Vincent Kamarev… of all people, someone so influential is likely the culprit and the danger, according to Claire Jefferson before her death. Sophie and Fiona, as well as Sternlicht, now make their way to him.
Sophie: "So… here… we are…"
Fiona: "Alright, we're going in."
Sophie: "Just like that…? Are you sure?"
Fiona: "We can't just sneak around… What if he isn't the one… we need to check a lot of things…"
They went inside…
Bodyguard: "How can I help…?"
Fiona: "Detective Fiona Philomela Househould… Dark Umbrella detective. We want to speak with Mr. Vincent Kamarev…"
Bodyguard: "That's not possible…"
Fiona: "I'm sorry… sir… but you don't even have the right to refuse… The reason is… we are detectives. That means we have the right to speak with him whether you like it or not, that's the law… You are a bodyguard… you should know that… unless you are here despite not understanding the rules a bodyguard in a company should know… hmm?"
Bodyguard: "Sorry… alright… you can speak with him… let me talk to him first."
Fiona: "Thank you."
Sophie: "Wow… you're really scary…"
Fiona: "Some idiots think they can ignore the law… they only remember it when someone tells them…"
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Bodyguard: "Hmm… he is… in a meeting… sorry…"
Fiona: "Can we wait?"
Bodyguard: "Sure… but… it might take a long time… 2 hours… or so…"
Fiona: "Fine."
Bodyguard: "Would you like… something to drink or eat?"
Fiona: "Hmm?… No, thank you… uh… your tie isn't right…"
Bodyguard: "Ugh… thank you… really… my boss would have fired me… thank you."
Fiona: "No problem… as for me, I don't need anything… but you can ask my colleague… or Sternlicht, the girl with the dark hair."
Bodyguard: "Sure… sure…"
Sophie and Sternlicht said nothing… they shook their heads and sat next to Fiona…
Sophie: "Hmm… you can be nice sometimes…"
Fiona: "Huh?…"
Sophie: "Hehe…"
Fiona: "What?… I felt sorry for him… I was a bit harsh…"
Sternlicht: "Hmm…"
The bodyguard looked around and then just stood there…
Sophie: "Sitting here for two hours is boring…"
Fiona: "Well…"
Sternlicht: "Mmm."
Fiona: "What is it, Sternlicht?"
Sternlicht: "My headphones… heard something… it sounds like flowing…"
Fiona: "Huh?…"
Sophie: "Headphones?"
Fiona: "Oh… Sternlicht has pain in her ears from noises… these headphones reduce the pain… You said flowing?"
Sternlicht: "Yes… at that statue over there…"
Fiona: "Hmm?… flowing… Sophie… can you distract the bodyguard please?"
Sternlicht: "Huh?"
Sophie: "Why?"
Fiona: "I want to check something…"
Sophie: "There are cameras…"
Fiona: "Doesn't matter."
Sophie: "Okay… Oh, excuse me… is there water here?"
Bodyguard: "Oh… yes… I'll get it right away."
He hurried off. At that moment, Fiona stood up and looked at the statue…
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "Hahh… I see…"
She looked around…
Crane: "Hey… Fiona… it smells strange…"
Chika: "Smells like… blood."
Fiona: "Blood…?"
She started touching it… until a piece of stone cracked… and then… she saw something…
Fiona: "Ugh… the… eyes… are… human… huh?"
She heard the bodyguard… she quickly returned and sat down…
Sophie: "And?"
Fiona: "Not here… okay…"
Sophie: "Hmm."
Bodyguard: "Oh… here… sorry it took so long…"
Sophie: "Thank you…"
She took the bottle and wanted to give it to Sternlicht.
Sternlicht: "Thank you…"
Fiona: "Better not drink anything…"
Sternlicht: "Why?"
Fiona: "Something's wrong… the statue… Crane and Chika said it smelled like blood…"
Sophie: "What?"
Fiona: "I… saw a hole in the eye… it was… human… too human for a statue…"
Sophie: "You don't think… they're humans, right?"
Fiona: "No… I think I just imagined it… I hope…"
(2 hours later)
Bodyguard: "You can come now…"
Sophie: "Finally…"
Fiona: "Hahh… thought I'd have to stay overnight…"
They stood up…
Sternlicht: "Mmm…"
They walked further…
Bodyguard: "Sorry it took so long…"
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "No problem… tell me… how long have you been working here?"
Bodyguard: "About… 8 hours…"
Fiona: "Are you new?"
Bodyguard: "Yes… today is my third day."
Fiona: "Good… take a two-week break…"
Bodyguard: "Why?"
Fiona: "I think that would be better… your boss… is suspected of killing someone…"
Bodyguard: "Ugh."
Fiona: "And since you're new, he doesn't trust you… so be careful… and take two weeks off until the investigation is finished…"
They stood in front of the office…
Bodyguard: "Hmm."
(Knock!)
He knocked…
Vincent: "Come in."
They opened the door…
Bodyguard: "Forgive me, sir… but these detectives from the Dark Umbrella want to speak with you."
Vincent: "Leave."
Bodyguard: "Okay."
He left…
Fiona: "Fiona Philomela Househould… and these are my colleagues… Sophie Valeria and Sternlicht… we have a few questions for you, Mr. Kamarev."
Vincent: "Hahhh… how many times do I have to say I don't like detectives…"
Fiona: "Then we agree on something… I hate media journalists… like you…"
Vincent: "Hmph… what do you want."
Fiona: "Vincent Kamarev… where were you yesterday… more precisely… on the 14th of Augustin?"
Vincent: "Here… where else?"
Fiona: "Hahh… do you know this mask… here."
She took one…
Vincent: "Huh?"
Fiona: "We saw this mask on someone who claimed he worked for a certain Vincent… shortly after… his head exploded… do you know this mask?"
Vincent: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "This mask is only a replica…"
Vincent: "I don't know it… why would I have masks?"
Fiona: "Do you know a Claire Jefferson?"
Vincent: "No."
Fiona: "Hmm… I see… one more thing, Mr. Vincent… your statues… why did one of them smell like blood?"
Vincent: "Ugh… smell like blood… one of the servants probably got hurt."
He became nervous…
Vincent: "Hmm…"
Sophie: "I see…"
Fiona: "Hmm… while your bodyguard wasn't here… I checked it… and broke the statue with my hand… and saw that its eyes were human."
Vincent: "How dare you! Do you have any idea how expensive that is… uh… wait… what did you say?"
Fiona: "They looked human… can you explain that?… can you also explain why 5 of your critics died within 4 months… by suicide?… is that a coincidence?… one of your newspapers had a controversy about children being abused for labor to deliver newspapers… you have many controversies… since I work for the Dark Umbrella… it's my job to know… and Sophie's as well…"
Vincent: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "So… can you tell us?… how is it possible that 4 of your critics died in such a short time… by suicide?"
Vincent: "Coincidence."
Fiona: "Coincidence?… are you serious…?"
Fiona became angry and slammed her hand on the table…
Vincent: "Ugh."
Fiona: "Mmmm!"
She looked him in the eyes…
Fiona: "Do I look like I'm that stupid!!!… answer properly… in front of you is someone who works for the Dark Umbrella for the law!… even if it's an organization… it is a recognized organization of the governments…"
Vincent: "Hmm… you have beautiful eyes."
Fiona: "Mmmm…"
Fiona became even more angry…
Fiona: "You're not defending yourself, you're changing the subject… that is very suspicious…"
Vincent: "Hmph…"
Suddenly she saw Sternlicht and Sophie fall unconscious.
(Crash)
Vincent: "Hehehe."
Fiona: "Huh?.."
He aimed his pistol at her…
Vincent: "Hehehehehehe…"
Fiona: "You're really stupid… you know that?… you had a chance to shift the blame to someone else… but now you've shot yourself in the foot…"
Vincent: "Hmph… Detective Fiona from the Dark Umbrella… even if… I'll just say you attacked me… and falsely accused me… I own most of the media here in Prussia… I… am… the winner here…"
Fiona: "Hmm…"
Vincent: "Now hands up."
She raised her hands…
Vincent: "Don't do anything stupid… hold her."
Two bodyguards appeared…
Vincent: "Hehehe."
Fiona: "I see… the nice bodyguard isn't one of you… good… then I don't have to feel guilty."
Vincent: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Chika… kill them."
Chika appeared and with her nails… she sliced them…
(Splach!)
Vincent: "Ughhh…"
Fiona: "Hmph…"
They fell dead to the ground…
Fiona: "An attack on a Dark Umbrella detective… that means I was allowed to defend myself… you picked the wrong people… Sophie… how about you finally get up, I know you're just pretending."
Sophie: "Hahh… (Yawn)… I was really tired… had to sleep for 5 minutes…"
Vincent: "What… but… there were sleeping pills in it…"
Fiona: "Hmph… they don't work on her… she's poison resistant, idiot…"
Sophie: "(Yawn)… alright… should we kill him?"
Fiona: "Hmph…"
Vincent: "No… no… no… you can't… I… I'm powerful… I'm influential!"
Fiona: "Aha… does it look like we care?… no one stands in the way of the Dark Umbrella…"
She aimed the pistol…
Vincent: "Ughh…"
Fiona: "Hmph…"
She fired multiple times at him…
(Bang) (Bang) (Bang)
Sternlicht: "Hmm… (Sigh)… what… happened… ugh!"
She saw Vincent's corpse…
Sternlicht: "Ugh…"
Fiona: "You see, Sternlicht… we are not the nice ones… we kill too… take this sack of juice out… and report to the Dark Umbrella what happened… they'll take care of him…"
Sophie: "Was it right to kill him?"
Fiona: "Yes… he killed Claire…"
Sophie: "So she was important to you after all…"
Fiona: "…hmm…"
(Memory)
Claire: "My dear… what is it…?"
Fiona: "Mmmm…"
Claire: "Huh?…"
Fiona: "Thank you… for the help… here… I… I have a gift… for you… for your birthday…"
She gave her a… handmade wooden fish… it didn't look very good…
Claire: "Ugh… hehe… that's very sweet…"
She took it…
Fiona: "Sorry… I… I'm not good at it…"
Claire: "That's okay… it looks great… really… but… since it's my birthday… I want an even better gift…"
Fiona: "Huh?… what kind?"
Claire: "I want to see your smile… show it to me, dear… come on…"
Fiona: "Huh?… mmm…"
Claire: "Come on… show it…"
Fiona: "Mmm…"
Fiona smiled at her…
Claire: "Ugh… that's such a beautiful smile…"
Fiona covered her face… and blushed…
Claire: "Hehe."
Fiona: "Mmmm…"
Claire: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "Mmm… huh."
She suddenly felt warm hands on her head… and a warm body…
Fiona: "Huh."
Claire: "Hehehe."
She hugged Fiona warmly…
Claire: "Thank you, Fiona… this is the most beautiful birthday I've ever had… you… are a really good girl…"
(End of memory)
(A few hours later)
(Dong)… (Dong)
At Claire Jefferson's grave…
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "Rest in peace… Claire…"
She placed flowers on her grave…
Sophie: "You wanted to kill Vincent… because you were afraid her spirit would seek revenge… right?"
Fiona: "No… but so he wouldn't destroy the grave… she deserved peace…"
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "Come on… let's go…"
Sophie: "Okay…"
(Meanwhile in Titia)
Titia… a region in the Slavic Empire… and the second largest after Prussia… this kingdom is known for its large buildings, clocks, and airships… the houses resemble those of the 20s, just much bigger and made of lots of metal… the houses are painted green, yellow, brown, or red… but the most famous are the clocks… there are more than 50 clock towers in this place… which is why it is also called Uhrenwald… Chasovoy les… (Clock Forest)… the clock towers are made of metal… the sight of airships above the towers is breathtaking…
(Patch!) (Patch)
And there lives a young woman… named Violet Miranda…
Violet: "Haaahhh… (Yawn)… time to do something… to earn money…"
She took her things…
Violet: "Time… to look around…"
She took her dark jacket and climbed onto the roof…
Violet: "Hahhhh…"
She took her watch…
Violet: "Hehehe… The Cursed Fool is here…"
Violet is a known thief who steals from rich people… her ability is actually incredible… she was naturally cursed… by death… because she laughed during a grave moment as a child… well… she laughed because a dog licked her finger… still, there is the legend… whoever laughs at a grave… will be cursed… her curse allows her to use dark purple smoke… she is made of dark smoke… meaning she can transform her body… it is possible for her to die… but like Fiona… not through time… she cannot age… she only dies if someone hits her heart or if ash enters her blood… meaning ash in blood… through eating or drinking… for her it is like poison…
Violet: "Hahhh… hmm?…"
She jumped down… and transformed into an owl made of smoke… this ability could simply be called Pepel… which means ash…
(Wupsss)..
Violet: "Hahh…"
She went through a window… and walked calmly, looking around…
Violet: "Hmm…"
She wore a jacket… underneath a t-shirt… her midriff and back were exposed…
Violet: "Huh?"
Someone was sleeping on the sofa… it was a woman…
Violet: "Hmm… shhhh… don't disturb… hehe…"
She sneaked toward the woman and quietly took her necklace…
Violet: "Mmm… okay…"
Then she quickly left…
Violet: "Alright… to the next house…"
(A few hours later)
(Knock!) (Knock!)
Violet: "Morning… hello?… little brother…"
He opened the door… it was a young boy…
Violet: "Hehehe… there you are… Kai…"
Kai: "Don't call me little brother… I'm not your brother…"
Violet: "Oh come on… in the gang we're almost like siblings… hehe…"
Kai: "Hmm."
Violet: "Is Dina and Matteo here?"
Kai: "Yes."
Violet: "Where are they?"
Kai: "They're looking at the things they stole…"
Violet: "Oh hehe… I wasn't the only successful one then…"
She went inside…
Kai: "Listen… Violet… I think it's really nice of you… that you take care of us… but you shouldn't just steal from dangerous places just to give us food…"
Violet: "The food is also for me… those rich bastards have enough…"
Kai: "Hmm… how are your pains… because of the curse?"
Violet: "Huh?… hmm…"
She showed her shoulder… it was… made of smoke… similar to Fiona's curse… just on the arm instead of the leg…
Violet: "It's… okay today… for once…"
She sat down…
Violet: "I'm hungry."
Kai: "Oh… I'll make food."
Violet: "Thanks, Kai…"
Kai: "You're welcome."