Tale Of The Half-Blood Wizard

Having finished bathing, I turned on my computer and started checking my students' assignments. The clock struck eleven at night when I finished my work. Instead of feeling sleepy that night, I felt my stomach growling for food. 

I went down to the kitchen to make noodles or some sort of thing. For the first time, I found nothing to eat in my kitchen. At first, I wanted to order delivery food, but finally, I decided to go out to buy the foodstuff. 

"Are there any shops still open at this hour?" Hesitated, either to go out or not, I suddenly felt the urge to go out. Browsing from the internet if there were shops nearby that was still open, finally, I found one which was a bit far. 

"Mickey!" The tubby that was sleeping in his room woke up at once. "I am hungry and going out for food. Please take good care of the house." He just looked at me lazily and curled up again in his bamboo basket. 

When I arrived at the shop, it was about to close. Even when I made a transaction with the cashier, I was the last customer. Thank goodness the shop closed at twelve midnight. 

Once I finished paying for all my shopping, I went out. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice, wood knocking. At first, it was low, then it sounded closer and clearer. Back then, I would be afraid and run away, but now I looked around to make sure where it was coming from.

I saw no figure that I thought the owner knocked. Some minutes passed. I just saw yellow traffic lights flashing. The streets were even empty, with no vehicles passing by. 

"Is there anything left inside?" The shopkeeper locking the door startled me. "Or you forgot something to buy?" he asked again?," 

"Not really. I got them all already," I replied fast, "I am just wondering why the streets are so quiet," It was a lie. 

"This is not the main road, so it is normal it gets so quiet at midnight. "He explained to me. "Are you new here?" He was curious as he approached.

"Hm," I smiled politely, "I just moved in a month ago. And it is the first time I look for food at midnight." I said. "I don't know, suddenly I was so hungry and I wanted to go out instead of using the delivery service." 

We cycled side by side because we headed in the same direction but at different turns. We got along very easily, it was just because I listened to all that he told me without bothering us with our names. We were talking like old friends who knew each other well. Finally, we had to split as I had reached a turning point in my market. I turned first. 

I continued to stay up late, taking two cups of noodles and some snacks I got from that shop while reading the news for today. Apparently, the murder case we watched this afternoon was the murder of two brothers. The victim, initial S, was found first, and his younger brother, initial M, was found two hours later. Both were found in the river not far from my house. I always crossed it when I went shopping somewhere around there

"I am sure it is a pretty busy place. How is that possible?" my logical thought could not chew how the murderer committed his crime in such a crowded place like that. I remembered very well that not far from that bridge there was a traffic light, so if the crime had been done when the traffic lights were red, many people would have certainly witnessed it. 

The first victim had been found by the river, while the second one was carried away by the current and found one kilometre from the location of the first victim. Both were found with all their valuable things still attached. I guessed the criminal did not mean to rob them, he might have personal grudges he wanted to release

.

Both victims had one injury in their bodies. no other injuries were located in their body. the first victim lost their eyeballs, and the second one was cut off his tongue. 

Confusing. It was really confusing. I did not understand such a case at all. At first, I thought that the vengeful murder because nothing valuable was taken off if it was just a robbery case. 

The next thing I thought was organ theft. But if so, why did the killer only take off one organ from each victim? This was really weird. 

'Wasn't it a waste to just cut off a tongue? Why not remove kidneys, his eyes, like what happened in the first victims? Other parts of the body could also be sold for cash, couldn't it?" ' Very confusing crime motive. 

Drowsiness finally came when it was two in the morning. I planned to sleep even for two hours, so after setting my alarm clock, I lay down in my bed. 

My tummy was full and my body was tired. It was so easy to forget such a confusing crime case. The following day I had to wake up early in the morning for school and after that, I would pick up Winnter and Mirai as we agreed on the messages the day before.  It seemed that I needed to leave on the second break. 

…

At four in the morning, someone knocked at my door quite hard. I was still not fully awake because of the sleepiness. I staggered down the stairs. Erick and his mother with three men I didn't know were standing by the door as I opened it. 

Erick's mother cried and hugged me. I was just silent because I was too confused to respond. "What's going on?" I asked. "Ery, what's going on?" I really did not know they were coming to my house. 

"Miss Tha, we need you to be witness of Mirien's death," one of them spoke to me. 

"Mirien?" I didn't even know who that person was. "Who's Mirien?" I was really confused and shocked. Erick was silent. 

They were the security guards of this area whose position was under the police. They asked to come in and handed me a letter that I would testify for Mirien's death. 

"For now, your status is just a witness until we can get more evidence." Said another one. 

"Are you accusing me of being a suspect?! I don't even know Mirien! How can you make a decision so easily?" I protested. 

"Reax Miss." Said the other one, "If you are proven innocent, we will free you. Apart from you, we also called one other person who was in the same location where the murder took place," He explained. 

I just froze, shocked and confused. 'Who is Mirien? What location are they talking about? What have I done?' all those questions filled up my mind. I believed it was not s small case, but how could I not be aware of it?

They left my house after they made sure they would come to the office at six sharp. I, who just woke up and was not yet fully awake from all the things that happened to me, had been served with an atomic bomb in front of me. Erick and his mother tried to comfort me, convince me that I was not involved in this case. 

My schedule was ruined today. I started it off by calling a friend and telling her that I would ask for a leave today. She asked from A to Z what had happened to me, and did not know how to explain because I myself did not understand what had happened. I had to tell Winnter that I could not pick her and Mirai up. 

After letting my friends know, Erick's mother accompanied me to the police officer. And Erick would come later after he delivered a marionette to the city. Rey called me several times after I sent him messages that I had to come to that place. 

Once I entered the police office, I saw a woman who was likely the only one I ever saw. She was sitting beside me, and an investigator was interrogating her. "It's her," She said, half screaming, pointing at me. "This person was with me last night." I was shocked by her confession. I still did not fully understand what happened to me. 

"Em, hello?" I did not know how to start. I was trying hard to recall where I had met her.

"Miss Youenha" the voice of that policeman startled me. "Do you know this madam?" I shook my head, still unsure about what had happened. 

"I don't know her, but it seems that I have ever met her," I said honestly, "Emm..but I forgot where I have ever met her," I said as I was still trying to recall her. 

"We met at a shop near that traffic light last night. Now you remember!" that middle-aged woman sounded so sure after saying so.. Then, I could recall well where I had met her.