Chapter 54 - Lantern Festival (7)

Translator: KimmyEditor: NA for this chap~

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Eva understood what they were doing actually.

She too once worked in the bottom line of the hierarchy so she understood Billford’s position and why the police department was wasting time like this.

But that aside, she just couldn’t get along with people from the metropolitan police department.

She hated the words ‘prison’ and ‘crime’ or any other related words more than anybody.

Hmph.

Eva pouted her lips and looked down at the thin steel table.

She didn’t want to give her take on the case since it would definitely cause her more trouble.

But the ‘trouble’ was already happening to her right now so she decided that it is best for her and her friends that she cooperate with the police and get out of here as soon as possible.

Eva didn’t give up on making this day the perfect holiday for Karlos despite all that happened.

Eva parted her lips.

“A singer or an actor.”

“Pardon?”

Billford asked back in confusion of Eva’s sudden listing of occupations.

Eva still refused to meet Billford’s eyes.

“The body was found backstage and the scream of the first witness was unusually clear and theatrical. I suggest you look for the first witness within female soprano singers first. If they are part of the troupe then they would still be around here since they wouldn’t betray the contract but if one of them is missing then there’s a high chance that that person is the first witness.”

Eva was still glaring at the steel table like she was looking at a life-sworn enemy but she was showing some willingness to converse with Billford.

Wait, is this even a conversation?

Billford lost his words in bewilderment.

“It’s also strange that there was no one in the back stage when it was immediately after the fireworks there fired. There should be atleast one or two staff in charge of the fireworks so it’s either that the stage staff was involved in this or that they are the culprit. Logically speaking, it’s quite difficult for a woman like me to stab someone so deeply.”

“Uh….”

“And that blood, I’m not sure if it’s really the victim’s blood. The murderer wouldn’t have had the time to clean the crime scene since there was a large crowd. I suggest that you start your investigation there, Investigator Billford. I’m done cooperating so can I leave with my companions now?”

Wait, hold on.

Billford recalled the information he gathered of Eva because Alex ordered him to before.

His face became more and more stupid as seconds passed.

Billford held on to his sanity and asked.

“Excuse me, Miss Evangeline. What type of novels did you write…?”

Eva finally looked up from the table and faced him. It was written on her face: ‘That is the most useless question I’ve heard.’

Billford was a little hurt by that look but this was worth asking since she went beyond his expectation like she did a triple tumbling and did a folk dance to the left and right and skeeted away on a carriage.

Eva cocked her head.

Her face resembled an annoyed squirrel.

“Romance novels. Is that information really necessary here?”

The 2-year experience investigator’s eyes shook like a coat swinging in the breeze.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

Eva was waiting for Bri and Karl in the police department lobby with her lips pouted.

She was annoyed.

The investigators and cops walking somewhere glanced at her often and Billford was peeking out of the room she just walked out of.

She was annoyed at every single one of them.

I didn’t even do anything!

Eva stomped her foot.

Well, she felt bad for the janitor lady so she just stepped.

“Oh, I must apologize.”

Eva looked up to face the source of the gentle voice.

It was the chubby investigator with very curly hair–Was it investigator Alex? She wasn’t sure. She was holding a coffee in both hands and was looking down at Eva with awkwardness.

“We have our own situation to take care of here, you see.”

“Yes, I am aware of that. The other investigator emphasized it continuously.”

And it was very boring.

Alex looked at the cute lady who was obviously not happy.

Her job was an honorable job that protected the innocent and carried out justice but sometimes, or to be precise quite often, her job made innocent people uncomfortable and sometimes even harmed them.

‘A small sacrifice for an enormous happiness’. Well, at least it sounded good.

Alex pursed her lips bitterly.

Her ex-husband wouldn’t care much about things like this but she wasn’t as heartless as he was.

Plus, Eva was still a young lady.

Alex looked at the white rose on Eva’s navy coat and sighed.

It was the type of white rose she once wore.

Guessing by her well-groomed hair, shiny new shoes, good quality coat, and the cute little purse, Eva obviously was just trying to have a nice time outside.

She must have been very excited for today. She acted mutually but she must be deeply disappointed by today’s outcome.

“I said everything I had to say back in that room. Try asking that person peeking out over there.”

“Hm? Ah.”

Alex turned her head and saw Billford lingering in front of the door.

He jumped when they met eyes and disappeared back inside.

That clumsy bastard.

Alex clicked her tongue.

“I didn’t come to hear what you had to say… Anyway, take this. It’s not that good but it’s fragrant.”

Alex handed Eva a cup of coffee that serves better as a hand warmer than an actual drink.

Eva narrowed her eyes for a split moment in suspicion but she thanked Alex and accepted the coffee.

However, Eva didn’t seem to have the intention to drink it. Whether it be because she listened to Alex’s description of the coffee or simply because it was given by an investigator, only Eva would know.

A wise decision.

Alex thought.

“This may not be a big deal but, Miss Evangeline, do you know who your companion is?”

“A knight?”

“Uh, the other one. The tall, big man.”

“….Karl looks a little scary but he is a nice person.”

Eva moved away from Alex.

This clever little lady seemed to be trying to distance herself emotionally and physically from Alex.

Alex grinned at Eva’s cautious stance.

Being alert around strangers is a good thing.

The experienced investigator grinned again and shrugged.

“I’m not asking because of this case. Um, I just feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before. He looks familiar.”

Alex wasn’t just saying this to relieve Eva, it was the truth.

She definitely saw him somewhere but she just couldn’t remember.

Guessing by how his face turned pale when he met eyes with her before entering Marco the Giant’s office, that man must know her too.

If he was a criminal, then she would definitely remember so he wasn’t one.

Plus, he was too handsome to not remember or forget.

Where did I see him before?

“Since he can’t be identified, there’s a high chance that he is a noble. But I’m not fond nor close with those types of people, you see.”

Commoners had no reason to not register their identification because of the privileges it gives but the nobles were different.

They had the wealth to pay for their own medical fees, education, and didn’t need any monetary aid.

After the war was over, some of the nobles preferred to continue and preserve their bloodline because of the lessened number of nobles.

The chancellor disdained it saying it was pointless and Maximilien disdained it saying it was biologically wrong.

But despite the Chancellor being the person who came up with the policy, he couldn’t force the people.

So some of the nobles mated–the emperor hated this word–within themselves to maintain their bloodline.

In the process of that, only the children that inherited the bloodline successfully were given the honor to be included in the pedigree, and those who didn’t became phantoms that didn’t exist in documents.

Such as the bastards, adopted children, and vagabonds of the nobles.

This information was not open to the public but Alex knew thanks to her ex-husband.

Could that man be one of those phantoms?

Alex took a sip of the bitter coffee and retraced her memories.

Could she have had the chance or occasion to meet such people?

She was confident that she wouldn’t have even back when she was Glenn’s wife.

Then what could it be?

Alex was a skilled investigator and she was the type to resolve every small doubt she had.

She felt this discomfort that she missed something.

“Karl works at the palace.”

“Hmm.”

The palace, huh.

Uneasy with Alex’s silence, Eva continued.

“So Karl can’t possibly be involved in this. The palace doesn’t accept criminals right? Also, he is very kind, and naive than he looks…”

“I see.”

Alex looked at Eva consistently defending Karl while maintaining her cautiousness and thought of her past self when she was at the Harvest festival.

Oh, yes. I was a bright flower like her once too.

The first date in a night of dance, music, and liquor. Flirtatious words she shared with the man in glasses.

She already experienced all this in the past so she knew that there was something going on between Eva and Karl.

Alex hid her amusement and spoke about the thing she felt like she needed to.

“I’m sorry about the things that happened to you in the past, Miss Evangeline. And I want to thank you personally for cooperating with us despite all that had happened.”

At that moment, Eva’s face darkened with defeat.

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TL/N: I did leave a message on the newest chapter of CFP but to those who don’t read it, here goes again.  I have been busy with a lot of stuff (moving back to my home country, graduation, injuries, etc). But I’ve settled most of them now so I will start focusing on updating on schedule. As a reader myself, I know how it gets when the releases are delayed so I sincerely apologize for the inconsistent updates. Enjoy the chapter!

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