Chapter 54 - Let's Stroll In The Park

The police station of their area is not that far from their home. The problem is that they cannot be sure which station has the information about Andres Cervantez' death. Could it be in Charlottenburg, where the Academy of Scientific Pursuits was? If so, that would mean that the death had happened there, and that would have made big news for the academy, a stain on their name. So no, that would be crossed out.

So where did Andres die exactly? It could be anywhere in this large city, and they do not have all day to look for it. Franklin will return home soon.

Stein then recalled something. He asked himself. "Are there any orchards near here?"

The captain's ears perked up at this. "Orchards? Of what fruit?"

"I think it's....." Stein tried hard to have a clearer grasp of the memory. "Either apples or peaches."

"Apples or peaches. Well...." The captain paced back and forth as they convened again in this music room, the journal still hidden in the large piano as Franklin left. "There's only one park nearby here that can hold an orchard." 

"Where?"

"Tiergarten." Captain Clerval said. "It was owned by the Emperor. People even hunt there before, I bet Franklin's father is one of those sorts. It's just near Potsdamer Platz, we can go there by foot."

"Alright." Stein nodded. "I will go get changed---"

"Why do you share the same room with your master, by the way?"

This caused the giant's unstable heart to leap a bit. He then gritted his teeth. "You are in no position to inquire about that, Mr. Clerval. I am only entertaining these assumptions of yours because I want to prove you wrong, and prove that my master's name is clean."

"I have thought about this before. Your master has said that he sees you like family, and you are of close relations. But isn't it too much to even have your servant share the same room with you, even if you see him as a brother?" Captain Clerval rubbed his chin. "And even the way you act with each other is quite odd...."

"There is nothing odd about it. Master Franklin just prefers to have his servant close at hand in case something abrupt happens, especially in the middle of the night when he has such an untrustworthy guest who meddles too much." Stein responded coldly. 

Captain Clerval chuckled. "But if it weren't for me 'meddling', you would have never learned about this part of your master's life, who you claim to be so closed with yet know nothing about."

This struck a nerve with Stein but he stopped himself from getting violent again, as he had always practiced being civil. He said nothing more and went to his bedroom to change.

"Are you two not leaving yet?"

A head suddenly popped up from the half-opened door of the music room. The captain almost jumped up in surprise.

"What the hell are you doing here, man!? You're lucky I warded off all the third party's influence in this house, or else they would have seen you with their annoying eyes!" Daoist Panda fumed, as he saw Zhe Chouhen's grinning face.

"Heh, I'm supposed to stalk you two anyway 'like a light and agile predator' as said in the book, right? So here I am, waiting and 'lurking in the shadows'." 

Panda scoffed. "Is someone lurking in the dark supposed to talk to the one he will stalk like this?" 

"I know, I know..... I'm just impatient. I know this trip of yours will be fruitless anyway, and do nothing in changing Stein's mind about me being his benevolent and innocent creator." Zhe Chouhen snorted. "By the way... That thing about you asking why he has to stay with the master so much... That wasn't part of the script. Why did you ask that?"

"It just felt reasonable for my character. Since Walter Clerval has his eyes on Stein and is jealous of Franklin." Panda-laoshi pursed his lips, looking away.

"Really?" Zhe Chouhen raised an eyebrow. "Or is it just you being jealous that Stein gets to share a bed with me instead---"

He quickly stopped talking as he sense Stein's heavy footsteps, and went to look for somewhere to hide. He saw a taxidermied leopard and copied its pose to remain unseen.

Panda wanted to strangle him so bad for being a reckless idiot who cares nothing about safety just for the sake of teasing him.

"Let's go," Stein said as he was dressed with heavier clothes than usual on this bright, sunny day. Everyone would feel themselves sweating just from looking at his outfit layered with so much clothing. He really has to be careful ever since he was caught by someone now.

Captain Clerval just turned his hat with a smug grin. "On to the seas of truth we go! All aboard!"

Stein rolled his eyes, and the two made their way to Tiergarten, or in English would translate to 'Animal Garden', with a light and agile predator following closely behind, lurking in the shadows.

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Once the two reached the premises of this public park, serving once as the King's hunting grounds, there was a noticeable change in the air. Compared to the busy city streets filled with horse-pulled carriages and the earliest versions of automobiles that smelled of smoke and dung and all kinds of awful city smell, this park brought a wave of comforting freshness and ease. It is a strange little area that does not fit with its surroundings at all, completely mismatched with the usual Berlin.

Children and their parents walk hand and hand as they observe the squirrels and the possums that naturally run around the thick wall of trees this park has. Some visited the zoo, some for the statues and beautiful fountains scattered around the scenic view of this small forest among the city. 

But besides friends and family, Tiergarten is also famous.... for lovers.

Lovers on bicycles, lovers on horseback, lovers walking with their heads resting on the other's shoulders... They're everywhere, filling the air with the sickening smell of idle love. Men and women laugh with each other, acting all merry as they fed each other fruits....

"....."

Stein recalled that time he was first allowed to eat everything, his time with Franklin in the butterfly park. It was also the time when he coughed out blood which was the cause of them going into this new country and learned about this Andres.

He only felt bitterness in his heart.

Did Andres and Franklin stroll like these lovers do in the park like this?

Captain Clerval saw his eyebrows creasing, and had the urge to reach out and ease it. But then again, this giant might freeze him to death with that icy glare using his one icy eye, and so he faltered.

But Stein noticed, and so he grunted. "What?"

"You look like there is something bothering you so much that you could just petrify everyone you see, like Medusa." Captain Clerval joked to lighten his mood.

This man with a petrifying stare secretly wished he really was a gorgon and could turn these lovers into stone.

"I want to find the orchard or the police station as soon as possible." He merely said, trying to keep his distance as if afraid that people might misunderstand that they are among these lovebirds twittering around the thicket of the Animal Garden.

Because Tiergarten is not just a place for usual couples. The shade of the trees and its labyrinthine structure is also perfect for.... arranged discreet meetings.

It is perfect for a secret romance, and so, the people would not be surprised if they see two men or two women escape together into the deeper parts of the woods for a long while.

And of course, these are sometimes not romantic, forbidden arrangements. Some of them are also meeting for.... Other businesses in the woods. Particularly married men and petite young boys, off to do something more scandalous.

Stein doesn't want such a misunderstanding to happen.

They proceed to ask around the locals, the zookeepers, and personnel keeping the area in the pristine condition it is today, and soon, they pointed in the direction of the apricot orchard and the police station.

"So it is actually apricot, not peach or apples." Captain Clerval muttered. "I am quite fond of them. Shall we go there first? I don't see why this orchard would be so important in our travels for the sea of truth—"

"Just follow me, Mr. Clerval. I know what I am doing. Keep quiet as well, your raucous voice is making me lose my train of thought."

The captain placed a hand in his chest dramatically. "Raucous? My voice is as melodic as the angels above!"

"Humans can't hear angels chattering all the time."

Captain Clerval just chuckled from being snapped at like this, and followed Stein as he brush off the low-hanging leaves of a tree leading towards the orchard. He turned around to check if the shadow behind him is still following him.

Sure enough, he can sense a wide, silly grin 20 meters away, and so he just turned back to the main character, rolling his eyes.

They soon arrive at a clear meadow with the sun shining brightly over round, vermillion fruits, hanging from the tree in clusters. There was a tangy scent in the air, giving you the urge to take one of these fruits and take a bite. The temperature and the ambiance are perfect for those who want to spend a long time chatting or just admiring the surroundings and each other.

Captain Clerval did take a ripe apricot and bit on it. The juices flowed but not as much as it does with peaches, and the sweetness is not invasive, only light. The bite made a loud crunch!, causing Stein to turn to him and give him a disbelieving look.

He just grinned and offered. "Want some?"

Stein shook his head. "We don't even know if it's legal to just take fruits from this orchard. Finish that before someone sees you."

Captain Clerval just shrugged and continued eating slowly, relishing the taste, not worried about being caught by the 'apricot police' or whatever. He had been in jail before, it's not that bad. But he did hear that the Germans are more severe when enforcing the law, and so, he hid the apricot in a satchel he brought with him for later.

"So what are we here for? Because the station is a long walk from here, and we don't know when Franklin will arrive." He asked.

But Stein just shushed him, as he went closer and closer to something over the distance.

"Do you see that?" He pointed.

Captain Clerval look at what he was pointing.

It was a statue. Tiergarten is known for its many statues of animals. He looked at the statue he was looking at....

And it was the statue of a bull.

There was an epitaph to it as well.

'Here lies Andres Cervantez, 1860-1879'