I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior - Chapter 19

“…….”

Sidney neither affirmed nor denied Logan’s words. She merely shrugged her shoulders once and turned away again.

Checking Marien’s palms and arms.

“Sidney Warden, I meant don’t rule out other possibilities…….”

“I know.”

That such petty delusions were just an inferiority complex. So she didn’t want to hear anything right now.

Sidney changed the subject while reporting on the condition of the corpse.

“The face was damaged to make it unrecognizable, and there are a total of 13 wounds – 7 on the chest and 6 on the abdomen.”

Only the sound of Andy Spencer scribbling could be heard.

“Usually when attacked while sleeping, one wakes up. And instinctively grabs the sword trying to stab them.”

“There are no defensive wounds.”

Andy chimed in while vigorously writing with his pen. Sidney put down Marien’s hand and recalled the side effects of Penzle.

Penzle took away human senses in exchange for making one forget pain at a cheap cost.

Emilia said nonchalantly as she drank salt water. With a calm face, as if unable to taste the saltiness.

In the end, the side effects the doctor had worried about appeared in Emilia.

At the time, it felt like the sky was falling.

The doctor presented three options to the despairing Sidney.

First, continue treating the disease while enduring Penzle’s side effects. This meant preparing for Emilia to become paralyzed.

Second, replace Penzle with other painkillers and continue treating the disease. If they had the money, they would have gladly done this.

Lastly, focus only on treating the disease without taking painkillers. Of course, they chose the last option.

But completely cutting off the painkillers.

Emilia, who always smiled and said she was fine, cried and begged for relief from the pain.

At those times, all she could do was… tightly hug the sobbing Emilia and comfort her.

Saying to endure. That the disease would soon be cured, so just endure a little longer.

But Emilia, exhausted from the long illness, gave up everything.

In the end, Sidney had no choice but to give up on treating Emilia’s disease and choose expensive painkillers.

It meant abandoning hope that Emilia’s disease would be cured.

A gloomy life continued, like walking through a dark cave. When it was too much and difficult… sometimes she resented that day’s choice, Emilia’s tears.

Damn it. Sidney clutched her throbbing head and muttered weakly.

“The lack of defensive wounds means… Miss Marien was already dead or in a similar state at the time of death.”

“Spencer, tell them to do an autopsy on the body.”

Logan placed his palm on Sidney’s back. Startled by the sudden contact, her body flinched.

“We should go out for now.”

That expression again. Sidney stared at Logan looking down at her with concern, then let out a shallow breath. And moved her feet as he said.

Was it the feeling of being protected? Or was it the awkwardness of his hand on her back?

Sidney cleared her throat, trying to shake off the tingling sensation and the feeling of her face burning.

“The killer seems to have been in a very excited state at the time of the murder, harboring resentment or grudge against Miss Marien.”

“We’ll need to investigate people around her.”

“Yes, we also need to check where Miss Marien was staying.”

Andy replied while continuing to take notes at Logan’s signal.

“I’ll relay that to the police.”

As they came out into the hallway, Sidney broke away from Logan and leaned against the wall. Logan and Andy waited for her to regain composure.

“But… I’m not sure where the people in this building bathe.”

“Good point, Spencer. The killer would need to use a bathroom to wash off the blood.”

Sidney grabbed the back of her neck and turned her head to stretch her muscles. Then she walked steadily to the end of the hallway.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Where are you going?”

Logan asked as he followed Sidney. She walked steadily and stood in front of an old door.

Creak, the door opened with an unpleasant sound.

Following Sidney inside, a shabby and dirty bathroom came into view. Naturally, his gaze followed her.

“This is the communal bathroom. This side is mainly used by women…”

Sidney looked around the tiled floor and walls. Finally, she peered into a wooden bathtub barely big enough for a small child to sit in.

Logan pointed at the frozen water and asked.

“How do you bathe here?”

“You scoop water from the tub with that ladle and pour it over your body.”

Sidney pointed to a small ladle visible on the floor. He was about to ask more, but she passed by Logan and moved to the next room.

Thud, Sidney kicked the door open with her toe and went inside.

“This is the bathroom used by men.”

Though it was daytime, the bathroom was dimly lit.

The only light came from a palm-sized window.

Sidney Warden stood where that light poured in. She looked into the bathtub while unbuttoning her coat one by one.

“Hmm, why are you taking off your coat…”

“I’m going to undress.”

In an instant, Sidney had removed her coat and red jacket, turning around in just her white shirt.

Her figure, faintly visible through the white shirt diffused with light, was slender yet lithe.

Like Marien that night… A sound that seemed to have come from scratching his throat escaped between Logan’s lips.

“Sidney…”

Instead of answering, Sidney turned her head and cast a glance over her shoulder.

Her red hair tied in a ponytail swayed, revealing her white neckline.

The side profile of her standing crookedly was truly indifferent.

Logan’s eyes, which had been moving along the slender waistline and toned back visible through the white shirt, shook violently.

Crazy. Just an hour ago, he had made Sidney so angry, and nearly lost her…