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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
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Chapter 212
The arrest was carried out very meticulously and swiftly.
Thanks to Nyhill.
Right after arriving at the hotel where the suspect was presumed to be staying.
Her performance began.
“On the right room on the 7th floor.”
“…Huh?”
The distance from the building they departed from to this hotel was very far.
So he only managed to roughly determine the suspect’s approximate location by spreading out his senses.
He couldn’t find out exactly which floor or room.
So it was a moment when he was gathering his mana again to spread out his senses.
…But Nyhill seemed to have already pinpointed the suspect’s location.
The boys looked at Nyhill with surprised eyes.
In response to their questioning looks, she answered briefly.
“As soon as we arrived, the window closed and the curtains were drawn.”
At first, Ban and Gerald didn’t understand for a moment.
But soon they realized the meaning and exclaimed in admiration.
‘If the criminal is in hiding, they must have been wary of trackers.’
Without a doubt, they would have been on guard, looking out the window.
Meanwhile, they were interrupted by Extreme 3 Team causing a commotion.
‘And our attire is not formal. It doesn’t match this luxury accommodation at all.’
It was clear that they had come for a different purpose just by looking at them.
The suspect would have instinctively felt threatened.
Ban looked up at the window on the 7th floor.
A tightly closed window.
Thick curtains drawn.
Perhaps because of the mood, it felt like someone’s gaze could be felt through the gap in the curtains.
Nyhill’s calm voice reached his ears.
“Ban.”
“Yeah.”
“Would you like to scan the 7th floor area precisely?”
Although he was exhausted from spreading out his senses and rushing here, it was possible within that range.
Humming—
Ban immediately sent out a scan.
Of course, upscale accommodations often had barriers to prevent external magical activities.
But Ban already had the ability to extend his magic beyond those barriers.
Dietrich’s detection was extraordinary.
A moment later.
Ban nodded up and down.
“That’s him. The energy is the same.”
“Alright, let’s move.”
Nyhill gestured briefly with her eyes.
“One of you go up to the 7th floor corridor to see if the suspect is fleeing, and the other one follow me.”
Gerald expressed doubt.
“Huh? Is there a reason to do that? Can’t we just go in and arrest him?”
“…There is a procedure for everything.”
Leaving those words behind, she headed to the 1st-floor counter.
And after showing the suspect’s Montage (an official document issued by the security department) to the staff to secure relevant statements.
She obtained a falsified accommodation list.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
While calling the security, Nyhill headed to the carriage storage.
Gerald went up to the 7th floor and Ban followed.
‘…Carriage storage?’
Nyhill began to inspect the carriage stored under the suspect’s name.
She inspected it back and forth, and soon nodded.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Ban couldn’t understand what she meant at all, but he followed Nyhill’s words anyway.
They hurriedly went up to the 7th floor.
The arrival of the security Nyhill called coincided with a similar timing.
* * *
As Nyhill said, there was always a procedure for everything.
Even if the 7th-floor guests were certain the suspect was there, barging in and arresting him would be a clear illegal act.
They were not security guards, and they had no investigative authority.
Of course, since they were noble children themselves, they could do it if they wanted…
‘It would tarnish the professor’s reputation.’
Was that the reason?
Nyhill followed the procedure thoroughly to proceed with the request.
Only then did Ban and Gerald understand her intentions and nodded in admiration.
If the team had been just the two of them, they might have rushed to arrest the suspect without knowing about various illegal actions.
“Thank you for handling everything neatly.”
There was no problem even with receiving the suspect.
When the young nobles, students of Rosenstark, showed a respectful attitude, the security guards willingly helped them.
“Now that the general procedures are done, please take care of everything and hand it over to us.”
Click—
After the squad leader, who saluted, left.
“It’s truly regrettable that such a criminal was hiding in our hotel.”
The manager of the establishment appeared and bowed his head respectfully.
Grateful that the work was completed without any damage, he promised full cooperation, saying that other guests didn’t even know such a thing had happened.
They were willing to temporarily hand over the room where the suspect had been staying as a makeshift interrogation room.
It was a bonus to have the staff collect and compile the statements on their own.
About ten minutes later.
The children could face the bound and gagged suspect with their eyes and ears covered.
It was so easy to solve the problem that they were dumbfounded.
“Uh, uh!”
Ban compared the suspect’s Montage and physical appearance for the time being.
Suspect Information
Name: Jerry Blaze
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated to be in his 30s
Physical characteristics: Height of about 180cm, taller than average, lean physique, dark skin, short black hair, brown eyes, small burn marks around the face and neck.
…It’s certain.
“What about Priest Cain?”
“I notified him. He’ll be here soon.”
“Well, then…”
Gerald suddenly stood up, isolated the suspect in the bathroom, and returned.
“What should we ask him first?”
Ban replied promptly.
“First, his whereabouts of the relic. Obviously, he doesn’t have it.”
Gerald muttered with frustration.
“Could he have already sold it? And stayed in this luxury hotel with that money?”
“Well, that’s unlikely. There’s no reason for someone who stole merchandise to stay in a place like this.”
“But then, where is the relic? If he didn’t sell it…”
Before Ban could answer, Nyhill intervened.
“He probably handed it over to an accomplice.”
“Accomplice?”
Both Ban and Gerald questioned simultaneously.
The first to agree was Ban.
“Actually, we’ve been suspecting this as a planned crime targeting the Holy stone from the beginning.”
Gerald also nodded belatedly.
“In that case, there’s a good chance there’s an accomplice.”
“He might have already handed the relic to a separate transporter… or maybe left the item at a predetermined location?”
Gerald’s expression darkened at those words.
If that were the case, retrieving the relic would become significantly more difficult.
Nyhill, who had been silent, spoke up.
“We don’t know exactly how many accomplices there are, but for now, the fact that the suspect stayed at this hotel means this place is a meeting point.”
“Huh?”
“Ordinary fugitives wouldn’t even consider staying in such a luxury establishment. The chances are high that someone here was waiting to help him escape.”
Gerald raised an eyebrow.
“Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?”
“It’s not a stretch.”
“…How can you be so sure?”
“I went to the carriage storage earlier.”
Nyhill explained briefly.
“The bottom of the carriage entrusted by the suspect was cleverly doubled. The accomplice was probably planning for the suspect to hide inside.”
Gerald’s mouth fell open.
Ban, who had accompanied her to the carriage storage, was even more amazed.
“…So, was the plan for him to hide there and escape? What about the inspection?”
It was then that Ban exclaimed as if he had realized something.
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“It’s almost the Harvest Festival. The inspections wouldn’t be as strict as usual.”
“…Right. It was completely planned. These cunning kids.”
Gerald stared at the bathroom with narrowed eyes.
“Alright, then let’s organize. We should ask about the relic’s whereabouts during the interrogation and confirm the presence of accomplices and their information. Right?”
Ban and Nyhill nodded simultaneously.
“Okay, let’s get started!”
Gerald approached the bathroom briskly.
As she watched Gerald’s figure, Nyhill’s eyes slowly sank.
‘Why specifically the Holy stone?’
In fact, the reason Nyhill joined the children was because of the orders she received from her superiors.
Strange incidents that have been happening in the central and western regions recently.
That was because only items containing Holy stones were quietly hiding.
From small temple relics to someone’s possessions.
Mother Ghost must have sensed something unusual, so she ordered nearby agents to investigate.
Nyhill, who had been busy monitoring the Hero, temporarily handed over her original mission to the doll and came all the way to Laman.
She pondered the question again.
‘Why the Holy stone?’
It took him three months of effort.
During that preparation period, he could have stolen something even more valuable.
Above all, the Holy stone is the worst as merchandise.
It was easy to identify and track.
‘Besides, nothing has been put up for sale yet.’
Even just the items reported missing numbered in the dozens.
Yet the black market remained clean.
Nyhill came up with several conjectures.
‘Is it being melted down to increase its purity?’
But that was also unlikely.
In this era, there is no one except Noubelmag who can properly process Holy stones to bring out their functions.
Therefore, it was suspected that someone else who could handle Holy stones had appeared.
That’s why a high-ranking agent like Nyhill was dispatched to investigate a simple series of losses.
It was also because if she performed this mission excellently, she could regain some of the trust she had lost from Mother Ghost.
As Nyhill thought of her, she instinctively rubbed her stiff neck.
It had been a long time since she had lost consciousness, but she still felt like someone was touching her.
If they continued to worsen their relationship like this, ‘removal’ wouldn’t just be someone else’s problem.
‘…We need to conduct a proper interrogation with the suspect.’
The methods of the Intelligence Division would be more suitable for obtaining accurate statements.
Nyhill thought, her glass-like eyes observing the backs of the children and the suspect.
…A bitter light briefly flickered within them, but disappeared in an instant.
The interrogation began more smoothly than expected.
Jerry confessed to the crime without resistance.
“I admit to stealing the relic.”
Ban immediately followed up with a question.
“So, where is the relic now?”
Gerald, as if electrified, shook Ban’s shoulders.
“Hey, don’t be so polite to the criminal.”
Approaching Jerry’s face, Gerald began to intimidate him.
“Spill it if you want leniency. Otherwise, you’ll rot in Stagnum.”
Despite Gerald’s menacing face inches from his own, Jerry showed no signs of fear or amusement.
He simply murmured calmly,.
“To the right place. That’s the only answer.”
“…The right place?”
This time, Cain, the priest who was observing the interrogation, trembled slightly around his eyes.
He let out a deep sigh.
“Brother, how could you say that to us… Please, return it. It’s a relic passed down through generations.”
However, Jerry responded calmly, as if he felt no guilt.
“I appreciate what you’ve done for me. But even so, I can’t just let the relic remain in the hands of false gods.”
Cain’s mouth fell open.
“False gods? That thief!”
…It was probably the strongest curse he had ever uttered in his life.
Nyhill alternated her gaze between the flushed face of the priest and the strangely calm Jerry.
‘False gods.’
Something felt ‘off.’
After all, it was a religion that had lost its divine power long ago and was barely continuing its lineage.
What was the point of arguing about its authenticity now?
…Meanwhile, Ban and Gerald were eagerly watching their conversation, oblivious to the strangeness.
“You are the thief.”
“What?”
“I only took the relic from the hands of false gods and their believers.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Just before Father Cain could foam at the mouth, Nyhill intervened.
“You.”
“…What?”
“Are you from the Demonic Church?”
…Jerry’s reaction was intense.
“Don’t compare me to those vermin!”
“…Hm.”
“He is, he’s a chosen apostle of the true god, the savior of this damn world! Those who know nothing defile his radiance with slander!”
The interrogation room fell into a brief, shocking silence.
Even Cain closed his mouth at the ferocious response.
The only one whose expression didn’t change was Nyhill.
‘…Him. Is he an accomplice?’
No, in this case, it would be more appropriate to call him the mastermind.
‘A new religion, perhaps.’
It wasn’t an unreasonable speculation.
Just as the demonic religion gained power after the fall of the Holy Church.
The void left by the collapse of a giant religion was inevitably filled by another.
But what was more peculiar was Jerry.
His level of obsession was excessive.
What did he show them to mesmerize people like that?
After a moment of contemplation, Nyhill shook her head.
‘Let’s focus on the main issue again. Why would a new religion collect Holy stones?’
But obtaining more information from Jerry was impossible.
Despite Ban and Gerald’s successive questions and Cain’s plea, he remained silent.
‘As expected, a simple interrogation won’t do.’
Nyhill sighed quietly and pressed the pager in her pocket.
…There was no other way in the end.
Beep-
The detachment leader of the guards returned to the interrogation room shortly after.
He awkwardly explained that the commander of the guards had changed his mind and decided to detain the suspect in their facility for just one day.
The children had no choice but to reluctantly watch Jerry being taken away.
.
.
.
Nyhill scaled the guard’s wall in the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep.
But even she couldn’t have predicted what happened next.
“…..”
Jerry lay cold and still.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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