Vol 1 Chapter 8: Detective Clara

While the morning sun shone on a small valley in the south of the Rose Kingdom, casting a warm glow on the rooftops of the villagers, on the other side of the world, the atmosphere was much more tense.

Inside a quiet but densely packed royal investigator’s office, a young girl sat quietly. Her face was beautiful and sharp, adorned with neat bangs and a long purple ponytail that hung down to her shoulders. She looked elegant, but her eyes conveyed sternness and fatigue. In her hand was a crumpled piece of paper that she had reviewed many times.

On the paper were two fugitive faces.

Bragg and Garel.

Names that haunted crime reports in various regions. Cruel slave traders, specialists in kidnapping children and women. Their tracks were like trails of blood, and their presence was like a ghost, always lingering after it was too late.

“Clara…” A soft voice broke the silence of the room.

Clara raised her head and looked at the young man who had just entered. He wore the robes of a royal advisor, with a silver rose emblem on his chest. His neat blonde hair and soft blue eyes seemed to hide deep anxiety.

“Prince Elvyn,” Clara greeted softly, but still formally.

The young man—Elvyn—heaved a long sigh. His face was filled with exhaustion that was not only physical, but also mental.

“Have you found them?” Elvyn asked, sitting across the table.

Clara was silent for a moment before answering. “Not yet. They are very slippery. But my latest investigations indicate that they are most likely heading south. Rose Valley.”

“Rose Valley?” Elvyn narrowed his eyes.

“A small place in the south, a remote rural area. Quiet, but perfect for hiding,” Clara replied, looking back at the wanted paper.

“If they are really there, I hope you find them soon. Wherever they are, there are always victims. And those victims are always—” Elvyn stopped his sentence, holding back his anger. “Children… and women.”

Clara nodded. “I know, Prince. That’s why I won’t back down.”

Silence enveloped the room. Papers and reports piled up around them, representing the chaos of the post-Memory Collapse Seven Years Ago incident.

Elvyn rested his head on his palms. His gaze was blank. “Clara, do you think… I’ve changed?”

Clara didn’t answer right away.

“I feel… like I’m leading in a fog. I don’t know exactly who I used to be. And somehow… there’s something missing. Something important. But I can’t remember it…”

Clara just stared at him, her expression softening slightly.

The most precious memories are often the easiest to forget. But the wounds in the heart remain, even when we forget the cause…

“So when are you leaving?” Elvyn asked quietly.

“Tomorrow,” Clara replied, standing up. “The preparations are complete. Several elite knights will be coming along. I won’t be reckless.”

Elvyn nodded.

“Good. Hopefully, we can finish this soon. Another problem is looming.” He stared at the never-ending pile of documents.

Clara cracked a small smile. “Being crown prince is tough, huh?”

“Blame those old nobles who slept for so long. All their burdens fell on my shoulders,” Elvyn complained, half jokingly.

“At least you’re not alone,” Clara said softly. “You still have us.”

Elvyn looked at Clara, then smiled thinly. “Thank you.”

“Good luck, Prince,” Clara said before turning away.

—

Towards the Rose Valley

The next day, Clara and her small team set out from the gates of the royal city. The morning sun shone on their armour and robes. Little did they know that this journey would be the beginning of uncovering a long-standing secret buried in time and blood.

Clara clutched the scroll of intelligence reports tightly in her pocket. A letter mentioning suspicious activity around the Rose Valley, the sighting of two men matching the descriptions of Bragg and Garel.

But little did she know… that the valley held something more than just a fugitive’s escape.

There lived a mother and a daughter.

And it was there that fate prepared to bring together a royal detective… and a blood executioner who chose to be a mother.

“If their trail leads to the Rose Valley… then I will find them. For justice. For those who cannot defend themselves.” — Clara, the detective.