LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 23: The Exiled Young Girl Investigates
After the initial questioning, the search for the missing man named James began in earnest.
We started with questioning Bolta. Since I feared being underestimated, I asked Will to handle the interrogation.
“Alright, let’s get started. When was the last time you saw James? What did you talk about?”
“Yes. The last time I saw James was last night at the house provided by the My Lady.”
“And?”
“We talked about work, but he seemed quite tired. It seems that the journey through the Demon Forest had taken a significant mental toll on him.”
“I see.”
“To lift his spirits, we also talked about James’ daughter. Her birthday is next month.”
“I understand.”
“So, I tried to cheer him up by reminding him of his daughter’s face and told him not to overwork himself. I gave him my favorite tobacco and told him to take a break.”
“Tobacco? You give such a high-end item to your subordinate?”
“Of course. It’s our practice at the Tarkley Trading Company to properly reward good workers. This way, they stay with us longer.”
“…Right. Our princess is similar in that regard.”
“Huh? Wait a minute, Will! Why are you bringing me into this conversation?”
“Ah, sorry! My bad. Anyway, Bolta, what happened afterward?”
“Yes. I gave him the pipe, the tobacco, and the ignition magic tool, and told him to enjoy the village scenery while taking a break. After that, I went to sleep, so I don’t know much more. When I woke up this morning, James was gone.”
“Hmm. So, what do the pipe and the ignition magic tool look like?”
“Yes. I have them in my room, so you can see them later.”
“Alright, then let’s go take a look right away.”
“Wait! When did you last see James?”
“Well, it’s a bit hard to tell since there’s no church bell, but…”
“So, how long after sunset was it?”
“Right. He came back after I had dinner, which was after sunset. So, it should have been within the time from sunset to one bell.”
“I see.”
“One bell is two hours.”
“So…”
We asked various questions, but we didn’t find any contradictions in Bolta’s statements. Moreover, the time James left was quite late for the village.
Given such a late hour, there might not be any witnesses.
But why was he out at such a late hour? Isn’t that strange?
Since we couldn’t find any decisive information from the interrogation, we went to Bolta’s room to check.
“The tobacco supplies are in that ornate box. Please feel free to inspect them.”
Bolta pointed to an ornate box that looked quite expensive.
“Alright. Will.”
“Yes.”
Will opened the box Bolta had pointed to. Inside, there were several wooden pipes and a small red stone.
“What is that stone?”
“That is an ignition magic tool. It is the same as the one I lent to James.”
“Marry.”
“Yes.”
Marry took one of the ignition magic tools from the ornate box. When she firmly gripped it, a small flame flickered out as if being pushed out.
“It seems to be genuine and the same as the one found at the scene.”
“Hmm. As expected?”
“Yes.”
“Miss? What do you mean by ‘found at the scene’?”
Bolta looked anxious upon hearing this.
“Well, the watermill was set on fire. And an identical magic tool was found at the source of the fire. Bolta, do you know anything about this?”
“What!? That can’t be…”
Bolta appeared shocked by the news.
“Do you know anything about it?”
When asked again, Bolta’s expression turned sorrowful.
“Miss, I understand that you might suspect us given the circumstances. However, we are merchants. Merchants make a profit by solving their clients’ problems. It’s inconceivable for us to do something to the important watermill of Scarletford, let alone commit such a serious crime as arson…!”
Bolta declared firmly.
“So, are you and the Tarkley Trading Company saying that you are not involved in the fire?”
“Yes. I swear by God that I did not order anyone to set fire to the watermill or destroy it.”
“…”
From Bolta’s eyes, it didn’t look like he was lying.
“Then how do you explain the ignition magic tool from your possession being found at the scene?”
“Well…”
Bolta thought deeply.
“If we follow your reasoning, it could be that James went rogue. Alternatively, it’s possible that James was attacked by someone who then stole the ignition magic tool. This person might have had a grudge against Scarletford and set the watermill on fire.”
“…”
It makes sense logically. Although my intuition says otherwise, there’s no evidence to support it.
“I also sympathize with the situation regarding the watermill. Therefore, if you suspect us, you may investigate as much as you need. We will stay here for the next two days as planned, so feel free to use that time as you see fit.”
Bolta said this and bowed to me.
Ahhhh! I’m absolutely convinced these guys are the culprits!