"This is the one thing that isn't great about Ivisa; there are too many cargo carriages, and they've ruined the roads."
Jian shrugged. After spending a few days investigating in Ivisa, she seemed to have gotten used to walking in the Ivisa District.
After all, given the terrible roads in the Ivisa District, a little bumping in a cargo carriage is one thing, but if a passenger carriage were to travel on them, one might just vomit up their lunch.
"Let's go find the previous witness first." Jian didn't head straight toward the West District but instead walked toward Buer Street. "This trial requires the witness's presence for testimony."
"Is it necessary to be this strict?" Syl followed Jian's pace and asked in a low voice.
Jian explained with a smile:
"Of course. Every [Arbitrator] represents the goddess of justice. We do not exercise our power recklessly; we must keep the regulations we are meant to uphold in mind."
"Every one of us [Arbitrators] is a mobile court of justice; everything we do is for fairness and justice."
If these words had come from someone else, Syl would have thought the person saying them was a bit arrogant.
But coming from this Saintess of Justice, Syl didn't find it strange at all. After all, the laws were written by her family, and all the courts were run by her family; they represented the judiciary of the Great Saya Empire.
Thinking about it that way, Syl felt that the Church of the Goddess of Hope seemed to have much less real power compared to the Church of the Goddess of Justice.
Or rather, they had none at all. For a church with purely healing skills, if you look higher up, other combat-oriented churches have more appeal to both the state and the public. If you look lower, there's the Church of Life and Earth, which deals purely with communicating with plants and animals and doesn't care about the power struggles above.
Churches like the Church of the Goddess of Hope that are stuck in the middle are in a very awkward position. It's especially true in times of peace, where they seem even more dispensable to the nobility.
Passing through the streets, the flow of people in the Ivisa District began to decrease. Aside from resting and sleeping, the people here basically spent their whole day occupied by the factories.
And those who couldn't stand the exploitation of the factories, after losing their jobs, naturally fell into becoming thieves and criminals. Most importantly, the nobility didn't seem to want to change the status quo.
At 12 Buer Street, in front of a four-story row house, Jian stopped.
"We're here."
Jian stopped in front of this house, looked at Syl, and said:
"This is where the witness we found a few days ago lives. His name is Jack, and he is one of the victims."
"Has he not gone to work?" Looking at the tightly shut door, Syl felt a bit curious. "It should be work hours now."
"Uh… he…" Jian scratched her cheek, her expression somewhat awkward. She frowned, seemingly struggling with her wording, then looked up at the house number and said, "Because he was forced into fencing, he was quite seriously injured and has only been able to lie in bed for the past few days."
"Ah, this…" Syl seemed to understand something immediately. She pressed her palms together. "I hope he's alright."
"You really are kind-hearted," Jian shook her head, then reached out and knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
"Knock, knock, knock—"
After knocking a dozen times or so, there were finally some footsteps from inside.
The door opened slightly, and a little girl, about six or seven years old, opened it, looking nervously at the people outside through the crack.
"Hello, little one." Jian smiled at the little girl and greeted her, then explained their purpose. "We are here to find William."
"Uncle William?" The little girl looked Jian up and down, as well as Mei who was following behind Jian, and then nodded gently.
The door opened slowly, and the scene inside the room was fully visible. It was similar to the decorations Syl had seen at Edward's place the other day; it was the same style, and there wasn't much furniture.
It seemed this was also a house used for rentals, and William might have just rented one of the rooms.
"Justice follows." Jian smiled at the little girl, raised her right hand, made a fist, and placed it across her chest, performing a church salute.
In front of the child, Jian appeared slightly more mature.
"Uncle William is in the room upstairs." The little girl looked a bit nervous and shy. After saying this, she scurried upstairs.
"I was here a few days ago, so I still remember which room he is in." Jian looked back at Syl, blinked her left eye slightly, and tilted her head toward the stairs. "Let's go."
After finishing, Jian turned and walked toward the stairs, her grey cloak fluttering with her movements.
Syl followed as well. Looking back, she found Mei standing at the entrance, seemingly patrolling the perimeter, with no intention of following.
After walking to the third floor with Jian, Jian paused for a moment, seemingly recalling something. Soon, she started walking again toward a room in the hallway.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
Jian knocked gently on the door. "Mr. William, according to our agreement, I am here to take you to testify for Frank's evil deeds… Mr. William?"
After knocking for a long time, the door to William's room showed no sign of opening, and there was absolutely no sound from inside.
After Jian knocked for a while longer and then turned her head to shake it at Syl, preparing to leave, the door next to William's room opened.
It was the same little girl from before. She poked her little head out, looked at Jian, and said timidly:
"Big sister, Uncle William hasn't come out for two days."
"Oh?" Jian seemed to realize something. She hesitated for a moment while looking at the wooden door in front of her, then braced her hands on her knees, leaned over slightly, and asked the little girl, "Did you see anyone come to find William?"
"Yes." The little girl nodded. "Two days ago, a very thin uncle stuffed a letter into the crack of Uncle William's door. I saw it with my own eyes."
"Is Uncle William okay… He's a good person; occasionally, he would bring back some brown sugar for us to eat."
"Oh…" Jian reached out and rubbed the little girl's head, instructing her, "Don't tell anyone about what happened two days ago. Just pretend you didn't see anything… Good. He'll be fine. Be good, go back now."
Watching the little girl return to her room and close the door, Jian stood up, looked at Syl, and let out a deep breath.
"Someone came first?" Syl asked.
"It seems so." Jian nodded, then took off the grey glove she was wearing on her right hand, reached into her pocket, and took out two pieces of… wire?
Jian quickly folded the two wires with her right hand, and before Syl could react, she poked the wires into the keyhole of the door.
With a "click," the door opened in response.
Why is a Saintess so skilled at picking locks… Syl complained inwardly, feeling a bit helpless.
However, thinking that the First Saint Rank of the Justice faction is the [Knight-Errant], it seemed reasonable.
After all, they are still 'errants'; knowing a few tricks for pickpocketing or lock-picking shouldn't be a problem.
While Syl was having her daily moment of drifting off into space, Jian gently pushed open the door with her gloved left hand.
The room was dark and grey. The only small window was blocked by curtains, though a faint light could still shine through the gaps in the curtains… However, an object blocked some of the light.
The simple cabinet next to the window had a nylon rope tied to its handle, and the other end of the taut nylon rope was looped around a neck that had already turned purple.
William had ended his life by hanging himself while sitting next to the wardrobe.
People who want to live can save themselves even if they are hung from the ceiling.
But desperate people only need to sit there quietly and wait for themselves to suffocate.
By his side, a letter was left behind.