Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1414: Coaxing and deceiving
The surprised smile lingered on Benson Moretti's face for only a moment before fading away naturally. Then, the high-ranking government official, dressed in a suit and tie, looked at the East District Police Chief, who stood to the side with his head slightly bowed, seemingly awaiting orders, and asked in a deep voice:

“Mr. Bolton, I looked into the case on the way here. It’s unlikely that these two girls would harm an adult carrying a weapon, is it?”

Perhaps to avoid suspicion, or perhaps to prevent others from using it against him, the Deputy Minister of Finance did not directly admit that the two "suspects" detained in the interrogation room were his nieces, but his attitude made it clear that they were.

It's important to know that the telegram sent from the police precinct to the West District only inquired whether the official in charge of the entire police system's finances had two nieces named Christina and Dorothy, without mentioning the case at all.

This means that Benson Moretti is fully supporting his two nieces, believing that they could not possibly have committed any crime that would land them in the police station.

In that instant, the middle-aged man called Bolton understood this and nodded hastily:
"Of course, of course, we have already investigated and found out that Hudson has a history of multiple crimes. After this armed robbery, he panicked and entered an alley with a faulty circuit, where he was injured by the leaking current. Once he wakes up in the hospital, we will complete his statement and put him in the most secure prison!"
"As for these two ladies, they are both victims in this case. They have now completed their cooperation with the investigation and can leave at any time."

As he spoke, he looked at the young policeman, his expression still bearing a fawning smile, but his eyes were like a drawn blade.

Even if the latter hadn't understood before, a glare from Director Bolton made him comprehend the situation, and he cooperatively said:

"Yes, they are not suspects. You see, we even provided them with drinks to separate them from the suspects outside, so as to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings."

He was incredibly grateful that after informing the middle-aged policeman to send a telegram, he had bought two cups of sweet iced tea with his own money to appease the two girls and make up for his previous attitude problem; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But he couldn't understand how the Deputy Minister, who should have been working in the Ministry of Finance in the Western District and was at least an hour's drive from the Eastern District, had arrived in just over ten minutes after the telegram was sent.

Could it be that he happens to be nearby?

Christina had the same question. She had originally expected that even if the "deputy minister" mentioned by the police was indeed Benson Moretti, whom she knew, he couldn't possibly have arrived here so quickly. But when "Uncle Benson" actually appeared in front of her, and the police chief, who was wearing shoulder insignia she had never seen before and clearly held a high position, was at her beck and call like a personal servant, and after confirming the authenticity of his position, she didn't feel as emotional or excited.

At least not in front of outsiders… She glanced at Dorothy, then looked at the young policeman, a slight smile playing on her lips:
"Can we leave now?"

"Yes, yes, you can leave anytime!"

The policeman, whose attitude had been so changeable just moments before, immediately replied, even using honorifics.

"What about my bag, and that lamp?"

Tina didn't stand on ceremony and immediately pressed for details.

She saw the private conversation between the two policemen in the "magic mirror divination" and knew that they were planning to take advantage of the situation to embezzle money. Now that Uncle Benson has arrived, she and Dorothy are safe, but the "magic lamp" that looks worth a hundred pounds may not be so.

If we don't bring it up now, it will be difficult to investigate later.

Sure enough, upon hearing her words, Benson immediately frowned and looked at the young policeman, who sensed something was wrong and answered without hesitation:

"It's in the evidence room. I'll bring it back to you right away!"

Watching his disheveled figure disappear into the distance, Benson seemed to mutter to himself:
"If he is not a suspect but a victim, why is the so-called evidence being seized?"

As he spoke, he looked at Director Bolton, his eyes devoid of any smile.

……

As Tina and Dorothy left the police station on White Chrysanthemum Street with Benson, they could still hear Bolton's angry shouts reprimanding all the officers coming from the second floor.

The angry shouts coming from the seemingly deliberately open window instantly dispelled Tina's last bit of resentment. Clutching her handbag tightly with one hand, she clutched her recovered "magic lamp," while holding Benson's arm with the other, saying with a mixture of coquetry and doubt:
"Uncle, why didn't you mention before that you were... the Vice Minister of Finance?"

She was pronouncing the word for the first time and was quite unfamiliar with it, but it perfectly matched the tone of her question.

Dorothy, walking on the other side of Benson, was also puzzled, but hadn't found a chance to ask. Seeing that the outspoken Tina spoke first, she also looked at the elder who was slightly taller than her and had the imposing presence of a giant when he strode forward.

"Actually, three years ago I was the director of the Fifth Department of the Ministry of Finance, not a real official. Until recently, the Kingdom of Rune launched a new round of reforms from top to bottom, delegating more government official positions to civil servants, rather than relying on the model of king appointment and parliament approval."

"I have my current position because I used to work under the current Minister of Finance, and also because of religious considerations."

"Klein and Angel are both aware of this."

Benson replied.

This means that Mom and Dad already knew, but they just didn't tell me and Dorothy... Tina pursed her lips, wondering why this matter, which could be considered the most important thing in the family, had never been discussed at home.

Hmph, anyway, after today, they'll look at me differently and won't think of me as a child anymore... She tightened her grip on the "magic lamp" in her bag.

Immediately, Tina noticed that Benson led the two of them not to the nearest subway station or to hire a carriage, but to a small alley next to the police station. Just as she was about to ask him something, she saw a figure emerge from the alley.

"Aunt Lily!"

Dorothy cried out in surprise and rushed toward the blonde figure, embracing her tightly.

Compared to Tina, who idolizes Melissa, the older sister prefers Lily, a freelance writer who frequently contributes articles to major newspapers and has her own column. This is related to her greater love of reading books and newspapers.

It turns out Auntie has arrived too... But that's even stranger. She's supposed to stay home most of the time and only travel occasionally. She's not with Benson, who goes to work every day. Yet, they've both arrived in the East District at the same time... That's a good thing, it means Dorothy and I are valued by them, but... A series of thoughts flashed through Tina's mind, then turned into a smile on her face. She also went up to greet Lily Moretti.

Speaking of which, after my aunt married my uncle, she changed her surname to Moretti according to tradition, but my mother did not do so after marrying my father and kept the surname "Granger". Although she did not usually mention this and only called people by their first names, it was still a bit strange... It is said that a few believers of the goddess of night do this to show their independence. Could my mother be one of them?

With doubts in their hearts, Tina, Dorothy, and the Bensons boarded a four-wheeled carriage bearing a police badge rather than a government emblem and headed towards the North District.

Sitting opposite the two sisters, Benson's smile, which had been plastered on his face since seeing them, vanished, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Why did you come to Backlund without your parents' knowledge?"

"Tell the truth."

Tina, whose prepared explanation was immediately seen through as having not received her parents' consent for the trip, was so frightened that she swallowed it all back. She felt that Benson had a strange sense of authority mixed with concern, and she almost revealed the "genie" in her bag.

Fortunately, she managed to hold back at the last moment.

“I just wanted to see Aunt Melissa, and you all…” She lowered her head, hiding her flustered gaze, and described her impulsive departure from home as a well-planned family visit. “…Anyway, while Mom and Dad were away on a trip, Dorothy and I came here together.”

"Don't tell Mom we're going back this afternoon!"

She added, suddenly looking up, a few tears welling in her eyes.

This wasn't all an act. Compared to Klein, who liked to lecture but wasn't actually strict, the two sisters were more afraid of Angel, who could silence the whole family with just a glare.

But watching her affected performance, Lily chuckled and turned to Benson, saying, "She's going through a rebellious phase."

“Yes, Russell’s statement is very forward-thinking.”

Benson nodded in agreement.

Immediately, the seriousness on his face faded, and he continued in a gentle tone:

“Backlund is not a very safe place, especially in the East District. As you saw today, if that robber hadn’t been stunned by the electric shock, you would probably have been injured or kidnapped.”

"If that happens, your parents, us, and many more people will be heartbroken and angry. Have you thought about the consequences?"

Tina had to admit he was right, but her stubbornness got the better of her, and she was about to pout and explain when Dorothy quickly answered:
"I'm sorry, actually I didn't persuade Tina to go out with me, but instead encouraged her to. I didn't expect this to happen."

"No, it was me who suggested it!"

Tina immediately retorted.

Seeing the two sisters taking the blame upon themselves, Benson sighed and stopped lecturing them. Instead, he looked out the window, his right hand on his knee twitching slightly.

The scenery outside the window suddenly sped up.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The carriage quickly entered the North District and arrived at the Benson's house. Tina got out of the carriage and realized that what was in front of her was not the townhouse she had seen before, but a detached villa with a garden and stables.

“After my promotion, the Treasury offered two options: to live in a specially allocated house closer to the West End, or to rent or buy a house on my own, with some expenses reimbursed.” Benson stepped down from the carriage and explained to Tina, “After considering various factors, we moved here. It’s not far from our old home, we can still keep in touch with old friends, and it’s closer to the church.”

The church... Tina looked in other directions and found that, in addition to the familiar St. Samuel Church with its two bell towers, the distinctive molten walls of the "Church of the Last Days" and the understated black architecture of the "Church of Fools" were also nearby, almost forming an equilateral triangle around the Benson family's house.

There are so many churches in Backlund, you can see several everywhere... she exclaimed.

After learning about the existence of the extraordinary world and that the church was equivalent to a force against evil, Tina realized that living near the church must have additional benefits.

Unfortunately, there are no churches near my home; the nearest one is two kilometers away. If I encounter any supernatural events, I won't even have time to ask for help... Thinking of this, Tina's gaze towards the villa surrounded by three churches became even more fervent.

The garden, though meticulously maintained, had an inexplicably jarring feel to it. The four entered a two-story hall adorned with crystal chandeliers and numerous paintings. After instructing the servants to prepare lunch, Benson addressed Tina and Dorothy, who were looking around:
"Melissa will be here later. After lunch, I'll take you back to Tingen."

"Also, show me that stolen lamp; maybe I can determine its origin."

Upon hearing the first part of the sentence, Tina's expression immediately fell, but she knew that this might be Benson's bottom line for not telling his parents about what happened today. So she pursed her lips and did not refuse, but she was thinking about how to leave again after returning to Tingen and continue to take the "genie" to find five more locations to fulfill his wishes.

Of course, ending it here for today and then finding a way to sneak out later is also a good option. The genie did not set a time limit for his wish, but only claimed that he could fulfill it within a day. However, since he has encountered force majeure, it cannot be considered that Tina has broken the agreement.

Now it's him begging me, not me begging him... Tina comforted herself.

Reluctantly handing over her handbag, she didn't forget to give Benson a word of advice:
"Be careful not to touch its surface unnecessarily."

She wasn't worried about Benson breaking the golden lamp; she was worried that the "genie" would be accidentally summoned, exposing her and Dorothy's lies.

Benson nodded, took Tina's bag, and said to Lily:

“Take the children to the meeting room, call Zanni over, and let them have a chat.”

Zane, their child, is a year older than Dorothy and has entered the best and most expensive public school in Backlund, aiming to get into Backlund University. She is also resting at home today.

As for a second child, the couple has not considered it yet.

Seeing Lily leave the hall with Tina and Dorothy, Benson's smile vanished, and he turned and walked through another door.

In the corridor behind the door, Melissa Moretti, with her black hair, brown eyes, and delicate features, wearing a pair of culottes for easy movement, was already waiting.

"What happened? When your messenger found me, I thought something terrible had happened!"

She crossed her arms and said irritably.

“I don’t know the specifics either. Tina and Dorothy appeared in the East District, saying they ran away from home and were almost robbed by bandits…” Benson touched his overly broad forehead and replied helplessly, “I immediately notified you and had Lily teleport me there to rescue them from the police station.”

"By the way, Tina always carries this with her. Could you identify what it is?"

He opened his satchel, took out a lamp made of gold, engraved with countless complex runes, shaped like a kettle, and handed it to Melissa.

The latter put on gloves, took out a single-lens reflex with a brass frame from his trouser pocket, clipped it between his nose and eye socket, carefully took the lamp, and began to examine it closely.

Benson waited patiently by, not disturbing the "alchemist's" work.

A moment later, Melissa took off the glasses that had been emitting a shimmering light, shook her head, and said:
“It’s definitely a sealed artifact, but my identification failed. Perhaps it’s… a level 0. The patterns on its surface might be a trap. If you keep touching it, it will activate some kind of function.”

“Tina told me not to touch it, she must know its purpose.” Benson confirmed Melissa’s guess. “They said it was an antique found in the basement, and I suspect Klein deliberately orchestrated this.”

He glanced at the golden lamp in Melissa's hand and made his decision:

“I’ll ask him about it. Whatever his purpose, he shouldn’t have let two children with no special abilities run around with a level 0 sealed artifact.”

“Ask Angel first,” Melissa suggested.

Benson nodded, leaned against the corridor wall, lowered his head, closed his eyes, and recited:

"The root of calamity and strife, the queen who rules over chaos, the ruler of the world in the mirror..."

He read the last sentence with a smile on his face.

"...the eternal companion of the 'Lord of Mysteries'."

(End of this chapter)