Why Do You Lie? || Heizou

3

"There is nothing wrong with the Oratrice," Y/n repeated. "You're simply not looking at the right evidence."

Heizou scowled. The Oratrice had declared Y/n innocent for the fourth time in a row, and he was losing patience. "Then, please, enlighten me, Miss L/n."

Y/n's lips curved into a grin. "Detective," she purred, "you're the one who's supposed to be smart."

Heizou gritted his teeth. She was a master at evading questions, and he was running out of patience.

The Steambird, Fontaine's newspaper, had just released a new edition that morning. Its front-page headline read, "Murder of Young Woman - Same Suspect Accused Yet Again". The victim was a young woman named Elodie Eupont. Her body had been found floating in a canal, her neck bruised. The Marechaussee Phantom had no leads, and the Oratrice, in its wisdom, had declared Y/n innocent yet again.

Heizou couldn't wrap his head around it. He had just seen Y/n last night, in the park, playing her lyre. How had she gone from that to murdering someone overnight? It didn't add up.

Heizou stared at Y/n, his green eyes meeting her e/c ones. "Y/n," he began, his voice steady as he tried to fight the rising irritation, "I need to know the truth."

Y/n simply smiled, her eyes reflecting the soft glow of the court's lights. "Detective," she replied. "the truth is simply a matter of perspective."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the courtroom fell into a tense silence.

Then, Heizou sighed, a look of resignation on his face. His hand ran through his burgundy hair as his lips curved into a weary smile.

He turned to Neuvillette. "Your Honor, I request a recess to further investigate the new information presented today."

Neuvillette nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation. "Granted, Detective. We will reconvene tomorrow."

Y/n gave the judge a mocking curtsy, then turned on her heel and left the courtroom, leaving Heizou alone with his thoughts.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That was the oath taken by all, and yet, somehow, Y/n managed to get away with telling lies.

And not just ordinary lies.

No, her lies were something else. They were intricate, woven with truths and half-truths, and it was impossible to tell what was real and what wasn't.

How did she do it? And more importantly, why?

Her words echoed in his mind, her enigmatic smile imprinted in his memory. The truth was a matter of perspective, she had said. Heizou knew he had to shift his perspective, to look beyond the obvious, to uncover the truth hidden beneath layers of deception. 

But what was deception and what was truth?

Heizou rushed out to chase after Y/n, only to realize that she was nowhere in sight. Where had she gone? His mind raced with possibilities. Had she gone to the crime scene again? Was she hiding something?

Heizou sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. No matter how many times he questioned her, Y/n always had a new lie to tell, a different angle to spin. And no matter how many times he searched the crime scenes, he couldn't find a trace of her.

It was as if she killed, then vanished into thin air.

A flash of color in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and Heizou glanced over, only to catch a glimpse of Y/n walking away, her dress flowing around her.

"Y/n! Wait!"

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

Heizou caught up to her, his breath coming out in short gasps. "Y/n," he panted.