"Lucia's family," someone answered. "He only came back recently for the holiday. He usually stays at Lucia's place. He's Lucia's brother-in-law—after Lucia's husband died, she practically raised him like a son."
Hesta had no impression of the name at all, until another person added, "Grass Sprout's family."
"...Helieta?" Hesta murmured.
"Right."
By the time Hesta arrived at the familiar settlement, a crowd had already gathered outside Grass Sprout's home. Fierce arguing and cursing mingled with the sound of all kinds of things being smashed.
Hesta pushed through the crowd and entered the house. She saw a woman who had been stripped almost bare by Santa, her hair disheveled as she was tied to a chair.
The entire home was in chaos. Shards from broken bowls and shattered plates were scattered all over the floor. The only two cabinets stood open in the room, the clothes and quilts inside strewn everywhere... the whole place looked like a ruin.
"Stop," Hesta said wearily.
Everyone looked at one another and stopped what they were doing. In the sudden silence, Santa, still in the middle of fighting, stood out all the more. She had grabbed the woman by the hair and dragged her, chair and all, in front of Hesta. "Inspector! It was her! She still hasn't told us where that beast is—"
"I said stop." Hesta's voice abruptly turned stern, and the women around her involuntarily took another step back toward the edges.
The woman on the chair looked half-dead, but her expression was still vicious. She glared at Santa with rounded eyes, and somehow still had the strength to curse in a hoarse voice, saying Santa and her daughter had deliberately seduced her promising Little Albareda—
"You shut up too," Hesta snapped.
Hesta turned around. "All of you, get out. You,