Bailonz Street 13

“If I quote my assistant’s deep insight, I would deduce that the final destination of this murder case will be Big Ben.”

“The tower is very tall. It will be highly visible, even from outside the city. To those kinds of people, Big Ben is a most appetising symbol. Ah, this young lady is quite to my liking in many ways. She’s smart, cute, I see why you cherish her so much. Did you make her dress as a man because you were afraid I’d take her? Poor Liam.”

“Enough of that!” Liam shouted. It was a rare sight to see the usually cynical Liam blushing and getting flustered.

Lucita laughed languidly, resting her chin on her hand. Watching Liam Moore fume, she spoke up.

“This is the work of humans. I understand that you suspect us and others, but this is the work of humans.”

“Or those who work with them. They might have their own motives, Lucita.”

The woman’s eyes, now free of her supporting hand, gleamed with a cold light. Her cheeks shone like opals, but there was no smile on her face. I was momentarily struck by the difference, recalling her once gentle and serene smile.

“Tell me the possibility of the ‘Forbidden Song’ being played, Lucita.”

Liam Moore asked again, unwavering even in the face of her formidable aura.

“…There is no such creature foolish enough to do that. As long as sanity is intact!”

“But those who serve the King of Crows find it hard to retain their sanity.”

“Your adorable club is no exception!”

Lucita retorted sharply. After a moment of deep breathing to calm himself, Liam responded calmly.

“…That’s why I’m asking. Who evaded the eyes of the Meridian?”

Meridian?

I squinted briefly. My notebook was successfully recording all this dialogue, but many of the terms were difficult to interpret, making me feel as if I were searching for a single boat in a stormy sea.

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After a long silence, it was Lucita who conceded.

“Fifty percent. If this is related to the ‘scholars,’ it could go higher. I’ll tell you the locations of the suspected individuals. If you meet with Plurititas and get answers.”

“Send it to 13 Bailonz Street. I’ll convey the answer afterward.”

Liam Moore abruptly stood up as if there was nothing more to see and extended his hand to me. He hadn’t even touched the bizarre search devices.

He didn’t speak, but I knew he was very upset. After bowing my head slightly in farewell to Lucita, the strange woman, I took his hand.

“Liam Moore.”

As we were about to leave, Lucita’s voice called out. Although he didn’t reply, Liam’s halt in his steps served as a silent answer.

“Hiding for too long won’t help. For your safety. Follow my advice.”

“I’ll handle my own affairs.”

And that was the end of it.

The hallway that seemed so long upon entering felt surprisingly short on the way out. Nothing impeded us. Only Liam Moore guided me out, and once we were free of that beast-like house, we finally took a deep breath.

Liam Moore returned to his relaxed and playful self. Though I still couldn’t read much from him, I knew he was ruminating on our earlier conversation.

“We need to meet Plurititas.”

Liam muttered as if sighing, his face showing reluctance.

“Who exactly is this Plurititas?”

“A very mad scientist, dear Jane. You might dislike him intensely. No, you might utterly despise him. His obsession with knowledge is extreme.”

But such warnings didn’t scare me. Nothing could be more frightening than my current situation.

Meanwhile, my quest window on the right side of my vision updated with a message:

[Mad Scientist: Talk to Plurititas.]

I was almost relieved. If he wanted disdain, I would gladly give it. Yet I understood the burning desire for knowledge. Liam Moore knew about ‘Jane Osmond,’ but he didn’t know ‘me.’ No one encompassed me more than my own desire and obsession.

He needed to cooperate with us.

Yes. And we would extract it.

The truth.

＊ ＊ ＊

The mad scientist Plurititas had a mansion on Minet Avenue in the Haleden area.

According to Liam Moore, this person possessed a dazzling intellect and a ravenous hunger for knowledge. He was such a despicable figure that Liam added I probably wouldn’t like him.

As we rode in the swaying black carriage, we faced each other in silence, heading to meet someone who might be my kindred spirit. There was a hint of guilt in Liam’s grey eyes, perhaps for bringing me here. He repeatedly seemed on the verge of saying something.

“Do you have something to say?”

When I finally asked out of frustration, he just clamped his mouth shut like a scolded child.

I was slightly angry at him, but I knew it couldn’t be helped. When did I become so knowledgeable about these things? When did I start caring about Liam Moore’s affairs? It was obvious that letting it slide was better for my mental health.

Liam, perhaps parched from tension, kept clearing his throat and took a sip from a silver flask.

“Tea?”

I asked, and Liam nodded with a vague smile.

Around this time, the poorly-sprung carriage finally entered a row of houses. The mansion, our destination, appeared beyond the elegant black iron fences.

Haleden was a residential area, so it wasn’t surprising to find such houses here, but this mansion seemed somewhat out of place.

Liam Moore jumped out without even using the carriage step and extended his arm. Not a time for pride, I gratefully accepted his help. He briefly smiled at my compliance, and I playfully nudged his side.

This place was brighter and more inviting than Lucita’s mansion, but there was still an unsettling feeling about the people in the hall.

Did Liam notice? Even the butler wasn’t an exception, and I felt uneasy about the kind old man, making me mumble my greeting. It was unlike me, always friendly to the elderly.

The butler was so well-groomed and tidy that it was hard to read any insights from him. I could only guess from his awkward gait that he might have a prosthetic leg.

He was exceedingly polite, constantly talking about how pleased his master was with our visit, until we finally met Plurititas.

＊ ＊ ＊

The study was more chilly than cosy. It felt similar to the sensation I had in Lucita’s mansion corridor. The further I walked on the carpet, the colder it got, like entering a market’s vegetable section.

When I shivered slightly, Liam briefly put his arm around my shoulders, then withdrew it. That bit of warmth helped me keep looking around.

The most striking thing was the rows of shelves packed with what seemed like display cases, reaching up to the ceiling, giving the impression that the walls were made of display cases.

Inside the glass doors were packed cylinders about a foot high. They had isosceles triangle decorations but were opaque, hiding their contents.

Plurititas. The man was a gentleman in a sleek suit with neatly combed hair. At most, he was in his mid to late twenties. He looked more like a counsellor than a scientist. With dimples that appeared when he smiled, he seemed likeable, probably quite popular.

His appearance made him seem far from a madman, but there was still something about him that made one wary. Perhaps it was his persistent gaze.

“I didn’t expect someone who claims to know everything to come here.”

His almost fluorescent blue eyes fixed on us. He looked at Liam with a mixture of welcome and annoyance, approaching with his tall frame bent slightly. He was easily over seven feet tall.

Murmuring, the man, taller than Liam Moore by a head, said,

“With that remarkable intellect, you should achieve your goals without our advice.”

Liam bared his teeth in a smile.

“This case requires a bit of your cooperation.”