Cop Craft – Dragnet Mirage Reloaded

Even without a concrete plan in mind, Matoba and Tilarna soon discovered the reason behind the vampire bypassing the perimeter. A report had come from one of the patrol units within the city. Roughly a hundred meters away from the shopping mall where the security guard had been murdered, they had discovered an abandoned truck.

Just as you would expect, they found another dead body inside.

The driver had been killed much the same as the mall cop. While they could not precisely identify a time of death, there was no doubt he died about the same time as the previous victim. Based on the security cameras positioned around town, the truck had been passing by when the vampire made her escape.

「Thinking about it logically⸺」

As they made their way towards Alamo Park in their car, Tilarna said.

「⸺after she killed the driver, she most likely went on to attack the security guard in the parking lot. In other words, there is a high possibility she used that truck to arrive at the scene of the crime. Perhaps she had hidden among the baggage. Or perhaps she had threatened the driver……」

「Don’t think that monster would go out of her way to threaten someone. She can’t speak a lick of English.」

「Even so, she is extremely intelligent.」

「Damn it.」

Regardless, that vampire had been thrown headlong into a city belonging to a mysterious civilization. Despite seeing automobiles for the first time in her life, she had the wit to utilize them as a means of escape. Sensing the presence of the police, she took it upon herself to slip past the perimeter undetected. It was truly mind-boggling.

「Sharp fellow. She’s adapted to this place quite nicely, unlike a certain knight I know.」

「I will have you know that I have conformed splendidly to your culture. I have no trouble paying rent, and I certainly face no hardships in feeding my cat, unlike a certain detective I know.」

「Is that so? Then, you wouldn’t mind if I raised the speed a bit, would you?」

「S-stop it……!」

The instant he put his foot on the throttle, Tilarna froze, placing both hands on the edge of her seat. It appears as though the gallant knight had yet to conquer her fear of high-speed travel.

「I-imbecile. Exploiting my weaknesses to your advantage, do you hold any pride as a warrior?」

Tilarna protested sharply.

「Shut it. For a fucking freeloader, you’re one to talk shit about someone else’s finances. Every morning, you get to eat to your heart’s content. And who do you think pays for it? That’s right, me.」

Somehow, Tilarna had managed to learn how to use chopsticks in just one day. Contrary to her petite frame, Tilarna ate like a truck. More than Matoba, who was a large man by most standards. For lunch, she would have two hotdogs on top of two servings of yakisoba noodles, followed by a large roast beef sandwich. It was a miracle she did not get fat in the process.

「‘Tis just a growing period. I have taken a great liking to that koshy hickari something or other. Someday, I would like to visit your homeland of Yuonyuma.」

「Wrong. Uonuma’s just one of the places they harvest Koshihikari1 rice, not my hometown. I’m from Kanagawa. And if you’re talking about rent, when the hell are you gonna pay me!?」

「I paid my rent properly, did I not?」

As he turned the steering wheel, Matoba thought for a while.

「……You talking about that big sack of wheat you brought in last week?」

「Correct. With the stipend you receive, you should not be wanting for days. Do be grateful.」

This alien doesn’t seem to know the difference between a capitalistic society and a feudalistic one.

「See, you haven’t adapted one bit.」

「Of course, I have.」

「No, you haven’t.」

「I have.」

While they engaged in meaningless banter, they had finally arrived at the shopping mall’s parking space. It was a three-storey car park.

Several police cars had already arrived at the scene to conduct forensics. Showing their badges to the officer in charge, they parked their car, crossing the yellow tape covering the area into the car park.

The body of the security guard was found on the outskirts of the first floor, hidden behind some shrubbery. It had not yet been touched. Due to the incident at the coroner’s office, help arrived late from their end. Having gotten permission from the young homicide detective supervising the scene, Matoba squatted down to get a better look at the body.

「Now⸺」

Matoba muttered, turning to Tilarna.

「⸺where’d you think that bitch went after killing the poor guy?」

「Good question……」

She stared at the remains intently before closing her eyes, placing her right fist on the left side of her chest. Heaving a small sigh, she got on her knees, surveying the body’s surroundings.

「Are the witnesses still present?」

「Yes, they’re right over there.」

As Tilarna inquired, a young officer from the local precinct answered her question. Maybe it was because he had never seen a Semanian detective before, or perhaps he had simply been captivated by her delicate features, the young policeman appeared to be a nervous wreck.

「I wish to hear their testimony.」

Walking towards the direction he pointed, she found a couple sitting down beside the police convoy.

No one had bothered to take their accounts just yet. A white couple, about 30 years of age. Even now, the woman looked to be in a state of shock, unable to speak. On the other hand, the man managed to keep his cool, and should be able to provide a statement attesting to the events he witnessed.

Based on his testimony, the vampire had both of her arms intact. The left arm Tilarna severed had already regenerated. And she was no longer naked, donning on proper clothes when he saw her.

「What clothes did she wear? Were they work clothes? Or were they rags?」

「No, she didn’t wear any of that……」

Uncertain, the witness said.

「I didn’t get a good look at her. It kinda looked like a black evening dress, but it was moving. What exactly could⸺」

「Like a flame?」

「Yes, that’s right. It looked as though she was clad in these black flames.」

「I see. Thank you for your cooperation.」

As though she had understood, Tilarna left the couple alone. Following along after her, Matoba asked.

「What the hell does all this mean?」

「The Ladé Neven is regaining its power. Sucking the blood of those two people allowed her to regenerate her left arm.」

「It grew back, huh? Kinda reminds me of a lizard.」

「It is not just that. They mentioned black, flame-like clothes. That is a manifestation of excess rahtena known as Vau E Dié.」

Yet another unfamiliar term. As tedious as it was, Matoba asked.

「What’s that all about?」

「‘Tis but an illusion. While those flames do not exist in reality, they appear as such to the casual observer. The form they take normally depends on the will of the user. For instance, they could act as a suitable replacement for clothing.」

「You guys can do things like that, huh? Why didn’t you tell me before?」

「I just realized it mere moments ago. Vau E Dié is not a particularly difficult form of magic. Even an amateur such as myself could conjure it up if she so wishes.」

「Then, go ahead and do it.」

At Matoba’s words, Tilarna’s cheeks flushed a slight pink.

「I refuse. With my power, I would not be able to perform it without first undressing myself. The moment I lose focus, the spell would immediately come undone.」

「Hmm……」

Even so, she probably underwent intense training to become capable of using such a technique. Butt naked, in front of a mirror. Picturing those circumstances, Matoba could not help but feel that he was going straight to hell.

「Do you find something wrong with that?」

「N-no, not really.」

「You were conjuring up some vile imagery, were you not?」

「The hell are you saying?」

「No, that face speaks of your insolence! How dare a commoner like you imagine…… m-my disrobed self.」

The officers on the scene turned to them all at once. Feigning blissful ignorance, Matoba looked up at the night sky.

Coming to her senses, Tilarna awkwardly hung her head.

「I-I am…… troubled.」

Finally came the meek, lifeless voice.

「Ah, what the heck…… Knock off the persecution complex for now. We’ve got an investigation to finish.」

「Right. A-anyway, being able to make use of such magic means that the vampire has sufficiently recovered. Compared to the time we fought her at the morgue, she will make a much more formidable opponent…… Though, there may indeed be a silver lining to all of this.」

「A silver lining? What kinda good do you see in this pile of shit?」

「She should be ‘full’ by now. Most likely, she will not attack anyone for the time being.」

「I see. So what you’re saying is, no matter the monster, they’ll have their guard down while they’re stuffed.」

「Precisely.」

Certainly, this could be considered good news. If she had continued assaulting the citizens at this pace, the damage would be catastrophic. However, this meant that if anyone were to spot her from here on out, they would no longer be left alive. While they still had time, they had to grab her by the heels somehow.

They once again set out to survey the parking space.

Opening hours at the mall had ended for the day; there were few cars left remaining. Given the nature of the attacks, there should have been large amounts of blood covering each of the crime scenes. And yet, the vampire’s footprints were nowhere to be found. The same applied to the coroner’s office. There was a distinct possibility that the blood may have simply seeped into her skin.

If she had made her getaway via the main street, there should have been other witnesses as well. Despite that, no other reports were made. Taking her intelligence into account, this would imply that she chose to escape through a route with minimal human activity. Given the present situation and the need for rest, was there really a place where she could lay low for the time being?

「Tilarna. Can you track her scent?」

「Are you talking about her branii2?」

「That’s right.」

「I can point you in the general direction. It is over there.」

She pointed towards the shopping mall.

The perfect hiding place. Still, it was much too close to the scene of the crime.

Given the speed with which she fled the morgue, could she really be hiding in the mall right next to the parking lot? If she was as smart as she was made out to be, this could be her way of outwitting her pursuers. Or perhaps it was the opposite. Maybe she thought that no one would think of looking for her there, so close to her victims.

Matoba called out to the chief of the local precinct.

「You have anyone patrolling the mall?」

「Yep. Got a couple units running around the place.」

「There’s a possibility our guy is over there. Keep in contact with your men. Make sure they don’t act on their own. And if you find her, don’t do anything stupid⸺」

「We heard headquarters. Don’t worry ‘bout it.」

Sounding annoyed, the chief interrupted. Although he had received the orders from HQ, it did not seem as though he truly understood the danger of the situation.

「We’re going to the mall. Tell your men not to shoot us on the way there, will you? Me and her, two detectives from Vice.」

「Gotcha, pal.」

The chief carelessly replied. Making their way past the man, the two quickly returned to their car. Pulling out a shotgun and some slugs from under his seat, Matoba headed straight for the mall.

「The branii is getting stronger.」

Following along quietly all this time, Tilarna suddenly said.

「You think it’s really in there?」

「I do not know. Our foe is a master of illusions. If she felt like it, she could direct her scent wherever she pleased.」

「And yet, she didn’t. Why’d you think that is?」

「Perhaps she is testing us.」

Tilarna prudently answered.

「To gauge the strength of you bolicemen, she purposely left her prey out in the open, not even attempting to conceal the scent of her rahtena. By ascertaining whether or not the bolice would respond, she can determine her current circumstances ⸺ the location of the city, the prevalence of mildi3 , and more specifically, the threats to her safety. As for those people laying siege to her fortress, she most likely possesses enough confidence to outrun them sufficiently well.」

「I see. Pretty smart.」

「Is that sarcasm I detect? I’ll have you⸺」

「That ain’t it.」

Trying his best to calm her, Matoba realized the potential sarcasm behind his words.

At any rate, even though she had absolutely no idea how to use a computer properly, her intelligence was the real deal. Setting aside common sense and her overactive imagination, in terms of both knowledge and intuition, she was a cut above the rest. If she had grown up on Earth, she would have become a talented investigator for sure.

Looking back, what exactly was he doing at her age?

Training all day in the army, he did not get the chance to use his head very often. Competing against his squadmates in bouts of strength, or pondering what he could do to pass the exam to enter the Special Forces ⸺ that was all he could think about. It would be impossible for his past self to come up with such a detailed explanation as Tilarna just moments ago.

「I’m truly impressed. You’re something, alright.」

Tilarna puffed up her cheeks.

「As I thought, you are making fun of me. Imbecile.」

「Hey, I’m being serious here.」

「Shut up!」

「……Well, for the time being, your story checks out. That vampire is probably hiding in the mall. First, we’ve gotta find a point of entry.」

「Very well. Let us prepare for battle.」

Tilarna raised her index finger to her eyes before uttering a phrase. Her blonde hair fluttered in the gentle breeze. Bathed in a swathe of light, her coat suddenly transformed into an elegant suit of armor.

「Do not let your guard down, Kei.」

Drawing her Krége4 from its scabbard, Tilarna rushed headlong into the shopping mall. Translator’s Notes: TL Note: A type of Japanese rice. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koshihikari TL Note: The Farbanian word for ‘scent/odor.' TL Note: The Farbanian word for ‘magic.' TL Note: The Farbanian word for ‘longsword.’