Chapter 7 - Veiled Bargain

 Despite being fooled one-sidedly, Amon's tone remained composed as before.

“I had to make sure you were alone. Do think of it as a minimum safety protocol.”

Amon nodded calmly. It was difficult to read his expression as his face was half-obscured by the robe, but he didn't seem too upset.

“Did you think an escort would jump out if I were threatened with a dagger?”

"Yes. I was observing the whole square, hoping that someone undercover would react to the sudden action. But there was nobody. You kept your promise."

"Didn't you ask me to come out alone?"

"I did, but..."

I didn't finish my sentence. I hadn't expected him to be so honest.

"Why did you trust my words?"

Amon silently picked up the dagger from the ground and handed it over to me. He seemed to imply that he didn't trust me, but was confident in his own capability to handle any challenge I set forth for him.

Amon appeared certain that he could resolve the situation before the woman in front of him could even grasp the dagger in her hand.

"It wasn't trust that brought me here. I complied because there were no other options. It may not seem a big deal to you, but this matter is very important to me. To the point where I wish to catch even the smallest clue.”

Amon continued in a subdued tone.

“So now, as promised, I want you to tell me the back story. And how you possess so much information regarding the case."

I brushed off the dirt from my dagger and replied.

“I know why this case is important to you. And this case is very important to me as well. However… I cannot open up right away."

“What do you want?”

Amon's response indicated that he had anticipated this outcome. I proceeded to share the thoughts that had occupied my mind throughout the night.

“I want you to hold hands with me.”

“Hold hands? …Do you mean to pursue the criminal as a team?”

"That's right. Like I said, this case is very important to me as well. I desire to catch the culprit myself.”

Amon gazed at me in silence. Perhaps he thought I shared a similar experience to his. Instead of entertaining unrealistic notions such as 'I was dragged into the world of a novel', it would be more plausible to consider the more common explanation.

I didn't bother denying it.

“I have information, and you need this information. Is there any reason not to accept my offer?"

It was for a very brief moment, but Amon's blue eyes flickered.

"I'll think about it after you indulge me in this information you have."

“I can't afford to do something like that. What I'm missing from my well-constructed picture is you.”

I remained composed and made straight eye contact with Amon. To tell the truth, I didn't have any new information. I hadn't heard the voice since I left the Knights Templar.

However, Amon was unaware of this fact, so I thought to be as blunt as possible with him. This was the only way to apprehend him.

“So you mean you have a significant clue leading to the real culprit?”

Amon proceeded to express his thoughts.

“I don't understand. If you hold such significant information, what would you gain by joining hands with me? You could catch the culprit alone."

“You are the captain of the Blue Knights. The one in charge of this case. I require your permission.”

I was not wrong. Even if the voice did let me in on noteworthy information or even name the culprit, I had no right or authority to bring them to justice.

'It's not like anyone would believe me anyway.'

There was no way for me to revisit the scene or interrogate any suspicious suspects. Amon's position would be of great help to me.

“Besides, there is information only the knights will be able to discover."

"Information only the Knights will discover..."

Amon muttered in a questionable tone.

“You mean, for example, an eyewitness account of seeing a suspicious person breaking into the Bolev residence the very night of the murder?”

At those words, I flipped my head towards Amon.

“An eyewitness story?”

“It seems like you didn’t know. An eyewitness visited the Knights Templar earlier today. It was a pretty believable story.”

Did someone witness the culprit? If this information was true, there could be no further discussion. Perhaps the case could be resolved in an instant. I asked again, concealing my nervousness.

“What did they say?”

Instead of answering, Amon slowly reached his hand towards me. He removed the hood that half-obscured my face.

"What…”

Our eyes met as the darkness dissipated. Amon's azure irises held their light even against the setting sun. I found myself staring at him stiffly, unable to turn my head away.

“Long dark chestnut hair.”

His eyes slowly grazed my hair.

“An eyewitness said so. They witnessed a woman with hair exactly like yours break into the Bolev family, a dagger in her hand."

My mouth fell agape. Did that mean… was it me they witnessed? Me, Julia Reitz, breaking into the Duke's residence?

“That dagger seems to fit the wound stabs perfectly. Could you hand it over for investigation?”

My hand gripping the dagger tightened. I had no idea how to react to this unexpected situation.

‘Did you come here to do this in the first place? Were you simply trying to arrest me?"

Long dark chestnut hair and a dagger like this could be seen all over the place. I wanted to shout that, but I knew it would be useless.

A suspicious woman with a description matching the eyewitness's statement approached him, claiming to know the murderer of Russell Bolev. If I were Amon, I would undoubtedly suspect myself as the culprit.

Wasn't it an obvious fact that I had broken into the duke's house? And the stabbing of Russell... it was probably true.

Would Amon believe me if I told him, 'I stabbed Russell, but I didn't kill him'?

In an instant, the situation turned upside down. Just a moment ago, I had the upper hand with the information, but now Amon was gazing down at me.

'Should I run away?'

I had such extreme thoughts. But even if I were to run away from here, there would be limited options available to me. At best, it may only prolong my life slightly, with no significant impact. During this moment, the words from the book came to mind.

'A principalist.'

His slogan suggested that without clear physical evidence, no punishment could be made. This raised questions regarding Amon's actions towards me. Would he detain me solely based on the testimony of a single eyewitness who described my dark chestnut hair?

Would he even believe the eyewitness account? If he did trust it, he would have arrested me immediately. It was unclear why he would come all the way to the fountain just to have a private conversation with me.

The thoughts bit each other's tails in an instant. Perhaps Amon was… studying me?

I lifted my gaze that had fallen to my knees and looked straight into Amon's eyes. Now was the time to gamble.

“That can't be proof. There are countless women with dark chestnut hair, and there are many daggers similar to the one in my hand.”

Amon simply observed in silence. I was more confident in my actions. I'm sure he was currently scrutinizing my every move.

“I'll say it again. I have the information. If you arrest me now, even if I die, I will never open my mouth.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I am offering a proposal.”

“Apologies, but your words have yet to gain my trust."

Amon gazed at me with unwavering eyes.

“How did you know that Duke Bolev died of poison? Can you cite the source of this information?”

“I can’t tell you right now, but—”

“Did you really have any information to begin with? If not, are you deliberately spreading false information when you are the true culprit, just to confuse the investigation? That sounds much more plausible to my ears.”

I had nothing to say, so I kept my mouth shut. His claims were several times more logical than the words the unknown voice inside my head uttered.

“…Then."

After a brief silence, I spoke in a lowered tone.

“Why are you here? If you thought I was of no value from the start, why did you come out to speak with me?"

“…I just wanted to make sure.”

"No. You believed me. That's why you came here.”

“Why would I believe someone I don’t even know?”

“Because you wish to find the culprit who killed your parents.”

Amon's face hardened. I clenched my teeth until it hurt. Because I knew the kind of hurt my cowardly words would inflict upon him.

But I had reasons to bring this matter up.

After his parents passed, no poison was detected, but there was no convincing evidence of a homicide. As a result, despite Amon's desperate request to pursue the culprit, the case ended with the cause of death labeled as a heart attack.

The same was true of my current situation. No matter how desperately I shouted, there would be no way to prove the unreal things that had occurred to me. All I could do at this moment was appeal to Amon's feelings.

“You want to believe. Am I wrong?"

I stared straight through Amon. Hoping he'd find the young him in me.

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