Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"Can't a noblewoman commit a crime? The gentlemen at the Police Department seem to think that Lady Lassoya, who leads a debauched life, has somehow become entangled with a group of cultists who have recently drifted into our area. Detective, you know that cultists always seem to find companions for themselves."

Miss Beath took out a notebook and a fountain pen from her purse and began to take notes as she asked:

"It has been investigated at Riddlevitch Field that Detective Sparrow Hamilton died of a sudden illness. After his death, did you follow Lady Lassoya, how many times, and did she ever discover you?."

"Only once, and she didn't notice."

Shard answered honestly.

Miss Beath nodded, her eyes moving from the notebook to her fingers, as she glanced at her own ring and then asked:

"Have you noticed anything amiss about her?"

"No."

Shard spoke the truth again, the only oddity he had noticed was with the young man who possessed the Relic, the Transmutation Ring.

Seeing Miss Beath look at her ring again, Shard inwardly whispered:

"Is that ring a Relic?"

[You feel the "Whisper."]

The woman's voice finally arrived late, leading Shard to speculate that the ring had the effect of detecting lies, but it was probably not strong and completely ineffective against him in his Divine Afterglow State. At least for now, young "Officer" Miss Beath had not spotted any flaws in the detective's demeanor.

"Detective, did your visit to Lakeside Manor on Sunday have anything to do with Mrs. Lawrence?"

She added:

"We've investigated and found that both you and Lady Lassoya were there."

"Unrelated, I was there at the invitation of Baron Lavende to play Roder Card. Many people can vouch for me, at least a dozen saw me catch some good cards under the grape arbor."

His face showed confidence, secure in the knowledge of this fact.

Miss Beath took notes with her head down:

"Roder Card, card game, okay... So, did you see Lady Lassoya at Lakeside Manor?"

"I saw her from a distance, she was with Mr. Lawrence at the time. But since my commission was already concluded, I didn't pay them much attention."

Shard, still thinking about how to play his role more convincingly, feigned curiosity as he asked:

"Has something happened? How did Lady Lassoya suddenly get mixed up with cultists? There was some commotion at Lakeside Manor on Sunday, but I left early and I'm not clear about what actually happened."

But the young "Officer" did not directly answer.

Miss Iluna Beath seemed inexperienced, not in terms of age, but in her methods. She was only a Second Ring, and according to Priest Augustus, the Church of the Five Gods didn't allow First Ring Magicians to join Circle Sorcerer squads.

Therefore, the young lady with chestnut brown hair probably hadn't carried out many missions independently, and in regard to the follow-up investigation of this incident, the Sun Church had only assigned her the simplest and safest tasks.

She was now, in essence, paying a visit to the home of the person who had resolved the Lakeside Manor incident, and although the Outlander was also young, he had no problem dealing with such an inexperienced girl.

Shard was also relieved that his own role in the matter hadn't been prominent, which was why the True God Church hadn't sent more experienced Circle Sorcerers after him.

"By the way, during the banquet at Lakeside Manor, did you encounter anything unusual?"

Miss Beath asked again.

"It seems I came across a group of people near the Garden Maze, but my memory afterward is a bit hazy, probably because of the intoxicating wine."

Shard skillfully responded, and Miss Beath blinked, steering the conversation away:

"Did you happen to meet anyone wearing a wine-red suit?"

"I saw someone from a distance near the vine trellises in the garden, that wine-red suit looked very stylish. But I hate red coats, I find them somewhat... effeminate. I prefer black, it looks more dignified."

Shard made a thoughtful gesture, noticing that the other party was taking serious notes, he once again tried to take the lead in the conversation:

"Miss Beath, you keep asking about Lakeside Manor, did something happen that day? I checked the newspapers afterward, but the only event that occurred nearby was an earthquake, and obviously, an earthquake can't be man-made."

The instigator of the earthquake inquired.

"Detective, there are some things that are better left not too thoroughly understood. Usually, the Kingdom and the Church don't publicize news related to cultists to the public, do you understand?"

Miss Beath hinted, and Shard immediately feigned an understanding expression.

"So, something really did happen during the banquet at Lakeside Manor..." Continue your adventure at empire

"Then, when you submitted Detective Sparrow's investigation report to Mrs. Lawrence, did you give her all the investigation reports?"

Miss Beath asked earnestly, unaware of what the detective across from her was thinking.

"Yes, you can ask Mrs. Lawrence for that report. Such investigation reports contain the client's privacy, I cannot keep a copy, that's professional ethics."

Shard said, then received an unexpected reply, Miss Beath looked regretful:n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Actually, at the... Riddlevitch Field, among Lady Lawrence's relics, that investigation report has already been found."

"Relic?"

Shard was taken aback, leaning forward; this wasn't an act. He had killed Lady Lassoya, by all logic Lady Lawrence should have been fine.

"Mrs. Lawrence is dead? How come?"

"Yes, it was probably around Tuesday morning; Riddlevitch Field received a report from a servant of the Lawrence family. Mr. Lawrence is missing, and the lady was found dead... I think, I'd better not describe the crime scene to you."

The lady with brown hair said cautiously.

"Who did it?"

Shard pressed on, he had only formally met Lady Lawrence once, and their relationship was nothing more than client and appointee. Strictly speaking, the appointee wasn't even Shard but Detective Sparrow Hamilton.

But he remembered the thirteen shillings Lady Lawrence had overpaid, and he remembered her kind advice when she left. There are countless people in this world, and Shard could only intersect with some of them, and among those who intersected with him, Lady Lawrence was quite decent.

He truly regretted the lady's tragic death. In this moment he wanted to say something, but all words were caught in his throat. He had considered the cruelty of cultists and illegal organizations, but he had not imagined such an end for the lady.

Miss Beath simply shook her head:

"There's no conclusion yet, we suspect it was an accomplice of Lassoya who committed this brutal act, considering she has already... Back to the matter at hand, please tell me if there are any documents related to those investigations in your office, I need to take them all."