Xue only commented on my behavior as "I didn't expect it."
"Therefore, I can still influence the progress of the case~~"
"In other words, this is also your responsibility, right?"
"Uh, that's right..."
"But congratulations anyway."
Congratulations...what is she referring to?
"Thank you very much."
Anyway, thank you in advance.
"..."
"...Poor guy."
"Oh~~ I remember you called me that when I first met you."
It was obviously just over a month ago, but I can’t remember what I talked about with Xue at that time.
"In other words, you haven't changed."
"Haha, who knows..."
It hasn't changed...is that a good thing?
Poor guy...?
I don’t know why, when Xue said this, her tone seemed gentler than before, as if I really was a "poor guy".
What kind of angle do you have to have such an idea...
"You've been very leisurely recently."
Well, a judgment sentence.
"Those police officers are busy every day..."
The police officers gave me the investigation results, and then I looked at them - it was repeated every day, and I couldn't count how many times it was repeated.
But we should be drawing to a conclusion soon.
I looked at the empty birdcage not far away - it seems that some little guy living in it didn't survive the winter.
"Speaking of it, they seem to be busy for me... Although I feel a little sorry for them, I'll keep the status quo."
"In other words, remain inactive?"
"There is so little that can be done..."
I even had the illusion of being fed - the police officers put "food" into my mouth one by one, and I only had to say "delicious" or "unpalatable".
I'm a picky eater, so what's "delicious" can only be the truth.
"...How many days are left before the deadline set by the lord?"
"Uh..."
Since the police officers accepted the case, all I have to do is determine the result, and I no longer value time so much.
"I don't know..."
"In other words, are you just going to wait for the results?"
"Yes, it's possible."
"No matter what the result is, will you accept it?"
"No..."
I turned my attention to the snow.
"As for the final result, I only accept the truth...so don't worry~~"
"...Why should I worry?"
"Oh, don't you know?"
I finally said the words stuck in my throat for a long time:
"Now, many police officers are suspicious of you."
"..."
"Ah, let me emphasize, I am not among them."
"...what does it mean?"
"Literal meaning~~"
Of course I nodded slightly.
"I always believe in you."
"...Sigh..."
I heard Xue sigh, and there was confusion in her slender eyes.
"Are you a fool?"
"..."
I'm so disappointed. It's rare for me to say such touching words, but I was called a "fool".
Fool...
Am I a poor guy or a fool...
Judging from the current situation, I have obtained everything I can know.
If those messy fragments were originally complete and unified, then they are not far from recovery now.
This is why I came to find snow.
"I know the truth."
"The truth...what?"
I know the truth, I've known it from the beginning.
However, I have no idea how to change the current trajectory.
Even if I know the truth, I can't do anything but watch things develop... It seems that I am really a poor guy.
However, no matter what, I can no longer sit back and ignore it.
"I'm not kidding, I know all the truth."
"...If you know, wouldn't it be better to tell the police officers? In other words, what's the point of telling me this?"
Snow may think I'm bluffing.
"I won't go."
"Why?"
"Do you think...I would be that stupid?"
Xue frowned.
"..."
"Tomorrow morning, the director asked me to go to a meeting. If possible...do you have time in the evening?"
"..."
"When the time comes, how about asking you to verify my truth?"
Xue lowered her head and clutched the corner of her clothes with her left hand.
I waited patiently.
There is no way she will reject me.
"...I'll wait for you here at eight o'clock in the evening."
After giving me the answer, Xue left without looking back.
......
I returned to that house... maybe it would be more affectionate to call it "home", but unfortunately I couldn't say it.
"Oh~~Welcome back, Mr. Detective."
Ferrinold lay lazily on the chair and only raised his head slightly towards the door, as if to confirm whether it was really me who came back.
"I'm so hungry, Mr. Detective~~Do you have anything to eat?"
I ignored Felinold's complaints and just kept shivering. While shaking, I quickly moved to the dimly lit fireplace to absorb the pitiful heat.
It's so cold, it's so cold...
It took me a long time to get back here from the hotel in the snow. Due to my negligence, only halfway through the journey, the warmth mark on my clothes became ineffective due to lack of magic power.
"Hey, Mr. Detective, don't get too close..."
Ferrinold seemed to be worried that I would get too close to the fireplace and get burned.
"It took me a lot of effort to make the fire. If the cold air on the detective's body extinguishes the fire, it will be very difficult for me~~"
...Okay, consider me being too sentimental.
Beautiful.
The chill gradually subsided and I regained my ability to speak.
"You've been sitting here all day?"
"Because this can save physical energy~~ Although it is boring, ugh... I wish I had the imagination like the detective."
"...Imagination?"
"That's it, that--"
Ferrinold wagged a finger, trying to find words in his confused brain.
"Didn't the detective create an air friend through his imagination? I always hear you chatting with it. It seems to be called...Gail? Isn't that the right name?"
Is Gale regarded as an air friend...
After all, Ferrinold doesn't know that I have a future partner, and as far as I know, he won't talk to his future partner as easily as I do.
"Hey, Mr. Detective, can you give me something to eat? I'm going to starve to death~~"
"...I forgot to bring it."
"Oh, I knew the detective would forget..."
Ferinod didn't show much excitement, and seemed to have lost all strength due to hunger.
"..."
"..."
"I said... Detective, don't you...really bring nothing?"
"Ah?"
I thought Felinold was asleep when I suddenly heard his voice again and couldn't help but frown.
"Of course it's true. I was almost freezing to death when I came back. I didn't have time to buy anything to eat..."
Speaking of which...I didn't eat dinner myself, but the cold made me ignore my hunger.
"Wow~~ I thought you were joking, Detective!"
As a result, Felinold wiped away his lazy look and shouted with dissatisfaction.
"Stop blabbering. I'm very tired today. Don't yell."
"Hey, hey, hey! Detective, are you too unreasonable? It's me who's hungry!"
"It doesn't matter if you skip a meal..."
"You are abusing your right-hand man, Mr. Detective."
Alas...
I glanced at Ferrinold who became very excited because of a meal.
...Is this guy really reliable?
Well...he's the only one anyway.
"Hey, Ferrinold."
"What's wrong, Mr. Detective? Could it be that you actually brought food back? If that's the case, I can consider forgiving Mr. Detective~"
"This...not really."
"Oh~~Then I can only let the detective kneel down and apologize~~"
...This guy might as well not eat his next meal.
Fortunately, I still want to talk to him about some serious matters.
"..."
"Why don't you say anything anymore, Mr. Detective?"
"...Hey, do you still think you are a knight?"
"...Eh?"
At the same time, the frivolous smile on Felinold's face became a little stiff, and he blinked at me, as if to confirm with me.
I stared at him silently, waiting for his answer.
"Well...well...how to put it...I feel...should...right."
"Haha..."
I couldn't help laughing.
"Laughing, why are you laughing, Mr. Detective! Although I have lost the title of knight, but... the blood of knight is still flowing in my body!"
Seeing me laughing at him, Felinold quickly stammered and emphasized his "blood of knights."
"Okay... then, you have to listen carefully to what I say next - as a knight, do you understand?"
"I'm all ears."
......
After explaining to Ferrinold, I walked into my room.
The moment I closed the door, I suddenly felt sleepy and fell directly on the bed.
"That drunken knight, describing me as your air friend, is really too much."
"You even care about this..."
"I take definition issues very seriously, no matter how big or small."
"Whatever you want..."
Gale's voice echoed in my head, making it impossible for me to rest. I just hoped that it would shut up quickly.
"You seem to trust that drunken knight."
"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not..."
I buried my face into the pillow and made a dull sound.
"It's all things that can't be changed anyway, and you'll have to say it sooner or later... Just let that guy understand it first."
"Do you really think so?"
"How is it possible..."
A little bit of expectation is always worth having.
"You also know that I can't do anything. If it's not like this...if I occasionally place my hopes on people other than myself, I think I won't be able to bear it."
"You...are quite self-aware."
"Yeah..."
Self-knowledge is the only thing I can be proud of, okay...
As an ordinary person, living in reality, we need to use realistic methods to solve problems.
It is enough that beautiful fantasies exist in your mind.
"Do you still remember the time you agreed with the little white-haired girl? Don't forget it."
"Your reminder is unnecessary."
Consciousness was like a wild horse, galloping away from my brain. In the confusion, I heard myself mumbling as I was about to fall asleep:
"Reminder...you have to wait until I wake up...before talking..."