Investigation and Evidence Collection

"Yes, this is exactly the luxurious effect I want. We'll use gold leaf to make the cards, so the guests will feel noble and elegant. As for the content..."

Early that morning, Pilam gathered several people responsible for cola production to discuss the upcoming marketing plan. Without realizing it, he had come to regard it as his most important task at the moment, causing considerable dissatisfaction among the management.

But Pilam believed that once today's newspaper headline reported the fire at the Antoine Alchemy Workshop, those idiots would understand who the real boss was.

After the meeting, Pilam went to his office. Just then, a maid delivered today's paper. Pilam took advantage of the young maid, giving her thigh a grope, before sitting down and opening the Daily Priest.

The headline was the vicious incident that had taken place in Lunamia Town. Someone had attempted to attack several buildings on Old Street, but contrary to Pilam's expectations, the crime had failed.

According to the report, Priest's peace officers had long predicted that someone would attack Old Street in the near future. They had set an ambush there and captured the criminals last night. The suspects were currently being interrogated, and the truth would surely come to light soon.

"How is that possible?!"

Pilam carefully reread every word before finally putting down the paper.

"Though Sanderson is a hopeless idiot, this operation shouldn't have leaked. How could those freeloading peace officers have anticipated this?"

Unable to make sense of it, Pilam rose to his feet.

It seemed Sanderson had already been caught. Pilam didn't expect that man to keep his secret, but he wasn't stupid, either.

The records of Sanderson stealing high explosives from the Alchemy Workshop had long since been forged, and there was no shortage of testimony about Sanderson's hatred for Antoine. Pilam had prepared for both possibilities long ago.

If Sanderson succeeded, there would naturally be nothing more to say. But if he failed and was captured, Pilam would shift all the blame onto Sanderson. In fact, aside from their face-to-face conversations, Pilam had left no evidence that he had instructed Sanderson.

Knock, knock, knock—

As Pilam paced back and forth, a servant knocked on the door and spoke in a slightly fearful voice.

"Lord Pilam, someone is here to see you. They're peace officers from Priest."

"Hmph. Useless trash. He spilled everything after one night?"

Pilam sneered, then went downstairs to the reception room.

But to his surprise, besides two peace officers in blue uniforms, Pilam also saw Antoine, along with a young man and woman.

"Antoine, I'm so glad to see you're all right."

Pilam said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, then looked at the young pair.

"May I ask who these two are?"

"I'm the headmaster of Crescent Academy, Rainer Ian Gray. This is Claire, a teacher at our school."

Rainer hadn't expected Pilam not to recognize him, so he introduced himself, causing the businessman to pause.

"From the Ian Gray Family..."

Pilam had suspected as much before, but seeing him in person still surprised him. This Ian Gray was far too young.

"Let's end the pleasantries here, Mr. Pilam. We believe you are connected to last night's Lunamia Explosion Case."

Leslie said, then handed Sanderson's written confession to Pilam.

Pilam said nothing. He silently read through all the documents, then smiled contemptuously.

"What utter nonsense."

He paused before continuing.

"Sanderson has always been a thug. I only let him work for me because he seemed somewhat clever. It's truly regrettable that he did something like this, but I know absolutely nothing about it. As for his confession, I believe it's a false accusation. Perhaps you should search his home for clues. You might even find the tools he used to make explosives."

"Of course, we've already searched Sanderson's home. We found some explosives inside, but those things wouldn't be difficult to plant."

Leslie replied evenly, as though he had long grown accustomed to such scenes.

No criminal would admit to being guilty, especially Pilam. He had always behaved improperly in the past, but every time, he handled things well and found a scapegoat.

When Leslie and the others searched Sanderson's home, those pieces of evidence had naturally been prepared by Pilam long ago.

"I don't understand what you mean, Officer. I believe you should have evidence for what you say. Otherwise, it's slander."

Pilam smiled faintly. He knew Leslie had no evidence and was merely testing him, just as people had done many times before.

"Indeed, that was only my speculation. But I have another testimony here."

Without changing his expression, Leslie took out another document and handed it over.

When Pilam saw the title of the document, his eyebrows rose slightly. It was a case record concerning the theft of the Alchemy array for New Moon Cola.

He opened the document. Based on Sanderson's testimony, it clearly described how Pilam had instructed him to go to the Antoine Alchemy Workshop and steal the Alchemy array.

"Therefore, the main purpose of our visit is to investigate this case."

Leslie smiled. He appeared friendly, but there was a blade hidden beneath that smile.

"How are you going to investigate? How do I know Antoine isn't taking this opportunity to steal my Alchemy array?"

Pilam waved a hand, unwilling to let them enter his Alchemy Workshop.

"It's very simple. My colleague and I will serve as witnesses and inspect your Alchemy array. According to Mr. Antoine's testimony, he hid a signature in his own Alchemy array. If Mr. Pilam's Alchemy array was entirely developed by yourself, then presumably it won't contain that signature."

Leslie's words made Pilam's heart skip a beat, and concern rose within him.

Leaving signatures in one's original spells wasn't uncommon, but most signatures disappeared after a spell was reconstructed. Pilam had naturally considered this. After Sanderson stole back the Alchemy array, he had immediately reconstructed it, making minor adjustments to every part that could be altered and eliminating any hidden danger. Unless Antoine had used some more advanced kind of signature, there was no way it could be discovered.

On second thought, Pilam considered that Antoine might simply be bluffing, hoping he would reveal a flaw.

"Heh, if that's the case, then please follow me."

Pilam naturally couldn't refuse. He led them through a resplendently decorated corridor to his Alchemy Workshop. Here, bottle after bottle of Pilam Cola was being filled, and the production line was far larger in scale than Antoine's Alchemy Workshop.

When they reached the Alchemy array beside one production line, Pilam had an Alchemy apprentice stop the line, then pointed to the Alchemy array at its core.

"Officers, please investigate as you please."