
- You're Deshya's little sister, aren't you?
Korone nods and stares at Minos, blushing softly, his eyes full of bright stars.
- My name is Korone! Even if I'm not officially part of their family yet, I was adopted yesterday! Nice to meet youuuuuuuu!
She holds out her arm, letting the tip of her tongue slip out of her mouth, and Minos laughs, squeezing her grip.
- Nice to meet ya!
Minos rolls his suitcase onto the floor and heads for the kitchen, accompanied by Deshya and the police inspector whose first name is Gatito. On the short way, he chats with the red-haired girl.
- So you adopted her yesterday?
- She can be considered a real member of our family next year, of course, but she's been living with us for over a week and we already see her as part of the family," Deshya replies honestly.
- Eeeh, I see. Her hair is beautiful, though.
Korone waves them off with a proud smile.
- White as snow!
- Ahah, exactly!
Gatito opens the kitchen door and lets Minos and Deshya through first, Korone still in his daughter's arms. When they get there, the dog named 'Néro' gets up and runs towards them, not recognizing Minos' scent. However, he's such a gentle German shepherd that he won't attack anyone unless he feels hostility from them. His dog-like tail moves faster than Deshya's fox-like one, but Deshya can't stop it. Korone brings his mouth close to his older sister's face.
- Does he know you're a fox girl?" she murmurs, asking this question while making sure he can't hear her.
Deshya hadn't thought of it and remained frozen, but eventually smiled softly and shook her head.
- Minos or not, I can't reveal it to anyone. He doesn't know anything," she replies honestly.
- I see.
She can't let her joy get the better of her: even though he's the best detective in all Belium and she's always dreamed of meeting him in person, let alone talking to him, she can't admit anything to him about her fox attributes. Sure, it's possible that he knows something about them, but in Deshya's mind, if he doesn't, he'll never know. If anyone had a clue as to who could have done it, they'd have talked to her by now. Admittedly, her fox sweater hides her ears and one might think that Deshya simply has a belt with a fox tail that she can move with an app, but if someone or something really can turn a human into a fox girl, then it was highly likely that anyone who knew would know the truth about Deshya. What's more, she still believes it's possible to put those around her in danger if they learn the truth about her fox attributes, so she has to keep quiet. If she doesn't admit it to her best friend, the one she loves or even a detective she's a big fan of, it's precisely to protect them. Even though he's Minos Kiyon, he's still human: if a strange organization is behind her fox-like attributes, it's possible they'll go after him if they learn that Minos knows the truth. Admittedly, she's already checked the house and found no hidden cameras or hidden microphones, but she can't rely on that alone.
- And what's more, the man who kidnapped Korone during the party... Nothing says he didn't act when he knew she knew the truth about my ears and fox tail…
- Can I set up my computer on the dining room table?
Deshya snaps out of her thoughts when she hears Minos Kiyon's voice. It's as if she's just woken up, she turns to him and notices that her father has just accepted. He then walks over to the coffee machine and offers Minos one. He accepts, thanking him and petting the dog that has since sat in front of him. The sound of the toilet flushing can be heard from the kitchen and moments later, a woman in pajamas and long red hair arrives in the kitchen. She is initially intrigued to see her daughter back, but her attention is redirected to the blond man with the wheeled suitcase. Deshya goes to explain to her mother what's going on when she passes by and scrutinizes the man. Feeling watched, Minos turns and sees the woman with the long red hair. He bows gently to her.
- Forgive my intrusion. I—
- Minos Kiyon?!!
She screams suddenly, cutting the man off, and Deshya is startled. Gatito closes one eye, tensing. The woman grabs both hands of the man with the long blond hair, blinking.
- Y-You're Minos Kiyon?!
- That's me!
- Hiaaa!
The woman lets out a big smile, one that could reach the tips of her ears. Gatito sighs and Deshya turns to him.
- You shouldn't be jealous~?" she teases him.
- I'm sure you felt the same way when he came looking for you. Do you want me to go tell Tessa you switched targets?
- I'm losing the battle.
- And the war.
Gatito grabs a cup and places it under the machine before waiting for the coffee to brew. Pera is chatting to Minos about anything and everything — rather, she's talking to him, since she doesn't give him time to respond. Korone chuckles, one hand in front of his mouth.
- Is she a Minos fan too?" she asks, although she knows it's a rhetorical question.
- I know she likes him a lot, but I didn't think so, ahah..." replies Deshya sincerely.
Five minutes later, Deshya, Korone, Gatito and Minos are seated around the dining room table, while Pera prepares pancakes as breakfast for her family and the detective. Sure, they've already eaten this morning, but she can't miss this opportunity! Minos sits next to Deshya, who sits next to Korone, who sits next to Gatito,
in front of the detective with long blond hair.
- So, can we have the details?" asks the police inspector.
Deshya nods and Minos opens his computer before beginning his explanations.
- I'm repeating myself, but this way you get all the details. On September 2 this year, between 7am and 7.30am, the Minister of Defense's communications officer, by the name of 'Conri Tanisha', was murdered in his home, as the luminol showed traces of blood in his living room.
Minos was reluctant to talk about all this in front of the little one, but his new family assured him that there's no need to worry if she hears the details.
- He was murdered in Shiru, but his body was found on the path through a small forest in the next village, by a local man who was out for his daily jog. The body was hidden behind some bushes, but the man noticed it when a stray dog was barking at the corpse," explains Minos.
- The case concerns the town of Shiru, so I wasn't put on the case," adds Gatito. So why come here?
- Once again, it's your daughter I've come for. However, I don't intend to put her in a dangerous case, since there's no need for her to move from here.
Gatito raises an eyebrow, but Deshya is simply astonished. Korone keeps staring at the handsome blond-haired man and smiles.
- Is it because big sister Deshya solves a lot of cases?" she asks.
However, even without him answering, Korone has no doubt that there must be another reason. She doesn't know Minos Kiyon well, but she does know that he's considered one of the best detectives in the whole world, living or dead. He may have the title 'Best Detective in Belium', he's known the world over and travels the entire continent, sometimes even beyond the borders of 'Rellusie' — which is the name of this continent. While Korone doesn't deny Deshya's intelligence and her ability to see certain details that anyone else might miss, this doesn't make her on par with the likes of Minos either. As she expected, the man with the long blond hair shook his head.
- Even though Deshya is clearly a smart girl and, from what I've seen, has the makings of a great detective, if I'm stuck on a case, I won't come to someone like her. I am not saying this in a mean way, okay?
- I know, heh.
Deshya smiles and nods, totally in agreement with him. Sure, her ego takes a hit, but that's not like if she'd expected the opposite in the first place. The mere fact that Minos knows her identity makes her feel like she's on cloud nine, it's totally enough for her. However, she's intrigued as to why he'd come looking for him in the first place.
- Then why my daughter?
Gatito asks the question that's on everyone's mind, even Pera's, who whistles as she prepares the pancakes. Minos types his password on the keyboard and answers when the computer finally shows the desktop.
- It's not because she's smart or solves a lot of cases or because I'm blocked. In fact, I was planning to come this afternoon, but when I woke up at 6.50 this morning, I was bombarded with messages. Since I was staying at 'Lamur' for the time being, I was able to catch the 7.10am train to Tetazo," he explains. I'll be honest, I didn't know Deshya's identity before, but a friend of mine told me about a girl who always keeps a fox sweater on and who has solved police cases despite her young age. I did some research on the internet and found her identity quickly enough.
Deshya blushes again: knowing that she can be found on the Internet makes her very happy. Admittedly, the more she's known, the greater the chances that someone will discover that she really is a fox-girl, but she can't refuse to gain popularity.
- That's how I found out that the fox-eared detective is Deshya Oveja, a 16-year-old girl who is also the daughter of an inspector I know. I know it's Monday and coming in so early is disrespectful of me, especially as I'm making her skip school, but I don't like wasting time, as every second counts for me.
Something Deshya already knew about Minos Kiyon: a man in a hurry when it comes to investigations. Not because he wants to solve a case as quickly as possible, but because for him, wasting even the smallest second means losing a certain percentage of possible success. The more time passes, the more clues can disappear, the more leads can become obscured, and in cases such as serial murders, it's also possible that wasting even the smallest second means letting the culprit kill a new victim. Deshya totally agrees with him, even if it's mainly thanks to Minos and his way of thinking that she's begun to see time as very important, even more so than before.
- We don't yet know who's behind his murder, but we do have a lead. However, this lead doesn't lead us to the identity of the culprit(s)... more a pseudonym.
- A pseudonym?" repeats Gatito.
Minos nods and asks for the wi-fi password so he can connect to the Internet. Deshya gives it to him and she spells it out, Minos thanking her before continuing.
- You know 'Readit', don't you?
- A website that brings together communities of all kinds. It's very popular and you can find everything on it, even if there's a lot of controversy surrounding it.
Minos nods at Deshya's words and googles a certain name.
- At the very end of August, on the 31st, a topic was posted on a subreddit about internet mysteries. Although the post itself didn't attract as much attention as others, the discussions multiplied on that same day and a search began. When the crime was committed on September 2, the people who had been looking into the mystery came to me with a huge number of messages saying that there was a strong possibility that Conri Tanisha's murder had something to do with what they had found," explains the red-eyed detective.
He turns the computer towards them and Korone stands up in his chair. Even Pera, from the kitchen counter next door, tries to see what's going on. Minos squints.
- A site called 'Sleeping Little Beauty' on which codes have been posted... codes which seem to have a link with Conri Tanisha's death.
On the computer is the site with the address 'https://www.sleepinglittlebeauty.com'. Nothing special is to be said about it: simple photos of women of all kinds can be seen, most of them without even the slightest comment. At the top of the page, four phrases are visible: 'PHOTOS', the tab Minos is currently on, 'POSTS', presumably for comment, 'CONTACT US', and 'EN SAVOIR PLUS'. The site seems to have been created in the years 2005 - 2010 and the white background without the slightest decoration is unpleasant; even the photos of the women are nothing spectacular. From what Deshya, Gatito and Korone can currently see, none of the photos are sexualized or of children, but simply of celebrities or women easily found on the internet.
- What's wrong with this site?" asks the little girl with snow-clear hair.
- It's a simple photo-sharing site that's nothing special or professional, especially as the comments sometimes struggle to load and the presentation isn't even pretty," admits Minos. The photos are limited, and even if some are sexualized, there are no nude women or pornographic content posted, let alone minors.
Korone blinks and Minos gives him an embarrassed smile.
- Don't worry if you don't really understand…
Korone smiles back at him, but for the moment, nothing seems to be really complicated. Minos continues directly.
- Few photos are added and you have to ask whoever owns the site to post photos, but they don't reply to anyone and just add them whenever they want. I've tried to contact them, and some members of the ICT police have tried to discover their identity or trace the location from which they post, but no convincing results have yet been forthcoming.
- Where are the codes you were talking about, then?" asks Gatito, increasingly interested.
Deshya remains silent, observing the site and wondering about the connection between the murder of Conri Tanisha, Readit and this site in the name of 'Sleeping Little Beauty'. Minos clicks on the 'MORE' tab.
- It's a long story, but I'll keep it as short as possible. This site was discovered by a Readit user who noticed that a user with the pseudonym 'Alveva589' was often replying to posts of all kinds, whether about politics, restaurants or even TV series. Even though most of their messages are not very interesting, and they seem to be a normal user who must be in their forties, something kept popping up in certain messages: the term 'Sleeping Little Beauty', accompanied by the site you see here. The current page is a horrible white background with little text explaining the site:
"The purpose of this site is to share photos of women who please us and you. Female beauty is the most beautiful thing in this world, so let's make the most of it. If you have a suggestion or a photo you'd like to share on our site Sleeping Little Beauty, please don't hesitate to contact us via the e-mail address you'll find in the ' CONTACT US' tab.
We do not accept sexualized photos of minors, nor pornographic or vulgar content, as we aim to be accessible to all.
Thank you."
Nothing in particular seems to be in these sentences, but Deshya is convinced that there must be something hidden in them: after all, if Minos looks into it and assures her that there is a link between Conri Tanisha's murder and this site, then she can only believe him.
- The user I'm talking about is still active and has never replied to the many messages asking him what's going on with his site, as well as his real identity. In fact, we don't even know if the person who owns this site is 'Alveva589' or someone else.
- I don't see any coded messages..." admits Deshya.
- It's hidden, but I'll explain.
Minos right-clicks on the page and a window opens. He then presses 'Inspect', the last word in this window, and another opens on the right-hand side of the page. Before showing them the truth of this site, Minos continues his story.
- The user who discovered the existence of Sleeping Little Beauty was interested, but when they saw the state of the site, they simply assumed it was a man trying to draw attention to his unprofessional project. After all, there's nothing special about a site where photos of women are posted. However, noticing the user 'Alveva589''s strange biography and their sometimes strange words, they decided to look into it. On August 28, just a few days after they discovered the site's identity, they noticed that Alveva589 had posted a strange message on their own wall.
He squints.
- ‘I've just announced the first message of our party. I hope many of you will come!’.
- What?
- A... party?
Gatito, Deshya and Korone frown. At the same time, Pera offers them their first pancake. Minos accepts by raising his hand and the woman comes to bring it to him.
- Maple syrup? Anything else?" she asks.
- I'll take the syrup, thanks again," Minos replies.
She smiles and heads for the laundry room. Minos watches his pancake with glee, but concentrates on the business in hand.
- Seeing the strange message, the user who found out about the site got interested and checked the whole site... before coming across something strange. When they went to 'Inspector' on the 'MORE' page, in the same place where I am now, this was shown.
Minos minimizes the Firefox tab and opens a folder on his desktop. Inside, several images are waiting to be opened, and Minos clicks on the first one. On it—
- This code was visible to him.
— is a strange message. It reads as follows:
}@FD 2==@?D 7êE6C =6 _a $6AE6>3C6]
Incomprehensible. A message that doesn't seem to make sense, symbols, letters and numbers that don't make sense, a message that appears to have been entered when the person behind the site hit their keyboard for some reason. However, they all realize that it's not just a random message, but a code, as Minos has just admitted.
- I'm not going to tell the whole story of the user who found the site, nor that of Alveva589, but then, every day, a new message was posted in the same place, replacing the old one.
It shows the next messages. The the first code was updated at August 28, 2022, at 11:17.
The next one is on August 29, 2022, at 8 a.m. sharp. The code is as follows:
{6 =:6F 56 =2 7êE6 6DE à $9:CF[ 496K r@?C:]
The next one was posted on August 30, 2022, 1:01 am.
!C6?6K 56D #6G@=G6C pC>:?:FD w(b E@FE ACèD 5F 4232?@?]
The next day, August 31, 2022, the same day the post on the internet's mystery subreadit was born, at 11:49 am.
{6 4232?@? D6 EC@FG6 EC@:D CF6D à 4ôEé 5F =:6F 56 =2 7êE6]
Finally, on September 1, 2022, at 9:30 am.
{2 7êE6 D6 E6C>:?6 DFC =6 496>:? 56 =2 7@CêE]
And on the same day, at 11:11 a.m.:
[6:55am]
Minos closes the image and exits the folder before returning to Firefox. Before continuing, he takes the bottle of maple syrup that Pera has just brought and thanks her. He pours some on his pancake and licks his lips before cutting off a small piece with a knife. He then places it in his mouth and enjoys the taste with a smile, but takes back his seriousness at the same time as he swallows the delicacy prepared by the redheaded woman.
- Even if the messages seem to be totally incomprehensible, the code behind them is bizarrely simple. Too simple, I'd go so far as to say," he admits.
- Really?" asks Korone.
- It's 'ROT-47', isn't it?
Minos, Gatito and the little girl turn towards the girl in the fox sweater, who keeps her arms crossed. The seriousness of her gaze might frighten some, but it amuses Minos, who nods in agreement.
- Exactly.
- What is 'ROT-47'?" asks Gatito.
- An offset cipher," Deshya replies simply.
Minos nods again and takes another bite of the pancake. He replies in turn to Gatito.
- It's a simple way of coding messages. As your daughter just said, it's an offset between the real message and the message coded in ROT-47. Basically, it's used to shift a character 47 rows further into its alphabet. For example, 'a' becomes '2', 'z' becomes 'K' and '5' becomes 'd'.
Gatito blinks and frowns, turning to Deshya.
- How could you possibly know that?" he asks.
- The 'ROT-13' and the 'ROT-47' are the most popular, but as far as I know, they're also the only ones. The ROT-13 has the same concept, but simply 13 rows and further on. However, with ROT-13, there wouldn't be such symbols and characters, but simply letters of the alphabet or numbers. Given the spaces between certain characters, it's easy to assume that it's a basic message that's been coded in such a way, so my money's just on 'ROT-47'. If Minos says it's a simple code, I'd be surprised if the person who created this message would go to the trouble of making another code with an offset other than 13 or 47, which would require a lot more work, so for me, it's 'ROT-47'.
Pera places a plate with a pancake in front of Deshya and strokes her hood.
- You don't get your intelligence from your father or your mother! You're the biggest mystery in the world!" she grins.
Deshya smiles back.
- It's your combined intelligence, that's all.
Minos laughs and applauds.
- What confidence!!! Even if I didn't come here for your intelligence, I'm convinced that we'll be able to prevent another person from dying, ahah!
Minos can't help laughing and Korone in turn applauds. Gatito would sigh, but he himself is impressed by his daughter.
- We didn't do anything to make her like this, though... I guess she was just born that way... or else…
The man's thoughts are cut off as Deshya continues to talk to Minos.
- But simple code like that shouldn't be a problem, so how come you need anyone's help with it?" asks the girl.
Korone asks the same question. Minos sighs.
- Herein lies the problem of the small popularity the site has gained because of the Readit post.
Deshya frowns and Minos taps his mouse.
- First and foremost, you need to understand the connection between the codes I've just shown you and the murder of Conri Tanisha. How we understand that these strange messages are linked to his death," he says.
He returns to his folder of images and shows them the resolution of the codes. He decides to explain everything to them vocally while they analyze what they see.
- Just know that all the codes, so far, were written in French. The first code means 'We'll be celebrating on September 02', which fits in with the day of the murder. The second code is 'The party is in Shiru, at Conri's house', I think that's clear. The third code is 'Take some Arminius HW3 revolvers near the shed. Four bullets were found in the victim's body and match the model of revolver that's in the code, especially as they don't even try to hide in this code who the victim is. As for the fourth message, it reads 'The shed is three blocks from the party venue'. It's been found, but the police haven't discovered anything interesting there. They're still looking for an eyewitness who might have seen people going in or out, but nothing. Plus, it's an abandoned shed, so nobody's been there for months. As for the last coded message, it's 'The party ends on the way to the forest', which fits in well with where they left the body. The '6:55am' at the end is just when their 'party' started.
- A party... A coded way of talking about a murder.
Deshya notices, gritting her teeth. Minos nods and finishes her pancake, remaining silent. Gatito is next to speak.
- What's more, the last message was posted the day before Conri Tanisha's death... It's certain that the culprits were exchanging messages via this site.
Gatito then stares at Minos.
- I totally understand, but how do you know there's going to be another victim? Besides, I still don't understand why you need my daughter to understand the coded messages.
The private detective folds his hands and rests his head on them.
- I was hired by the Minister of Defense himself to investigate these messages. I'm not the only detective on the case, but he relies on me the most.
- Is he afraid for his life?" asks Korone.
- That's right, but there's nothing to say he's the next victim. In fact, it was I who told him about the Sleeping Little Beauty site and the connection between the murder of his communications manager and the coded messages. He hired me on the morning of September 10 because some people working for him had been monitoring the site to see if any new messages would be posted.
- Why not before?" asks Deshya.
- Between September 1 and September 9, no coded messages were posted. Even the user 'Alveva589' didn't say much on Readit. However, on September 10, a new message was posted in the same place as the codes, however... It's different.
- Different?" asks Gatito.
- You see, the problem with the rise in popularity of the site and the people who turn to it to solve its mystery means that if assassins use it, they'll need to communicate differently, or act differently.
Minos frowns.
- The kind of code they'd been using up to now was far too simple to solve. Admittedly, it's not something just anyone can figure out, but with a little digging into the various codes out there, it would be very easy to figure out that it's ROT-47. If the site hadn't gained in popularity, we could have hidden the fact that we know about Sleeping Little Beauty and decoded future messages.
- But it's also thanks to this popularity that you know about the site, isn't it?" asks Deshya.
- There's no denying it. It's a double-edged sword.
Minos sighs and shakes his head.
- However, after the radio silence on the site, we thought they'd decided to communicate differently, or that their sole target would be Conri Tanisha. However, three days ago, we realized that this was not the case," he confesses.
Korone asks Pera if she can have the next pancake and the woman nods with a smile, which makes the little girl happy. She turns her attention back to the conversation and Minos strikes a straighter pose on the chair.
- I'll show you the message that was posted on September 10 at 7:07 am. You will understand why I decided to visit your daughter for this case.
Minos presses another image and turns the computer to the family so they can see the message on it. They all open their eyes wide, except for Pera who can't read it from where she is.
- I-Is that...?!
- What...?
It reads:
'September 15, let's celebrate. For information on this party, please refer to the new method. If you don't know which method I'm talking about:
The fox detective offers you the horned path'.
- Fox...
- Detective?
Korone and Gatito turn to Deshya, who swallows hard. She gently shakes her head before staring at Minos, perspiring.
- Is it…
- Before you worry too much, it's certain that you're not the next target, Deshya. It's all too obvious, and if the simple coded message they'd decided to send is that, then perhaps you'd have been protected by the police and even other organizations. But that's not all.
Minos cracks his shoulder and turns the laptop towards him.
- There's no denying that 'The fox detective' is about you. You've been gaining popularity since the end of August and I can't think of anyone else they could be talking about. The reason I decided to come and see you is that you might have a slight, even the slightest, lead on them, and even if it's certain that you're not their target, there's nothing to say that someone close to you isn't their next victim.
Deshya feels an unpleasant chill run down her spine. Minos apologizes, admitting he shouldn't have been so direct, but Gatito shows him his palm, signaling for him to stop.
- No, you're doing the right thing. Even if you're convinced that Deshya isn't their next victim, and I'm convinced too, I have to admit it worries me," confesses the father.
- Someone close to me..." Deshya repeats, her heart racing this time out of fear, not joy.
- Calm down, honey.
Her father puts a hand on her shoulder and stares straight into her eyes.
- If Minos is here and ready to assist, it means we can stop them from committing another murder.
Although he seems calm and seeks to reassure his daughter, it's clear that he's upset and gnashing his teeth as he turns to Minos.
- That they would dare link my daughter to their actions is unacceptable. We'll do everything we can to help you, but I can't put Deshya in danger," says Gatito.
Minos smiled at him, happy to see the inspector with such determination in his eyes.
- That was never my intention. I've come to Deshya to help me find out who their next victim is, especially as if she's involved, even if it's just a message like this, she could be the one to solve this case. However, I don't intend to put her in danger, as I promised. If she wants to help me discover the reality behind their new code, then she has the right. If she doesn't want to have anything to do with a story of mystery and murder, then I accept that too," admits Minos. Whatever would happen, I needed to come and consult her to find out if she had any clues about their identity or their next target, because I refuse to let them act like that.
Minos clenches a fist.
- That they dare to continue their shenanigans on the internet and almost openly mock us like this pisses me off too, Gatito.
- Are they laughing at you?" asks the little girl.
Minos nods and calms down.
- Surely, with the popularity their site has gained, the police or detectives have figured out the link between Sleeping Little Beauty, Alveva589 and the Conri Tanisha murder, and yet they don't change their methods; just the way they code their message. They're so confident in themselves that they're not afraid of having hundreds, if not thousands, of people checking out the site. Maybe they even like it, in fact.
Minos crosses his arms and clicks his tongue.
- In any case, they're certain of one thing: they're the ones behind Conri Tanisha's murder. There's not a shadow of a doubt," he admits.
- Do we know how many of them are behind the crime?" asks Deshya.
- Impossible to know. We don't even know whether or not if these codes are intended for a particular group, just one or two people, or whether they recruit people via a particular method or simply when people are intrigued by their Readit messages.
Korone touches her chin.
- Is it possible that by using certain words and turns of phrase, as well as promoting such an old-fashioned and strange site, certain people in the field of assassination and illegal business understand Alveva589's real goal, this being its means of recruiting?
She then squints and rubs her chin.
- So when someone stumbles across their account, they can quickly come across the Sleeping Little Beauty link and discover the codes with a little searching. All that's left is to understand the messages and act as requested. There are millions of users on Readit and on the internet, if not billions, so an account like theirs would go unnoticed by normal people, but for people in the business, it's a different story. If the site hadn't gained a certain popularity thanks to the user who stumbled upon Alveva589's account unintentionally, it's highly likely that they would have continued committing the crimes without being discovered...
Korone then crosses her legs.
- If we take this into account, we can also say that the site hides other things in certain photos or other sections…
She blinks and looks up at the people around the table. Pera has placed a pancake in front of her, but she freezes in place when she hears Korone speak. The little girl slowly turns her face towards Minos, who makes no secret of his confusion. Korone sticks out her tongue.
- ... I'm hungry, waa!!
Korone grabs the maple syrup and puts some on her pancake, smiling. Minos shakes his head and points at Korone with his right thumb.
- Um, did I just hear what I heard there?" he asks, still confused.
- It was big-sister Deshyshy who taught me!" says Korone, biting into her pancake.
- I haven't taught you anything!" yells Deshya inwardly.
Minos grimaces as he looks at Korone, but finally sighs with a smile.
- I'm not going to ask any questions... In any case, what she said is true. Certain terms come up, and it's not impossible that they talked about their Readit account on illegal sites," says Minos. Unfortunately, nothing has been found yet, and we can only hope either to trace the source of the site, or to learn the man's identity — if it really is a man behind Alveva589's account — to prevent the next murder.
- Speaking of the next murder…
Gatito leans back in his chair.
- How do you know? Are the codes they use so different?
Minos is speechless for a few moments, but then closes his mouth and smiles.
- Well, see for yourself.
He touches his keyboard as he speaks.
- I was planning to come and see Deshya after school, as I told you, but a new code was posted this morning at 6:49. When I saw this new code, I decided to hurry. If we can figure out today how they form their code, that would be optimal. I thought about it on the train, but I didn't get anywhere.
He sighs and touches the top of his laptop screen, but doesn't turn it over yet.
- It's still in the 'Inspect' section of the 'MORE' tab on the 'Sleeping Little Beauty' site, written in green. Just scroll down to the bottom of the 'Elements' section and... well, see for yourself, as I said.
He turns over the computer and shows them the code.
- I've already taken a screenshot in case they plan to remove it quickly, but the code is still on the site, as you'd expect.
Deshya, Gatito and Korone frown.
- This code…
Deshya would have thought something more understandable, but... Minos nods.
- It's September 12, so we've got all day, tomorrow and the day after to find out where they're having their next 'party', on September 15. If we don't figure it out by this Thursday…
Minos grits his teeth.
- So we're sure to have another victim on our hands.
The code in front of them is as follows:
[1]592aPoET9èmme)xq
50[2]8841*--Oc4p
8034[8]BmDAh
[7]982Ads2o*dA
486[2]1--%
2862[0]8+2[0]89%lMQa8²s^l9+9
30[7]8^$ad
[5]118mlS7fA/m.r=$^
[6]5358FXa0e..
0[2]88^$xCnOD-
04[9]951XDadt49:8e++a
2862[0]8+2[0]89$*ax.
It's the whole code, all written in green in the 'Inspect' window. They all look at it, but no one can make sense of the gibberish before them. Deshya is speechless, observing the numbers, symbols and letters that dance between them in a real mess. Gatito gets a headache just looking at the screen, while Korone's right eye spasms, a small smile on her face. Pera returns with a plate and serves her husband a pancake before observing the code and standing still.
- What's this...?" she asks, blinking.
Minos sighs and finally laughs.
- I've no idea. But that's why I'm here, I must say
He opens his eyes and in the red that comes from his special lenses, he shows a determination that's very much his own. His sleek, golden hair streaming from his skull gleams in the morning light and Minos Kiyon clenches both fists, showing his white teeth to the family in front of him.
- Whether or not I'm alone on this one, I'll stop them from committing yet another crime.
Deshya never thought she'd be involved in such an investigation, one that could save the life of someone who doesn't even know he's in danger. Preventing a 'party' from taking place on September 15, at an hour still unknown to them all.
The mystery of the 'Sleeping Little Beauty' website they have to solve. The strange code they have to decipher…
They only have three full days to stop a murder.
- I swear it as the best detective in this country. I'll stop them from killing again... I'll stop the scythe of death with the sword of my genius.