I Favor the Villainess

"I didn't do anything."

With a blue bruise on his cheek, Yoel said so when he saw us.

This is the corner beneath the department in charge of policing the Empire.

In Japan in the twenty-first century, it's a place that hits a detention center.

Joel was admonished with a rope in his rear hand with both hands, and he was on the top of the Buddha in the barn.

"Why would a soldier bring you here when there's nothing there?"

Master Claire asked with a 70% worried, 30% doubtful look.

"I don't know either. I just think there's a woman who's been following me around for a long time, and she's been hooked up with me."

"Love?

"No. I didn't even know his name until I got caught. They're saying it unilaterally."

Yoel gave me a sincerely unpleasant look.

Is it true?

"I'm just going to ask you what's going on up there. Master Claire, please keep listening to me from Yoel."

"Yeah, I get it."

Put the two of you down, I went out to the ground part of the building once to ask the soldier in charge what was going on.

"Excuse me. I'd like to talk to you about Yoel-Santana."

I spoke to the soldiers at the reception desk.

"Are you a family member?

"No, but it's like a parent. He's my student in my country."

"Oh, I see"

The receptionist led me to another soldier in charge of Joel's case.

The soldier in charge was surprisingly female.

"What charges did he get caught on?

"It's an assault. He was violent with the good citizens of the Empire."

In the face of a soldier who speaks so, I see the colour of contempt.

"Let me check, are you a woman if you claim to have been harmed?

"What? Isn't that obvious"

No, maybe they usually do, because sometimes they don't.

"Do you have proof?

"Yep. There were a bunch of beaten bruises on the woman's body... and I'm sure it will leave a scratch"

You're remembering the tragedy of a woman who was victimized, and the soldier's face was distorted like it hurt.

"Apparently, the victim is more abusive. Is there any evidence that the killer is Yoel?

"That's what the victim himself does say. It was a bright time, and it's not a misplaced situation."

Soldiers say this, but in short, the only thing that seems to be evidence is the testimony of the victim's woman.

"Is it possible that the woman is lying?

"Why do I need to lie like that? It's Yoel who's hiding things. He doesn't say where or what he was doing the time he testified that a woman had been harmed."

Hmm.

"Is it possible for me to see that woman?

"I'm not kidding! She is so frightened right now... First of all, it's out of the question to let the victim see the killer's body!

"Really..."

I got in trouble.

In a world where science is underdeveloped and justice systems immature, testimony and sightings speak for themselves in criminal investigations.

Even if it's a good investigation from me living in the world of the twenty-first century, that's everything in this world.

Besides, it's possible that Yoel actually committed a crime.

I'm my own student, and I want to believe in Yoel, but that's why I can't be preconceived.

Assuming that Joel has sinned, I would like him to atone for it properly.

In any case, there is still nothing to prove.

The soldiers are more than it already takes for Joel to decide who did it, and I want to test him for the possibility that he's innocent.

Whatever...

"First of all, you must rendezvous with Master Claire."

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

They say the woman's name is Mr. Berta.

This is what happens when Master Claire sums up what she heard from Yoel.

The first time Joel met Berta, he said, was at a liquor store in the downtown area of the Empire.

Yoel was drinking alone, but Berta called out there.

Berta was definitely tangled up with Yoel, but Yoel ignored him because he wasn't interested.

Berta said about herself, she said she was a billboard girl at a certain tavern.

Did he hurt his pride, or Berta was so persistently involved, that Yoel paid for him to leave the tavern.

That was all there was to it.

The next thing I saw was today, the day of the incident.

Yoel had something to do and went downtown, where he reunited with Berta at a store.

But more than that, Joel doesn't try to talk hard for some reason.

He decides to be any silent about what store he went to, what he did, and all that.

This makes it impossible or impossible for the soldiers to suspect Yoel as the killer.

"When this happens, there's no denying that Yoel is the killer."

"Well, sure. But I'm a little hard to believe that Yoel is going to be violent."

"I don't want to believe you either. But I'm not going to blind you either."

That's for sure.

Just because you're a familiar person doesn't mean you can't see too much at a glance.

So, what do we do?

"Dear Claire. Do your utmost to suspect in the direction of basic belief."

"What is that contradictory policy?"

"Because I believe in the innocence of Yoel. So if a woman's been harmed, why don't you just leave her alone?"

"That's true, but...... you. Are you going to stick your neck in again?

"Shouldn't you?

"... hah... It's no use stopping that face."

"I'd rather get involved."

Sighing Claire has been very understanding of me lately.

"So, what are you going to do?

"Are you listening first? I want to know where and what Joel was doing at the time of the incident."

"Isn't that what the soldiers of the Empire do all the time?

"Of course I hear from the soldiers, but I want to make sure with my own eyes and ears."

"... You believe in Yoel. I'm surprised."

"Huh? You don't hate me about Yoel, do you?

If that's what it looked like, it's out of my mind.

"No, you're not. I was wondering what Ray would say, the kind of unconditional, feminine sidekick."

"Uh...... That is certainly the trend. I admit it. But that doesn't mean you're hostile to men, does it?

I'm a woman who likes women, so I really tend to think things over women.

But because I am aware of that bias, I actively guard myself against being neutral in these cases.

It's almost impossible to get rid of the prejudices in you, but I think you can be aware of and prepare for the prejudices.

"Men have the virtues of men, and I'm not going to deny that. I'm just saying that I'm not going to be the person I like in a romantic way, and I'm not going to be anything more or less."

"Right. I'm relieved."

"It's irrelevant that we're still tired of being married and still have discoveries!

"Then ask for an idiot. Don't be ridiculous. We'll move on. What are you going to do, split up and listen to me?

That's certainly true given the efficiency.

"No, let's hear it together"

"Why is that?

"Wouldn't you like to stay with me for a little while longer?"

……

"That cold gaze is also a reward in our industry, but it's a joke. Dorothea said oh, because I don't think I've ever been over there to be vigilant about the filine thing."

"Oh, I see"

He somehow joined anti-government activities in exotic lands.

Normally, he is sentenced to a maximum sentence without question.

I don't think Dorothea is the type to lie, but you can't be alarmed about anything.

Nevertheless, for now, the story has been put together.

"Well, we'll hear from you tomorrow."

"Yeah, it's an anomaly date,"

"No, you're not!?