[https://i.imgur.com/9yexqZv.jpg]
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On September 12, 2022, a school Monday that should have been like any other, 'Minos Kiyon', the man nicknamed and considered Belium's best detective, turns up at Deshya Oveja's class. He takes her in his arms and leaves the school with her for a very specific reason: he needs her for an investigation concerning the 'Sleeping Little Beauty' site, at the address 'https://www.sleepinglittlebeauty.com'. This same site is closely linked to the assassination of 'Conri Tanisha', the Defense Minister's communications officer. The reason is as follows: coded messages were posted between August 28 and September 1 on the site, hidden behind Sleeping Little Beauty's ‘MORE' page. Inspecting this tab, it was possible to see messages in green that spoke of a 'party' on September 2, at dawn... The same time that Conri Tanisha was murdered by a group of culprits still unknown to society and the police. Between September 2 and 9, nothing was published, but on September 10, at 7:07 a.m., this was posted on the Sleeping Little Beauty website:
‘September 15, let's celebrate. For information on this holiday, 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'.
The end of the message is the reason why Minos came to talk to Deshya, since she's nicknamed 'the fox-eared detective'. He would have liked to meet her at the end of class, but was pressed for time because of a message that was posted on September 12, at 6:47 am:
[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.
A new coded message, but in a different way to the old ones. A far more complex and advanced method. Minos decided to hurry to Deshya and discuss the code with her, as he thought she might understand the connection between the clue and himself... but Deshya still didn't understand. However, on September 13, 2022 at 8:11 a.m., a new coded message was posted on Sleeping Little Beauty:
96[2]82a1B+S52r
8034[8]/-aa
0[5]118548rmAP
926[5]L;:aa45ÂRl++s
0[2]884!aX8i)é&$
[9]5974SPsMd6969a69++
[6]4338+-+ù
4[8]253421170:>ksd1$AmeLRl
62[0]89+62[0]89D12slDZdz
775[1]mM
62[0]89+62[0]89dcO
612[8]47TTS+
95[3]43014654--dzs12
[3]70277$ézEoKDs
[4]159;:SsllL%
9310[5]$'(5
4[9]95)0sa
0[2]88PRrO.
It's longer, but coded in the same way as the previous day's. It should also be noted that Minos found an account by the name of Alveva_01 on an import site, created in 2006 but abandoned in 2008. After searching there, he discovered that Alveva_01 was most likely in Shiru in 2007, during a fire that affected a building and took the life of a teenager. However, after talking to a friend in the Shiru police, Minos realized that this lead would come to nothing, so he decided to concentrate mainly on the coded messages. Before going to sleep on Tuesday, September 13, Deshya noticed something strange:
In both codes, certain groups of digits appear to be identical or very close to each other, such as "0[2]88" and "50[2]8841".
However, Minos decides to go to sleep at the time and suggests they look into it further tomorrow, especially as it's highly likely that on Wednesday September 14, the last day before the next assassination, a third and final code will surface on the Sleeping Little Beauty site…
CHAPTER 46
⎾Sleeping Little Beauty : Internet Mystery ; Fourth Line⏌
It's 7.10am when Deshya wakes up. Korone follows directly behind her, especially as in her sleep she has started cuddling the girl herself, not her fox tail. They get out of bed at the same time and say hello to each other.
- Are you all right, Korone?" she asks.
- Nyes, I slept well. How about you?
- I slept well too, thank you!
Korone says "You're welcome" and they leave the room at the same time. Careful not to wake Minos, who is in the next room, they descend the stairs silently and arrive in the bathroom without making a sound. When they get there, Korone suggests she dress in her fox sweater so as not to be seen by Minos. Deshya thanks her, admitting she'd forgotten, and notices that her dark sweater is hanging on a hanger her mother prepared yesterday in advance. She thanks her mother in her mind and smiles before dressing without further ado: if Minos comes downstairs now and sees her in the bathroom in her pajamas, not only would he understand the truth, but she'd feel extremely embarrassed to be almost naked in front of her. Unlike some people she knows, Deshya still possesses a great deal of modesty. Of course, she has no problem with Korone, but that's another story. She doesn't have much of a problem with Amora either, but she's been her best friend since she was 10... Besides, she's a girl just like her. In any case, Deshya can't afford to be seen without her sweater by anyone but her family. So Deshya dresses up and then brushes her teeth alongside her new friend. in the mirror. Her hair is rather messy, but she thinks it suits her, since it's used to being all over the place. After brushing her teeth, Deshya puts on a pair of leggings and helps Korone put on some more clothes than usual, before going downstairs with her. When they get there, Korone takes the opportunity to pet the dog and let out some "Good big doggie!", leaving Deshya to go to the kitchen first. When she gets there, she notices that her parents are already up and around the table, as they are most of the time. Deshya says hello and they turn to their daughter.
- Hello, darling!" said Pera.
- Did you sleep well?" asks Gatito.
She nods and asks if they've had good dreams too. They both answer positively, which makes her very happy. Deshya wonders what to have for breakfast, since there's not much cereal left, so she decides to choose some dry sweets she really likes from the 'Lunas' brand. She takes some and notices that Korone has just arrived in the kitchen too. She asks her what she'd like for breakfast, and the little girl doesn't think for two seconds:
- More cereal, hihi!
- You like that, Korone!" drops Pera with an amused tone.
The little girl approves and Deshya takes a bowl from her, as they are placed too high for Korone to reach. The white-haired girl thanks her big sister and takes the bowl. She then goes to the table and Deshya takes the milk out of the fridge. She eats her cookies next to Korone and chats with her parents. It's 7:30 a.m. when Minos Kiyon arrives in the kitchen, yawning. He notices that the whole family is already around the table and greets them all at once.
- Did you sleep well?" asks Deshya with a smile.
Minos nods and takes a glass before pouring himself some water. Gatito rises from the table, having just finished his sandwich, and chats a little with his wife before going into the kitchen, where Minos drinks his glass of water.
- Good job!" says Korone.
- We've got a murder case on our hands, but it looks like Sammy already knows who the culprit is," he confesses. I'm going to go anyway.
- Hey, I haven't seen Sammy for a few days..." thinks Deshya.
The last time was during Byron Elrick's kidnapping, even though he was on the case of his own kidnapping. Then she met the police detective by the name of Hanoka Atege and finally, Mariah Sukeni. Deshya is always amazed that a woman like Mariah is on the police force: not because of her intelligence, but because she loves to be seen, observed and even checked out. She's a special woman who's easy to notice in a crowd. However, Deshya likes her a lot, from what she's seen of her. The same goes for Hanoka and Sammy.
- Did you two sleep well?" asks Minos, addressing the two girls.
- Yiss!" admits Korone.
- Yes, perfectly. How about you?
- Yes, the bed in that room is comfortable!
He smiles and sits down next to Deshya. He doesn't take any food and yawns again, but places a mouthful out of respect. Gatito leaves the kitchen and closes the door behind him.
- Well, today, it's going to be hard work!
Minos lets out these words as he touches his arm, smiling. Deshya chuckles and approves.
- We need to understand the codes today, after all," she says.
- Exactly. Did you think of anything while you were sleeping?
The girl shakes her head sadly and asks the blond haired man the same question. He sighs and shrugs.
- Unfortunately, not at all. I don't even know what I was dreaming about anymore.
- There should be a code today, so I think we'll find the truth," admits Deshya.
Minos smiles and nods hopefully. Korone swallows the cereal in her mouth and turns to the private detective.
- I'm sure we'll find something today!
- We? Do you want to help me, little Korone?
Minos gently lowers his body towards the snowy-haired girl, who smiles broadly.
- I have nothing to do, so yiiiiiss!!!
- It's true you don't go to school..." Minos remarks.
- It seems that her former adoptive parents kept some money on the side to pay for her to go to school, but they didn't want to force her to go because she didn't feel well at first," Pera replies.
The woman rises from her chair and gently strokes Korone's hair.
- We talked about it yesterday and we're planning to place it at Tetazo elementary school in a few weeks' time, but we'll have to discuss it with them and all that.
- Eeeh, I see.
- I can't wait to go to school!" admits Korone, raising his arms.
In reality, she's only half looking forward to it: she's afraid she already knows too much and won't enjoy it, but she understands that she can't just stay at home all the time. Even though her new family continues to protect her and the identity of the sniper has yet to be discovered, Korone can't forget the words of the man she met on Saturday night. She doesn't know who he is, or what connection he has with her, but strangely enough, Korone trusts him. She truly believes that she is no longer in danger, and that with Deshya and her parents, she can feel safe: so going to school suits her. She can't stay scared of going out all the time, especially since since the bus incident, she hasn't felt in danger... Well, except during the party.
- I wonder why I was so afraid of the man before he spoke to me... Is it…
She could only receive answers if she managed to meet him again, but it seems he doesn't wish to be seen by Deshya and, what's more, she highly doubts she'll come across him again, especially as he's probably operating in the shadows.
- Would you like to help me while your big sister is at school, then?
Minos addresses Korone with a big smile and the little girl nods quickly, almost forgetting that she's currently eating. Minos laughs and asks Deshya if it's all right with her, to which she replies that she has no reason to refuse.
- Besides, with Korone's insight, maybe they'll find something even before I do..." thinks Deshya with a smile.
She turns her attention back to Minos and a small sparkle touches his eye. Deshya focuses on it and notices the necklace around his neck. Now that she thinks about it—
- Can I ask you a question?
Minos turns his face to her.
- What is it?
- Even when I watch your interviews or see photos of you, you always have that necklace around your neck.
She points to the necklace, which ends in a crescent moon-shaped jewel.
- You never talk about it, but is it important? That is, if you don't mind me asking.
Minos touches the pendant and admires it for a few moments before smiling, observing it attentively. He doesn't answer right away, which leaves everyone impatient for the answer, but eventually he drops it and crosses his legs under the table.
- It's just a burning memory.
His answer shocks everyone. He decides to get up from his chair in turn and tells them he's going to get some donuts from a nearby restaurant, but insists he'll pay for them himself. He's about to leave the kitchen when Deshya gets up from his chair, squeaking it on the floor.
- S-Sorry!
Minos stops in front of the door and turns towards her.
- I suppose my question was indiscreet..." she apologizes.
- It's not the first time I've been asked, so I don't mind. Looking at the crescent moon that is my pendant just reminded me of a croissant that made me hungry and crave donuts. Hihi.
He winks before leaving the kitchen and Deshya blinks.
- A-Ah? Ah, well... Good, then.
His logic seems to her to be strange, but she's just reassured that Minos wasn't hurt by her question. However, his answer continues to intrigue her, especially as if she's not talking nonsense, it's the title of a song, but translated into French... She assumes it's just a coincidence, but wonders if it has any connection.
- It's music about demencia... No, I'm looking too far ahead.
Deshya holds her head and sighs.
- I've been thinking about the code so much, I'm seeing links everywhere... I can't wait to get some rest after all this…
Technically, Deshya considers that she's resting, since she doesn't need to see dead people in front of her or arrest a criminal who's still at the scene of the crime, but time marches on anyway and they've only got a day left to stop the future assassination that's going to take place on September 15. The pressure is gradually building up inside her, but knowing that she's working alongside Minos Kion helps her to relax: she's convinced that they'll find the answer soon enough.
- In any case, I think his necklace is beautiful.
Pera admits this after drinking her glass of water. She sets it down on the kitchen counter and returns to the table with Korone. Deshya smiles and nods.
- It's simple, but I like it too.
A red crescent moon: that's all the necklace pendant is. However, it shines and its simplicity is a form of beauty.
Just before going to school, Minos returns with the donuts and warns Deshya that he'll do as he did yesterday: when a new code is posted on the Sleeping Little Beauty website, he'll send her a message. Deshya thanks him and happily heads off to school, leaving Minos and Korone behind. The little girl wishes her big sister a good day, and when the front door is closed, Minos looks down at Korone.
- Let's get to work, then!" he says.
Korone hops up and asks if she can go into Minos's arms. He laughingly accepts, and the two climb the stairs, singing along.
Unlike yesterday, Deshya is accompanied on the road by Amora, who apologizes again for arriving too early yesterday morning. The girl promises her that it's nothing serious and confesses that she doesn't need to be forgiven, since Deshya doesn't hold a grudge. This greatly reassures Amora, who sighs with relief. Deshya pats her back, laughing, but at the same time, two boys approach them.
- Say, say, Deshya!
The girl in the fox sweater turns to them.
- Yes ?
- Can we find out more about Minos? Why is he here? Like, why did he come looking for you?
Deshya sighs, her lips trembling, already annoyed by their question. She doesn't even have time to answer as other students approach the four of them.
- Can we know too?
- E-Eh?
- Me too!
More and more people, sometimes a little younger or older than Deshya, form a real moving crowd around her.
- I heard that Minos was on a suuuuper important case, but so you're on it too?!
- You're going to be so famous!
- Can I have your autograph when you're done?
Questions and comments have an impact. Deshya feels uncomfortable, not only because of the tightening crowd, but also because her fox ears are starting to sizzle. Amora turns her face in all directions and blinks, but seeing her best friend respond to nothing and lower her head, she squints and takes a deep breath—
- MOVE!!!
However, she's not the one shouting. The crowd comes to a halt and Deshya looks up to see that a girl with long purple hair is coming to grab her and grumble, forcing Deshya — and Amora — out of the crowd.
- She won't answer you, go away!
- Raah, Tessa! Let us know too!" shouts one of the students.
They all start to retort and sulk, but Deshya turns to them with an annoyed, even annoyed look on his face.
- I don't intend to talk about something so confidential. Don't bother.
She answers coldly and some continue to retaliate, but Amora continues on her way with Deshya, Tessa in front of the crowd.
- They look like flies circling a turd, except that the turd here is y’all.
- Huh?! What kind of rotten comparison is that?" shouts one of the students.
- My comparison is like UY Scuti: the brightest.
- UY Scuti is not the brightest star in the universe, just the biggest…
- Huh?! Who said that, come on, ya wanna fight?!
Tessa dashes through the crowd, leaving Deshya and Amora behind. The girl with the fox tail shakes her head.
- I can’t believe it…
- You love her for that, though~.
Amora giggles after teasing her best friend, but Deshya pouts at her.
- I love her for more reasons!
- Who do you love?
Deshya is startled and turns to her left, noticing that Frie has just arrived. Noticing the red-haired girl's flushed face, Frie can't stop the corners of her mouth from turning up and a teasing look appears on her face.
- Eeeh, you're in love...~ ?
- I won't talk without my lawyer," Deshya says, continuing on his way.
- Is that Tessa~?
- I never said that.
- Maaaaw, it's so cute!
- I never said that!
- Speaking of Tessa, is she coming with us to WacDo after school?" asks Amora, wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible.
Frie walks beside them and admits she doesn't know either. Deshya nods with a smile.
- She told me she'd come, yes," she replies.
- Perfect!
This greatly pleases Amora, who makes no secret of her delight. Frie asks Deshya if she can find out why Minos has come, but on seeing her friend's changing expression, she excuses herself.
- Sorry, I guess that's confidential.
- I'm not upset with you, I'm just thinking of all the guys who come and bore me with it... But yes, I'd rather keep it to myself, although when it's over I think Minos will be talking about it on TV.
She doesn't even 'think' that: she's certain of it. She wonders if she'll be mentioned by Minos... She strongly hopes so, although she'd understand if he didn't pronounce her first name during the press conference. Besides, they still have to be the ones who understand the codes first. Although she doesn't doubt that Minos is intelligent enough to arrive at the truth before tomorrow, she hesitates about her own skills. True, she has successfully solved murder cases, but the current investigation is different. She doesn't want to doubt her own abilities, but she also can't get a big head and thinks she's 'too smart'. What's more, Deshya is disappointed that she hasn't yet figured out the biography of Alveva589's account, even though she has no doubt that it's far from simple.
- Between 1 and 1000... What can have 1000 numbers, words, symbols... 1000... Years ? Between year 1 and 1000?
Deshya wants to think about this theory, but Frie's voice pulls her out of her thoughts. Just then, Tessa returns to them with a sigh.
- What a bunch of idiots..." she lets out boredly.
- Did you get into a fight?" asked Amora, smiling.
- Not really, I'm not that violent.
She tucks her hands into her pants and spits on the floor.
- But I fought with my words. I beat them verbally.
Amora, Deshya and Frie turn to see the crowd of students looking... depressed. They're all looking down at the ground, and some are sighing so loudly they can hear it from here.
- I-I crush on a monster..." thought Deshya with a spasm in her right eye.
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The first two hours pass off without a hitch, and Deshya manages to concentrate without thinking about the code or even Minos. The 'psychology' class just before the 10:55 break is a bit of a mess due to a student causing a ruckus outside, but otherwise, Deshya finds the subject very interesting. It's during the break that she looks at her phone. She stayed in the corridor and promised Amora she'd join her right after.
- Minos sent me two messages... A new code must have been posted.
She opens her application and reads what has been sent to her:
"Greetings, Deshya! I hope you're working well o7. A code was posted today at 8:53 am and I give you its content:
15[9]265=-P9Hldxj
[3]43R°mSoS15mt+56
1693[9]/14meiu
30[7]8>_çDl1=4x
11[9]8ù*$o
[2]653589793238462P0mMa15+Pzppm)
10[5]11^^p$uLP3.l
2[8]475.:
05820[9]Sx)9b'?.drl4£.imd¨
[4]159llllllllllll
804[9]95!^cbaz1
26[5]3_l_8n0hjçt696
27950[2]Chapeaux
19[8]9F1N1.
See you this afternoon.
Minos (again) :3 "
Like yesterday's message, Minos sends her his code and ends with the smiley cat ':3'. Deshya finds it even cuter than yesterday — although she doesn't know why — but she concentrates on the code, not wanting to deviate from her main task. However, she reads the second message first, before trying to figure out how to decode it.
"I'm just sending you this message to let you know that I understood part of the message and your little sister (strangely?!) understood Alveva589's account bio. Well, part of it. Anyway, I'll tell you about it when you come back, since it remains a mystery."
Deshya opens her eyes wide as she finishes reading the message.
- They've... they've already understood part of it?!
She's shocked to hear this, especially since Korone has managed to understand part of the biography. For her part, Deshya still has no idea what it could mean…
- Only part of it, though. Could it be about the constant? The observer of the five? Perhaps even God's creation...?
Obviously, she can't know until she asks them face-to face or by message, but since Minos says he'll tell her when she gets home, she'd rather not bother them. However, she wonders whether it's worth it for her to think it over on her own while she's at school: wouldn't she be wasting more time than anything else...?
- …
However, the flame in her mind tells her otherwise: she must look for it on her own. Even if they understand everything before she does, Deshya wants to find the truth if she can. She's happy to know that Minos has already understood part of the code, but that doesn't stop her thinking about it on her own. What's more, it reassures her: she's now certain that they'll succeed in stopping tomorrow's assassination. She doesn't need to stress about it, so she can concentrate on her lessons and the code without worrying about what's going to happen tomorrow.
- But not everything has been solved... I wonder what they've figured out in the code?
Is it the beginning with the numbers or the symbols that follow? Perhaps even the meaning behind the numbers in square brackets? Deshya would like to know, but she's willing to be patient and ask when she gets home. She observes the code for a few moments, but nothing strange jumps out at her, so she puts her phone away and runs down the corridor to the playground, where Amora is waiting, chatting with one of her many friends.
Classes continued until noon for Deshya, but she had to wait until 12.50p.m. for Maruno and Tessa to finish their lessons. Amora, Frie, Abdoul and Lam were already at the playground gates, patiently waiting for their last two friends, those not in class 4B.
- Isn't your brother coming?" asks Maruno, addressing Abdoul.
- He's with his girlfriend," he admits.
- Ah, I see.
With that, the seven of them start walking towards the nearest WacDonald, chatting along the way. Lam talks mainly with Abdoul, but nobody is left out. Deshya talks mainly with the two members of the Fox Incorporated, especially with Maruno, as Tessa listens to his music through her headphones in the right ear, the left one used to listen to friends talk.
They soon arrive at WacDonald's and notice that there's more room than usual, which pleases them greatly. A table of eight presents itself to them and they go without further ado. Amora and Lam sit at the back, while Tessa and Deshya stand to fetch the food. Maruno writes down everyone's order on a small piece of paper he's torn from his post-it pad. He tells them he'll come and help them carry everything, since seven trays for two people... It's complicated. They thank him and go without further ado.
A few minutes later, they're all at the table enjoying their food. Except for Lam, they've all gone for the big burgers and medium fries. The girl with the long white hair has only ordered nuggets, but lots of them, so she's getting enough to eat: she's not too hungry in any case. Some people talk to each other while they eat — especially Tessa and Abdoul — but Deshya remains silent for most of the time, as she doesn't like to talk while she eats. Amora doesn't even try to chat with her, since she knows that her best friend prefers to enjoy her food and wouldn't want to chat with her mouth full, which doesn't bother people like Tessa, Abdoul or even Maruno. It's not unusual to hear laughter coming from the group of friends, even if they remain relatively quiet so as not to disturb all the WacDonald's customers.
Around 1.40pm, after long conversations, Deshya stays with Tessa and Maruno on the side, while Lam, Frie, Amora and Adoul chat amongst themselves. Tessa holds her friend's phone in her hands, cross-legged, and carefully observes the code.
- There were indeed messages today, so..." remarks Maruno.
- Still a lot of lines, but…
Tessa scratches her head as she looks at the code.
- This time, two words can be read very clearly... Chapeaux and F1N1 which surely means FINI*..." she remarks.
(* Chapeaux means ‘Hats’ and FINI means ‘DONE’ in French.)
- It's probably to throw us off the scent," admits Maruno.
- I feel the same way," adds Deshya.
Tessa sighs and says she knows, but it's so obvious that she'd rather see if it could be a clue to the resolution. However, Deshya and Maruno aren't convinced — and neither is Tessa, really.
- There weren't such clear words on the lines yesterday and the day before, after all..." smiles Deshya.
Maruno asks whether groups of numbers look like those in the old codes, but on a quick glance, they don't see any. He points to one of the lines of code with surprise.
- This grouping is super long... [2]653589793238462? I wonder if the number of digits in the numbers at the beginning is important or not…
- I don't know, I wonder too," admits Deshya.
Tessa agrees with them both, but like her friends, she has no idea whether this is essential to decoding or not. The three of them keep thinking... but they can't come up with anything interesting.
Nothing that could help them understand the meaning of the coded messages. Absolutely nothing.
At around 2.30pm, the friends parted company. Tessa and Maruno thank them for inviting them, and the black-haired boy heads straight home, while the purple haired one takes a stroll with Deshya and Amora.
- We didn't find anything, so..." sighed the girl in the fox sweater.
She's disappointed that she hasn't managed to make any progress on the codes. Meanwhile, Minos and Korone have already understood some of the messages and biography, making them far more advanced than she is. She’s not really jealous of them, but she would have loved to understand it first… It's the first time she's met him in real life and she won't have this opportunity very often, so she'd like to make the most of it and try to shine as brightly as possible; however, she can see how far she is from Minos's level. The latter has been concentrating mainly on the identity behind Alveva589 and Alveva_01's account and yet, within a few hours, as soon as he turned his full attention to the coded messages, he managed to figure out how to decode part of them. She's done nothing but think about it, but apart from noticing that some of the numbers seem to be part of the same grouping of numbers, she hasn't come up with anything more, even when thinking with Tessa and Maruno…
- Well, as long as we can stop the killing…
Deshya thinks out loud and her two friends turn to her, but they say nothing. Deshya finally smiles and prefers not to let her inability to understand the codes break her spirit: after all, her ally is Minos Kiyon, one of the best detectives in the whole world, one of the living legends. Of course she can't compare herself to him... but she would still have liked to understand at the same time or before he did, even if it's only a question of ego and personal envy. She can't let these feelings get the better of her, especially during such a serious and important investigation.
- Say, say, Deshyshy!
- Yes ?
Deshya turns her gaze to her best friend.
- Will you tell us the truth about the codes when you can?" asks Amora with a cute smile.
- I'm interested too," admits Tessa, hands in her pockets.
Deshya giggles and nods, promising that when she knows the truth and can tell it, she will: in short, tomorrow at school. Her two friends thank her and a few steps later their paths separate, Tessa and Amora turning left, Deshya continuing straight ahead. Now on her own, she turned her attention back to the code... or rather, the 'clue' offered on the Sleeping Little Beauty website about her.
- The horned path... Horned... Horned…
Deshya scratches his hair through her hood.
- Horn... Sheep?
She thinks of something, but she lets out a stupid smile.
- My surname is 'Oveja' which means 'Sheep' in Spanish... but that can't be it, can it...?
She would find it very silly, especially as she didn't understand the connection between the Spanish language and the coded message. She hasn't seen any words that could be read in such a language inside, especially as she speaks fluent Spanish. However, she doesn't see what 'cornea' could mean in any other context... There's no investigation she's solved that could have anything to do with that word and she's a girl with fox-like attributes, not sheep-like.
- If it has anything to do with my last name, is the clue sheep? Wool? Soft? White? Spanish...?
She searches, but doesn't understand: she sees no connection between this clue, her surname and the coded messages. Deshya sighs.
- Well, I'll ask Minos what he's found..." she thinks finally.
Deshya quickly arrives home and opens the door to her house. Her dog greets her and, as is often the case, she pats him as she closes the door behind her. She gets rid of her things, keeping her fox sweater with her, and heads for the kitchen to tell her mother that she's already eaten at WacDonald's with her friends.
- Don't worry, we've eaten a slice of toast in any case," Pera replies. Minos and Korone are already in your room, they told me they were close to the truth!
- He informed me by message that they had understood some of the codes," admits Deshya.
- I'm glad to see the investigation is coming to an end!
- So do I.
Deshya nods with a smile and runs down the hall to climb the stairs to the second floor, then the second, and hurries to her room. When she gets there, the door is already open and she has only to push it gently to see Korone in her desk chair, while Minos is in his usual place, on Deshya's bed. Nevertheless, Deshya is startled when she sees him.
- W-What—?!
Minos looks up at Deshya and smiles.
- Sorry, sorry, I like to have something in my arms when I'm thinking sometimes!
Minos limply embraces Deshya's human-sized cushion, the one where 'Liv''s drawing is visible. Korone laughs.
- He didn't sniff it, don't worry!!!" she said.
- No, but who do you think I am…
Minos sighs and places the cushion on his side, arms now crossed. His laptop is in front of him, switched on. Korone jumps up from the chair and asks Deshya if she can go into his arms, which the teenager accepts with no problem. Korone lets her joy out in her childlike voice and Deshya cuddles her happily before turning her attention to Minos.
- So you've understood part of the code..." she said.
The man smiles broadly.
- I thought about what you said yesterday, about the word 'constant' and then about the numbers. There was a certain group of numbers that bothered me, but I couldn't work out why, but I soon figured it out, even though your little sister seems to have figured it out right after me," he replies.
- Korone is really... clever, isn't she..." drops Deshya, unsure whether to smile or not.
The little girl in her arms giggles and nods.
- Very intelligent, in fact!" she corrects.
- Sorry, sorry.
Minos laughs as he overhears the conversation between the two sisters and takes some time to calm his laughter. When he does, he clears his throat and uncrosses his legs to move them.
- You probably want to know what we've figured out, don't you?
Minos asks teasingly.
Deshya asserts that this is the case with a hint of embarrassment, but her curiosity gets the better of her with ease. Seeing this, Minos can't help but smile and gets up from the bed to stretch his legs.
- Today's messages confused me a little because of the word 'Chapeaux' and the 'F1N1' at the end of the code, but I had quickly understood that this was only to confuse us. I concentrated mainly on the first part of the message with the numbers and figures in square brackets and Korone pointed out again that in Alveva589's biography, the beginning of the code is mentioned by the 'In my first moments', which doesn't follow 'I'm between 1 and 1000 of the constant of I754.'. In short, even if it's something we've already understood, the I754 constant and the 'between 1 and 1000' track are linked to numbers. The truth is…
Minos explains to Deshya what they've figured out and how... which shocks her. She's speechless, unable to believe it. Her eyes wide open, she listened to Minos's explanation - shorter than she would have thought - in amazement. Finally, she sighed, holding Korone firmly in her arms.
- And I didn't understand that earlier...?!" complains the teenager.
- You make it sound so simple. The reason he used 'I754' is very complex and Korone understood it simply when I found out which constant the biography is talking about, but it is complex. You can't blame yourself for not figuring it out before, it's not like it's simple.
- ...it's true.
Now that she knows the truth, she tells herself it's 'simpler' than she'd thought, but Deshya knows that reality isn't like that: when we learn the answer to a question, we often think it's easier than we thought. She has to leave her thoughts aside, especially in a case like this. Deshya is actually impressed that they've already solved part of the code.
- Even if we know about the numbers in square brackets, there's still the whole end," admits Minos.
Deshya snaps out of his thoughts and observes the golden-haired man.
- Although, with what we've discovered, I think we can prevent tomorrow's assassination, we still don't have the place or time of the murder. Well, we know who their target is, so that's enough, but at any moment, they're using bombs or weapons from afar, which would be nice to know.
- It's true," agrees Deshya.
The teenager puts Korone down and sits down on her desk chair to think. She looks at the new code, but puts aside the other two from the previous two days. Looking at the three one by one, she fails to notice anything special that might help her solve the end of the messages. Korone remains standing, right next to his big sister, watching the computer and looking for an answer; Minos has returned to the bed and is trying to find the answer too. All three are silent, thinking with concentration. Deshya thinks again of the clue with 'the corneal path' and wonders if it might be one that could solve the second part of the messages. She can't help thinking too of the 'Watcher of the Five' in Alveva589's biography.
- Five... Five... Horned path... Me... Hmm…
She looks at the symbols on the side of the codes and tries to see a link between them; a link that might lead to the answer they're all looking for.
- Corneal path... Sheep... Hmm... Five…
She thinks of something and analyzes this theory…
- !
Deshya opens her eyes wide and verifies more precisely what she has just seen. She then observes the other codes under Korone's intrigued gaze; even Minos looks up at the teenager, who suddenly moves her head from left to right. Deshya finally stops, mouth agape…
And laughs.
- E-Eh?" says Minos, surprised.
Korone blinks as she stares at her older sister, also taken aback by her sudden reaction. Deshya continues to laugh without stopping and shakes her head once, lowering her gaze. Korone asks her what is happening Deshya finally calms down, taking a deep breath. She turns around in her chair, careful not to bump into Korone, and stares at Minos with a smile.
- I just figured it out. This code that has two sides.
Minos returns the smile and lets out a long "Eeeeeh? She nods and explains what she's just realized and the meaning of the three codes. Korone opens his eyes wide and the blond-haired man closes his laptop before nodding, but this is not to tell Deshya she's wrong, but—
- Rahlala, so the meaning behind the 'horned way' clue is this? This is ridiculous…
- I couldn't agree more.
- So 'Watcher of the Five' meant this... Ahah!
Korone lets out a short laugh before applauding.
- Well done, big sister! You're the best!" laughs the little girl.
- Eheh... Anyway, I just found that part, not with the numbers…
- No matter.
Minos gets up from the bed with this word. He approaches Deshya and smiles.
- It's not a competition. Even if I've found everything, it doesn't matter. Even if you've discovered everything before me, it doesn't matter.
- Minos…
- All that matters is that the criminals are caught. The two of us have solved the case — no, the three of us, considering your little sister who supported me and figured out the biography, even if it was after I'd figured out the numbers. Now that we know how to solve the whole code, it's simple to stop tomorrow's assassination," he says.
Deshya finally returns the smile and agrees with the private detective.
- It's far from simple, I must say. Hasn't anyone on the internet figured it out yet?" she asks.
- I confess I haven't looked too closely, but I doubt it. Now that we know, all we have to do is prevent the next victim from dying at their hands... but that should be easy.
Minos grabs his laptop and leaves the room.
- Let's have a quick word with your dad.
- Of course!
Deshya smiles and happily leaves the room with Korone. All three descend the stairs silently, but their hearts beat strongly in their chests: they've finally understood the mystery behind Sleeping Little Beauty's codes, after all. When they reach the first floor, Deshya rushes into the kitchen, leaving Korone and Minos in the entrance hall. There she meets her mother, who is reading in the folding chair.
- Oh, darling. Have you finished?" she asks.
Deshya smiles broadly and nods.
- Exactly. We finally know what the codes mean.
Pera places her book on the large stool next to her and smiles.
- Hey, congratulations!
- I wanted to ask you, could you…
Pera listens to her daughter and chuckles, nodding in agreement.
- Really?
Mariah nods and pats the shoulder of the man in front of her. Gatito sighs and forces her to take a few steps back.
- You're too close," he admits.
- Hey, are you embarrassed?
- No.
- Eeeeh?
- Mariah.
- I'm so sorry.
The woman apologizes with a bow, but keeps smiling, so the red-haired man can't take her seriously. He doesn't reply, however, and looks at the cards she's just given him.
- It's annoying..." he admits.
- Well, that should settle it quickly.
- I'm counting on you.
He puts them away in his desk and turns to Mariah, who nods in agreement.
- Of course.
- …
Silence reigns between the two of them, but the very next second, someone knocks on the office door. Gatito shouts that he can come in, but is astonished to see five people come in... all of whom he knows. He even sees—
- P-Pera?
His wife is beautifully dressed, and in her arms is their new adoptee. Dash goes first.
- They came to me and said they needed to talk to you.
Mariah notices that in the group, a man taller than the others, three centimeters taller than the police receptionist, is standing right next to Deshya... and she knows right away who it is.
- Ah! Minos! If you are here…
- It's just the kind of job that might suit you, Mariah.
- Eeeh?
The woman smiles and approaches the group, but is blocked by Deshya running towards her father. She reaches him and smiles.
- Let me guess…
Gatito smiles back.
- We'll be able to prevent an assassination, I suppose," he says.
Deshya nods, but it's Minos who steps forward, grabbing Mariah and smiling broadly.
- Didn't I tell you?
Everyone turned to him, and Minos squinted without letting his smile escape.
- That I'll stop the scythe of death with the sword of my genius~?