MFM | Chapter 3.5

“Did you stop by my house?”cd5a7f1745760a8d

“Yeah. But no matter how much I knocked, you didn’t come out.”fa471ab723d89cae

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“We didn’t agree to go to work together.”bfdba7c249df0faa

“After giving you a ride a few times, I thought you’d naturally wait without me saying anything.”d197040d5e94729a

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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?4809a322636a27c4

“That’s not a given. It’s only natural to think you’d stay up all night if you said you would.”db30b4374ff2634b

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“Okay, I get it.”12cd2ca85735890e

He spoke in c76de2c98a a tone that 285daebfe5 seemed regretful.b4840d0f01b0c0ff

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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?”80baa551c0fa45cc

“Well…”4c7967046a789a36

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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.”4a0f3416f1b77239

Gabriel took a bc0bbf4c05 moment to breathe. It seemed fine e69b20454f at first, but 643e6d06bd why was he 600407b385 getting more and 1b74f2ff90 more annoyed as ec40de5a36 he listened?c730128465fc9dc3

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“District Chief, I…”1348c587c18fb785

“Sorry.”3a19629b1b707521

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A light apology dropped 7d803f4d8d over his head.9aed313903968fde

Gabriel, momentarily stunned, looked up at Klaus. He was watching Gabriel with a slight smile, as if he hadn’t said anything significant.e679972e98bd5ee7

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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.c7bd0f5dbafd8ffd

‘Is apologizing this easy?’78a1d4e200e171e8

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The people who 01f2433a90 really owed him efdaf4f80c an apology had 58767c86ce never once apologized.e56d4ce27c40db07

Gabriel pressed 6f4f5cdb0c his lips 0c11637933 together, then 95c9d55384 released them, 15d396d56e clearing away 4fa8228783 unnecessary thoughts. Along with d9809b4ff2 the foolishly c63ccca680 disheveled expression.de7069a1de747561

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“You don’t need to apologize.”a033044b00844bfd

“Then I won’t.”c32b07f124ce8479

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His quick response was annoyingly cheeky. But it wasn’t as bothersome as it had been yesterday.eba5b2c1f5e4008b

The clock had already reached 4 PM. Gabriel ignored his dry eyes and stared intently at the advertisement section of the “Daily Crime.”aec0cdeccccd6c62

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There was a missing 95385f8792 child ad that had 0bacbaad4d been repeated daily since 6c4420073a August 26, two years 0bd1f1ace5 ago. The first ad read:ffe4cfb30f7f2b7a

‘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.’67ac317ee6bfa2c7

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So far, 0490dc14f4 it was 69dc658b90 the only b4ef58d3db ad that e5addbe971 matched the 5ad5ebeecc other conditions d5f04484f2 and dental 76eed843f3 status. Although the 2b8e2b0913 state of 1f50f0452d the corpse 0994b7fc2e made it b32139b360 impossible to adb922f05b confirm freckles, 92845fe0df the realization a298852159 struck him.bc60a8a7bba2d9d5

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.8eb516ea4ef5fd28

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Then, about 1473c2fdc0 six months be0e56a24f later, new 94c1d83a82 information was aa4bd684cd added to 86d5b2879d the ad.d0c0fc136a0984ae

‘Scar on the calf from being whipped.’61714f4dcd43ec2a

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The newspapers from 88ce42654a the records archive 7dc654ef0d ended around that fd5f662948 time. They had initially 6415189ebd assumed the time 2d27477d4d of death was 21fcf16cf5 two years ago, c4916d15a0 with a six-month 0583d66d63 margin of error. As Gabriel stared at e22b57a386 the ad section, Klaus 63abc5b208 leaned over.5a70d59ccd29a793

“Did you find it?”7c13ad81aef99c4b

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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.”2b3d6b585d6beb85

Gabriel pulled out today’s newspaper from his bag. He flipped through the pages with a rustling sound, scanning the ads with his fingertips.4a74a482a6223aec

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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.07f17cedcebb270a

“Is there no name Jack Brody on the missing persons list? He disappeared from Miser.”919155b9d0ce5396

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“Hold on.”5f6e301662dc877f

Klaus quickly c45ba5965a flipped through dae8027d03 the gathered c1b39145d2 records. When the last paper 157fe1e4ae slipped from his fingers, d58e601f96 Klaus furrowed his brow.89afce99cb9bfe1b

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“Nothing. It seems they didn’t even accept the report because he’s from Miser.”809ee195f6247085

“Then we can’t confirm if they found the child or not.”ea88d2a0efd534ea

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It would 50e6b66fa8 be better 5516c11d11 if they fabfd55df5 found him 6dbba0c29f and took ff8e4ff30f down the 0b56b68ca8 ad. Gabriel bit his lip.a0e460ba7b15c500

“The ad continued for at least six months. It repeated the same information until the last ad added something new.”31b03e6d4d51b6ce

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“What was it?”1d690244a50704c9

“It said there was a scar from being whipped on the calf.”fbe55307aa1505c0

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Klaus’s expression turned serious as he tapped the desk.d2edb586591ebf4c

“The parents were probably ashamed to mention marks from beating. But they became desperate enough to include it.”8987a64078f13522

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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…”8114ffd756f2e320

No matter what, 99bf05e8db no matter the 3923ae7d79 cost, the family 667db2d052 tried to find 8be19ba30d the child. Klaus flipped through 0f4ffdf59e the newspapers Gabriel 242fde7e71 had gathered.9af4a54714f727de

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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?”05ebf6076717934f

“There was something like snake scales on the inside of the thigh. About 2cm in diameter.”13591c0559f83d68

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“If that’s confirmed, it’ll be certain.”d5a47b727c060792

Klaus picked ef8ac049da up the 02f4ecaea0 coat draped 5696d3a4c0 over the a449db1663 chair and 5daf47ad08 casually threw 64643d9307 it over c7d418c305 his shoulder. As he slipped his d4ba0d733e arms into the sleeves, c024209089 he gave instructions.061714a12eaac1e8

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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.”d560289084377c93

“Understood.”9a5899b7ea063e1f

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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.ad17b96b23b083eb

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,b7e9c403d67675c5

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“What did they say?”95857b3c20c560e6

“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.”11a7e7af81818a97

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“Did he leave a name?”aa5a5f9ca98113db

“Thaum Brody.”a51aa471f2efa671

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Gabriel paused at 0e5c6c247d the name. The surname eb382cff67 Brody was ff609adf8e common. But the name Thaum 30e4d233b5 was not. Moreover, he had 250c04e83d heard that combination e08b45a3d2 before.febee18974b720dc

Just a 3af774e19c few days c98799983a ago, in 5e49b3dcd7 the morgue.7bf9139578501b15

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“How old did they say he looked?”6b2d5eea9245e6ba

Even as he spoke, he didn’t feel hopeful. Klaus’s voice seemed to echo in his ears.4d815c234f71e3ba

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“They said he looked like he aged rapidly over two years but initially seemed in his 30s.”10c6846fd262dbb6

“…”d61bf9f0dcf58693

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“Gabriel.”eeac9ee70fd32433

Klaus must have noticed. If it was someone Gabriel knew, and he wasn’t happy to hear the name, then…bf44066330531752

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It meant that person’s life had already ended.3e2999239e631395

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.a45e70ab3c67e0f1

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‘Perhaps… they might have chosen to keep living.’f8f0d3528f73ae82

Even a small 06acf8c25c urn in an 28da4dd333 old columbarium could ea0203ed90 serve as a e5fa9253c1 clear marker. Gabriel learned that at 5570d8e3f8 twenty. After a e0710877ce fire at 36ea423f7f the columbarium d7d50af3c1 where his 687bbc3a35 parents were 057a5841d8 laid to 3bafc9cb5a rest, even 82cbcd3940 a handful f131690280 of ashes e6ded2d2fb had disappeared de4631c263 into the 16a9564649 cinders.c797a88b96120e7a

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Gabriel murmured in 522a9ed299 a hoarse voice.b455161245a04107

“It might not be.”ccf6b7c7d4da4769

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“Yeah.”447060eac9fced1c

Klaus, arms crossed, looked 488473705a down at Gabriel. Instead of b6a21b930d meeting his df16815992 gaze, Gabriel bc3c6e4e6e stared intently 5049024770 at the 3d96dbf80f desk. His eyes were dry, 93a179b982 and the letters seemed abeb6ec1cb to scatter into pieces. Klaus gave a short 5a633540e9 command.39612cabc446d7e1

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“Get some sleep.”c9f4fcb2f79d24cc

“I’m fine.”860cd88ec1722470

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“We can’t do anything until the records arrive.”334c05772c6247bd

He pulled Gabriel 5d4ea346ca over and forced 0bcbf5d39c him into a 291e35ad23 chair. Sweeping the newspapers be875bff04 off the desk, 168a906f2c he draped his d7b02c43b0 coat over Gabriel. The soft, warm c86822ab0e fabric brushed against c13aeae1ea his cheek.d8c390653266cb22

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“Lean back and close your eyes.”49b4dd76024f8656

Gabriel complied f5e5ad3345 with his b2bac4b2ce order. He leaned forward, 70ab288912 resting his forehead 20232c0ae5 on the back db012709f8 of his hand, 3671461e3e and blinked his 11c6899f04 dry eyes. The sensation 49e48b8bb4 of his aab76fe665 eyelids brushing dcde03058b against his 207a32c01e eyeballs was 0c33f40baa vividly felt.4df2ade4b3eb9c23

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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.c124b44f57b8dd08

Was it 32edcdb862 because of 81290466ca the lack cd24bfbe6b of sleep? Gabriel impulsively spoke.6fc702224d54eefc

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“District Chief.”5b1f04fc4cca9ba3

“Yeah.”e9833be073694439

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“I don’t really think it might not be.”661f1a11b041d850

“…”20a3219fcdee692d

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“Whenever I think it might not be, I’m always wrong.”7d64b63054f90388

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.facd0e2af9847c24

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“I’m always wrong too.”db5ba8a953dab405

Klaus half-sat 2da4979550 on the 71631b2f30 desk. The uneven d47d3024ee desk wobbled 0caada77b4 slightly.9d5dc958762b5030

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“But I’m still so greedy that I think that way every time.”4e4d932b52024cfd

“…”dfc30334ab66dedd

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“This time, it might be okay.”6012fb8e6b49c842

Gabriel’s fingers curled. Klaus was older and more experienced than him, yet how could he continue to hold onto such fleeting hopes?507b243082fad71f

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He had given up 9d46103d2a on such things long 88abec973c ago.465441b9f7bdef36

In the 86cfe80abf office, only c8870db360 their breathing b3d3f0ce1d could be 0b1e36b536 heard. Gabriel quietly a125d27874 closed his 0651d0e416 eyes. The vast darkness 9150e4d0ea surged all around.f6853fb4dc9e1f63

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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.7a9d82034bc9b533

‘Two fingernail-sized snake scales on the inside of the thigh. Will reward for even the smallest sighting.’83f07f56c0616f14

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Gabriel stared at 49e8333cdd the collection of 1c66480ecd words for a 2a7307f357 few seconds. His voice escaped, b5aea45f68 scratching his vocal 6694138fdb cords.77981d18e13e6a16

“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.”e7842f543bc93210

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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…”b8e2f19d74dab761

Klaus rubbed his chin 51426e2283 with his elbow resting ef4eb85256 on his other hand. Something seemed to 6c7fd45e58 be bothering him.2217813517130ac2

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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.”0f6eea5bcf59ba9d

Gabriel felt a db9da41660 chill run down 82e966e735 his spine.2da7ba02f404c609

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“He knew his son was dead. Even before Jack’s body was found. But how did he know?”958e6d6c6b32da5e

“Someone must have testified.”5869e1876ac436aa

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Klaus tapped the advertisement 39990ec9dd section with his index 0fd2ffbbfa finger.7bc0590915206b0b

“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.”7bc1a2248071ee04

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His finger pressed firmly 56e3d55aec on the advertisement section.e3ebd18ef3a2715c

“More than anything, I’m curious about this. Why did Thaum choose to commit suicide from the church bell tower, of all places?”4afe31301cf2b387

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“Do you think the place of death holds significance?”38dd2ea30dc3aee5

“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.”34b0e809beb1471f

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“…”8511645290f60d9c

“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.”f5b0c079dda0cfe6

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