Chapter 742: Chapter 14 The Theater Mystery (Part 1)_3

Buck was startled and insisted, “I am a respectable gentleman, sir. I indeed felt furious, but I did not resort to violence…”

“Really? Perhaps you should straighten out your clothes before you say that.”

Buck’s clothes were equally disheveled, covered in dust, and unbefitting his status. Gongsun Ce smiled and said, “I believe you didn’t throw a punch, but you did use a knife, didn’t you? If we were to search you right now, it would look rather unsightly.”

Buck’s face turned a shade of green. He seemed much more subdued as he said, “I admit that I wasn’t rational at the time… The flames of anger completely consumed me. We did get into a physical altercation when that person still dared to defend his filthy comments, and, in anger, I chopped the table with a knife… But I didn’t kill anyone, sir, I really didn’t. I only intended to accuse him of fraud.”

Gongsun Ce nodded, “Bring the knife for inspection.”

Buck’s bodyguard weapon was indeed a foldable knife, its silver handle inlaid with rubies forming a lion pattern.

(That’s fucking brilliant, damn.)

(Please mind your language.)

(How did you guess?)

(In fact, the aesthetic tastes of minor nobility in the Country align closely with those of capitalists in the United States.)

Amidst Buck’s perplexed gaze, Gongsun Ce clapped his hands and began softly, “Tell us about the process and timing, Mr. Buck. What time did you arrive? What time did you leave?”

Buck quickly nodded and spoke rapidly, “I think I entered the tent around eleven. I stayed for nearly twenty minutes, during which I had a dispute with that despicable wretch… It escalated into a conflict. After chopping the table with my knife, I was so angry I just left. This theater is rather big; it took me over five minutes just to reach the exit.”

After finishing, he nervously clutched his coat, “I swear to the Holy King, sir, Viscount Buck did only these things today. He might have been inarticulate and hot-tempered, but he had nothing to do with any murder.”

“Is that so?” Kerky laughed gleefully, “The more eager to explain oneself, the guiltier one seems.”

“You!”

Buck was gasping with fury as Gongsun Ce quickly pushed him aside, “We’ll reach a conclusion, now please be quiet. Philis, come here.”

“…Ah!”

Philis still seemed in shock from learning of the death, but he snapped back to reality when addressed. Gongsun Ce knelt in front of Philis, presenting himself like a kind neighbor, “Philis, I’m going to ask you a few questions. Don’t lie, or this will get complicated.”

Philis trembled with nervousness, “Are you… Are you a cop? Should we call the police? Please, don’t let the cops see me!!”

He was nearly recoiling at his own imagination. Gongsun Ce thought to himself that the boy was an amateur thief, frightened this way over a stolen purse.

“It’s hard to say~~ You never know, the police might throw you in jail~!” Kerky teased with a sinister chuckle.

Gongsun Ce shot her a look and said, “The police won’t be coming for now. Just answer the questions honestly and you’ll be fine. Philis, what do you normally do in this theater troupe? Do you know about the… identities of the other members?”

Philis swallowed hard and replied, “I’m just here to do odd jobs, sir. Other places wouldn’t hire me because I’m too young. The troupe leader Situ doesn’t care about age and hired me to sell tickets. I also run errands inside the troupe, bringing everyone tea and water… I know everyone has some skills, but I can’t do those things and I never talk about them outside.”

The boy was coherent in his responses, which didn’t match his previously frightened appearance. But something still didn’t add up, why would stealing a purse scare him so much?

Gongsun Ce set aside his suspicions and asked, “Philis, did you see Douglas today?”

“I did, sir,” Philis hurriedly replied, “I saw him twice! At eleven o’clock, I saw him leading Mr. Buck into the tent. The second time was around 11:20, I remember clearly because I checked the time then. I was going to serve them tea, but Mr. Buck had already left.”

“Did you go inside the tent then?”

Philis answered pitifully, “No, at that time Mr. Douglas was standing outside the tent, looking upset. He only took one cup of tea, saying Mr. Buck had left. Before I left, I heard him cursing loudly…”

“What did he say?!” Buck demanded.

Philis shrank a little, whispering, “Some rather filthy words directed at you.”

“The hell with it!” the high-ranking Mr. Buck cursed profanely.

(Let’s review the timeline: 11:00the two met, argued, then fought, with Buck leaving about twenty minutes later. During this time, at 11:18 Douglas used the Impermanence Skill for the first time. At 11:20 Philis met with Douglas, bringing tea. At 11:21 Douglas used the Impermanence Skill for the second time. Buck left the theater around 11:25. We arrived at 11:30 and found Douglas dead. Thus Douglas must have died between 11:20 and 11:30…)

(More precisely.)

(After 11:21, as he used the Impermanence Skill then, which was likely a counterattack just before his death… But that’s not right…)

(You’ve noticed the issue.)

(Indeed… he also used it at 11:18. Two minutes later, he met Philis and took a cup of tea.)

If Douglas used the Impermanence Skill during a struggle with the killer, the struggle would have happened in the three minutes between 11:18 and 11:21, ending with Douglas being beaten to death. Douglas couldn’t have calmly stepped outside to take tea and even stand at the tent entrance cursing during that time.