Chapter 99
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: After the Play Ends (2)
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Festival's end, Sunday noon.
Jade received the video of the play The Bard right on time. In fact, he'd had his secretary give those staff members a bit of a hard time about it.
He played the footage on the top-grade silver screen in the [Self-Development Room] that Jade had personally designed.
He watched it alone in silence.
"......"
After finishing it, Jade sank wordlessly into the sofa. He let the aftertaste linger for a moment. It was a rare moment of leisure on a weekend.
"......Worthy of applause."
Jade's review, in one line: Worthy of applause.
For him, that was the highest praise.
"Duke."
Above all, he liked the character Duke the most. A noble who upheld aristocratic dignity while sacrificing himself for love—an appealing human being.
Jade had once loved someone himself long ago, so he fully understood the man's feelings.
Perhaps he'd even modeled himself after Jade......
"Hm?"
Jade furrowed his brow slightly. He rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
"That guy was the writer, wasn't he?"
The artist who'd painted his portrait was the playwright of The Bard.
And that artist admired and revered him more than anyone.
In that case.
"Ha."
Jade let out a hollow chuckle. He shook his head as if there was no helping it.
"This Duke was modeled after me too, then."
If Sion Askal was the writer, this wasn't mere suspicion—it was certainty.
The inspiration and role model for the noble Duke was no one other than himself—Jade.
"......Well, now."
He pressed a hand to his face, smiling.
Meanwhile, in the city of 'Arangal' on the outskirts of Edshila.
"It's true."
At the scene of Nightmare's third murder, Soliet spoke in a gravely serious tone.
"All the victims had conflicts with someone, and there were people who benefited from their deaths."
We'd been investigating Nightmare's victims in the meantime.
Serial killings that appeared random at first glance were actually hits.
However, digging into the victims' families or acquaintances revealed clear conflicts in every case.
One tycoon monopolized an inheritance thanks to the Nightmare incidents, and a certain politician got reelected.
The only cases without direct beneficiaries were Zabed and Felix.
"It's not simple."
Soliet looked at me and said.
"There are too many people involved for it to be just 'pay this money to kill that person.' They must share something that guarantees their silence."
Her voice was earnest. Her eyes sparkled, as if she wouldn't let go of this hard-won clue.
I nodded in agreement.
"......Fraternity, probably."
Fraternity. A group closer to a secret society than a mere social club. Most required pledging a body part as the entry condition—from a finger lightly, to a dantian or even the heart in the extreme.
"Exactly. We should investigate them right away—"
"No."
I stopped Soliet, who was getting hasty.
"Hold your horses for now."
It was time to play it safe. Among those who profited from this Nightmare, there were future mega-corporations, politicians-to-be, and already big shots.
Finding common links might lead to their Fraternity.
But we were just high schoolers. We had nothing and no power yet. Stir things up and get noticed? We'd be slaughtered.
"......Scared already?"
Soliet pouted. She sat there like some thug, chewing nicotine gum with wet smacks.
She might even spit soon.
"Rushing too fast won't help. We wait until they feel safe. It's been less than three years since the cases closed. Their nerves are still sharp. Look at this list—there's a 1st Rank knight. Can you beat him?"
1st Rank was the Mana Body realm, worthy of the title of master.
Not far off for Soliet, but from my perspective, it was distant.
"......Hm. Got it."
Soliet's face showed some acceptance.
"But are you preparing for the 1st Quarter exams?"
"Do I need to?"
Soliet shot back calmly. Not arrogance—just pure confidence that it wasn't necessary.
"Yeah, for you. What about college aspirations?"
I asked about university. Soliet pondered briefly, then shrugged.
"What's college for?"
"Well, it's......"
I stopped short. I looked at Soliet. She met my eyes and nodded faintly.
"Let's hit the cafe first."
"Yeah, let's go."
Cafe. Our code phrase for "we've got a tail."
Just in case, I'd prepared thoroughly.
We left the scene and entered a nearby cafe.
"Cafe latte."
"Yes, and for you, sir?"
The staff asked Soliet. She shook her head.
"I'm good."
"Ah, our cafe requires one drink per person."
"......"
Soliet narrowed her eyes. She stared down the staff intently. What was this staring contest?
"Pardon?"
The staff tilted their head. Soliet said in the most serious tone.
"As I said, I'm g—"
I elbowed her shoulder.
"Pick something. Anything."
"......Americano, please."
"Yes."
I took the coffee and sat where I could see the entrance. Right on cue, a man in a fedora entered the cafe.
"Don't turn around."
I sketched the man's description in the shared notebook. Soliet peeked and wrote back.
[No idea who that is.]
I replied.
[Then chat casually. Everyday stuff.]
"......Anyway. Have you thought about what I said?"
Soliet suddenly brought it up. I pocketed the notebook.
"What."
"I told you, you have talent."
That again. I'd learned footwork in a day, etc.
Soliet was still hung up on it, bringing it up whenever she had time.
"You could master a divine step in a day or two, so why wait until next Thursday? You're so lazy."
Soliet grumbled. Sucking down her Americano noisily.
"I didn't even want to order this. My third wheel."
"What? One drink per person is standard."
Anyway, what Soliet mistook for laziness was my body's condition.
Without quark treatment or whatever, it'd keep deteriorating. Like a sandcastle without regular chemo.
"......Whatever."
I gave Soliet a look.
Meaning, time to go.
"See you next week."
"Go."
Slurp-slurp— Soliet downed the rest of her Americano in seconds and left.
Yet the tail stayed seated.
Me as the target?
To confirm, I waited five more minutes before standing.
Outside at the bus stop, the tail followed soon after.
The tailing skill was top-notch. But I was just used to it. In the underworld, missing those moves meant you wouldn't last long.
A bus arrived right then. The tail didn't follow onto it. Inside, I activated the SZX-9500.
I captured the face under the fedora clearly.
It was in my memories.
—Selmon of Arkne.
Even the voice saying it rang vividly.
"Arkne's making a move......"
A family that might be one reason Soliet attempted suicide.
Had they noticed I was by her side?
I gripped the bus handle tightly.
......
Monday midnight.
I'm trudging along, hands full of meat bags.
Just finished my last shift at the smash-hit [Wandering Meat].
With Endex's 1st Quarter exams looming and time more valuable than money now, I couldn't keep the butcher gig.
A bit bittersweet.
"......Chain store."
The boss said something odd as he let me go.
If I make it big, open a chain here. Enjoy passive income running grills.
That'd be nice. For me too.
I stood before Endex's walls. No need to climb anymore—I'd learned footwork.
I coiled like a spring, then whoosh!—shot up.
Ring-ring-ring—
I landed in the grass just as my smartphone rang.
[Mad Psycho]
Elise. Used to be just [Psycho], changed to [Mad Psycho] yesterday.
"Hello."
—......
Elise was silent.
"What."
—Sigh.
She let out a soft breath.
"If you're calling to say something weird again, I'm hanging u—"
—Settlement's done.
"......Settlement?"
—Ticket sales.
"Oh. That fast?"
Sold-out school event, minimum 30-40k ren profit.
—Net 33,850 ren. Proceed as discussed?
"Obviously. Sending account now."
—......Don't decide so rashly. Again, whatever happens is on you.
"I know."
—Fine. Send the account number.
Click.
Elise hung up right away.
Trash: Account number here.
Sion sent the account. Elise was suspicious. Third-tier bank, too.
Was this guy really laundering money? He'd casually disposed of bodies for Libra at that mine before—plausible for him.
After agonizing, she called someone.
"Mr. Lemon?"
—Yes, miss. Lemon here.
Lemon. The family's accounting expert. Fund manager who tracked cash flows brilliantly, Elise's financial mentor.
"Got time to trace an account?"
—Of course.
"391-2031-1234."
Tap-tap-tap— As Elise recited, Lemon typed.
—Orphanage. Arvilla Orphanage.
"......Orphanage? Where?"
—Armang.
Armang? Where's that.
Elise's head tilted slightly.
—Edge of northern Edshila.
Northern fringe orphanage. Almost laughable.
Ghost organization after all?
"Doesn't seem legit."
—No. Doesn't look normal. Location's too remote, reported headcount high, but utilities—heating, electric, water—way insufficient. Plus 21 staff...... wages absurdly low.
"......Suspicious."
—Yes.
In that brief moment, Lemon calculated headcount costs and deemed it shady.
His word was gold.
—Why the sudden interest?
"......Nothing. Curious. Thanks."
Elise hung up. She narrowed her eyes at Sion Askal's account.
Scraped up some money-laundering front. Pathetic trash as expected. If you're doing it, at least be thorough.
Do whatever. But contract incoming: all fallout your responsibility. Sign it.
Elise sent that and nothing more.
Having one of Sion's weaknesses wasn't bad.