Mistaken for a Masked Munchkin

Javert's Iron and Justice (5)

I was sprawled on the floor.

Lua was sniffling.

And at the center of it all stood the red-haired woman.

"......I will step out for some air."

With those words, Javert left the laboratory.

Her back vanished down the corridor as she strode away.

Not the slightest change showed on the woman's face.

It was cold and inorganic, no different from usual.

'She's shaken.'

I thought that while sitting on the laboratory floor.

A broken medicine bottle was clenched in my hand.

Maybe because the glass shards had scratched me, red drops of blood gathered in little beads.

'Did I... shake her properly?'

I quietly closed my stinging hand.

So Lua would not be startled, I discreetly hid my injured hand.

"Dad... sniff, Mom..."

The girl had burst into tears before I knew it.

She seemed to be trying to hold them back, but the tears kept slipping out.

"Oh... Lua."

I pulled my daughter into a tight hug.

I lifted her up and patted her small back.

Lua buried her face in my arms and wiped her tears.

Maybe this had been too cruel for such a little child.

'I'm sorry.'

I did not say it out loud, only muttered it inside.

Because this was not over yet.

I simply soothed my daughter in silence.

"It's all right... Today, Investigator is just a little on edge. Dad is all right."

Quiet words to reassure her.

That was all I could say for now.

"Everything will be fine."

Yes,

because every piece was fitting into place according to the plan.

'......Still, I didn't mean to make Lua cry.'

Originally, I had planned for a slight argument to break out, then for Lua to stop it.

But Javert's reaction had been more intense than expected.

The atmosphere had turned ugly, and she seemed confused.

She had raised her voice at a student, then even pushed me down.

'That would be unthinkable for the usual Javert.'

A machine-like person.

Always cold and calm, the sort of person who seemed like only cold coolant would come out even if you pricked her fingertip.

She was like a robot with only the manual called principles input into her, producing nothing but the appropriate output.

'But I never thought such a serious reaction would show...'

The woman had been shaken.

A slight gap had opened in her sturdy iron armor.

'Is it because of what happened last night after all?'

This could be considered good news.

It meant the words I had thrown at Javert were making her look back at herself.

In the process of thinking, the woman would question. In the process of questioning, she would waver.

The principles she valued more than her own life would begin to feel unstable.

As the wind that stirred that wave, I had a duty to watch her through to the end.

"Whew..."

After that.

Javert returned to the laboratory only after a full two hours had passed.

Lua had worn herself out from crying and had fallen asleep in my arms.

As if mindful of Lua, Javert spoke in a quiet, composed voice.

"I apologize for making you wait. I needed some time to sort out my thoughts."

Javert had regained her breath.

The heated atmosphere was gone, and her usual calm had returned.

Her eyes were still wavering, but the woman seemed to force herself to ignore that as she spoke.

"Then... without further preamble, I will continue the questioning from earlier."

Questioning.

Naturally, it was about last night.

Javert asked me various questions with an expressionless face.

"......So, Student Viktor, are you saying you remained in the dormitory the entire night?"

"That's right. After returning around evening, I did not set one foot outside."

"Can you prove that? Someone who can testify to your alibi, perhaps."

"I believe you can check the outing records. As for witnesses, Lua is one... Hmm, but I think it would be better not to wake her right now."

"......Understood."

The woman asked several more times about things like my schedule the previous day, the people I had met, and so on.

That persistent interrogation only came to an end after about an hour.

The woman finished taking notes and nodded.

A heavy air of fatigue hung around Javert.

"Thank you for cooperating with the interrogation. I will use it as reference in the investigation."

Her distinct businesslike tone.

For some reason, though, today it felt forced.

"Additionally... I will apologize once again for the discourtesy I committed today."

Javert lowered her head.

Her waist bent at a precise angle, then straightened again.

An unreadable expression.

"......"

The woman's green eyes lingered on me.

More precisely, on my discreetly hidden hand.

It was the right hand I had injured when the medicine bottle broke earlier.

Perhaps she had noticed the wound, because Javert spoke in an even lower voice.

"......I apologize."

"Ah... It's fine. It isn't a very serious wound."

"Visit the Infirmary. Even a small wound can fester."

"Haha, you're saying the same thing I would."

"......"

"I'm fine. I truly do not mind. Investigator was simply being faithful to your duty, were you not?"

I gave her a bright smile.

Since I had my mask off, my smile reached the woman exactly as it was.

"Hmm... Instead, I would like you to hug Lua tightly later. She seems to have been quite startled by what happened today."

"......I will do so."

Javert accepted the request plainly.

The conversation ended like that, and the brief commotion seemed to settle.

But I did not let go of the woman's heart until the very end.

"Investigator."

"Yes."

I would shake her principles.

For that, there was a question I had to throw at her again and again.

"The unauthorized Purgatory clear. A death-on-sight order has been issued for the culprit in that case, correct?"

"......That is correct. The headmaster instructed us to kill on sight if discovered."

"I doubt it would ever happen, but... what if that culprit is a cadet?"

"Execution would likewise be the principle. There can be no exception just because one is a cadet."

"Not the principle. What do you intend to do?"

"......"

For a moment, Javert had no answer.

Why was that?

If it were the usual her, there would have been no reason to hesitate.

With a calm expression, I tilted my head in front of the woman.

"Professor?"

"......"

"Was that a strange question?"

"No. Even if the target is a student, principle is principle."

Her answer came one beat late.

I slipped into those words.

"Once, I said something like this to you, Professor."

The academy banquet.

I was talking about what happened then.

Beneath the terrace draped in night, the words I had offered to a single rose.

-How should I put this... Investigator, you always seem bound by something.

-I wondered if it might be all right to let go a little.

I had questioned you.

Not as a human being, but as a life leaning on principles.

"I asked you about principles, and you answered. You said principles must always be upheld. Otherwise, everything falls apart. You said that even for the sake of precious things, beloved things, principles must not be allowed to crumble."

"......"

"But what happens when those principles turn against you? Precious things, beloved things, things you want to protect... if principles tell you to oppose them, must those principles still be carried out even then? If so, what are the principles for, and what is carrying them out for?"

"I do not understand the intent behind the question."

"I simply thought it would be ironic if you became bound by principles and ended up treating the things you loved as enemies."

"I will hear no more. That statement somewhat disregards this matter and academy order..."

"It seems you cannot think of a logical rebuttal."

"......"

Silence again.

Javert did not answer and turned her back.

After that, her red hair crossed the laboratory and left.

"......"

Even then, the silence inside the laboratory showed no sign of breaking.

***

After spending the day that way, I returned to the dormitory.

I sat in the room, now covered by night.

"......Viktor, are you all right?"

As I sat there in silence, the silver-haired girl approached and sat down.

"Your Highness."

"Your expression does not look good."

"Ah... It's nothing."

Soft breathing.

Lua was asleep on the bed beside me.

So I would not wake her, I gently stroked the girl's hair.

"I think... I did something a little mean to Lua."

Her cheek touched me softly.

Lua stirred, then rubbed her face against my hand.

Then she gave a bright, angelic smile.

Her Highness quietly watched the two of us.

"......Viktor, you really do like children."

"Do I? I suppose that may be true."

"Lua will be all right too. She must know that Viktor truly cherishes her."

"But I still feel sorry. If I had known she would have such a hard time today, I would not have dragged her into the plan for nothing..."

A bitter smile formed on my lips.

I quietly squished Lua.

Then Carmilla carefully asked from her side.

"So... how long do you intend to continue this plan of yours?"

"Not long. It will be finished soon."

"How soon?"

"It will be four days from now."

I answered gently.

The plan drawn inside my head.

Faint words leaked between my lips.

I spoke as if I were contemplating something, yet waiting at the same time.

"When that time comes, that person will make a decision too."

Javert Droit.

I neatly folded the woman's name into one corner of my heart.

***

And exactly three days later.

Javert and I ran into each other in Purgatory once more.

"......Student Viktor."

"Chief Investigator."

This time, my face was not hidden by a robe.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!