Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Culprit
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"Park Un-ho... What's your evidence?"
Philip asked, furrowing his brow.
"Everything started happening after that guy showed up here."
"Ha... You call that detective work!?"
Philip wore an incredulous expression.
"Simple is best."
Thinking simply,
the culprit was either me or Edward.
Everyone else had been together for a long time.
If one of them was the culprit, the fire would have started much earlier.
And since I'm not the culprit...
that left Edward.
"By that logic, Park Un-ho, you're just as suspicious."
"I have an alibi."
"An alibi?"
People living alone couldn't have alibis.
Philip must have thought the same.
I glanced lightly toward Carrie.
Carrie was blushing and twirling her hair nervously. I could see a few village men sighing in disappointment.
Philip, catching the meaning, widened his eyes and gaped.
Grace seemed unfazed, but I could see her pupils trembling.
"You bastard! So that's how it is!!"
As expected, Philip flew into a rage and lunged at me, but Richard and Grace held him back.
"C-Calm down, Philip!!"
"Th-This! Calm down!? Let go! Let me go!!"
Both were Awakeners, so they easily prevented Philip from reaching me and getting beaten.
"Philip, stop it. He's the man I chose."
Carrie said firmly, looking fed up with Philip's overprotective sister complex.
"Huff! Huff!"
Philip finally calmed down after a while.
"Park Un-ho... You can't just conclude Edward is the culprit based on that flimsy reasoning..."
"Philip, why are you defending him so much?"
"Defending? Ridiculous. Did you think I'd just take your word and declare Edward the culprit?"
Philip snorted.
I hadn't expected him to anyway.
The important part was something else.
"Come to think of it..."
"...What now..."
Philip still hadn't cooled off, his hostility toward me palpable.
"You're not defending him as your lover, are you?"
"Wha... The hel..."
My bombshell statement shocked everyone except me.
"Don't deny it, Philip. I've witnessed you on dates with Edward several times."
"N-No!!"
Philip shouted frantically, sensing he was in deep trouble.
"Not just me... Others have seen it too."
I said, looking around for agreement.
Indeed.
Philip had been thrilled to have a lackey lately and dragged Edward everywhere all day.
Fishing together.
Swimming together.
Going on supply runs together.
...Even badmouthing me together.
-Murmurs.
(Come to think of it, I saw them fishing together too...)
(Oh... No wonder... He wouldn't give in no matter how much I flirted...)
(Ph-Philip's gay.)
(...It's a shock, but... we should be understanding.)
"It's true we've been hanging out a lot lately... but w-we're not lovers!"
"Philip, no need to be shy. I have no prejudice against gay people. I even support it."
The more gays there were, the more single women there would be.
"Sh-Shit! I said no! Edward! Say something!"
"Ph-Philip, sir. He's right. W-We are not lovers."
Edward blushed and denied it.
But with his pretty face flushed, the doubtful expressions turned to certainty.
"Philip, you're a real scumbag. What's wrong with being gay? You don't want to come out, so you're dumping your lover?"
"Sh-Shit!! No!!"
Carrie, who had been stunned by my bombshell, snapped out of it and stepped forward.
"Everyone! Philip isn't gay!"
"C-Carrie!"
Philip's face brightened, as if he'd found solid backup.
"Philip is bisexual! He even had a girlfriend before!"
Philip's face froze at Carrie's correction.
"Philip... No matter your sexual orientation, we're friends."
Grace approached the enlightened Philip and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And Philip, don't worry. We're not pinning Edward as the culprit just because of Un-ho's words. So calm down."
"Gr-Grace... That's not it..."
Whew... One stone, two birds.
Of course, I didn't expect this gullible bunch to grab Edward just because I said so.
If I were the leader, I'd have him detained first and asked questions later, but I'm just a member of this group.
Even as a superhuman, I was new and had little say.
Still, seeing Philip's enlightened face made it feel like a satisfying achievement.
"Anyway, this is bad. We lost all our stockpiled food... We'll have to go on a supply run right away... Un-ho, you're coming, right?"
Carrie whispered to me from the side.
"Of course."
I replied cheerfully, giving Carrie's butt a pat.
In the end, they couldn't catch the culprit, and the people dispersed.
Without witnesses, there was no way to nab him unless they resorted to a witch hunt.
And Carrie and I headed to Grace's place.
"What brings you here."
Grace opened the door with a smile to greet us.
But her smile was a bit awkward.
To provide my alibi, we'd publicly announced our deep relationship.
According to Carrie, Grace had a slight crush on me, so that might be why.
Eventually, we'd have to sort it out, but for now, it was best to play dumb.
More importantly, it was time to reveal Edward's truth.
I'd forgotten amid all the wild times with Carrie lately.
"Edward is an Awakener."
Grace's face turned serious at my words.
"...Is that true?"
"Yeah."
"You can tell that with your powers?"
"Yep."
"So that's why you pointed at him as the culprit... Un-ho, if that's true, he's definitely suspicious."
"You believe me?"
"Well... Half-believing, half-doubting, but leaning toward belief. But... Just being an Awakener doesn't make him the culprit..."
Of course, Edward would deny it to the end.
He had solid backing from Philip, his lover.
Suspicion alone meant nothing.
Without a solid witness seeing Edward start the fire, pushing him as the culprit was pointless.
That was probably why Philip had given up on the Damon disappearance too.
"But why would the culprit set the fire?"
Carrie asked.
"That's..."
"...?"
"If Edward really is the culprit like Un-ho says... We'll find out the reason soon enough."
Grace spoke with the sharp gaze of a beautiful sheriff, her face full of conviction.
The fire had destroyed most of the camp's food supplies.
They had no choice but to advance the supply schedule.
This time's superhuman supply team: Richard and Philip.
Philip's lover, Edward.
And Humphrey went out for supplies.
And they came back empty-handed.
It happened occasionally, but in the camp's current state, it was fatal.
As they returned empty-handed, the usually peaceful camp atmosphere grew even gloomier.
The next day.
"Un-ho, Philip's looking for you."
Carrie came to get me.
Philip seeking me out? Wonders never cease.
But I didn't want to go.
"Do I have to?"
"Seems like important talk. All the executives are gathered."
"......."
Carrie added, sensing my reluctance.
"Grace suggested it."
"Hmm... Guess I have no choice."
I lifted my heavy butt from the sofa.
Carrie shot me a glare and pinched my side.
Carrie and I headed to the communal dining hall.
I hardly ever used the place.
Familiar faces were there.
Grace. Philip. Richard... Humphrey, Matthew.
And Edward.
The main supply runners sat around a round table with serious faces.
Edward stood by Philip like an adjutant.
They looked good standing side by side as lovers.
As we entered, eyes that had been on the table turned to us.
"Come on in."
Grace greeted us with a smile.
Carrie was clinging to my arm.
Philip's face twitched at the sight, but he said nothing.
I went and stood by Grace.
A map was spread on the table.
Many X marks radiated from their current position by the lake.
Places they'd already supplied from, probably.
The supply distances were getting farther.
And not far from base was a spot labeled "Seattle."
'Seattle... Where that black guy mentioned the formidable one?'
No other big cities nearby.
"This isn't sustainable. The next supply village is too far for a day trip. We might even have to camp outside."
Everyone groaned at Matthew's words.
Next supply duty was me and Grace.
Carrie would probably come too.
I had no sense of crisis, but the others would feel heavy pressure about camping outside.
"No choice... We lost all our food to the fire. Not sure if we have even a week's worth left. We'll just have to prepare thoroughly."
Grace said.
"That's why..."
Philip cautiously spoke up, looking at Grace.
"We found a shelter."
"Shel...ter?"
Everyone looked puzzled at the unexpected word from his mouth.