Cop Craft – Dragnet Mirage Reloaded - Book 3: Chapter 1: (6)

Matoba’s guess was spot on. Even though Norbam was the kind of guy that could destroy even the best educated participants from the most prestigious universities on debate shows, he now looked like a patient that was talking to his counselor.

「She was born on the other side, and came here as a refugee as well?」 「When she was six in earth’s age, yes. Soon enough we were living a life of poverty in a tent with her siblings too. That’s a life I’m sure many refugees even today know very well. However…」

He swallowed his words again. Matoba could generally guess what it was. Probably a problem that came up as his daughter aged.

「As you probably expected, she wasn’t living a particularly modest life…」

Spot on. So he did have an idea about it.

「… I don’t know what kind of friends she was hanging out with. But about a year ago she started arguing with me and my wife. She wasn’t respecting her curfew at all, and she was indulging herself in a lot of luxury shopping. You know what I mean. Clothing, accessories, those kinds of useless products. It was my fault as well. “If I don’t have at least this then no one will want to go out with me!” she would say, and I would end up giving in and buying it for her. I was busy with work.」 「I didn’t send my daughter to Sherwood High just so she could have a good time with her flashy rich friends. I wanted her to get a top notch education on Earth, and to carry on the responsibilities of a new generation. To think that this happened…」

Norbam, who had been speaking quite quickly, had no words, so he covered his face with both hands, and his shoulders started trembling. Those were obvious emotions any human would feel: discord, suffering, regret, indignation… and on top of all that, this man had decided to choose the path he had been forging for ten years.

Matoba wouldn’t go as far as to say that he wanted to understand, but it wasn’t impossible that someone like that actually existed.

He waited until the man calmed down, and asked

「Do you have any recollection of any of her friends?」

Norune’s phone had not been found. They had already checked with her phone company and her email’s log records, but no communication data was found. Seemed like she almost never used the phone that her parents had bought for her.

She had most likely gotten her hands on a different phone from some of her “bad friends”, and was using that. They couldn’t track her with that one.

「I told you earlier, I have no clue. The only one I remember is that… that Semanian classmate of hers, she would drive him home, or so I heard.」 「What’s his name?」 「What was it? … Ny… Nyath, I think? Maybe it was Nyam? I never knew his last name」

Nyath. The kid who bumped into Tilarna in the morning.

「Anyone else?」 「I honestly don’t know. My wife didn’t know of any other kids either.」

Seemed like looking within the school was the only option. Matoba was getting worried about having to rely on Tilarna.

After that he asked a few questions about the day before Norune died, and other various things, but he didn’t get any new information that wasn’t already in the initial report filed by the police.

「Would that be all?」 「For today, yeah. For now I’ll run along with your wishes and keep investigating like this, but if we feel like we’ve reached a dead end, then there will be a change of plans」 「Which means basically making it all public?」

Matoba shrugged

「Something like that. You’re very mistaken if you think my superiors will just let this go. There are several people who could just open the floodgates when needed. Besides, we don’t know when the media will stop being so quiet. In any case, we won’t be considering anyone’s feelings more than we think is absolutely necessary. That’s the way of the Vice Squad. Basically we can see through the intentions of HQ because this stuff surrounds us.」

And as the conversation reached its end, Matoba stood up.

「So you’re saying that it’s okay if these “alien politicians” are destroyed?」 「I haven’t said anything like that, but the guys at HQ are full on policemen. They won’t take kindly to the way you’re doing this whole thing, naturally. Well, if you ask an underling like me, Mister Norbam, then I’d say that you politicians think too much along the lines of “If I’m not there to do it then who will?”. When in reality it’s best to think that there are countless people who can replace you.」 「Well that’s true for you officers too, right?」 「At least for the serious ones, yeah」

Matoba thought of the last moments of his previous chief, Jack Roth. He was a serious officer as well.

「It’s true that even if I fall, the movement to fix the Semani people’s standing will not stop. However, it will be delayed by several years. And in that time, many youngsters will lose their path and end up like my daughter.」

What was with this man, who couldn’t even see his own daughter’s problems?

Matoba thought, but he couldn’t get himself to say it. If he, for some reason, ended up having a kid in the future, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t end up being the same. A high school daughter… that was a true alien. There was no doubt it would be even more bothersome than living with Tilarna.

Now that he thought about it, Cami, his coworker, had said something at their drinking party the other day

「You know, Kei? High school girls are the most insolent creatures in the world. I was one, so I know」

In that case, high school boys were the most stupid creatures in the world. He knew because he used to be one, after all. Would Tilarna be okay, being thrown into a place like that?

~o~O~o~

Even according to Tilarna, Emma Sehlam looked like a wise girl. She was also funny. And she was choosing the right topics for someone so distant from social life, even back in Semani, like Tilarna. Although she was sure Emma was quite a few earth years younger than her, it absolutely didn’t feel like that.

She heard several suspicious stories about the school from Emma. For instance, there was a rumor about how before Sherwood High was built, there was a cemetery that stretched over most of the old town suburbs. Because of that, a ghost appeared around block C, and it attacked the unfortunate students that were still there.

「What sort of appearance do you think that ghost has?」 「No idea…」 「It’s covered in blood, it carries a chainsaw, and it wears a hockey mask on its face. What is this, “Friday the 13th”?」 「What’s that?」 「A character from a horror film. There being a cemetery here, on Caliena Island was something from back when it was part of the Semani world, right? But the ghost that appears is an earthly horror character! A lot of it is just downright stupid. The guys who came up with it probably don’t even know what inspiration means.」 「Huh… I kind of get it, kind of don’t」 「Sorry, was that boring?」 「No. Actually, it was very interesting.」

「I think your reactions are pretty funny, Tilarna. You’re cute like a doll, and removed from our mundane world. By the way, what area are you living in right now?」 「New Kombbton」 「Oh, New Compton? That’s close to the sea, right?」 「Yes. It’s a storage neighborhood」 「It’s pretty far from here, right? Do you live in a storagehouse?」 「My house is a remodeled storagehouse. My landlord wanted to build a large workshop for himself… it’s a very popular trend recently.」 「Ah, kind of like Soho, right?」 「Soho…?」 「It’s a neighborhood in New York. Is your family full of artists?」 「Artists, huh… you could say they are in some way」 「What do you mean?」 「I’m told we were considered to be knowledgeable in the “Art of War” some time ago」 「The art of war? So if your dad a photographer like Robert Capa?」 「He doesn’t have an interest in photography, but he’s an eccentric guy」

That was how the conversation went. Almost more than 50% of it were words Tilarna didn’t understand, but Emma always found her reactions funny.

「Well, that’s how parents are. My family is like that as well」 「Artistic?」 「No way!」

Emma laughed

「They’re just boring managers. My dad is an investment consultant, and my mom makes medical food. They’re not cool at all」 「Aren’t both investments and food better hot than cold?」

Emma stuck out her face and laughed

「Ah, you’re weird! But well, you’re kind of right. I just met you and I already like you, Tilarna」 「I’m honored」

She was looking at Tilarna with eyes brimming with curiosity. It was the gesture of a lady completely aware of her own charm.

「Hey Tilarna, are you free on the weekend? I’m planning on having a small party on Friday, and I especially want you to be there」 「A party? Is it your birthday?」 「Hahaha! Not at all! If it were my birthday, I would be doing something a lot crazier. Well, it’s just something to have fun. I just want to live it up with some friends」 「Hm…」

Tilarna thought about it for a second. Honestly, she didn’t have the time to go to a high schooler’s party and play around. And on top of that, officer Tilarna from the Vice Squad was usually busy on Fridays. The previous week she had been to a prostitution club on Motoserra Road, and she had been wrecked by the events that followed. She had no planned investigations for that week, but depending on how things with Cami and that mysterious shop went, she could be called suddenly for work.

Well, this Emma girl seemed socially skilled. Maybe getting well acquainted with her was a good way to know the reality behind that school. She had to be present at the party for that.

「Then I will take you up on your kind invitation, Bona Sehlam. I offer my gratitude for choosing the Elnebara family.」

Emma rounded up her eyes at the stiff response by Tilarna, but immediately she did a little earthly bow at her refined reaction, and replied with a dramatic tone

「I thank you as well, Princess Tilarna. The written invitation will be sent to you tomorrow.」

Lunch break was almost over, so Emma just said “Well, bye!” and left smiling. Then several female students that were seated near the exit stood up as if they had been waiting for her. They exchanged two or three words, and left the cafeteria together. Doing that they looked more like maids escorting their noble lady.

I see, so she’s pretty popular.

After the afternoon classes were over, a handful of girls approached Tilarna and introduced themselves to her, saying “Emma told me that you’re actually pretty nice!” or “Nice to meet you! I hope we get along.” and so on. They were being kind, but Tilarna still felt some distance between them somewhere.

After meeting with the girls, they left the school building behind. The classes were all over for the day. She had to take the bus, then the subway, and then go to the police department headquarters.

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