Chapter 7 (1/2)
Chapter 7: Testimonies and Deduction
Testimony 1
Witness: Arthur Sears and Sophia Ulericks Sixth-year students, president and vice-president of the drama club
“A transfer student from Iks? That’s pretty unusual”
“I haven’t seen him in person Why the sudden curiosity, Nicholas?”
“I wanted to get your advice, actually The transfer student is a friend of Megmica’s friend, and the newspaper club expects he will become one of our friends in the near future as well We are planning a welco connected to his homeland”
“That’s a good idea”
“Yeah It’s not easy for transfer students to make friends”
“And that is why I a friends and acquaintances about Iks for research purposes Do you know anything at all, SC Arthur? SC Sophia?”
“H is, I’ve never been to Iks And I don’t know anyone who has”
“Me neither We’d love to help, but…hey, come to think of it, I think Ms Krantz said she’s been there before”
“Perfect I shall ask for her advice when I can Nohat about this transfer student? Have you heard anything about him?”
“No Not at all”
“A little The girls in our club were chattering about how he’s handsome, smart, and athletic So he wasn’t really sure”
“Oh? Could you elaborate, SC Sophia?”
“I mean, this is all third-hand stuff, but apparently a friend of a clubabout hi really exotic But she was shot down”
“Fascinating”
“So she asked hiive up on him”
“And what did he say?”
“It was kind of weird Apparently he got all serious and said, ‘I don’t know I don’t know right noish I did’”
“He does not know his own feelings? Curious”
“Yeah The girl was confused too but she took the hint and gave up That’s about all I know”
“I see Thank you for your cooperation And I apologize for taking up so much of your time”
“Not at all, Nicholas We owe the newspaper club”
“Well, if anything else happens to bother you, do let us know”
“Hah hah! Sure thing”
“Actually, there is so me for a while now”
“Yes, SC Arthur?”
“Has the newspaper club been using the temp lockers en masse recently?”
“No, I don’t believe so Is so the matter?”
“Well, they’ve been nearly all occupied for the past two months or so It’s kind of a bother Frankly, it’s reallytrouble for the club”
“Has the dra temp lockers?”
“Yeah, for passing on finished props and copies of scripts You leave the stuff in a temp locker with a lock Everyone in the club knows the combination, so you can co, even on days without s”
“Ingenious! Is this trick exclusive to the drama club?”
“No, practically every club has been doing this for the past few years If it’s a te used by a club We try to keep it hush-hush because teh”
“I see Perhaps the newspaper club could also—”
“That ood idea More i for the school to install more temp lockers!”
Testimony 2
Witness: Lena Portman Sixth-year student, president of the orchestra club
“Treize Bain? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of him Who is he?”
“A fourth-year who just transferred in this month, SC Portman”
“Wouldn’t you know more about a fourth-year than I do, Natalia Steinbeck?”
“Not necessarily Okay, so if you don’t know Treize, what about Iks? Do you know anything?”
“I have never even visited the country Is that all? I’m very busy today”
“But lunch period’s not even close to over”
“Unlike someone else, I am always occupied with club activities I have to drop by the music room to collect my sheet music”
“Huh? Doesn’t the club have a temp locker?”
“Ignorant as ever Temporary lockers have been in short supply recently They’re practically useless, with the number that are available now”
“That’s news to me”
“Useless, just like a certain someone I don’t have to name”
“I have no idea who you’re talking about, but she must be a real lazy bum”
“I’ about you! Come out to practice once in a while!”
Testimony 3
Witness: Ms Leni Krantz Home economics teacher
“Well, if it isn’t Larry Hepburn”
“It’s been a while, Ms Krantz Thank you for everything last summer”
“I should be the one thanking you You did a great job!”
“Thank you, Ms Krantz I wanted to ask if it’s true that you’ve been to the Kingdom of Iks? SC Arthur told me about it”
“About three years ago, yeah I do enjoy traveling”
“What’s it like? I was kind of interested in going myself, but I don’t know many people who’ve visited Iks”
“It’s wonderful! How do I put it? …What do Capital District people like us usually think of e say ‘mountain country’?”
“I’ in humble and traditional ways?”
“Exactly It’s like the quintessential ht out of a book”
“I see This e question, but just how traditional are these people? Do they cook over wood-fired stoves, for example?”
“The capital city Kunst and Mushke have gas Other areas are still on firewood, though Set electricity”
“That’s incredible Then they must still pass down a lot of traditional arts”
“Hed woold jewelry you’ve ever seen like it’s child’s play”
“What about in terms of combat?”
“Ah, there’s the Hepburn I know Hunting is iood with rifles You’re not considered a un”
“I see What about martial arts?”
“I don’t think I’ve heard anything about that”
Testimony 4
Witness: Stella Whitfield and Margaret Whistler Third-year students
“Oh, SC Maxwell Good afternoon”
“G-good afternoon, SC Maxwell It’s b-been a while”
“Yeah Hi there”
“I heard you becaratulations”
“Congratulations I-I think I should go”
“Huh? A-a? Sorry”
“Don’t worry, SC Maxwell Actually, Maggie found so her down turned out to be a good thing”
“…I-I see”
“I haven’t thanked you properly yet, have I? I’rateful for all your help, SC Maxwell”
“Oh No problem”
“I should get going now”
“W-wait I wanted to ask you so”
“Yes? Linus is doing very well, by the way Grandfather’s proud of him too”
“That’s good to hear But I wanted to ask you about so about Ikstova?”
“The Kingdom of Iks? No, I’m sorry”
“Oh, I see Sorry for taking up your time”
“Is this for the newspaper club?”
“I guess you could say that”
“I don’t knowhas been a little fishy lately”
“Yeah?”
“Actually, I should say so smells nice Around the temp lockers”
“What?”
“I’m really sensitive to scents, and I can s citrusy when I walk by the temp lockers”
“…”
“Isn’t that strange? I think it is”
“…”
“See you, SC Maxwell”
Testimony 5
Witness: Lillia Schultz, fourth-year student
“Hey there, Meg”
“Hi Lillia You look happy today”
“I guess you could say that”
“Sorry foryou worry the other day”
“It’s okay By the way, do you still have a spare lock?”
“For a locker?”
“Yeah You said you bought two but you’re only using one now, right? Could I borrow the extra?”
“Sorry, I gave it to Kurt”
“Oh, I see! That’s a shame”
“Is it for Treize?”
“Yeah He’s been here for days, but he didn’t even know about the lockers until now! I told hiet a lock at the school store, but apparently they’re always sold out”
“Oh Theyof the term Wait, that’s funny I swear I saw a few at just last month”
“Mm Yeah, apparently demand skyrocketed out of nowhere and the store doesn’t have any left”
“Oh”
The 18th day After school at the newspaper club office
“Hiven their reports
She was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, her underwear nearly showing But as Jenny always sat in this position and her underwear never did show, the boys sitting across from her were unfazed
“That’s all we could get,” Larry declared, reaching for a cookie
The snack of the day was an assorted set of cookies froed from chocolate to coffee to black tea and even fruit
“Hey, the chocolate flavor is lasses Larry was frozen “I came to school today just to have that cookie”
Larry relented “Then I guess I’ll try the sugar-coated one,” he said, ain
“That’s mine too! I chose the 4th Capital Secondary School to eat that cookie!”
“Then I’ll take apricot”
“Oh no you don’t! I was born to eat this flavor”
“Banana”
“I created this world to have that cookie!”
“How et?”
Nick turned away froant sun, Jenny I am certain that there is more to this case”
Meg and Seron did not actively speak up They chose to sit by and watch
Natalia, however, did speak—even as she h”
“Like what, Lia?”
“Still clueless, Inspector Hepburn?”
“Don’t call me that”
“Use that head and deduce stuff, Larry Most of the testimonies mentioned the temp lockers”
“Hht But that’s not much of a deduction so much as an observation” Larry said with a nod
“It’s decent info,” Jenny agreed, “but nobody ordered an investigation into the lockers”
“Until this investigation, I had no idea that clubs used the temp lockers,” Seron remarked
“I have also gotten onenodded, “it is low but very convenient, I think”
“Maybe we should grab one for ourselves too,” said Larry
“Good call! We’ll keep a second snack stash there for lunch period!”
Finally, it was Nick’s turn
“Just aoff track At this rate wethe temp locker case for our next issue”
But without any additional infor course could help the on cookies
“Maybe we should just ask the guy up front,” Larry said between munches, “‘anna write an article on your secret, so spill your guts’”
The joke fell flat, but Natalia responded anyway “Good call But only if you can get us so two cookies into her mouth
“President, what do you think of the others’ overwhel enthusiasm?” Nick remarked snidely
“Not much I can do about it,” Jenny said siet some concrete information”
Nick deflated “I see So not even your renowned infor about this transfer student”
“He only just transferred in I’m sure we’ll have more info to ith by this time next year”
Meg said nothing as the others chatted on, but internally she was relieved With a smile on her face she picked up a cookie When she rinned