"Do you think a Mund killed another Mund? But… that makes no sense!" shouted Seraphina, slamming her fists on the table.

"Why would anyone kill a Mund? Nothing was stolen. Someone walked into his house in the middle of the night, killed his wife, and then the rest of his family. Why? What's the motivation?"

Seraphina thought for a moment.

"Revenge, maybe?"

"Yes, that's what I think too," said Dante. "The perpetrator probably did this out of revenge."

"Frejo… he controlled lightning, right?"

"Mhm," nodded Dante. "And his older son controlled fire."

"His wife was Italian if I'm not mistaken…" Seraphina mused.

"How do you know that?"

"We Mundi stick together. We know each other… more or less."

Dante frowned. 'Mundi know each other and cover for each other, everyone knows that. What are the chances that the Mund community in Rome knows who the killer is and is deliberately hiding them? Until I clear this up, every Mund is a potential suspect,' the trust gap between Dante and the Mundi widened further.

"What can you tell me about Frejo?" the Detective continued questioning.

"Frejo was part of the first group of Mundi that came to Europe along with the King…"

Dante frowned at the mention of the King. He hated that wretch. He did who-knows-what with Queen Theresa a while ago and through cunning diplomacy took absolute control over the Holy Roman Empire. He's held that control for two decades. The Papal State wasn't happy, but they didn't dare make a sound, not when the Mundi flocked to Europe like damn rats. First, they settled within the borders of the Holy Roman Empire, but very quickly spread to surrounding countries. They were granted full citizenship rights by the countries they entered. No one dared expel or mistreat them for fear of the King's response. The King had fought with an iron fist and a shit-covered stick for the Mundi's acceptance in Europe.

"Wait, I thought you Mundi still called him the Prince?" Dante noted.

"Most do," Seraphina nodded, "but those are the old heads who still swear by his deceased father, the late Great Chief. The King is our savior and he deserves his new title."

The Detective nodded. In mysterious circumstances, the Mundi leader died a few years ago. Mundi around the world were in shock, fuckers believed that guy was invincible. His disciple and son, the King's half-brother, vanished without a trace. Now, the Mund leadership back on the Continent had no Eldrick master to lead them. Instead, they cobbled together a temporary 'Council,' consisting of one representative from the three largest Mund tribes. Dante didn't remember the rest of the story, nor did he particularly care. Any reason to bring the Mundi down was a reason for him to celebrate.

"So Frejo was one of the Prince's companions… interesting. What role did he serve?"

"He was the King's advisor," Seraphina emphasized the word 'King.'

"Who else was in the group?"

"Oh, there were twenty of them. Thirteen Danish sailors, Captain Edward, the King, King's advisor Frejo, and three Mund warriors: Antonus, master of fire; Dindo, master of ice; and Solomon, the invoker."

Dante counted on his fingers in confusion.

"That's nineteen."

"What?"

"Thirteen sailors + captain + five Mundi. That's nineteen."

"No, no, no. The first group of Mundi had six members. The Six Pioneers, we teach that to our children…"

Dante scratched his head.

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"List the Six Pioneers again?"

Seraphina somewhat nervously extended six fingers in front of her. She began counting them off, lowering one finger after each name: "The King, Advisor Frejo, Antonus, Solomon, and Dindo."

She stared confusedly at her raised index finger. Dante tilted his head.

"Are you demented?"

"Fuck you."

"Who's the sixth member?"

"...," Seraphina grabbed her head. Six Pioneers, but the idea of a sixth pioneer felt so foreign to her… What's happening?

"Tell me, Seraphina, is there a type of magic that affects memories?"

Seraphina crossed her arms. "Of course not."

Dante nodded. That told him nothing. 'If I had magic that erased memories, the first thing I'd do is erase the memory of anyone knowing I possessed it,' the Detective pondered. Still, he couldn't rule out the possibility that Seraphina was just an idiot who forgot who the sixth member was.

Dante sank into thought. In the worst-case scenario, he was dealing with a powerful wizard capable of altering people's memories. But, there was a clue. The sixth member of the group… Why did the wizard want everyone to forget about the sixth member? 'Realistically, the wizard and the sixth member are probably the same person. I don't believe that psychopath would have accomplices; he seems like someone who works alone.'

"Thank you for your time. The Roman police force owes you gratitude," said Dante, pointing her towards the exit. Seraphina shot Dante a final disgusted look and left the station.

Dante continued to sit in his chair, lost in his thoughts. Maybe he should take some precautions. What if his memories get erased? 'Crazy idea,' he laughed. He pulled a notebook and pencil from a drawer. "This is strange…," Dante said aloud. The notebook was very thin, as if someone had torn out most of the pages.

Dante began to write: "Frejo - victim, former advisor to the Prince, capable of providing serious resistance in combat. Perpetrator: tall, Mund. Former Frejo's colleague? Sixth member of the group," he underlined this last sentence. Surely someone, somewhere, recorded the names of the Six Pioneers. He could only hope that the Sixth didn't get to those records first.

"Memory erasure?" Dante wrote across the rest of the paper. He scribbled it out. It still seemed too unbelievable. He tore the paper, crumpled it, and threw it into the trash can in the corner of the room. The can was full of similar improvised balls. The crumpled paper bounced off the pile sticking out of the can. Dante focused on it.

"Where did all these papers come from?" he asked the full trash can.

He kicked the can, and papers spilled onto the floor. He picked one up and unfolded it. Scribbled across the paper were the words "Memory erasure?"

Dante screamed and dropped the paper. He picked up another. His hands trembled as he unfolded it.

"Memory erasure?" was written and scribbled out on it.

Dante frantically started going through the papers that had been in the trash. Each one said the same thing.

"Memory erasure," Dante read aloud. He pondered. How many times had he come to this conclusion? The pile of papers beneath him was huge. Twenty times? Fifty?

Dante frowned. They're playing with his memories! He wouldn't forgive them easily… He'd solve this case, even if it was his last! But he'd have to protect himself from this magic.

Dante started thinking again. This was getting serious. He wouldn't make any progress if he kept being thrown back to the starting point. He didn't believe that the 'Sixth' personally cursed him every time… No… The Sixth must have cast a spell that activates on its own… But what triggers it?

Dante ran outside. He looked left and right. On the horizon, Seraphina's elegant figure was walking away from him. Dante ran after her.

"I thought we were done!" Seraphina protested indignantly as Dante practically dragged her back to the station.

"Can you Mundi see if an object is cursed?"

"Yes, but I don't see how…"

"I have a strong suspicion that there's a cursed object in this room," Dante interrupted her.

"A cursed object that erases memories when activated."

"Don't be ridic…"

"Please, help me," Dante interrupted her again.

Seraphina was surprised. Dante didn't seem like the type to beg… anyone, let alone a Mund.

"Okay, okay…" Seraphina relented.

"Please step outside," she asked him. Dante complied and now stood on the threshold, leaning against the door frame.

Seraphina stood up from her chair and raised both hands in the air. She shouted something in the Mund language that Dante didn't understand. A strong gust of wind swept through the room, lifting Seraphina's hair and blowing Dante's coat. The trash can glowed.

"I knew it! Little fucker!" Dante ran to the can and kicked it again, this time much harder. The can flew across the room.

"Don't! We don't know what triggers it yet!"

"Relax, I already kicked it before. The little bastard erased my memory countless times by now!" the Detective despaired. Seraphina finally noticed the pile of papers on the floor. She approached them and began reading through them.

"I can't believe… This kind of magic really exists…" she said, flipping through the papers. They were all the same.

"Well, what branch of magic is this? Fire? Ice? Invocation? What the hell do they invoke, oblivion?"

"No. This has nothing to do with that. Only Eldricka could have such power."

Dante shuddered. He would have to deal with a Mund who possesses Eldrick magic?

"Wait, isn't Eldricka exclusive to the Grand Chief and his apprentice?"

Seraphina nodded.

"Does that mean the killer is the son of the Grand Chief who disappeared after his death?"

"That's the only logical explanation," she said worriedly.

"This is beyond my jurisdiction. When a politician shits himself, other politicians wipe him. I can only get into trouble."

"I actually think the killer isn't the King's half-brother," Seraphina scratched her neck.

Dante nodded: "I have that feeling too, but who knows?"

'I have too little, too little information,' the Detective worried.