Chapter 9

"Inspector Baker, you're late."

The inspector had come out of the hospital with me and Abagnail because he had something he wanted to know.

"Well, I wonder if he was flirting with that nurse... but that's probably impossible for Inspector Baker."

"Is that so?"

Baker seems to be in his forties, but I think he ages well.

"That man is devoted to his wife... Even when people around him suggest he remarry, he doesn't listen."

Abagnail shrugged, looking exasperated. Remarrying—meaning he must have either divorced or been widowed. It's a topic I hesitate to ask about, so I tried to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"Then, how about you, Abagnail, try approaching that nurse? You seem to be around the same age."

She looked to be a few years older than Abagnail, who is in his late twenties.

"No... I'll pass. Even if she's beautiful, her personality doesn't suit me. Roy, you should be careful too. It's better to prioritize personality compatibility over physical appearance for a lasting relationship."

Abagnail's voice was filled with genuine experience. He must have regretted dating someone based solely on their looks in the past. He's not bad-looking himself. From what I saw earlier, it's clear they don't get along.

"Also, she has few expressions, a monotonous voice, and limited movements, which, combined with the hospital atmosphere—"

"Creepy?"

"Exactly. Didn't you think so, Roy?"

"Hmm. If a nurse were to smile broadly in this place, that would be even more terrifying. She might be a cheerful person in private."

"That would be scary—no, cute? Ah, I'm getting confused. Wait, what is the essence of a woman's charm anyway?"

Abagnail seemed to have wandered into a maze of thought. However, perhaps the mysteriousness that can so thoroughly distract others is what makes someone attractive. People are curious about those with many mysteries. If someone consistently mutters profound things without any particular meaning, their charm might increase.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

While I was chatting with Abagnail, Baker came out of the building.

"Really. What were you doing?"

Abagnail, who seemed to have escaped the maze of thought, asked Baker.

"I was shown the visitation records of the man believed to be Quintas. It took some time to copy them."

"Visitation records... Ah, to predict the next visit, right?"

"Exactly."

"Did you find any patterns?"

Baker's lips curled up as if he had been waiting for this question.

"Jackpot. When I compared the days Quintas committed crimes with the visitation days, they mostly match. From the first incident four years ago to today's incident. He doesn't seem to come on days when he's seriously injured."

"Days when he was seriously injured... like the day Lucas Aveiram defeated Quintas four years ago?"

"And the day of the reception hall incident where Roy excelled."

"So, the visitor is almost certainly Quintas... Wow, that's a big hit! Well done, Inspector!"

"Right. While we still don't know Quintas's true identity, this is a significant step forward compared to when we had no leads."

The two of them smiled. It was more relief than joy, given the immense pressure they must have felt as the force responsible for the capital's security, with the investigation making little progress.

"Let's go," I said to the two of them, and we started down the hill.

"What's concerning is who that girl is. It seems like Quintas is meeting her to report his progress."

What if she's the mastermind and Quintas is just the executor?

"I asked the nurse for information about her, but there wasn't much. Her name and identity might not even be accurate."

"That's sloppy management."

Abagnail said this with a sigh.

"Well, it can't be helped. It's not uncommon for families to bring patients in while hiding their identities. Many people are ashamed of having a family member with a mental illness."

"Really... So, most of the patients in that hospital are unknown?"

Abagnail's voice was tinged with sadness.

"No, the nurse said the hospital is willing to be flexible if they show sincerity."

"Sincerity—ah, I see. That hospital is really corrupt."

Abagnail turned and glared at the direction of the gray building, which was no longer visible.

"However, I think that part of the system works because of that sincerity."

Abagnail fell silent at Baker's realistic comment.

It's a shame. If Quintas's address had been registered as the girl's guardian, it would have been perfect. He's a cautious man. It's no wonder he's managed to evade capture for years despite being wanted.

"However, it seems Quintas doesn't have any financial worries. His identity is becoming even more mysterious."

I sighed. The image I had of Quintas hiding in some ruin, living in fear, doesn't match with the image of a wealthy man bribing a hospital. I had been focusing on the brutality of his crimes, but the young man who massacred people at the reception hall could have easily passed as a noble or a young entrepreneur, with a confident and dignified walk.

"He must have a higher income than the average citizen. Or he has sufficient wealth. A successful bourgeois citizen? The possibility of him being a noble is also strong. It's also puzzling why he let Lady Revi go. He couldn't have been moved by the sight of a mother protecting her child—"

Baker started profiling Quintas, muttering to himself. When he's deep in thought, his pace quickens, and Abagnail and I have to speed up to keep up.

In the public eye, Quintas is often described as a giant man over three meters tall or with multiple limbs, but most of these are just urban legends that no one really believes. However, there is one rumor that is taken more seriously: "Quintas is a demon." I believed this rumor to some extent because it explained his actions if he was an assassin sent from the demon territory to weaken the Granica Kingdom.

However, when I saw the girl up close, I didn't notice any physical differences from a human. Her eye color was unusual, but that was it.

If the story that they are siblings is true, and she is human, then Quintas must be human too.

"Inspector Baker, have you heard the rumor about Quintas?"

I asked Baker, who was walking in a daze, lost in thought.

"Hmm? The rumor that Quintas is a demon?"

"Yes. What did you think when you saw the girl?"

"She looked human. I was considering that rumor, so I asked the nurse if there was anything unusual about the girl's body. The nurse, who is responsible for changing and cleaning the girl, said there was nothing out of the ordinary."

If Quintas isn't a demon, what is his motive for the crimes? It's understandable if he has a grudge against politicians, but I can't figure out why he would kill researchers. They are among the most essential people for humanity.

"Inspector, what do you plan to do next? We now know that the hospital is one of Quintas's destinations."

Abagnail's voice was tinged with fatigue. I'm still physically fine, but I feel mentally drained. It would be hard to work at that mental hospital without a strong mind.

"Quintas's base might be around here. Let's investigate a bit more."

In the end, we didn't find any more traces of Quintas's magic. We returned to the center of the capital using a carriage. Abagnail dropped me off at the academy, but by the time we arrived, it was almost time for the classes to end, so I didn't go to the classroom. I waited for the Aveiram family carriage and went home.