In a peaceful countryside, wheat fields and gardens owned by the surrounding villagers grew fertile.
"This..." Jeanne stared at the scenery that felt familiar to her, she was sitting on a large rock located in the middle of the meadow, hugging her teddy bear.
"Hey Jeanne, let's play," called a little boy, he was around eight years old. He had messy curly black hair.
Jeanne's empty eyes, which were still processing what she was seeing, suddenly jolted. "W-What? This... my old village..." Jeanne glanced at her small fingers, then turned her head toward the boy who called her. "Z-Zoe," Jeanne called softly, glancing at Zoe who wore simple clothes.
Zoe also glanced at her, confused. "What is it, Jeanne?" Zoe asked, placing his hands on his hips.
"You're daydreaming again... come on, let's play Escargot again, don't lose," mocked a blonde-haired girl, she stood beside Zoe.
"Eve..." Jeanne glanced at Eve. Then her eyes landed on the other friends who were waiting behind Zoe and Eve.
Jeanne smiled, and nodded. "Let's go," Jeanne slowly stepped down from the large rock with her small body.
Jeanne ran toward her childhood friends, smiling while carrying her doll.
The more Jeanne ran toward her friends, the darker her vision became, then thin smoke appeared, making Jeanne fall to the ground.
"S-Sorry... I got too excited..." Jeanne patted her dirty dress, then picked up her doll, her voice slowly faded at the end as her head lifted and stared at the scenery in front of her.
Houses were burning, and so were the farmlands being devoured by fire. Jeanne stepped back, one step at a time, shocked by what had suddenly happened.
Without realizing it, her back seemed to hit a wall. Jeanne turned her head behind her. She glanced at the charred wall, burnt black.
In the silence, Jeanne heard Zoe's weak groan. "I don't want to die..." His voice was faint, tears flowed, staring at Jeanne.
Jeanne stared at Zoe's half body pinned under debris, the painful and hopeless expression reflected clearly in Jeanne's widened eyes.
Jeanne covered her mouth in shock, and fear, until her teddy bear fell to the ground.
Under the debris of the building crushing Zoe, someone's hand appeared, trying to crawl out from underneath.
Jeanne stood frozen in place, the fear on her face was clear.
That hand dragged itself out from under the debris, until Jeanne could see it clearly when half of a hooded figure in a black robe emerged from beneath the ruins.
He was none other than the hooded killer Jeanne killed that day, the grin beneath his hood was clearly visible, his hand as if trying to reach Jeanne and pull her into the dark remains of the collapsed building.
The distance between Jeanne and that man seemed to shrink, making Jeanne fall and drag her body away from those hands, the hands got closer and closer to her, Jeanne struggled while kicking those hands with her feet while closing her eyes.
CRACK!
Jeanne's foot kicked the headboard of her bed hard, making her open her eyes in an instant.
Jeanne hugged her knees while rubbing the back of her leg that ached, rolling around on her bed.
The painful expression and her panting breaths made it difficult for her to scream in pain. After a moment, the pain on the back of her leg eased slightly, Jeanne grabbed her blanket, then wrapped it around herself and wanted to continue her interrupted sleep.
But that intention changed. "I don't want to dream about that again..." Jeanne got up and sat on her bed, her silver-white hair messy like a hedgehog. "Why was that man in my dream..." Jeanne rubbed her forehead. Confused.
But for a moment she thought of something.
"I killed him, yes I killed Karl Ryker's fellow murderer," Jeanne thought. "But somehow, I don't feel guilty?" In an instant Jeanne felt afraid of herself.
"W-What... have I become a psychopath too..." Jeanne said softly. Then she rose from her bed, shaking her head. "No, no... I'm not like that," Jeanne quickly erased her strange thoughts.
She left her bed and walked out of her room, heading to the bathroom. As she passed the overturned dining table, Jeanne once again stared at her messy home, then glanced at the wall clock that showed six in the morning.
"I have to clean it up after I shower..." she said in a heavy tone, then entered the bathroom.
In the bathroom Jeanne stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment, then filled her bathtub with warm water until it was full, and soaked for a few minutes, then took a cold shower.
About ten minutes later, Jeanne finished bathing and changed clothes and treated the wounds on her fingers, she wore a simple sleeveless black dress. Jeanne returned to the dining area, she wore gloves and picked up the scattered plate fragments.
She swept the remaining shards and put them into a trash bag, then mopped her wooden floor with a cloth until it was clean, and fixed her overturned table.
About twenty minutes passed, now her house was neat and clean.
"It's been a long time since I cleaned up... this is quite exhausting," Jeanne took off her gloves, and wiped the sweat on her forehead.
She glanced at the two trash bags near the door. "I have to throw them away," Jeanne picked up the two trash bags, opened the door and walked toward the trash bin provided outside the apartment.
As she walked down the corridor while carrying the trash bags, she ran into a middle-aged woman, she was around her fifties.
"Good morning, Miss Weels," the middle-aged woman greeted her warmly.
"Good morning, Mrs Uni," Jeanne greeted her back.
"Oh right, my husband said last night you were screaming unclearly in your room, what happened?" Uni asked, staring at Jeanne curiously.
"I-It..." Jeanne thought, searching for an excuse. "O-Oh, I was shocked because there was a cockroach, at that time I was eating and I accidentally spilled my food and made everything a mess," Jeanne answered, lying.
"Is that so? Next time try cleaning your house. You're a woman, you know. If you keep being like that, no man will be interested in you," Uni said in a mocking but gentle tone.
Hearing that, Jeanne clenched her teeth softly, and tried to smile, a bitter smile. "T-Thank you, see you later Mrs Uni," Jeanne immediately left Uni by walking quickly.
After arriving outside the apartment and throwing away her trash, occasionally she greeted the neighbors she knew, and returned to her apartment.
Jeanne took her cold drink from the refrigerator, then dropped herself onto the sofa and turned on the television, then turned her head to the wall clock.
"Eight in the morning..." Jeanne inhaled softly and let it out slowly, then took her flip phone from the table.
Jeanne opened her messages.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly, and her expression turned heavy at the same time. She stared at her phone screen, Anna didn't send messages like usual.
"I guess Anna is really angry..." Jeanne put her phone down on the table. Her mood was mixed.
Jeanne turned her head toward the window, staring at the bright morning sky. "I want to take a walk, and calm my mind once again..." she muttered in her heart, after thinking about her intention.
Jeanne changed clothes. After a long time choosing, she decided to wear a long-sleeved gray shirt with a high collar. Straight-cut black trousers, and of course her Choker Ribbon.
Jeanne looked at her reflection in the glass, then took her mini shoulder bag, and put in her phone, money, and others. Jeanne walked out of her room and left her apartment.
As she walked a few meters after leaving the apartment building toward the bus stop, Jeanne stopped.
"Where am I going to go?" she asked herself. Jeanne tapped her forehead.
"Are you confused?" Eugene asked, suddenly. He walked toward Jeanne.
Jeanne turned and looked behind her. "You... why are you here?" Jeanne was surprised and asked, staring at Eugene with dark red hair, he wore a white shirt, a brown coat and a matching dark red tie.
"I came here to check on your condition, are you doing alright?" Eugene stood beside Jeanne, smiling.
Jeanne nodded softly. "Yes, I'm fine..." she answered, lying.
"Good..." Eugene said, then added. "Oh right, I forgot to return this," Eugene took a brown wallet from inside his coat and handed it to Jeanne.
"No wonder I felt like I was missing something, it's my wallet, but why does he have it?" Jeanne asked in her heart, but decided not to think too much about it. She took her wallet. "Thank you," Jeanne replied.
Eugene smiled, and said. "Where do you want to go, Miss Weels?" Eugene asked, glancing at Jeanne.
Jeanne turned her face away, and lowered her head. "I don't know either... I just want some fresh air," she answered softly.
Eugene laughed. "I see... would you mind if I come with you? I know a good place to calm your mind," Eugene said, offering himself to Jeanne.
Jeanne was slightly surprised. "Should I go with this weird man?" Jeanne muttered in her heart, her light blue eyes stared at Eugene who smiled widely. Jeanne exhaled softly. "Alright," Jeanne answered, allowing him after consideration.
"Let's go," Eugene invited enthusiastically. Jeanne nodded, they walked toward the bus stop.
Jeanne's eyes watched people passing by. "Mr. Vidocq, I want to ask something," Jeanne finally spoke.
Eugene beside her turned his head. "Just call me Eugene, don't be too formal," Eugene requested, smiling. Both of his hands were in his pockets, then he added. "What is it?" he asked.
Jeanne answered softly. "Alright..." Jeanne bit her lip, while lowering her face and said. "Is that hooded killer really dead? I mean Karl Ryker's partner," Jeanne stared at her feet stepping forward step by step.
Eugene spread his arms. "Oh that... yes, he's really dead," Eugene said casually.
"W-What?" Jeanne asked once again. She turned her head to the side, her jaw stiffened. Cold sweat seeped into her temples, while her gaze lost focus. There was an awkward pause before she finally opened her mouth—then closed it again, as if Eugene's answer matched her expectation.
Eugene turned and glanced at Jeanne's face, he smiled, satisfied, and he laughed.
Jeanne stared at Eugene. She stayed silent, eyes half closed. Her expression was annoyed—angry, and she didn't want to drag anything out. "What's funny?" Jeanne clenched both of her fists.
Eugene laughed at Jeanne's expression, he wiped the tears that came out. "Sorry, sorry, from the beginning that man was already dead," before Jeanne could speak Eugene continued. "More precisely, we call him a Mannequin. Yes, he wasn't human, the man you meant was a Mannequin," Eugene revealed, smiling.
Jeanne stopped walking, lowered her head and slowly her body collapsed and she squatted down. "Thank God..." she said faintly, the burden in her heart seemed to lift a little. "No wonder I didn't feel guilty after hitting him with the manhole cover... turns out he was a mannequin," Jeanne muttered in her heart, she exhaled in relief.
"I'm not a murderer..." she whispered.
Eugene glanced at Jeanne, his eyebrows lifted. "Did you think you killed him?" Eugene asked, smiling mockingly.
The street happened to be empty of pedestrians, Jeanne stood up, and walked to catch up with Eugene a few meters ahead. She shook her head. "That's normal," Jeanne added, trying to hide her expression.
"You can call me Jeanne," Jeanne said, Eugene nodded, then Jeanne added. "Can you explain it in detail, over there?" Jeanne glanced at a café across the street.
"Of course," Eugene accepted Jeanne's invitation.
...
Inside the café.
The smell of coffee and cake was strong. Eugene and Jeanne sat down, then ordered coffee, after the waitress left.
"Actually this should be kept secret, but because you're a new member of Special Detective, I'll explain it," Eugene said casually. He crossed his arms and legs, smiling, glancing at Jeanne in front of him.
"I haven't accepted your invitation to join that organization," Jeanne refused, her expression flat.
Eugene laughed softly. "Karl Ryker's power mechanism is quite simple, which is manipulating objects within a thirty-meter radius. So he can be called a Marionette, that's how he carried out his actions." Eugene explained it to Jeanne.
"Marionette..." Jeanne thought, then said. "I'm slightly interested in that. How did he do it?" Jeanne asked softly.
"The trick is quite simple, which is channeling your Spiritual Energy into an object, that's the short explanation. Your Spiritual Energy is like strings, and the wooden puppet is the object, for example like this," Eugene slowly raised his index finger.
He released his Spiritual Energy from his index finger, it was like invisible strings, those spiritual strings slowly tied around Jeanne's coffee cup, and Eugene moved his index finger, instantly Jeanne's coffee cup slid toward him.
Jeanne's expression was shocked and unbelieving, then she turned her head around. Luckily the café was quiet with few customers.
"He's demonstrating it in public, isn't that not allowed?" Jeanne thought, but she didn't care. "So it's like that..." her voice was held back, Jeanne glanced at the spiritual string that slowly faded and disappeared into the air.
"I know a cheap trick like that," Eugene said proudly.
Then Jeanne thought of something. "Then what about his expression that could grin and speak?" before Eugene answered, Jeanne continued. "If it's the voice I can still guess he used a small radio from a distance," Jeanne said while touching her chin and thinking.
Eugene snapped his fingers. "For the voice you're right, and the expression, he used a face-changing mechanism," Eugene revealed. "On the mannequin's head there are two faces, the first expression is normal, and the second is the grin. To change the expression, you just need to press a hidden button located at the fold of the mannequin's neck, then the face rotates and changes expression," Eugene explained in detail.
Jeanne nodded softly without replying.
Suddenly Jeanne's phone rang inside her bag, Jeanne took her phone, glancing at the incoming call. "Anna..." Jeanne's heart felt slightly relieved when she received a call from her best friend.
Jeanne stood up from her chair while excusing herself for a moment to answer the call. "I'm going to answer the phone for a moment," Jeanne said. Eugene nodded without objection.
Jeanne walked away, and entered the women's bathroom, Jeanne immediately answered the call from Anna.
CLICK
Jeanne's heart beat slightly faster, she didn't know what she wanted to say, guilt toward Anna was still in her heart.
"H-Hello, Anna..." Jeanne greeted softly, her voice sounded awkward.
"Hello, Jeanne, A-Are you okay?" before Jeanne could answer, Anna's panicked voice could be heard. "I don't mean to bother you, if you still want to be alone. It's just—just, I'm worried..." Anna's nervous and hurried voice through Jeanne's flip phone made Jeanne's heart calm down a little.
"I'm fine, Anna. I'm sorry for driving you away harshly back then, I'm really sorry," Jeanne continued. "Apologizing on the phone might not make my rude and disrespectful actions toward you fade away. But I truly regret it, and please forgive me, Anna," Jeanne confessed. Her voice was soft, while lowering her head, and leaning against the bathroom wall.
"It's okay... I'm also sorry for not being sensitive to your condition back then. For now, thank God you're okay," Anna said, Jeanne could feel her best friend's smile.
"Thank you, Anna," Jeanne smiled faintly, as if the burden in her mind lifted a little.
After a short conversation with her best friend on the phone, Jeanne ended the call and left the bathroom which happened to be empty, then returned to Eugene's table.
But her steps stopped, when her eyes stared at Eugene who was stroking the right hand of another waitress with his fingers.
The waitress's face turned red and she hid part of her face behind her tray.
"Your soft and gentle hands are like clouds, your sweet smile matches my ideal woman. Therefore marry me, oh beautiful girl," Eugene's bad habit appeared, he smiled gently at the waitress beside his chair.
Seeing the scene in front of her, Jeanne's expression became flat and she glanced at Eugene with disgust.
Seeing Jeanne standing a few meters away, the waitress immediately pulled her hand away from Eugene's grip and lowered her body, then left.
Jeanne watched the waitress pass her. "Looks like she misunderstood the situation..." Jeanne commented to the waitress, she exhaled softly.
Jeanne sat down again in her chair. Then Jeanne stared at Eugene with a cold gaze.
"C'est répugnant," she muttered softly, almost unheard.
...
They left the café after there was nothing else to discuss.
After leaving, they arrived at the bus stop, going to the neighboring city, Saint-Avelin.
After traveling far from the bus stop, in the middle of the road, they saw a crowd of people in front of a restaurant.
"What's happening?" Jeanne thought, curious.
As they approached the crowd.
"What's happening?" Eugene asked one of the men nearby.
"An employee died," the man answered.
"Died?" Jeanne repeated softly. Eugene turned his head to the side, glancing at Jeanne, smiling.
"You're a new member, so this is your first assignment, right?" Eugene asked casually.
"No!" Jeanne denied quickly.
Eugene laughed softly, and said. "Alright, let's solve this case," Eugene invited, stepping forward and entering through the crowd.
Jeanne, who was about to refuse, was forced to follow Eugene.
...
They entered the restaurant, Jeanne turned her head back, glancing at the people outside who were curious.
"I'm from the police," Eugene introduced himself and took out his fake ID card from his pocket.
A man in his forties stared at Eugene's arrival. "Officer," the man had curly black hair, and a rather long mustache. He glanced at Eugene's ID card which had a fairly high rank.
"He has a police ID card?" Jeanne asked in her mind, but she didn't think further about it.
"Can you introduce yourself, and explain the situation?" Eugene's expression turned serious, he put his fake ID back into his pocket.
"My name is Eric Hood, I'm the manager of this restaurant," Eric Hood introduced himself. "One of my female employees found the corpse of our female employee who was on the night shift in the bathroom," Eric pointed at a woman with curly black hair, wearing the restaurant uniform and cap, standing with the other employees.
Eugene glanced at the woman seriously. "Can you take me to see the body, and explain how you first found it there?" Eugene asked.
Jeanne who stood behind Eugene observed carefully. "Murder? A female employee, on the night shift, that means the body has been in the bathroom all night?" Jeanne repeated Eric's words in her head while investigating. "Wait, why do I have to think like a detective. Whatever," Jeanne shook her head softly, then continued observing.
The black-haired female employee stepped closer to Eugene. "Alright..." her voice was nervous and awkward. She led them and directed them to the women's bathroom.
Eugene followed her, and Jeanne followed behind Eugene, like an assistant.
When they arrived at the women's bathroom, as the door was opened and they saw the corpse of a woman still wearing her work uniform sitting on the toilet with a limp body, lifeless.
"May you rest in peace..." Jeanne muttered while praying for the girl around her age in her heart.
"It smells a bit like smoke..." Eugene said casually. He observed the surroundings.
"Smoke?" Jeanne asked softly.
Eugene nodded and exhaled softly. "Why did it have to be this beautiful girl who lost her life," Eugene complained. Then he approached, crouched down and analyzed the condition of the corpse.
Jeanne's eyes observed the girl who had dark blonde hair. "Her body looks normal with no physical violence, if I look at it," Jeanne muttered in her heart.
Eugene stood up, then took his phone. "Hello, hello, Mr. Tolstoy. Can you send the police in Saint-Avelin city, to the location I'm sending. Oh yes, bring Miss Selena too, to come here," Eugene called Leo Tolstoy. After finishing and receiving approval from Leo Tolstoy, he ended the call.
He smiled, glancing at Jeanne. "Let's begin."