I asked that Miss Koran accompany me to an informant bureau that operated as a tea selling store on the outside. It was a place that anyone can pay for the price of information as long as you used a code to get in...
"I would like Narcissus Wyui Oolong tea," I said.
This place was primarily used by Sheze in the original novel. However, Sheze would not come here just yet since the fourth murder just occurred. If anything, he would be called to the Castle today and be told to look into this case.
"Excellent choice," the female shopkeeper said as she invited me in behind the shop.
I was soon allowed to sit down.
A gentleman with midnight blue long hair and deep gray eyes greeted me.
"How can I help you, Lady Lemaire?" the man asked.
Without having me revealed my own name, they already know of my face.
"I would like information on Baron Gysel Kruger," I said.
"A full background?" the informant asked.
"Yes...Please add Elze Kruger as well," I said.
"Should you not know more about your best friend than us?" the informant asked with a smile.
"...There are some things that you cannot even tell to the people you are closest to," I answered with a smile.
I was soon handed two files to read.
"Please read them here," the informant said.
"Payment?" I asked.
"The first service will be free...I believe that we can benefit from a long mutual relationship," the informant said.
"Can I at least get a name to call you by?" I asked.
"I would be happy to be called whatever you would like to call me by," the informant said.
"Laconian..." I said.
The Narcissus Wyui Oolong tea was named after a Lanconian hunter in Greek Mythology. He was distinguished for his beauty. According to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book III, Narcissus's mother was told by the blind seer Tiresias that he would have a long life, provided he never recognized himself.
"That is a lovely name," Laconian said with a smile.
I feel as though this informant is a bit to kind to me...I wonder what his motive is.
I soon began reading the documents over Baron Gysel Kruger. It said that he was quite the pedophile without discriminations on gender. His first wife was only eight years old who was fifteen years younger than him, and if that was not enough, he also kept around twelve other children in his estate as servants.
The children's parents sold their rights to Baron Gysel Kruger so there is nothing that the authorities could do unless the children confessed that they were being abused, but it seems like they are living quite well. Many of them were even allowed to marry upon reaching marriageable ages.
Even if he was rumored to be a pedophilic bastard, he gave those children a roof over their heads and full bellies. He also donated much of his wealth to nearby charities and was Elze's benefactor, so I doubt that the malicious rumors are true.
I soon went to read over Elze's profile. Nothing appeared much out of the ordinary. She was just a normal girl who lost her parents early on and was taken in by her uncle Baron Gysel Kruger right afterwards. They maintained a loving relationship where it seems that Baron Gysel Kruger tends to dote on Elze by buying her expensive gifts often.
Elze's history on men was a bit odd. It seems like she had a close history with multiple men whom which were deeply fascinated with her enough to break their own engagements with their fiancées to pursue Elze. The man who recently died was one of those men whose heart Elze stole. The most recent relationship she was involved in happened to be with the blonde man whom she often went to diners and inns with. However, that is not particularly strange since inns often open diners below to welcome more customers. Just the fact that Elze shows interest in taken men is a bit unsettling.
"Thank you very much for the information," I said as I tried handing him an envelope with money.
He quickly refused it.
"As I have said before, our first service is free. It would be a pleasure to serve you again," Laconian said as he kissed the back of my hand.
"Then, I will be off," I said as I bid him farewell.
"Good day to you as well, Lady Koran," Laconian said to Miss Koran.
Miss Koran did not acknowledge him and walked away coldly.
"Do you know that man personally, Miss Koran?" I asked.
"...He is an unpleasant man," Miss Koran said as if she did not truly dislike him.
I had written a letter to Baron Gysel Kruger yesterday about asking to see him. Since I was a close friend of Elze, he gave me a returning letter as soon as possible and allowed a meeting for him today. We met up at his residence.
"Thank you for allowing me to meet you today, Baron Gysel Kruger," I said with a curtsy.
"I am honored that you would request for my presence, Lady Lemaire," Baron Gysel Kruger said.
Baron Gysel Kruger appeared to be a clean cut looking man. His hair and eyes resembled Elze and he had a youthful appearance. He inherited his title young, so many were quite jealous of him. It is understandable if they were to try to put him down through bad rumors.
"I am the one who is truly honored. I have heard of your numerous charitable exploits," I said with a smile.
"I am thankful that you are a good friend of Elze," Baron Gysel Kruger said. "Now, what brings you here, Lady Lemaire?"
We soon sat down to chat in his office.
A young girl appearing to be in her late teens placed down some tea for us and sat beside Baron Gysel Kruger.
"Please allow me to introduce my wife Meier," Baron Gysel Kruger said.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Lemaire," she said with a bright smile.
She is the one...She exuded an air of innocence and warmth compared to that of the cold Baron Gysel Kruger.
She is younger than I thought...I also heard that she has a five year old son. I am curious about her age, but also do not want to know at the same time.
"Likewise," I said with a smile.
"Could I ask for the reason of your visit, Lady Lemaire?" Baron Gysel Kruger asked.
"I heard that you recently bought the mansion of the late Count Bernard Furst," I said as I reached for my milk tea.
"Yes, Count Bernard Furst is actually a friend of mine. I thought it would be better for me to manage it if Baroness was unable to," Baron Gysel Kruger said.
"I have heard that you have no plans on renovating it yet," I said as I placed my cup down.
"Not yet...Was Lady Lilian also interested in the residence?" Baron Gysel Kruger asked.
"Yes, it was the perfect location to build a new orphanage, but it seems like I was a step too late," I said woefully.
"...I intentionally bought the residence for my niece, Elze. She will eventually start a family of her own. It was supposed to be a wedding gift for her from me," Baron Gysel Kruger said.
A residence where a murder occurred not too long ago for your precious niece? Is that not a bit odd?
"I see, that is unfortunate...Does Elze know that she had received this gift from you yet?" I asked.
"Yes, I even gave her the keys about a week ago. I told her that I would renovate it later on. Count Bernard Furst just died, so it would be wrong to renovate it so soon. I just left it as is," Baron Gysel Kruger said.
The mansion was unlocked by the police and was left that way since the investigation. Anyone could have gone in and out at the time between Count Bernard Furst's death and between now.
The mansion is in Elze's name but that does not necessarily mean that the research lab belonged to her. It could have as well belonged to someone else since she only recently became the owner of that mansion.
"...It was a true tragedy about what happened to Count Furst," I said.