THE MYSTERY OF VAMPIRE PENDANTS

(Reincarnation, what is it?)

A handsome man is walking in a lavender savanna. He doesn't remember the last time he died.

(I did die. But I died to save my beloved.)

Stretching his arms, he tries to enjoy the warmth of the weather, closing his eyes. Those eyes are wide open when a man, who had become an inspector in the police force, realizes that he has an important task that day.

(It took me 20 years not to shoot someone...)

The handsome man then makes his way to the bathroom.

He turns on the shower and starts revealing the muscles he has formed through his training over the years.

(Becoming a police inspector has been my childhood dream.)

The sound of rushing water washes away every psychological burden he carries. His mind keeps thinking that today he might crack a case involving important people.

His eyes scan the wall, and he exhales with hope. Droplets of water dampen his brownish-copper hair. His white skin was as smooth as porcelain.

"Hhhhhhh......"

He closes his eyes and runs his wet hair through his body, hoping the water will provide answers for him.

(I'm not a religious person. I don't believe in reincarnation because I always use my logic to find answers.)

The man takes his towel and wraps it around his lower body. He takes a hairdryer and dries his wet hair.

(I don't know why I always have recurring patterns in my dreams.)

The sound of the hairdryer breaks the morning silence. After putting on his uniform, he walks towards the parking lot.

"Good morning, Mr. Damien. I hope you have a great day." greets one of his neighbors.

"Ah, good morning, ma'am. I wish you a pleasant morning too."

(I am not married. And I don't know how to spoil a wife. But today, I'm sure I'll solve that big case.)

He arrives at the office on time. Reporters are crowding in front of the office lobby.

"Excuse me, sir. Can we know the progress of the case you are currently handling?" asks reporter A.

"So far, I'm still investigating. Just wait for the results," says the man kindly.

He enters his investigation office and closes the door quietly. Another man realizes that the person he was waiting for is now behind him, "You've come, I see? Read this," he says, handing over the latest news report.

The newly arrived man then reaches for the morning newspaper shown by the plump man. His eyes search for more accurate information. Moving along with the news flow, which has become his hope in handling the major case he is dealing with.

"I heard there was a thief who broke into the grand Diagon Alley museum. And you know the same report was found at the Diagon Alley Cemetery too," says the chubby man, now standing up.

"And you're giving this as my 'morning coffee,' Grissham?" says the man named Lucius.

"Ah, maybe your coffee dosage is low, so you think I'm a cruel boss. But this time, I want you to dive into those two points."

Lucius is startled by his boss's sarcastic joke. Yes, a Grissham is not the partner he wants, as their behaviors are opposites. He tends to be calm and careful when seeking information.

"What's the matter?" asks Grissham Bell. Lucius just shakes his head softly. He can hardly believe that he was served the 'morning coffee' by Mr. Bell, who is a senior commander.

"Don't forget, you're my subordinate here. Orders are still orders, Mr. Damien," Grissham says without hesitation.

Lucius looks cornered by his boss's arrogant attitude, but he still tries to work professionally. "So, do you want me to start from the museum or the cemetery?"

"Do you believe in the Transylvanian myths, Mr. Damien?"

Lucius raises his eyebrows. He then asks his boss, "What do you mean? Is this another 'morning joke'?"

"Mr. Damien, we have a big case. The Mayor has repeatedly contacted me to ensure that the item he will auction remains in the museum." Grissham Bell cuts in firmly.

"Yes, Mr. Bell, I understand, but what does it have to do with Diagon Alley Cemetery? Is there a murder case involving a financial motive there? Because I won't believe any myths unless there's strong evidence that the perpetrator has special abilities to deceive us, unless... he's a crazy, mentally ill person."

"Oh... it seems I need to find someone more competent if you can't solve these two cases, Mr. Damien!" says Mr. Grissham Bell while sighing softly. He looks at the Diagon Alley media crew with hopeful eyes.

Lucius tries to carefully read the morning news again. He finds something interesting when the news discusses the theft of a pendant.

(Vampire Pendant?)

-Morning News-

"The Mayor said that an artifact went missing from the museum, which was scheduled to be auctioned last night. The motive of the thief is yet unknown, but the police will continue investigating the pendant's theft.

That's all the news we can report."

(I'm thinking hard about how to solve everything quickly.)

"So... what's the sequence of events, Mr. Bell?" Lucius asks.

Mr. Bell looks at him with hope, "I'm sure you know what I expect from this case. Especially since our client is the Mayor himself. I can't afford to waste my time for our golden opportunity to catch the perpetrator."

(I gaze at my arrogant boss. I know he's not genuinely interested in opportunities.)

"I need an investigation team then," Lucius offers spontaneously. Mr. Bell is surprised by Lucien's boldness in negotiating.

"How many people do you need, Mr. Damien?"

"Not many, Mr. Bell. I just want you to be a little patient because investigating this case and gathering information will take time and a lengthy process," Lucius says curtly.

"Will three people be enough?" asks Mr. Bell. Lucius thinks it's better because he doesn't like working with many staff except those he trusts.

"I think that will be more than enough, Mr. Bell. So, should I start from the cemetery? Are there any witnesses?"

Mr. Bell wants to say that the first perpetrator has already been caught. "I wanted to invite you, Mr. Damien."

"Of course, to meet someone is very important. Come with me!" invited Mr. Bell.

Lucius looked at Mr. Bell in surprise. "Who do you mean?"

Mr. Bell smiled and replied, "A witness who might be able to help you in investigating this case. Her name is Mrs. Agnes from the Rupert family. Yes, she's an elderly lady living near the cemetery. She witnessed something on the night of the incident that might be helpful to you."

Lucius nodded and followed Mr. Bell out of the room. They went to Mr. Bell's car and headed to Mrs. Agnes' house, belonging to the esteemed Rupert family.

Mrs. Rupert was watering her beloved orchids, which her daughter-in-law had given her a few times before the ancient tomb incident occurred. The sound of the doorbell rang, and one of her grandchildren opened the door.

Lucius was taken aback by the sight of a 5-year-old child. Politely, Lucius asked the child, "Is this Mrs. Agnes from the Rupert family's place?"

The little child looked at both of them with innocent eyes and said, "Yes, who are you, Uncle? And why are you looking for my grandmother?" The child's tone was quite understandable to Lucius.

He glanced at his boss and sought permission from the child to meet his grandmother. "May I meet your grandmother? I want to check on her."

The child understood that the two people in front of him were kind, "Come in, Uncle. Nana, someone wants to meet you," he called.

Mrs. Agnes, who was busy watering her beloved orchids, realized that the day she called the police was finally answered.

"Nana..." the child called louder. Mrs. Rupert then placed the water hose she used to water her orchids and warmly welcomed her beloved grandchild.

"Stephanie, my dear, Nana heard-" Mrs. Agnes was surprised and agape when she saw the arrival of two people dressed in official police attire. Lucius and Mr. Bell looked at each other and greeted Mrs. Rupert politely, "Hello, Mrs. Rupert. We are from the Investigation Team and we came here to know your testimony. Can we talk for a moment?"

"Both of you..."

"We are from the Diagon Alley Police, Mrs. Rupert," said Mr. Bell, showing his official identification as the Head of the Unit.

"And this is my subordinate, Lucius Damien." Mr. Bell introduced Lucius to Mrs. Rupert.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bell and Mr. Damien." The woman nodded her head and gave the police officers a chance to sit. "Please, have a seat. Do you both like tea? Coffee? Or a cup of rosella tea?"

"Ah, we won't take long, Mrs. Rupert. We came here to ask you about the report that was filed in your name to our Emergency Channel some time ago," Lucius said politely.

"Ah, I remember that the host must entertain their guests warmly and with a hot treat, so let me make a warm rosella tea for my honorable guests," Mrs. Rupert said.

"Ah, you are too kind to us, Mrs. Don't hesitate," said Lucius.

"That's not a problem, Sir. Alright, the tea is ready." Mrs. Rupert placed a tray with two aromatic rosella teas.

"Please, have some, gentlemen." Mr. Bell and Lucius felt uneasy to jump straight into the subject, so they took a moment to calm their minds from the ancient tomb case. After sipping a bit of Mrs. Rupert's tea, Mr. Bell started the conversation with a light interrogation question.

"So, can Mrs. Rupert tell us what you saw yesterday?" Mr. Bell asked softly.

Mrs. Rupert tried to recall what happened then and began her testimony, "I was strolling around the ancient tomb in that area yesterday afternoon. I saw two men talking near the unused tomb. I didn't feel suspicious at the time. However, when I wanted to leave, they went in the same direction as me. I walked faster to get away from them, but they kept following me until outside the cemetery entrance," Mrs. Rupert recounted with a worried expression.

"Did they try to do something to you, ma'am?" Mr. Bell asked.

"No, but I'm sure they had malicious intentions. They looked very suspicious and seemed to be planning something," Mrs. Rupert replied.

"Where were you when another witness saw what happened afterward?" Mr. Bell asked again.

"What incident?" Mrs. Rupert asked with a confused expression. Lucius and Mr. Bell exchanged glances.

"We also received a report that there was a lifeless body with two puncture wounds on the neck," Lucius explained while showing forensic investigation evidence photos.

Mrs. Rupert looked shocked and covered her mouth with her right hand. "This is horrifying, Sir. I haven't even seen the victim. It seems that the victim is not someone from our area," she said as she handed the forensic evidence photo to Lucius.

"That's what we wanted to ask you. Did you see anyone else who killed the suspect's accomplice after you entered the house?" Mr. Bell asked the elderly woman.

"No, Sir. Shortly after I saw those two, I decided not to linger near the ancient tomb area," the homeowner confirmed.

Lucius began to sense something catching his attention from what Mrs. Rupert said and tried to coax her to provide more detailed information. "What happened, Mrs. Rupert? Do you know anything about that ancient tomb?"

"Because... I've heard that the tomb is quite eerie. Besides..." Mrs. Rupert looked hesitant to continue her words.

Mrs. Agnes Rupert is an elderly woman with poor eyesight. However, despite that, she still remembers very well what happened on the night of the incident.

She recounted seeing two suspicious people around the cemetery on the night of the incident. One of them seemed to be digging a grave, while the other was standing guard.

Mrs. Rupert seemed hesitant for a moment before deciding to continue her story. "I'm not sure what happened, but at that time, I felt something was wrong. I saw both of them carrying some valuable items, and I felt they weren't ordinary tourists just visiting to sightsee."

Lucius noted down the information in his notebook and asked again, "Can you remember the appearance or characteristics of the two individuals, Mrs. Rupert?"

Mrs. Rupert thought for a moment before answering, "Both of them were dressed in black and wore masks. I couldn't see their faces clearly, but I remember one of them was quite tall and slim."

Mr. Bell, who was taking notes, then asked, "Does Mrs. Agnes Rupert have any information about the physical characteristics of these two individuals?" the police officer inquired again.

Mrs. Agnes Rupert nodded, "Yes, they looked like two young men, one with short hair and the other with long hair. Both were wearing black shirts and blue jeans."

"Thank you for the information, Mrs. We will immediately check the list of thefts that occurred in the vicinity and conduct further investigations," said Lucius.

Mrs. Agnes Rupert felt relieved for reporting the incident to the authorities. She hoped the police would soon apprehend the two thieves and prevent further crimes in the area. "Will everything be alright?" she asked.

"Of course, we will be the safety spear for those in need. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any important information about this case," said Lucius, handing her his business card.

After interrogating Mrs. Rupert and thanking her, Lucius and Mr. Bell left her house. Lucius Damien returned to his office and began to examine the existing records of the case, trying to figure out who seemed suspicious on the night of the incident. He felt that he already had enough clues to begin a deeper investigation.

Lucius started to think about who might be the culprits behind this case. He felt this information was very valuable and would help him find out who owned that pendant.

Oliver Brown was a notorious criminal in the city. He frequently committed crimes in Diagon Alley, causing distress to the merchants and residents. Mr. Bell, the local police chief, had ordered the police officers to apprehend Oliver and bring him to court for trial.

At that moment, Oliver was leaving Borgin's Shop, where he often committed crimes. However, this time, he felt something was different. He felt like someone was watching him, and suddenly, he saw his face displayed on a 'Most Wanted List' flyer posted near the shop.

Oliver felt shocked and scared. He immediately tried to escape from the place, but unfortunately, the police officers assigned to apprehend him surrounded him. They knew Oliver's movements and were ready to capture him.

Oliver attempted to run away, but the police officers managed to catch him. They restrained Oliver and took him to the local police station for interrogation. During the interrogation, Oliver tried hard to deny committing any crimes. However, the evidence against him was too strong, and eventually, Oliver admitted to all the crimes he had committed.

After confessing to all his crimes, Oliver was then put on trial and sentenced to several years in prison. Mr. Bell felt relieved for successfully capturing the criminal who had caused turmoil in Diagon Alley all this time.

(I am an atheist who does not believe in reincarnation. But why do I keep having these recurring patterns in my dreams?)

Lucius suddenly dreamt of a mysterious incident that occurred in the 14th century. The dream felt incredibly realistic, and Lucius felt as if he was right in the middle of the event. In his dream, Lucius witnessed the death of a mysterious woman that took place in an old castle. Lucius didn't know who the woman was or why she was killed.

The man with chestnut brown hair opened his eyes and felt slightly confused. He touched his bed and realized that he was supposed to be in a dream. However, what amazed him was how realistic the dream felt. He felt as if he was truly present in that place.

As his eyes opened, he found himself inside a gloomy old castle with a very high ceiling. He didn't recognize this place and felt very unfamiliar. Suddenly, he heard a rumbling sound and screams coming from upstairs. He ran towards the staircase that led upwards and saw a mysterious woman standing at the edge of the stairs near the castle tower.

The woman had long black hair, and pale skin, and was dressed all in black. She looked very anxious and appeared frightened. Lucius tried to call out to her, but the woman seemed not to hear him. Suddenly, Lucius felt a strange presence, and he saw a man emerging from the shadows.

The man wore the same attire as the woman, but he was taller and bigger. Lucius could sense an aura of evil from the man. Without saying a word, the man swung his sword and quickly stabbed the woman. Lucius felt a pang in his chest as he watched the woman fall to the floor, drenched in blood.

Hearing footsteps from upstairs, Lucius panicked and ran towards the staircase. However, when he reached the upper floor, he was once again shocked. He saw the shadow of the man calmly walking away, leaving the woman's body behind.

Lucius woke up from his sleep, breathing heavily. He felt scared and confused about what happened in that dream. Who was that woman? Why did she have to die like that? Lucius felt as if there was something important in that dream, and he felt he needed to find the answers.

After waking up from the dream, Lucius discussed his experience with a suspect being interrogated. The suspect provided some information related to Lucius's dream, including the death of the mysterious woman. The suspect then provided a flashback of the event, including the people involved and why the woman was killed. This information provided clues about what happened in the 14th century and why the woman's death was so significant.

After getting information from the suspect, Lucius began to conduct further research about the mysterious incident, including finding archaeological evidence and historical records related to the event.

Finally, Lucius managed to uncover the truth about the mysterious incident in the 14th century and why the woman was killed. This gave him a better understanding of the castle's history and helped solve the mystery that had been hidden for centuries.

Lucius continued to contemplate the strange dream he had last night when suddenly his mobile phone received a notification for a text message. He looked at the screen and saw that the call was from the police station. Lucius immediately answered the call and learned that he had an interrogation schedule with the suspect of the pendant theft in the ancient tomb.

[Subordinate:]

"Sir, today is your schedule for interrogating the suspect. Please get ready."

Lucius quickly prepared himself and headed to the police station. When he arrived there, he was greeted by a nervous and uncooperative suspect. Lucius conducted a rather intense interrogation, but the suspect still refused to provide any useful information.