C08: Choice

Day 4 - Daytime - Morning

25th Second autumn, 1152

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The investigation was pushed faster due to the incident that happened to Hannah. A warrant was given to the couple investigators at late night, they used the time when everyone was sleeping to make a full search. Everything went very fast and Braun Frieden was ordered to see both of them. The information about Braun is now unpublished for safety, to keep everything quiet.

It's morning already. Braun Frieden - the suspect, is now sitting in a room, waiting to be interrogated. Right at the moment, this woman was supposed to have a shift to escort a carriage. But she is now here, locked up while another guard has taken her place for the duty.

This female guard's disappearance has been silenced for safety.

Braun sits in the room. This room was given to Jeanne and Hannah by prince Koenig, it was supposed to be a room used for experiment. However, due to lack of space, the room is now used as an interrogation room. The room itself is small, cramped, most windows have been shut down, curtains are covering the scene inside.

Braun has been locked up in this room for two hours. She was kept in here when it was at dawn. Everything about time seems lost to the woman. She appears to be very concerned about her daughter, she is also worried about her friend because today is her birthday.

Despite having cookies and water provided on the table, it never soothes Braun. The woman seems impatient, she wants to get out.

All of a sudden, the female guard hears the sound of the front door opening quietly. They've arrived. That's Jeanne and Hannah, they have come. The door is now and both investigators approach Braun.

"How are you?". - Jeanne asks

"Please let me out, madame...". - Braun holds her hands together, she lowers her face, feeling tired

Jeanne takes a seat opposite to Braun's position. Meanwhile, Jeanne's daughter - Hannah, sits close to her mother and keeps a certain distance from the woman. The girl is still afraid. But she soon backs herself up and pulls out a paper sheet, she dips her pen in an ink box, she would do the report.

Jeanne stays quiet. She observes Braun carefully, thinking about the way to conduct the interrogation.

A while later, Jeanne taps twice on her daughter's shoulder, telling her to prepare for the report.

"Lady Frieden, thank you for coming here. We'll make sure to get everything done as soon as possible, you won't have to worry".

"Have you used the restroom?". - Jeanne asks

"Yes, I did".

"I need your patience, it'll be quick. When we end this, you can go freely and again, we apologize for taking your time".

"Is Reimi alright? I hope my absence won't cause trouble. Selena too, today's her birthday but I can't visit her at all". - Braun yawns a little, she doesn't feel well

"I assure you that your daughter is safe and in good care. You don't need to be worried about your friend". - Jeanne wonders what to say next.  "As long as you're cooperative and honest, we can end this interrogation fast. Is that alright?".

"Yes, I will".

Jeanne later pulls out a file from the documents. She puts it on the table, she flips some pages.

"I know we've met each other and have known each other as well. However, please let us reintroduce ourselves before we start".

"I'm Jeanne, and here's my daughter Hannah. We're investigators who arrive here by taking the order of His Highness to solve a case in the palace".

"So, Lady Frieden. Before we start the interrogation, I have something to explain to you, about why you are here, why you can't go out". - Jeanne looks straight at Braun in the eyes, showing her seriousness

"Lady Braun Frieden, you have been accused of assaulting my daughter last night. We don't really know if you did it or not, but I believe in you, I believe you're a good woman". - Jeanne reads the content of the paper sheet, she also comforts the suspect.  "All we need now is your honesty and your cooperation. Everything about you being here, absent from your duty has been unpublished. You don't need to worry, everyone still believes you're not guilty, you're still at work".

"I understand why you have to do this thing. But, madame... I'm not doing anything, please let me go". - Reimi moves closer to the table, she wants the interrogation to end

"I understand your concern but please, we need you to be patient. You're innocent, you're good, I believe in you". - Jeanne replies.  "However, we don't have proof that shows you're innocent. Please understand that we're here to prove you're not guilty, we don't put you here and make you guilty".

"So... this interrogation is needed. Especially when this is a sensitive time, Lady Frieden. If you can't prove you're innocent, people will say about you, people will think you're the culprit who was causing terrors to people who live here".

After hearing Jeanne's explanation, Braun stays quiet. She nods twice, then looks up with willful eyes.

"Understood. I'm sorry for my impatient, I'm very sorry...".

Jeanne gently slides a bowl that contains cookies and puts a cup of water in front of Braun.

"Ease your mind. You need a bright mind in this situation".

Braun sips some water.

"I'm ready".

Jeanne glances at Hannah's side and gets a nod as the response. Then, the investigator looks down to see the content of the paper.

"Here's the report: Yesterday, at dusk, my daughter Hannah met you, you invited her to follow you. My daughter stayed in your room and drank two cups of tea, she later fell asleep". - Jeanne tries to explain the story shortly but in detail.  "She then woke up in your room, everything was dark and she saw a figure holding a knife. Hannah then ran away, the guards chased the figure and it disappeared all of a sudden".

"I'm very sorry to hear what happened to your daughter".

"Lady Frieden, we're here to prove you're innocent. May I know why my daughter woke up and saw the room dark? Where were you?".

"I was holding Reimi, I got in my bedroom to find a dress. My friend's birthday would be on the next day, so I thought about sewing the dress, I later fed my baby". - Reimi is worried, she wants to go out as soon as possible.  "I saw miss Hannah sleeping on the bed out there, but I didn't want to bother her, I put my Reimi back in the crib. I stayed to sew the dress and later got a call, it was my duty time". - Reimi looks at Hannah for a while, then looks at Jeanne.  "I did call her but she didn't wake up, so I asked a maid near there to look after her. Then I gave my baby to a maid also near there, I came back and that girl said she would look after Hannah for me so I... went to duty".

"Hmmm... do you remember that maid's face?". - Jeanne asks

"No... I don't think I remember. That was quick, I was rushing for work".

Jeanne lowers her face. She wonders what to ask next.

"Could you explain to me why Hannah fell asleep after she drank the tea? And why did you make tea for her although she didn't ask?". - Jeanne looks up, counting on the answers from Braun's side

"I don't know why did she sleep after she drank it. But... about why I made the tea, I think it's a polite way to welcome guests whenever they come to my place".

"Even if they don't ask for it?".

"I was busy... so I didn't ask".

Jeanne picks up a cup of water and sips some. The investigator sees Braun as a very special suspect. Instead of making excuses, she answered the questions clearly as if she was innocent. Jeanne doesn't see suspicious in Braun.

However, Jeanne never wants her personal thoughts to have a position in her work. Everything must follow regulations, nothing will be left out, even a small detail.

"Why there's a bed in the living room? I don't see your daughter Reimi in your profile's history...". - All of a sudden, Hannah speaks up although she is supposed to record the interrogation

Jeanne feels a spark of explosion in her mind. She smiles a little in secret, feeling proud of her daughter, she didn't expect that.

"Greg... I mean my husband. He and I have been having arguments recently, so I placed a bed there, to stop it". - Braun holds her hands.  "I think that's the way to avoid argues, because we won't sleep together. About Reimi... I have to say she isn't our daughter. She's adopted".

"Tell me further about it". - Jeanne demands

"I don't know if that's because of me or Greg. We just... can't have kids, and she was brought to us". - Braun looks up.  "His Highness' brother found her in an orphanage, we have our daughter just like that. But my parents and in-laws don't accept having a child who doesn't have noble blood, so we argue".

Jeanne looks straight at Braun in the eyes. The female guard seems to be completely honest with what she is saying till this moment. However, Jeanne wants to make sure nothing is left behind.

"His Highness has a brother?".

"Yes. But he's not always in the country".

"Back to the incident. Could you tell me what was your shift last night?".

"I was ordered to guard in the throne room, there was a meeting last night".

"Alright... we'll ask His Highness to verify if that information is true". - Jeanne says

Braun takes a cup of water and takes a sip.

"Please let me out".

"We're doing all the way we can, Lady Frieden. Please be patient". - Jeanne replies

Jeanne starts thinking about the maids in the case. If Hannah wasn't drugged by Braun, it's a possibility she was drugged by the maids. Before seeing Braun, Hannah had eaten a cookie given to her by a group of maids. It could be a poison with slow advances.

Jeanne also links the maid that Braun asked to look after Hannah, could be in that group. The couple of maids who witnessed the knife holder running to the backyard could also be in that group as well.

However... when there are still no clues, it only stops at theories.

"Lady Frieden". - Jeanne calls

Braun looks up to see Jeanne.

"According to my daughter's description, the figure holding the knife wore black clothing, about 1,6 meters tall (5' 2"). This suits a woman because no men in the palace are lower than 1,7 (5' 6")".

"You're 1,65 meters (5' 4"), a bit higher than the suspect. We also found no black clothing in your room... so I believe in you".

"Thank you, madame". - Braun's eyes open widely, as if she is looking for a bright answer

"But... it's only measured by my daughter's eyesight. The two other witnesses haven't said anything. Taking statements of one person can't prove everything, so we still need time for it".

"I understand...". - Braun feels a bit disappointed, she lies her face on the table, as if very exhausted

"But I believe in you". - Jeanne taps Braun's shoulder, encouraging her

Jeanne then turns her eyes to her daughter's position. She nods. Hannah responds the same way, she drops off writing the report and leaves the chair. Hannah crouches down, she slowly pulls out a wide large red chest under the table, both of her hands are full of gloves

"Lady Frieden, we're almost done. Just a little more". - Jeanne says

Braun looks up, she smiles a little while trying to get her body up.

"We've searched your room, nothing suspicious". - Jeanne sips some water, she looks straight.  "But we found some samples of fingerprints. Some are yours, some are Hannah's, but there are also some... we can't identify fully".

Jeanne puts her hands on her lap. The investigator knows most people in this world know nothing about fingerprint analysis like her and her daughter. She indeed found some odd samples during the search, but the marks weren't full, not full fingerprints, just half.

Despite holding fingerprint samples of 1,000 people in the palace, Jeanne can't use them. Her eyesight isn't as good as herself in the past, Hannah is at her peak. However, without a tool to extend the view range, both Jeanne and Hannah can't track down the person. Basically, fingerprint samples are collected and kept, neglected to wait for the right time.

Jeanne wants to collect more samples by focusing on the maids... but it's worthless unless there's a way to compare the samples she collected and the samples found at the scenes.

"Lady Frieden, can you let me know why something like this is found in your room?". - Jeanne speaks up

A big slam touches the surface of the table. Hannah opens the chest. An intense smell flies up, the stench is terrible. Inside the chest, there is nothing but... a beach of blood, dried blood on weapons.

A dagger, two swords, a hammer, all pulled out by Hannah. She drops those bloody things on the table.

"Hannah said she smelt blood on your room. What is this...?". - Jeanne asks 

Braun looks at those bloody weapons. She later looks up to see Jeanne and Hannah, her eyes and her face show deep nervousness.

"Please believe me, these weapons have nothing to do. Please don't tell my husband about this, please...". - Braun holds Jeanne's hands, begging

Hannah seems cautious. However, Jeanne doesn't resist, she looks at Braun's eyes, trying to understand.

"I just need honesty, Lady Frieden. What are these things?".

"I have... interests in using different weapons on animals. Please believe me, I went hunting yesterday and I just used them".

"Hmmm... then why did you keep these things?".

"Sometimes I would bring them back to my room and... I just... feel like to do it. I... don't know why". - Braun holds Jeanne's hands tighter, as if she's begging more

"Please don't tell my husband, I'm weird sometimes... I really don't mean to do this...". 

Jeanne stays quiet. She stares at Braun in the eyes, keeping her cold face, she keeps her look like that.

"Even if you're telling us the truth, we can't do anything to prove what you said is true".

"You can ask my husband and the others about me during the hunt. They saw me using these things".

"It's not about proving the truth, Lady Frieden. It's about your reputation and the trust people have in you, think about it". - Jeanne holds her breath, ready for a speech.  "Think about your child... think about your husband... think about your parents, your marriage".

"If we show this report to His Highness, it'll soon come to everyone. No matter how honest you are... these are enough to make everybody suspect you, some may also think you're the murderer".

"Think about the murderer who has been causing terror to the innocent people here. Everyone will think you are that murderer, Lady Frieden".

"I'm not doing anything wrong, I swear to the Goddess, I'm not killing anyone. Please believe me".

"I explained it to you earlier...". -

"There's only one way. You follow us to find the killer... that's the only thing we can do to show everyone that you're innocent". - Jeanne stands up, she looks at Braun straight in the eyes

"The Goddess creates this world. She gives us choices to mold it".

"Choose carefully, Lady Frieden. You don't follow us, you'll be alone and everyone will go against you. You follow us, you have our support, you show yourself clean".

Braun looks up. She looks straight at Jeanne, she trembles a little. Surrounded by fear, the female guard closes her eyes, she carefully opens her mouth.

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