Research on Gwen Lestrade
Some time later...
Gwen and I decided to throw a party in celebration of a case well solved.
I'm looking forward to this.
Past this alley was the way to the Lampadis office.
Yeah. Just past it.
...Huh?
Something feels off...
*Clang!*
?!
...With a ringing of metal, I felt a familiar jolt of pain shooting through the back of my head.
Before I could even register what was going on, my limp body began falling.
*Thud*
I opened my eyes and looked around in confusion, trying to get a grasp of what had just happened.
...Ugh.
Again...?
Once again, I felt my consciousness drifting away...
Heh heh, got you again, Captain.
It's time to go, just like last time!
The last thing I saw before my heavy eyelids closed was...
The gleeful smile of a genius investigator, who surely had hit my head from behind.
...To the interrogation room.
Ugh...
Some time later, I slowly woke up to a throbbing pain emanating from the back of my head.
As I began reaching for it, I realized that I couldn't, of course.
It went without saying that I'd probably been put in restraints.
...Huh?
When I lowered my gaze to figure out what was happening, I found myself bound in pink ribbons that ran across my body in hexagonal shapes from neck to stomach.
And I was hanging down from the ceiling to boot.
*Sigh* I don't want to get used to this...
Yes.
This was the exact same situation as when I'd met Gwen for the first time.
I thought one ridiculous event like this would've been enough, but it happened again...
Dejected, I quickly lost all motivation to resist.
Just then...
Surprise!
Gwen appeared wearing a happy expression.
Limit it to just one lash, please...
I don't want to awaken something inside me...
...Huh?
W-what are you even talking about?
Ahem. Don't be so scared, Captain. I didn't call you over to do that sort of stuff to you.
Gwen revealed a small cake she had been holding behind her. There was a candle in it, with a cute design that resonated with her tastes.
A cake?
Heh heh, I told you it was going to be a small party, didn't I?
After putting the cake down on a box in the storage room, Gwen walked over and untied the pink ribbons wrapped around me.
Argh!
Oops... Sorry. I didn't think you would fall...
I tied you up loosely with party ribbons. Was it uncomfortable?
In more ways than one.
This is one hell of a party...
Heh heh, isn't it? I knew you'd think so.
After all, this is the result of my awesome event-planning, born from the same genius I used to solve the case of the Voidborn rumors!
But the newly born special gorgeous new-neo—
Ahem! Fine.
Anyway, I'm not going to get bigheaded over compliments like that.
Because the only reason a dum-dum like me could come this far was...
You, Captain. It would've been impossible without you.
Gwen grew more calm and serious.
Honestly, solving the case of the Voidborn rumors was due to a stroke of good luck.
Even now, I still think my deduction was a flimsy wall held up by sheer coincidence.
If it were the old me, I probably would've bragged that everyone was clearly realizing my genius-level reasoning.
But things are different now.
Saying that, Gwen pushed a folder toward me.
My tastes, my strengths, my heart...
This contains everything about the Gwen Lestrade we investigated together.
She likes a strange dessert she stumbled upon more than the bitter coffee she drank in imitation of a famous detective.
She's better at stakeouts and questioning witnesses than genius-level reasoning that brings truth to light.
While she thought she enjoyed basking in the adoration of others, she eventually found out she was happier when someone saw her for who she truly was.
...And...
The last page.
Inside it were her thoughts on Detective H.
...I called Detective H a runaway coward.
And I hated it when people drew comparisons between us.
You launched an investigation into the recent rumors of the Voidborn. Would you be able to share the progress you've made?
Oh, uh... So, about that... The, um...
The investigation... *sniff*
Oooh... I want out... I want out... Professor, Lily, Captain... *sniff*
But the truth is, I was always scared.
Scared that I'd run away at an important moment, not recognizing what really matters. Just like H did.
...That's right. I was stupid. A coward, too.
You didn't run.
You stood your ground and solved the case.
...Captain...
You might have been scared and confused...
But even so, you opened your eyes.
And you pointed directly at the truth.
I finally handed her what I'd been keeping inside my coat.
It was the blank scarlet letter Gwen had dropped on the day of the press conference.
This... this is...
You've been holding onto that? But why?
Then, remember how you felt back then.
How I felt back then...
Can you do that for me?
Miss genius investigator?
...Yes. Yes I can!
Because I, Gwen Lestrade, am a genius investigator!
The reason Gwen was able to get her smile back was due solely to her own efforts.
She may have been jumping all over the place, and sometimes coming up with strange logic, but...
Okay! You'll help me with future investigations too, right?
Captain, no...
My trusty sidekick!
Gwen would always be Gwen.
Of course you will! No genius investigator is complete without a trusty sidekick!
A genius investigator herself.