"You haven't answered my question yet. What did you discuss?" Jack asked again.
This was a lucky turn.
If the Duchess's words were true, Jack would have been involved in the matter anyway. Jack was more experienced in this area than Mile, so he could provide assistance when needed.
“It's a long story. I'll explain it along the way. Let's go.”
"Road? Where?"
“I'll explain that as well as we walk.”
“……”
Jack looked at him suspiciously but reluctantly followed him outside.
***
Inside the carriage, Mael told Jack the story of Camille.
It was amusing to see Jack's expression constantly changing, and it also reminded him that he probably looked the same as he did not long ago, which brought a wry smile to Mile's face.
“Do you really believe the Duchess’s words?” Jack finally asked, his voice skeptical.
“Honestly, I'm not sure,” Mael admitted, “that's why we're checking.”
“This is absurd. She claims that she saw a face while passing by a carriage, at night, half a year ago. She did not even witness the man committing the murder.”
“But what if she wasn't wrong? What if Patch was the killer behind the serial murders? Given the potential danger, we can't simply ignore it.”
Jack fell silent, his expression hardening.
“……”
“We don't plan to arrest and torture Patch. Just a quick search of his room. If it prevents a potential tragedy, it's worth it.”
“...You're not sure, and yet you talk as if you were convinced,” Jack said, frowning.
“Is this true?” Mile smiled softly.
His calm demeanor made Jack frown even more.
Mael, with his refined upbringing, was a role model of a noble knight.
As for Jack, he was a child on the street who did not even know the faces of his parents. He has survived countless near-fatal experiences since he was half his current height.
Did this young man stain his precious sword with blood? Jack wondered when Mael was appointed captain of the Dumont Knights at the age of twenty-one.
Camille's persuasive skills were exceptional. Not only was she eloquent, but she also used her facial expressions and beauty brilliantly.
Even Jack, who had experienced countless hardships, was almost affected by it.
So, it wasn't difficult for her to captivate this naive young man.
'But...'
Despite his doubts, Jack could not deny that Mile's words were true.
No matter how small the chance was, if there was a possibility that Marcel Patch would pose a threat to Ennis, he couldn't ignore it.
The idea of Patch following Ennis infuriated him.
Of course, there was a possibility that Camille had fabricated the story.
Jack was tracking Camille himself at the time, and had no recollection of seeing Ennis.
But maybe it had to do with Jack's perspective, he probably wouldn't have seen Ennis from his angle. Moreover, it was at the time when Ines used to take Titi for a daily walk.
“So, what exactly is your plan?”
"That depends on whether Patch is at home or not," replied Mayle. "If he is, I'll introduce myself and ask him to open the door. We know each other from before, so if I say I'm curious how he's doing, it's more likely he'll let us in."
“What if he doesn’t open the door or isn’t home?”
“This is where you come in,” Mael said with a slight smile.
Jack frowned deeply.
“What do you think of my job, Mile? My main job is espionage and operations, not picking locks like ordinary thieves do.”
“Are you saying you can't pick a lock?” Mael raised an eyebrow.
“Of course I can, but-”
“I thought so. Although I may only be proficient with a sword, you have a variety of skills. The Duke relies on you for various tasks, so I assumed that breaking into and robbing houses would be among your abilities.”
“……”
Jack closed his mouth, surprised by the unexpected praise.
“Thanks to you, we can avoid unnecessary attention,” Mile continued, smiling gently. “I appreciate it.”
“……”
Jack turned his head toward the window, and muttered to himself: I still don't love Mile.
After a short trip, they arrived at the house where Marcel Patch was staying.
“Are you sure the man you saw entered this building?” Mael asked.
“…Yes,” Jack confirmed.
“The Duchess said that Patch lives in Apartment 202. Let’s confirm this with the manager.”
“That won't be necessary. The tenant of Apartment 202 is already Marcel Patch,” Jack declared.
Mile looked confused for a moment, then nodded,
“I understand. Of course, you made sure of that.”
“Let's keep going”
They entered the building and headed to the second floor, stopping in front of Apartment 202.
Mile knocked on the door.
"Marcel, are you there? I'm Mile Cantona, from the Metropolitan Knights four years ago."
No one answered.
Mael knocked on the door again, louder this time.
"Marcel? Are you not home?"
After waiting a short time without an answer, Mile turned to Jack and said, “Come on.”
“Understood”
Jack knelt in front of the door and took out the lock picking tools.
“If I'm wrong, then I'm sorry, Marcel,” Mile murmured silently.
About thirty seconds later, a click was heard, and then the door opened.
“Really? Impressive work,” Mile commented sincerely, impressed.
Jack frowned slightly, and didn't answer.
The room was as dilapidated as the facade of the building.
The lighting is poor, and the air smells musty.
The modest furniture was nothing but a bed, a table, and a single wardrobe. Cockroaches were crawling through the stained walls.
…He seems to be content with some small work, thought Mile.
Even the soldiers' quarters in the Knights Organization were cleaner than this.
“Living in a place like this, it makes me wonder if he's healthy,” Mael wondered out loud.
“You're worried about someone who might be a murderer?” Jack asked in surprise.
“This has not been confirmed yet.”
Jack shook his head, a look of incomprehension on his face.
“You may not see it that way, but many lower-class people in this city live in worse places than this room. In fact, this room is quite decent. There is a bed, and the ceiling is solid.”
“...I understand”
“Let's hurry. We don't know when he might come back.”
“Okay”
Mile and Jack began to search the room. Mael examined the bed carefully, lifting the covers and flipping the sheets. As for Jack, take up the desk.
“There are a lot of books here,” Jack noted.
“He always loved reading,” Mile replied. “He would spend his free time alone with a book.”
Jack smiled sarcastically as he leafed through the books.
"He didn't seem cut out to be a soldier. Maybe leaving early was the right choice—" Jack's words stopped suddenly.
Mile turned to see Jack standing still, holding a book.
“What's wrong?”
Mile glanced at the book in Jack's hands.
It was not printed text, but handwritten.
“This… diary?”
Mile's eyes widened as he leafed through the pages.
Automatically, he took the book from Jack.
The diary contained detailed notes about a woman.
She recorded everything from the first day Marcel saw her, what she wore, her hairstyle, where she went, and what she did, and it was all recorded in history.
[I finally learned her name. The baker called her Ines. It suits her perfectly.
Today, I finally said hello to her. She smiled brightly when I said her dog was cute. I pretended to pet the dog to smell her scent. It smelled a little sweet. Do you like sweets?
[She has a husband. What a pity. Women cannot be trusted. She must have known. Women like her are always dirty. They roll in filth without shame. I had to learn from Valerie—]
The line from the word “Valerie” runs across the page and continues to the next, ending the memoir abruptly.
“That bastard. I will tear you to death,” Jack spat, his voice filled with murderous rage.
Mael returned to the first pages of the diary with a frown.
And as he expected, there was a name – Valerie. The diary detailed Marcel's excessive passion for Valérie, his awareness of her affair with one of her patrons, his ensuing rage, and ultimately his decision to kill her.
“…Unbelievable,” Mael thought, horrified.
What the Duchess said was true.