Hearing Eric's explanation, Eugene nodded. His lips curled slightly into a smile that was far too calm. His eyes stared straight ahead without blinking, flat—as if there were no emotion behind them. The smile was not warm. Instead, it made the air around him feel colder. "What time did you arrive at this restaurant?" Eugene asked, his voice sounding soft yet piercing to Eric Hood.
Realizing Eugene was investigating him, Eric hid his tension by wiping the sweat from his temples. "Damn it, damn it, damn it… cursed Detective!" Eric Hood cursed Eugene in his heart. "I-I came here at nine in the morning," he answered.
"Nine in the morning…" Jeanne repeated Eric's answer in her heart. Jeanne reached for her phone to check the time. Her eyes widened slightly. "Where is my phone?" Jeanne's shoulders froze instantly. "D-did I drop it outside?" Jeanne bit her lip softly, trying to remember.
Selena, who had been observing the conversation, took a glass of warm coffee and sipped it. She glanced at Jeanne, who was closing her eyes in thought.
"Where did I drop it?" Jeanne tried to recall once more, but her train of thought broke when Selena, beside her, tapped her shoulder gently. Jeanne opened her eyes and turned. "I-is something wrong, Miss Selena?" Jeanne asked softly.
"This is your phone," Selena said quietly while handing over Jeanne's phone.
"How is that possible?" Jeanne asked again in disbelief.
"Mr Eugene gave it to me while we were outside earlier; he said it belonged to you," Selena whispered, tilting her head slightly, confused by Jeanne's expression.
Jeanne gasped. "How did Eugene get it?" Jeanne wondered. However, she decided to think about it later.
Upon opening her phone, Jeanne saw a new message. She assumed it was from Anna. When she opened and read it, her eyebrows rose slightly. Eugene's contact was now in her phone, and she opened the message he had sent.
[[Eugene: Observe the restaurant employees, investigate, and chat casually with them to gather information.]]
"Opening someone's phone without permission… how rude," Jeanne commented inwardly. She glanced at Eugene, who was busy extracting information from Eric. Realizing Jeanne was looking at him, Eugene smiled.
"Why didn't he just assign this to Selena… I'm not even a member of the Special Detectives!" Jeanne grumbled in her heart. She scanned the surroundings, hesitant to carry out the task Eugene had given her. She took a soft breath and glanced at Selena. "I want to go take a look around," Jeanne whispered to Selena.
"Alright," Selena replied with a smile.
Jeanne stood from her chair and walked away. She observed the restaurant's menu board displayed next to the cashier's desk. "What should I do?" Jeanne thought as she walked closer to a painting on the restaurant wall.
Jeanne studied the painting while thinking. "Observe and investigate… Chatting with people I don't know is so energy-consuming," Jeanne turned her head slightly, looking at the employees who were still being detained by the guarding police officers.
She heard the sound of the men's restroom door opening. Jeanne turned and saw Antoni stepping out, escorted by a male officer.
Jeanne immediately got an idea. She approached Antoni, albeit with some hesitation. "Excuse me," Jeanne said. "May I speak with him for a moment?" she asked the officer escorting Antoni.
"Certainly," the officer replied with a nod. He stepped back slowly to maintain a distance.
"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Detective?" Antoni asked.
"B-before that, I want to ask. In the days leading up to the late Reena's death, was there anything strange? I mean, in her gestures or behavior?" Jeanne asked, her tone forced into calmness.
"There was nothing strange at all. Reena behaved as usual; she was warm, kind, and caring," Antoni replied. Before Jeanne could ask another question, Antoni added, "On the day before her death, I saw Reena going into the bathroom frequently. I asked about her condition, but Reena said she just wasn't feeling well," Antoni explained.
Jeanne nodded in response. "Do you know who else was close to Reena?" Jeanne asked searchingly.
Antoni lowered his head. Jeanne could see a forced smile. "Like I explained earlier. She was a very good and warm colleague. I deeply regret her death," Antoni looked up, smiling at Jeanne—a smile that was difficult to decipher. "Reena was pregnant, wasn't she? I know. Reena was killed after working hours at night using car exhaust fumes channeled through a hose into the women's bathroom vent. She had asthma. It was the perfect way to kill her."
"H-huh?" Jeanne was bewildered by Antoni's words. She wondered how Antoni could know such details; the police wouldn't have explained the specifics to the employees.
Before Jeanne could respond, Antoni continued. "You Detectives probably already know who the culprits are: Eric Hood… and also Me," Antoni's voice faded at the end. He stared at Jeanne with a desperate smile.
"...?" Jeanne froze. Her eyes widened without blinking, empty yet filled with pressure. It was as if her mind refused to process what Antoni had just said.
The trauma of Karl Ryker returned to haunt her. Jeanne seemed to see Karl Ryker's smiling face in Antoni's features. The room felt like it was tilting; her legs shook, unable to support her weight. She collapsed to the floor.
Her finger pointed at Antoni.
Antoni walked toward Jeanne and said, "I've admitted to my deeds… so this case is over, right?" His voice trembled as if he were forcing himself to be strong, looking down at the fallen Jeanne.
The officer guarding Antoni stood behind him. Seeing Jeanne on the floor and Antoni approaching her, the officer quickly shoved Antoni down until he was face-first on the floor and restrained him with practiced movements.
BRAKK!
The noise drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Selena, seeing Jeanne on the floor, immediately stood up and ran toward her.
"Miss Jeanne! Are you okay?" Selena reached her side.
"H-he… he is also... t-the culprit." Her voice was broken. Jeanne pointed at Antoni, who was being pinned by the police.
Eugene, still seated, observed from a distance. Then, he called one of the officers guarding the entrance. "Please secure this man," Eugene pointed to Eric Hood.
"Yes, sir," the officer replied without hesitation. He approached Eric Hood.
"W-what?!" Eric Hood was shocked. But the officer was already right behind him. In a practiced motion, he locked one wrist, pulled it back, and brought the other hand together in one smooth tug. The handcuffs clicked into place within seconds.
"The operation has turned messy…" Eugene muttered softly as he approached Jeanne.
...
Jeanne's breathing was still erratic. Karl Ryker's face continued to plague her thoughts.
"Calm down, Miss Jeanne," Selena rubbed Jeanne's back gently. She smiled, trying to soothe her.
Jeanne took a breath and tried to steady her mind. "S-sorry, Miss Selena," Jeanne slowly stood up with Selena's help.
"Are you alright?" Eugene asked as he reached Jeanne's side, observing her.
Jeanne nodded slowly.
Antoni's body was forced flat against the floor. One officer pressed a knee into his back to prevent movement while pulling his hands back.
The clear click of handcuffs echoed as the metal locked around his wrists.
Once the situation was under control, Eugene stepped closer. He crouched beside Antoni's head, level with his gaze.
"How long was the hose you used to channel the exhaust from the car to the exhaust pipe?" Eugene asked. His voice was calm and soft.
Antoni was silent for a moment before answering. "F-five meters."
Eugene laughed softly. "You're wrong!" Eugene closed his eyes as if recalling the structure and height of the alley. "The alley is three meters wide, and the exhaust pipe is five point eight meters high. Even without calculating the curves and the distance from the car's tailpipe, five meters would never be enough," Eugene explained Antoni's mistake.
Antoni froze. His breath hitched. His eyes darted quickly—not at Eugene, but toward someone else in the room.
Antoni closed his eyes, recalling someone's words in his head: "Kill her. You can do it for me, can't you?"
"You promised you would protect me… didn't you?"
Antoni bit his lip. "I am the culprit! I'm the one who finished it!" Antoni screamed.
The brief moment of calm was shattered by another scream.
"AAAH!" A female employee's scream rang out from the other side of the room, making everyone turn their heads.
"W-what?!"
"Huh?!"
"Eh?!"
"What was that?!"
"No!"
The confusion among the employees grew as the situation became increasingly complicated.
A male employee fell to the floor, foaming at the mouth, his body convulsing before slowly turning stiff.
"W-what is happening?" Jeanne asked in confusion. The series of simultaneous events left her feeling a mix of bewilderment and fear.
"Step away from that man immediately!" a police officer ordered the employees near the stiffened body.
Quickly, the terrified and confused employees scrambled away.
Eugene's eyes scanned the employees seriously.
"Miss Selena, what is going on?" Jeanne asked quietly. Sweat from her temple dripped to the floor. She clenched her fists.
Selena, who was holding Jeanne, forced a bitter smile. "I'm sorry, but I don't know either…" she said softly, her emerald-green eyes scanning the restaurant.
Silence fell.
PRAKK
The sound of a glass falling and shattering on the floor broke the silence, drawing attention for the third time.
On the floor, Eric Hood's stout body and the body of the officer securing him had collapsed. Their condition was the same as the male employee's. They were foaming at the mouth as if poisoned, lifeless within seconds.
Seeing the situation grow more grim, Jeanne closed her eyes. "What is actually happening…" Jeanne lamented in her mind. She was clearly terrified by the terror unfolding in this restaurant.
Jeanne opened her eyes and took a soft breath, trying to calm her heart and mind.
A tiny insect crawled onto Jeanne's sleeve—almost invisible.
Without warning, Selena's hand moved. She pulled a pair of scissors from her lab coat pocket in one swift motion.
Crakk!
The insect was cut in half just before it could bite.
"What—?" Jeanne turned in shock.
But Selena had already frozen. The hand that had just moved was now being gripped tightly by her other hand.
Her gaze dropped to her own arm. It was as if it wasn't her who had just saved her. "S-sorry for startling you…" Selena's voice was low. She bowed her head.
"Kha—kh!" Antoni, who was being held by the police, began to cough violently until his eyes rolled back and his lips foamed. On his forehead sat an insect identical to the one Selena had just snipped.
Seeing this, Eugene said, "The situation has become dangerous," Eugene spoke calmly. He glanced at Selena—or perhaps at something else. "They is erasing his tracks," Eugene said quietly, crossing his arms.
"Everyone out of this restaurant!" Eugene ordered, his voice slightly loud, calm yet sharp.
"Who is the culprit… who is the culprit…" Jeanne muttered in her mind, repeating the same phrase. Her heart felt like it was beating faster.
Around them, restaurant employees scrambled toward the exit, the sound of footsteps clashing and panicked screams filling the room.
Jeanne watched it all with a pale face, full of vigilance.
Then, her gaze stopped at Eugene's crossed arms.
Slowly. Too slowly.
The muscles beneath the fabric stretched second by second, as if time had slowed just for them. And in one almost invisible movement— His left arm uncrossed and snatched the wrist of someone trying to slip past.
"You aren't an employee. Nana Qeelia," Eugene lowered his head, turning slightly. His eyes were smiling, as were his lips.
"W-what is it?" Nana asked. She was both shocked and terrified.
"She's not an employee?" Jeanne stepped back in confusion, though she remained alert. Selena followed suit beside her.
"You are the culprit," Eugene gripped Nana's wrist firmly.
"W-what do you mean?" Nana tried to pull away from Eugene's grasp.
"You are the final culprit and the mastermind behind this murder. You manipulated Eric and Antoni—and when they were no longer useful, you silenced them," Eugene revealed, his voice filled with absolute certainty.
Hearing that, Nana lowered her head. It wasn't a response of fear or tears. She smiled, then giggled. "Impressive. The Special Detectives truly are impressive." Nana Qeelia lifted her face, glancing at Eugene. Her expression changed as if she were a completely different person.
"Who are you, really?" Eugene asked firmly. His fingers tightened their grip on Nana's wrist.
Nana Qeelia removed her restaurant cap. "Who am I?" Then, the wrist Eugene was holding slowly faded—shattering into vibrating black particles. It transformed into a swarm of insects that flew off freely.
Nana Qeelia immediately leaped back to maintain distance.
"Spectre!" Eugene stared at Nana with sharp vigilance.
"Spectre?" Jeanne wondered. She clenched her fist. Her heart raced at the current situation.
Selena bit her lip. "Night Order!" she whispered. Her expression became alert and slightly fearful; her focus was now on protecting Jeanne.
"Night Order?" Jeanne repeated Selena's words. Then she remembered that name from her interrogation by Leo Tolstoy. A chill ran down her spine. "They are this terrifying… they are willing to kill someone without a second thought." Jeanne tried to steady her breathing, but it was difficult. She tried to keep her body from collapsing.
"What are you planning?" Eugene stepped forward without hesitation, his tone now even firmer.
Nana Qeelia kept her distance as Eugene approached. "Tch!" Nana immediately released insects from beneath her clothes.
The insects swarmed toward Eugene to attack. Seeing the black, buzzing swarm that made Jeanne uncomfortable, Eugene quickly took off his blazer and caught the mass of insects that were about to strike him.
Frrash!
In one swift motion, the blazer swept through the air. The drone of the insects was suddenly muffled, replaced by the sound of wild friction trapped behind the fabric.
Silence.
Eugene opened his blazer; the insects that had been trapped inside had vanished as if they had never existed.
Jeanne was shocked and impressed. "Where did the insects go?" Jeanne wondered. "What should I do?" Jeanne gripped the strap of her mini shoulder bag tightly.
Seeing her insects disappear, Nana clenched her fists. "Die!" she screamed.
A massive amount of insects flowed out of her clothes like water. They flew together to form a large black ball, quickly attacking them.
"Miss Selena, please protect Miss Jeanne," Eugene commanded softly.
Selena nodded. She turned and grabbed Jeanne's hand firmly. "Understood!"
Their footsteps echoed on the floor. Selena pulled Jeanne's hand without hesitation, nearly dragging her to keep up with the pace of her run.
Behind them, the noisy mass of insects was deafening.
Jeanne's eyes were filled with doubt. "We're really leaving him…" her voice trembled.
"Don't worry. Mr Eugene can handle it." They ran until they reached the restaurant's front door.
Nana, still controlling her insects to attack Eugene, saw Jeanne and Selena trying to escape. Her face contorted, creating lines of anger across the bridge of her nose. Her lips pulled back, baring rows of teeth clenched with a grinding sound that could make anyone shudder.
"No one leaves before you die!!"
Nana leaped nimbly across the restaurant tables. She then directed her gaze and her finger toward Selena and Jeanne, who had almost reached the exit.
Brrrff!
The black mass of insects shot forward like a cannonball toward them.
Plak!
Selena managed to grab the glass door handle. But the black ball of insects—which looked green around their abdomens—was already close, aimed straight at Selena's face.
Selena turned at the crucial second. An expression of terror and revulsion was etched on her face. Jeanne grabbed Selena's left arm, which was clutching the handle, and with a quick reflex, pulled her to the side, causing the glass door to swing open.
DUGH!
The mass of insects hit the glass door like a living cannonball.
BRRRRSHH!
The glass surface vibrated violently until it cracked and shattered, filled with the panicked rustle of thousands of broken, crushed wings. The green insect blood was sticky and disgusting.
Thanks to that, Selena was saved.
Jeanne lost her balance and fell to the floor. Selena, still being held, was dragged down and landed sitting right in front of her. They watched as the shattered glass lay strewn about, with sticky green blood seeping and emitting smoke.
The sight made Jeanne shiver with fear. "Are you okay, Miss Selena?" she panted.
Selena took a deep breath and clutched her chest, calming her shock. "I-I'm fine," Selena whispered. She forced a smile and adjusted her glasses.
The sound of police sirens could be heard from a distance.
Nana clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You're lucky! But you have interfered with our plans!" Nana glared at them with intense hatred. Then she turned, running with enough force to smash through a glass wall of the restaurant. She fled across the street, which happened to be empty, then ducked into a dark alley and disappeared.
Eugene only watched Nana escape without giving chase. He shook out his dust-stained blazer, then turned to the three bodies lying on the floor.
"Let's end this case," Eugene said, approaching Selena and Jeanne.
Selena nodded and slowly stood up, then helped Jeanne to her feet.
...
A few minutes passed. Jeanne sat in a chair, calming her mind. "What a long day…" Jeanne lamented inwardly; her heart rate was still unstable. Her eyes watched Eugene and Selena as they explained the situation to the police.
"Miss Jeanne," Selena walked over to her. Jeanne lifted her bowed head. Selena stood before her.
"Y-yes?"
Selena looked at Jeanne with sparkling eyes, occasionally adjusting her glasses. "Thank you for saving me." Selena smiled softly and sincerely.
A feeling of warmth and pure sincerity was palpable in Jeanne's heart. "This kind of feeling is confusing…" She scratched her forehead gently, her awkward expression reflected in Selena's lenses.
"It's nothing… I'm just glad you're okay, Miss Selena."
Selena slowly sat beside Jeanne and took both of her hands. "You are truly kind…"
"Oh, right. You don't need to call me 'Miss' anymore." Selena glanced at Jeanne, her gaze tender. It made anyone looking at her feel comfortable and warm. "I would prefer it if you just called me Selena," she said softly and warmly.
Jeanne fell silent for a moment. "B-but… that would be rude…" she murmured.
Selena released her grip. She closed her eyes tight. Her fingers moved to touch her cheek reflexively; her smile widened, sincere yet full of gentle nervousness. "I-isn't that normal for a friend?"
"Friend…" Jeanne repeated the word in her heart. Jeanne pulled the edge of her shirt gently. "In that case… Selena," she said, her voice softer than usual.