Sudden Change
Faced with Lattice, who was being held in a cell beneath the military headquarters, Ludio and Liz asked questions in quick succession.
“Ensign Miriam Stacy? From what I’ve seen, she doesn’t strike me as particularly strange.” (Ludio)
“Well. I’ve spoken to her a few times, but she seems like a cheerful and interesting sister.” (Liz)
“It’s just that when she was at the academy I received several reports from other students that Miriam was saying strange things to herself. In the end it wasn’t considered a problem because it didn’t interfere with her studies or military duties, but it seems to have gone on the record.” (Ludio)
“What about Ensign Lattice?”
“She was a common noblewoman. Although she was a noble of Tsefte Aria origin, she did not cause any particular action. So it won’t be recorded.”
Ludio’s interest in people who didn’t stand out was thin.
Even for their graduates, it seemed.
“You know, Liz-kun. Ensign Miriam is 18, I think. Just graduated this year. She was a fellow officer of Ensign Lattice.”
“Eh, eh. So?”
Liz said what she had been thinking about that day in the library before she was about to be attacked by Lattice.
Second Lieutenant Miriam was not originally from Mildiana, but had come here three years ago to enter the military academy. But since then, the disappearances of the elves have been happening in Mildiana.
“It’s true that the main disappearances in the area started three years ago, although they didn’t become public knowledge until much later.”
“Is there no possibility of a crime committed by Ensign Miriam. Or maybe it was a joint crime with Ensign Lattice?”
“It is a fact that Second Lieutenant Melodia was wounded by the attack of Second Lieutenant Stacy. It would be unreasonable to assume that she was an accomplice.”
“What about Ensign Lattice’s self-inflicted act in order to keep herself under suspicion?”
“Considering the way she acted and said when you were attacked, we can’t say it wasn’t ……”
“Argh…! Something doesn’t feel right.”
As Liz began to hold her head in her hands and think, the body of elf, who was being held in custody, moved a little.
“Where….. am I?”
“Ah, Ensign Lattice!”
“Miss Liz ……? Why I’m tied up like this?”
The pain in Latice’s body from the painful blows didn’t seem to subside.
But above that, she was shocked because she was sitting on a chair and was bound by a rope with a sealing spell.
“Are you awake, Ensign Melodia?
“Lieutenant-General Lambert! So, why am I tied up like this?”
“You have no memory?”
“Memory? …… I… I have no memories of being tied up like this.”
“When was the last time you remembered?”
Casting a pointed look at Ludio, Lattice said warily.
“Um… ah… Miriam…. an, no, I was having a drink with Ensign Stacy in a bar… …ah ……!?”
Looking at Lattice, who was tilting her head in wonder, Liz said.
“Only that? Last night, you were super scary, you know!?”
“Hey!? What are you talking about?”
“Liz-kun, Liz-kun, this kid, does she have any talent as an actress? She’s very serious when she says things like that.”
“Actress! Talent! I… I don’t understand what’s going on.”
“No, unfortunately not.”
Ludio shrugged.
Lattice had reacted as she usually did.
And she had been interrogated by Ludio at one point, but it seemed that one didn’t remember either.
That day, then. Who exactly was the person in front of my own eyes.
The one whose eyes were so empty that she couldn’t even answer properly.
At that time, I did a simple jutsu to make sure she was not brainwashed or something. However, she didn’t show any reaction.
In other words, there was no doubt that at that time she was acting on her own will.
The difference between that fact and the panic-stricken young girl’s age-appropriate posture in front of her now was too great.
If Lattice was a mastermind, why did she tell that she had been attacked by Miriam? If that was the case, she should have just abducted Miriam without saying anything.
And there was no need to do something that would hurt her body.
It’s like giving the military information about the mastermind.
Miriam’s behaviour was considered to be a mental abnormality from childhood onwards. She usually didn’t show any signs of it, but sometimes she muttered inexplicable words without any warning.
Lattice, by contrast, had no such signs at all. At least not until recently.
If we take into account the situation so far, we can conclude that. Miriam and Lattice’ “insides have been switched”.
“Ensign Melodia. You have become the most important reference person in the disappearance of the elves.”
“Hey, for, why ……?”
“Stay here until you remember if you don’t. Leave the rest to the others. Let’s go, Liz.”
“Ah, wait, wait! Do we have to stop here?”
“Lieutenant General! Please, please wait, I, exactly, why ……? Where is Ensign Stacy?”
The words of Lattice, which rang out from the rear, could no longer be heard, and Ludio led Liz out of the dungeon.
Then after cautioning the whining Liz not to leave from the academy’s quarters, he walked to the Supreme Commander’s room.
Within moments, an elf messenger appeared in the room.
“So. Her Majesty is in a hurry too.”
“It’s not my right to say this. But I ask you to understand Her Majesty’s feelings.”
“I understand. But please inform her that there is the possibility of her turning pale and being humiliated in a way that the Queen should not be. This is my last warning to her.”
“…… What does that mean?
Ludio muttered after sighing.
“After 500 years, it’s time to drift down again, monsters of the White Wing.”
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