In the dark and silent night, He walks with calm and might. His body upright, his heart so bold, He's the greatest detective in the land untold.
Every case he solves with ease, He knows no rest until he finds the keys. With a sharp and clever mind, He always solves the puzzles in kind.
In his heart, he carries a flame, A desire to bring justice without shame. He works tirelessly, without a break, To ensure the truth is always awake.
The brave and skilled detective he is, Standing tall against his foes with a grin. Showing his courage, without fear, Making sure that the truth is always clear.
***
Kamishiro discovered a secret room on the upper floor of the old building. Its high ceiling made the room feel more spacious. The walls of the room were painted white, and on one side, there was a large wooden bookshelf filled with many books, ranging from fiction, religious books, to history books. These books were neatly arranged and looked very well-kept despite being dusty, indicating that the room's owner loved reading and valued these books.
Across the bookshelf, there was a wooden desk that looked like a study desk, with a comfortable wooden chair in front of it. The desk was made of sturdy wood and had several pencil or ink stains that had dried up. On top of the desk, there were several writing tools, such as pens and papers, as well as several books that were open and lying on the desk.
In the corner of the room, there was a soft and comfortable brown fur carpet underfoot, making the room feel warmer and cozier. Next to the carpet, there was a small comfortable-looking sofa with neatly arranged soft pillows on it. Above the sofa, there were several additional pillows that matched the color of the carpet.
The wall of the room adjacent to the wooden desk was adorned with several pictures or paintings, adding warmth and inviting creativity for anyone in the room. The pendant lamp on the ceiling might provide sufficient lighting if it still works, but if not, there was also an oil lamp that still functioned and could be lit on the wooden desk.
If the room was well-maintained, it would feel very comfortable and suitable for people who love reading and learning. The books and wooden desk inside made the room look more alive and invited anyone inside to explore the vast and enjoyable world of knowledge.
However, unfortunately, that seems almost impossible to happen since this building has been abandoned for a long time.
Kamishiro checked the wooden desk where there was a diary written by the wife. From the diary, Kamishiro found out that the wife was aware of her husband's affair with the maid and decided to kill the maid and her child. Kamishiro also found an ancient box containing family photos and old letters.
In that room, Kamishiro found evidence that proved the tragedy that had happened in the past did indeed occur. Kamishiro also found secret documents from the Herbertus kingdom that explained the affair between the nobleman, Mr. Morales, and the maid.
Kamishiro was shaken when he found the secret documents from the kingdom that proved the truth about the tragedy in the old building. He sat alone in the secret room inside the tunnel, carefully reading every word in the document.
"The Morales family, they seem to be a noble family who lead a group of nobles called The Council. They also have many books related to the history of this world."
Suddenly, he felt someone standing behind him. Kamishiro felt a bone-chilling coldness, and fear creeping into his heart. He turned around and saw a young woman standing in front of him. The woman had long hair that was down and was wearing a long black dress with a creepy wide smile.
With a little bit of fear, Kamishiro asked the woman, even though he already knew the answer, he still tried to confirm it. "Who are you?"
"I am the wife of the owner of this house," the woman said in a soft voice. "I hate your presence here."
Kamishiro was not too surprised to hear the woman's words because he had already suspected it. He tried to speak calmly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb. I'm just trying to uncover the truth about the tragedy that happened in this building."
The wife of Mr. Morales approached Kamishiro and tried to grab the document he was reading. Kamishiro quickly pulled the document away and tried not to panic even though fear still filled his heart.
"What are you doing here?" asked Mrs. Morales sharply.
Kamishiro tried to answer calmly, "I just want to find out about the history of this building."
Mrs. Morales laughed sarcastically. "You come here and try to find out about the tragedy that happened. But the reality is, you know nothing. You just want to disturb my peaceful rest."
Kamishiro felt that his presence in the old building was really disturbing Mrs. Morales' spirit.
He tried to explain carefully, "I don't mean to disturb, I just want to know the truth about what happened in the past."
Mrs. Morales smiled, "You want to know the truth? Alright, I'll tell you. My husband betrayed me and our child to be with his maid. And I killed them both, then killed myself in the living room."
Kamishiro was shocked to hear Mrs. Morales' confession.
" How did you find out about your husband's affair? Did you see it with your own eyes?"
"It's all thanks to that man. He opened my eyes. He showed me the truth."
"Who is this man you're referring to?"
Mrs. Morales suddenly laughed with an eerie tone before answering. "He is...Zen Valerius!"
Kamishiro was surprised to hear Mrs. Morales' statement. After a while, Mrs. Morales' body slowly disappeared before completely vanishing.
After learning the truth about the tragedy, Kamishiro was still not satisfied with the answers he received. He became even more curious about Mrs. Morales' last words.
He tried to search for other records related to Zen Valerius.
After searching for a while, Kamishiro still couldn't find any records or books that clearly told about Zen Valerius.
However, he reached one conclusion. He learned from several existing records and books that Zen Valerius was a feared figure in this world. He was a presence that represented evil and an enemy of humanity. Nothing clearly explained about Zen Valerius, only that you should never meet him. If you meet him, the only thing that can save you or wait for you is death.
After getting tired of searching, Kamishiro began to give up and put the book he had just read back on the bookshelf, but his attention was diverted by a book titled "Mystical Tarot: A Guide to Understanding the Arcana.
Kamishiro took the book and walked carefully towards the table, as if afraid that the book would disappear if he moved too fast. He scrutinized the book, looking at the pictures on the page that looked like tarot cards.
He flipped through the pages, searching for information about Arcanists, people who possessed mysterious powers. Kamishiro continued to read and search for information about Arcanists. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a different page from the previous pages. There, he found a complicated diagram that showed the relationship between each tarot card and certain elements of Arcana.
As Kamishiro opened the last page of the book, he found a key left by Mrs. Morales.
"This key...?"
Kamishiro's eyes immediately focused on the drawer under the wooden table. He used the key and opened it.
He checked the contents of the drawer and was surprised to find a silver revolver and another book titled "The Tarot Path: Discovering Your Destiny through the Arcana" inside.
He picked up the revolver and held it carefully, feeling its weight in his hand. He felt nervous because he had never touched or seen this object before.
Kamishiro's right eye suddenly glowed with a sapphire blue color, and memory fragments began to emerge, causing an incredible pain in his head.
Kamishiro smiled and muttered, "Alright, I'll follow your crazy game, and I'll create the best opera."
Trembling, Kamishiro inserted a silver bullet into the revolver, aimed the barrel at his own head, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The sound of a gunshot was heard, and black smoke came out of the end of the revolver.
***
The Prosperous Era, Glacies, 17th Ignitia, 1412.
In the morning.
"Ah... bored... so boring."
Kamishiro didn't know what to do. He was so bored that he almost wanted to die. Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice.
"Well then, how about you come with me?"
"Who are you?" Kamishiro asked.
Kamishiro saw a woman with waist-length blue hair, adorned with a dark blue ribbon. Her eyes were a cool shade of light blue, and her slender figure depicted her as a perfect work of art, without showing any tension or looseness and with a mature air around her.
"I'm sorry, my name is Lethicia Shaquilla. I came here to invite you to my residence, Zen Valerius," said the woman, introducing herself gracefully.
"You don't have to speak formally. Tell me, how do you know my name?"
"I've been looking for you for 10 years."
"Why are you looking for me?"
Kamishiro was a little suspicious of the woman. He wondered if she was a friend or foe. Kamishiro suspected that the woman had some connection with him waking up in a strange place after reincarnation.
"I'll tell you after we get to my residence."
"I'm sorry, but I can't. My mother once told me that I shouldn't go with strangers, especially if they are a woman."
"Don't you know me?" asked Lethicia.
"No, not at all," Kamishiro's quick reply.
"Alright then. In that case, I'll tell you now. Zen Valerius, you have been summoned by His Majesty."
"Huh? His Majesty? Who is His Majesty? Can you prove your words?"
Lethicia snapped her fingers and a letter suddenly appeared. Lethicia immediately handed the letter to Kamishiro.
"You can see for yourself," Lethicia said while giving him the letter.
Kamishiro took the letter and saw that it was still sealed properly. He opened the seal and read the letter. But suddenly, Kamishiro tore the letter. Lethicia's smiling face immediately turned serious.
"Why did you tear the letter?"
"Then, I'll ask you again, why should I trust the letter you gave me?"
"Don't you see the seal on the letter?"
"I saw it, so what?"
"The seal is the symbol of the Herbertus Kingdom, that should be proof enough to make you believe me."
"It's useless, completely useless. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the Herbertus Kingdom's symbol or whatever it's called. So, the proof is not enough to make me believe."
"What did you say?"
"Just like I said."
Lethicia sighed deeply and her face began to calm down again. In her gentle smile, she spoke to Kamishiro in a different tone, "Zen, do you know who you are?"
Kamishiro felt surprised to hear the question from Lethicia, "What do you mean?"
Lethicia offered Kamishiro to follow her so he could find out who he really was. However, Kamishiro was still doubtful and asked if Lethicia could prove that she was not his enemy.
"Can you prove that you're not my enemy?"
"Well, how about we make a contract?"
Lethicia took out a scroll and opened it to show Kamishiro the contents of the contract. Kamishiro was not sure about the content of the contract because it only stated that Lethicia would not kill him.
"Do you think I will believe in this paper?"
"If the contract is violated, then the one who violates it will die."
"Like I said, do you think I will believe in this paper? Here, it only says that you won't kill me, doesn't that mean this contract only benefits me?"
"Of course, all of this is so that you will trust me."
Lethicia explained how the contract works and asked Kamishiro to cut his finger and put a drop of blood on the bottom right of the contract. Kamishiro followed Lethicia's request and immediately the scroll burned and disappeared.
After that, they both headed to Lethicia's residence. On the way, Kamishiro saw a fortune-teller's place and wanted to visit it.
"Lethicia, can we visit somewhere else first?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"I want to go to the fortune teller place over there."
"Alright."
Lethicia agrees and they head to the fortune teller's place.
This fortune-teller stand is located in an old building made of red brick, with a cone-shaped wooden roof. Above the entrance door, there is a large plaque with the words "Grand Soothsayer" written in shining gold letters under the light of the lamp.
When Kamishiro and Lethicia entered the building, they were greeted by a distinctive aroma of candles, and a calm and mysterious atmosphere. Inside the building, there were several different rooms, each decorated with mystical objects such as a large crystal ball, colorful candles, and several large, very old-looking books.
In one corner of the room, there was a middle-aged female seer sitting on a large chair with a stack of tarot cards in front of her. She was wearing a double-layered black and purple robe with beautiful gold decorations.
Beside her, there was a young man holding a large magnifying glass, staring intently at the object he was holding. In another corner, there was a male seer entering a meditative state, with his eyes closed and a calm body on a beautiful rug.
The atmosphere at the fortune-teller's stand was very calm and mysterious, making visitors feel comfortable to discuss everything about their lives with experienced seers there. With a strong supernatural feel, the fortune-teller's stand is a suitable place for those seeking guidance about the future or simply wanting to experience a different spiritual experience.
"Welcome, sir. How can I assist you?"
"I want you to predict my future, can you do that?"
"What would you like me to predict? The past? The present? Or the future?"
"The future."
Kamishiro sat in front of the table with a worried look.
The fortune teller asked Kamishiro to choose some tarot cards from a shuffled deck. With trembling hands, Kamishiro chose some cards and looked at the fortune teller with great hope.
The cards consisted of The Hanged Man, The Fool, and The World.
"Is this just a coincidence?" thought Kamishiro.
With a sharp gaze, the fortune teller began to read the cards and gave their interpretation to Kamishiro, but Kamishiro refused it.
"Do you need me to interpret the meaning?" asked the fortune-teller.
"No, thank you. I think I already know the meaning," replied Lethicia.
After that, Lethicia paid the fortune-teller with one Golden Sovereign coin.
They turned around and were about to leave, but the fortune-teller returned the change.
"Wait! What about the change?" Kamishiro asked.
"Just take it for yourself," said the fortune-teller.
Lethicia took the change and they continued their journey towards her residence.