ela

That's not enough.

It's enough when you have a reporter... I'll be straight with you. Do you want to work with me and teach that old man a lesson?

Did you also work as Reynell's bodyguard?

I'm serious. I have a score or two to settle with old Bogdan.

I was once the chief editor of a newspaper agency under the Rose Paper Union banner. Bogdan hosted an art exhibit five years ago, and it was a complete mess, yet all the media did was lick his boots.

I felt someone had to speak the truth, show the public how bad the exhibit was, so I wrote a column criticizing it overnight...

And it never made it to the printing press?

It did. It was well-received, and sales of the paper shot up. I thought I was going to get a raise. Here, I kept a copy.

You certainly didn't mince words.

A month later, I learned that Bogdan had been pressuring the agency to fire me, but the company president stepped in and kept me around as a reporter in the field, where I've been keeping a low profile.

Ela sizes the reporter up as he folds up the yellowish newspaper and tucks it away.

What are you planning?

Simple. Find concrete evidence that the accident was a murder attempt and seize the initiative.

(Whisper) Bogdan often talks business here. We might learn something if we eavesdrop.

(Whisper) Shh, I hear a car.

I know that guy, and I know that car...

I'll pick the lock once the driver has gotten off. Keep watch for me.

I'll—

Let me do it. I know Kazimierz cars better.

Hey, what's this?

Everything in this alley has been turned upside down. There's no point—

What's this?

A check... with Kowalski's signature?

Looks like we got lucky.

O-Of course.

I wonder how long it will last.

Well... hehe...

Did you see the one who tried to recruit you when you first arrived?

I'm checking...

Huh? What?

Dad, I lost again.

I told you not to bet on the tourneys... hey, where did you get the money?

Lear lent me some.

I'm busy, and I don't have any money.

But you said you were going to—

There, he's wearing a suit like yours.

I see him.

Your daughter?

Heh... yeah. She bets on the tourneys every day. If she doesn't get money from me, she tries to borrow it from somewhere else.

Anyway, enough chit-chat. We're the stalkers this time.

Here's what we have so far...

A photo of an unidentified device, a check found in an alley, and a photo of the man who spoke to me entering Kowalski manor.

I'm not sure how these constitute any sort of his 'weakness.'

If that's enough to convict Bogdan, I'll have even less faith in the judicial system of Kazimierz than I do in their law enforcement.

A draft doesn't necessarily have to be sent out. The same goes for evidence.

Don't you understand?

I'm understanding less and less by the minute.

Sigh.

We'll send him evidence of him hiring killers as a warning, as well as demand compensation.

You can use that money to visit the other cities. The cities of the Kawalerielki Alliance are all the same; if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

What about you?

Me? I'll take the money and ply my trade somewhere else, maybe go home and start a news agency. I want to put the Rose Paper Union out of business in my hometown.

You still want to be a reporter?

Why do you think I became one in the first place? Why else would I pick a fight with Bogdan?

Isn't that blackmail?

So what? He actually tried to kill you.

Why stop there, then? Why not bring Kowalski down entirely?

What the heck are you talking about?

You wanted to ask me about Reynell, didn't you? Well, I heard a thing or two about Reynell's parents from a gentleman by the name of Miłosz while I was in Dossoles.

Miłosz... Reynell's secretary?

Rafał's eyes light up, but the spark is soon covered up by his thick lenses.

See, you're interested.

I... I don't think those two have anything that can deal a real blow to Bagodan, not even if it's from that Miłosz's mouth.

Szczepan and Alizja were a loving couple. Not much of a story there.

Miłosz had a different story.

Rafał's lenses could no longer hide the spark in his eyes. He takes out a pen, then tucks another cigarette behind his ear.

I don't smoke, but this helps me think when I'm working.

Do you know about the damaged statue that was sold for an astronomical price shortly before Alizja passed away? According to Miłosz, there was in fact no deep meaning behind it, as Szczepan had boasted of.

Ela narrated the story as told to her by Miłosz, avoiding subjective sentiments as much as possible.

Before phrases like 'verbal assault' and 'economic control', however, 'loving couple' seems like a bad joke.

Good heavens... what about Reynell? He always looked like he respected his father greatly!

There is only a twisted hatred for his hypocritical father. Why else would he have blown up his own Galería Krysztauowa?

He blew it up? That's totally different from the story that's out there! Please, I really must know more! I'll pay—

Where's the money from? The blackmail? Or the money that Bogdan already paid you?

Obviously—

(Eyes wide open)

Miss Ela, this is no time for jokes! I'm not—

Drop the act, Mr. Rafał.

Everything that has happened up to this point, the chance encounter, the shadowing, evidence that just dropped from the sky... they're suspicious, but it wasn't out of the question that they could have been a coincidence.

You want to blackmail Bogdan Kowalski.

A few words from him were enough to ruin your career, and yet you wanted me to blackmail him, in a place where both the police and the courts could be bought.

Don't lie to me. I'm not Kazimierzian. You are.

I... I...

Why attempt something that's almost destined to fail?

Because you wanted me to come under suspicion of blackmail, and get the police and the courts on Bogdan's side.

I didn't have a choice... you heard the phone call... I needed money...

Why should I believe you?

(Heavy breathing) I swear, I may have sold my dignity to Bogdan, but every word I said about my career was true.

And the newspaper? You didn't throw it away as soon as the curtains closed, did you?

After a moment of silence, Rafał takes out the yellowish newspaper cutting, folded as neatly as the last time Ela saw it.

I never threw it away.

Then it's your turn to fight back.

Fight back? The story about Szczepan and Alizja is a good one, but what does it have to do with Bogdan?

If Alizja's statue was made under coercion, violence and lies, what about the other artworks that Bogdan has?

*Kazimierzian profanity*!

Let me make this clear: This will shake the very foundation of the art market of Kazimierz. Reynell wanted to do it. It was a roundabout method that almost killed a bunch of people, but in the end, he failed.

Why didn't he let the world know? I doubt it's to protect the father he hated.

I know, Miss Ela. I know. Kazimierz won't allow it.

He takes out a lighter, hand fumbling as he fetches the cigarette from behind his ear, lights it, and takes it in deeply. His face is deathly pale.

I thought I could keep it there. Sorry. But I must say, Miss Ela...