Chapter 3: One-Man Army

Necromancer (3)

"Officer Dan Ga-yeon!"

"Yes!"

Having heard Comet's enthusiastic agreement, the Healer called over a civil servant. A young woman, visibly uncomfortable in her suit, hurried over.

"You can direct any questions you have to Officer Dan from now on. Ga-yeon, this is Black Comet, a Necromancer Ranker who will be assisting us as a civilian external collaborator. I'll redistribute your existing workload, so hand it over and dedicate yourself to Comet until this case is closed."

The Healer handed Dan Ga-yeon some documents.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And... I think that's all. I'll be on my way then."

Instead of returning to her work, the Healer checked the Chairwoman's office and then left the committee. Comet watched the Healer's retreating figure before turning to Dan Ga-yeon.

Officer Dan Ga-yeon was reading the documents she had received. Comet scratched her cheek.

"Officer Dan?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. So... your name is...?"

"Just call me by my nickname."

"Black Comet."

"You can just call me Comet."

"Yes, Comet."

After that awkward exchange, Comet felt uneasy. However, she cheered up when she remembered that she was supposed to obstruct the investigation as a criminal, not catch criminals.

"This is my first time cooperating with an investigation, so what should we do first?"

"I think it would be best to start with a visit to the crime scene."

"A visit to the crime scene?"

"Yes. After examining the scene, please feel free to share your insights regarding Necromantic Arts. For example, if the combat style is similar to that of a Ranker you know, things like that."

"I see. So, what's the schedule?"

Dan Ga-yeon glanced at the dark window and her watch before speaking in a somewhat weary voice.

"Would the morning two days from now be alright?"

"That's fine."

"I'll come to where you're staying."

Comet nodded and offered a handshake.

"I look forward to working with you."

"Likewise."

#

Comet put down the hair dryer and brushed her bobbed hair. As she gently shook and untangled the knots, there was a knock on the door.

"It's unlocked, so just come in!"

Dan Ga-yeon opened the door and cautiously entered. She was taken aback by Comet in her pajamas.

"...Did I come too early?"

"No, it was a timely visit since I just need to get dressed. Just wait a moment, please."

Comet finished brushing her hair.

"Officer, is there anything I need to bring when we visit the crime scene?"

"Uh, you can just come as you are. If you think you need anything to understand the scene, feel free to bring it at your discretion."

"I see. Officer Dan, you can ask me anything you're curious about too."

It took a while for a question to come.

"...I'm not sure if this is related to the job, but is it okay to ask?"

"Yes, of course."

"Necromancers deal with souls, right?"

Comet nodded.

"I thought it was just a game, but now that it's reality, where do you get the souls?"

"We collect wandering souls."

"Human souls?"

"Mostly, yes."

A moment of silence passed, and then a hesitant voice spoke.

"...Isn't that too unethical?"

Comet stopped brushing her hair. Her red eyes turned to Dan Ga-yeon. Comet studied Dan Ga-yeon's intentions, smiled kindly, and finished brushing her hair.

"That's a common misconception about Necromancers. People tend to think of souls as something grand. But the souls that Necromancers refer to are merely byproducts of corpses. It's a misunderstanding that arises from the gap between common and academic terminology. Since you can't see souls unless you deeply master Necromantic Arts, such concerns seem to arise more easily."

It was a common topic, so she could easily lie without needing to make anything up. Originally, it was a lie prepared to deceive the inquisitor of the Empire in the game.

Dan Ga-yeon didn't seem convinced, but she seemed to gloss over it since the person involved said so.

Comet changed her clothes and got into the car following Dan Ga-yeon's guidance. As the car moved, Dan Ga-yeon handed her some documents. They were documents summarizing the murder that occurred at the convenience store, excluding other cases.

"The culprit meticulously cleaned up the scene, so these are the only traces we have. We requested a forensic examination from the National Forensic Service, but it's been pushed back to a lower priority, so it's difficult to get it done right away."

That was fortunate. Comet read through the documents and stopped at an unfamiliar photo.

"...There was a surveillance camera left."

"The angle and quality aren't great, so it's not very meaningful, but it's still a good thing."

Dan Ga-yeon finished speaking and paused as she looked at the documents together, tilting her head. Her gaze was fixed on the photo. Comet watched Dan Ga-yeon and naturally turned the page to cover the photo.

The convenience store they arrived at was under access control. Comet felt a sense of tension.

Dan Ga-yeon spoke with the police officers managing the scene and then led Comet inside the convenience store. Comet looked around as she entered.

"Who is the prosecutor in charge?"

"The committee has decided to take charge of it."

"Without the prosecution?"

"The committee is a supralegal organization."

Comet vaguely agreed.

"Now, please tell me what you see. I'll write it down and reflect it in the report."

Comet nodded and walked around the convenience store. It was a familiar scene since she had created the crime scene herself, but there were many differences since looters had come and gone afterward. Comet had kindly closed the convenience store shutters and left, but it seemed that some people had stolen things after realizing there was no lock.

"Interesting."

Comet pretended to be interested.

"In what way...?"

Dan Ga-yeon held up her notebook and focused.

"As the committee suggested, the Necromancer who committed the crime is definitely at least a Semi-Ranker. Close combat with Necromantic Arts is difficult to do cleanly unless you're skilled."

Comet poked the wall with a knife. The wall that had been torn by the steel pipe remained as it was.

"Looking at it, the traces of combat seem to have been left by the victim, and there's no damage caused by Necromantic Arts. Inexperienced Necromancers tend to attempt unnecessary area-of-effect attacks or hastily summon souls even during close combat, but they restrained themselves cleanly."

"Is that a part that requires that much skill?"

"It's usually difficult to restrain oneself. It's a genius-level skill."

Comet suddenly realized that she shouldn't be saying this. But it was true that it was genius-level, so there was nothing she could do.

"Is there any Necromancer you know who comes to mind?"

Dan Ga-yeon asked, writing down the answers in her notebook.

"Well, you might think that Semi-Rankers are rare, but it's a common skill level, so it's difficult to say who it is. I might be able to pick someone out if you narrow down the suspects."

Comet smiled.

"Can I see the list of suspects?"

The pen wavering above the notebook stopped.

Dan Ga-yeon lowered her head apologetically.

"...I'm sorry. I was going to show it to you, but it was rejected because it could reveal the government's list of Awakened."

Comet tilted her head. She carefully examined Dan Ga-yeon's expression and then laughed. It didn't seem like she was deliberately lying.

"If that's the case, then there's nothing we can do."

Comet twisted her side hair, pondered for a moment, and then walked along the wall with her hands behind her back. The knife in her hand tapped.

"It's difficult to identify specific elements in the traces of combat that would indicate whether they followed the close combat techniques I established."

Comet found a familiar strand of hair among the dust on the floor and squatted down. When she blew on it, the hair floated up and then fell. Comet unnecessarily brushed her hair back with her hand and then stood up.

"If revealing the list is a problem, would it be impossible for you to tell me about the main suspects you have in mind at your discretion?"

"Ah! I see. I think that would be possible. Just a moment."

Dan Ga-yeon turned the pages of her notebook, opened it, and handed it to Comet. The page she showed had the suspects written on it. It was a member of the looter group.

"They're the most likely. It's also in a nearby neighborhood, so my personal opinion is that it's almost certain."

It was a good opinion.

Comet read the name and nickname and tried to recall them. She didn't know them at all.

"I've heard that nickname somewhere before."

"Do you know them?"

Dan Ga-yeon's face lit up.

"No, not really. Someone passed me a PVP video of a friend of a guild member's party member's Hyung and asked for advice, so I think I saw it. I'm not sure though."

Since they were likely to be affiliated with a looter group, there was a low possibility that they had no PVP experience, so she made it up.

"A friend of a party member's..."

Dan Ga-yeon muttered, retracing the human relationships. She seemed a bit dim-witted, but Comet waited patiently.

"They're complete strangers."

"That's right. Since I'm a top Ranker, I often get asked for advice shamelessly."

"Do you think this suspect is the culprit? What do you think?"

"I vaguely remember seeing the video, and I think they had the skills to do it. In a scene like this, anyway."

Comet turned her head this way and that, pretending to look around the convenience store. Dan Ga-yeon also looked around the convenience store, nodding in agreement.

In that gap, Comet subtly turned the page of the notebook.

A new suspect was written there.

It was a very familiar nickname.

Comet's heart pounded.

After quickly scanning it, she was able to find a positive sign. There was a small X in the corner. It seemed that it had been crossed out to indicate that they were being removed from the list of suspects after being selected as an external collaborator.

Comet closed the notebook with a snap. Dan Ga-yeon turned around.

"I think I'll be able to tell if I see them in person. If the Necromancer possesses the soul, I can compare it to the victim's corpse. It's difficult to distinguish souls, but I can do it."

"Is that possible?"

Dan Ga-yeon reacted as if she had never heard of it before. Comet was somewhat puzzled.

"Doesn't the Committee have any skilled Necromancers?"

"The Chairwoman said she wouldn't hire any Necromancers."

Comet twisted her side hair.

"...I see."

"It's good that Comet can confirm! You'll be able to resolve it quickly."

Dan Ga-yeon seemed satisfied.

"Are we going to search the suspects now?"

"Ah, regarding that, according to this Committee's agreement, this group of looters has been designated as Semi-Ranker level, and we've decided to respond specially. The police will arrest them, and then we'll step in to take custody and check."

"...That's not good."

It was very bad for Comet. If the captured Necromancer pleaded innocence, the situation would become complicated.

"Since it's the soul that needs to be compared, if there's a clash during the arrest, the Necromancer might use it."

Comet paused for a moment.

"Could I participate in that special response? If it's not too much trouble, I can compare them on the spot, and it would be easier to respond."

"Okay. I'll request cooperation."

"I hope it works out."

Comet smiled brightly.

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