Chapter 69: A Masterful Killer
Ravian, however, continued looking at him with the same calm smile.
"I doubt questions like these would be asked in a natural-death case, and I’m being treated as a suspect at the moment, so you’re clearly assuming he was killed by someone’s hand."
The atmosphere grew so tense that the younger detective stopped taking notes and listened to them with complete focus.
But Robert wasn’t finished yet.
"Did you kill him?"
"By what method do you think I killed him?"
"I’m the one asking the questions."
"And I’m trying to understand the accusation."
"I didn’t accuse you. I asked whether you killed him."
"And would you believe me if I said no?"
"Maybe."
"Then I won’t waste either of our time on a meaningless answer."
Robert’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Ravian could have simply denied it, but he didn’t know whether Robert possessed an ability that exposed lies, a hidden magical tool, or even enough experience to notice the subtlest changes in his body.
So he didn’t take the risk and refused to give Robert the answer he wanted in the first place.
’Never answer a question when you don’t know how the answer will be used.’
That was one of the most basic rules for dealing with men like this one.
Robert lifted his hand from the table, and in the next moment, a faint pressure radiated from his body.
It wasn’t enough to harm an ordinary person, but it was enough to throw their breathing into disarray and set their heart racing.
The pressure descended upon Ravian.
And nothing happened.
His body remained still, and his heartbeat stayed steady while Robert watched every detail of his face.
’He’s testing me.’
Ravian forced his shoulders to stiffen, then allowed his eyes to widen slightly after a short, deliberate delay.
But the moment he did, he knew from Robert’s gaze that he had made a mistake.
Recognizing what was happening and deciding what reaction he needed to display had both taken time. The delay had been shorter than a single second.
But it had still been there.
Robert withdrew his pressure as though nothing had happened.
"Are you an Awakened?" he asked.
"And if I am?"
"You didn’t answer."
"And you didn’t ask politely."
The two exchanged silent looks.
At that moment, the sound of numerous footsteps began approaching from the entrance to the betting floor.
The members of the City Guard came out first, followed by several customers whose faces bore clear signs of annoyance and fear. Behind them came the man in the red suit, his hands bound as one of the guards shoved him forward.
Then the bald Rassasian appeared, bound hand and foot and covered in purple blood, while two guards carried the corpse of the other Rassasian behind him.
The expressions of the doctors—who hadn’t yet gone far from the tavern’s entrance—changed, and two of them hurried toward the new corpse.
One of the guards approached Robert to deliver his report.
"We found a complete fighting ring, betting ledgers, and cages in the back rooms. Three more Rassasians are being held below, sir."
Robert’s gaze fell upon the manager.
The man’s legs nearly gave out beneath him.
"Cages?" Robert repeated quietly.
"Sir, I can explain—"
"Detain him."
Two guards moved toward the manager at once.
"Wait! I don’t own this place! I only manage it! The man in the red suit is the one responsible for the matches. I didn’t—"
"I said detain him. Don’t listen to his excuses."
The two guards seized the manager’s arms as the man began screaming and struggling to no avail.
Before he could be dragged away, he turned his head toward Ravian, his eyes brimming with rage.
"It’s him! He arrived right before the man died! He must have done something! Ask him, he’s—"
"I asked you a little while ago when he arrived, and you said you knew nothing about him," Robert cut him off without raising his voice. "Have you suddenly remembered now?"
The manager froze, then opened and closed his mouth without finding anything to say.
"Take him."
The two guards hauled him away, while Ravian remained seated, watching the scene as though it had nothing to do with him.
’So that’s why he was afraid.’
The man hadn’t been trembling because of the corpse, but because he knew the death of a customer would draw people who might discover what he was hiding behind the tavern.
Robert picked his pipe up from the table and rose.
"It seems I have more work tonight than I expected."
Ravian stood as well.
"Does that mean I can leave?"
"Not before you tell me where I can find you."
"I haven’t booked any lodgings yet."
It seemed Ravian would no longer be able to stay in this place now that the situation had escalated far beyond what he had anticipated.
Robert’s hand stopped as he raised the pipe toward his mouth.
"You came to the capital without knowing where you would stay?"
"I had more important matters."
"Such as attending a fight to the death?"
"I went inside out of curiosity and regretted it immediately. Didn’t you see the disappointment on my face?"
Robert looked at Ravian’s face, which at the moment was completely devoid of disappointment.
"I saw it."
"Good."
"But I didn’t believe it."
Ravian sighed, then thought for a moment before saying,
"You can find me tomorrow at Earl Patrick Viola’s mansion, at 138 Maurice Street."
Robert’s expression changed for the first time since the interrogation began.
Even the younger detective lifted his head from the notes he had been taking.
"What is your connection to Earl Patrick Viola?"
"I have an appointment with one of his men."
"And what is that man’s name?"
"Shmichael."
Robert remained silent for a few seconds, as though comparing the name with something he already knew.
"The Earl’s head servant?"
"You seem to know him."
"Most people who work in the capital know his name." Robert returned the pipe to his mouth. "If you’re lying about that, this man’s death won’t be the greatest of your problems."
"Which is exactly why I didn’t lie."
Ravian turned toward the tavern door, but Robert’s voice stopped him once more.
"Mr. Rayan."
Ravian looked at him over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"You never answered my question."
"Which one? You asked quite a few."
"Did you kill that man?"
Ravian’s gaze slid toward the corpse lying on the floor for an instant before returning to Robert.
"My answer won’t change what you believe, will it?"
"No."
"Then keep your question, and I’ll keep my answer."
A small smile appeared on Robert’s face.
"I’ll be seeing you again."
"I hope that next time, it will be somewhere less gloomy and more welcoming," Ravian said before turning his back on them.
Ravian left the tavern without anyone stopping him.
The chill of the midnight air greeted him. The capital’s streets were quieter than they had been hours earlier, with only a few late carriages and City Guard patrols remaining.
Ravian walked without hurry.
Less than a minute later, he sensed two presences following him from the direction of the tavern, maintaining a fixed distance.
’He sent two people to watch me.’
Ravian didn’t turn toward them. He simply continued walking with a faint smile.
’A veteran indeed.’
...
Inside the tavern, the younger detective stood beside Robert, looking toward the door through which Ravian had left.
"Do you think he killed the man?"
Robert turned his gaze back toward the corpse on the floor, which bore no clear evidence of what had killed him.
"I don’t know."
"But he never touched him, and the doctors found no trace of an ability or poison. Even the waitress confirmed that he stayed with her from around the start of the match."
"That’s true."
"Then why did you order him watched?"
Robert took the pipe from his mouth, then slowly exhaled the smoke.
"Because he only lied when he had no need to lie—and avoided giving the one answer any innocent man would have offered immediately."
The younger detective looked at Robert, then back toward the corpse.
"And what does that mean?"
Robert’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"It means he’s either a masterful killer..."
He paused for a moment, then returned the pipe to his mouth.
"...or someone hiding a truth we know nothing about—one far greater and far more dangerous."
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