Passing By

"Narcissist-senpai, what nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly do something like that?" Makitaka retorted. "Besides, the drinks and cups were all purchased in bulk long ago, and Section Chief Maruo personally poured all the drinks. I was only responsible for handing them out—I had no idea which cup Chairman Uemura would take!"

"Y-Yeah, if it was poisoning, Shimoda and I drank some too, and nothing happened to us—" Nakao slapped his thigh. "Ah! It had to be Pegasus! He poisoned the chairman from afar, which is why the chairman was affected! What a terrible ability!"

"If that were true, it really would be impossible to guard against." Even Narcissist could not help shuddering.

Amaki was speechless. "Anyway, let's not start talking about long-distance curses yet. The cups at the scene probably haven't been cleared away. I'll contact the Forensic Science Division and have them test for poison residue, then we can ask Chairman Uemura about what happened."

After contacting the Forensic Science Division, Narcissist and the others went to Chairman Uemura's hospital room, hoping he could provide some useful clues.

Although Chairman Uemura, lying in the hospital bed, was already out of danger and in somewhat better spirits, he was still extremely surprised to learn that he had been poisoned.

"Huh? So it wasn't my old condition acting up?" Uemura had thought his vertigo had flared up.

"Please think carefully again. Before or after drinking that beverage, did you touch or eat anything else? If there was anything unusual at all, please tell us," Amaki asked seriously.

Faced with Amaki's question, Chairman Uemura immediately shook his head. "No. The symptoms started after I drank that beverage, and—I hadn't eaten anything all morning. That drink was the only thing I had. Right—Nakao and Shimoda were with me the