Monster Volume 12 : The Rose Mansion Chapter the Ninety-Sixth A Long Vacation - Page 9 - People: He's on vacation?! Can you believe it?! That workaholic! Chapter 96 : A Long Vacation People: It's his first extended break since he began working here! Oh well... it's not like he was particularly busy lately. Even as a BKA elite, he overdid himself... just doesn't know his own limits... And his wife and daughter left him because of it... ...so where's the Inspector taking his break? - Page 10 - People: I think he said Prague, in the Czech Republic... Does he even know how to relax...? - Page 11 - Chapter 96 : A Long Vacation - Page 12 - Waiter: Your order? Lunge: Coffee. No, I'm on vacation... Make it a beer... - Page 13 - Lunge: What pilsner is this? Waiter: The local Prazdroj! Lunge: (tap) - Page 14 - [Prague Station] Nepela: Do you think that society is going to accept an investigation report like this?! You haven't even found Agent Suk...! Just try releasing this half-baked report with the secret police connections to the media! They'll swarm all over it!! Agent: H... however, sir, all the people related to the incident are dead... Nepela: Prague Station and the Czech police force are not going to be a laughingstock by blaming everything on dead men! Agent: Y... yes, sir. Nepela: Now continue with your investigation!! - Page 15 - Nepela: And find Suk, wherever he is!! Immediately!! Agents: Yes, sir!! Oof!! Oh, pardon me. Erm... there's a man here who would like to see you... Nepela: I don't see anyone without an appointment! Besides, I have no time for that! Agent: But he... Ah...!! Nepela: Oh... I know you... - Page 16 - Nepela: What a surprise, Agent Lunge! I haven't seen you since the Interpol gathering in Bonn. The lecture you gave at the subject seminars there... was truly fascinating! Lunge: Sorry for intruding with no notice, during such a busy time. Nepela: Don't worry... you're here on a vacation... I'm rather jealous. I couldn't get a vacation if I wanted one, right now... Lunge: You must be rather overworked, CHIEF Nepela! Nepela: Yes... I quite wish I could ask you for some advice in this situation. This situation has become very chaotic recently... - Page 17 - Nepela: With the ties between Prague Station and the former Czechoslovakian secret police... And it began when one Inspector Zeman of ours was found dead with two other secret police... Lunge: (tap tap) Nepela: Inspector Zeman was looking into the death of a man who was running an unlicensed orphanage... Later we discovered that both Zeman AND the orphanage man had links to the secret police! Lunge: Do you have any suspects? Nepela: The first witness, a man named Grimmer, is our prime suspect, I believe, but the children at the orphanage said they saw another person leaving the scene when he arrived! Lunge: Another person? Nepela: A blond woman... Lunge: (tap tap) - Page 18 - Nepela: But it didn't end with that... it just spread... The police chief here and two veteran agents were killed with poisoned candy. They also had connections to the Czechoslovakian secret police... Lunge: Any suspects in the poisonings...?! Nepela: We have a young detective named Suk... Who worked under Zeman's division... He exposed the links between the two poisoned agents and the secret police... and was reporting to the chief directly before the poisonings occurred... Lunge: Any proof? Nepela: There was no evidence. But two agents from a special team assigned to watch Suk... were found shot to death in Suk's apartment! Lunge: I see... ...and where is Agent Suk now? (tap tap) - Page 19 - Nepela: His current whereabouts are unknown! Lunge: So the evidence would point to Suk... but he doesn't have an acceptable motive...? Nepela: Er... yes. Lunge: And it doesn't seem that he would commit any crimes like that...? Nepela: Y... yes, but why are you... Lunge: I know of a case that sounds very similar... (tap tap) (tap tap) Nepela: I see! Even on vacation, your hand is still busy! Objective data input... correct?! You mentioned that during your lecture! Using that data, you can then investigate in complete subjectivity! In other words, you become the criminal... correct?! - Page 20 - Nepela: If you were Suk, where do you think you would be...?! Lunge: I'm sorry, but... unfortunately, I'm on vacation now. Nepela: Oh... no, my apologies! How are you enjoying Prague...? Lunge: I'm going through all the secondhand bookstores. Nepela: Secondhand bookstores... are you looking for something...? Lunge: I've walked to thirteen of them so far. And I finally found a copy. I've actually come here today to ask if you would help translate this Czech into German... Nepela: Ohh... a storybook? That is a surprising hobby for you to have... - Page 21 - Nepela: If you leave this here, I can have one of my men do it by tomorrow! Is it for your children... no, grandchildren? Lunge: Yes... I suppose you could say that... Friends: Suk is completely innocent!! As his closest friends, we swear that he is not guilty of those charges!! The police grilled us over and over, but we know he never did anything illegal in the least! If you're with the authorities, then you must save him!! We'll help you all that we can if you do!! - Page 22 - Lunge: Unfortunately, I'm on vacation. I wouldn't be of much use anyways... Friends: Sigh. Lunge: Any other people he confides in? Friends: He was just about to get a girlfriend. He had just gotten her name... what was it...? Anna... Ah... yeah, Anna Liebert!! Real pretty girl, blond hair. He was happy because they seemed to be hitting it off... Lunge: (tap tap) Lunge: Anna... Liebert... After the killing of an East German diplomat ten years ago... She and her twin were left alive... - Page 23 - [Moravia Publishing Co.] Man: I don't think there's anything left! Yes, Emil Scherbe's "The Nameless Monster" was one of our products... But we had a different company president in the old regime. Box: (fwump) Lunge: Is Emil Scherbe a pen name? Man: Hmmm... I'd guess so. He had other pen names, too... Like, something... Bonaparta. And... Jakub Farobek... Klaus Poppe... Lunge: Klaus Poppe was in this box here. Man: Oh, well spotted! - Page 24 - Lunge: May I open it?! Man: Feel free! No doubt it's just some old sketchbooks. Lunge: (pat)(pat) - Page 25 - Lunge: Pregnancy... Then... Babies are born... - Page 26 - Lunge: A girl... The same face... - Page 27 - Lunge: Twins... I see, so you have it translated? My thanks, Chief Nepela... Oh... and might I ask, because I was particularly interested in this, if you could read just what was on the last page? Nepela: Yes... "Even though he had finally found a name, there was no one around to call him by it." "Johan was such a wonderful name, too." It's a peculiar book. Lunge: Johan... - Page 28 - Nepela: Inspector Lunge, would you like to have dinner with me? Lunge: (tap tap tap) Nepela: How long is your vacation going to last...? Lunge: Excuse me... Waitress: Yes? Lunge: Make my beer a coffee instead! I think it will be a very long one. - Chapter 96 Owari -