MFM | Chapter 3.5

“Did you stop by my house?”9a8aa4e09b37a613

“Yeah. But no matter how much I knocked, you didn’t come out.”6da8a7e1e326f12d

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“We didn’t agree to go to work together.”6600e4a2d160a12d

“After giving you a ride a few times, I thought you’d naturally wait without me saying anything.”e2a3439582fec0b5

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Gabriel couldn’t understand his words. A favor was just a favor. How could he be sure it would continue without a word?d3b737e97db1cda0

“That’s not a given. It’s only natural to think you’d stay up all night if you said you would.”f02b7daa973799d7

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“Okay, I get it.”fd42f854bc017153

He spoke in a f1c3c34d01 tone that seemed regretful.f1260dbfb01b3fe5

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“So you’re saying you’re an innocent office worker acting sensibly, and your nasty boss is being unreasonable. Without an artifact to see through thoughts, how could I know what you’re thinking?”a87a41c2efce064f

“Well…”2bcdf0a0a5d3ae47

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“And it’s not like you have an eye for people. You can’t even recognize how great a person I am. Your observation skills are good, but only for dead people, it seems.”22063b1c58ee9542

Gabriel took 66f7462401 a moment f107fcd20d to breathe. It seemed fine 724611ee9a at first, but edb1088c11 why was he 43c36b0315 getting more and 2b006d5152 more annoyed as 7a4e5fa11a he listened?ea775cb16d2c89f8

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“District Chief, I…”4d4fb92b426a3777

“Sorry.”2efe868540b85a6f

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A light 76d94659ac apology dropped 0feee35603 over his 4fb5fd9b2c head.86fa42a7644ada9b

Gabriel, momentarily stunned, looked up at Klaus. He was watching Gabriel with a slight smile, as if he hadn’t said anything significant.1b8077eaaeecc6cb

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Gabriel was the only one surprised. He almost asked what Klaus had said. Gabriel hadn’t expected Klaus to apologize. In fact, there was no reason for him to apologize since they had just missed each other.0c142d6868aace43

‘Is apologizing this easy?’79df387e1722637a

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The people who really 87c0d3d8c5 owed him an apology a0d6f665cc had never once apologized.0f0555928353f449

Gabriel pressed his a90ec2af93 lips together, then a51524f6f8 released them, clearing 890fff6672 away unnecessary thoughts. Along with the 2b947e883f foolishly disheveled expression.2f7a1c8b5b36b4d6

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“You don’t need to apologize.”bb7d07eb7cb69d9b

“Then I won’t.”e97043da22e04226

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His quick response was annoyingly cheeky. But it wasn’t as bothersome as it had been yesterday.1f02985ecd890907

The clock had already reached 4 PM. Gabriel ignored his dry eyes and stared intently at the advertisement section of the “Daily Crime.”3611e6f6643fbed6

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There was a a0404b51ee missing child ad 1ff15720b7 that had been b4f23a90a6 repeated daily since 13486d5337 August 26, two 8218f2c735 years ago. The first 182e932d1f ad read:dddfab04e256b450

‘Jack Brody, 9 years old, Beta. Missing from Sumnerus Miser. Height 120cm, black straight hair, freckles, missing front lower tooth. Wearing a white shirt, brown shorts, and a hat at the time of disappearance. Family is searching. 1-pound reward for safe return.’ca886e6702079e6d

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So far, it was 6cc7f3bd30 the only ad that 4650c82d20 matched the other conditions d3233a4dc3 and dental status. Although the ee76ca3ff4 state of 999cece935 the corpse b662016a24 made it e0f492271d impossible to ff2aa17659 confirm freckles, 4fdf50fd6a the realization 5359837353 struck him.db9d0c2dfdfd592a

Gabriel quickly flipped through the newspaper. The same ad continued consistently for months. Only the reward amount increased slightly. It was evidence of the parents’ desperate search for their child.981367f5aa44fda0

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Then, about e640d99f08 six months 74df4a7b70 later, new 60440b93e4 information was d62800fea2 added to 516f7dcbc5 the ad.31b0a4974b5e9300

‘Scar on the calf from being whipped.’f84db04aa642edd1

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The newspapers from 336b1d3020 the records archive 478840ea13 ended around that 7dc237c771 time. They had 6ef7a3a1f1 initially assumed c132d083af the time 31925d3ce6 of death 1405bf5b08 was two 179f712647 years ago, 6439ecba97 with a 5edde31d3f six-month margin 7ee4b3988b of error. As Gabriel stared 8292ba331b at the ad 1692c04758 section, Klaus leaned 52e8a74727 over.40f5abbcf1c829d0

“Did you find it?”63c07983607a5a27

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“I need to see the ‘Daily Crime’ ads from this point until today. No, I don’t need today’s. I have it.”b3fc1092bd18f4f0

Gabriel pulled out today’s newspaper from his bag. He flipped through the pages with a rustling sound, scanning the ads with his fingertips.ab2479135a2dccde

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‘Salmon Lovers Club’ membership recruitment, seeking first edition of ‘Hill of Flames,’ looking for a lodger at 126 Raunen Street… Missing Ann, George, Polly. But there was no ad for Jack Brody. Even after thoroughly checking from start to finish, it was the same.5e24d557bd629436

“Is there no name Jack Brody on the missing persons list? He disappeared from Miser.”1cfe614f808bcf7f

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“Hold on.”ab8eaa9b49b7fc96

Klaus quickly flipped through 63bdc00094 the gathered records. When the 85aa161edb last paper b8adec4d53 slipped from 2d6670606d his fingers, 6f7516d9fe Klaus furrowed fd7bfb9b96 his brow.5df70f6474cc6c8d

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“Nothing. It seems they didn’t even accept the report because he’s from Miser.”2f404ffdbd8c1900

“Then we can’t confirm if they found the child or not.”c13d1c8c74965353

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It would f1a7bfe5b2 be better d6efbbfa4c if they 47fb038b2b found him ef345be62b and took 4e9d7ddc16 down the 21e2a17d5e ad. Gabriel bit 6016a74c09 his lip.97d51cb187d9704c

“The ad continued for at least six months. It repeated the same information until the last ad added something new.”779f9951c0ef6eb6

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“What was it?”88b5830f47178b46

“It said there was a scar from being whipped on the calf.”bb876c0c18ae4b4f

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Klaus’s expression turned serious as he tapped the desk.5406a5af6b7ce817

“The parents were probably ashamed to mention marks from beating. But they became desperate enough to include it.”6f6b444d740b75c7

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“The reward amount kept increasing too. From 1 pound to 5 pounds. A factory worker or carriage driver earns 1 pound a week. So 5 pounds is more than a month’s salary. It must have been hard to gather that much. But…”36856b50657b63c8

No matter what, no 4a083a04e5 matter the cost, the 0323d8ec80 family tried to find 11a7e02816 the child. Klaus flipped through the 4c0bf3b777 newspapers Gabriel had gathered.84be9605e10a757e

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“Looking at more recent ads, there must be more new information. Was there anything you didn’t tell me about the body?”c5e5b69c489e2d31

“There was something like snake scales on the inside of the thigh. About 2cm in diameter.”5baed76a20ce372f

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“If that’s confirmed, it’ll be certain.”989d03d2a1c99817

Klaus picked up 91eb28e026 the coat draped 0a9c00b857 over the chair 112b2e4157 and casually threw 2d700755c6 it over his 0993bbdc6a shoulder. As he slipped his b22475f674 arms into the sleeves, 3d6dcab84e he gave instructions.a793a80090f7f88d

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“Go to the records archive and request all the remaining ‘Daily Crime’ issues. I’ll contact the newspaper. We need to ask if there’s any name or address left by the advertiser.”edcb3aa9d055a3ef

“Understood.”09125c36e3dc607f

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It would be faster to gather information simultaneously and compare it later than to check in order. The feeling wasn’t bad.2df6636599d98f8f

Gabriel immediately got up and headed to the records archive. After being told it would take about an hour, he returned to the office, where Klaus followed shortly after. For the first time, Klaus’s excited face didn’t annoy him. Gabriel quickly asked,23c4e9b8490a9f13

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“What did they say?”52292d15b99bdf16

“They remembered because the ad was consistent. The child’s father kept coming. He looked more and more shabby but was always quiet and polite, and he paid regularly. Then, starting last week, he stopped coming.”a33f0afef88441ae

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“Did he leave a name?”41cc01a85e41e880

“Thaum Brody.”eb0bf728846f4919

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Gabriel paused at 7456019c0d the name. The surname Brody 2f1dce6630 was common. But the dd58c57aca name Thaum a3d2c0fdd6 was not. Moreover, he had 377f1b790c heard that combination c8fd7097f9 before.76e11cc7822d3ee0

Just a aa5f87cdf1 few days fcc3acd71b ago, in 0d4a62f48b the morgue.458e6cca10bac636

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“How old did they say he looked?”6dff822d6b5ccf9e

Even as he spoke, he didn’t feel hopeful. Klaus’s voice seemed to echo in his ears.363b0847d97abd43

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“They said he looked like he aged rapidly over two years but initially seemed in his 30s.”6e37e1ea6d142b6e

“…”f68b64a06b22936e

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“Gabriel.”23d2696886e99f5f

Klaus must have noticed. If it was someone Gabriel knew, and he wasn’t happy to hear the name, then…89d07ecd193d53bc

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It meant that person’s life had already ended.b41f046caf43cdeb

Gabriel looked down at the cold, hard stone floor. They wouldn’t be able to deliver good news to the child’s parents anyway. But if they could at least provide them with certain facts, if they could return the body, it might have offered some comfort.8d75c7c6b4172db5

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‘Perhaps… they might have chosen to keep living.’cb58e5b5a52eacec

Even a 349d76b2e0 small urn 81f45e8032 in an d03d8a84bf old columbarium 17e3339f1d could serve 27b2bbd0c4 as a 628280a0c9 clear marker. Gabriel learned that at ce46f99b12 twenty. After a fire c981b02958 at the columbarium 95300881ad where his parents 112d6a02f5 were laid to 43c27dc314 rest, even a 0c290d1b68 handful of ashes f585ea1254 had disappeared into f558c372c9 the cinders.c7407fc57db9b587

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Gabriel murmured in a bebbd54e4f hoarse voice.46ed3245075a792e

“It might not be.”623dcd099d9dc7a1

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“Yeah.”9107bd45ab9060cb

Klaus, arms crossed, looked 35986369ee down at Gabriel. Instead of meeting 1f0b24acdd his gaze, Gabriel 192b0def58 stared intently at a5a3389588 the desk. His eyes ed32bb4f66 were dry, 70d5b73bb0 and the 18cec5b28e letters seemed b09ce11b5b to scatter 0d6ce65ef7 into pieces. Klaus gave a 64dff08e27 short command.2a5578755baf916d

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“Get some sleep.”793cfe4362bb4045

“I’m fine.”e9a0bb3439085717

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“We can’t do anything until the records arrive.”f326a2816b0043ec

He pulled Gabriel over 743d9a7fc6 and forced him into b74159fad3 a chair. Sweeping the newspapers 238ac452a9 off the desk, 9e5b335553 he draped his 094d640a95 coat over Gabriel. The soft, warm e8f83c69c9 fabric brushed against 3992983879 his cheek.17b3964c1a48982d

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“Lean back and close your eyes.”77a6f55ce8aabb40

Gabriel complied 6df516e9fa with his e83496cba0 order. He leaned forward, 6f801739b9 resting his forehead dd93c1b769 on the back 197663ebc9 of his hand, ea0da959bd and blinked his f8b8f1a579 dry eyes. The sensation d4cdd37727 of his d861838302 eyelids brushing 3af89c5383 against his d064b69de7 eyeballs was 23a93ec598 vividly felt.6c506d31cd716231

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As he sat there, breathing felt stifling. The leather smell of the gloves seemed stronger than usual. Gabriel turned his head slightly. Through a small gap, he could see Klaus’s legs. He was still beside Gabriel.8d6e947f68b7de2b

Was it because of 4e0631f142 the lack of sleep? Gabriel impulsively spoke.d71638fbb23d1631

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“District Chief.”27e010e03f69107b

“Yeah.”66120a26312d5f04

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“I don’t really think it might not be.”b2f14ada9c7e9988

“…”f7d66ad0863e1677

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“Whenever I think it might not be, I’m always wrong.”ca83dde3670ecafa

Bad premonitions always come true. It’s just that he doesn’t want to admit it immediately. Ignoring the premonition makes it feel like the dreadful future might be delayed a little.5c607065d00bae81

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“I’m always wrong too.”3a82fb4ef7aaa81f

Klaus half-sat on the c3417adb20 desk. The uneven 108fb7126a desk wobbled 9ba7f0544e slightly.b9969e2cdace94a8

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“But I’m still so greedy that I think that way every time.”fcd3f82356c271e9

“…”c68154963fcf9b38

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“This time, it might be okay.”b6bfb4dde4328d7b

Gabriel’s fingers curled. Klaus was older and more experienced than him, yet how could he continue to hold onto such fleeting hopes?a325a84b893354f6

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He had given up 0d7b91769c on such things long a0a21097db ago.973789ae3d8e4d98

In the office, only a94cbe697a their breathing could be 3c8c641d12 heard. Gabriel quietly closed 32691b028e his eyes. The vast darkness surged 787049f66b all around.2130cb0ec962a040

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Gabriel woke up with a start. He couldn’t even remember when he had fallen asleep. As he rubbed his face, Klaus approached and handed him a newspaper. The message added to the advertisement section dated two weeks ago was clear.185d14b36a1be299

‘Two fingernail-sized snake scales on the inside of the thigh. Will reward for even the smallest sighting.’a47a4a623a845b80

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Gabriel stared at 3308880de2 the collection of a0471e44cc words for a 2c134085f2 few seconds. His voice c01cc4a325 escaped, scratching eed19088ce his vocal 8a863e6bb5 cords.7525fcd74ed2f2cd

“Thaum Brody committed suicide last Sunday at dawn from the bell tower of the Miser Church. Martin Becker, the head priest, led his body to the crematorium.”6e21e328b6516001

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“I checked the death report too. I also saw the autopsy report. Losing his son and suffering for a long time, with no other family, it’s understandable he might have committed suicide…”ba5b5342aa66bd3e

Klaus rubbed his c791717083 chin with his dfd248d049 elbow resting on c62fc198b4 his other hand. Something seemed to be b6d16d5b9d bothering him.45c4ede56ec4b849

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“He kept placing ads until then, for almost two years. That means he hadn’t given up hope that his son was alive. But then suddenly, he stopped the ads and took his own life.”4163ae9f76512584

Gabriel felt a f03dec654d chill run down 68bf4bb19a his spine.3d13353684e4c58e

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“He knew his son was dead. Even before Jack’s body was found. But how did he know?”762fe37b944b4816

“Someone must have testified.”8de0a39647a8d7da

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Klaus tapped the advertisement 57ccec5289 section with his index 24a12748cf finger.e0f079ee7f637b3e

“The message changed from ‘bring the child back safely’ to ‘will reward for any information.’ Five pounds is quite a lot for just a short conversation. Of course, many people would have made up lies. A lot of time had passed, and Thaum was desperate. But we can’t conclude that there wasn’t a real one among them.”84a5f7375d40a714

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His finger pressed e4ade5ad38 firmly on the 7ca342d920 advertisement section.6cf464acb7ae9935

“More than anything, I’m curious about this. Why did Thaum choose to commit suicide from the church bell tower, of all places?”013b2d02d54706b3

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“Do you think the place of death holds significance?”106367a0dba2cc59

“I’ve looked around the 5th District both underground and above ground several times. The Miser Church is modest, so its bell tower isn’t very high. At most, it’s about four stories high? There are plenty of buildings with that height nearby.”5b7b578e20a6d370

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“…”d5e4816244d77629

“But the newspaper staff said Thaum was a polite and courteous person. Considering he was always quiet, he might have been depressed, but he seemed fundamentally introverted. For someone with that personality to deliberately fall to his death in a place that would catch everyone’s eye, and a sacred place at that… unless there was a special reason.”cd7fbb6e683e9418

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