[Week 5, Tuesday: Belph]

[doublecrows]

[SUP BELPH. it's just the detective you wanted to see!!]

Did you enjoy your week off?

Comments

[doublecrows]

[he]

[looks completely and utterly surprised]

Editor?

[axilium]

It's a name of a role—and the only other one where multiple people have it. Two, to be exact.

Just like the Blotters.

[doublecrows]

[what]

[the fucking fuck]

[fuck???]

. . . where did you learn this?

[axilium]

I asked the Crafters. It was my reward for confirming you as Historian.

[doublecrows]

[. . . aha]

[aha]

And the information I'm giving you was my reward for assisting in the completion of several objectives.

Belph-san. Have you checked Hikage-san yet?

[axilium]

[he blinks.]

No? Why, you suspect him of something?

[doublecrows]

Yes.

[to put it simply. he doesn't elaborate]

[axilium]

Okay.

That's helpful.

[doublecrows]

[okay FINE, if he wants Belph's cooperation he has to be good]

. . . to put it simply, Hikage-san is much like myself.

[axilium]

Are you talking about Blotter or Historian stuff, or this is a reference to Hikage's shady side?

[doublecrows]

He isn't a Historian, and if I'm right about the two blotters from the previous week, he isn't related to them, either.

Rather, I'm talking about his "shady side."

[AIR QUOTES]

[axilium]

Right... Well, I'll throw him on the list of suspects. I didn't know the two of you were friends, though.

[doublecrows]

Allies.

[Akechi corrects, almost too quickly. something flickers on his expression, brow wrinkled in irritation, before it vanishes]

. . . he assisted me after my true face was revealed to the population of this castle.

[axilium]

[well, he won't comment on akechi's friend issues.]

What, he saw you as a kindred spirit or something?

[doublecrows]

[. . . . .]

I can't comment on what was going through his head at the time. But he offered me protection.

I would have been a fool not to take it.

[axilium]

Protection?

[doublecrows]

It wasn't much.

That gun at his hip. He allowed me its use on Thursday night, just in case.

[axilium]

... Wow. He must really like you, or whatever.

[doublecrows]

[whatever!1]

He's-- [just. pauses and frowns again, looking conflicted, before he shakes it off]

At any rate, there is more to Hikage-san than what he has shown the castle at large.

[. . .]

Tiger-san gave me another piece of advice during my questioning of her, too.

[axilium]

Shoot.

[doublecrows]

I told her I only wished to understand the truth behind the loophole I discovered.

[and he recites another phrase, like he's quoting Tiger again]

"Because I think you'll feel more personally satisfied with figuring it out on your own, and because you're such a brilliant boy, I'll tell you that I think you already have enough individual pieces of the truth you're looking for to be able to connect them together."

[axilium]

And? What's the verdict, detective?

[doublecrows]

Tiger-san is obnoxiously vague.

[aha]

Truthfully? I believed you were lying to me. You never did give me the specifics of how your second role worked.

[axilium]

[he places a hand over his chest.]

I'm hurt! Besides, you were vague about how a Historian worked too.

[doublecrows]

Shall we rectify both of those problems now?