This reasoning had become even bolder!
In an instant, a layer of cold sweat broke out on Elias's back.
Even Old Ed fell into a deathly, eerie silence at this moment.
The man and the ghost both knew one thing very clearly: in the supernatural world, the probability of such a situation occurring...
Was not only not small, but could even be said to be extremely high!
It was highly possible that Martin, whose life had been stripped away by a Freeze spell, had a soul that was currently crouching silently on the ceiling of this room in some invisible form!
“What's your reasoning?!” Elias asked hurriedly.
However, a punchable smile actually appeared on the great detective's face.
“I was just talking nonsense!”
Brian spread his hands.
“Actually, I'm more inclined to believe the killer who killed him was a ghost.”
“...”
“You lunatic!” Elias cursed.
“I thought you had some solid evidence with that confident look of yours!”
Don't you know that jinxing things like that can get people killed, man!
“Don't be so cowardly!”
Brian stepped forward, reached out to pat Elias's shoulder, and grinned at him.
Cowardly my foot!
Elias gnashed his teeth and cursed in his mind.
But he didn't dare to be careless in the slightest. He immediately activated the Rational Circuit deep within his consciousness.
Spirit Sensing, activate!
He was terrified that the deceased named Martin really was, as Brian's big mouth suggested, watching the three of them as a spiritual body right now.
A faint, secret blue light flashed deep within Elias's eyes.
He quickly and discreetly scanned the room filled with dust and spiderwebs.
Nothing.
There was nothing.
In the air, there was only that lingering negative spirituality from a month ago, slowly dissipating.
He didn't perceive any formed spiritual bodies in the vicinity.
After confirming this, Elias finally let out a long sigh of relief in his heart.
He quietly deactivated his Spirit Vision, and the muscles in his back relaxed.
Once Brian left, he would properly use supernatural methods to test Brian's reasoning.
Standing to the side, Brian was completely unaware of Elias's tension. He continued to talk to himself.
“Actually, regarding the sudden brain death, I have a considerable amount of doubt in my heart as well.”
“From a purely medical and probabilistic standpoint.”
“The only explanation is that the moment the victim was shot in the chest, he suddenly suffered some fatal cerebrovascular disease and died instantly.”
“But that's just too coincidental.”
Brian shook his head, his tone full of disbelief.
“So coincidental it's practically outrageous!”
“That's why my mind wandered, and I suddenly thought of the ridiculous possibility that he might have turned into a ghost.”
Brian turned his head, looked at Elias, and raised an eyebrow.
“Don't you think... that adds a real sense of suspense to it?”
Elias was completely speechless. He rolled his eyes and coldly spat out three words.
“Better not.”
“But...”
Elias suddenly thought of something. He recalled that Arthur had given him a general overview of the aftermath of this murder case.
“Speaking of which, wasn't this case forcibly transferred by the higher ups?”
Elias looked at the stubborn man before him.
“Since it's no longer under the jurisdiction of Old Palace Yard, why are you still running here in the middle of the night to investigate?”
Unpaid overtime? This was simply beyond comprehension!
Hearing this, the playfulness on Brian's face vanished. He looked up at Elias with a serious gaze.
“I heard about it. But I'm a detective, Elias.”
There was a streak of almost paranoid stubbornness in Brian's voice.
“The case happened on my watch, and I must see it through to the end.”
Is it really not just because you're obsessed with saving face?
“And...”
He puffed out his chest righteously.
“I am currently on mandatory suspended leave. As a free citizen, is it not allowed for me to spend my vacation time at the Golden Rose Hotel?”
“You spent your vacation all the way into the room I booked...” Elias deadpanned mercilessly.
“Don't worry about the details.”
Brian waved his hand magnanimously, as if he were the one who had paid for the room.
Suddenly, the detective seemed to remember something important. He pulled a pocket watch from his waistcoat pocket.
By the light of the gas lamp on the wall, he checked the time.
“It's about time. I should go.”
Brian tucked the pocket watch back into his pocket and smoothed the collar of his trench coat.
“Dr. Mester is still waiting for me at his clinic. I made an appointment for seven o'clock this evening. I can finally tell him I've recovered!”
“Oh...”
Hearing that name, the expression on Elias's face became very interesting. He raised his hand unnaturally and scratched his hair, his eyes darting around.
“You... haven't you heard that something happened at Mester's Treatment Room this afternoon?”
Brian, who was about to walk out the door, stopped abruptly. He turned his head in confusion and looked at Elias.
“Hmm?”
“What happened?”
Brian frowned.
“I've been here thinking about this case all afternoon. What exactly happened?”
Elias gave a dry cough.
“It's like this...”
“I happened to be with Lottie this afternoon, going to St. John's Cross to find her teacher. That lady's residence happens to be in the St. John's Cross district.”
Elias lied without blinking, perfectly covering up the actual battle with the cultists.
“Unfortunately, just as we finished our business and were about to leave, that three story red brick building where Mester's Treatment Room was...”
Elias made an exaggerated exploding gesture with his hands.
“The whole building went boom and just completely collapsed. I suspect there might have been a serious gas leak.”
Brian's eyes widened, his pupils trembling violently. His lips began to shake uncontrollably.
“Dr. Mester! Nooo!”
“He really was a good doctor with superb medical skills!”
Brian covered his face, overwhelmed with grief.
No, he wasn't.
“He really cared about me!”
No, he only cared about how many soul coins your soul was worth.
“May the merciful Dawn Lady bless him to rest in peace in heaven...”
Brian piously made the prayer sign of the Dawn Church over his chest.
No, may the Lord of the Raging Sea use his furious thunder to judge that lunatic harshly.
Elias stepped forward and patted Brian's broad shoulder.
“My condolences, Brian.”
There was a hint of suppressed laughter in Elias's voice.
“But... to be honest, I don't think he cured your illness even after seeing you for so long.”
“True!”
Brian, who had been immersed in grief just a moment ago, immediately stopped his sorrow upon hearing those words. He nodded heavily in agreement, his face changing as fast as a master of face changing.
“?”
Elias's hand froze in midair.
Wait. Your emotional transition is way too fast!
It seems you didn't sincerely think Mester was a good doctor either!
Brian ignored Elias's bewilderment entirely.
“But...”
Brian rubbed his hands together, his Adam's apple bobbing.
“Still, that afternoon, Lottie's teacher...”
His tone became dreamy.
“Those beautiful eyes of hers... they were as enchanting as the spring waters of the Muspel River...”
“Stop right there!”
Elias really couldn't listen to any more.
“Wipe your drool.”
“Slurp!”
Brian sucked in a breath of saliva cooperatively. Then, his train of thought made another jarring leap.
“Now that my appointment is gone, does that mean I can only go home?”
Brian blinked and asked a question that struck at the soul.
“Yes, go home and get some sleep.”
Elias couldn't wait for him to get lost so he could close the door and get to work. He even 'kindly' pointed to the Persian carpet at the center of the crime scene and reminded him:
“If you're really that reluctant to leave your crime scene, you can pack up this carpet and take it with you.”
“That won't be necessary.”
Brian rejected the suggestion without hesitation.
“After I leave, you should give this place a good cleaning. There's too much dust; it's practically uninhabitable.”
“?”
Elias's fist instantly tightened.
You jerk!
You were the one who wouldn't let me disturb the scene just now! And now you're telling me to clean up?! You have to have the last word on everything, don't you?!
The nickname 'Hound' really lived up to its reputation. You really are a dog!
Meanwhile, Brian rubbed the stubble on his chin, falling into a new round of contemplation.
“Perhaps...” Brian murmured softly to himself.
“Since no more clues can be found at the scene, I could take a trip to the Lily of the Valley Convent cemetery, dig up the body, and reexamine it...”
At this point, he frowned in distaste first.
“Actually, never mind. I don't want to go grave robbing.”
Hearing this, Elias, who had been cursing him in his head, felt a jolt.
“What did you say?!”
“Where is that body?!”
“Huh?” Brian was startled by Elias's sudden reaction. “The... Lily of the Valley Convent.”
Rate on N.U.
