What about the Marcel Bach case? It was simply to help Jack from a human perspective, as a fan of the original story.
"You really expect me to believe this? Even with all the secrets you're keeping from me?"
“I told you, there's a reason for everything that I can't tell you.”
I shrugged, adding, “But if you can’t believe me, it’s your loss.”
Ethan's eyes narrowed, "What?"
“It's your loss if you don't believe me. When the truth comes out, you'll apologize for doubting me.”
I put my hands on my hips, assuming a confident posture.
Ethan stared at me in amazement.
“Anyway, we will talk about this again when Mr. Mael returns. He will be back today no matter how long it takes.”
“……”
“What? Are you worried about me running away? Don’t worry, I won’t. If it makes you feel better, you can put a guard at my door.”
Ethan shook his head in annoyance, “Oh my God, you never stop talking, do you?”
“I only keep talking because you refuse to say anything.”
“Okay. If you're sure, I'll wait and see.”
"Pretty confident, aren't you? Does 'wait and see' remind you of something?"
I asked, referring to the bet we had made on “The History of the War of Eärendel.”
Ethan's mouth twitched slightly. He stared at me for a long moment before suddenly turning and leaving the room.
“It's your loss,” I muttered, folding my arms.
***
Mile and Jack returned to the Dumont mansion after the sun had completely set that day.
“So you two finally decided to show up.”
Ethan's voice was icy as he watched the two men enter his office.
“I'm sorry, sir. I thought it best to take action before reporting it,” Mael bowed his head apologetically.
Ethan cupped his hands on his knee, “Okay, let’s hear your report.”
Mile took a moment to steady his breathing before he began.
“This afternoon, the Duchess came to the Knights’ headquarters to see me. She told me...”
***
“…So, does this mean that Marcel Patch is the real killer behind those serial murders?” Ethan asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Mile took out a book from his coat and placed it on the desk, “Read it yourself.”
Ethan opened the book.
As he turned the pages, his facial expressions grew more sullen.
“Is there any evidence that this was written by Patch?”
"There are entries mentioning his period of service in the Order of the Metropolitan Knight. The details, and the names of the soldiers, it's all consistent. They are undoubtedly from his writings."
“……”
Ethan was silent, his gaze complicated.
Mile could completely understand Ethan's turmoil.
Even he did not believe the Duchess's claims until he discovered the diary.
"To be sure, I confirmed that Patch was indeed the occupant of the room. A few hours later, he returned to the room himself," Mael added.
Ethan raised his head, “So you waited until he came back?”
"I couldn't risk him finding out about the break-in and escaping. We weren't going to let him escape," Mael explained.
“…Did he confess to the crimes?”
"No, he didn't have the chance. Jack knocked him unconscious the moment he walked in," Mile replied.
Ethan's gaze moved to Jack.
“I thought I'd better make sure he can't run,” Jack stated, expressionless.
“If that was the only reason, you wouldn't need to punch him in the face,” Mael muttered.
"Did I? I didn't realize. My mind was on subduing him quickly," Jack answered, in an indifferent tone.
“If I had not intervened, I would have beaten him to death,” Mael noted.
"He's a murderer. If I had mercy on him and stabbed him, it would have been worse," Jack replied.
Their exchange of words was like a comic exchange.
“What are you two doing?” Ethan asked annoyed.
“My apologies,” Mael said as he straightened his seat.
Jack nodded reluctantly.
“What did you do with Patch?”
“We just finished locking him in the cell. I thought it would be best to inform you before calling the police.”
“……”
Ethan was drumming his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
“What do we do? Do you want to question him before handing him over to the police?” Mael asked.
“Is he in a condition to be interrogated?” Ethan asked sarcastically.
Jack shrugged, "A splash of cold water should wake him up."
“It's not necessary. We'll hand him and the notes over to the police in the morning. The others will handle the rest.”
“What do we have to say about how he was captured?”
Ethan paused for a moment before answering: “You two have an old connection, so you stopped by to check on him. That’s enough.”
Ethan knew that Mael felt guilty about Marcel Patch's dishonorable discharge, as he believed it to be an injustice. This was the main reason why Mael left the Order of the Capital Knights.
“Suppose you found the door open, entered, and discovered the diary. As for the bruises and injuries...” Ethan looked at Jack before continuing: “Just be honest. Suppose Jack lost his temper when he discovered his wife’s name in the diary.”
“……”
Jack frowned slightly but remained silent.
“They probably won't investigate further. Everyone in the capital knows that you are the leader of the Dumont Knights.”
"Shouldn't we mention the Duchess's role? She identified the killer," Mael suggested.
“Let's wait and see. We can amend the report later if necessary.”
“Understood. I will follow your instructions,” Mael said, bowing his head.
“...Wait a minute.”
Mile and Jack returned from the entrance when Ethan called.
“What are you worried about?” Mael asked.
“Doesn't it seem strange to you? That Camille could identify Patch as the killer based only on her memory? Then, upon searching his house, we found the evidence as if it was waiting for us.”
“……”
Mile exchanged a look with Jack before replying, “There are definitely some strange properties, but the evidence is conclusive, as you have seen for yourself.”
“Yes, it is. However...”
Marcel Patch's memoirs were irrefutable evidence.
Its size and detailed content make its fabrication unlikely.
More importantly, Camille had no reason to implicate Patch.
Is she protecting the real killer? Or is Camille herself the real culprit?
No, that was far-fetched.
No, this is ridiculous.
Ethan shook his head.
These wild speculations are baseless. The police could not find any evidence about the killer for half a year. If there was another criminal, why bother implicating someone else?
However, there was a lingering feeling of concern about Camille's story being entirely true.
“Maybe she has reasons that she can't fully reveal,” Jack suggested suddenly, catching Ethan's attention.
“What are the reasons?”
"Maybe she has another reason to be certain that Patchi is the killer. Maybe she witnessed the crime herself...or learned about it from that unknown informant again."
Ethan's eyes narrowed at the mention of the informant, "Do you really think so?"
Jack shrugged, "I don't have proof. It's just a possibility."
“……”
Mael broke the silence, saying: “I understand your doubts, but I think you are overthinking it. The Duchess seems to be acting out of righteousness.”
“Why do you think that?” Ethan asked.
Mile remembered Camille's words earlier:
“If something had happened to Inés or to another woman without you doing anything, you would have felt responsible and deeply regretted. Me too
Camille's perspective aligned with Mael's values, demonstrating a shared sense of compassion and justice. Someone who does not have these values will not have such thoughts.
“…She must have been regretting it all along, thinking that if she had identified the killer and reported him immediately, she might have prevented the murders that followed Valerie Gunness,” Mael said in a calm voice.
“Maybe this time she felt compelled to act, even if it meant risking embarrassment if she messed up. She thought saving Jack’s wife would be worth it.”
“……”