171: Chapter 169 Toby's Unease, and the Mailed Staff

"Detective?"

The Assistant Train Conductor and the female attendant stared at Toby blankly.

This left him somewhat confused.

Analyzing the train's style and the passengers' attire, Hogwarts should have some connection to Ying Country.

How could they have never heard of a detective?

Facing their increasingly suspicious gazes, Toby explained helplessly, "It's a profession where one gathers clues to solve various cases."

The Assistant Train Conductor understood now: "Sir, do you wish to examine the scene?"

"Yes."

Toby felt quite confident.

He didn't know much about Wino's character, but he knew Klaisi well; he was absolutely not the kind of person who would murder a wizard.

Nor did they have the ability to do so.

"While I feel it is an unnecessary move... since you wish to see it."

The Assistant Train Conductor stepped out of the room, closed the door, and lightly tapped the door handle with the wooden stick in his hand. "Follow me."

Toby and Lyon's eyes were glued to the wooden stick in his hand.

A wand, no doubt about it!

Thinking that they were about to master such power, they were both a bit excited.

But first, they had to successfully pass the entrance exam.

Keeping their composure, they led Misha behind the Assistant Train Conductor, returning all the way to Room 5 of Carriage 13.

With a wave of the Assistant Train Conductor's wand, the door opened inward automatically.

Worried that leaving Misha outside alone would be dangerous, yet knowing it would be too cruel for a child to witness a corpse—perhaps even leaving a psychological trauma.

Toby crouched down and took Misha into his arms, covering her eyes with his right hand.

"Now then, allow me to reconstruct the crime scene."

To their surprise, the Assistant Train Conductor didn't ask them to begin their inspection. Instead, he held his wand and tapped the air in front of him.

What happened next stunned Toby and Lyon so much that they didn't even care about the corpse of the murdered wizard, which was the most important thing.

A translucent figure abruptly appeared sitting by the bed; its appearance and build were undoubtedly those of the deceased wizard.

He was holding a book, head down as he read.

A few seconds passed, and equally translucent versions of Klaisi and Wino walked through the door.

The two set down their suitcases, glanced at each other, and suddenly pulled wooden wands from behind their backs, pointing them at the wizard while chanting under their breath.

The wizard looked up, only to fall back onto the bed for no apparent reason as blood spread frantically from beneath him.

In seconds, the pristine white sheets were soaked blood-red.

Then, the two tucked their wands back into their waistbands, turned to leave, and ran straight into the Assistant Train Conductor as he rushed into the room.

After that was the scene of Toby and the others arriving, so there was no need to watch further.

The illusory figures vanished. The Assistant Train Conductor looked back at Toby. "If necessary, I can reenact it again."

Toby's eyes were blank. He finally understood why the other man had no idea what a detective was.

As it turned out, the wizarding world had absolutely no use for detectives.

They could literally replay the crime scene like a movie; why the hell would they need a detective?!

"Sir?"

Snapping out of it, Toby forced a confident smile. "I've made some findings. Please give me a moment."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and signaled Lyon with his eyes. The three hurried out of the room and jogged back to Room 7 of Carriage 3.

Setting Misha on the floor, Toby's facial muscles twitched. "Damn it!"

"I forgot this is Hogwarts!"

Unlike his exasperated companion, Lyon sat cheerfully on a wooden chair by the window. "It's not surprising."

"You were the one who said not to view the magic world through the lens of real-world experience and knowledge."

Noticing that he didn't seem worried at all about the evidence against Klaisi and Wino being solidified, Toby asked in confusion:

"The magic the Assistant Train Conductor just performed basically confirmed they are the killers."

"Our exam is as good as failed. How can you..."

"Do you really believe that reconstruction of the scene?"

"How could I!"

"I don't know Wino well, but I've known Klaisi for a few days. He can't possibly know magic, let alone own a wand."

"This is a frame-up, a slander by the real killer."

"Exactly." Lyon nodded. "The Assistant Train Conductor rushed in and arrested them shortly after they entered the room."

"Which means..."

Misha, who had pulled a toy water gun from her suitcase to play with, blinked and said, "The Assistant Train Conductor was nearby at the time."

"He's so powerful; he definitely wouldn't let a bad person get away."

Toby, who had regained his senses after being shocked by the earlier sight, realized: "We know Wino and the other aren't the killers, but someone else is."

"But the Assistant Train Conductor is certain they are..."

"The only one with both the ability and the opportunity to frame Klaisi is him."

The true culprit surfaced easily.

However, the key point of this test wasn't to be like a brilliant detective finding overlooked tiny clues, synthesizing them into rigorous reasoning, and then handing it over to the police.

Frowning, Toby sat on the wooden chair opposite Lyon. "I suspect that the train attendants, as colleagues of the Assistant Train Conductor,"

"most likely won't trust the explanations of strange passengers."

"We have to deal with him ourselves, and maybe even the rest of the crew."

Speaking of this, Lyon also scratched his head. "You saw his skills. I think..."

"Even though I've never handled firearms, I don't think that pistol of yours can take him down."

"And we don't know magic. If we move without solid evidence, even if we manage to take down the Assistant Train Conductor as if blessed by Lady Luck,"

"how would we deal with the angry attendants seeking revenge for their superior afterward?"

"Did you bring enough bullets?"

Recalling his first meeting with Dumbledore, Toby shook his head. "Better not get your hopes up."

"Hogwarts isn't as isolated as you imagine. They are extremely well-informed about modern developments."

"Firearms were called 'interesting little toys of the new century' by Mr. Dumbledore."

"Then we..."

*Knock knock—* Someone was at the door.

The two men's expressions turned solemn. They wondered if the Assistant Train Conductor had realized they'd discovered something and had come to silence them.

Despite knowing firearms were unlikely to work, as his only current self-defense weapon, Toby still lifted his hem and pulled out his gun.

Lyon also pulled out the nunchucks tucked into his back—which were clearly useless—and mouthed, "I'll do the talking."

Toby, holding the gun with both hands, nodded in response and waved for Misha to hide in the bathroom.

She sensibly slipped into the bathroom without a sound and, without hesitation, turned on the tap to fill her water gun with 'bullets.'

Seeing everything was ready, Lyon hid his right hand holding the nunchucks behind his back and walked toward the door.

"Who is it?"

"Hoo hoo—"

"?"

The familiar hooting caused Lyon and Toby's tense nerves to relax, and they opened the door with surprise in their eyes.

Three Owls flew into the room, each dropping a cylindrical package wrapped in gray cloth before flapping their wings and leaving.

After a moment of daze, Lyon closed the door, and he, Misha, and Toby each picked up the mail that had landed on the floor with their names on it.

They hadn't opened them yet, but the two men already had a guess.

Their eyes couldn't help but light up as they quickly untied the hemp ropes and stripped away the gray cloth.

Wooden sticks carved with intricate and precise patterns appeared before their eyes.