The Truth Prevails - Well, Sort Of... (Volume 1)

"BREAKING NEWS!"

"Victor Heckleberg, son of the prominent Christopher Heckleberg, Head of the Goverment's Department of Science and Technology, has now been arrested after being found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assaults against women."

"Victims have bravely come forward to share their past traumas and press charges. Now compensated, they grieve with their families, shedding tears of relief as justice is finally served."

"Our correspondent, John Doe, is on the scene to provide us with the latest. So John, please walk us through the story so far."

"Thank you, Jenny. Yes, the Police have just now issued an official statement concerning the arrest of Victor Heckleberg. It reads: 'Regarding the arrest of Victor Heckleberg, the arrestee is currently in custody and will be transported to the Supreme Court to face his hearing. Due to the arrestee's young age, the court proceedings will not be made public. However, the outcome will be communicated to both the victims and the public to ensure transparency - Assistant Commissioner Tim Walsh."

"There you have it, Jenny. There is not much information regarding the court proceedings so far - but wait, hang on. I have just received an update. Christopher Heckleberg has announced his resignation following a public backlash concerning his son's criminal charges. He is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon at 1 PM."

"Thank you, John. That's certainly an interesting turn of events. Of course, for all our viewers, we will be streaming the live press conference at 1 PM."

"..."

"That, of course, isn't the case."

"Indeed, dearest grandfather." 

The Headmaster and his granddaughter, with a devious glint in their eyes, grinned while enjoying the sweet aroma of their morning tea while watching the news broadcast on a floating display screen before them.

"You two are really to scare me right now..." Kaito said nervously, letting out a shaky chuckle.

"My My, Mr Lionheart. There is nothing to fear. Please, be at ease." 

"Natasha, my dear, why don't you brew him some Yorkshire tea?

"Yes, certainly, dear Grandfather." 

"How much sugar and milk would you like, Kaito?"

"I'll just have a normal black tea, please. My stomach doesn't handle milk very well."

"Oh my, are you lactose intolerant by any chance, Kaito? 

"Yeah, haha... I think I inherited that from my mom for sure."

"Oh my, that is a shame. No problem, Black tea it is."

"Thanks, Natasha."

"..."

The Headmaster cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that pervaded the office, "By the way, Mr Lionheart. Doesn't our cheerful mood leave you brimming with questions?" 

Kaito placed a hand thoughtfully on his chin. "Well, I do have a few questions or two in my that's bothering me, but I think I've got a good idea of the situation so far."

"Oh? Is that so? Go on, then, Mr Detective. I would love to hear your deduction."

"Wait for meee!" Natasha called out, rushing towards the coach with a tray of steaming teas.

"This is for you, my dear Grandfather. And here's a black tea just for you, Kaito." Grasping her teacup, Natasha added  with a playful smile, "Right then, you may now begin."

"Yes, boss!" 

"I'm not that bossy! Hmmph!" Natasha pouted.

"Haha, my bad, my bad. But before we begin, please allow me to fully prepare myself." From his ordinary-looking school bag, Kaito pulled out a rather fitting prop for the occasion.

A brown wool tweed hat.

"You seem oddly prepared, Kaito. Don't tell me you had this all planned?" 

"Well not quite, haha. I just had a hunch we'd be needing this for today," Kaito said proudly.

"Right..." Natasha replied, eyeing him with a hint of suspicion.

"Ahaha..."

"Anyway, enough delays. Let the show begin!" Kaito placed the hat firmly on his head with a confident flourish.

"Ohoho, please entertain us, Mr Detective!" The Headmaster clapped eagerly, clearly amused and anticipating Kaito's deductions.

"..."

"First, let us begin by clarifying some proven facts," Kaito began.

"Based on the news report, we know for certain that the culprit, Victor Heckleberg, has been arrested for the crime which he undeniably committed, and we know it to be true as well. According to the law, he is currently in custody, and due to his age, the court proceedings will remain confidential with the verdict being the sole exception. But here is where things get interesting."

"If our culprit was an ordinary human being, then this whole case would be straightforward..."

"This, however, is far from ordinary."

Kaito fixed his gaze on the Headmaster and Natasha. "Would it not be strange for law enforcement to find themselves arresting a being with grotesquely enlarged limbs?"

"Strange? In what sense, Detective Lionheart?" The Headmaster leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "While I understand such a sight might not be a common occurrence, but, what about muscle-enhancing drugs? They are by no means, a new phenomenon. I imagine the authorities would manage just fine regarding his hideous appearance."

The Headmaster further added, his face unsure, "Well, the only thing I may argue is, that they may need to put an extra little effort while subduing him. Beyond that, I see no real issues here."

"As expected, dear Headmaster," Kait replied with a sly smile. "While I do agree that muscle-enhancing drugs are plausible, this particular scenario, however, defies such explanation. We are not talking about ordinary muscle growth here. The culprit's limbs are widely disproportionate - something no muscle-enhancing drugs could achieve. And even if the culprit had an obsession with fitness, surely he wouldn't neglect his limbs in such  an uneven, grotesque way."

"You make a very fair point, Detective Lionheart," the Headmaster conceded.

Natasha, placing her teacup gently on the table, interjected, "I suppose we can rule out that possibility. However, Kaito, let me offer you another perspective, something you might not have considered."

"Please do," Kaito gestured for her to continue.

"It is not uncommon for wealthy individuals, especially young, wealthy individuals to indulge in harmful substances. For an ordinary person, such behaviour would undoubtedly lead to ostracism, or worse, arrest. But we do not know the full extent of what horrors lurk in the shadows of the underworld. Could this not be a rare glimpse of those terrors surfacing?"

Kaito let out a quiet chuckle, his lips curling into a sly grin.

"That's..." He adjusted his wool tweed hat dramatically. "Elementary, my dear Natasha."

"Hmm? How so?" Natasha's arched her eyebrows in curiosity.

"While your theory might have been worth considering at first, it doesn't align with the circumstance of this case"

"What do you mean Kaito?"

"Think carefully, Natasha. The 'damsel in distress' in this story certainly isn't an ordinary one."

"Wait... Do you mean..."

"Me?" Natasha blinked in confusion before gasping as realization dawned on her. 

She had let slip a vital clue

"Yes," Kaito exclaimed, pointing at her. "You."

"The moment you mentioned wealthy individuals and harmful substances, I was reminded of your background." Kaito stood, his finger still pointed at Natasha. 

"Natasha Wilford, a family member of the prestigious Wilford family, which founded the renowned Wilford Drug Association (WDA). And if I recall correctly, you seemed rather shocked before seeing the culprit in possession of the unreleased drug, one not known to the public nor the close stakeholders."

He further added, "This undoubtedly includes law enforcement, despite holding a powerful position. If the police were to collect DNA samples and have them analyzed, the forensic results would be catastrophic for the WDA. The truth would eventually come to light, and that truth certainly would not favour the WDA."

Natasha's face grew serious as she quietly absorbed Kaito's deductions.

"So, then Detective," the Headmaster said, his tone measured, "what is your verdict?"

Turning to face the Headmaster, Kaito pointed dramatically. "The verdict is..."

"The culprit was never truly arrested!" 

"Nor will he ever stand trial in a court or reside in a prison facility."

Kaito's voice grew firmer. "Instead, the culprit was taken to a remote facility owned by the WDA. He will spend his remaining days as another unfortunate lab rate for experimentation. This outcome satisfies both the WDA's interests and the remarks you had made earlier."

"Remarks, you say?" The Headmaster titled his head, feigning ignorance. "What remarks could you possibly mean, Detective Lionheart?"

Kaito smirked. "Then allow me to remind you, dear Headmaster. Before Natasha had left her seat to brew some tea, we were thoroughly engaged in the news report. And when it concluded, you made a telling comment, 'That, of course, isn't the case'. Natasha then followed with, 'Indeed, dearest grandfather'. Those remarks stuck with me, though I didn't fully understand their significance until I began connecting the pieces together."

"And so, I arrived at this conclusion."

"..."

"Excellent, bravo! As expected from Detective Lionheart. You truly are sharp, almost too sharp, I'd say," the Headmaster remarked with a proud smile.

"Wow, Kaito, you really are like a real detective!" Natasha chimed in, her voice brimming with genuine admiration. "I am seriously very impressed. Well done!"

The Headmaster and his granddaughter applauded Kaito's in-depth deduction. Yet, despite their approval, Kaito couldn't shake a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction. He lowered his head slightly, letting out a quiet sigh.

"Hmm? What's this?" The Headmaster leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "You still seem unsatisfied with your verdict. Might I ask why, Mr. Detective?"

"Well, you see..." Kaito hesitated for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Although I believe my conclusion is correct, there is still something that bothers me very much."

"Oh? Please, do not hesitate to ask," the Headmaster encouraged.

"It's just..." Kaito began cautiously. "This whole situation feels a little too easy."

"Easy?" The Headmaster raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"I mean, everything seems perfectly orchestrated, like a meal prepared and served on a silver platter. Even for someone wealthy, pulling this off so seamlessly, bypassing both the media and the justice system, should be nearly impossible."

Kaito paused, narrowing his eyes in thought. "So, the question is... Who?" 

"Who could wield such overwhelming power and connections?"

"Unless..."

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Kaito, and he turned sharply toward the Headmaster. He stared intently at the man he had subconsciously dismissed, despite the suspicions that had lingered in the back of his mind.

"!" 

The Headmaster met Kaito's gaze with a calm smile, raising a finger to his lips. his left eye closed in a gesture that seemed to say, Do not bite off more than you can chew, Mr Detective.

"Fear not, Mr. Lionheart,"  the Headmaster said smoothly, his voice steady, "I assure you, I only use my power and connections for society's benefit. I would never succumb to evil intentions." 

Leaning back, the Headmaster added with a wry smile, "As a great great gentleman once said, "With great power comes great-" 

"Hold it right there, Grandfather!" Natasha interrupted sharply, crossing her arms. "Stop plagiarizing that movie!"

"Ohoho, you got me there," the Headmaster chuckled, raising his hand in mock surrender.

"But all levity aside," he continued, his tone growing serious, "for your own safety Mr Lionheart, let us leave the matter at that, shall we?"

Kaito sighed in resignation. "Alright then..." 

Thought dejected, Kaito could sense the Headmaster's genuine concern. Any further, and he might have ventured into dangerous, uncharted territory. 

"But I must say," the Headmaster said with a mischievous grin, "I thoroughly enjoyed myself. That so-called b*stard son-in-law of mine was grovelling at my very feet, begging for my assistance. Quite a spectacle to behold, wouldn't you say, my dear?"

"Indeed my dear Grandfather," Natasha replied, covering her mouth with a delicate hand she chuckled. "Fufufu."

Kaito feeling unsettled, gave a twitching smile - should you guys really be relishing something like that right now...?

"!"

The morning bell rang, breaking the moment. It was time for the lessons to begin. 

Kaito and Natasha quickly gathered their school bags, preparing themselves to leave the Headmaster's office.

"We will be taking our leave then, dear Grandfather," Natasha said, bowing politely.

"Yes, take care, my dear. And you as well, Mr Lionheart," the Headmaster replied warmly. "Enjoy your second day. Farewell!"

Kaito gave a respectful bow in return, following Natasha out of the office. Together they stepped back into the rhythm of school life, leaving behind a series of events that had changed their lives forever.