T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 37 - Cathedral Humiliation

As the hours passed, the room gradually shifted from the icy chamber of torment to a space where contemplation and reflection took centre stage.

Seeing that Ran and Sonoko, are covered with bruises and still trembling from the cold water, their faces still remain defiant.

"Alright, let's show them an interesting clip that took place 2 years ago in the U.K., where a certain 4-year-old heiress ruined a funeral," Tiffany suggested that everyone put away their empty boxes of popcorn.

Tiffany's suggestion was met with agreement. Ran and Sonoko, despite their earlier defiance, now seemed more receptive to the unfolding events.

On the screen in front of them, a video began to play. 

"Where did you get that video, by the way?" Nicolas whispered to Tiffany, "I thought during Christopher's funeral, filming was banned."

"There were TV cameras set up around the premises, originally the footage is planned to be released within decades later to the public, as in a source of documentary purposes." Tiffany recalled, "But since Ranran started working as a child Tantei, and thanks to that idiot brute who can't keep her mouth shut, I had permission from the press who had those recordings lend it to us. Also," Tiffany gave a wry smile before whispering, "The video may have been....played around a bit."

"Eh?" The others' eyes grew wide at that.

"It can't be help," Tiffany sighed, "A lot of the footage is deleted after that incident, so I can only do as far as to edit the remenants of it. It is 80 percent true from what I remembered anyway."

The scene was set outside a picturesque cathedral in the United Kingdom, where a solemn funeral procession was taking place. The video captured the sombre mood of the occasion, with mourners dressed in black and the air heavy with grief, the coffin in the hearse decorated with roses followed behind a small figure.

As the video continued, the said figure appeared on the screen – a young 4-year-old girl with short black hair and a sombre grin formed on her lips as red as blood.

It was none other than the younger version of Ranran. The sight of her standing amidst the mourners in her vibrant attire was a stark contrast to the solemnity of the event, in her Edgewood School uniform, with one eyepatch to her eye making it clear although she was grieving, her stoic face made it all so heartbreaking to the mourners to see her holder a large portrait of a dirty blonde haired boy, who is around the age of 7 or 8.

The room fell silent as the video played, the atmosphere heavy with a mix of curiosity and tension. Ran and Sonoko's earlier defiance seemed to wane as they watched the young version of Ranran standing amidst the mourners, her appearance and demeanour a stark contrast to the solemn occasion.

The mourners' expressions were a mixture of surprise, confusion, and even disbelief as they looked at the young girl who stood out from the sea of black attire. The sight of her holding a portrait of a young boy added an air of mystery to the scene, leaving those present to wonder about the connection between the two children.

Ranran's younger self stood there with an air of quiet determination, her gaze fixed on the portrait she held. The sombre grin on her lips seemed to hold a mixture of grief and defiance, a testament to her unique character even at such a young age.

Everything was in a dark mood, that was until someone said in Japanese, "So what!? Her job is simple, just look pretty and pitiful while guiding the coffin and do a 2-hour walk all the way to the chapel anyway! I can do better, Okaasan!"

The video froze at that moment, capturing the expression of the young girl as she heard those words. Now everyone in Edgewood is taught Japanese as a base language, since it was part of the syllabus, what was the reason was unclear, but the bottom line was they knew what Sonoko was saying.