Chapter 3 - Fragments of a Shattered Truth
I eventually realized it was just a dream, but it took me a moment to catch my breath.
"Haah…”
The first thing I noticed upon waking up was the dagger slipping from my grasp.
Although I could not recall the incident of Russell Bolev's murder, the events in my dream were as clear and lifelike as if I had lived through them. Even the sensation of the blade piercing through his body was palpable...
‘Was it really just a nightmare? Or is it a memory engraved in this body?'
The fingers that didn't belong to me trembled uncontrollably. The thought that this very hand stabbed someone...
As I stood there, recalling the lifeless body that had lay before me, I struggled to come to terms with the realization that I might have committed murder. Of course, it would have been the owner of this body, not me, who killed a person.
However, the memory of the incident seemed to be implanted in my mind, as if I had experienced it myself.
'It's like I really murdered the man...’
I reached under my pillow and found the dagger I had hidden the night before. The cold sensation of the blade evoked a combination of apprehension and solace.
Meanwhile, a group of individuals dressed in white attire congregated the bedroom of Russell Bolev, following Julia's departure.
Two people stood still beside Russell's decaying body. At first glance, one might think they were frozen due to the gruesome sight, but in fact, it was due to their discipline and self-control.
They were hesitant to make any movement or even brush against a single hair.
In the meantime, their leader Amon Spencer, was scanning the room.
He conducted a thorough inspection of the entire area, meticulously documenting every detail from the floor to the walls, window frames, and furniture. He paid attention to not only bloodstains but also insignificant marks and traces of dust.
Despite his tall stature, he made sure to move tactfully and avoid touching anything on the spot.
“It’s awful.”
Another knight, Carlyle, was kneeling on the floor and examining the corpse.
“What information did you obtain?”
Amon inquired while examining the dust on the window frame.
“Well, I would like to move the body and look into it more, but one thing is certain. This wound, whoever stabbed him didn't kill him."
“What does that mean?”
Amon approached the motionless figure and carefully inspected the injury. The severity of the cuts made it difficult to believe that the attacker did not intend to cause fatal harm, considering the body's organs were exposed and surrounded by pools of blood.
“He was stabbed after he had already died.”
'Stabbed after his death?'
The act of brutally mutilating a deceased individual could only be attributed to one reason: a motive of murder fueled by a deep-seated grudge.
Amon gazed at the ceiling and peered into Russell's bulging eyes, then asked again.
“Then what is the direct cause of this body's death?”
"I am unable to determine the cause of death through visual examination. There are no indications of strangulation, but there is a wound on the back of the head which appears to have been inflicted from a fall."
“What about poisons?”
“I don’t see any signs of poisoning.”
“That means he passed away due to an unknown cause, lost his strength and fell to the floor, then was hacked with a knife.”
“Yes, precisely.”
“Isn’t that strange?”
“It is very strange.”
Carlyle stood to his feet and continued.
“To kill him without leaving any traces and then stab him with a knife. Just…”
After a brief moment of hesitation, he glanced at Amon's before eventually shrugging.
"It would have been an opportunity to insist on the cause of death being a heart attack or something of the sort.”
Amon hesitated upon hearing those words. His face, which had previously been devoid of emotion, became even more rigid. His blue eyes grew darker and his jaw clenched tightly.
Carlyle tapped Amon's shoulder, anticipating the gesture. He nodded and dismissed the two low-level knights who had been standing still. The two of them were now alone.
"Don't bother."
"What?"
"They're not the same guy we're looking for."
Amon gazed at Carlyle, his expression grave.
“The body was damaged. The method is different. If it had been the same person, everything would have ended neatly with a heart attack.”
“…”
“We haven't looked at the body properly yet. Everything is still uncertain."
“…Yes."
Amon's expression remained dark as he reluctantly replied. Carlyle tried to comfort him by hitting his shoulder a couple of times before knocking on the door from inside. The two knights waiting outside hesitantly entered the room.
“Take away the body. Find out more.”
"Yes."
At Carlyle command, the knights began to move Russell's body. Amon stood tall, motionless, gazing at the small table near the window.
As he surveyed upon the immaculate tables and chairs, untouched by human hands, his mind conjured up a vivid and realistic daydream.
Russell Bolev was sitting by the table, enjoying his tea while gazing out the window. Suddenly, he collapses on the floor, writhing in pain as a result of the poison ingested within his tea.
The crime was then tampered with, the tables and chairs moved back to their original positions, and no poison was found.
The case would ultimately be ruled as a heart attack. Amon suspected that the culprit may have been the same person that he had been pursuing since he was ten years old.
"The body was damaged. The method is different."
Carlyle previous claims interrupted Amon's daze. He was right. Someone had mutilated the corpse, rendering Amon's make-up scene irrelevant.
The time between Russell's collapse and the scene being tampered with.
‘If only there was a way to fill that void…’
Amon was consumed by feelings of absence, desperation, and perhaps even obsession.
Light streamed in through the small window. It was already morning.
As I opened my eyes, I found myself in the old inn, surrounded by familiar sights such as the dress hanging on the wall and the dagger under my pillow.
It dawned on me that I was still trapped in an unknown world, with no luck of returning even after a restless night.
Despite feeling fatigued, I managed to get up and dip myself in fresh bath water. I looked at the mirror.
At least I seemed better in better shape than yesterday. Dark chestnut hair fell to my waist, and the lighter brown eyes were staring straight at me.
I seemed to be in my early to mid-20s. When I was walking along the streets, I felt self-conscious and kept looking back. However, I found that people were cordial when I initiated contact with them.
'It would have been better if I wasn't as haggard as I am now.'
I loosely tied my hair. No matter how much I tried to tame it, the tangles wouldn't go away.
The disheveled state of my hair may be an indication of my abrupt financial struggles. If I had not relied on someone else's support in a world like this, I would not have let my hair grow so long.
I stitched together the clothes I purchased yesterday and put them on. The dress I wore covered me from my shoulders to my ankles, but my thin frame was still noticeable. It appeared that I was not afflicted by any illness, but rather suffering from overall malnourishment.
‘Long hair, a feeble body, an old but luxurious dress, an expensive necklace…’
Something must have happened to Julia Reitz. What transpired for her to experience such sudden poverty?
I decided to investigate further and spotted the piece of purchase paper on the bedside table.
'That necklace could also be a clue.'
It was better to retrieve it if possible. There was a high possibility that the owner of this body didn't sell the necklace because of its high value.
I held the paper and the dagger and made my way down to the first floor, where the inn's restaurant was. Several guests were already enjoying their breakfast at the large wooden table.
I was served a simple meal of crusty bread and soup, which filled my stomach with warmth after just one bite.
'It's hard to cope with anything in this skinny body.'
I dipped another piece of bread in the soup and stuffed it inside my mouth. It didn't seem like I had been malnourished for a long time, so if I took good care of myself, I'd become healthy soon.
As I thought so, I noticed the individual beside me leaving behind a wad of paper upon vacating their seat. The papers were densely printed with images, letters, and large titles.
'Newspaper?'
Newspapers were one of the best ways to keep in line with the world.
Even after reading the novel and spending the previous night here, my knowledge about this place was still limited.
The only thing I acknowledged was that the area I resided in was an empire named ‘Nilton’, and that Duke Bolev had once ruled a dukedom with immense power.
I picked up a newspaper on the ground and skimmed through insignificant articles before coming across a short passage in the corner.
The time between Russell's collapse and the scene being tampered with.
‘If only there was a way to fill that void…’
Amon was consumed by feelings of absence, desperation, and perhaps even obsession.
Light streamed in through the small window. It was already morning.
As I opened my eyes, I found myself in the old inn, surrounded by familiar sights such as the dress hanging on the wall and the dagger under my pillow.
It dawned on me that I was still trapped in an unknown world, with no luck of returning even after a restless night.
Despite feeling fatigued, I managed to get up and dip myself in fresh bath water. I looked at the mirror.
At least I seemed better in better shape than yesterday. Dark chestnut hair fell to my waist, and the lighter brown eyes were staring straight at me.
I seemed to be in my early to mid-20s. When I was walking along the streets, I felt self-conscious and kept looking back. However, I found that people were cordial when I initiated contact with them.
'It would have been better if I wasn't as haggard as I am now.'
I loosely tied my hair. No matter how much I tried to tame it, the tangles wouldn't go away.
The disheveled state of my hair may be an indication of my abrupt financial struggles. If I had not relied on someone else's support in a world like this, I would not have let my hair grow so long.
I stitched together the clothes I purchased yesterday and put them on. The dress I wore covered me from my shoulders to my ankles, but my thin frame was still noticeable. It appeared that I was not afflicted by any illness, but rather suffering from overall malnourishment.
‘Long hair, a feeble body, an old but luxurious dress, an expensive necklace…’
Something must have happened to Julia Reitz. What transpired for her to experience such sudden poverty?
I decided to investigate further and spotted the piece of purchase paper on the bedside table.
'That necklace could also be a clue.'
It was better to retrieve it if possible. There was a high possibility that the owner of this body didn't sell the necklace because of its high value.
I held the paper and the dagger and made my way down to the first floor, where the inn's restaurant was. Several guests were already enjoying their breakfast at the large wooden table.
I was served a simple meal of crusty bread and soup, which filled my stomach with warmth after just one bite.
'It's hard to cope with anything in this skinny body.'
I dipped another piece of bread in the soup and stuffed it inside my mouth. It didn't seem like I had been malnourished for a long time, so if I took good care of myself, I'd become healthy soon.
As I thought so, I noticed the individual beside me leaving behind a wad of paper upon vacating their seat. The papers were densely printed with images, letters, and large titles.
'Newspaper?'
Newspapers were one of the best ways to keep in line with the world.
Even after reading the novel and spending the previous night here, my knowledge about this place was still limited.
The only thing I acknowledged was that the area I resided in was an empire named ‘Nilton’, and that Duke Bolev had once ruled a dukedom with immense power.
I picked up a newspaper on the ground and skimmed through insignificant articles before coming across a short passage in the corner.
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