3 Judgmen (1/2)

Two men barged into the room not long after, not even bothering to ask for permission.

One was a middle-aged man wearing a vest imprinted with the logo of the Eternal Judge, below his armpit hung a holstered revolver. The other one was a blond young man with a thin nose, wearing a simple black leather vest and boots, unarmed as far as the eye could see.

Are they members of the clergy? Devouts of the Eternal Judge?

Garett's heart sped up as it wasn't uncommon to hear rumors of criminals being brutally interrogated by them. And even worse was the fact that he didn't know if he was involved in something! He couldn't remember a thing from before the fire!

”Good afternoon, Garett. The doctor was so kind as to tell us your name; if you were wondering about that. We are patrol members, or if you'd prefer to call us as the people here in the borough do, we are the police.”

I already know that! It's impossible not to know that if you take into question that large symbol of the Eternal Judge on your chest!

The middle-aged man took a step forward and sat on the same chair that was occupied by the doctor previously, leaving his companion standing. It was very apparent who called the shots between them.

”I'm Lurmon Kirth from the city of Mintra, and this lad here is the one who found you amidst the ruins.” He pointed to the blond man who stood by his side.

”I'm Hilren Crold from the Crold Citadel, twelfth in the line of succession for the position of the family head. I'm so very much pleased to have been of service to the citizens of our kingdom.”

He spoke with great pride as if being a member of his family was the noblest of causes, his chest puffed up, and his voice loud.

You are clearly just some annoying guy! Twelfth in the line of succession!? Can you even be counted as a successor at all!? I know you helped me, but I didn't really need any help! The book had already saved me!

”I-I'm thankful for your efforts, Hilren of Crold; I can't remember much from before the fire honestly. I fear that I won't be of much help to you sirs, even the subsequent events are a little foggy.”

Yes! Dismiss me like an unlucky guy who lived through a fire and developed amnesia!

Lurmon kept silent, not even blinking as he stared at Garett. His eyes resembled those of a hungry wolf staring at his prey. Only after the atmosphere grew a little weird, he then opened his mouth.

”We expected as such, but there's something even more intriguing that needs clarifying. Anyway, let's first do the routine check, were you the resident of the house on 677 Bulwark Lane?”

It really wasn't my house! It's good that I still have a roof. But wait, now what? Will I be arrested for something I don't even understand!?

”N-no... Are you saying that it wasn't my home that got burned down?” Garett replied shakily, a thousand situations ran through his mind, giving life to the different scenarios that could happen, some of them ended with him arrested, or even worse, executed! If the house belonged to someone powerful, said person could ask for his life in payment for burning the house down! No one would burn itself for his sake!

I have to find a way to be exempted from suspicion!

”No, I can tell you that the house in question belonged to a professor of the Irmwrynn College, and the professor in question, Doctor Mirth, is missing since yesterday. Would you happen to know anything about that, sir?”

Doctor Mirth went missing!? B-but I remember that he attested, personally, to my qualifications in joining the College... Garett froze, his pupils shrinking to the size of pins! His mind tried, time and again, remembering what had happened when he noticed a problem!

Which day was it today!?

”I-I don't know anything about that, sir; yesterday... my sense of time is very hazy at the moment, I can't even remember the date!”

The Executor rose his eyebrows, analyzing every detail from the phrase's contents to Garett's corporal language, trying to determine whether he was speaking the truth or not. Then he slowly enunciated.

”We're on the nineteenth day of the month, the third day of the week.”

He was shocked! More than a week had passed since he was remembered. Exactly eight days had passed since his admittance into Irmwrynn College!

A period of full eight days is missing from my memory! A lot of things could have happened, what kind of predicament did I get myself into!?

”It remains to be seen if his disappearance is something you should be happy our unhappy about, as I can tell you openly that you're currently a suspect. His current missing status can help you evade the charges of damage, as he didn't have any family to claim the properties and we aren't so bored as to follow up on the aftermath of Starfire. But now you also a suspect of his disappearance.”

I have nothing to do with this!

”Uh, sir, I'm a student at the College. Doctor Mirth personally wrote my letter of acceptance! If anything, I'm very grateful to him, and have no reason to do anything untoward.”

The young knight appeared to have bought my history, nodding his head as if he already expected this development. Sadly, his superior was way less understanding, and a lot more cautious.

”We have ways to ascertain the truth from your answers, the main reason we came here is to escort you to the diocese and proceed with the questioning there. All we did here was a standard questioning to avoid misunderstandings.”

Hell, I have a lot of misunderstandings from your little briefing!

Maybe following him is really for the best, if he has ways to ascertain the truth, it would be a lot easier to prove my innocence. Besides, I still don't know if he got any information about those ruins and the book; if they got their eyes on that, It would be best if they didn't take it from me by force... Now sure of his reasoning, Garett nodded with his head and stood up, fully cooperative to the two officers.

”Please, I'm happy to oblige.”

...