Gotham Singularity (Part 8): Matchstick Malone
Holmes completely ignored the objections; instead, he seemed to have found the perfect labor force. "Perfect timing, Mr. Todd. You should know where the most well-informed bar in Gotham's underground is."
Jason: "...?"
He tried to open his mouth and say something.
“Although I am very interested in your suggestion, it won’t work.” Before Jason could object, Holmes pressed his pipe against his mouth.
"If my guess is correct, then it would be useful if only Miss Ritsuka went."
If he knew his old adversary's twisted sense of humor well enough, and if he guessed correctly who the person who released the white mist was... well, he could guarantee that his guess was absolutely correct.
After all, he could list about ten points about the person's scent, demeanor, and clothing details to support his conclusion.
His appearance also proved one thing: the place where the murderer obtained the information and the clue that guy left for Miss Ritsuka were both in the same place.
Holmes looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka, "So, what's your opinion?"
Jason frowned deeply. He knew Holmes might be right, and he also knew that the Chaldea Master was strong enough to escape unscathed.
But who knows how many dirty tricks and traps are in bars, especially in a place like Gotham? A naive person like Fujimaru Ritsuka would be a sitting duck if she went in.
“Damn it, I don’t recommend you listen to him,” he said, his irritated expression masking a barely perceptible concern. “I’ll go instead.”
Sensing that subtle concern, the Chaldea Master smiled brightly, his gaze so earnest that Jason couldn't help but turn his head slightly. "Thank you."
“But you should trust me,” she said, then changed the subject, “Mr. Holmes, I’ll go.”
Unlike the Chaldea group, who seemed to have a cheat code, almost immediately revealing the truth during their conversation, the three figures gathered in the Bat Cave were still confused by their inexplicable experience that day.
“I assume,” a hint of sarcasm tinged with calmness, “that the two gentlemen are on night patrol, and not digging in some sandpit?”
Batman and Robin, both looking disheveled, each held a cup of red tea, while their old butler stood before them, speaking in a sarcastic tone.
Tim muttered under his breath, "It's pretty much the same as digging in the dirt. B's luck is just too bad."
The dark bat turned and glared at him, as if to say, "What makes you think you're so lucky?" After being trapped in the fog, the two of them spent half an hour finally reuniting, and then walked for another half hour before finally finding a way out and escaping.
By then, neither Red Hood nor the men he brought with him had disappeared without a trace, leaving only the bleak wind mocking their ignorance.
Batman pressed his lips tightly together, remaining silent. The chill emanating from him made Tim shift his body, carrying his tea and computer away from the source of the cooling.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "This was an accident."
This matter was far more complicated than Batman had imagined. While he was staking out the scene of Black Mask's death, he guessed at every possible person who would come: the murderer, the enemy, the subordinate... He guessed right and he guessed wrong.
He had anticipated Red Hood's arrival, but the fact that he was accompanied by a girl who appeared to be from the magic faction made him wonder if this matter involved...?
"Hmm. What a surprise, what a surprise." Tim seemed more interested than wary. "That girl isn't from Gotham. It'll take a while to match her appearance, but I bet she doesn't have any records of coming and going from Gotham."
He glanced at the data on the computer. "B, why don't you ask someone? Or we can try to contact him again when Red Hood isn't around?"
"Splash!"
Tim's thoughts were abruptly interrupted. Batman stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. His voice was hoarse and sinister, "You're not allowed to have any more contact with this. Now, go back to sleep."
Tim: "Huh?"
He didn't know what had gotten into this great man again, and wanted to try one more time, "Hey, B, don't you think—!"
"Was it the girl's appearance or her inexplicable friendliness that gave you the wrong impression? Did you think she was a good starting point? Did you lower your guard and not even consider whether she was the next trap?"
A barrage of questions left Tim stunned, and he was breathless, but Batman didn't give him time to organize his thoughts. "If they are the ones who killed Black Mask, do you think you could have held out until I arrived?!"
"No, I...you..." Tim took a deep breath, intending to reason with the man in front of him. Alfred gently pressed his shoulder and shook his head. Tim paused for a few seconds, then obediently picked up his laptop and left the Batcave.
After a long while, Tim's footsteps had completely disappeared, and Batman took off his iconic suit, revealing a handsome but undeniably tired face.
The steam from the black tea rose on his deep blue eyes, making them appear to hold a sadness and emptiness that didn't belong to him.
“Sir, you should show your concern for Master Tim in a more direct way, instead of using such reprimanding words,” Alfred said calmly.
"I'm sorry, Afu, I just..."
Bruce raised his bony hand to cover the upper half of his face, leaving only a short sigh.
"Forget it, I'll use a different identity to investigate tomorrow. After that, I'll leave all the company matters to Tim."
Bruce ultimately did not share his thoughts with the old man. He suppressed his turbulent emotions and began to arrange tomorrow's schedule with a blank expression.
—
The next day, the aftermath of Black Mask's death had not yet faded in Gotham. The once bustling bar was now deserted, with only a few people still sitting in their usual spots, waiting for the information to leak out.
Thus, the unfamiliar footsteps were exceptionally clear among them.
Almost everyone's attention was focused on the two young people who had just entered, their bright hair, strange attire, and bright atmosphere that seemed out of place in the bar.
But they seemed to be used to being stared at, ignoring all kinds of scrutiny, whether obvious or subtle, and walked straight to the bar without changing their expressions.
Most people withdrew their scrutinizing gazes and labeled them as not to be trifled with.
The orange-haired girl jumped onto the high stool, her hair swaying slightly, revealing a pair of clear and bright eyes. "Wow, I should really thank this place for not throwing us out as minors."
Two people who looked much younger than their age, clearly minors, were let in so easily. Are bars in Gotham really that lax in their security?
Xu Fu tore off the talisman, concealing his merit and fame. She imitated Ritsuka, jumping onto the chair next to her, completely treating today's schedule as a game. "Hehe, what a novel occasion! By the way~ Master, do you drink alcohol?"
“Absolutely not.” Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head, subconsciously glancing around to observe her surroundings. “You know, I won’t drink until everything is over.”
The bar Jason described wasn't upscale; on the contrary, the decor was rather dated, with clutter piled haphazardly in the corners. The bartenders were engrossed in their work, and the diverse clientele were all dressed in inconspicuous ways.
Only at the table near the bar, there was a man wearing distinctive aviator sunglasses.
"Miss," a flippant voice rang out.
The conspicuous man suddenly looked over, and their eyes met in mid-air. He stood up with interest, picked up his drink, and sat down next to Fujimaru Ritsuka. "You're the first person I've seen who doesn't drink but comes to a bar."
He leaned forward, raised his glass, and said, "Would you like to get to know me? I'm Matchstick Malone."
Is this a real name?
Fujimaru Ritsuka had a gut feeling of suspicion, but she was also used to people around her occasionally hiding their real names, so she naturally introduced herself as "Fujimaru Ritsuka".
She blinked and gave me a relaxing smile. "You probably didn't just talk to me for that reason, did you?"
They didn't notice that the bartender suddenly put down the half-mixed drink in front of him and took out a brand new glass from the cabinet.
"Of course, of course!"
Malone swirled his glass, seemingly intoxicated, and said, "Gotham's nights are always dangerous and alluring, and many people chase after them. But those who look like little lambs like you are extremely rare."
He subtly gestured to two or three people around him, who kept glancing at Ritsuka and Xu Fu as if they were weighing something.
"Are you sharing the same goals as us, or just an ignorant lamb?" Malone shrugged. "I'm pretty sure those with no brain capacity are thinking about that."
They all have the same goal: to find clues to the murder case. Fujimaru Ritsuka could imagine how lively the bar Jason mentioned, the one with the most frequent information exchange, used to be, to the point that even now, in this state of panic, several daring information brokers were staking out for news.
The one sitting next to her was the boldest, "but you're the only one who spoke to me."
“Yes, I’m a gambler,” Malone said solicitously. “If you two beautiful ladies belong to the Pure White faction, I’d be happy to help you leave, given my remaining professional ethics and good mood.”
Xu Fu looked up at him. Ma Long paused instantly, sniffed, and subtly avoided her gaze.
“Of course, if we have the information you want, it would be a huge windfall for a speculator like you,” Fujimaru Ritsuka replied with a smile.
Malone laughed, his fingers interlaced and resting on the table. "Now I think the first possibility has suddenly become more likely. Are you here to gather intelligence? Find someone? Or something else?"
"We can't just be trying to cause trouble, can we?" he joked.
"Who knows," Fujimaru Ritsuka thought to herself, harboring resentment towards the elusive professor. "If he really were in this little bar, it wouldn't be impossible for it to escalate into a tense and exciting battle."
But in the end, the professor will definitely clutch his back, playing the victim while lamenting his old age. She clenched her fist, itching to do so, but she wouldn't hold back.
Those who cause trouble should be severely punished!
The cold breath of the person beside her brought Fujimaru Ritsuka back to reality from her memories of Chaldea. She silently moved toward Xu Fu and said, "I just heard from a detective that an old friend might appear here."
Unfortunately, it seems that Holmes's reasoning is probably not valid now.
The bartender at the counter wasn't the professor in disguise, and the person who approached her seemed to be just an ordinary person detached from the situation. Ritsuka ran through the scene in her mind, almost suspecting that the bar was just another mystery to be solved.
But Holmes and Jason went out early in the morning, intending to question Black Mask's former henchmen for possible clues.
It's quite obvious that she's completely clueless when it comes to solving puzzles, and now she can only hope that the Chaldea community can come up with a solution.
Beneath the mask of Matchstick Marlon, Batman was also lost in thought. An old friend? The only people connected to this bar... aside from those information brokers, there was only an unconfirmed rumor.
-----------------------
A note from the author:
The first side story of the Curse Return arc is finished and will be released in a couple of days! It's about a brief encounter!
* There are also plans to write about Ritsuka and Kadoc's high school life! A Servant version of Shirakabe and a mysterious character will appear, so it will be released after the main story is finished.
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