"What's even scarier is the fact that...there's almost no difference between the two personalities. In the past, the sly bastard was easy to spot. Right now, the crafty piece of shit managed to copy the exact behaviour and habits of the core personality. Secondly, the normal Samuel himself doesn't even realise the switch..."
The newbie gulps and glances at me.
The officer gives the newbie an earpiece.
"Wear this, I will guide you on what to say. Sadly, that brat remembers my face and no matter what I say, it won't work." the senior officer says.
The newbie scratches his head. "Do we need to be this cautious?" he asks.
The senior officer nods. "And one last thing, do not let him know your real name."
The newbie seems confused but went on with it.
"Use the name Walker Crane." The senior officer says.
The newbie nods and left the room to enter the interrogation.
"Hello!" a slim and handsome brown-haired man wearing spectacles says with a smile.
I nod.
"How are you? Is it comfortable enough?" He asks.
"Y-Yes..." I reply.
Still, the man takes off my handcuff to let me relax.
I rub my wrist as I look down.
"I'm Walker Crane. You are Samuel Turner, yes?" He says.
I nod.
"Alright..."
Walker starts to scribble something on a book. His hand is blocking for me to see what he wrote.
"Do you attend high school?" He asks.
"U-Used to." my fingers rub against one another under the table and I gulp.
Walker notices my anxiety and smiles.
"I understand. I had to quit studying to work and survive. Do you have any relatives taking you in after your mother's death?"
I look down and shake my head.
Walker's expression fades with empathy.
"I will be asking a few questions about your Aunt's death, my condolences. First of all, how would you describe your relationship with your Aunt?"
"Uh...It wasn't very good..." I shake my head.
"I see, did something happen?"
"She hated my mother...frequently cursed at her and me."
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Walker nods.
"Do you know the reason why?"
I shake my head.
"I see..." He goes back to scribbling some notes. "Where were you 3 days ago at around 4 PM?"
"Home."
"Home? What were you doing?"
"Streaming...I earn extra income from playing games." I say.
"Oh! Alright. What games do you play-"
Suddenly, walker froze and glance to his left.
"Walker, building rapport yields nothing with this brat. It's better if you get to the point." a voice comes from his earpiece.
...
"Ahem...sorry about that. Anyways, why did you decide to pay a visit to your aunt's house? You were the one that called the police, no?"
"I-I received a message from her apologizing. It was odd and I tried calling her." I say.
Walker nods and scribbles down in his notebook. "And?"
"She didn't reply. It was particularly peculiar as my Aunt never messages me without a selfish reason, much less for an apology."
Walker stares at the notebook and taps his fingers on the table. "Hm...alright, I understand. another officer will come back later for another round of questions. Do you need anything? Food?"
I shake my head. "I-I don't have...the appetite right now."
Walker nods with a pleasant smile and left the room. He enters the room next and sees the senior officer.
"What do you think?" The senior officer asks.
Walker shrugs. "I don't find anything out of the ordinary, his testimony lines up perfectly with his alibis, pieces of evidence and other witnesses."
The senior officer grits his teeth. "That's the problem. Everything is too perfect. His Aunt's death was suicide and she was in intense grief towards Samuel's mother and himself. You heard it from Samuel, she detests Samuel and his mother, why the sudden change of behaviour?"
The senior officer looks at me through the one-way glass. "He is our prime suspect but at the same time isn't. Damn it..."
====================================================
Present...
====================================================
*BAM!*
Behind the Chael in the woods, I practise shooting to take my mind off the problem.
---------------------
{Weapons mastery}
Firearms:402
Dagger:42
Sword:0
Bow:0
Spear:0
Heavy:0
---------------------
...
I went for psychotherapy for three years. My disorder is supposed to be gone...Why is that...guy...still here?
Moreover, I didn't realise. It all seemed so natural to my body.
When I think about it, I have very vague memories of what happened at the elf kingdom. I know the rough outline of what happened but not the specifics as if this is a memory from years ago.
The other Samuel should have taken over from then.
I feel disgusted. Although the other Samuel can also request a Rewind Pill, he decided with only two artifacts that solely benefit "us".
"Hah..."
I realise the message that Samuel sent when he threatened the elf to heal Lena.
"Don't be sad, at least Lena is alive, huh..." I mumble.
...
I lower my musket. Breath of mist coupled with the falling of snow.
There is a way to restore Lena's energy core but it comes at a huge cost...but I must take responsibility. That is the only way to restore my reputation and appeal to Rena.
With that decision, I walk back to the mansion and visit Lena once more. She just finished her meal and servants and tidying up.
Lena notices me and sits up. "Y-Young master...I'm sorry. I was too harsh." She says.
"Harsh? You deserve the rights. Move aside." I blurt.
?
Lena shuffles herself to the edge of the bed.
I sit beside her and take off my glove.
???
"Take off your clothes and let me see your back," I say.
"Eh?! Young master, I-"
"I will help you to restore your energy core."
...
"What?" Lena mumbles.
One's energy core cannot be replaced, only created or repaired. So far, not even an imperial healer is well-versed in repairing energy cores.
Lena takes off her white pyjamas and shows me her back. Its beauty is stained by the scar on her rhomboid.
"Y-You better not have any weird ideas or I will scream."
I can see Lena blushing from embarrassment.
I touch her nape with my left hand and her scar with my right.
"EEK! W-What..." Lena says.
"I will use my Lifeforce as the crucible of your energy core, that way, it is reconstructed to its prime."
"Lifeforce?!" Lena exclaims. "But...your life span-"
"I am responsible! I'm sorry, I should have thought twice about doing that."
"No...but you saved me...you technically don't owe me anything-"
"Shut up. I'm starting." I say.
Green mana flows from my body to my right hand and enters Lena. The flow is regulated by my left hand and a closed circuit forms.
Without "Mana Sense", I probably will never be able to achieve this.