22. FreedomThe next day.

  Timotea was sitting in her cssroom, busy writing down the information the teacher was giving her and her cssmates. The professor looked at his watch.

  "And... the lesson's finished. Have fun."

  The professor left the room with a smile on his face. The cat-girl took her phone out before approaching Tiberio, who was reading an erotic comic book. Timotea started the phone's recorder before communicating with him.

  "Tiberio, I need to ask you a question."

  The anthropomorphic lizard turned towards her. He was not in a good mood.

  "What do you want?"

  "I want to know if you accepted a commission about blowing up some dangerous boulders."

  Tiberio turned towards his comic.

  "Yeah. So what?"

  The cat-girl scratched her chin.

  "Because some days ago i heard an explosion while doing a quest. However it was te, it was almost dusk."

  The anthropomorphic lizard made a dismissing gesture with his hand.

  "That? We only got the final authorization that te. And to think that the guildmaster and i arrived there in the morning."

  Timotea attempted to mask a smirk with a confused expression.

  "And why did the guildmaster accompany you?"

  "Because there were formal things that needed to be finalized, and he wanted to tell me as soon as possible."

  The man turned the pages of the comic book.

  "Why are you asking though?"

  The cat-girl smiled awkwardly.

  "Why? I have my own reasons. Goodbye then."

  "Bye."

  Timotea left the cssroom, walking away at a normal speed while the anthropomorphic lizard was still engrossed in his comic book, only for a thought popping in his head.

  'Why did she want to know that?'

  Tiberio got up from his chair, put down his comic book. And started to follow the cat-girl. He nonchantly walked behind his target, in front of him by around five metres. He smirked.

  'I'm being extremely discreet. She'll never realize th-'

  "Why are you following me?"

  Timotea was looking at him directly, with a mildly irritated expression.

  "Me? I'm not following you, i'm just going to the bathroom."

  The anthropomorphic lizard lied in a very unconvincing manner.

  'I'm a natural at not being suspicious!'

  "Sure..."

  The bck-haired woman looked at his cssmate with half-lidded eyes, before walking away. Tiberio smiled.

  'She didn't find me suspicious at all.'

  As the cat-woman wandered, she passed the bathrooms. Tiberio ignored such rooms.

  'Where is she g-'

  "Weren't you going to the bathroom? They're here."

  Timotea turned again towards the man, still irritated. The man smiled awkwardly, massaging his head.

  "True... It's just... I'm... I just let the dies enter the bathroom first. I was waitin-"

  "I don't need to go to the bathroom. You did though, so just do your bidding there."

  The cat-girl walked away again, observing her back with the tail of her eyes. Tiberio faked to enter the bathroom, only to leave it almost immediately to tail her cssmate again.

  'That's a very smart move Tiberio! She now doesn't know you're still following her.'

  In front of him, the girl sighed, deciding to ignore him. She soon arrived in front of Vionte's cssroom. The half-succubus noticed her almost immediately and approached her. As she closed her distance, she noticed Tiberio, who hid poorly behind a pnt, leaving the woman confused.

  "What's that guy attempting to do?"

  Timotea giggled.

  "He's convinced he's tailing us succesfully."

  Vionte rolled her eyes.

  "Ok... So, what has he said?"

  "He said that the guildmaster was with him and that they arrived at the location where the boulders were in the morning and stayed there all day due to some bureaucratic problem, basically."

  The half-succubus smiled.

  "As i thought... Now we only have to interrogate him. I hope he'll incriminate himself and Brando in the attempt of denying his involvement."

  Tiberio, meanwhile, left his hiding spot, nonchantly approaching the girls and inviting himself in the conversation.

  "I have no idea about what are you talking, but i can guarantee that the guildmaster is a good and honest man and no criminal. He's my friend, after all."

  The two girls looked at the anthropomorphic lizard with a perplexed expression.

  "There's no cause-effect retionship between the two statements."

  The cat-woman's expression became stern.

  "Not to mention that i can guarantee to you that he's a self-important, short-tempered, abusive guy. Not cool at all, and definitely not as good as you think."

  Tiberio was rather annoyed.

  "That's because you don't really know him. He's a very deep and profound person. He's also had a bad breakup yesterday, so i don't think he deserves other gratuitous hate. So drop whatever is your pn involving the guildmaster."

  Timotea clenched her fists, visibly irritated.

  "We're not dropping anything for the sake of a guy like him, especially if he's involved with his brother."

  "Impossible! They had a fight st night. He's not the type of guy who would help his cheating brother. He's a victim."

  The half-succubus' eyes widened.

  "Really? And how do you know?"

  "Because i'm his friend! He asked for my help when his ungrateful bitch of a girlfriend cheated on him with his own brother. He asked me emotional support, something a real friend would ask! Do you believe his innocence or do you ck empathy?"

  Vionte was confused by the final question, failing to understand the logic, while Timotea simply rolled her eyes.

  "If you've ended your rant you can leave!"

  "I won't leave you to mess with my friend for shit and giggles!"

  The anthropomorphic lizard made a step towards the catgirl, however he met the half-demoness' eyes. The indigo haired-girl had an ominous, dangerous look on her face. A look that managed to scare Tiberio.

  "Do you think we are investigating the guildmaster for fun, don't you? Do you think we don't have anything better to do, don't you? Well, dear Tiberio, I'll tell you something. This friend of yours is the older brother of a guy i really hate. And i'm sure he knows some details that would help me to finally have Brando jailed."

  The anthropomorphic lizard slowly recovered from the shock.

  "F-fine! I'll let you go this time. But if i learn that you've done something bad to the guildmaster i'll make you pay for it."

  Tiberio then turned around and left. The cat-girl rexed as she saw he leaving, while the other woman smirked.

  "After today's lessons we'll go to the guild to interrogate him. Should we not find him here, in case that he's heartbroken, we'll call him at home."

  Timotea scratched her head in confusion.

  "What if he closes the call when he'll recognize us?"

  Tha half-succubus frowned.

  "Then we can't do anything."

  Meanwhile.

  Brando was at home, sitting on his couch while reading a book about books with complete disinterest.

  'Yesterday has been horrible. My brother is angry with me, and now he's become a walking mine.'

  The demon threw the book away before standing up and went to the kitchen, taking a donut to eat. He then returned to his sofa and sat on it again, before starting to eat the donut.

  'I have to make sure that my brother keeps his mouth shut! I can't murder him, as people have seen me arguing with him... And even if i could use Domenica as a fall guy, i still have to make some preparations to make things go perfectly... I have to think of something a bit more... Instantaneous...'

  Suddenly, his phone rung. The adventurer took it from a nearby table and answered the call.

  "Hi."

  "Hi Brando... I wanted to know how are you doing now. Yesterday has been taxing... I'm aching now, that lizard swept me across the room. He just has to hope to never meet me again, for his own good!"

  Brando sighed.

  "Yeah Domenica... Yesterday was taxing for me too, even if it was just a two minutes long scene."

  The voice on the other side became sweeter.

  "I'm really sorry. I expected things not to be resolved peacefully but i haven't anticipated that. Still... Do you want to go out together today?"

  Brando rolled his eyes.

  "No, i don't. I don't feel like leaving my home today. I want to rex and to think about my life."

  The voice on the other side was reluctant.

  "Ok. It will be the next time."

  The call ended. Brando returned to think to himself, continuing to eat the donut.

  'Think, Brando, think! What can i do to at least mend the retionships enough for him not to think about crossing me... I may gift him some money... Maybe not, i don't think it will suffice. Maybe i can help him to score with another girl... But what if he really loved Domenica... Maybe i just have to wait a bit... But waiting is not something i can afford now.'

  Brando finished eating his donut as he continued to think.

  That afternoon.

  Vionte and Timotea went to the adventurers' guild. They approached the staff member behind the counter, who waved at them with a smile as he noticed them.

  "Hi Timotea! who's your friend"

  Timotea waved her hand back, together with her friend.

  "Hi Sandro, She's Vionte, my best friend."

  Vionte smiled, remaining however silent.

  "So, i came here because i wanted to talk with the guildmaster. It's urgent!"

  The guy behind the counter sighed.

  "Sorry, but he's not here."

  The half-succubus smiled, putting her hand behind her back.

  "Then could you give us the telephone directory? As Timotea said, It's quite urgent."

  Sandro smiled awkwardly.

  "I'll... I'll search for it."

  The adventurer left his workpce, returning a bit ter with a the requested item, putting it on the counter.

  "I found it."

  The indigo-haired woman smiled again.

  "Thank you."

  Vionte then opened the book, searching for Gennaro's phone number. Se found it easily. Picking out her phone, she digited the number on her phone, then she walked away from the counter as she started the call, that was soon answered.

  "Hi."

  "We need to talk!"

  The half-succubus tone was stern.

  "Fuck!"

  The guildmaster was scared, however he didn't hang up immediately. He remained silent for some moments, then he spoke again, with a hit of malice in his voice.

  "Actually, that's exactly what i need. Where do you want to talk?"

  "At the adventurers' guild. Now. Come as soon as possible."

  "Ok."

  The call ended. Vionte smirked, then she returned at the counter, where Timotea was talking with his colleague.

  "How's your life?"

  "It's not bad honestly."

  The cat-girl, noticing her friend approaching, turned towards her with a curious expression.

  "Did you manage to talk with him?"

  "Indeed. He's coming there right now. He's probably really angry at Brando due to their argument st night... That squabble was actually a blessing for us. We shall seize the opportunity and extract the greatest amount of informations out of him."

  The indigo-haired girl was determined. Such discussion, however, confused the man behind the counter.

  "What kind of informations?"

  Vionte turned towards him, staring him in the eyes.

  "I promise i'll tell you when everything ends."

  Her tone was gentle, but had a threatening undertone nonetheless, an undertone that the adventurer understood immediately.

  "Ok. I'll ask you ter."

  The women then sat at a table. Vionte took out a deck of cards, smirking.

  "Ti, want to py a game while we wait for the guildmaster?"

  The cat-girl raised her fist.

  "Sure! Let's py brisco"

  Vionte nodded. The two women then started pying the game.

  Around half an hour ter.

  Gennaro arrived at the Adventurers' Guild. As he entered, he noticed Vionte and Timotea pying a card game. The cat-girl rejoiced.

  "I've won! And that's 2-2!"

  Vionte noticed the guildmaster's arrival and stood up.

  "So you've arrived..."

  The girl's tone was stern. Timotea also turned towards the demon, who made them a sign meaning that they should follow him. The three of them then went to the guildmaster's office, with the bck-haired dy that activated the recorder software on her phone. The man sat at his desk, while the two women decided to keep their distance by standing up far away from him. The man put his hands together, making a stern expression.

  "I have informations you need. What can you offer me?"

  The half-succubus looked at him in the eyes with a challenging look.

  "I'll be clear. Around a week ago you and your brother attempted to murder my companion Agamennone by guiding him towards a nearby hill so that you two could crush him under a pile of rock with you two then protecting each other by having a guy called Tiberio as your scapegoat. Am i right? The pn however failed because you attempted to force your victim into taking a quest he didn't want to do, which ended up alerting me, so Brando decided to slope off hoping that even without his direct guidance Agamennone could have ended in the right pce."

  The guildmaster was shocked, with his mouth and eyes wide open.

  "H-HOW DO YOU KNO-! I mean... What kind of absurdity are you saying!"

  The indigo-haired woman ughed maniacally.

  "Hahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You... Hahaha... You just outed yourself."

  The girl took her friend's arm, leaving the office with a steady pace. The guildmaster followed them.

  "HEY! WHAT DO I GAIN FROM OUR TALK!"

  Vionte turned towards the demon, with a serious expression.

  "I'll give you fifteen minutes to go to to the guards' headquarters and confess by yourself. Maybe they'll shorten your sentence if you cooperate."

  The two women then left the guild. Timotea ended the recording. Vionte then turned towards her.

  "Send me a copy of it."

  The cat-girl nodded, and then did it as the two of them went to the guards' headquarters.

  "And Ti... Can you tell your colleague about our talks with the guildmaster tomorrow? I promised him"

  "Sure."

  Later.

  The two girls were eating an ice cream in front of the guards' headquarters. The indigo-haired girl also looked at her phone.

  "If he wants to come, he has two minutes left. Otherwise... It's not really my problem, i already have everything i need."

  The cat-girl nodded, as she ate her ice cream.

  "Still Ti, Have you given the guards a copy of your recordings? That's probably the only decent proves we have."

  The adventurer was slighly irritated by the question.

  "Sure! Who do you think i am!?"

  The half-demoness nodded. Soon enough the guildmaster arrived at the pce. He stopped in front of the girls with a questioning expression, only for Vionte to point her finger towards the entrance, looking at the demon with an annoyed expression. The guildmaster grunted before entering the building, with the pair of girls following him. Once inside the guards' headquarters the demon approached one of the guards, who welcomed him.

  "Welcome mister. What do you need?"

  "Hi. I'm here... To confess a crime."

  The guard was perplexed

  "Ah... Follow me then."

  The guard accompanied the guildmaster in a room.

  "Tell me. What crime do you want to confess to?"

  The guildmaster was hesitant.

  "Well... My brother, Brando... Conspired to kill a guy called Agamennone and..."

  He looked around, attempting to lie as best as he could.

  "And he forced me into helping him. He threatened me with violence."

  The guard nodded as wrote down everything the demon said on the computer.

  "He wanted that guy dead because he was close to his long sting crush, a girl called Vionte, so that he could increase his chances of success to conquer her. So he used my position as the guildmaster to select an opportune pair of commission with the intention of coordinate us so that the guy would be crushed to death with that bunch of boulders that nobody was disposing off. He chose the task of guiding Agamennone towards the rocks, having... Tried to conquer his faith. While i was tasked with signaling an opportunely chosen scapegoat to make the boulders fall at the opportune time. The pn however failed after Agamennone refused to accept the quest he needed to accept even after i forced him, so Brando decided to give up his role not to make Vionte suspicious of his involvement and hoping Agamennone would put himself in a situation he could get killed by sheer chance."

  The guard registered all the words the demon said.

  "And... You had a change of heart then, if you are willing to tell me about this pn..."

  The guildmaster looked around, trying his best to be convinving.

  "I-indeed. I couldn't live anymore with the idea that my brother coerced me into killing an innocent man! Luckily nothing really happened..."

  The guard looked at him, perplexed.

  "Well, We'll have to arrest you. The crime may not have happened but it's still attempted murder. We have to keep you jailed to avoid a possible flight by your part. We'll also make sure to hear your brother."

  The guard then walked towards the guildmaster, putting handcuffs on him.

  "Mister, You're under arrest. We're now going to get your informations."

  The guard took the now arrested guildmaster away. As they left the room, they met Vionte and Timotea, both of whom smiled subtly, before leaving themselves. Still eating her ice-cream, the half-succubus turned towards her friend.

  "We've been really lucky with being able to strike while he's still angry with his brother. We can now hope to get rid of Brando for good!"

  The cat-girl nodded.

  "True... Sadly we can't add his attempt of... Molestation... Since they already acquitted him in the past."

  "Don't think about it... To be able to find him guilty it means you would have endured more. It would have been worse."

  The dark-haired girl sighed.

  "True..."

  "Still, you probably have testify against them these days, to check for anomalies that can help to find the truth."

  The cat-girl turned her head away.

  "If it helps, i'll do it. Even if i don't like it."

  The two then walked away from the guards' headquarters.

  Later.

  Brando was in his house, sitting on a sofa as he watched the TV despite his ck of interest in it. He was nervous.

  'I still have thought of nothing useful! I'm really struggling to get any idea whatsoever!'

  Brando got up from the couch and went to the kitchen where he took a gss of water. As he was returning to the couch, with the full gss in his hand, the doorbell rung. The demon was perplexed.

  'Who is it now?'

  The demon went towards the door of his house, opening it.

  "What do-"

  Brando's eyes widened from shock for a short moment, then he recollected himself.

  "Good afternoon, guards. What can i do for you?"

  The guard nearest to him curle his hand towards himself.

  "Mr. Diecimiglia, you have to follow us. We have some questions to make you."

  Brando nodded, then he followed the guards without putting any opposition. He was apparently calm.

  'That idiot of my brother has talked! I'll make him pay dearly for what he has done to me!'

  Later.

  Brando was now in the interrogation room of the Guards' Headquarters, together with a guard. He was seemingly calm.

  "So, Mr. Diecimiglia, We have been told by an anonymous person that you have conspired to kill a man."

  Brando kept his poker face.

  "That anonymous person must have a vivid imagination."

  The guard looked at the demon.

  "Maybe not. Still... We've been told that you have pnned a murder, so we're here for you to tell us anything you know."

  "I know nothing. You're just wasting my time."

  The guard remained unfettered.

  "The thing is, you are beeing accused of conspiring to murder a man, while you're also a suspect in another case involving that man. I think there are some connection between those two cases."

  "The only connection you're seeing are one that you're making up. I have no reason to kill that thief."

  The guard looked Brando in the eyes.

  "You're sure you have nothing to add?"

  Brando looked back to him.

  "I'm sure. Are you instead sure that this anonymous person hasn't lied?"

  The guard shrugged.

  "My hunch tells me he's honest, but no, we haven't confirmed if he's told the truth. We want to hear everyone who has informations about this story first. Because more often than not such cases can be solved through logic assumptions alone. Only if it's difficult for us to navigate the case we'll use truth machines, and even then, there's no guarantee in their results..."

  Then he crossed his arms.

  "... So... Do you want to say anything?"

  Brando kept his poker face.

  "I know nothing of what you're talking."

  The guard sighed.

  "Well, you can always change idea. You have all the night to think about it."

  The guard then stood up, approaching Brando, who also stood up. They then left the office. As he was walking Brando towards the cell of the headquarters, the guard met one of his colleagus. He stopped for a moment.

  "You, make me a favour. Can you contact the prison and tell them if they can release the guy called Agamennone? I think we should focus more on another suspect that will be transferred to them tomorrow."

  "Yes man!"

  Brando subtly gnashed his teeth hearing the conversation, only to be interrupted by the guard pushing him.

  "Start walking."

  The guard then accompanied Brando in a free prison cell. He opened the cell, pushed the man inside, and then closed it. Brando frowned slightly, but refrained from reacting. The guard then left.

  "We'll talk again tomorrow."

  Brando then sat on the bed. He looked at his surroundigs, mostly to see if he could spot his brother, without success.

  'I can't even sh out at that moron! Drat!'

  Brando then id on the bed.

  That evening.

  Agamennone left the prison. Near the entrance of the prison, Vionte was waiting for him. The girl smiled at him as he left, but the man was not happy at all. The half-succubus then approached man.

  "Agamennone! I'm happy to have managed to get you on time! I've known of your release on just a short notice..."

  Agamennone looked around himself, seeing only the girl.

  "You came on foot? You could not even come then, it wouldn't have changed anything."

  The half-demoness gred at him.

  "Really? I know you well enough to be sure that without me here you would have lost yourself in the city..."

  Agamennone diverted his gaze, without replying. The woman then changed her tone, from snarking to a gentle tone.

  "Still... How are you?!"

  The man rolled his eyes.

  "I'm horrible! I've been bored to death in here! Stupid Brando! Is all his fault! I want to see him die horribly!"

  Vionte sighed.

  "He's detained at the Headquarters now. I... have got lucky and... i got the right time to get a confession against him. We don't have many proves against him, but there are a lot against his brother."

  Agamennone was perplexed.

  "His brother? What's with his brother now? Did he steal the first prize? He wasn't a security member though."

  The girl shook her head, then he grabbed the man's wrist as they left the pce.

  "It's not about that... It's about a conspiracy to murder you in which the guildmaster took part."

  The demon lord's eyes widened.

  "What?!"

  He then snapped, filing his arms .

  "THEY WANTED TO MURDER ME! I'LL KILL THEM WITH MY OWN HANDS!"

  Vionte put a hand on his shoulder, attempting to calm him down.

  "Saying such things out loud won't help you. Still... To make the story short. Timotea and i didn't really have any proof to prove your innocence in the theft, so... We attempted to find anything that could tip the scale in your favour. All started with the mission you've been forced to accept around a week ago. We found out that the location, well... The quest, was carefully chosen. Do you remember hearing a bst?"

  Agamennone scratched his cheek.

  "Well... Maybe... I once heard a loud noise when i was in the woods."

  The half-succubus pyfully hammered the palm of her hand with the other.

  "That was the sound of an explosion. In particur, it was the sound of a bunch of boulders blown up. And that explosion happened at dusk."

  The demon lord focused again.

  "I... I think you're right... It was kinda te... I'd rather blow stuff up with more daylight... Still, what do you have to add?"

  Vionte nodded.

  "Well, we have then found out that the boulder were blown up by Tiberio."

  Agamennone became instantly irritated.

  "Don't even mention that guy."

  The indigo-haired girl rolled her eyes.

  "He blew up the rocks, but he wasn't alone. There was the guildmaster with him. And he's the same person that forced you to go in that mission."

  Agamennone put a hand on his hips.

  "Ok, i see a connection. But it doesn't seem enough to me..."

  Vionte gred at him

  "In fact, i've not finished... Seeing this connection i went to see the locations of the boulders and the woods where you've been sent. And i found it was possible for you to arrive under the hill where the boulders where."

  The demon lord was not impressed.

  "I mean... I think a pce can be reached... Radially... I mean-"

  The half-demoness put a hand on her forehead.

  "It's not the only path but it's possible to reach the spot under the boulders. Especially since the main roads where blocked off by guards."

  The man nodded.

  "Ok, But where's Brando in it?"

  Vionte smirked at the man.

  "There's still no trace of him now. However, you can spot what was his pce, since the pn was aborted because they feared that i could have been alerted by your compins. If you've noticed, there's no one that would guarantee that you would arrive under the rocks. And Brando had this exact role. To guide you through the woods to your death. But.. As i said, they've altered the pn at the st moment and put Timotea as your guide."

  The Demon Lord turned towards her.

  "There are still no proves."

  The girl poke his nose.

  "True... Except i made the guildmaster confess. It helped he and Brando had an argument yesterday. Now the guards have to search their connections to find more proves between them. At least they can find their calls."

  The man was not that pleased.

  "I've no idea how such things work. But if i were a guard i wouldn't arrest someone only with some calls and a testimony... Unless... Are the calls recorded?"

  Vionte massaged her head, thinking.

  "They should actually. But i don't know how explicit they are talking about the pn."

  Agamennone sighed.

  "You seem confident about your work, but... If Brando's acquitted you're not giving him a motive against me... I think."

  The girl's eyes widened in surprise.

  "I... I don't think you're wrong actually, but i can't really create evidences out of thin air. I had to try out whatever i got."

  The demon lord averted his gaze.

  "I suppose i couldn't do any better in the hypothetical scenario where our pces were swapped."

  He then crossed his arms.

  "Still, they said they're going to send me a fine for my endearing speech."

  Vionte smiled.

  "They've been lenient then."

  The man shrugged.

  "They might have been lenient, but i will not. I'll make everyone pay for their treatment of myself. I'll remember such actions and i'll strike when they won't expect it."

  They remained silent for a moment.

  "Still... Crushing me under some boulders... How have you came up with such theory? Should i worry for my health due to have you in my proximity?"

  The girl smirked pyfuly, without replying. The two then went home.