Chapter 5 - Oslo

Actually, Solveig didn’t really want to go alone but Halstein convinced her that it’ll be more effective if she went alone. Solveig agreed, but still she still wondered  what did Halstein planned to do. Solveig only knew that she has to meet Ivarr again and invite him to go to a certain place togother.

            Ivarr amundsen’s three story house looked like a beautiful mansion that came out of a painting. The exterior was painted wood-like cream. The roof-tile are grey colored and covered with a layer of snow.

            She walked on a stair that led to the front door and ring the bell. After a while the door are opened. Ivarr Amundsen appeared in front of her, he wore a long sleeve white t-shirt and jeans. His gaze was hollow as usual.

            “Good morning,” Solveig greeted him with a wide smileon her face, hoping that Ivarr would infected by her cheerful mood even though she knew it was almost impossible. She never saw Ivarr smiled even for once except the one in the picture at his living room.

            Ivarr greeted her with a low nod. “The troll doll production has started,” he said.

            “No, I mean I didn’t come here for the troll,” Solveig nervously replied. “I want to ask you for a favor. I wanted to visit Nasjonalmuseet to see ‘The Scream’ painting but Harr Halstein has another appointment so he couldn’t accompany me. So if there are no problem would you be willing to accompany me to go there? I don’t have any acquintance in here,” Solveig said, hoping he’d agree. “Besides I’m afraid that I’d get lost. The gallery are in Oslo, and I didn’t have any confidence to go there alone.”

            Solveig knew that most of men can’t resist a women request, and Ivarr was the same. Altough he hesistated at first but after staring at Solveig for a while, He slightly nodded and letting her came in. “I need to change my clothes first,” Ivarr said.

            Solveig waited at the living room meanwhile Ivarr went to his room to change his clothes. Solveig looked around, there are a lot of detail that she didn’t notice yesterday. There a lot of souvenir from the neighbor country. A lot of plates with Helsinki city symbol on it, wall decorations from Switzerland, and cups from Venesia. Solveig stared at the pictures of Nikolai displayed in the living room, and one of the picture displayed there is a picture of pair of man and woman that must be their parent.

            She stared at the picture ot that couple. If she remembered correctly, they died 10 years ago. Both of them died in a traffic accident and came to the underworld then met Hades together. Soveig remembered it clearly.

            “Let’s go,” Ivarr said. He came out of his room wearing a white and blue pinstripe shirt, a fancy looking black coat and jeans. He looked more charming than before.

            The trip to Oslo was a silent one. Even though Solveig and Ivarr sat next to each other they only talk once in a while and even the things they talk is only about the weather and other unimportant things[1]. Ivarr often leaned his chin in his hands and stared at the scenery. His eyes colored always changed from blue deep to purple based on the intensity of the light.

            “Mmmh,” Solveig mumbled after fifteen minutes. She felt uncomfortable. Even Hades never fell silent for such a long time.

            Ivarr stopped leaning his chin and looked toward Solveig, with an  expression it was as if he just had remembered there are a persom sitting next to him.

            “I didn’t bother your schedule right,” Solveig asked.

            Ivarr shook his head. “No. Everyday I only read book in my house. My employee do most of the work so I have a lot of free time.”

            “You’re quite amazing, to already have a company even tough still young.”

            “It’s an inheritance from my parent, I only continuing it.”

            Ivarr leaned his chin on his hand again and looked at the scenery outside. He stared at the snow falling from the sky. This time Solveig decided not to disturb him.

            They arrived at 3 P.M and straightly entered Nasjonalmuseet. Ivarr and Solveig visited a lot of rooms before they went to the room ‘The Scream’ was displayed. The Scream was painted after Solveig’s death[2]. Solveig has searched about ‘The Scream’ yesterday on her free time. Solveig still haven’t accustomed to use the internet. Halstein was the same.

            Solveig has asked Halstein why did she has to invite Ivarr to watch ‘The Scream’ together. And what was the connection of that painting with Ivarr Amundsen? But once again Halstein only told her to do what he ordered and she’ll knowit later on.

            Solveig stared at ‘The Scream’ painting and felt that it was a bit anticlimatic. She had looked at the picture of ‘The Scream’, the person who was painted and inspired the film of ‘Scream’ in the internet and it wasn’t scary at all. It was a bit weirdand funny instead.

            “It’s a bit dissapointing right?” Ivarr asked.

            Solveig looked at him. That young man was staring at the painting expressionlessly.

            “Previously I has the same thought with you,” Ivarr said. “But then Nikolai said what’s scary about ‘The Scream’ wasn’t the main charachter painted, it was the background.”

            Solveig stared at the painting again. The background was reddish orange, just like the sky at dusk. It felt gloomy, she didn’t notice it before.

            “We often came here. Me and Nikolai,” Ivarr mumbled. “And everytime he came here, he always said thatthe background was the most important part. The despair and sorrow the painter felt was emitted clearly from the background.”

            Solveig hesistatingly asked. “What kind of person your younger brother was?”

            Ivarr mused about it for a while. “He rarely talk but often singing,” He replied.

            “His voice is beautiful,” Ivarr added.

            Solveig couldn’t help herself to not to felt a bit dejected. There are a lot of good things that can be cherished from a younger brother, but the only things Ivarr said was that he had a beautiful voices.

            But then when Solveig stared at Ivarr once again,forthe first time ever she saw a bit of emotion on him. Ivarr looked...

            ...Sad?

            But then that emotion was gone as fast as how it appeared.

            Then they visited and stared at the other painting. Apparently Nasjonalmuseet displayed a painting from other country too. When she saw he painting called ‘Pluto’, Hades other name. She mumbled, “Oh. This painting isn’t as handsome as the real one.”

            After a while then she realized that what she said was weird for Ivarr. Ivarr looked at her. There are nothing chaged with his expressionless face, he asked, “The real one?”

            “Ah... I mean it wasn’t as handsome as what I imagine when I read a book of greek’s myth.” Solveig replied. After that Ivar didn’t said anything about it anymore.

            They went back to Trondheim one hour later. On the way back Ivarr was silent as ever while staring at the scenery with his chin leaned on his hand.

            “Thanks for accompanying me,” Lyre said in attempt to break the ice.

            Ivarr only stared at her and said, “You’re welcome.”

            Solveig frowned. She hoped that it’ll be the first as well as the last time Halstein told her to go sightseeing with this man. Solveig didn’t know wheter she had the patience to spend her time with Ivarr Amundsen.

***

When Solveig entered the hotel room, she saw Halstein walked back and forth in the room with a newspaper on his hands.

“What happened, Master?” Solveig asked. It was a rare sight for her to saw Halstein thinking about something this hard.

“There are a new murder case.”

Solveig startled. “What?”

“The victim was found behind a mini market. His liver was gone.”

“We acted too slow,” Solveig said. “Master must do something as fast as possible.”

“I know,” Halstein gritted his teeth. “But this is human world, Solveig. The killer must be killed in a realistic way.”

“Then what will happen if there are another victim?”

“We’re gonna be moving fast,” Halstein said, he didn’t answer Solveig’s question. “Tomorrow go and meet Amundsen again.”

“If only master would tell me his plan...”

“It’s not the right time,” Halstein firmly said. Hearing that Solveig fell silent and didn’t aske even though she was worried about it.

In the meantime Halstein still walked back and forth. He stared at Solveig once in a while. There’s a lot of thing he think of on his brain.

No, Solveig musn’t know about it for now, that was what Halstein tought of. That girl was too kind hearted. She wouldn’t help him again if she knew about it. 

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[1] WTF Author??? What did they rode??? I’ll be assuming they rode a train to Oslo

[2] By Solveig’s death I assume the author mean lyre’s death

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