Chapter 5

"What is it?"

"Is that true, Roy!?"

Baker raised an eyebrow. Abagnail's eyes widened as he stood up, leaning on the table and leaning in towards me.

Seeing the table shake, I glanced at Samuel's drawing and found that he had already finished it and was now drawing something else on another sheet of paper.

He was drawing me, sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room.

"You're too close, Abagnail."

I turned my gaze back to Abagnail and calmly stated.

"Ah, sorry. So, is it true that you can find Quintus?"

"There's a possibility, but that's all."

Abagnail's eyes remained wide as he looked at Baker. Baker turned to me with a serious expression.

"What method are you talking about?"

At this point, I was hesitant. Should I really answer honestly? I don't think Baker and the others are untrustworthy, but I feel averse to freely sharing the skills I possess.

"It's related to an innate ability I have. I've never told anyone about this. So, if I do tell you, I want something in return."

"That depends on what Roy wants."

"Then, how about the information the patrol team has?"

"Information about the investigation into Quintus?"

"Yes."

"Hmm—If you're willing to assist with the investigation, it would be easier for us to share information about Quintus, so that's fine."

"I'm talking about comprehensive information about Quintus. Specifically, I want to know why the inspector is investigating Aviram in connection with Quintus."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and asked in a questioning manner. Baker gasped.

"Even if I were investigating the connection between Quintus and Aviram, I wouldn't share information with someone from the Aviram family."

Baker and I continued to lock eyes. The only sound in the room was the scratch of Samuel's pencil on paper.

"Alright, fine. I understand the value of the information. If you promise not to disclose my ability, that's enough."

I straightened up and relaxed my expression, and the tension in Baker's face eased.

"Roy, you're quite the sly one. I shouldn't underestimate you just because you're a child."

"I'll take that as a compliment—just remember this conversation when I produce results."

"Of course, I will."

I leaned back into the sofa, letting out a sigh. I had been concerned about something my father seemed to be hiding since the last time they visited. So, it was fortunate that Baker came to see me again today for the sketch.

Perhaps the sketch was just a pretext, and they really came to probe me.

"Alright, I'll tell you. The truth is, I can see the residue of magic."

I said this with a confident air, but both Baker and Abagnail narrowed their eyes suspiciously. Samuel also stopped drawing and looked at me curiously. I noticed for the first time how clear and glass-like his eyes were.

"Residue of magic...? I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

Baker said, looking confused. That's understandable. When I first read in a book that Queen Razda could see the residue of magic, I was skeptical and didn't really understand what it was.

"When someone uses magic, traces of it remain in the air and on surrounding objects for a while. I can see these traces, so I think they could be useful in searching for Quintus."

"If that's true, that's pretty amazing, isn't it? Wouldn't it mean you could track down the culprit by following these traces?"

Abagnail turned to Baker, seeking agreement.

"Right. If he came to us, he'd be a great asset for investigating magical crimes. Roy, how long do these traces of magic remain?"

"They disappear quickly in the air due to the wind, but they can last for several hours on buildings or the ground, depending on the material."

Especially when the residue is attached to minerals like mica, it's very clear and lasts longer. Since Quintus is likely to enhance his magic when fleeing at high speed, if we chase him immediately after an incident, we should be able to track him at least to the point where he stops enhancing his magic.

"In that case, tracking is indeed possible. To be honest, I still don't fully trust Roy's ability... but the fact is, we have no other options. Let's give it a try."

"That's great. I also want to catch Quintus, so let's work together. If Quintus kills someone again, please call me immediately."

As we reached an agreement, I relaxed. Abagnail frowned.

"Roy, we don't conduct investigations with the assumption that people will die. No matter how difficult it is, we work to prevent it."

Abagnail said sternly, as if trying to reason with me.

"Of course, I understand. Is there a problem with that?"

"The problem is that you seem to take it for granted that people will die."

Now that he mentioned it, that was true. Saying to call me if someone dies again might have been insensitive. Logically, my ability won't be useful in the investigation until Quintus commits another crime, so I wasn't wrong, but this is a moral issue.

Sometimes, I overlook what is obvious as a human being. Elsa once said something similar. She was concerned that I was heading in the wrong direction as a researcher and as a person. She must have been worried about this aspect of me.

"Alright, Abagnail. We'll ask for Roy's help immediately after an incident, so what he said isn't wrong. The investigation until then is our responsibility."

Baker said, trying to calm Abagnail down.

"Yes... you're right. Sorry, Roy. I shouldn't have imposed our convenience on you."

Abagnail apologized, looking bitter.

"No, no. I was the one who spoke insensitively about people's deaths."

We finalized the details of our cooperation, and I saw Baker and the others off. Samuel gave me a drawing of my face that he had done after the sketch, but I wasn't sure what his intention was. Was it a bonus?

The drawing looked like me, but it didn't feel like me. I found it a bit scary for some reason.

Is this how others see me?

I returned to the classroom. The last class of the day was about to end, and it was a good time to leave without keeping the carriage waiting.

Baker said they would immediately start negotiations with the publisher and begin printing the sketch of Quintus as soon as everything was ready. I might visit 'Razda Bookstore' when the time is right.