Our Family Has Fallen

...

”Please come in, Detective,” the maid beckoned, yet she couldn’t help but discreetly glance up at this famous noble detective from Totnes.

An attractive young man, no older than twenty years of age, dressed not in the luxurious garb of Nobility but in a grey overcoat, accompanied by a black shawl and a top hat, his hands clad in a pair of leather gloves, he gave off an air of mystery befitting a gentleman.

Perhaps noticing the maid’s gaze, the detective met her eyes and nodded slightly, though his smile seemed somewhat frivolous.

So handsome!

That one look sent the maid’s heart fluttering, her mind involuntarily captivated as though he possessed a special charm.

”The gentleman has finally arrived!”

A shout startled the maid out of her reverie. Before she could turn around, a large figure stepped out—the owner of the house himself.

”You must find the culprit,” the homeowner said to the detective, devoid of the temper one might expect from a Rich Merchant; on the contrary, he was quite respectful.

The reason was simple: this man was a scion of the Nobility from the Upper City District.

Not to mention, that sum of money was critical for his business operations. If anything went wrong with it, his entire family would face bankruptcy and be driven out of Totnes.

That was precisely why these Rich Merchants had pooled their money to hire him. Although it pained them considerably, they had no other choice to recover their lost fortune.

In any case, they no longer held any illusions about the incompetent police; they even suspected the police themselves were involved.

Otherwise, who could have taken so much under these circumstances?

”Don’t worry. I have yet to encounter a case I couldn’t solve,” Andor said with a confident smile, clearly not taking the Thief too seriously.

And this very attitude intoxicated the maid beside him.

He’s so dashing...

”Then I’ll leave it in your hands, sir. Just let me know if you need anything,” the Rich Merchant said.

Seeing the detective’s confidence, coupled with the previous rumors, the Rich Merchant felt temporarily reassured.

”I need to speak with the first person who discovered the scene to ask about the situation.”

”I did!” The maid stepped forward without hesitation. ”It was I who found it.”

The maid had initially been berated by the homeowner for this incident, but now she felt fortunate, as it afforded her the chance to speak more with him.

”What was the situation like at that time?”

”I came over at five in the morning, and when I opened the door...”

The maid described the situation at the time. After some questioning, a key point caught Andor’s attention.

”You said all the windows in the house were open at that time?”

”Yes, it was strange. I clearly remembered closing several windows before I left,” the maid recalled, then confirmed, perhaps because she also harbored suspicions about this detail.

Andor, led by the maid, inspected several windows. He found no signs of forced entry; rather, they seemed to have been opened from the inside.

”Then why would they open the windows?” Andor leaned out to look outside. He knew there had to be a reason.

It’s either related to the method they used to take the valuables, or they wanted to conceal something... Right!

As if struck by a realization, Andor turned to the Rich Merchant and asked, ”Did you hear any disturbances that night?”

”No. Strangely enough, I’m usually a light sleeper, but last night I slept very soundly. I didn’t wake up until I was called this morning,” replied the Rich Merchant.

Hearing this, the corner of Andor’s mouth curled up slightly. ”I know why the Thief opened all the windows. It was to conceal their use of Mesmerizing Fragrance.”

With that, Andor returned to the main door and began to trace the Thief’s probable route.

”They picked the lock to get in, then released the Mesmerizing Fragrance. Once everyone was in a deep sleep, they started looting. Before leaving, they opened the windows to dissipate any lingering scent.”

Yet, another question arose: how did they manage to carry away several chests of Gold Coins, along with various antiques and jewelry?

”Are you certain it was 100,000?”

”Absolutely. Those were the merchant guild’s funds. Each box contained 10,000 Gold Coins and was locked in the basement. The chests were specially customized, half a person tall, made of iron, and impervious to blades or axes. Even a musket couldn’t penetrate them. Furthermore, they were secured with two locks and too heavy for one person to move.”

”There are no drag marks on the ground, and the chests themselves are gone. They weren’t moved in shifts. It’s certain this was the work of a group, no fewer than two people. Moreover, there must have been a cart or similar vehicle waiting outside to transport them. Otherwise, they would be impossible to move, unless...”

Andor paused mid-sentence. Coming from the Nobility, he knew more than ordinary people and had witnessed some intriguing methods.

His abrupt halt mid-explanation piqued everyone’s curiosity, but the Rich Merchant grew particularly anxious.

This money is tied to my entire livelihood! Just say it, will you!

”Did the police see any suspicious carts or other vehicles that night? For instance, any making multiple trips?”

”No,” replied the Rich Merchant. ”The police said it was very quiet that night, with hardly any activity, and certainly no vehicles coming or going.”

”Has there been a sudden influx of a large sum of money in the market? Have any goods been offloaded onto the black market?”

”No. We’re keeping a close watch on the market, and the police have already checked the black market.”

”That’s strange then.” Andor mused, ”Could the culprit still be in this residential area? Did they not transport the items out, but instead left them in this place—the most dangerous, yet also the safest?”

After pondering for a moment, Andor stepped out of the house and inspected both the front and back.

”If they were moving heavy items in and out, there would definitely be traces. But there are none now, which is enough to show that...”