Chapter 08: Trials and Tribulations
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
"Let us begin the trial on Shirou Emiya, the Rogue Reaper." The spokesperson begins the opening sentence.
I am sitting in as the defendant of the court.
"Shirou Emiya, you are accused of carrying the plague. Do you confess to this crime?"
…
"I do."
The present nobles gasp.
"Then, we have nothing left to say." The spokesperson announces.
"WAIT!"
Crusch stands up for me.
"Shirou Emiya was a carrier to the plague. The keyword is 'was'." The noblewoman walks to the middle of the court.
"Nonetheless, I've found an oddity." The amber-eyed woman announces.
[Indistinct chattering]
The nobles start whispering to each other.
"And what is that oddity, Crusch-sama?" The spokesperson inquires.
The woman smirks.
"If he did carry the plague, then why I am not affected…?"
"Like we said before, it was a conspiracy! He was sent to take down Sir Felix Argyle!"
"OBJECTION…!"
[Table slam]
The woman slams the table.
"If he wanted to take down Felix, why didn't Felix fall ill after he ate mister Emiya's cooking?"
"He was timing for it. He can't have suspicion on himself on the first day arriving in the capital."
"OBJECTION…!"
The noblewoman denies it again.
"I've found a contradiction in that theory." She announces.
"And why is that?" The spokesperson asks.
A smirk is clearly on her face.
"If he wished to kill Felix, why did mister Emiya saved him at the final moment? He has an alibi and free from suspicions if he let Felix died by the curse. Yet, he risked himself by using his crude method to save Felix."
[Indistinct chattering]
"I see… Your statement has a point." The spokesperson admits.
One noble stands up.
"I don't buy it. Where's the proof that the Rogue Reaper did save Sir Felix? I believe Sir Felix saved himself with his blessing."
Crusch closes her eyes.
"I request Sir Felix Argyle to stand up as a witness." She says.
The spokesperson nods.
The cat eared knight walks to the middle.
Today, he is wearing his knight outfit.
"Hi there, nya~…"
"Witness, please state your name and occupation." The spokesperson demands.
"Do I have to nya~…? Right nyow~ everybody here has already knew who I am."
"Please do as the judge's request, Felix." Crusch tells him.
"Alright, nya~…"
Crusch's right hand knight straightens his posture.
"My name is Felix Argyle. I am a knight who serves under Crusch-sama."
"Testify to the court about the curse." Crusch tells him.
The cat eared young man nods.
"I was afflicted by the curse more than a week ago. I felt so weak… I can hardly breathe. I can't even use my healing ability."
He pauses.
"The curse prevented the victim from doing anything. As a healer, I know the severity of this strange illness. The victim will fall into a catatonic state after three days upon contracting the curse."
He pauses again.
"The strange thing is some people have resistance towards it. The said victim may suffer up to half a month. Shirou-kyun here is a victim himself. I found him lying around the marketplace with his face pale as ghost."
The crowd gasps.
It was… a revelation.
I didn't know I was founded like that…
"I am capable to break the curse. However, when I was the one afflicted, I can barely breathe, much less casting a healing spell." Ferris adds.
"What's more surprising, my gift is the reason why the curse worsens rapidly. Apparently, even for a peasant, they can endure it for a few hours. Some didn't notice that their symptom was worsening until they reach the final stage."
The cat eared knight pauses.
"The final stage…?" The spokesperson raises his eyebrow.
Ferris nods.
"The final stage is very gruesome. I don't know the specification but should it reaches the final stage, the victim will end up like a shriveled corpse."
The crowd gasps again.
"I was surprise by the difference as well… The curse is about the same yet the effects are varied."
Ferris shakes his head.
"Where and when did you find such corpse?" One of the nobles inquires.
"It was the day we ventured to a village just about the capital. Since it was still under my territory, I feel obligated to aid them." Crusch answers it.
…
I didn't know that…
"We spent a night there. Our knights and some of the villagers were afflicted by the plague for no reason. We can't find any sign of the caster around the perimeter. I manage to save the knights but some villagers were compromised." Ferries' ears droop.
"I decided to evacuate the village. But along the way, Felix fell ill and we were attacked by a strange mage called Scorn." Crusch adds on behalf of Ferris.
?
"Scorn…?"
She nods.
"Does that name remind you of anything?" She questions me.
I nod.
"Scorn is the mage who planted the curse on me."
[Indistinct chattering]
"Then it is decided! This Scorn is the real culprit!" The spokesperson announces.
Crusch raises her hand to halt the trial.
"Tell us about this Scorn." She commands me.
I nod.
"That day, I escaped from imprisonment. On my flight, I ended up meeting that mage. He knew who I am. Yet, I can't remember anything about him. I fought him and ended up losing. He and his accomplice, Strife, said something about their lord Emijah. They said I was chosen to be a carrier." I narrate my encounter with Scorn and Strife.
"Did they mention what kind of carrier were you?" Crusch inquires.
I shake my head.
"Unfortunately, they didn't."
[Indistinct murmuring]
"With this, Shirou Emiya is not the plague carrier!" The spokesperson declares.
All of the nobles nod.
"Now, let us move to the next agenda. Shirou Emiya, no, The Rogue Reaper, you are accused for terrorizing the community."
?
"Mister Shirou Emiya, would you kindly enlighten the court on how you save Sir Felix Argyle from his deathbed?" Crusch says with a smirk.
I nod.
I imagine the twenty-seven circuits in my mind.
"Trace on…"
Five lines shimmer to life.
Rule Breaker appears for the world to see.
"The jagged dagger…! When did he pull it out?" One of the nobles says out of astonishment.
Crusch walks to the middle of the court.
"It is a special ability of Shirou Emiya. Similar to my Blessing of the Wind Indication, he has the ability to duplicate any bladed weapons and their unique abilities. And he is able to pull a sword out of thin air." She announces.
"I see… Then, what is the purpose of that dagger?" The spokesperson inquires.
"Rule Breaker has the ability to abolish any magical contract regardless of its properties."
[Indistinct chattering]
"Remarkable! If that's the case, the plague is as good as gone!" One of the nobles states his opinion.
I shake my head.
"Rule Breaker can only cancel a magical contract by physical contact via stabbing. I caused a misunderstanding at the Karsten manor when I first used it." I testify.
"Then, why did you shake your head?" The previous noble questions me.
"The plague is a curse. Therefore, Rule Breaker could easily dispel it. However, if the plague was caused by something different such as pests, we cannot use it." I explain to him.
"And this plague cannot be dispelled without searching for its true caster. Apparently, it's not channeled by a human or demi human." I add.
"I see…" The noble sits down.
"Furthermore, Rule Breaker is a double edged tool, literally and magically. If you have any gifts or blessing, the dagger will abolish the contract as well." I add to show the inconvenience of the dagger.
[Indistinct chattering]
I disperse the dagger, as it was no longer needed.
"As we all know, a Blessing or a Divine Protection may only leave if the current possessor is dead. As for Felix, he was on his deathbed so his Divine Protection of Water hasn't yet leaved his body."
Crusch began explaining the circumstances behind Ferris' fake death.
"Nonetheless, the said dagger nullified his contract with the blessing along with the curse, effectively taking his soul. He was lucky that no other vessels were compatible with the said blessing. His soul promptly returns to his body alongside with the Divine Protection."
The nobles nod approvingly.
"As for why Mister Shirou Emiya was terrorizing the citizen—"
"He was using that dagger to dispel the curse on sick people." The spokesperson concludes.
Crusch nods.
"Then, it is clear. Mister Shirou Emiya is—"
NOT GUILTY
…
For some reason, large alphabets appear in front of the bald judge…
/***Scene break***/
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
"Thanks, Crusch-san."
The young noblewoman chuckles at my gratitude.
"Why are you thanking me? I was the one who caused all this commotion."
I shake my head.
"But I did aggravate it."
Crusch, Ferris, Wilhelm, and I are currently on our way back to the mansion.
We decide to walk among the common folk for a change of scenery.
Usually, we ride a dragon carriage or dragon steeds.
"Speaking of which Shirou-kyun, your original clothes should be ready by nyow~. You can wear it back once we return to the mansion." Ferris tells me.
I nod.
?
I think I spotted someone familiar.
"You guys go on ahead." I tell them.
The trio exchange glances.
I walk away from them to follow a person.
I don't recognize him but his outfit…
"Wait…!" I call out to him.
The person didn't notice me.
I give him a chase.
Once I get close enough to him, I pat his shoulder.
"Huh…?" The person turns to face me.
He was a teenage boy around my age.
He has spiky black hair and slanted eyes.
The reason I followed him was that he resembles people of my homeland.
"You are…" He muses.
The other reason I tailed him was his clothing.
He is wearing a jacket, something foreign to this world.
"I'm sorry… I really don't know you." The taller Japanese boy says to me.
"You're—"
"Ah…! Forget about you! I need to find Satella!" The boy suddenly freaks out.
He dashes away.
"Wait…!"
?
He suddenly vanishes into thin air.
…
What just happened?
Did that boy just perform a teleportation magic?
…
"Shirou-kyun, what's wrong?"
Ferris walks to my side.
"I'm sorry… I guess I was imagining things." I lie to him.
I was sure that was a Japanese person.
His hair indicates his origin.
As for me, I have red hair…
Even among my peers, I stood up like a dork…
At least, Shinji's wavy hair was standing up more than my hair.
…
Who's Shinji?
Is he a friend of mine?
…
Oh well, I'll remember about him eventually.
"Let's go back to the mansion." I tell Ferris.
/***Scene break***/
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
Once again, I stand in front of Crusch's study desk.
Wilhelm and Ferris stand at her side.
"It's time to discuss what we know." The noblewoman says with her hands clasped on the desk.
I nod.
"When I was a refugee, I found out about Emijah Cult. I recall that Scorn mentioned the same name." I start my testimony.
The young woman nods.
"It's true. The same Scorn engaged us when we were on our way back to the capital. He did mention something about this 'Emijah'." Crusch confirms it.
I nod acknowledging the facts.
"I ask around the capital, dressed as a random robed man. I found out about the Cult from the apple, I mean, appa seller."
"That man really is an informant." The amber-eyed woman chuckles at the funny coincidence.
"Anyways, I overheard a man searching for lost daughter. The man, who is also an innkeeper, had lost his daughter for many days. I suspect the Cult has something to do with it."
"And they did?" Ferris interjects.
I nod.
"I resume my investigation about the Cult. And I found out from the same appa seller that the Cult was hiding underground."
"The sewerage system…? No one has ever entered the sewers for a few decades." Crusch muses.
"After a few days of staking out, I finally manage to tail one of the cultists. He was carrying an unconscious child." I resume my tale.
"Not only had they kidnapped the innkeeper's daughter… They even kidnapped a child!" Ferris says begrudgingly.
I shake my head.
"Please wait until my story is finished. The conclusion is very funny." I tell the cat eared knight.
"Ara…?" He tilts his head.
I clear my throat.
"I found a way to enter the sewers in the middle of the capital."
"That's impossible." Crusch suddenly interjects.
?
"There is no entrance from the capital. Anyone who wishes to find the sewers should head to the outskirt of the city." She states.
I shake my head.
"I really did find a way in from inside the city."
The noblewoman purses her lips to hear the rest of my tale.
"When I was stalking the cultist, I accidentally missed him. So, I panicked for awhile."
I pause.
"After gathering my thoughts, I decide to check the walls for any indication of climbing. At first, I thought he was using teleportation spell. But apparently I was wrong."
I pause again.
"There's a spell that binds the wall all across the capital city. It allows those who knew its secret password to enter the underground city."
"Secret password…? An underground city…?" Crusch raises her eyebrow.
I nod.
"There's another city beneath the capital. It is called Melvir."
The three gasp at the sudden news.
"How could that be?" Wilhelm has finally spoken.
He was listening quietly to my tale.
"I was skeptical at first. But, it was vastly populated. Buildings were erected. And most important thing to note is that place is not under the current government's rule. It has no tax."
"A city that eluded the government notice…" Crusch ponders to herself.
"Apparently, the apple seller was living there right now. The assumed kidnapped child was actually his daughter. The cultist I was following was merely helping his friend searching for his daughter." I narrate.
"What…!? She wasn't kidnapped?" Ferris says in disbelieve.
"You mentioned 'apple'." Crusch points out.
"Oh… I meant appa seller."
Even after all these time, I still can't recognize that fruit as an appa…
"So that's where he went!" The noblewoman says in astonished tone.
"What kind of password did you have to use to open this underground city?" Wilhelm inquires.
…
"I can't really explain it but I can show it to you once we are there."
"We won't be going there for now. Our current priority is to find the source of the plague." The green haired woman states.
I nod.
"I was getting to that. Oh, remember the missing innkeeper's daughter? She was there."
Ferris eyebrows start to twitch.
"What is she doing there?" The cross-dresser asks in rather livid tone.
…
"She was striking against her strict father." I divulge the truth.
"WHAT…!? She was just a striking brat…!?" Ferris snaps.
"I know, right? I spend a lot of time trying to find her and it turns out it was a mundane striking girl."
"You know, Shirou-kyun… Maybe we should spank her." Ferris suggests.
Crusch was covering her mouth.
She's probably trying to withhold from laughing.
As for Wilhelm, he was closing his eyes calmly.
I guess he had his fair share of parenting.
"Well, enough about them. There's a temple within that city." I change the subject.
"A temple…?" Crusch raises her eyebrow.
I nod.
"The temple is erected by the Emijah Cult. I met the archpriest that goes by the name, Tuman. He explained to me about this Emijah person. And he also told me that there are four hidden cities that worshipped Emijah."
"FOUR!" Crusch stands up.
I nod.
"I was surprised as well. There are four cities; Melvir, Rosalia, Kjrath, and Estamir. All of them are located underground."
"To think there were four cities that eluded Lugnica…" The noblewoman sits down.
"May I continue?"
"Please do." The amber-eyed woman permits me.
"Tuman preached to me about Emijah. It appears that Emijah showed up around fifty years ago. It was the same time as the plague begun."
Crusch raises her eyebrow.
"I haven't heard anything about the plague's origin." She states.
?
"Nobody knows the beginning of that plague. It only starts to worsen around the capital half a month ago." She informs me.
"Tuman told me that the plague started fifty years ago. He said the plague was a sign that the divines were angry with the people for worshipping the great dragon."
The woman nods.
"I see… So, whoever came up with the plague has the same ideal as me."
?
"You didn't know, did you? Well, at least you knew that I am a candidate for the 42nd Lugnica king."
I nod.
"Should I become the king, I wish to abolish the contract that we made with the dragon five hundred years ago. Lugnica belongs to the people, not the dragon." She declares.
…
I have nothing to say to that.
"You may continue." Crusch tells me.
I nod.
"Tuman told me that Emijah was able to dispel the plague with a touch. Don't you find that strange?"
The other occupants of this room nod.
"If he can dispel a curse with a touch, that means he is the one who created the curse." Ferris concludes.
I thought so too...
"This Emijah Cult is as terrible as the Witch Cult." Crusch comments on the situation.
?
"The Witch Cult…?"
"That's a story for another time. Did you manage to meet Emijah?" The noblewoman inquires.
I shake my head.
"Then, we just have to find him." She nods to herself.
…
"Speaking of the Emijah Cult, most of the cultists were normal civilians. They were harmless… and rather friendly."
Wilhelm raises his eyebrow.
"Shirou-dono, maybe you have forgotten that the court had once been attacked by the same Cult." He suddenly reminds me.
I try to remember.
…
Charred corpses
!
I cover my mouth to prevent myself from vomiting.
"Shirou-kyun…!"
Ferris tries to calm me.
"I'm fine…"
How could I forget?
The attackers were wearing the same red robes.
Wilhelm was cutting them down mercilessly…
!
I cover my mouth again.
"Maybe we should postpone this matter until later. Shirou is not very healthy right now." Crusch suggests.
I raise my hand to deny it.
"I can… go on with it."
I paused to recompose myself.
The young woman stares at me hesitantly.
"I can do this."
"Fine… But if you start acting up again, we will postpone this meeting." She reluctantly allows me to continue.
"I remember it, Wilhelm-san. The same cultists did attack the court before. But I can't remember why I was there."
"You were taken by the court's knights due to being accused as the plague carrier." Wilhelm enlightens me.
…
?
"I think I remember something weird… There was a man who waited for me at the end of the hallway. But he disappeared before I met up with Wilhelm-san."
The blue-eyed butler raises his eyebrow again.
"There was another man there?" He inquires.
I nod.
"He has silvery long hair and was very tall in stature. He adorns a black overcoat. He informed me about the cult's activity before but I don't believe in him. He was a stranger who claimed to arrive from another world."
"Another person who came from a different world…" Crusch muses.
…
"The man vanished into thin air. But, I found black feathers scattering on the floor after he left. I find it fascinating."
"That is intriguing indeed." Crusch agrees with my opinion.
…
"The silver haired man aside, the Emijah Cult is suspected to cause the plague. We will begin our raid tomorrow." The amber-eyed woman declares.
"Felix, inform the other knights." She commands the cat eared person.
"Right away, Crusch-sama…!" The cross-dresser exits the room.
"Shirou, you will lead us to the city entrance. Please rest for today." Crusch issues to me.
…
After hesitating for a moment, I gave her a nod.
/***Scene break***/
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
"So this one means 'ash'…"
"That is right, Shirou-dono."
Wilhelm is currently teaching me the language of this world.
Well, technically we speak the same language.
But our writing systems are different.
He is teaching me how to read and write.
Since we speak the same language, the process of learning went smoothly.
I can handle to read a short story in their language.
…
"What's the matter, Shirou-dono?"
"I think I want to take a break. We've been going through this for an hour."
The aged butler nods.
"For someone who learns from the scratch, you are a fast learner."
"It was nothing special. Our common tongue is what makes it easier."
The blue eyed ex knight nods.
…
"Well, Wilhelm-san. How about we do a spar…? I've been egging to test my swordsman skill that I recalled."
The blue-eyed man nods.
"That sounds like a good idea. We may or may not have a battle tomorrow. It is better if I get myself in shape." The ex knight agrees.
And so, we meet at the courtyard.
Similar to before, I am equipped with two wooden swords and Wilhelm is handling a single weapon in his right arm.
Since I have traced his sword before, I can understand his style a little.
He will keep his left hand hidden behind his back.
He has no need to use it until he wishes to deliver a heavy blow.
"Not that he needs to…" I muse to myself.
The Demon Sword, that's his title.
Wilhelm Van Astrea, a man who single handedly routed a demi human army.
Against someone like me, he'll only need one arm.
I prepare myself for an attack.
"Here I come."
[Heart thumping]
Once again, my body moves as my experience led me.
[Clack, clack]
I parry two of his blows.
[Clack, clack, clack]
The blue-eyed man jabs at me and I parry them away.
[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]
We exchange blows from now and then.
He's barely warming up…
"How about this…?" I muse to myself.
I execute a feint with my left blade.
!
There!
The man takes my bait and tries to parry it.
I stop midair and swing my right blade at him.
[Clack]
…
I backpedal.
That didn't work…
?
!
[Heart thumping]
[CLACK]
Our weapons interlock again.
The same smile appears on his stern face.
I won't fall for the same trick!
I push him away.
[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]
We trade blows again.
His rhythm doesn't falter even once.
It's like a dance to him.
[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]
The weapons made sound as they kept clashing to each other.
[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]
…
I'm running out of breath…
[CLACK, CLACK]
I force his blade to a stalemate.
I was trying to gain some breathing room.
"You're losing your composure, Shirou-dono."
…
This time, he forces me to back away.
!
In a split second, he reappears above me.
I form a cross with my blades.
[CLACK]
An overhead slash was blocked.
I could feel the pressure of his strength.
And he was using only his right arm…
Wilhelm is qualified to be a Servant.
…
I smile.
More memories are coming to me.
…
Well, actually that was the only that pops out.
What is a Servant?
?
[THUD]
/***Scene break***/
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
I found myself sitting on grass field.
The starry sky is above my head.
There's a graveyard just beside us.
…
"Us…?" I try to mutter.
"Don't you dare turn around, you hear me?"
A familiar voice speaks.
She sounds very similar with Anastasia Hoshin…
And that includes the dialect…
Even if she told me not to look, I try to glimpse at her.
The girl has wavy black hair tied in twin tails.
She's wearing a red coat and ridiculously short skirt.
…
I think I had described her like that a few times…
"I'm talking to myself." The girl suddenly mutters.
?
"I might have made a mistake." She resumes.
…
"I should have done what Archer said and beaten Caster without caring how I did it."
…
The word 'Archer' echoes in my ear.
That particular name irks me.
…
Or was it a name?
"I was trying to find an opening because I was worried about small sacrifices."
?
"But it turns out that everybody in this town might be sacrificed now." The girl resumes.
…
What's this about people being sacrificed?
"I'm not complaining… But I keep screwing up when it counts most. I can handle the second and third most important thing with ease. But I always have problem with my main objective."
…
"It's not Archer's fault alone that he went to Caster's side. It's my fault for letting Caster be."
…
Who are this Archer and Caster?
"But yeah… it really gets me." The girl starts talking again.
"I was talking to him earlier, but I'm cornered already." She adds.
She let out a sigh.
…
"Hey now… This is where you make a comment."
?
"Oh… So, what were you cornered by, T*hsa*a?" My mouth runs by itself.
"It's about never regretting your own actions. He said I'm not the type to regret my actions, but it seems now is the critical moment. I'm even more depressed that I've made a mistake."
…
I really don't understand the situation…
But, I really want to comfort this girl.
"That's just now, right? It's irritating, but I agree with Archer. There's nothing for you to regret."
My mouth moves by itself.
"Why…? Caster is doing whatever she wants, and even Archer lost faith in me. This is because my policy was a mistake, right?" The girl counters.
…
"That's just being unsuccessful. You haven't made a mistake. If you haven't made a mistake, you can be proud of yourself even if you were failed."
The girl didn't respond to my statement.
"Yeah… To be honest, you have always shined in my eyes." I continue.
I pause.
"I won't regret my actions either. I believe in what I do even if it was full of stitches."
…
What am I saying?
"But you're different." The dream 'me' says.
…
"You're the type that will regret something, then go back and retaliate. I'm deceiving myself with all the patchwork, but you go and completely destroy it with a straight face." I tell her.
…
"Ugh… What is that? Are you trying to finish me off?" She retorts.
"Yeah… I thought I should strike while your guard was down." I reply.
…
"Well, isn't that true? I'm sure you don't intend to give up now."
(Shirou Emiya's point of view)
It was another weird dream…
I sit up.
…
While I was unconscious, I found myself clutching the garnet pendant.
"Who was that girl?"
…
But first things first, what happened?
"Shirou-sama."
The maid who gave me the pendant spoke.
"Oh, it's you again."
She nods with a small smile.
I touch my head.
!
I quickly remove my hand.
I think there's a lump on my head…
"Wilhelm-sama has overdone it again." The maid informs me.
…
I got distracted again…
That butler is merciless if he found an opening.
"I've never seen Wilhelm-sama smiled so much before. Your presence here must have reminded him of his grandson."
?
"Wilhelm-san has a grandson?"
The maid nods.
"His name is Reinhard Van Astrea. But I heard they were not close."
…
"Hey." I call to her.
"Yes, Shirou-sama."
"Thanks for helping from before." I thank her.
She helped me more than once.
The maid shakes her head.
"I've done nothing. All I did is giving you that pendant."
I inspect the pendant.
"For that, I must thank you." I mutter.
The maid smiles innocently at me.
"If you insist… Then, teach me how to prepare chicken chop." She requests.
I nod.
"Sure. But I still haven't heard your name."
"Oh… My name is—"
The young woman suddenly pauses.
"SHIROU-SAMA, GET AWAY FROM HERE!"
!
She pushes me off the bed.
"What the—"
[EXPLOSION]
I pause midsentence.
The maid vanishes from my sight in an inferno.
#Chapter End#
/Character traits unlocked/
Dream cycle: A small talk with the red clad girl, mentioning Archer irks me
~Event unlocked~
Raid on Karsten manor
/Case Unlocked – Shirou's perspective/
Case 01: Woman with ill mother (solved)
I manage to heal her mother. It confirmed my suspicion that the plague is a curse. I got my head hit by a vase in return. She pulled my ears because I ran away from her custody.
Case 02: Strange person with similar outfit as mine
I've met the strange person. He was a Japanese boy around my age. He has slanted eyes and spiky black hair. The boy yelled something about 'Satella' before vanishing.
Case 03: Beautiful girl with silver hair
The said stranger was looking for a silver haired girl.
Case 04: Man with missing daughter (solved)
Now I know why the knights were taking him lightly. His daughter was just striking!
Case 05: Strange Trio
I saw three oddly dressed men at the marketplace. All of them are very tall. One of them exceeds standard human height. The huge man adorned red robe with gold lining. The said man is a blond man with a moustache. He left without saying anything to me. The other man was a person with snow-white hair, slicked back, and azure blue eyes. He adorned cerulean three-tailed overcoat on his black Kevlar. The man was annoyed with me for no reason. He left without saying anything. The last man was a slender man with long silver hair. I don't think he was the girl that mysterious jacket person was looking for… The said man has green catlike eyes. He adorned black coat over his naked chest.
Case 06: Silver haired man
A different case file is made for this particular man. He and I had a conversation. Apparently, those who aren't from this world can't recognize 'appa' as apples. He told about the existence of many worlds but somehow I was not surprised. He told me about the underground cultist. Later, I meet him again in a strange building. He left after I doubt his intention. There were black feathers scattered on the floor after he left.
Case 07: Underground Cultists (solved)
They were the Emijah Cultist.
Case 08: Witch Cultist
I heard this from Wilhelm-san.
Case 09: Strange maid (updated)
…
Case 10: Red mages
A mage in red robes by name Scorn engaged me in combat. I lost pathetically… His spells consist of Hellfire (Fireballs), Aegis (Invisible force field that blocks physical attack), Pulverize (Tossing giant boulders), pyramid-shaped energy bolt, and some kind of spell that allows him to materialize shadow. He knew my full name. His companion showed up to prevent Scorn from killing me. The other red mage is called Strife. They said I was a carrier. Was I the carrier for the plague? I was sure they were the one who brought me here and erased my memories.
Case 11: The Plague
I've confirm this as a curse. Rule Breaker should do the trick.
Case 12: Dragon Priestess
I heard this from the apple seller (don't bother to correct me). Five candidates will be chosen to be the King of Lugnica (the name of this kingdom). Right now, only four candidates have been chosen. The chosen four were Anastasia Hoshin, Crusch Karsten (I was surprised to hear this), Pricilla Barielle, and an unknown half elf. The half elf was nicknamed the Devil. I don't see why they called her a half devil…
Case 13: Emijah Cult
Strange cult has been preaching around the capital. I suspect that they were the one spreading the plague. Scorn and Strife once mentioned the name of their lord is 'Emijah'. I've found their hideout and it turned out to be a large underground city. Surprisingly, they have four cities dedicated to 'Emijah'. The four cities are Melvir (capital), Rosalia (Kararagi), Kjrath (somewhere near the Flugel tree), and Estamir (under Margrave Roswaal territory).
[Author's note]
Well, it's my guilty pleasure to make game reference…
As you all guess, that was Ace Attorney.
Anyways, don't worry about Gae Bolg.
I didn't forget it.
In fact, I got something special for that particular Noble Phantasm.
Anyhow, things are going to get complicated.
Factual contradiction will be imminent.
Remember, this is a mystery story.
It is common for the earlier facts to be contradicted later.
It was the characters opinions at the time.
With less information, they might be wrong.
Moreover, to prevent any confusion, recall every single fact.
Even the slightest detail may lead to the truth.
I ask you guys to bear with me until the end of this arc.
Everything will be answered in this very arc, even Scorn's and Sephiroth's appearance.
The next arc will be in a different story since its genre will contradict the first story.
I'll update everyday so don't worry about waiting for too long.
I estimate that in eight days, this arc will conclude.
Thank you for reading.