Three Suspects, All Truthful
After collecting one bizarre degree after another, we finally arrived at the Tower of the Stars.
There was a guard posted at the entrance to keep watch over the tower, but it was no problem at all.
"Visitors."
"You got a degree?"
"I have a Master's."
With a touch of anxiety, we passed through the grand entrance of the Tower of the Stars — and, sure enough, the building did not eject us.
Soon I steadied my nerves and looked around the tower with unfamiliar eyes.
It's exactly like the mage towers described in romance fantasy novels.
Staircases tangled into impossible knots, bookshelves stretching all the way to the ceiling, and even people sitting on the floor scribbling complicated equations.
"We really don't stand out here."
"No, everyone's dressed the same."
"Why is there so much plaid?"
"I think it's in fashion."
I recalled our three leak candidates: a fellow scholar, a cleaner, and a noble from the tower master's family.
I'd been racking my brain over the idea of investigating only from outside the Tower of the Stars, but inside, we would have access to far more information.
"First, let's go meet the eccentric scholar — Luna Moore."
Thankfully, the first floor had a directory of the scholars' offices. We made our way to the eighth floor where Luna Moore's office was located and knocked on her door.
"…Who is it?"
A prickly voice drifted out from beyond the office door.
"We have some questions for Miss Luna Moore."
Clutching the papers I'd prepared in advance, I stepped into her office.
"Um, I'd like to ask about a paper you wrote, Miss Moore."
"I'll defend it as much as you like. Which one are you asking about? The one from last week? Or a month ago? Ah — the paper I wrote two months ago is quite popular too."
Luna Moore's face was hidden behind those enormous round glasses, but even so, there was no hiding the arrogance radiating off her.
"Ah, what I wanted to ask about was your Master's thesis…."
"GYAAH! How DARE you bring that up! Get out! Get out RIGHT NOOOW!"
"Why is she like that, Lord Lian?"
"I have no idea."
We exchanged glances and shrugged; then I decided to just cut to the point.
"Oh, right — did you hear the news, Miss Moore? It seems the paper Ratel wrote was leaked to a spy from the Norian Kingdom."
"Ah, what a terrible tragedy. Having your paper stolen — and a fully completed one at that."
Luna Moore's attitude flipped instantly, and she began commiserating over Ratel's plight.
"If it were me, I'd be looking up an assassination-for-hire outfit, but Ratel is far too soft-hearted, you see…."
Of course, for all her ranting, Luna Moore herself could be the spy.
I shot the Crown Prince a meaningful look, and he abruptly threw out a question.
"Are you by any chance the culprit?"
"Ha! Why would I do something so idiotic?"
"Can you swear to it?"
"Of course. Obviously."
Luna Moore eyed us with visible displeasure.
"By the way, who exactly are you people? I don't recognize any of your faces."
"They're visitors."
"Are you planning to enroll at the Tower of the Stars? What's your major?"
"Uuuh, Cactus Spine Evasion Studies…."
"…Goldfish Feeding Management."
"What?! There's no such major!"
Before Luna Moore could unleash her full wrath on us, we scrambled out of her office.
"So how was it, Lord Lian?"
"She was telling the truth."
"Then that's one candidate eliminated."
Progress. We'd narrowed the field to two.
Which meant only two suspects remained.
"The cleaner, Maria Chelsea, handles the first floor."
"Let's go down to the first floor."
Back down on the first floor, we began our search for the cleaner. The Tower of the Stars was so enormous that combing even a single floor for her was no small task.
Eventually, I spotted Maria the cleaner just stepping out of the women's restroom.
"Oh, Maria!"
"How do you know my name…?"
"Uuuh, well, you see, normally one would…"
"Call me 'excuse me.'"
These hopelessly socially inept people. You see her every day and this is how you address her? Swallowing my tears, I opened my mouth.
"Excuse me. Might I ask you one question?"
"Of course. Ask away."
One of the reasons Maria Chelsea had landed on our suspect list was that her son had accumulated massive gambling debts. Might she not have sold information for money? Still, coming right out and asking if she'd sold intel here seemed rude…. With Luna Moore, who stood in the same position as Ratel, the conversation had come naturally — but Maria was an employee, after all.
"Oh, right — last time you mentioned you had a son, didn't you?"
"…I did."
"What is your son doing these days? I remember you saying you were worried because he kept getting into trouble."
"Did I say that? Well, my son… he gave me grief in the old days, sure."
She frowned at the memory before answering.
"He's a park guard now."
So he'd been hired as park security.
Taking advantage of the opening, the Crown Prince hastily chimed in.
"Would you swear to that?"
"Pardon? Who swears an oath over something like that?"
"It's a habit of his. His major is Oath Studies, you see."
"Ah… right then. I'll swear to it."
Shooting us looks that said I've seen every kind of lunatic under the sun, Maria walked past us and was gone.
"Her son's a park guard — in other words, he really did find employment. It seems he's moved on from gambling and is working an honest job now."
"If Miss Maria had been selling information for money, her son would still be gambling it all away."
With that, suspicion toward candidate number two had thinned out considerably.
Which left only number three….
"Who was the last one again?"
"Viscount Hyacinth. The cousin of the current president of the Tower's academic society."
"Viscount Hyacinth…."
The moment the name left our lips, someone new entered the Tower of the Stars. My eyes went wide at the sight of his face. It was Viscount Hyacinth, exactly as he'd looked in the photograph.
"That's him right there!"
"I see. Let's check him out. Though Viscount Hyacinth shouldn't have any motive to sell information."
"Well, word is he's been popping in and out of the tower constantly lately, so I put him on the list."
"Let's go see."
We approached him as casually as we could.
"Lord Viscount Hyacinth."
The instant those words left my mouth, he turned to regard us with an expression of extreme suspicion.
"How do you know my name?"
"Pardon? You've been around a lot lately, so…"
"The scholars here have never once shown the slightest interest in my name! You're not affiliated with the Tower of the Stars, are you? Who the devil are you people?!"
"…To be honest, we major in Cactus Spine Evasion Studies."
"Ah, I see. Understood. Just greenhorns desperate to scrape together a degree."
His guard melted away in an instant.
"Now that I think of it, you do look familiar somehow…."
And he said it while staring straight at the Crown Prince, no less — so I hurried to redirect his attention to myself.
"Why do you visit the Tower of the Stars so often these days?"
"Ha! Am I obliged to report that to you too?"
"I only ask because I wondered if you'd heard about the recent paper leak incident."
"Are you suspecting me right now?"
Viscount Hyacinth flared up.
"I had absolutely nothing to do with that affair! The only reason I keep visiting this tower is…!"
As if he had nothing whatsoever to hide, the words came pouring out of him unchecked.
"I'm laying the groundwork to claim the minister's seat that's about to open up!"
"Pardon?"
His explanation sounded plausible enough that I stayed quiet, but the Crown Prince asked in surprise:
"The only ministerial seat currently vacant is the Ministry of Defense, is it not?"
"Correct."
"Will you swear to that?"
"Of course."
"…"
Viscount Hyacinth stalked off, and I looked at the Crown Prince. His face was a portrait of self-loathing as he spoke.
"Regrettably, the ambition to claim the Defense Minister's seat is genuine."
"Then why does he keep hanging around here?"
"To flaunt his connections with the president of the academic society, presumably. It's all he has. I'll speak to my father and make absolutely sure that man is never appointed."
Wait. Then who's the actual culprit? All three candidates told the truth in their own way, didn't they?
"Let's head out for now…."
And so we left the Tower of the Stars — but in the end, I'd failed to find a single thread that would unravel the case.
"Thank you for your help, Lord Lian. As for the Holy Scripture, I'll share everything I know with you."
"…Hold on. Now that I think about it, why am I even here?"
Suddenly, he opened his mouth with a stricken expression on his face.
"Do you happen to pay weekly rest allowances?"
"I'm… sorry?"
Is this some kind of royal-style joke? Royalty asking for money?
"Uh… well, strictly speaking you'd count as a freelancer, so I don't think a weekly rest allowance would apply…."
"…Never mind."
His joke having landed with a dull thud, I watched his retreating back.
"Damn it all. I came here to ask a question and got swindled myself…. Why do I keep butting in for no reason…. Not that it matters — I'll just have to rest tomorrow and get back to work…."
Hm. Sounds like the Crown Prince's actual job keeps him busy after all.