In the Heart of Justice

Chapter 38: The Banquet of Doom (2)

2nd Cycle,

"It's nothing.. I'm just a bit nervous." Abel spoke calmly, chugging down the glass of water before sighing.

'This is going to be hard alone.. I shouldn't reveal the event to these two. They should enjoy the day.' Abel thought to himself before he got up from his seat.

Just then, he felt Ellen purring on top of his head.

'Yeah, I didn't manage to save Ellen last time.. Everything was so chaotic that I didn't even manage to help anyone. I'm still a failure.' Abel cussed internally at himself, rubbing Ellen's head.

"I'll show Ellen around the banquet. You two can enjoy the scenery of the ballroom. Meet the new people." Abel said calmly before he quickly rushed out of the ballroom.

"Okay.." Iliana spoke, worried about the sudden change in Abel's behaviour.

"Isn't this time to lay back and enjoy the scenery? Why is he so worked up?" Eluya
spoke, a little worried but ultimately decided to leave it at that, since it seemed like he was just anxious, and scared but that's not the emotion he ever showed.

..........

On the floor above the Ballroom,

"So what do you plan to do?" Abel questioned Austin about his motive.

"Let me take a deep breath first, okay? I died back there.." Austin spoke as he massaged his temples. He was still barely able to process the fact that he was back in time.

On his right wrist, there was the 'Mark of Regression', if it weren't for that and Abel who seems to be looking forward to what steps Austin will take, he would've thought of the past as a fever dream.

"Everyone of us died there.. You aren't alone." Abel spoke with a serious look on his face. His eyes were boring into Austin's.

"You don't look horrifying when there is a kitten perched on your head." Austin said as he stood up and walked to the one-way window from where he could look down at the crowd, who were oblivious to what happened. Since the intimidating look of Abel was not so intimidating when he was carrying a kitten on his head like a crown.

But this didn't take away from the fact that a disaster was going to occur again. It was pointless to pass everything as a joke.

"Abel, How about you take this case for me?" Austin said calmly, looking over his shoulders at Abel.

"Employing me at the first chance.. I'll take it." Abel said calmly before he began thinking.

"Let's just rule out people we trust. There are 231 guests and around 64 workers." Abel began counting down the people they knew and trusted from both groups.

The end count was that they only needed to investigate only 86 guests and 60 workers, excluding those were not even eligible to plant the seed.

"Understood. Detective Abel, I'll leave the guests to you." Austin spoke after he heard the number. The guests could be easily scanned by Abel since his position as 'Proxy of Justifia' gives him rights that Austin doesn't have.

But as a Crown Prince, he can handle the workers since they all listen to Marquez who listens to Austin.

And so they got into investigating their parts of the people. But nothing turned up.

And disaster struck Melobranch once again.

Seeing his beloved Rina suffer from that pain, Austin pushed the pen into his neck, killing him instantly as the day began for him and Abel once again.