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Chapter 196 Chapter 43.4 - There are things that one can\'t control

"Sit down," Margareta ordered, gesturing to the chairs on one side of the table. Once we were seated, she took her place on the opposite side, her tablet ready for note-taking.

"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know about the events that took place in that basement and even before. Leave nothing out," she instructed, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.

She first turned her attention to me.

"Sylvie had already explained what happened before in the alley. She said you were deadly, injured."

"Yeah, that\'s true. We were ambushed on the road. I tried to protect Sylvie, but I got injured in the process. The attackers were demon followers."

This was what Sylvie must have already told. However, I know how an executive like her operates. Endless doubt is the most crucial trait for such people, and from her little mimics, I am well aware that she has doubts in her head.

"Then, how were you here? According to what Sylvie told me, she thought you lost your life."

"Officer. Are you telling me I should have died here?"

"….."

She stopped for a second and looked at me. Twisting one\'s own words is actually one of the interrogation tactics they use, and now I was using it against her. Of course, she won\'t think I am doing it intentionally and will rather think that I was angry at her statement.

"No, I am not saying that, of course."

After all, this is what I am showing in my face as an emotion right now. Knit brows and clenched fists are all expressions of anger, and as an officer, she will be able to see that.

"Then-"

"I am just trying to put everything in the picture."

As she said that, it was time to back up a little. If I continued to avoid the topic, her suspicion would increase.

"Sigh…." Releasing a hearty sigh, I locked my eyes with hers. "I understand. After the demon followers left, I could feel Sylvie\'s energy. Her mana kept healing me. With her support, I managed to move from where I was and stagger to one of the local markets. They called an ambulance, and that\'s how I ended up here."

Margareta listened intently, her expression still stern but perhaps with a hint of acknowledgment. "You were healed by Sylvie\'s mana, even from a faraway distance?"

\'I am sorry, Sylvie, but I will use your name a little. The academy will cover for this incident anyway.\'

"Yeah, that\'s what I believe. It\'s a bit hard to explain, but I felt a warmth, and it helped me stay conscious and move. Without it, I don\'t think I would have made it to the market."

Margareta continued making notes on her tablet. "I see. We\'ll need to verify this information. Healing abilities like that are uncommon, especially in someone who isn\'t formally trained. Sylvie, can you confirm this?"

Sylvie nodded, her eyes meeting mine. "Yes, I could feel his injuries, and I tried to help him with my mana. It was the least I could do."

Her eyes contained an emotion that I knew pretty well. Determination is something those who experienced the despair had in common.

Margareta acknowledged the information but still focused on gathering details for the investigation. "All right. We\'ll look into this further. Now, let\'s talk about the masked figure."

This time, she turned her attention to Sylvie, looking at her. She also didn\'t exclude me from this part of the interrogation, meaning she already made her decision to share this information.

"The scene will be investigated further, but can you tell me what had transpired here?" She directly went to the topic.

"Sigh…." Sylvie took a deep breath before recounting her experience, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty. "When that masked figure entered the basement, he never once looked at me. It was like I wasn\'t even there. He went straight for the demon follower."

She described how the masked figure swiftly and efficiently incapacitated the demon follower, detailing the brutal precision of the attacks. "He…. He seemed focused on dealing with the demon follower. I was scared, frozen in place. He didn\'t even care about me, and once the demon follower was down, he left without saying anything."

Hearing her recounting like that, I was deep in thought. I needed to manage my expression well to not give away anything. I felt a subtle feeling on my body as if something was observing me.

\'Her mana is tracking me.\'

As expected from the officer, though she was a little amateur. I guess being in a city where not many crimes had happened held her back a little bit.

Then, Margareta\'s eyes narrowed slightly as she listened to Sylvie\'s account. "Did he say anything during the encounter? Anything that stood out?"

Sylvie shook her head. "No, nothing. It was all so fast, and he never spoke. It felt like he had a specific target, and it wasn\'t me."

"I see."

After this question, Margaretta continued to ask about the masked figure (me). Which weapons he used, what kind of style he had, and many other details.

But one thing for a fact: Sylvie\'s weak mentality came in handy at this point. When a person is scared, their brain plays games with them. This is the reality of the human mind, and that was especially the case with Sylvie.

The more she answered, the more it was far-fetched from the reality. But again, I knew for a fact that giving a reaction was a no-go.

"Thank you for your cooperation. We\'ll continue the investigation based on the information you provided. If you remember anything else, don\'t hesitate to contact us. For now, you\'re free to leave. But make sure to check your emails in case we contact you for anything else."

As she said that, she gestured for us to leave, and we both stood up.

\'Now, ask it.\'

But I knew for a fact that she wouldn\'t let us leave like that.

And just as I thought, Margaretta halted us with a question directed at me. "Before you go, I have one more question. What are your thoughts on this case? Do you have any theories or suspicions?"

This was one of the crucial things. She was both testing me as a suspect and as a possible future worker for the executive case.

I maintained a careful composure, choosing my words thoughtfully.

"Considering the precision of the attack and the focus on the demon follower, my guess is that this was an internal conflict within a rival organization. The masked person seemed to have a specific target and wasn\'t interested in anyone else present."

Margareta\'s eyes studied me for a moment, her stern expression staying the same. "Internal conflict, yes. But why do you rule out any other possibilities? How can you be sure there aren\'t different motives at play or that multiple organizations might be operating in the city simultaneously? Or, how can you be sure if it wasn\'t an individual act?"

I was also expecting this question. But, even though her words were filled with suspicion, I could clearly see that she was satisfied. It seems she also came to the same conclusion, and my agreeing with it made her feel like I was both qualified and her point was stronger.

"It\'s not that I rule out other possibilities entirely. I just believe the precision of the attack, the specific target, and the lack of interest in others present point towards an internal matter within a rival organization. It\'s a theory based on the available information, not a definitive conclusion. As for the individual case, nothing specifically points to that, and many other things negate that point. Considering how the masked person acted, it is evident that he was informed. That means he or she is working with an insider from the organization that tried to kidnap Sylvie."

"Hmm…." After pondering about what I had said for a second, she nodded her head, satisfied. "We\'ll take your theory into account; thank you for your cooperation."

At this point, the only thing that remained was flattery. Nodding in response, I continued. "I want those responsible brought to justice as much as you do. If there\'s anything I can do to help your investigation, feel free to reach out. I want to ensure the safety of the people in this city."

With that, Sylvie and I exited the room, leaving Margareta behind.

"Hoooh….That was pretty long…" Sylvie exhaled a long breath as she looked at me. "I\'m tired. It\'s been a long day."

Her eyes and body were filled with fatigue. It was expected. After all, what she had witnessed was something that was supposed to take a toll on one\'s mind, especially a na?ve girl like Sylvie.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it has. But at least it\'s over for now. We should head back and get some rest." Saying that, I started walking back.

TUCK!

At that moment, I felt a tuck on my clothes and saw Sylvie holding my sleeves. It seemed she wanted to say something as she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Astron, thank you. For being there, for protecting me."

Hearing her genuine words and seeing her eyes, I couldn\'t help but feel guilty inside. After all, it was also me who decided to go this path.

If I wanted, I could avoid the direct confrontation and block Mason\'s way. I could simply make sure that we would never give them the opportunity to strike.

But I didn\'t; instead, I acted on my own interests, also making Sylvie swept away with it.

"W-why aren\'t you saying anything? I am suddenly embarrassed."

But it seemed I had been looking at her for a little long time as she lowered her head. I opened my mouth with guilt in my heart. "It\'s nothing to be embarrassed about. It\'s what I was supposed to do—what I signed up for, both in the past and now….."

After all, I knew if I had acted like this in the past, things might have differed.

Sylvie looked up, her eyes searching mine for something. "In the past?"

"Don\'t mind it," I reiterated, steering the conversation away from the past.

"I see…" Sylvie seemed to understand and didn\'t press further.

Noticing the strange mood, Sylvie continued talking about lighter topics as we made our way through the city.

My mood was also better since I had finished what I had intended to do in the first place, and I felt like I was able to progress in my goal, albeit it was still too little.

DING!

However, our conversation was interrupted as both Sylvie and I received simultaneous notifications on our smartwatches.

[Amelia: Everyone, come to the city center right now. It is urgent.]

The moment I saw this message, an ominous feeling grew upon me as if something wasn\'t right.