Chapter 29 (1/2)

Translator(s): DCThanatos, s.h.i.+mizuA    Editor(s): Yuzuha    Proofreader(s): Merp-Merp

Note: Sorry that this chapter is out 2 days late, it was a longer chapter, and as such required more time. Also shout out to JasmineGT and Merp for being the first people to click on the ad-links and help out. We have 3 cents now :3

Richelieu issued out a command, which was to search for the one causing trouble at the eastern district of the imperial capital, otherwise known as the Chopper.

For that mission, s.h.i.+zuru recruited Lady and Ludmilla as personnel from Black Maria's 3rd squad.

And now including s.h.i.+zuru, there were 3 people.

Incidentally, Casca said ”It's too troublesome to search for people” and dismissed it.

It was also difficult to ask Elizabeth since she's been continuously been away from home.

In addition, a curfew was announced for the eastern part of the imperial capital a few days ago.

The period was one month. Depending on the circ.u.mstances, it could be longer.

This was drastic behaviour.

In the eastern district, there were a dense number of brothels and love hotels.

More than 80% of the city's shops were also located here. (DC: It could also be 8% if I didn't read ８割以上 right.)

Merchants also generally did business at night, so the curfew strangled their work.

So to appease the opposition, the royal family put a lot emphasis towards the Chopper case.

Nevertheless, it didn't change the fact that they still couldn't grasp his ident.i.ty, much less catch him, even after the imperial guard had been deployed.

They aimed to make the eastern district have better public order using the murder cases as the switch, so if they left him go about as he pleased, the citizens would think that they did their job half-heartedly.

Consequently, the order of imperial knights' name could end up with scars.

In any case, the citizens of the eastern part of the city had developed a strengthened sense of security due to the new curfew.

The frightened people refused to go out anymore, so as a result, prey had ceased to appear.

The whereabouts of Chopper grew smaller and smaller.

―― But in reality, it's wasn't like that.

The original eastern district of the city was a collection of slums, and the gathering place for outlaws.

Even if the pedestrian traffic was less than before, their business souls were still strong that even if a store wasn't open, there was a secret back door open.

Of course, when discovered by the guards some kind of penalty is inflicted, but sometimes there are cases of bribery.

Usually if you slipped some money into their hands, the problem was resolved peacefully.

In the end, the prohibition did not have a very strong effect.

As a matter of fact, since s.h.i.+zuru was a doctor, he fell outside of being blamed under the prohibition.

One could say in that aspect, that it became a little easier to do his job.

――Search day 1, Black day.

Was it bad or convienent that the first night had a new moon when they were pursing the bloodthirsty killer?

Even if the responses were divided, the search had already begun.

As for the crimes commited by the Chopper, they were done in back alleys in the eastern district.

So s.h.i.+zuru's group split up into 3 people and each individually searched around each and every back alley.

The result of the day had reaped no profit.

To exclude the innumerable difficulties, including having to go around certain areas to avoid public eye besides the guards, s.h.i.+zuru only came across a drunkard and a thug.

The next morning, s.h.i.+zuru heard rumour of damage that was caused.

It was at a completely different place from where the 2 people and 1 beast had been searching.

――Search day 2, Brown day.

From the reasoning that crime would not occur in the same place for 2 consecutive days, s.h.i.+zuru searched away from the position he searched the day prior.

While s.h.i.+zuru was making his way through the red-light district, he ran into Casca, who also happened to be drunk.(DC: This is a red-light district)

Forcibly he was taken into an inn. Thanks to that, there was no progress made on that day.

The next morning, while Lady and Casca were working together, s.h.i.+zuru noticed that the vicinity outside of the hideout was getting noisy.

There were already victims. s.h.i.+zuru thought that if Casca stayed at the hideout with that beast-like sense of hers, she would smell the scent of the slaughtered and make contact with Chopper.

It was too late now, even if had s.h.i.+zuru said something.

――Search day 3, Green day.

Elizabeth didn't have much to do on this day, so she decided to lend s.h.i.+zuru a hand and accompanied him.