SPO4 Iswantus, Sharpshooter (5)
1467 Words
The next day.
The day of the operation.
As instructed, I and the Tactical Strikers Team all show up at the Fiaco constabulary precinct at the appointed time.
Inspector Mills is also present to see us off.
He starts the pre-operation briefing.
“Good morning to you all, Tactical Strikers Team. It is time for us to successfully bring Esteban Abada Guy, the wanted criminal with a seemingly impenetrable barrier, to justice.
“You all haven't forgotten basic training, right? Especially the part where you engage the enemies in urban environments like buildings, right?”
We all reply, “Yes, sir!”
“Good. Now let's proceed with the basics of our upcoming operation. Yesterday, we have spotted a corpse lying near the mouth of Lake Falaclad. Based on forensic evidence, it's widely believed that this was another one of our target's victims. Mr. Guy loved to perform head-shots on victims he hates so much. Furthermore, there have been traces of semen on the lake, which is believed to have belonged to the victim's mother, so it can be assumed that after the criminal killed the victim, he raped his mother, pumped her full of... horse semen, and forced her to look at the corpse of her child.”
The ladies in our team, SPO1 dela Rosa and SPO1 Blackfire, are especially displeased by the crime being described.
“And based on the lock of hair I've recovered at the crime scene, I'm pinpointing the current location of our target using the magical marker of the Oracle's Staff I use as a supporter myself. He is currently at... Torlune Swamp, on the outskirts of Fiaco.“
Ah, so he's using the same technique the taxonomist utilized to track down the red chicken. Neat.
“Iswantus, I will lend to you a personal tracking tool I frequently use to catch fugitives. Use it wisely.”
He then hands SPO4 Iswantus the device.
“Once you all encounter him, use all necessary means to negate that barrier of his. As much as possible, use non-verbal signals when in the presence of the enemy.”
We all nod to his final instructions.
“If there are any more questions... and there are none... let us begin the operation. Tactical Strikers Team, forward!”
We all stand up and salute our superior.
“Yes sir!”
Our operation starts at the mouth of Lake Falaclad, the scene of the last crime our target committed.
The corpse was already removed to prevent decomposition and as a way of paying respects to the deceased. The evidence was already gathered, anyway.
SPO4 Iswantus checks the device Inspector Mills loaned to him.
The magical compass inside the device detects the target's current whereabouts.
“He's currently somewhere near the southeast, near the border. Go!”
It's only a matter of time before we finally spot and take a good look at the wanted person.
Esteban Abada Guy. Also known as Throwawee Akht and Angma Tanda'ah.
He finally opens his mouth, and out from it comes a vile yet smooth voice.
“So you've come to catch me again, ninja cops.”
SPO4 Iswantus asks as we all draw our weapons and ready ourselves for an all-out attack...
“What ninja cops? Don't mix the officers of Lebenswasserheim with those of the Far Eastern Kingdom of Tsukuba.”
“No, no. You're taking it too literally. What I mean is... some of your men are reselling illegal goods they have seized from criminals like me.”
“We're not them! They've been relieved from the constabulary forces long ago. Why bring this up now?”
“You think you're the true-blue enforcers of justice? Think again, fools!”
He then erects his infamous magical barrier, which is indeed comprised of several layers, bearing the illusion of several “proxy-barriers”. Seven, if I may count.
But suddenly...
The barrier's layers are suddenly glitching. They disappear for a random amount of seconds, then reappear and last for another random amount of seconds.
Wait a minute. I've read about a similar phenomenon in a book about the link between the stability of spell-casting and the mental health of the spell-caster.
The glitching in the barrier is actually a result of the user's gradually worsening mental disorder, as insanity can be detrimental to casting spells or performing anything that involves magic, because the invisible neural link that bridges the naturally-occurring magical energy that comprises a spell and a person's complex brain functions is gradually becoming unstable.
The result? Spells running out of control that can destroy an entire town.
There are documented cases where insane spell-casters caused so much damage to property and snuffed out innocent lives.
That is why spell-casters need to have regular mental health check-ups to ensure their spells perform the way they should.
Which bring us back to the case of Esteban Abada Guy.
“I'm the only one who can eliminate the so-called dregs of society! Those who contribute absolutely nothing to this pathetic land!”
I respond to him...
“I've researched all your previous crimes, and all your victims were simple people with simple dreams that they work towards. And you call them dregs?!”
“They are all dumb, retarded, inutile, useless, worthless, and beyond redemption!”
“And who gets to label them? YOU?!”
I still recall those two supposed “Anti-troll Knights” who were antagonizing Benjo Ronquillus.
They were self-righteous, alright.
But not as self-righteous as this demented twerp.
My mind goes back to where Belle expressed her disgust of self-righteous people... again.
She went back to me...
...obviously sobbing, rushing towards me, and leaning on my shoulder.
“Belle, what happened to you?”
“I... I...”
“If you can't say it right now, I won't force you.”
“Walter... I... I was insulted...”
“Go on. Cry until you've cried enough. Then I'll hear your story.”
I let her wet my shirt with her tears until she has no more tears to shed.
And then, she mustered her courage to tell her story as promised.
“I was just walking down the street, and I stumbled upon a bunch of women dragging another woman out of a cafe.
“I... I tried to stop them, but they all said 'buzz off'! I responded, 'Why are you dragging her like an animal? I haven't seen her trying to do something wrong.'
“That was because that woman who was dragged outside didn't have any bloodstains or anything else incriminating. She was innocent in my eyes!
“But the women doing the dragging answered in the most violent and feral way possible, 'SHE INDEED DID SOMETHING WRONG! She slept with an old man, and that's illegal!'
“I then said, 'If what she did was indeed wrong, then prove it in the Royal Supreme Court, not in the court of public opinion!'
“Their answer was more venomous than ever. 'Then who are you to talk, huh?! We defend free speech, and we are the beacons of good moral character!'
“My blood was boiling as I bit back, 'Then why are you disrespecting her by treating her less than a woman? Why are you performing this vile act on an innocent woman like her? You self-righteous... judgmental... whores! I feel that you are hopeless in life, so that's why you're taking out your frustration and anger on this single lady, with no rhyme or reason! If only you have fixed your own lives rather than destroy those of others... you would've helped this kingdom.'
“And then... the leader of the dragging women came up to me and delivered the greatest insult I've received in my entire life... 'YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE!'... before giving me the most painful slap I've felt. With those parting shots, I left the scene entirely.”
“So what happened to that woman?”
“They... they left her for dead.”
“*sigh*... I should've been there... and maybe... she would've been...”
“D-don't worry about that... Last I heard from her... she recovered from her injuries... and went off to parts unknown.”
“So she can start a new life... without self-righteous people judging her.”
“Right.”
Indeed, being too judgmental can ruin other people's lives.
There's already a working justice system here in Lebenswasserheim, based on the many tenets we all uphold from the day our founder made a pact with the fairy.
And that is why... as a law-abiding citizen...
I try my best to understand other people's motivations. Why they did it; and if they indeed did something wrong, must be brought to justice in the fairest way possible.
Belle also thinks the same way.
- Writer
