C01: Scattered Clues

Day 1 - Nighttime - Night

22nd Second autumn, 1152

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In a corner of a private room, Jeanne is sitting at a table, checking on the files of the case. These files were stuffed in the documents, kept carefully in prince Koenig's room. These files are the progress of the case recorded by the two previous investigators. It was said to have more, but the other records got lost with those missing men as well.

The documents were given to the prince by the 2nd investigator days before he disappeared. Despite the lack of the necessary information, the female investigator still focuses on it to solve the case. This is the only source. Otherwise, the investigation must restart from zero, she can only depend on it.

It's night already, Jeanne and her daughter just experienced a terrible thing right on their first day at work. Hours earlier, they first arrived and met prince Koenig Sonne - their client, to take information before getting to work. Everything ended up into something bizarre when the people who drank tea collapsed.

Jeanne, her daughter Hannah, the prince and his maid were the victims of the incident. Everything was later assumed to be an attempted murder as someone had intentionally put poison in the tea cups for the people to drink. Currently, the maid Selena is temporarily kept in the basement due to the incident. She is investigated to make it clear whether or not she was the culprit who planted the poison.

Jeanne and Hannah after their recovery, had been escorted to a private room, which would be used as their living place. It's at night, mostly everyone is sleeping or keeping themselves in their rooms. Jeanne and her daughter are not the exception. But unlike Hannah, Jeanne works instead of sleeping.

The female investigator's mind keeps thinking about the actual poison in the cups. As she collected up to now, the royal investigators haven't figured out what was that type of poison yet. But it appeared to be a non-lethal poison, can only cause diarrhea, a heart attack, only used for weakening the victim. Women are more sensitive to this poison, but they can only sense the presence of this thing by smell when it is injected in something for a while.

The investigator brushes off her thoughts about that poison after a few seconds. She counts on the investigators in the palace, since it's not her duty to investigate it.

Back to work, Jeanne closes the fur documents and puts them aside as she recollects everything she found in this case. She would like to see her client to speak with him.

- Everything started half a year ago, in the Second spring, 1152. The incident suddenly went downhill a month ago as if it is over. However, people were poisoned earlier, this could possibly have a connection

- 16 missing people reported, including 14 women and 2 men. The main wife of the prince, 9 concubines, 4 maids and 2 male investigators

- The victims suddenly disappeared. The belongings weren't in their rooms at the time they were considered missing. However, according to some reports, some rooms looked likely to have been ransacked and cleaned up in a rush

- No one saw missing people leave the palace. Some missings even showed that they left with letters, but some farewell letters didn't match their handwritings, the cause of leaving was also unknown

- Most letters were either dumped or disappeared with the two investigators. Belongings in their rooms weren't there anymore, their disappearance was unreasonable

- In the past 3 months, 3 burglaries in the palace reported. Four people were murdered during the break-in. Victims were women, all maids, murdered while sleeping

- The burglars were killed by the royal guards, so basically can't collect clues by using them

- No files about suspects found. They could have never been recorded or have disappeared with the two investigators in case the culprit did it to erase evidence

The female investigator gently closes the documents. She looks aside, focusing on another file. That contains a list of suspects Jeanne made herself. But the information still lacking, she documented it by grabbing things around her with basic information.

But right now, that document isn't in her sight.

Jeanne looks at the door, wondering if prince Koenig is free at the moment. When about to get up, she gently holds her stomach. The aches from the previous incident are still there despite her fast recovery.

"Mom...", - A voice calls for Jeanne, it turned out to be her daughter - Hannah. "are you leaving...?".

"I'm thinking so". - Her mother replies. "Are you still hurt?". - Jeanne holds her daughter and checks on her

Hannah replies with a nod. The girl appears to be very exhausted, as if she just wants to rest completely. She leans to her mother, starts closing her eyes. She needs someone close to embrace her.

"You're not a kid anymore, stop it". - Jeanne puts her hands away from Hannah, but still patting her head. "Good night, sweetie...".

Jeanne silently leaves the bed and leaves the room with the documents. Outside is very quiet, every hallway, every room, every side of the wall has a torch hung on them as the lights to show the way. One to two guards can be seen standing next to every room for the night shift. They are like statues, not moving, just looking around, very careful in their job.

"Hi", - Jeanne greets a royal guard. "may you tell me where's His Highness' room?".

"We're not allowed to speak during work, madame". - One guy replies. "This way", - He points to the right. "Next time, ask the maids".

Jeanne bows slightly to thank the guardsmen, she immediately goes to the left. Not so long after following the route through instruction, she finally finds Dunkel. The man is the prince's bodyguard, he is standing outside of a room, guarding with his back covering the door and his eyes staying still.

"Sir", - Jeanne calls for the man. "I'd like to speak to His Highness, is it the right time?".

The bodyguard stays still for a few seconds, he later nods and opens the door. Jeanne steps in, following her is the sound of the door closing, the bodyguard comes in as well.

"Oh... I thought I explained it to you already", - Prince Koenig is a bit surprised when he saw Jeanne. "go to rest, madame. You can start the work tomorrow".

"I know, Your Highness", - Jeanne replies while she puts the documents down on the table. "however, I'd like to let you know about what we're going to face". - She takes a seat opposes his

Jeanne takes every file out of the documents. While doing the job, she notices the mess on the desk of the prince, it's full of books and papers, scattered all over the place.

"Don't mind it, please. It's just what Prime Minister wants me to do". - Koenig explains

Jeanne nods.

"How are you now? Good enough?".

"You don't need to care about us, Your Highness". - Jeanne replies when the prince asked her if she was still hurt by the tea incident

"What would you like to discuss?". - The prince wonders

"So... we have a good news and a bad news...". - Jeanne speaks up, her hands stay still on her lap. "What would you like to hear first?".

"The good one?". - Koenig replies

"I'm quite positive that we have been able to circle the suspects. Well, I mean... the suspects who caused the missings and murders of the past six months".

"That fast? You have not yet started the investigation". - Koenig is quite surprised about the news

"For now, everything is just my initial conclusion. The results may be a bit different when we step in, but I'll make sure to catch the culprit as soon as possible". - Jeanne assures the prince to make him relieved

"So... what's the bad news?". - Koenig starts closing his eyes, he lowers his face as if he doesn't want to hear the true answer

"I'm afraid the missing people are not in this world anymore...". - Jeanne answers. "I know you won't believe me, I'm gonna show you what I have to prove it".

"I... I used to think that way...". - Koenig starts holding his head, he keeps lowering his face. "That's not real at all... I can't believe it", - He looks up. "how can I explain this to the fathers and mothers of those girls? How can I accept it when they disappeared all of a sudden when everything is normal". - The prince cowers a little, he lowers his face once again

"I'm very sorry but it's the truth, Your Highness". - Jeanne pulls out a profile, a fur paper full of words. "I'll make sure to catch the culprit as soon as possible. They won't be able to do anything like this again".

"Let me explain...", - Jeanne says. "the people who went missing were all last seen at night, when they were in their rooms or someone witnessed them walking outside. No one ever saw them leaving the palace", - The investigator shows the profiles of the missing people. "to get out of the palace, a person must go through the front yard or the backyard. Guards are full in the front yard, when someone leaves by foot or by wagon, they would check before approving to leave". - Jeanne puts her index finger on the map, the side of the backyard. "The backyard exit leads to a market, no one guards there. However, we need a key to open the gate for the exit, and only royal people have access to them".

"So you mean... we got involved in this thing?". - Koenig is a bit irritated when Jeanne assumed the royal people are involved in the case, to him, his family wouldn't do that

"That's a possibility, but I'm unsure why would someone do this. Unless a key was stolen and the culprit used it", - Jeanne says. "however, from what I heard from the people, the backyard exit wasn't used for a long time and the keys were all kept carefully".

"Hmmmm...". - Jeanne idles a bit. "Who in this place have access to the keys, Your Highness?".

"My father and mother, and I...". - The prince replies. "Prime Minister too, but he has no right to keep it and he can only use the key if he has my father's approval ".

"Where do you keep yours now?". - Jeanne asks

"Dunkel's holding it. The key is not a necessary thing to me anyway".

"Sir, are you holding it now?". - Jeanne turns her direction to the prince's bodyguard

Dunkel shakes his head.

"Where is it?". - The investigator continues her question

"My room. It's locked in a box". - Dunkel replies

"Did you ever give it to someone?".

"No. Only if His Highness allows".

"Hmmm... did you ever give it to your servants...? Your maid?". - Jeanne asks the prince

"No".

"King, Queen and the Prince...". - Jeanne murmurs, she lowers her face a little

"Hey, about the backyard...", - Prince Koenig suddenly opens his words. "I remember it wasn't used for nearly 10 years and I don't think any keys were stolen at all".

"You're wrong, Your Highness". - Jeanne speaks up. "You didn't use it, but someone else did... the burglars went in by that way".

"If you don't mind, I'd like you to check on all the keys to make sure not a single one is lost", - The female investigator slowly pulls more files out of the documents. "the victims were either murdered and left somewhere in this palace. Or they were dragged out of the backyard exit, their bodies were buried somewhere". - She looks up. "However, I don't think the murderer got access to the key from the beginning. It was a later story".

"So...", - Jeanne puts down a file. "There's a small possibility, some victim bodies could be left somewhere INSIDE THE PALACE". - She sharpens her tone in the last three words. "the new missing people might have been disposed outside, but I'm pretty sure the first ones are still here somewhere".

"Do you know how intense is the smell of the dead, madame...?". - All of a sudden, Dunkel makes a question

"Yes, I have been experiencing it for 28 years already". - Jeanne replies. "Sir, are you saying that I'm wrong?".

"Of course you are. No way the dead would not get smell, how could someone bury a body here and no one knows about it at all? At least we can sense something unusual if it happened".

"Well, it did happen, Sir. I think you all know about a story, there's a case I involved in the past, 24 years ago, the murderer got rid of the smell real good, very excellent". - Done speaking, Jeanne lowers her face slightly

"I don't know what kind of story you wanted to say here but...", - Koenig replies, his eyes full of dullness. "you said that you managed to find some suspects. Can you tell me who are they, what made them do all of these terrible things?". - The prince seems very anxious, he wants to find out

"I must keep those individuals hidden for a while. I know you're my client but... sometimes, information needs to be covered for safety". - Jeanne says. "I'm gonna check the rooms of those who went missing right tomorrow. Your Highness, I need all rooms to be intact, no one is allowed to go in but just us".

"How could you find anything in there, madame?". - The bodyguard speaks up in curiosity

"If I can find out how the victims were murdered, I might be able to figure out where they were buried", - Jeanne answers. "I'll search for the blood stains just in case they were murdered in their rooms".

The prince and his bodyguard get bewildered by what they heard from the investigator. Both of them, don't know what she really meant.

"I don't get it". - Koenig speaks up

"Yeah, the rooms are very clean". - Dunkel explains. "A murderer wouldn't keep the scene like that, everything would be cleaned up".

"It may be unbelievable to you, Your Highness", - Jeanne explains. "but... no matter how careful you are in erasing the blood, it's still there right in where you rubbed it".

"Explain more further, please". - Koenig is eager to know the explanation

"I'll make the blood visible...". - Jeanne suddenly puts all the files in the documents. "now please if you will excuse me, Your Highness". - The investigator leaves her seat, starts moving outside. "I'll show what I said to you tomorrow".

"Uh, wait", - Jeanne stops walking. "I hope you allow me to borrow some mages, Your Highness".

"What do you need from them?". - Koenig is curious

"To help my investigation. Mages with fire magic, that's all I need".

"We can give you two men but that's all we can do, madame". - Dunkel replies

"Just one more thing, please...", - Jeanne decides to stay for a while. "I hope you'll allow me to use the basement, or at least a small room. Just for experiments".

Dunkel feels a bit irritated with Jeanne's demands, she asked for too much. Prince Koenig nods to approve although he doesn't say anything else to the woman.

Jeanne bows as she heard the answer she needed. The investigator leaves the room at that moment, her mind is full of thoughts. Right after stepping outside, she sighs a few times. Jeanne intends to go back to her room and have a nice sleep with her daughter to get everything prepared well.

A figure shows up before the investigator as she walked past it. That's Selena - the maid who was arrested due to the tea incident that happened previously. The girl appears to have been released, maybe she was ruled out because the culprit put the poison in the tea, using that incident to blame her.

The maid can be seen surrounded by the people who appear to be her co-workers. All of them seem to be comforting her, the girl is crying, her clothes and hair are clumsy. The distance is too far away, the female investigator can't eavesdrop on anything. She decides to watch the maid while walking backward.

A while later. The investigator is now standing before her room. Opening the door, she heads in and gently closes it. She puts the documents on her desk, she opens a document nearby and scatters some files on the desk surface.

They're files about the people who got listed as suspects:

1. Selena Breima - Prince Koenig Sonne's private maid, one of the prince's concubines

2. Braun Frieden - A royal guard

3. Reila Foss - A princess of Attenta Kingdom, one of the prince's concubines

4. Saeko Ashura - One of the Ashurian King's daughters, one of the prince's concubines

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