Cop Craft – Dragnet Mirage Reloaded

In the end, they never did find Zelada’s body.

When the police arrived at the scene, there had been nothing left apart from a large bloodstain. Analysis of the blood sample matched it to the bloodstain on the helipad. And yet, the question of whether someone had taken Zelada’s body ⸺ or whether he was still alive ⸺ remains to be answered.

In regards to Elbajhi and the Spirit Bomb. Establishing definitive proof of the danger they had posed, as well as the appropriate punishment to be levied, had been nothing short of a struggle. According to the law, he was guilty of kidnapping, desecration, and the attempted murder of Tilarna. Nothing else. Given the lack of legal precedent, it was not possible to prosecute him for the crime of 『using a fairy to create a Spirit Bomb』.

As for the buyer currently in custody, the terrorist Kalim. Depending on the circumstances, he would most likely be handed over to the FBI for ‘further questioning’.

And the matter of Jack Roth. Matoba had no other choice but to report everything accurately.

He had initially kept Roth’s betrayal under wraps, hoping that it would end with his death in the line of duty against Zelada. And yet, circumstantial evidence would not allow that to happen. Above all else, Roth had died by Matoba’s own hands. Internal Affairs had done its due diligence; they had him repeat testimony over and over for their inquiry.

Having finished the cleanup and the formalities that came with it, it had already been four days since that fateful battle on the heliport. In that period of time, he had mostly been making small talk with Tilarna. She seemed exhausted, stricken with grief.

She had been unable to save that fairy, after all.

And as time passed on, the day of Tilarna’s return finally arrived.

Unlike when she first came here, Tilarna would be going the opposite route this time around. They were to head for the Coast Guard’s〈Golden Heart〉over by the wharf early in the morning. After making sure she was all set, Matoba started his car. Her sword leaning against her waist, she climbed onto the vehicle, not a shred of hesitation in sight.

The two of them remained silent all throughout the ride.

「Drop me off here.」

As they pulled up to the side of the guardship, she spoke.

「Got it.」

「Kei Matoba. I am indebted to you. I hereby express my gratitude.」

A rather monotonous delivery. Not a speck of emotion to be seen.

She properly said her thanks. Emotional farewells were neither of their specialties.

「Whilst I was powerless to save the fairy, and have brought dishonor to my name, I now know that the Dorini possess a worthy warrior of their own. Just with that, there is value in my coming here.」

「No, well, what the heck…… Same goes for me. You’ve saved my life more times than I can count.」

Matoba said, scratching the back of his head.

「The same applies to me.」

「Then, that makes us even. That’s a relief.」

Matoba laughed. But Tilarna did not. Just like when they had met for the first time, she put on a sullen, brusque demeanor.

Apparently, this was what she looked like when she was trying to forcefully hide her feelings⸺.

Matoba finally understood.

She had probably been anxious during their first meeting as well.

「Oops. You forgot something.」

Matoba took out a silver brooch from his pocket. Sheynon stone inlaid with Idaro silver. It was the payment that Tilarna had given to O’Neill for his help. Last night, he had forced O’Neill to give it up, all for the purpose of returning the heirloom to Tilarna.

「Bit too expensive just to prepare a shitty dress and guide you through the club, don’t you think? A bottle of bourbon’s all it took to make him understand.」

She had probably thought that she would never lay her eyes on that brooch ever again.

Swallowing, she clutched her chest, eying the brooch painfully.

「Thank you…… But, I cannot accept this.」

「Why?」

「This is the price I pay. I wish for you to keep it.」

「I see……」

If Tilarna herself said that, there was no changing her mind.

「Gotcha. I’ll hold on to it for ya.」

「And, take this as well.」

Tilarna unsheathed the longsword by her waist from its scabbard, pushing it onto Matoba.

「Hey, this is⸺」

「The Krége I entrusted to you. It would not be right for me to wield it any longer.」

「But⸺」

「It is fine. Please.」

Grief hid behind her childish smile. Such sad eyes. Matoba started to doubt the age of the girl standing before him.

He quietly accepted the blade.

The cue for her departure had come.

「This is farewell, o’ great warrior of the Dorini.」

Tilarna turned to face the ship, fluttering an elegant, white, Farbanian handkerchief as she stepped on the gangway onto the ship.

She never looked back. Her figure disappeared into the deck. The guardship slowly left the wharf, sailing further and further away into the sea.

Matoba returned to headquarters alone.

Scuffling with the remaining paperwork, the exchanges with his colleagues, the director, inspectors and prosecutors. In between all that, he managed to pop a hotdog in his mouth, before he began arguing with the inspector once more.

Before he knew it, he had returned to those once-busy days.

The fairy case was not his only concern; whether it be Semanian weapon smuggling, exposing drug dealers, or snooping around prostitution rings, there were many ongoing investigations he had to deal with all at the same time. With Roth gone, Matoba’s responsibilities had increased tremendously, at least until the new chief is formally sworn in. For Tony and his other colleagues, there really was no time to be sad. After all, if Matoba had been able to save him, he definitely would have.

It was getting late when he was finally released from his duties. Just as always, Matoba went to the usual family restaurant to have dinner.

Flattening his perfectly-average hamburg steak, he read the newspaper diagonally, before casually resting his eyes on the longsword he had propped up against the seat.

It felt awkward to just leave it in the car like that, so he took the trouble of bringing it along with him.

She had entrusted this sword to him.

Basically, it was her way of honoring her so-called ‘renunciation’, as the Semani knights would put it. For such ‘renounced’ knights, many who return to their homeland choose to take their own lives to preserve what remained of their honor. At the very least, that was what Wikipedia had said.

Would she also take her life when she returns to her country?

That can’t be, she won’t go that far ⸺ he had thought lightly until now. But it was possible that the common sense of the Semani differed greatly from that of his own. Would it not have been better for him to not accept this sword in the first place?

There was no longer a chance for him to tell her to stop her foolishness.

Alongside the stress of his work, a dreary mood descended upon him all at once.

With a dark expression on his face, he started up the car and drove back home.

He should have stopped her. Suicide. She did not do anything to deserve that fate. Perhaps he should have listened to her circumstances a bit more. He could have given her some advice. Maybe I’m just too insensitive⸺.

「I’m home……」

As always, he put on his mask before entering the room, calling for Kuroi as he did so.

Yet for some reason, Kuroi did not come. Only the sound of meowing coming from the living room.

That was not the only thing out of place. The lights were on. The TV was on full blast, blaring out a sports broadcast throughout the residence. And the heater was on as well.

「…………?」

On instinct, he drew his gun, slowly entering the living room.

「Don’t mo⸺」

Don’t move ⸺ was what he meant to say. Tilarna Exedelika lay sprawled on the sofa, holding Kuroi in her arms as she watched the TV.

「Mmm?」

Tilarna said.

「Don’t ‘mmm’ me. What the fuck is this?」

「Basketball. Though I am not aware of the rules myself.」

「Not the TV. You, you!」

Tilarna knit her eyebrows.

「What about me?」

「Didn’t I see you off at the wharf this morning? What the hell are you doing here!?」

「Ahh.」

Tilarna bluntly said as she stood up.

「I changed my mind. Thus, I have returned.」

「What’s with that? You left me this sword. Weren’t you gonna go commit suicide after reporting back to your country!?」

「As I said, I changed my mind.」

Shuffling towards him, Tilarna pried the longsword off his hands, giving a sigh of relief.

「The more I thought about it, the more I realized that ‘renunciation’ does not particularly have a time limit attached to it. There is no reason for me to panic and go back to my country to face an early death.」

「That so?」

Ain’t that different from what’s written on The Free Encyclopedia?

……No. That online encyclopedia was infamous for their many inaccuracies, owing to the fact that any article could be freely edited by dedicated volunteers.

「This is my choice entirely. Zelada’s fate remains uncertain, and villains lurk in every corner of this city. I am sure that I shall have something to do, at any rate. The brooch remains your responsibility. Take it.」

The exasperated Matoba cast a sidelong glance at her, finding Tilarna on the couch once more. Calling Kuroi to her side with a soothing voice, the black cat immediately returned to her lap.

It had taken a greater liking to her than Matoba himself.

「With that in mind, I shall be in your care for some time.」

「What?」

「Rest assured. My employment has already been confirmed」

Saying that, she presented him with a single document. It had the director’s signature on it, denoting Tilarna’s appointment as a special investigator for the Special Vice Squad.

「When the hell?」

「Just this evening. They were thankful for my part in Roth’s case; they immediately prepared it for me. This concludes my report.」

As she continued petting Kuroi, Tilarna looked at Matoba meekly.

「Do you have any other questions, partner?」

「Goddamnit, one thing after another……」

Ruffling his head, Matoba groaned.

Well, it’s fine. If he had ended up hearing that 『she killed herself』a few months later, he would have lost his appetite for sure.

This was certainly better than that.

「We’re gonna be up early tomorrow. Go to sleep.」

Hearing his reply, she finally smiled.

「Understood. Sweet dreams, Kei.」

「Yeah, yeah. Sweet dreams, Tilarna.」

With that said, Matoba withdrew to his sanctuary ⸺ his bedroom. And stray cats were definitely not allowed in.