“W-What?!”
Shiria’s mind rushed with thoughts. Why would Kaeron say such a thing so suddenly?
“Shiria? Was it her?”
“I’m almost certain she was,” Kaeron nodded.
Shiria’s eyes darted to Youma and Kaeron, and then to both their blades. Her heart suddenly sped up, her mind became a haze of panic. She moved her legs and began to run.
“Hey! Come here!!!” Youma went after her immediately.
Kaeron stepped forward to intervene. She placed her thumb on her sword’s hilt, she was ready. Fortunately, everything was over soon.
Shiria was pushed to the floor by Youma. She surrendered after struggling for a little more.
She looked on the floor, her eyes injected with fear. Was she going to be falsely accused? She knew it wasn’t her...but somehow Kaeron accused her on the spot.
“Shiria?” Tsukasa looked shocked. She hadn’t expected such a twist of events. She walked to Youma and the poor Shiria, her hand covering her mouth.
“Kaeron, what did you figure out?” Alicia asked her, crossing her arms.
“L-Let me up! I won’t escape! I promise!” Shiria shouted.
“Let her sit down first,” Kaeron commanded.
Shiria’s eyes stung when she witnessed Kaeron’s cold gaze. She was seriously thinking Shiria was the murderer. That hurt her deeply.
Both suspicious and confused looks made her feel very uncomfortable as she sat on a random reading chair, her whole body trembling.
“So, Kaeron...why do you think it was her?” Servalia asked her from afar while taking care of Lan’en.
Youma scoffed and shook her head, “Because she tried to escape when accused, maybe?”
“No. It’s because she was the only one who gave Lan’en something to drink,” Kaeron explained briefly, “When we reached the arcade, all of you minded your own business. Then, Shiria approached Lan’en and offered her a beer while she was distracted from playing a game. Lan’en gulped down the whole can in one go and didn’t suspect anything. Then, Azrael approached the two and started that altercation...and nobody ever thought about that beer again.”
“Lan’en was so friendly with Shiria that she didn’t really think about it...she was being given a drink in a situation where a killer is among us,” Alicia nodded, “Yes, Shiria. You’re the only person who could have put something in her drink.”
“Okay. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that she was the one who did it,” Tsukasa oddly didn’t agree immediately. She looked skeptical. “What would she even use? I doubt we have drugs on the Elysium.”
“Exactly,” Shiria seized the opportunity to defend herself, “Why would I even have something like that? I don’t have any drugs! And why would I drug Lan’en? What reason would I have? If I was the killer, I would have...killed her! No?”
“Chronos.”
“Model CHRON.05 at your service. How may I assist you, passenger Kaeron?”
“Are there any substances that can be used to cause harm aboard the Elysium? I’m talking about drugs, mainly.”
“Yes. However, the drugs themselves aren’t exposed to the passengers.”
“Where are they stored, exactly?"
“They’re all encapsulated and secured within the mechanical system in the medical bay. Only the robotic systems that operate there have access to samples. The only way to obtain a drug would be through tearing apart the bay’s walls.”
“See?! I didn’t take anything from there! That’s the only place!”
“Maybe you smuggled something aboard...maybe you’re lying about your amnesia completely,” Kaeron said ruthlessly, making Shiria’s heart sink even more, “No matter what proof is missing. The only person who handed her something to drink was you. We didn’t even reach dinner yet, so nobody could have poisoned her plate,” Kaeron replied.
“I swear...I swear I didn’t do anything!!!” Shiria yelled, her sadness becoming anger, “I just wanted to cheer her up! She looked distressed!”
“Even if she’s the only one who had the opportunity, the reason is still unclear. Why would a killer make someone fall asleep instead of killing them?” Tsukasa backed Shiria’s argument up.
“Why would she run?” Youma retorted.
“I was scared! Kaeron is powerful! And you’re a hunter as well! I don’t...I don’t want to die…” Shiria muttered, looking down. Tears started falling down her cheeks, “I would...I would never hurt Lan’en in any way! She’s so kind and-”
“Whatever you say doesn’t erase the truth. You’re the only one who handed her something to drink,” Kaeron sighed. She kept her cold gaze glued to Shiria, constantly trying to read her mind.
The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone was on edge, trying to make sense of the situation.
“Wait. I was there,” Tsukasa gasped softly, “I just remembered that I saw Shiria grabbing the can of beer.”
“True. You were in the snack room,” Keron nodded.
“Yes. And Shiria didn’t have anything on her when she took it. She didn’t even open the can.”
Kaeron’s eyes narrowed, “Okay. But what about after she left the room? She was definitely out of your sight after that. Everyone else was busy, and I wasn’t looking at her until she reached Lan’en’s proximity.”
“I think we should focus on something else entirely,” Alicia intervened. She held her chin, musing.
“What?” Kaeron asked.
“When was the can opened, exactly?”
“I opened it on my way,” Shiria confessed.
Tsukasa looked at Shiria with a frown that told her she didn’t do well by confessing that.
“’’On your way’’ means nobody was looking at you when you opened it. That means you could have actually slipped something into the drink,” Kaeron said, “My accusations are valid.”
Shiria looked at Kaeron with sad eyes. Kaeron’s expression faltered for a second...but she remained unwavering.
“We can’t know either if it was her or if it wasn’t. We just have to follow the devil’s proof logic,” Alicia said.
“Devil’s what?” Servalia, still attending to Lan’en, looked at Shiria with a worried expression.
“It means we are in a gray area. Shiria will remain a suspect until we find out more information.”
“I have an idea,” Servalia tried to pick Lan’en up, “Pointing fingers won’t do, right? Let’s bring Lan’en to the medical bay. We’ll see there if anything else can come up. Maybe we can clear suspicions using science.”
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
“Good idea, yes,” Kaeron nodded, “We’re well equipped with healthcare on the Elysium. We can just figure it out there.”
Lan’en was carried by Servalia and Youma, while Tsukasa and Alicia walked together and chatted about the situation. Kaeron and Shiria were last...walking in silence.
They reached the medical bay, and soon Lan’en was accepted. She lay on one of the beds, a lot of equipment attached to her.
“Okay...the terminal here is saying that they’re examining her thoroughly. It will take a while,” Servalia said, reading on the screen beside Lan’en’s bed, “I’ll stay here and watch her. I will call you as soon as we know more.”
“Alright. Let’s go to the lobby, everyone” Kaeron said. She grabbed Shiria’s wrist and pulled her out of the room.
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In the lobby, there were five out of nine passengers. However, the silence made it feel like nobody was really there. Tsukasa chatted with Youma, while Alicia stood in a corner, thoughtful. Kaeron was staring at Shiria constantly, as she sat exactly beside where Noir was killed.
“Do you...truly believe it was me?” Shiria suddenly spoke.
Kaeron didn’t reply at first. Then, she sighed and shook her head, “I’m just being rational. How was Lan’en drugged, Shiria? Do you have any other explanation?
“You didn’t even check if she was injected with some syringe...or something like that!” Shiria retorted, “W-Why did you immediately jump onto me?”
“That’s right...Kaeron the Hunter. Why did you?”
Kaeron turned around. Azrael stood there with Lilin, who giggled and stared at Shiria curiously.
“The stowaway finally made her mistake, huh?” Lilin chuckled, “It’s obvious it was you!”
“Or maybe not?” Azrael added, walking past Kaeron slowly and going over to Shiria, “What do you think, Kaeron? Are you being a dutiful detective?”
“What are you talking about?” Kaeron asked her.
“It’s simple,” Azrael closed her eyes and sighed in exasperation, “Aren’t you jumping the gun? As soon as Lan’en fell unconscious, you blamed Shiria without even considering rescuing Lan’en from the medical bay. And then, ugh...you all started an idiotic debate about a beer can.”
“I just...I just thought we had the killer right in front of us. I wanted to act,” Kaeron retorted. Despite her confidence, what Azrael said was true in her heart, “Besides...you two weren’t with us in the library. How come you know about all this?”
Azrael smirked at her, shrugging, “Lilin is good at hiding herself. You wouldn’t know she is in front of you if she wanted it to be like that.”
“That’s right...I witnessed your utter impatience, Kaeron!” Lilin skipped over Shiria, patting her head softly, “Are your instincts sharp enough for the role you gave yourself? Or maybe we should let Tsukasa take the lead, for example?”
“What is going on over here?” Youma approached the four along with Tsukasa and Alicia, “Didn’t you two want to ignore our “childish” behavior and do as you pleased?”
“Oh, we sure are doing as we please! Hahahah!” Azrael replied immediately, laughing audibly. “We are just giving you all some piece of advice. Kaeron isn’t being lucid at all. She judged Shiria without a second thought. Is that how real detectives behave?”
Tsukasa mused Azrael’s words, “well, Kaeron...I would be lying if I didn’t admit I found your sudden accusations a little too...sudden.”
“What do you mean? It was a good call,” Youma said, siding with Kaeron, “As a fellow hunter, I understand her. She seized the moment as soon as she saw the possibility of Shiria being the perpetrator."
“Yes, but what if she’s wrong? We could be wasting our time chasing someone innocent. We have to act efficiently. We should have gone to the medical bay way sooner...as soon as we saw Lan’en being unconscious,” Alicia intervened.
“Yes, that’s right,” Tsukasa agreed, “I think Kaeron didn’t do a good job there. She-”
“Are you even listening to yourselves!?” Kaeron suddenly snapped, “Why are you all acting as if I had the whole responsibility on my shoulders?! Did I choose to take the lead in this fucking mess?!”
They all fell silent. Kaeron’s chest heaved as her frustration grew.
“You can all act as you like if you don’t like my way of doing things."
Kaeron suddenly left in a hurry, seemingly distressed.
“Oh no...” Tsukasa sighed, “I shouldn’t have agreed with Lilin.”
“Oh yes, you should have,” Azrael crossed her arms, staring at the disappearing Kaeron, “That’s exactly what she needed.”
“What do you mean?” Alicia asked, “All we did was offend her. I feel bad.”
“I should go talk to her,” Youma said.
“No! I-I’ll go…” Shiria stood up.
“Absolutely not! You’re a suspect!” Youma grabbed her arm, “You’re staying here with the others!”
“Kaeron could kill me if I tried anything anyway!” Shiria.
“Let her go,” Tsukasa sighed, “If anything happens, it will be her fault automatically, no?"
Youma sighed and left Shiria’s arm. However, Tsukasa suddenly stopped her again as she began walking.
She grabbed her hand tightly, so tightly that Shiria was surprised by her stregth. It was a determined, yet nervous grasp.
image [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0u2xp2xbl5y9v0kpal4nt/artist_missile_228-amazing-quality-very-aesthetic-absurdres-black-backgroun-s-3226502555.png?rlkey=8dl76tqb2slwfts2v5a0hp9rs&st=st3w5eyr&raw=1]
"I trust you, Shiria. I know you're innocent. Please...help Kaeron realize that. We need her. She the only one who can solve this mess."
Shiria nodded with determination and left the lobby.
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“Another one.”
Kaeron leaned against the pub’s counter after ordering another glass of whiskey, taking deep breaths as her hands trembled. She closed her eyes, “If only you were here, Keina.”
Was she really jumping the gun? She acted on pure instinct...but maybe that wasn’t a good idea in that situation.
She thought about it. Before she accused Shiria, she was thinking obsessively about how Azrael was right about her not being good enough. Maybe that clouded her judgment.
The weight of her decisions was starting to crush her.
“Just like the good old days, Keina. I don’t have the slightest idea on what the fuck to do…” she chuckled bitterly. She grabbed the glass and sipped on it, “If only you were here…”
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Shiria until she was standing beside her until she made noise by sitting down.
“Shiria…” Kaeron didn’t react badly to her presence. She was just confused. She looked at her right hand, it had a slight red mark, as if she hurt herself. She wondered if Youma did something to her.
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with the others?”
“I just wanted to talk..."
“What is there to talk about, Shiria? I’m a mess. Azrael is right,” She shook her head, sipping on her glass, “Even if what happened to Lan’en points at you...I’m acting recklessly.”
“You’re not a mess. You’re just trying to solve this situation for us.”
Shiria placed her hand on Kaeron’s, squeezing it tightly.
“I am grateful, Kaeron,” she muttered, “Even if it’s me who’s being accused...I just realized how hard you’re working for all of us. I hated how they treated you back there.”
Kaeron’s eyes lowered. She had finished her third drink by then, “Thank you. I want to...I want to believe I’m wrong about you, Shiria.”
“Who is Keina, Kaeron?”
The sudden question made Kaeron’s heart ache.
“I haven’t talked about her to anyone in a long while,” She sighed, “And you know that I don’t like talking about myself too much.”
“Right...sorry. I was just wondering. It must feel nice to have someone to think about when you’re troubled,” She looked down with a frown.
“She was...my lover. I lost her not long ago,” Kaeron confessed briefly, “That’s all.”
“Oh…I didn’t know you were…” Shiria removed her hand from Kaeron’s immediately. Her face became flushed as she adverted her gaze awkwardly.
“I was what?” Kaeron raised her eyebrow.
“Y-You know, i-interested in g-girls!” Shiria stammered.
“Jeez…” Kaeron chuckled softly as she ruffled Shiria’s hair, “You're...so silly…”
Shiria shivered and blushed under Kaeron’s gentle touch. Her hand felt nice. It rubbed all over Shiria’s scalp gently.
“I hope the medical bay will prove it to you. It wasn’t me.”
Kaeron stopped petting her friend and sighed, “I sure hope so too. It would be a shame if you were a murderer. Especially since you have such a cute little face.”
Shiria giggled and blushed more, sighing with her, “You’ll see. It’s not me!
“There you are! Kaeron!”
Youma barged into the pub, her face panicked.
Kaeron immediately stood up and grabbed her sword, which was resting on the counter.
“What?!”
“The medical bay’s room is locked! Someone is banging from the other side!”
Shiria ran as quickly as she could behind the two. Every sound and sensation was amplified. The sound of her metallic footsteps deafened her as she reached the medical bay’s entrance. She was panting, her body shaking with adrenaline as she saw Alice trying to force it open. She was kneeling, her hands deep into the wiring hidden behind a removed wall plate.
“Alice, please don’t hurt yourself,” Tsukasa said, “Let Kaeron and Youma open it with their weapons.”
“No. We need to preserve the evidence,” Kaeron shook her head.
“Evidence?” Shiria asked, her heart sinking.
“What’s going on?” Azrael suddenly joined the rest with Lilin by her side. A curious smile on her face.
Alicia sighed, completing her work, “Clearly someone died in there. What else could have happened?”
“Oh wow! Who is it? Servalia or Lan’en?!” Lilin gasped.
The door opened wide thanks to Alicia’s skills.
Shiria stepped inside first, witnessing Lan’en kneeling in front of Servalia’s dead body.