It's Pretty Damn Efficient

Crying at the lake

"You jerk." Athanasia mumbles out.

Lucas was passed out on her bed, unmoving and still. If Athanasia couldn't feel his pulse, she would have thought him to be dead.

Because of course Lucas would have charmed her gift with a protection charm. Even before they had gotten to know each other, because he wanted her to be safe, above all else.

Even at the expense of his own safety.

Athanasia breathes out a shaky sob. "You... absolute jerk."

He can't just kiss her, sweep her off her feet, and then fall into what is assumed to be a coma. A magic induced coma, that's what the physician said.

Felix is standing by her side, hugging her softly whilst she sobs. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? I was the one who insisted on Lucas helping."

"Athy..." Felix's eyes soften. "You're just a kid. You shouldn't have to deal with any of this."

"I'm not..." Athanasia feebly protests.

Felix laughs at this, brushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "But you are. You may have grown up faster than other children, may have experienced things no child should face, but you're still a kid."

Athanasia stays quiet at this. Taking a deep breath in, before exhaling. Looking up at Felix, there's a watery shine of determination in her eyes.

"Felix. May I... May I join the investigation case?"

The crimson knight hesitates. "Is this because of Lucas?"

"No." Yes.

He knows she's lying. They've known each other for years, Felix raising and training Athanasia, along with Lily.

But he sighs, and nods slowly. "Okay, just promise to stay safe."

"I'll do my best."

~

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It's funny, how for the majority of her time as a princess, Athanasia longed to be in her old uniform. She longed for the royal crest to be proudly displayed on her back, for a sword to be at her hip.

And now that she's back in it, she's mourning the reason why.

Felix was giving a rundown on everything they've figured out so far.

The three main suspects are Ijekiel, Jennette, and the head maid.

"The young master might have yearned for power," Felix explained. "Jennette was tested and found with black magic traces, and the head maid was denied leave to see her sick sister."

Athanasia hums. "Has no one investigated the room yet?"

"Only a couple of guards, and myself." Felix pauses, thinking. "We were able to detect magic traces, but they felt fairly faint. We made an educated assumption and assumed them to be traces from a scroll."

"Have you done any digging into their purchase history?"

"There was a large amount of gold withdrawn approximately three days ago, and we're trying to track where that money went. The running theory is that whoever used it bought a teleportation spell, and a sword."

The more Athanasia hears the situation, the more frustrated she grows. "So it's a waiting game?"

"Essentially." Felix sighs. "We're doing our best, but whoever did this obviously thought to clean up after."

"Can I get clearance to view the crime scene?"

A pregnant pause. "Maybe? It's been a while since you unofficially left the knights, but using your status as crown princess and a former guard might allow you to see it."

She's doing her best to recall one of Lucas's old lectures, back when she let him ramble on and on about magic. The higher the mana, the more sensitive you are to magic.

Athanasia's fingers twitch, a spark of mana popping. Since she had just gained the ability to use her magic, she should be able to confirm what kind of scroll was used, right?

"-I can work on the paperwork to get the permission, although it should take a while. Maybe a few days." Felix finished speaking as Athanasia refocused.

"Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"

"You can attempt an interrogation." Felix suggests. "Jennette was shaking badly, the head maid refused to talk, and Ijekiel was incredibly fidgety."

Athanasia frowns, a look of confusion on her face. "If you couldn't get anything out of them, how could I?"

"You've interacted with two of them before, correct?" Felix's eyes twinkle with mirth. "Call it an undercover mission. You ask them questions under the guise of consoling them."

And Athanasia can't remember the last time she felt so giddy.

~

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~

Athanasia's dressed up in a stuffy dress, a fan covering her face as she knocks lightly on the door. Underneath the folds of her skirt, a light knife is sheathed.

Just in case, she reasoned.

Jennette slowly opens the door, her eyes widening. "Your majesty...!"

"Call me Athanasia," the princess smiles. "I wanted to come and see how you were doing; the news must have been shocking."

Jennette was a very gullible, but rather sweet girl. Very dedicated to her morals, but most things fly straight over her head. Athanasia reviews what she knows about this girl, and throws it all out the window.

This is, by all technicality, an interrogation. Biases shouldn't count, no matter how undercover she is.

Jennette hurriedly sits them both down, calling for tea. "That's very gracious of you, Athanasia."

"It had me in a state of worry for days," Athanasia sighs. "How did it even happen?"

"I don't know." Jennette cries silently.

"Don't know?"

"I don't know! Uncle always had his office locked, and I remember vividly how Ijekiel..."

She trails off, as Athanasia puts on a comforting face. "Ijekiel?"

"He came into my room, I was about to go to bed, whispering that he thinks something happened to Uncle." Jennette mumbles out. "We kept knocking, but he never answered... we called the head maid, who was staying out for overtime, to help, and when we finally pried the door open...!"

Jennette chokes out another sob, as Athanasia moves to hug her.

"It's okay. You can cry."

And as Jennette wails, Athanasia silently notes down her alibi.

~

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A/n

1/3 alibies obtained. Tell me who you think the main villain/murderer is, because it's coming up soon!