The Wasted Powder.

“How did you get those injuries?” Hitsuki asked. “I don’t think those are some minor scratches.”

“I got injured when some new kids from the town square ambushed me at night.” The captain scoffed.

“I see…” Hitsuki narrowed his eyes.

The Captain’s words were suspicious, but he could not deny that his words were lies.

Captain Tsudo’s eyes glared for a second. “You know, it’s kind of disrespectful for someone to suspect my character who has been aiding Acting Queen Chiyoshi since my childhood, you know?”

Hitsuki took a step back, intimidated by Tsudo’s stance.

“He is not suspecting, Captain Tsudo.” Sol intervened. “He is just like this; he acted the same with me, too.”

“And you let that slide?” Tsudo side-eyed Sol as well. “Doesn’t this ‘pseudo-detective’ know that we three have been childhood friends?”

“He is just doing his job,” Sol uttered, her voice filled with silent rage. “And Tsudo, I have never seen you raging over such a silly matter. It’s the job of a detective to suspect everyone.”

“So you are losing faith in me as well?” The Captain scoffed. “Is this what my life is going to turn into? Getting thrown away when my job is done? And why does Acting Queen Chiyoshi trust this man more than anyone else? This man is a convicted criminal, no? Then why is he tasked with solving this case??”

“Calm down, Tsudo,” Sol replied. “She did this for a reason, I suppose…”

“I see, so you don’t know the reason as well…” Tsudo raged. “What happened with Queen Chiyoshi? She is getting a lot distant lately…”

“Who knows. I don’t know.” Sol says. “But I trust her. And so should you.”

“Do whatever you want. I will be at the training grounds.”

Tsudo spat on the ground before stomping away.

“Hey, Sol…” Hitsuki uttered.

“I know why your suspicion has risen quite a bit, but trust me. He is not a conspirator.” Sol said. “All of us are a bit overworked. Especially Acting Queen Chiyoshi.”

*****

Hitsuki stood in awe as he saw the Kingdom of Lizrab’s secondary barracks.

It stood like a maze on the outside. As if the inside was just as twisted as the insides. It merged the open-air training ground and the inside resting and other rooms seamlessly into one structure, stacked upon one another like Jenga.

Beside the barracks, there were other barracks, but a bit smaller. It had the structural integrity of the main one. The only difference was that it was made of bamboo.

“It’s the historical bamboo barracks of our country,” Sol said as they entered the main one. “These are carried by our men to the battlefield, and served as a shelter, a fort, and a safe place for archers to shoot. It’s our tradition of war.”

The royal guards inside the barracks didn’t care about their presence, as they continued their parries and training inside.

Sol pinched her nose. “This place truly is barbaric. Now, what do you want to do?”

Hitsuki almost forgot what had made him visit the barracks in the first place. He shook his head in amazement and locked in, looking at Sol’s eyes.

“Is it possible to go upstairs? To the roof, if possible?”

Sol said. “Let me guess, it seems like the best place to shoot, huh?”

*****

“Bingo!”

Hitsuki made a camera with his hands. He looked through the lenses, seeing the courtroom barely but clearly. It angled perfectly to where Masayoshi and Hanahoshi stood.

“How are you going to know who the culprit is from where it has been shot?” Sol asked, standing by the corner.

“At least we are somewhere,” Hitsuki replied. “I am no detective, nor have I read any mystery novels. I am as clueless as you are, Sol.”

A breeze blew by, swirling Sol’s hair in the air. Sol looked at the direction of the wind, seeing the Royal Palace in the distance.

“What is this?” Sol gasped.

Hitsuki went over to inspect Sol’s sightings.

On a branch, a small piece of fabric was stuck in one of its tiny twigs. Hitsuki grinned.

“I am amazed, Sol,” Hitsuki exclaimed. “Can you pick up that cloth for me, and a bit of powder if you find one?”

“Eh?” Sol stopped. “I understand about the cloth part, but why… powder?”

“You will understand shortly after.”

*****

It took a while for Sol to return. Hitsuki lay on the rooftop, gazing at the clear sky above.

“Seems like you are enjoying yourself after ordering me to do some tedious task.” Sol looked over Hitsuki’s view, shading it.

“Took you long enough.”

“Obviously. I had to return to the royal palace for the powder.” Sol sighed. “Acting Queen Chiyoshi told you to visit her once your investigation is finished here.”

Sol handed over the cloth to Hitsuki, which he observed with concern. It was ripped, torn, and ragged. Most importantly, even if it was a small piece of fabric, it had stitches. But it felt similar.

“Sol, remember you once said that the royal treasury’s cloaks were unusable?” Hitsuki asked. “Is this the same fabric?”

Sol sighed. Her heart ached. She looked away in disappointment.

“I don’t want to believe the conspirator is one of us…” Sol said with disappointment in her eyes.

“Yeah, me neither,” Hitsuki replied. “Hold this on for me, okay? I will figure something out.”

“What are you going to do with the powder, though?” Sol asked.

Hitsuki grinned. He didn’t say a word and took the bottle of facial powder from Sol’s hand.

“This is how we solve crimes, Sol.” Hitsuki pridefully wasted the whole bottle of expensive facial powder all over the roof.

“What… is this supposed to mean, Hitsuki?” Sol’s eyes turned devilish. The wastage of a whole bottle tickled her angry bone.

“C-calm down, Sol…” Hitsuki hesitantly backed away. “Now, we just have to carefully erase the powder away…”

That explanation didn’t extinguish Sol’s flame of anger, but only fueled it.