The instant a cold, unsettling sensation stirred deep inside him, Arthur glanced over without betraying a thing.
He immediately spotted Desi standing at the lounge door.
Noticing Arthur's gaze, Desi promptly turned away.
But [Death Intuition] was still flashing.
That was enough for Arthur to identify Desi as the likely murderer at once.
Otherwise, why had nothing happened earlier? Even after Arthur slapped Desi three times, there had only been growing anger. Yet hearing his name had now unleashed such intense murderous intent.
It was simply fear that Arthur, the "Medium," would discover the murder.
After all, according to Scott's account, he could "converse with the dead."
Without a doubt, Desi believed the articles published in The Horn Newspaper.
In an age when few people could even read, newspapers carried considerable credibility. No matter how outlandish something was, people would believe it if it appeared in print.
Once spread by word of mouth, it might even become a wildly exaggerated ghost story or urban legend.
Likewise, people featured in newspapers attracted admirers.
Just look at the students of the Jorjok Swordsmanship Club.
As children from well-off middle-class families, they could naturally read.
And "Arthur Credos" was certainly no stranger to them.
The Horn Newspaper's several special editions had already made that name famous.
They simply had not expected the "Medium" to be so young-to make himself more talked-about and earn more XP, Arthur had specifically asked Scott to omit his age from the descriptions.
The results?
They were certainly good.
Arthur was sure that once the swordsmanship students present today spread the story, he would earn even more bonus XP.
Of course, Arthur would not forget his core source of XP either.
He looked at Maltz.
"Officer Maltz, may I examine the body?"
"Of course!"
Maltz nodded immediately.
As far as the soon-to-retire Third-Rank Police Officer was concerned, anything was fine as long as Arthur did not damage the body right in front of him.
But although Maltz had agreed,
someone stepped forward to stop him.
It was Desi.
"Don't let him touch the body! He's the murderer! He must be trying to destroy the evidence!"
The swordsmanship instructor shouted at the top of Desi's lungs.
This time, Arthur did not deliver a slap.
Because Maltz did.
The soon-to-retire Third-Rank Police Officer landed a resounding slap across Desi's face.
"Shut up!"
"How do you know he's the murderer?"
"Destroying evidence? Do you even know how to spell 'evidence'?"
After slapping Desi twice, Maltz's hand began to hurt. He immediately grabbed a nearby patrol officer's baton and started thrashing Desi.
Maltz wanted nothing to do with a major headache like Arthur. He preferred to keep his distance.
But against a swordsmanship instructor like Desi, he showed no mercy.
As a Third-Rank Police Officer who had served since the days of constables, Maltz was no pushover. He had long since learned the ins and outs of his jurisdiction and knew exactly whom he could afford to cross.
There were indeed a few people around West Merck Avenue whom he could not cross.
Unfortunately, Desi was not among them.
Only after beating Desi's face black and blue and knocking out two teeth did Maltz stop, satisfied. Turning around, he saw Arthur standing beside the body with a slight frown, as though listening intently to something.
Wait!
Listening intently?!
In an instant, something occurred to the soon-to-retire Third-Rank Police Officer, and his hand involuntarily trembled twice.
Maltz realized it, and naturally, so did the surrounding swordsmanship students, Byrne, and Amy.
"Communing with the dead"!
The young swordsmanship students immediately watched Arthur with excitement and anticipation.
There was anticipation in Byrne's eyes as well.
The instructor was not looking forward to seeing someone "commune with the dead." He was hoping the murderer could be caught.
He did not believe Arthur was the murderer.
Just as Arthur had said, how could he have killed someone from so far away?
And Amy?
Although curiosity shone in the receptionist's eyes, she quietly took two steps back, seemingly trying to put some distance between herself and Arthur.
Regardless, everyone's attention had now shifted completely away from Desi. Even the students who had been about to speak up in defense fell silent and simply watched Arthur. As for Desi? Desi was naturally left lying there in misery.
And that was exactly what Arthur wanted.
That was right!
Arthur had done it deliberately!
He would not let Desi win sympathy and muddy the waters, interfering with his acquisition of XP.
"Is that so?"
"Then how did you die?"
"So that's what happened!"
Arthur murmured to himself.
Everyone around him watched with growing anticipation.
Thus, when Arthur turned his gaze toward Desi, quite a few people froze.
The meaning of Arthur's gaze could not have been clearer.
Desi was the murderer!
"Impossible! Desi couldn't be the murderer!"
The honest, good-natured Byrne was the first to step forward.
Desi finally seized the opportunity as well, scrambling upright and sneering at Arthur.
"You just said you were at least a meter away from Ritter, so you couldn't be the murderer. What about me?"
"I was at least ten meters away!"
"He was here, and I was here!"
"Everyone present can vouch for me!"
Desi pointed to the spot where Desi had been standing earlier.
Quite a few people immediately nodded.
"That's right. Instructor Desi really was here."
"This is a long way from Instructor Ritter."
The students spoke in hushed voices.
Hearing their words, Desi grew even more smug.
"See? I have witnesses!"
"You're slandering me!"
"To... Hmph, it's slander, plain and simple!"
Desi had originally intended to say Arthur was trying to clear himself of suspicion, but changed course before the words came out.
After five slaps and a beating, the swordsmanship instructor had learned a little sense.
But Arthur still looked at the instructor as though looking at an idiot.
"Of course you could kill Ritter, because... you poisoned him."
While examining Ritter's body just now, Arthur had smelled a strong bitter-almond odor in his mouth, on his palm, and on the sword's hilt.
To Arthur, who had seen genuinely meticulous murders, this method was kindergarten-level. It did not even qualify for preschool.
"Y-you're talking nonsense! Why would I poison him?"
Desi was visibly growing nervous.
Arthur no longer wanted to bother with Desi.
"Officer Maltz, please examine Ritter's sword hilt, then search Desi's residence for large amounts of cassava residue..."
Thud!
Before Arthur could finish, Desi collapsed.
"H-how did you know?!"
Desi cried out, looking as though a ghost had appeared.
"How did I know?"
"Ritter told me, of course!"
"Look, he's right beside you!"
Arthur gave a teasing smile.
He had originally planned to draw out the word "cassava." Although people in South Los ate cassava, he could not be certain Desi had extracted the poison from it. There could have been another source.
But unexpectedly, Desi had confessed outright.
It really was easy and simple.
Another batch of XP in the bank!
"Aaaah!"
Terrified, Desi fell to the ground and scrambled away, shouting, "This wasn't my fault! I just acted on impulse! You bribed your opponents to place in the Swordsmanship Tournament, yet you still strutted around in front of me! And you wouldn't even pay me to keep quiet!"
Desi's words landed like a bomb, leaving everyone present stunned.
Except Arthur.
"That's the first time I've heard anyone make blackmail sound so friendly."
Arthur curled his lip and headed toward the club's entrance.
He had already spotted Scott.
As he passed Maltz, Arthur nodded in acknowledgment-he had confirmed once again that this officer was someone he could work with.
Perhaps I could establish a useful friendship?
Arthur was still considering it when the young reporter rushed over, his face brimming with excitement.
"Big news!"
"Another big story!"
"It's just as Mr. Old Charlie said: 'Trouble always comes knocking at a Medium's door!'"
Scott shouted excitedly, but then glanced at his pocket watch. Seeing the hour hand approaching twelve, he immediately asked, "Arthur, have you heard of the newly opened Red Rose Restaurant?"
"Thanks to you, I became a permanent employee ahead of schedule, and I got a hefty bonus too!"
"Come on, my treat!"
"We can talk over lunch!"
"Their head chef has come up with a new specialty-Casu Marzu Cheese!"
Before you continue