Serial Murders in Stozanya City

Before proceeding with the story, I’ll briefly explain the Knights Order and Public Security Forces of Stozanya City.

The Knights Order directly under Marquis Miriam, the Mayor of Stozanya City, consists of 51 knights.

The knights usually work in key positions in areas such as military training and maintenance, urban security, administration, inspection, and research.

The commander of the Knights Order is the axe warrior Aiden (male), who holds the position of deputy commander of the army and oversees all military forces in Stozanya City.

Naturally, Marquis Miriam is the commander-in-chief of the army.

The Public Security Forces of Stozanya City maintain urban security and arrest criminals, playing a role similar to the police in modern Earth.

A total of 30 knights hold key positions in the Public Security Forces.

The head of the Public Security Forces is the knight Amanda (female, 34 years old), who is a prosecutor.

Amanda has short, red hair without bangs, sharp eyes, an imposing aura, a height of 178cm, C-cup breasts, tanned skin, and a firm, muscular body honed by swordsmanship.

Under the head of the Public Security Forces, there is the violent crimes team leader, Knight Douglas (male), with 16 knights under him,

The petty crimes team leader, Knight Lucian (male), with 5 knights under him,

And the financial crimes team leader, Knight Lia (female), with 5 knights under her,

And below them are the members of the Public Security Forces.

—

When Mana Power Chairman Jacque and his wife were found involved in a serial murder at their home, many people in Stozanya City were shocked.

The next day, at Marquis Miriam’s mansion, Marquis Miriam scolded the head of the Public Security Forces, Amanda, with an angry face.

“Hey! I put you in charge of the Public Security Forces, and what are you doing?! If Jacque dies, there will be problems with the Mana Engine production!”

Amanda silently apologized with a dark face.

“I’m sorry.”

Marquis Miriam slammed the desk with her fist.

Kwang!

“Is ‘I’m sorry’ all you can say?! Jacque is already the 65th victim! How could you not find the culprit’s outline while 65 people died?! Among them, 47 are from the Stozanya Businessmen’s League, including Jacque! Do you want the Stozanya Businessmen’s League to cut off all support?! Do you know how much the Stozanya Businessmen’s League is pushing me because of this?!”

The Stozanya Businessmen’s League is an abbreviation for the ‘Stozanya Economic Association,’ an association to which entrepreneurs and factory owners in Stozanya City belong.

Jacque was also a key figure in the Stozanya Businessmen’s League.

Most of the members of the Stozanya Businessmen’s League are nobles and provide enormous financial support to Marquis Miriam and the Knights Order.

In fact, it was closer to bribery than support.

Amanda bowed deeply and shouted.

“I’m really sorry!”

“There’s a rumor going around that the workers regard the serial killer as a hero. They call him Crow. Catch the killer quickly, as the workers may commit copycat crimes.”

In the working class, the serial killer who preys on the wealthy and gangsters was called Crow and regarded as a dark hero.

Due to this incident, workers began to regard the wealthy and gangsters as humans with only one life, just like themselves.

In fact, the unconscious respect and fear that workers felt for the upper class were fading.

Some young workers worshiped Crow’s actions and picked fights with factory owners, only to be caught by the Public Security Forces.

Amanda vowed with a stern face.

“I will mobilize all the capabilities of the Public Security Forces and catch him without fail.”

—

Amanda returned to the Public Security Forces office and called in the violent crimes team leader Douglas, the petty crimes team leader Lucian, and the financial crimes team leader Lia, and scolded them harshly.

“Hey! Because you guys can’t catch the killer properly, I get cursed at by the Marquis! Do you want the Stozanya Businessmen’s League support to be cut off?”

“No!”

“Lucian!”

Lucian answered with a dumbfounded face.

“Yes?”

“Do you think I don’t know you went to a hostess bar two days ago? You idiot! The atmosphere is turbulent these days, and you go to a hostess bar?! How much do you think the Stozanya Businessmen’s League cursed the Public Security Forces after seeing you!”

Lucian apologized, thinking differently in his mind.

‘I’m the petty crimes team leader, so I have nothing to do with these violent crimes!’

“I’m sorry!”

Amanda slammed the desk.

Kwang!

“All of you stop other work and focus your efforts on catching Crow!”

“Understood!”

The three team leaders left Amanda’s office and went to the break room.

Lia sarcastically said with a gloomy face.

“Ha…. I’m the financial crimes team leader, so why am I getting cursed at? Douglas-nim?”

Douglas lamented.

“Sigh…. I’m also checking the crime scene and investigating all day with my team members, but I’m dying because there are no clues. It’s as if the killer appeared and disappeared from the scene by teleportation.”

Indeed, there were no clues in this case.

People related to the victims or those with grudges all had alibis.

Although there were many Stozanya Businessmen’s League victims, there were also famous gangsters and criminals who had no contact with the Stozanya Businessmen’s League mixed in.

And the locations of the victims were distributed throughout Stozanya City.

There was also a hypothesis that it was not a monster but a cannibalistic human, as they only preyed on Stozanya Businessmen’s League figures and evil people.

In fact, although it was not known, several members of the working class were also preyed upon.

In the working-class district, it was commonplace for various monsters that lived in sewers or tombs to crawl out at night and for workers to go missing, so no one cared and didn’t know.

First of all, it was not revealed how the killer chose the victims, approached them, and escaped from the scene.

Lia suggested.

“Then shouldn’t we look among the teleportation experts?”

Douglas retorted.

“Is teleportation magic that anyone can use? Only the Master of the Magic Tower, Simon-nim, and a few high-ranking wizards can use it, and scrolls are also difficult to obtain. And our team’s wizard ‘Cairo’ said there were no traces of teleportation.”

Cairo was a wizard and knight who graduated from the Space Department of the Magic Tower and could read traces of teleportation.

Lia nodded.

“If Cairo said so, then that’s probably the case.”

Lucian opened his mouth.

“Douglas-nim. The head of the Public Security Forces told us to participate in this investigation as well, so please give us the investigation data so far.”

“Understood.”

—

While the head of the Public Security Forces, Amanda, was busy scolding the three team leaders, the train carrying the Hero party arrived at Stozanya City Station.

Deolkeodeokdeok Chiiiiiiik

The Hero party stretched and got off the train.

The crew bowed politely and saw them off.

“Have a safe trip!”

As the God of Darkness, I am sensitive to the aura of darkness, and I become stronger the more aura of darkness there is.

I felt enormous darkness in this city.

‘What an enormous smell of greed and despair. A city where the seven deadly sins are created so explosively. I like it.’

As we went to the center of Stozanya City Station, a man waved his hand and greeted us.

“Andre! Gyeong-cheol! Over here!”

He was Norbert, a classmate and friend of Andre and Park Gyeong-cheol from Hamelgo, and he was accompanied by five knights as escorts.

Park Gyeong-cheol greeted Norbert.

“Norbert! How did you know we were coming?!”

“Hahaha. Don’t underestimate the information power of the Marquis family!”

Andre approached Norbert and raised his palm, and Norbert gave him a friendly high-five.

Jjak!

Andre also greeted Norbert.

“Norbert. It’s been a long time. How have you been?”

“Well, I’m just getting an education as the successor to the Marquis family and getting nagged by my mom every day. I’m doing okay.”

“It’s easier to get an education than to become a prince and run around like me.”

“I want to run around like in the old days? I don’t have a chance to use my archery skills, so my body feels sluggish.”

Norbert also greeted the other Hero party members briefly.

He guided the Hero party to the Marquis family’s luxurious mansion.

In the mansion’s guest reception room, Marquis Miriam welcomed us.

“Hoh ho ho. Norbert has two friends. Our family welcomes the Hero party. From now on, you can stay in the guest building, and we will provide you with maids.”

Park Gyeong-cheol thanked her on behalf of the group.

“Thank you very much.”

Andre spoke about the mission he received from King Madhan.

“Marquis Miriam-nim. We are not just staying in Stozanya City for a short time. His Majesty Madhan has given us the mission to solve the Stozanya City serial murder case.”

Marquis Miriam’s face brightened.

“That’s good news! I’m glad His Majesty recognizes the importance of Stozanya City. We will provide all the support you need to catch the killer. Today, rest at the party in the evening, and tomorrow I will introduce you to the head of the Public Security Forces, Amanda.”

“Understood.”

—

That evening, a party was held in the grand hall of Marquis Miriam’s mansion.

It was a grand party attended by the Hero party, the Marquis family, members and children of the Stozanya Businessmen’s League, and the Knights Order.

The hall was filled with a luxurious buffet, beautiful music was played, and women and men danced social dances in the center to the music.

Lucian, Count Hantes, the chairman of the Stozanya Businessmen’s League and the chairman of the giant company Dragon Electronics, and his 20-year-old son Victor also attended this party.

Victor was a typical second-generation chaebol with basic pomade black hair and a height of 176cm.

Dragon Electronics is a company that manufactures most of the finished Mana devices used in homes and the military, maintaining the largest scale in Stozanya City and creating a lower economic ecosystem.

Of course, there were countless workers who got occupational diseases and died or became disabled at Dragon Electronics, but the company’s power and influence were so strong that there was no compensation.

Victor was drinking wine and walking around the hall when he ran into Serena.

‘She’s a sexy woman. The Hero who dates this woman must be lucky.’

“Lady. Good evening.”

Serena greeted him shyly.

“Hello.”

At that moment, Serena secretly gathered a large amount of the power of purity that makes reason love her and sent it to Victor.

Today, Victor found the partner of his life.

Victor had met many women thanks to his status and wealth, but there was no woman who touched his heart.

He had gone on blind dates with noble women and had one-night stands with beauties in hostess bars and nightclubs, but there was no woman who pleased Victor, and he easily got tired of women he easily obtained.

From the moment Victor received Serena’s shy greeting, his heart fluttered, his face flushed, and only thoughts of marrying Serena in the future, having children, and living happily came to his mind.

Victor spoke to Serena, stammering with a flushed face.

“Um…. Lady. I am Victor from the Dragon Electronics family. Would you like to dance a song with me?”

Serena smiled brightly and accepted.

“I’m Serena. I’d love to.”

Park Gyeong-cheol was engrossed in talking with Andre and Norbert and didn’t notice this.

As Serena slightly extended her right hand, Victor took Serena’s hand, pulled her into his arms, and wrapped his arm around Serena’s waist.

Serena had a surprised expression on her face.

“Oh my!”

“It is an honor to dance with you, Lady.”

Serena and Victor danced a social dance to the soft and romantic music.

While dancing with Serena, Victor began to fall deeper and deeper into the succubus queen’s charm.

Victor, dancing with Serena, had a happy face as if he had everything in the world.

Serena and Victor danced several times.

Serena said with a tired face.

“I’m a little tired. I want to rest now.”

Victor apologized.

“I was so captivated by your charm that I made you tired. I’m sorry. Please sit on the sofa over there.”

Victor held a drink for Serena and escorted her to the sofa, holding her hand.

At that moment, Park Gyeong-cheol discovered Serena and Victor together.

Park Gyeong-cheol quickly approached with a slightly angry face, snatched Serena’s hand that Victor was holding, and said in an aggressive tone.

“Good evening. I am Hero Park Gyeong-cheol. And Serena’s lover.”

Victor was not at all intimidated by Park Gyeong-cheol’s momentum and countered.

“The Hero doesn’t know etiquette, interfering with escorting the Lady. Doesn’t Serena-nim find it annoying?”

Park Gyeong-cheol’s eyebrows twitched.

“Serena finds it annoying? It looks like she’s grateful that I chased away the wolf to me?”

Victor’s cheeks twitched.

“Are you being too arrogant just because you’re a Hero? I danced with Serena-nim several times earlier. Serena-nim has feelings for me.”

Park Gyeong-cheol made his face fierce and threatened.

“Do you want to die?”

Victor would be blown away by one punch from Park Gyeong-cheol, but Victor, who had already fallen for Serena to the soul, was not afraid of the Hero.

As Park Gyeong-cheol and Victor faced each other almost face to face and exuded a fierce aura, people gathered around.

Andre and Norbert forced a smile and stood between Park Gyeong-cheol and Victor, each appeasing Park Gyeong-cheol and Victor.

“Gyeong-cheol-ah. Let’s not do this here.”

“Victor hyung. There are people here, why are you doing this? If you get on bad terms with the Hero, only hyung will have a hard time.”

Park Gyeong-cheol and Victor glared at each other until the end and backed away.

Victor confessed to Serena, who was being dragged away by Park Gyeong-cheol holding her hand.

“Serena-nim. I can make you happier than the Hero! If you date me, you can enjoy all the wealth and power of Dragon Electronics! You don’t have to fight hard like a Hero!”