" Morris?"
Carlo held up a finger. "First, he came too fast. Byrne's men hadn't even arrived yet, and Morris showed up. You just took a carriage from the Oak Club to the Joint Investigation Bureau, so you must know how long that journey takes."
Isaac recalled that it normally takes at least twenty minutes to travel from the Joint Investigation Bureau to the Oak Club.
But from the discovery of the problem with Corotty to Morris's arrival, only about twenty minutes had passed, which was indeed very fast, as if he knew in advance that something was going to happen at the Oak Club.
"Second," Carlo held up a second finger, "That zombie-faced Morris isn't the type to chat people up, especially since you're my assistant. As the saying goes, 'the offspring of evil are often the offspring of evil,' he probably doesn't like you much."
"But he proactively asked for your opinion and even gave you a 'warning' guess, which is like trying to force a certain line of thought into your head."
Isaac nodded. Morris's mention of Captain Byrne ' lack of vigilance and Corotty's infamy did seem to be deliberately guiding him toward the idea of "using a deserving man to issue a warning."
"Third," Carlo held up his third finger, "Of all the people you know, Morris is the most likely to be the murderer."
"For you, you only know a few people, so just guess among those few. If no one fits the criteria, forget it, but Morris happens to fit." Carlo shrugged. "He's an expert in death magic and familiar with the Ghoul Cult's Maggot Locomotion Technique; he has access to all sorts of information and can find out that Byrne will be playing cards at the Oak Club tonight; as for his motive..."
Isaac smirked. "Boss, you're not going to say your motive is revenge against you, are you?"
"Not at all." Carlo put down his pen. " Byrne isn't my mistress. Covering Byrne in maggots won't affect me."
Fortunately Morris, things didn't go too far off Joint Investigation Bureau... Isaac followed up on the line of thought City Police Force, "If Morris is the murderer, then it makes sense to some extent."
"As the head of Section One, he was well aware of the impact of the friction between the two sides on his work. He used a raid to break the deadlock; although the method was radical, it was indeed effective."
"So, if it really was Morris's idea, do you think it was his own, or was he instructed to do it?"
Isaac was taken aback. "Boss, you mean...?"
"Who most wants the Joint Investigation Bureau and the City Police Force to team up?" Carlo threw the question back at him. "And who really knows that ordinary negotiations won't work on that old dog Byrne, and that only sufficiently dangerous methods will make him come to his senses?"
Isaac for a moment. If Morris was also just one part of a plan, and there was someone behind it all, then that person would have to meet several conditions simultaneously:
He has the ability to get Morris to obey orders, the willingness to stop the Joint Investigation Bureau and the City Police Force from hindering each other, he knows that conventional negotiation methods are ineffective against Byrne, and he can keep the situation under control...
"... Chief Patrick?"
"Tsk tsk, Asa, isn't it a bit inappropriate to directly guess that the Joint Investigation Bureau director is the mastermind? If someone hears this, you'll be in for a world of trouble."
"Well..."
"But since we're already guessing in this direction, let's be a little bolder." Carlo chuckled. "In my opinion, the person most willing and capable of making this happen is, of course, Grand Duke Ogway, the master of Vista."
Isaac paused, realizing the guess was a bit far-fetched, but if the Grand Duke were placed in the position of the mastermind, many points would actually connect.
The Grand Duke undoubtedly hopes that the City Police Force will cooperate with the Joint Investigation Bureau. The expansion of the Joint Investigation Bureau's authority is part of the Grand Duke's push for a new order, and the City Police Force, as a traditional law enforcement force, will become a stumbling block if it cannot work in coordination with the Joint Investigation Bureau.
The Grand Duke must have tried normal means to mediate between the two sides, but judging from Byrne's disdain for Patrick, those efforts were probably not very effective. After all, many prejudices cannot be changed by a leader's reprimand.
"If I were the Grand Duke, even if Byrne hadn't considered that possibility, I'd have to obediently comply," Carlo said. "If he's sensible, he'll understand he needs the Joint Investigation Bureau's cooperation, and he can stay in his position as Captain. If he insists on going his own way, that's fine too." Captain Byrne is advanced in years and has suffered a vicious attack, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. With the Grand Duke's permission, he has retired for recuperation.
"If the Grand Duke wants better personnel in the City Police Force, can't he just replace Byrne?" Isaac asked. "With his power, it shouldn't be difficult for him to do so."
"It's that word I've said many times before: dignity. Back then, Byrne was a member of the Grand Duke's faction. Although times have changed and he's become a stubborn old man in the wave of the new order, directly pulling him down from his position will inevitably make other veteran ministers uncomfortable."
"Besides, although the Grand Duke holds great power, dignity is not just a matter of appearances. At the card table, if you can't be sure your hand will crush your opponent, don't rush to buy them a cappuccino. Those nobles have been able to sit comfortably under the waning sun until today, not because they are docile and obedient."
Isaac nodded, though he didn't know what cappuccino was.
"However, there's no evidence for any of this; perhaps I'm just making things up."
"... But boss, what you just said sounded very certain."
"Because someone secretly passed on a message, didn't you realize? Morris would rather avoid me than talk to me, so he had you pass on a message."
Isaac understood. Morris wasn't one for idle chatter, yet he had taken the initiative to ask Isaac's opinion on tonight's attack and offered his own assessment, which seemed abrupt at first glance. But under Carlo's deductions, a clearer purpose emerged.
Morris wasn't just speaking to Isaac; he was also relaying the message to Carlo, knowing Carlo would understand. His open message implied, "Our purpose is a warning; the dead have been chosen, you don't need to worry about it."
Carlo chuckled. "Anyway, if things go as I predict, we'll see Byrne approach Parker tomorrow to shake hands and make peace. As for the murderer, we might investigate for a long time and end up catching a Ghoul Cult, then conveniently pin the blame on him. After all, they are indeed active."
He stood up and stretched. "Alright, there's always tomorrow. Didn't Vilka ask you out?"
"... I'm going to her place to pick out Wonder."
"Anyway, it's none of my business. You can go by yourself."