Chapter 31

Episode 31

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is something wrong? Or is there something on my face?”

“Uh…”

Nielsen was speechless, completely flustered.

It was understandable.

He had just attempted to control three members of the Inspection Unit with his demonic energy. And they had all resisted.

If we had been Inquisitors or Paladins, the castle would be in chaos.

But I remained calm, feigning ignorance.

It was unwise to reveal our knowledge without concrete evidence.

And I hadn’t decided how to handle this situation.

When Oracle had first requested our assistance, I had assumed it was a ploy by Lord Hylix. I had believed that a by-the-book investigation would be the safest course of action.

But now, after sensing the demonic energy and unlocking a new skill, I was having second thoughts.

Was a conventional approach truly the right choice? Especially now that we knew the true nature of the threat?

An idea struck me.

‘I could use this situation to gain Lord Hylix’s trust and perhaps even sow discord among his ranks.’

Head Steward Nielsen was clearly under the influence of demonic energy. It was highly likely that he had made a pact with a demon. His attempt to control us was proof of that.

If his plans were thwarted, he might reveal his true nature.

What if we eliminated him then?

There would be undeniable evidence.

The mysterious incidents at House Cliff would be attributed to demonic influence. Viscount Hamilton would be cleared of any suspicion of practicing dark magic, earning sympathy from his peers. And Lord Hylix would recognize our value.

These were advantages that a conventional approach couldn’t offer.

We had to resolve this before the Church intervened.

“Are you feeling unwell as well, Head Steward? I can have my adjutant examine you if you’d like.”

“No, sir. I’m fine. I apologize for my earlier outburst. I was worried about my family, and I might have said some disrespectful things about them. I’m truly sorry.”

He was quick on his feet. But ‘Mind’s Eye’ saw through his lies.

“You’re worried about your family? Your loyalty is admirable. Twenty years of service is commendable. I noticed the Viscount holds you in high regard.”

“You’re too kind, Inspector. But if I may, I’d like to continue my explanation of the territory.”

“Before we do that, I’d like to ask about the unsettling aura I felt earlier. Selendis, you’re a powerful knight. Didn’t you sense anything?”

“I did, Master.”

Selendis placed her hand on her sword hilt, ready to draw. Nielsen gulped.

“Selendis is an aura user. A powerful knight. If she sensed something, it means there’s something here. What do you think, Nielsen?”

“Well… perhaps it’s because the castle is built on cursed land. Many people have died here.”

He was trying so hard.

I was tired of seeing ‘Mind’s Eye’ flash ‘lie’, so I decided to give him a hint.

“Perhaps a demonic beast has infiltrated the castle. Maybe it’s hiding in the basement or a secret passage. I felt an unsettling presence as soon as we entered the castle. Perhaps that’s why you felt faint earlier? What do you think, Selendis?”

“It’s not uncommon for monsters to become demonic beasts. It’s more likely to happen in a place like Cliff, with its harsh environment.”

“She agrees.”

“Ah, thank you for your insight. I’ll have the soldiers search the inner castle.”

“You should also search the outer castle. Even small demonic beasts can be dangerous.”

Selendis was remarkably patient. If she had followed her instincts, she would have already eliminated him.

“Thank you for the advice. May I continue my explanation?”

“Go ahead.”

His explanation was uneventful. It was just a lament about the territory’s current state and its bleak future.

His true goal was to control us with his demonic energy.

He was likely panicking now that his plan had failed.

He was probably grateful that I had changed the subject.

“That’s all for today. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“I’ll prepare your accommodations. Please, wait a moment—”

“No. We won’t be staying here. We have accommodations elsewhere. Don’t worry about us.”

“But—”

“Do you have the investigation records for the incidents involving the servants?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll retrieve them immediately.”

Nielsen excused himself. Jericho retrieved a vial of medicine from his bag. It was a tonic to alleviate the Viscount’s symptoms.

We exchanged the medicine for the investigation records.

“This is quite a lot. I thought there were only three or four victims.”

“Unfortunately, the number has increased recently.”

“What did you do with the bodies?”

“We returned them to their families. The unclaimed bodies were cremated.”

In other words, they had destroyed the evidence.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Preserving bodies was a difficult task, unless you had a skilled mage.

“I see. We’ll be going now. Don’t forget to give the Viscount his medicine.”

“As you command, sir.”

Nielsen looked disappointed, as if his plans had been thwarted. If I hadn’t known about his demonic connection, I would have believed his sincerity.

As we left the drawing-room, I casually dropped a bombshell.

“Oh, by the way, I heard rumors about House Cliff purchasing ebony wood. Is the Viscount a skilled craftsman?”

I had hit a nerve.

He must have been wondering why we hadn’t asked about the ebony wood.

“…The Viscount enjoys making wooden crafts. He’s been collecting ebony wood. It’s his only hobby, even though we can barely afford it.”

“I didn’t see any of his crafts. Are they displayed elsewhere? I’d like to see them tomorrow.”

I had given him an impossible task, then left the castle.

We returned to our inn in town without any further detours.

The demonic aura vanished as soon as we left the castle. I couldn’t sense it at all in our room. I didn’t know if it was due to my limited abilities or if Nielsen had somehow concealed it.

“Whew, what a day. I thought it was dark magic, but it turned out to be demonic energy. This is so absurd it would be criticized for its lack of plausibility if it were a novel.”

“Jericho, can you still sense the demonic energy?”

“No, Master. It’s completely gone. It’s strange. It vanished as soon as we left the outer castle. It’s difficult to manipulate demonic energy with such precision.”

“He’s hiding something. He was practically oozing demonic energy earlier.”

“I’m glad we weren’t affected.”

I had many questions. Jericho seemed to know what kind of magic Nielsen had used. He had used the term ‘influence’.

“Let’s review the investigation records. We have some time before dinner.”

“Good idea. Should we split them up?”

“No. It’s better to review them all, even if it takes longer. I’ll read them first. You two can rest.”

“Yes! That’s what I’ve been waiting for. Lady Selendis, would you like a beer? It’s boring to just sit here.”

“I’m fine.”

Jericho, rejected, went downstairs to fetch some snacks. I began reading the records.

They were well-organized and detailed.

There were two possible explanations for this level of meticulousness: either it was a large and well-structured organization, or it was a small organization with a lot to hide.

Standardizing the format was a way to emphasize the objectivity of the investigation and to downplay any personal biases.

In the case of House Cliff, it was likely the latter.

The first victim was a 17-year-old female servant named Laura Mecklen. She was a local.

‘She had been employed for four years. She started working at a young age. The cause of death is…’

There was a simple sketch. It showed a stab wound in the center of the woman’s chest.

‘She stabbed herself in the chest?’

Something didn’t feel right.

It was highly unlikely that a 17-year-old servant would stab herself in the chest, let alone inflict a fatal wound.

And she was probably petite.

I had noticed that the people in this town were generally small. They were stunted from years of malnutrition.

‘It’s more common to slit your wrists or your throat. But she stabbed herself in the center of her chest?’

The investigator’s handwritten notes below the sketch attributed her death to a combination of poverty and unpaid wages, suggesting that she had taken her own life.

But I, having consumed countless media depicting demon worship rituals in my previous life, knew how sacrifices were often killed.

Anyone who had played Blizzard games would recognize this. Stabbing someone in the chest or the stomach was a common practice.

I finished reading the record and handed it to Selendis.

“If a 17-year-old girl decided to take her own life, what would be the easiest method?”

“Jumping into a river or off a tower. Nobles might use poison, but servants wouldn’t have access to it.”

“Read this.”

Selendis focused on the document. Her brow furrowed occasionally, suggesting that she also found it suspicious.

“The investigation seems thorough, but the cause of death is questionable.”

Jericho returned with beer and snacks. Selendis continued.

“The sketch shows a stab wound in the center of her chest. If she stabbed herself, it wouldn’t be this clean. It’s difficult to inflict such a precise wound without training.”

“You think someone held her down and stabbed her?”

“Yes, Master.”

Jericho, sipping his beer, also reviewed the record. We had heard the knight’s perspective now it was the doctor’s turn.

“She ended her suffering by taking her own life… That’s a creative interpretation. Hesitation marks exist for a reason. Even a dagger has some weight. To plunge it into your chest with such precision? As the Inspector said, someone must have held her down.”

We were in agreement.

We suspected foul play and reviewed the remaining records. The more we read, the more suspicious it became.

“The problem is, we can’t examine the bodies. They’ve all been disposed of. These records are just reference materials.”

“This beer is good! Ah, sorry. What are you planning to do, Master?”

I picked up the first victim’s record again.

“This case bothers me. From a necromancy or demonology perspective, what kind of environment would be necessary to stab this victim in the chest?”

“Hmm… An altar? With a pentagram or a hexagram drawn in blood. And candles.”

“I agree. We need to find it. We’ll be busy tomorrow. We’ll have to search every nook and cranny.”

“We won’t be the only ones busy. Nielsen will be busy carving ebony wood. Or perhaps he’ll just paint it black. Hehehe.”

I chuckled, imagining the scene.