When the Serial Killer Next Door Gained Harem System Chapter 109: Almost Nothing

The room went quiet.

Not silent, exactly. The birds outside were still chirping, and a few students were still moving around the lower halls, but the space between us suddenly felt heavier than before. Mr. Marble stopped mid-thought and looked at with a slightly sharper expression than he had used before.

Then he stood up and walked to the window, folding his hands behind his back as he looked outside.

Eselin and I exchanged a glance and moved a little farther into the room.

Mr. Marble had slipped. That was the problem. He had said "suspects" without thinking, which ant either he knew sothing he should not, or he had already heard enough from soone else to assu there were at least two people involved.

"I spoke with Captain Sora as soon as I heard the news. She told ." he said after a mont. Then he turned his head slightly toward . "Tell , Mr. Walker. Are you suspecting ?"

"May I speak plainly, sir?"

"You may."

"I will be blunt, then," I said. "Would that be a problem?"

"Not at all."

I drew a breath and continued. "Do you have anything to do with Jelda’s death?"

He shut his eyes briefly and exhaled. "No, I do not."

"Then how was she teleported?" I asked. "Soone inside must have helped the attackers. The whole thing makes no sense otherwise."

Mr. Marble turned back toward us. He did not look angry. He looked tired. Annoyingly tired. The kind of tired that made it hard to tell whether soone was lying or just exhausted enough to look guilty. I stared at him for a mont, trying to decide whether this was a mask or the truth.

What would a man like him gain from helping two trash-mouthed idiots murder and rape a student? None of it made sense. And yet, sothing impossible had happened. Jelda had been moved sohow, and I could not explain that without asking him questions.

"I appreciate that you care about your classmates," he said finally. "I wish every student had a friend like you, Mr. Walker."

"I wish everyone were honest, sir."

"Enough," Eselin said, reaching for my arm and pulling back slightly. "Do not escalate this."

"She was teleported," I said, stepping forward again as Eselin let go of . "And we cannot explain that without you, Mr. Marble."

"Then the theory is wrong," he replied, still calm.

"Then help us," I shot back. "Where were you between seven and eight yesterday evening?"

"With the Queen and General Yua," he said. "I escorted them to the Circle."

"Does that wall," I asked, pointing vaguely toward the hall outside, "or whatever it is, open without you, sir?"

He shook his head. "Only when it senses my body."

"Is there any other way?"

"No."

Well. That was a problem.

If he really had been with Yua and the Queen the entire ti, then that should have cleared him, at least on paper. But what if he was lying? How was I supposed to know? Ask the Queen directly? That would probably get my head chopped off before I even finished the sentence.

Maybe I needed to talk to the Queen about this. Or, no, no, no... maybe Yua? Yua at least had already asked to use my powers on her once. If I could get her alone, maybe I could force the truth out of her. It was risky, but at this point, everything was risky.

"We are sorry if it sounded like we were accusing you, Mr. Marble," Eselin said, bowing slightly. "We are only shaken because a friend died so close to where we live."

"I understand," he said. "And I congratulate you, Mr. Walker, for your courage."

"I did not an any disrespect, sir," I replied. "I just wanted to clear your na. That is all."

"Mm."

He turned back toward the window, looking outside again.

"You may both leave now."

Yeah. I had learned almost nothing.

But at least I had his alibi.

If he had really been with Yua and the Queen in the Circle yesterday evening, then I needed to confirm it sohow. And for that, I would have to arrange a eting with the Queen herself.

Great.

Perfect.

Just fucking perfect.

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

Just my luck.

The Queen was coming to visit the dormitory.

The news spread right after the final class ended, and the entire district shifted the mont people heard it. Honestly, I did want to talk to her, but I had not expected the chance to arrive this quickly. I’d been hoping I could avoid speaking to Mia directly and instead question Yua. Yua felt safer. Less dangerous. Less likely to have dragged into so dungeon for asking the wrong thing.

Ken and I were sitting on one of the benches along the circular street while we waited around doing absolutely nothing. He had his dagger out again, the one I had borrowed from him and finally returned. He kept flipping it through his fingers, tossing it into the air and catching it by the handle without even looking half the ti.

The circular street itself felt strangely empty. Hardly anyone was outside now. Most students had stayed inside the dormitories after what happened to Jelda. The atmosphere hanging over the district felt heavy and sour.

The girls’ dormitory, especially, felt hostile.

I could feel the looks coming from the windows every few minutes. So girls stared openly while others whispered behind the curtains. Earlier, I had even overheard one of them accusing the boys’ dormitory in general, saying the killer had to be one of us.

"I cannot believe this," Ken muttered. "They are accusing us now."

"They are angry," I replied. "Just leave it alone."

"So of them accused you specifically," he continued, finally catching the dagger one last ti before sliding it back into its sheath. "What kind of idiot accuses you of all people? You literally tried to save her."

I shrugged slightly. "I still wish I had caught him."

Before Ken could answer, the sound of horses echoed from the entrance of the district.

Nine guards rode in first. Since the circular street only had one entrance wide enough for the horses, they entered in three rows. The mont students noticed them, faces imdiately appeared at the dormitory windows.

"Our Queen has arrived," one of the guards announced loudly. "Students, remain calm. Do not approach Her Majesty without permission, and do not shout in her presence."

"Yeah," Ken muttered under his breath, "maybe protect us instead of barking orders, pig."

More mounted guards entered after the first group and spread themselves into a line across the street, creating a path through the middle. Ken and I got up and walked closer since we were already outside and could get a better spot before the others arrived.

A few seconds later, students started flooding out of the dormitories behind us. Loud murmurs and whispers filled the air as everyone pushed closer to the guard line.

Then the royal carriage arrived.

The thing looked absurdly expensive. It was massive, painted in deep black lacquer with gold trimming running along every edge. The wheels themselves looked polished enough to reflect sunlight, and the enclosed compartnt at the back looked more like a moving throne room than an actual carriage. The windows were frad with dark velvet curtains, and even the horses pulling it wore decorative armor with the royal crest stamped onto the leather harnesses.

"That thing," Ken said while pointing at it, "is probably worth more than my organs combined."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Still looks cool, though."

"Oh, absolutely."

"Stand behind the line," one of the guards ordered again as students crowded forward. "Do not push each other."

"Is the Queen really here?"

"The Queen!"

"She is here!"

"I have seen the Queen twice in a single week. Gods, I am lucky."

"Look at the carriage!"

"Your Majesty, please find the killer!"

The carriage finally ca to a stop closer to the girls’ dormitory.

The door opened first, and Thornhawk stepped out. His eyes imdiately swept across the rooftops and windows while one hand rested near the weapon on his belt. After checking the area, he turned back and opened the carriage door wider.

Then Queen Mia stepped out, along with Sora.

But Yua was nowhere in sight.

Shit.

That imdiately made things worse for . If Yua had been here, I could have approached her instead. Talking directly to the Queen was far more dangerous.

The mont Mia stepped onto the street, I raised my hand.

"Your Majesty!" I called out. "I need to speak with you!"

But my voice disappeared into the noise around . Students were shouting over each other from every direction, trying to get her attention. So were begging her to catch the murderer while others were just excited to see royalty standing in front of them.

Mia never even looked my way.

She simply continued toward the girls’ dormitory with Thornhawk and the guards surrounding her.