Firstly, I note down all the things we found that shouldn't be there if it was a suicide and then those which speak for suicide.
Signs for Suicide:
No signs of self-defence around the strangulation marks
Rope wasn't moved or replaced
The scene didn't have hints of outward influence
Signs against Suicide:
Bruises on the fingers
A bruise on the neck under the rope mark
Were Traces of Chloroform in the blood
Conclusion:
Can't have been a suicide since someone unconscious because of Chloroform could not have hung themselves. Because of the size of the body, there must have been a construction or more than one person at work.
After making all those notes I add my conclusion below, then we issue the death certificate."It was murder please add this to the cause of death for this victim," I tell the Medic responsible with issuing the certificate. He notes it down and signs it.
"So then on to the next victim," I sigh concentrating myself onto the next task ahead. "She was found in the bathroom and based on the scene murdered in the same place, correct?" I repeat the information I read on the way here. Since there are neither protests nor added details we start the second autopsy.
***
I switch my gloves before we collect all the evidence on this body. I look for the signed permission slip and look it over. Since it was filled out correctly we start, as before we examined the outer body followed up by some X-Rays. After that, we check if the victim was abused. Lastly, we collect the blood samples and open the body to examine the organs.
In the end, we note our findings down: "Victim is a female student from Pentastar High School, murdered. Cause of death: loss of blood. The throat was slit open. The culprit should be left-handed, Correction angle is off. The culprit was right-handed and at least 1,8m tall. No other wounds besides the slit wound. Traces of Chloroform were found in the blood of the victim." I let the Medic sign the death certificate and we go on to our next victim since we want to finish it today.
This victim is also a female student who was found on the statue in the middle of the fountain. Killed by a stab right through her heart. We repeat the same routine as we did before and then note down our conclusion for the certificate. "Victim is a female student from Pentastar High School, murdered. Cause of death: Damage of vital organs; loss of blood. Her heart was critically damaged; her Lungs were critically damaged. Traces of Chloroform were found in the blood of the victim. The culprit must have been strong enough to place the victim on the statue," I note down the cause of death.
Now only our latest victim is left. The liquid we found, on and around her, was Soda Lye meaning the culprit either wanted to be cruel, or to erase the traces, since Soda Lye and Caustic Potash are very good Radixes when someone wants to erase a body. The acid wouldn't be so useful in that regard because based on the acid either the muscles or the bones are solved. We also know by now that she drowned since we found lye in her lungs as well.
After all, the tests were done I wrote down all the information we gained: "Victim is a female student from Pentastar High School, murdered. Cause of death: downing. The used substance was Soda Lye. The body was damaged by the lye but could still be identified."
***
It had gotten quite late when we finally finished up and closed the bodies back up, after collecting the reports my aunt and I head back home. It's already dark outside and the stars are glittering in the night sky.
My thoughts circle around the case. I never expected that I would become an investigator, I've always been more of a lab person, collecting samples and all those little puzzles. I would have enjoyed the autopsies greatly, wouldn't I feel like there is this massive load of responsibilities hanging over my head.
Thinking over some of the details frustration rises in my chest there too many unknowns, and every hint we have, leads nowhere. The crime scenes are too clean, every murder meticulously planned, like we are dancing on the strings of a puppet master, with no idea on how many strings hold us in place. I feel caught in a giant spider web and this is only the start of everything, my first day working on this case. Hell it's only my first day in this game.
This was the last thought I had before the day caught, and my body shut down, forcing me to sleep but even my dreams weren't calm or restful. There is darkness around me. I feel as if I was falling and then suddenly it stops.
Not just the fall, everything does as if time simply stopped. I am back in the car. It happens again. The doe. The spinning. The hanging. I can't breathe and feel the world fading again. I scream. I know I am not there anymore but still, I want to get away. I don't want to die again.
The scene changes, my body is smaller, and the memory isn't as familiar as the one before. I can hear voices telling me to run. I feel myself running, steps follow me. I run faster. Faster. Only a bit more than I will be safe.
Again the scene changes. I am standing in a graveyard with tears running down my cheeks. The stone before me holds the names of my parents. I lost them. No, they were killed. Someone took them from me. Again, I feel like falling and then-
***
I woke up. Fidel stands beside my bed. "My Lady it's alright you are safe," he tells me while stocking my back, "May I bring you some tea to calm your nerves or something else?"
I cling to his affection, his care. In my old world, I have never known the care of a fraternal person. At least not from my father's. In my old life, he had no part in mine and here he died when I was too young. Fidel cared for me since I was a baby. I remember faintly how Fidel would always be there to calm me down after a nightmare. Even when it took me all night, he would be there. This memory feels faint, as if not really mine.
I have another memory of my aunt telling me, how the Black Servants that would be assigned to a certain person as Personal Maid or Personal Butler are chosen after two criteria. Their Priority to their assigned Master and their undying Loyalty. She explained it as a needed thing for the Blacks to survive, as it isn't uncommon for the parents to die early. So the Blacks assign each of their own a personal maid or butler, who will raise them in their stead, should they be unable to.
Letting him hold me is strangely grounding, like he is centring me back to myself, with just a simple hug. I hadn't been without scars on my mind and soul, and what I slowly seem to inherit from this body doesn't seem without trauma either. Again, I question my insane impulsive decision to throw myself into this game. The manga's I read in my previous live didn't touch into the mental aspect deep enough. Fun, as if. This is is so much more realistic than any game I've ever played.
I don't cry. I have no tears left for something as silly as a nightmare. No, I can't allow it. I look up at my butler. He holds deep worry in his eyes. "Maybe some tea would be good and some cookies," I mumble, once again pretending I am doing fine.
He nods but before he leaves he asks me: "Will you be alright until I am back, my Lady?" I nod. I will be absolutely fine for a few minutes. I have to be. It's just a few minutes, I am not that fragile.
When Fidel returns, a tray of tea and cookies are in his hands. After setting it up on the small round table by the window, he fetches a robe from my wardrobe. He sets it over my slightly cold shoulders, before guiding me to the little table with the three chairs. He sits down opposite to me, we talk, drink tea, and eat cookies and after a while, my nerves start to calm down, and I relax.