There is the old saying of 'curiosity kills the cat'.

Well, it's a miracle Professor Stone is still alive to this day. And it didn't stop there, as he took it upon himself to go and find out what this 'murderer' of the day looked like. It wasn't the feeling of FOMO...that fear of missing out.

Rather, there was something about this whole case that didn't sit well for him. Forensic or not, he was still an investigator in this case thus he should take it upon himself to prove several theories in his mind. Even if it meant a certain detective will chew him out – but that's not anything new. Ssssh.

"Heeeey. Jim, hard at work or hardly working. Here, have a coffee."

Prof. Stone arrived in the station's holding cell. There weren't that many individual room, so it was very easy to spot out the jailkeeper as well as a particular cell he wanted to speak to.

First, he bribed the jailkeeper with a fresh cup of coffee.

"How's the 'Belt Rapist'?" Prof. Stone chirped.

"Oh that guy?" The jail keeper jabbed a chubby thumb into a direction. "For a guy who killed three women, he's oddly gentle and quiet. A bit roughed up, but I guess it comes with the territory of being a hunted criminal."

"Riiiight. Mind if I have a chat with him?"

"Oh. I don't know."

Prof. Stone knew he would meet resistance. So he came prepared. "Donuts?"

"Oooh! A police man can't say no to that! Go right on ahead!"

After bribing the jailkeeper with a box of donuts, Prof. Stone shuffled on through. The halls were all filled with animals in human flesh: wolves, tigers, bears, the worst type of criminals anyone would want to avoid. They all hung against their cells, clawing or making gestures of finger knives across the throat, some would even spit in his direction but their shot always fell short.

Everyone was ready to spring out and make some noise...except for the one cell in the very far back.

Martial Kim sat across his bed inside the far corner of the cell. He did not hate the light, but he felt the shadow would give him a sense of calm. He mediated, legs crossed under him, and he used various breathing techniques to clear his mind.

With how still he was, Prof. Stone thought he walked into a museum – alone.

In fact, he tilted his head as if viewing an elaborate painting like the works of Van Gogh or Leonardo Da Vinci. Through the dim light, he could see the countless of bruises trampling up and down Martial Kim’s face. He shook his head, displeased about it, but given the circumstances he can’t really voice his objections.

Nothing seemed to break the young master’s concentration. Even when Prof. Stone leaned against the cell gate, the martial artist continue to live in his own private world. It made Prof. Stone conscious about disturbing him.

So he used a different tactic.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip.

Martial Kim opened one eye at the noise. That was his greeting in return.

“Sorry, did I break your concentration?” Prof. Stone asked out of half curiosity and half sarcasm. “You are Kim right?”

Martial Kim stared from his corner.

“I brought you some coffee. Want some?”

The young master snorted. As if he would accept a bribery like that. He is a Knight-Errant of highest standards! Even if he were to fast for 10 days and 10 nights and a great feast was held before his eyes, he shan’t take it out of greed. Purity and discipline is key!

--- Oh? This aroma. I have never smelled it before. Oddly alluring.

He opened a cautious eye, examining whatever it was that Prof. Stone was drinking from and gesturing with his other hand. In the end, curiosity defeated purity and discipline in less than three and a half moves, making Martial Kim rise up and approach the source of this fragrance.

“So uh,” Prof. Stone asked, testing the waters of their conversation. “Feeling better? Well no doubt they roughed you up a bit but...You good?”

“...”

"Name's Stone. Professor Stone. Oh don't worry, I'm not a cop. I'm from forensics."

"..."

"H-here's your coffee." Prof. Stone gestured the cup he stuck into the cell, wiggling it in front of the young master.

Martial Kim stared at it, long and hard. He tried to mimic the forensic chemist's hand position to pick up the cup.

--- Ouch!

"Ah, yeah it's still hot. You need to hold the uh, cardboard holder, this part. Yeah that's it. Careful. Caaareful. There you go!"

--- Even I would warn someone that the tea is hot! A little courtesy call would have been helpful!

Prof. Stone chuckled when he successfully delivered the cup of coffee. He watched patiently as Martial Kim stared at it with interested... Or just stared....And stared...and stared.

"Go on drink it," the forensic chemist urged.

--- You say that, yet you essentially gave me a waterskin that has no opening. Even he did not remove the top and is able to consume the content, so what is the trick behind this? S-stop, you are breaking it now! I can hear cracking noises!

"Yeah just pull up the lip cover like that." Unable to help himself Prof. Stone would take a sip from his own coffee cup. "Hmmm."

"..."

"N-no. No, th-the other way around. Th-there's no sip hole in—How about I just take the whole cover off. I-it's alright, I'm not gonna do anything weird."

Martial Kim watched in confusion as Prof. Stone reached a hand in to remove the entire cap. The gesture surprised him, not to mention the blast of smells hitting him in the face. A pleasant grin grew on his lips.

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"Smells good, don't you think?"

--- Indeed, it does. However, its appearance does not leave one to desire. This looks exactly like ink you write with a horse-tail brush!

"Go on. Enjoy while it's still hot."

"..." Martial Kim sniffed at the liquid a few more times just in case. Compelled by the aroma, he would give it a small taste to-- "Hnn! Bleeh!"

"Huh? What's the matter? I didn't poison it, I swear!"

--- My gods. This is two times bitter than poison! Cough Cough! How could you drink this...aromatic ink so casually!? Auuugh. What a pungent after taste!

"Ah. Don't like your coffee black? I thought it would come to it so I brought these!"

Prof. Stone caught Martial Kim off guard when he pulled out several items from his pant pocket. To the young master it was a small white pouch one would wrap powdered medicine in and the other was some sort of white stone that could be used in a gambling house.

The young master watched as the forensic chemist poured these things into his drink and fiddled around with it. Although he was apprehensive of what ‘potion’ this man was brewing, the churning from ink black to a soft milky brown caught his attention. Even the smell changed, making his mouth water.

--- This man is not my enemy. It would be rude to turn down his hospitality. I could not call myself a knight-errant if I were to object to his good will....... Gods, my hands are shaking and it is not from the heat.

After being urged to try once more, Martial Kim reluctantly sipped...sipped...another sip...two more....a slooooow draw.

“Better!” Martial Kim could not help a gasp of relief. “What ingredients did you just add to this?”

“Cream and sugar,” Prof. Stone chuckled as he drank his cup, “Sweet and low.”

“...Cream?” Martial Kim raised an eyebrow, then pointed out, “You must be a rich man, being able to afford something as valuable as sugar. Are you a cook?”

“N-no. A-as I said, I am a forensic scientist...You know, C.S.I.?”

“C...S...” Martial Kim trailed off.

---Of course. I am in another world. Their culture is completely different. Maybe the cooks here can blatantly use something as expensive as sugar however they please other than cooking. Ci Es Eye...What an odd title for a cook here.

“Glad you like the coffee,” Prof. Stone nodded, easing up, “I would have brought you something to eat, but the last thing I want is Detective Fraulein seeing crumbs in your cell. She’ll surely trace the evidence back to me. Hahaha!”

“...Ah. You mean the lady detective. Are you familiar with her?”

"Unfortunately, yes. But don't tell her I said that. Hahaha."

"Professor Stone was it? Could you please deliver a message to her on my behalf?"

"...Sure Kim, why not. I don't got anything better to do."

Martial Kim collected his thoughts for a moment, "Miss Keekee is innocent in all this. She is not an accomplice, neither was she aiding any criminal activity. Please convince the detective, or the at most the magistrate, to give Miss Keekee her freedom."

"M...Magistrate?"

"Do you not have one?” The young master raised an eyebrow, “Even the lady detective gave me the same puzzled look."

Prof. Stone pursed his lips. "We got a mayor? That should count?"

"Then speak to this mayor, surely he can--"

"Hah. Nice try. His ears only listens to potential donations." Prof. Stone sipped his drink and finally relaxed like it was a chat in a side of a part. "Miss Keekee is fine. Don't worry. She isn't in any trouble and no one is bullying her – well, not bullying her physically if that gives you ease of mind. I am sure Detective Fraulein will let her go home within the hour after checking her background.”

Martial Kim let out a deep sigh of relief, "That is the only news I need to hear." He then returned to sit on the bed of his cell. Every now and then he would sip, and try to reverse engineer this strange beverage that left a strong flavour in his mouth.

Once Prof. Stone knew the young master was comfortable, he asked, "So. The woman who died in the mountains. Did you know her?"

"I do not."

"But you saw her, being strangled. And tried to help her?"

"...I regret not taking action sooner.” Martial Kim’s voice fell like a pin drop on a cloth, “I could have stopped the murderer."

"Could have? How?"

"The murderer was no matched for my flying skills. If I had been focused enough, I would have been able to chase after him and bring him to justice but..."

"What distracted you Kim? If I may ask?"

"The life of the woman came first. I had to do something to save her."

The forensic chemist hummed, "The needle in her neck. Did it have any significant meaning?"

The young master sighed, "It was to sustain her life force, long enough until I could find a doctor."

"Why didn't you find a doctor?"

"Good sir. It was not about why I did not – I could not. I have never been in this region before. The mountains here are too foreign. I got lost too many times. I regret, not being able to help her recover from her injuries in time."

Prof. Stone made a note of it as he churned the coffee in his cup. "Were you planning to kill Keekee?"

"Preposterous!" Martial Kim had half a mind to toss away the drink in his hands...but he reeled his emotions in seeing how calm and casual the other party was, as if making an off handed joke. Not to mention, acting on rage never suited the young master's style so he relied on breathing techniques to regain his spiritual center. "I would never harm someone as innocent as Miss Keekee. It is against my code."

"...Code?"

"Code of Chivalry," Martial Kim nodded with a curt huff, "The Way of the Knight-Errant: to right wrongs and uphold justice; to maintain loyalty and brotherhood; fight with honour and integrity; to be bold and courageous in times of great darkness; and punish the wicked. To break my code is no different than killing myself."

“You know, kinda reminds me of classic Bushido. Samurai stuff.”

--- Oh? He knows Bushido? The Code of Honour amongst the warriors of the Taiko Shogunate? Curious? Does this mean, this world – or foreign land, is still connected to the realm of Jade Empire? A chance to return? This...is all so confusing.

“Kim. No one talks like that. You know that right? Code of Chivalry and all that.”

"Shameful, most shameful."

Prof. Stone couldn't tell if that was irony, sarcasm, or downright insult. So he pretended it was a combination of the first two. "Why did you touch her?"

"Please, do not sully Miss Keekee's virtue!"

"I meant the victim in the mountain. We found your fingerprints all over the woman, from neck to even her thighs. If you didn't kill her, why take advantage of her."

"I did no such thing," Martial Kim retorted, "I told you I was trying to help her. I carried her to find a physician."

"Carried?" Prof. Stone raised an eyebrow, "From where?"

"I cannot recall by memory, I took too many turns in the forest. However, I am sure it was from uphill. I descended down the mountain slope, following the river to the nearest village or settlement of some kind."

"And then?"

"The woman asked for 'Water'. I placed her down next to this pit of garbage, so I could find the same kind of water bottle Miss Keekee gave me back at her camp, to help but..." Martial Kim bowed his head, his hands rubbing the belly of the coffee cup to try and find some warmth in his cold shame.

"So, you are saying: she was killed somewhere else?"

"That is correct."

Prof. Stone chewed on this piece of information, so hard he completely forget he had a drink in his hands. In fact, he put it his coffee aside to rummage into his pocket. He procured a notebook and a pen. He waved it at Martial Kim, who fumbled to pick them up.

"Kim, I read the report you told Officer Roland and the detective. You mentioned, the murderer had this tattoo. Would you be able to draw it out? I am curious."

"Most certainly."

"Excellent! I know this may not sound much, but I feel this will help a lot."

"Of course."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Kim?" Prof. Stone raised his other eyebrow, "Wh-what's the matter? Go ahead and draw. Don’t tell me you got stage fright or something."

"Professor Stone. How do you expect me to draw, if you don't provide a pot of ink for me? And this blue stick you gave me, is this really a brush? Where are the bristles made of horse tail?"

"...I...it's a ball point pen."

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