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The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 21: Summary
Vana's POV Ms. Angela stepped forward, about to head out of the room when Ms. Rosemary stopped her. “Wait”—she stared at the duke’s head for a long while, crouching down as she squinted her eyes on his hair— “There’s a smell coming off of the duke’s head,” she noted, brows furrowing. “What smell?” Ms. Angela interrogated, rushing back to the duke’s dead body as she examines it again. She lowered her head down on the duke’s head, taking a sniff on his hair. Her brows furrowed, raising her head up at me as she meets my eyes. She glanced at Professor Zander, mouth gaping as she moves away from the corpse. “It smells like poison,” Ms. Angela muttered in realization. “Like Botulinum?” I wondered. “Like Botulinum,” “How do you know the smell of Botulinum?” Jerome asked, curious to know. “I was poisoned by it before. During our Battle of Magic tournament,” Ms. Angela answered. “I just know it,” I answered nonchalantly. “Why would the duke’s hair have poison in it? His hair doesn’t l
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 22: Servants
Vana's POV The three of us, along with the butler, Mr. Norman, head back to the duke’s office, where the crime took place. The butler flinched at the sight as we enter the room, averting his gaze away from his master’s body. Since we can’t move anything in the room, we stayed standing, facing the wall in the corner of the room. “I don’t like being here…” Mr. Norman said, a distorted expression plastered on his face. He darted an eye on the duke, only to look away and face us with distraught. “Where are you at the time of death? We believe that the time of death is between after dinner and before meeting us, which is estimated to be between 8:30-9:15pm. Fast, isn’t it?” Ms. Angela asked, adding foundation to the question. “After dinner, I oversaw the servants that went home. The cook witnessed me doing my job. After a while, I went to Lady Even’s office to take care of the tasks to be done by the servants the next day, and also to escort her to where you are,” Mr. Norman stated. Wh
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 23: Duchess
Vana's POV “If you’re going to ask where I have been, my answer would be that I am in my office the whole time,” Duchess Even stated, answering us before the question could even slip our tongues. She was weeping only a while ago and we even had to calm her down before we could finally talk to her. She cannot fathom being in the room with her dead husband, so we had no choice but to head to the room on the right to question and interview her. Ms. Angela requested for Professor Zander to watch over the crime scene while we’re here, letting Ms. Rosemary stay with the suspects to keep a close eye on them. My mind was blank the whole time we changed rooms; my head occupied by the magic I felt on the mirror. The magic is clouded and could not be identified by my ability. The aura, on the other hand, is thinly holding onto the air. The duchess sobbed as she waited for a question to come from us, lifting her gaze as she wipes the tears in her eyes. “And here I was planning to make up with
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 24: Lady Whitney
Vana's POV “I only went to two places in that time. Mother’s office and father’s office,” Lady Whitney answered, giving a sold alibi for us. Her alibi is considered strong and true from the get-go. Duchess Even’s statements proves that Lady Whitney’s words that she was in her mother’s office were true. She was there to convince her mother to make up with her father. The latter, which is her visit to her father, is also proven by Ms. Emily’s statement. According to Ms. Emily, in her second and final visit to the duke, she stumbled upon and left the room with Lady Whitney. And with all of their alibis and testimonies cross-examined and checked, I can safely tell that none of the three—or at least—one or two of the three are innocent and is not the killer. I still have doubts to some of them. And I also have a few more questions to ask the lady. “You visited your mother after dinner to request her to make up with your father, correct?” I asked, cross-examining her for the third time.
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 25: The Missing Pieces
Vana's POV The hallways in the manor flickered with light through the luminescent torch lights that was glued against the walls. Bright orange-yellow color beamed down across the hall, with the moonlight serving as an extra layer of light in the already lighted hallway. Jerome and I have departed ways after we call for the people who’re we assigned to be with. Jerome was assigned to talk to the butler about the missing footman and the cook to head to Ms. Angela, before following me to investigate the teapot. Meanwhile, I had asked Ms. Emily for assistance to guide me to where the teapot has been set aside in the kitchen. I grunted, pulling myself together as we walk down on the manor’s ground floor, and through an empty hallway. The hallway led to the back side of the manor, where the staff’s halls are located. As we delve deeper into the hallway, the walls become more lifeless, and the lights dimmed. Paintings disintegrated the further we walk, and neither decorum or intricately d
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 26: Mirror
Vana's POV “Vana, I do hope you know what you’re trying to say,” Ms. Angela muttered, crossing her arms against her chest. She gave me a warning look, looming her head down. I straightened my back, a chill running down my spine. I know explaining the whole scenario is the hardest part of it and convincing them without revealing anything concrete is part of it. I gazed straight at Ms. Angela’s eyes, showing her my conviction in my conclusion. “I’m fully aware, Ms. Angela, but I do have one last question I have to confirm with Lady Whitney,” I stated, determined of my decision. “Shall I call everyone?” Professor Zander wondered, intervening in the conversation. “Please do, Professor. And Vana, I hope you are not mistaken,” Ms. Angela said, sighing in defeat as she leaves the investigation to me. I broke away from my gaze to Ms. Angela, gulping as I lower my head down. “Yes, I’ll come with Professor Zander,” I said, nodding. “Then, follow me,” Professor Zander murmured, bobbing his
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 27: First Case Closed
Vana's POV “How did you know?” Ms. Zeraphine snapped, growling with her voice howling so soundly. “If you’re going to commit a crime, at least make sure you don’t leave traces of it behind,” I mused. “You wouldn’t thin anyone would suspect you, didn’t you, Lady Zeraphine.” “Mother…” Lady Whitney murmured, gasping. A crooked smile crept up at Ms. Zeraphine’s face, creating an atmosphere of deceit and fear around us. “How smart of you,” she commented with a mocking gaze. “I felt traces of your magic not only in this room, but also around the manor. You’ve probably been keeping track of our whereabouts since the murder took place, but you didn’t conceal your magic enough,” I explained. “You even let your daughter caught whiff of your magic.” “How did you know that I am the killer? I was supposed to be dead,” Ms. Zeraphine exclaimed. “Reasoning, M’lady. Lady Whitney gave it all away. Someone who is sensitive to magic can sense if there is magic in play in their surroundings, but the
The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion Chapter 28: Guilty
Vana's POV Ms. Zeraphine burst out laughing, chortling as if Ms. Angela’s words did not intimidate her. She’s obviously intimidated, just like the rest of us, but her reaction doesn’t give that away. Silence followed after seconds of laughter, her voice echoing in the room. She loomed her head at us, her chin raised as if asserting her dominance. Her gaze reflected against the light, flashing a frightful glare. “Fine, I confess to the crime. I did murder Duke Castiel Glyndel. I killed my husband,” she admitted, her lips forming a smirk. My blood boiled as I clench my fist. She admitted to the crime like a proud winner, remorseless of the murder she had committed. I understand if she feels rage and resentment towards her ex-husband, but this… she looks like a madman. “Why did you do it? What’s your motive?” Ms. Angela asked, a grim expression pressed on her face. “Motive? Are you seriously asking me that?” Ms. Zeraphine chuckled, rolling her eyes at us. “I thought you’re the intell
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