Episode 87. 1st Degree Murder (1)
“and… … . Time is so fast.”
There was only one month left of vacation.
Dante and other mixed basketball team members trained at the school every day.
Students went out one after another in intense training.
‘Aren’t there only five left?’
Three men and three women per team. Play street basketball.
The only event in which five players competed was mixed.
so mid-February.
It was the day of the graduation ceremony.
Students flocked to campus in uniforms.
Family members are not allowed to attend graduation ceremonies. It was because of the ban on entry by outsiders.
Instead, after the ceremony, there was an after party. At that time, the family also participates. Usually, after-parties were held at a luxurious resort complex in In Island.
Dante stayed in the dormitory for basketball practice. Dio texted me that he would be arriving soon.
D.O worked part-time at the Matan shooting range where lodging and meals were provided. I heard that Hani Karum mobilized personal connections for a ‘preliminary son-in-law’.
Faye was in pretty good shape.
Not only that, he also opened a NextTube channel. Within two weeks of opening, it vomited up the spirit of exceeding 100,000 subscribers.
There’s nothing to do.
Dante, who wanted to see him off, changed into his uniform and headed for the Stella Tower.
It will come in advance.
The area around the tower was busy as everyone arrived on time.
Dio can be seen through the crowd.
‘That bastard’s head… … .’
From now on, D.O. is reddish brown.
Red-maned troll.
Maybe because it was vacation, there were a lot of guys besides D.O. who had brilliant hair colors.
Dio spotted Dante and waved.
But the condition of the hand… … .
“What is your hand? Why are you so red?”
“Oh, this? The title of the content I recorded last night was this. What happens when you dye your hair with the cheapest hair dye in the world.”
Hands are hands, but the condition of the hair is even more serious.
“Looks like you’ve been burned.”
“After three self-bleaching, my hair started to fall out.”
“… … .”
It reminded me of what Alicia had told me when I first visited the hair salon at Rococo Department Store.
2 million won is by no means an expensive price.
“Next time, let’s go to the beauty salon with me.”
“oh… … . Do you go to the beauty salon?”
“sometimes? With Alicia.”
“Then I will go with senior Al. Two men want to go to the beauty salon? I will resist.”
The two started bickering and moved to the auditorium.
It was then.
A high-pitched scream was heard from behind.
“Kyaaagh!”
Dante paused for a moment and turned his head.
‘what?’
Katarina, who became contemplative, and the woman who collapsed on the floor.
‘Is this Courtney Zordic? But that magic… … .’
A pattern embedded in Courtney’s heart.
It was the same pattern as the magic used by the malicious commenter killer.
Dante quickly followed the mana afterimage with his eyes. It was the same in the last incident. It was so small that it was likely to disappear in an instant.
‘There are too many people.’
Many students were still pouring out of the Stella Tower. The culprit seemed to have moved away immediately after using magic.
Axler, Dazni Park, Stellar Campus.
‘Rosé Meyer. Is the real Rose the culprit?’
Other people may not know, but Dante heard about it from BS. The fact that it was the Zordic family who spread the rare disease.
Katarina sat next to Courtney and gave her CPR, screaming like a madman.
The students watched silently from a distance. They all looked shocked.
Dio also tapped Dante’s forearm with a dazed expression.
“Are you really dead? Is that Courtney Jordic?”
“I guess so… … .”
It is true that many people hate twins. However, no one clapped for Courtney’s death, saying, ‘It’s cheap to die’.
A man died in the middle of campus.
Although the twins were hateful, they were not felons who deserved death.
Upon hearing the news, the faculty members rushed over.
Ramil Kvyat checked Courtney’s pulse.
“He is dead.”
An announcement was soon heard.
[Stella students. The graduation ceremony will be postponed to 2 p.m. today. Everyone please go back to your dorm and wait. Shuttle service is also temporarily suspended. We ask for your active cooperation. ]
Dante was lost in thought.
‘What should I do?’
If left as it is, it seemed that it would be treated as a sudden death like the previous case. The culprit is clearly inside.
Today was your chance to catch it.
“Hey, Dio. There is a dormitory first.”
“you?”
“I had something to say to a professor.”
“… … Confess?”
“Have you turned?”
“why. Professor Han is pretty.”
“… … .”
“Goes!”
Jia Han was at the scene of the incident about 20 meters away. Dante texted her instead of approaching her directly.
[I: Professor. I have something to tell you. I’m in a hurry. ]
After checking the text message, Jia Han looked around.
Making eye contact with Dante, she quietly headed towards the main building.
[Professor Jia Han: To Office]
Jia Han’s office.
The two entered the office with a short time difference.
“what’s the matter?”
“I mean Courtney. Because I was at the scene earlier? It’s like murder.”
“… … what?”
Jia Han covered her forehead with her left hand and stood still for a while.
‘Is this a murder case?’
“Sit down for a moment.”
“yes.”
Jia Han thought non-stop while drinking coffee.
How did Dante know it was murder, and how to deal with it if it was a real murder?
Jia Han drank two cups of coffee and sat across from Dante. A glass was placed in front of Dante.
Dante tasted the coffee and set it down. I still don’t know the taste of coffee. After tasting it once, I immediately thought that it would be better not to know.
“Tell me in detail.”
“I was going to the auditorium when Katarina screamed from behind me. When I turned around, Courtney was down and I could see Mana in her heart. Why, when you shoot magic bullets, mana afterimages remain. There were also afterimages like that.”
Dante didn’t bother to mention magic.
It just has very high mana sensitivity.
Just explaining it like this should be enough to convince you.
“The other kids. If the amount of mana was that much, the other kids would have felt it too, right?”
“no. It was very small. I’m curious about that too. How can you kill people with so little mana.”
Jia Han thought while drinking hot coffee.
‘Was Dante this high in mana sensitivity?’
The strengths of Dante that Jia Han knew were power, leadership, and ideas, but she did not know anything about mana sensitivity.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to test it for a bit to believe you.”
“yes.”
Jia Han spewed out a small amount of mana with her left eye.
“The left eye.”
Less amount this time.
“Right elbow.”
Jia Han tried to hide her expression.
‘Nonsense.’
From noble mtl dot com
Even Jia Han herself knew this amount of mana by feeling, and it was difficult to confirm with the naked eye.
“The culprit is on campus. I was within a 20-meter radius the moment Courtney fell.”
“ha… … .”
Stellar was one of the exception areas for micro-drone surveillance. There is no CCTV installed on campus. This was a sign of consideration and trust toward students and professors.
None of the top 5 schools had CCTV installed on campus. A serious crime at a prestigious academy. It’s something that only happens once in 10 years.
Usually, crimes in the academy are caused by mental problems, and to prevent it, health is checked with sleeping capsules and dozens of counselors are hired.
But did he commit the murder with a sane mind?
Even with a very small amount of mana?
Dante didn’t reveal that it was magic, but it didn’t matter too much. The fact that a small amount of mana was used did not change.
‘I can’t find it anyway if the person using the magic hides it.’
There is a mana scanner, but no magic scanner.
That’s why multi-pattern wizards can hide their magic and register as a single pattern or two patterns.
In short, even if it is revealed that a certain magic has been used, there is no way to catch the culprit unless he confesses.
It was then that I had a fleeting thought.
‘right. The list that Uncle Ray handed over.’
At that time, Dante received a list of 203 superhumans who came to the site on the day of the Dazuni incident from Ray. Among them, there were only nineteen Stella students.
The probability that was 1/203 became 1/19. Excluding Dante himself, Alicia, Dio, and Danji, it is 1/15.
‘The culprit was really a student at my school?’
Considering the various circumstances, Roger Mayer was the most likely. Dante tried hard not to suspect Rose.
‘Zordyk has many enemies. I don’t think so.’
Didn’t Rosé doubt herself based only on the circumstances? I didn’t want to make the same mistake.
Jia Han opened her mouth after thinking about it.
“Let’s go to the dormitory first. Don’t tell the other kids.”
“yes.”
As soon as Dante got out of the office, he headed towards the Hill of Stars.
[ Message from Choi Goe (13) ]
It’s obvious if you don’t look.
‘Why don’t you answer me! do you want to die?’ I would have dominated it like that.
Dante called BS.
– hello?
“grandfather. I have something urgent to discuss.”
Dante briefly described the incident.
– therefore. Do you think you need to uncover magic to catch the culprit?
“yes. You’re one of fifteen. A serial killer.”
Axler and Courtney Zordick.
No matter how evil the two of them are, punishment is something that individuals should not do.
There is no person in the world who does not have at least one person who wants to die. It’s all about living with patience.
BS continued.
– Text the list of 15 guys. I’ll take care of this on my own, so don’t step out.
“yes.”
After hanging up the phone, BS immediately called the student at the Superman Investigation Bureau.
“grow.”
– What are you doing?
“Are you on your way, Stella?”
– What are you… … How did you know?
“What I don’t know, man. Today is a murder case. I’ll send you a list, so intensively investigate the ancients.”
– yep.
As soon as I hung up, the phone rang.
This time it was from Jia Han.
– grandfather.
“What are you doing? You’re on the phone.”
Actually, that was to be expected.
Since Dante said he had talked to Jia Han, he thought he would seek advice.
– No, alternatively. Who are you talking to like that? I’m dying in a hurry
“Are you in a hurry? Besides you, there are many people who want to talk to me, Yonsuk-ah.”
– There was a murder at school.
“… … okay?”
BS acted as if he was hearing it for the first time and listened to Jia Han’s story to the end.
– But I don’t know. Did he really see a small amount of mana that I didn’t see?
“Are you saying you’re a jerk?”
– I know that much. A monster created by capitalism. Why is that all of a sudden?
“You are also a child.”
– … … yes?
“A monster born of pride! In the old Orient, there was an old proverb called Cheongchuleoram. It means that the disciple is better than the master. Are you sure there is no disciple who can see mana better than you?”
– That’s because it hasn’t happened before… … .
Hearing Han Ji-ah’s sullen voice made the BS somewhat exhilarated. I wondered when that guy’s nose would break.
Today was your chance.
“Dante Prime, what a great guy? bring me sometime I will make you a disciple instead of you.”
– and… … . Are you serious? anyway it is Are you comparing me to an old kid? I’m Jia Han!
“Is that so? So what. I am BS!”
– Oh, yes. It’s done. I don’t have time to play around right now? What should I do?
“I’ll take care of it on my own, so stay still.”
– Then hang up. Pop!
BS muttered as he looked at the screen of his mobile phone, where the passage was cut off.
“A good old man.”
Stella Academy.
Superhuman Investigation Agency and CSI agents have arrived.
While the CSI team inspected the scene, the Superman Investigation Agency announced that they would interrogate students and faculty individually.
Dean Giorgio Stella objected to the interrogation.
“No, it’s not even a murder case. What is the reason for interrogation? Besides, it’s a lie detector.”
Superhuman Investigation Agency team leader Issyk Kwan spoke.
“It is a formality. And it’s not a murder case. How sure are you? We haven’t even started an investigation yet.”
“Are you saying there is a murderer among our Stella students and professors?”
“Oops. Why would someone you know do this? If you keep doing this, you may be forced to enforce it. Please cooperate.”
Issyk Kwan.
A two-pattern wizard in his early 40s and one of the BS Kids.
Although he was once sponsored by the Roly Poly Company, he had no direct acquaintance with Jia Han. Isik did not like Jia Han very much.
Should I say it’s similar to Bell Simon’s relationship with BS?
The number one person, and the unfortunate second person hidden behind the number one person.
Issyk has turned ten empty conference rooms into interrogation rooms.
BS sent me a list, but I couldn’t interrogate only 15 of them. There was no evidence, only a suspect.
So, instead of interrogating everyone in the school, I decided to focus on 15 people.
Lie detectors were placed in each interrogation room. The accuracy of lie detectors used by professional organizations is approaching 90 percent.
Besides, aren’t the targets still young students?
Although lie detector results cannot be used as evidence, they have been useful in applying psychological pressure.
“Okay, let’s call the students.”
investigation began.