Chapter 287: A Sheep from the Sky
The contract stated that at this mine, a worker had been killed by a dead sheep that fell from the sky. It was clearly a tragic accident, but the miners insisted it was a sign they had angered the gods. With no other choice, the mine owner had hired a witcher to come and take a look.
When Lynn arrived at the mine, he hadn't even gotten close before he heard a man shouting.
"You lazy louts, how long are you going to slack off?! 'Divine wrath'? It was just an unfortunate coincidence, nothing more! Get back to work! If you don't meet your quota, I'll be in trouble, and I'll make sure you're in even more trouble."
Lynn entered the mine and saw a large group of workers sitting on the ground. A man wearing a purple jacket, a fancy hat with a feather stuck in it, was barking orders at them. The imperious manner made it clear he was the mine owner.
One of the workers retorted angrily, "Are you going to tell Rakhi's widow that? That a sheep falling on him was just an accident?"
Another worker, with a much calmer demeanor, said, "Sir, this is a serious matter that needs an expert. We should hire a druid to help."
Lynn walked over and introduced himself. "I overheard your conversation. As it happens, I'm here to deal with this trouble."
The workers looked at Lynn, but their eyes were full of distrust. "Sir, you don't look like a druid or a sorcerer. I've never seen a druid wearing armor and carrying two swords."
Lynn held up the medallion on his chest. "I'm a witcher. I can lift curses all the same, if there is one."
One worker vehemently objected. "A curse? No, this is not a curse. It is a terrible act of divine wrath!"
Lynn nodded noncommittally. "Alright, a terrible act of divine wrath. So, can someone tell me exactly what happened?"
An older worker spoke slowly. "Rakhi, our fellow worker and friend, was crushed to death by a sheep that fell from the sky. This must be the gods' way of showing their anger."
"The last time they were angry, they sent locusts and frogs to Zerrikania. This time, they sent us a sheep."
"It's 'he,' not 'they'," Lynn corrected. "If the gods are as petty as you think, you should be careful about the small details of how you address them."
The mine owner looked at the pale, terrified workers and said helplessly, "Please, Master Witcher, for pity's sake, stop scaring them."
"Of course. I was just making a joke, gentlemen. Don't worry, the gods aren't that small-minded."
Even with Lynn's words, the workers' expressions didn't improve much.
"In any case, Master Witcher, please come with me. I'll explain the situation." The mine owner took Lynn to a secluded spot, far from the workers so they couldn't overhear.
"Yes, it's quite unfortunate to be crushed by a sheep. It's a very regrettable loss. Rakhi was a good, hard-working man," the owner said. "I told them there must be a simple, reasonable explanation for this. But they won't listen. They insist it's 'divine wrath.' They're going to be the death of me."
Lynn folded his arms. "So, you need me to figure out why a sheep fell from the sky and make sure it doesn't happen again?"
"Exactly."
"No problem. But I'll need to see the site first."
Lynn had thought that after so many days, the bodies of the sheep and the worker would have been taken care of. He would have to rely on other traces at the scene to make a judgment. But the mine owner's next words left him stunned.
"The sheep's body and the worker who was crushed are still where they fell. You can go straight there. They're probably stinking by now, so you might want to cover your mouth and nose. It might be more pleasant that way."
Lynn was shocked. "What? The sheep's body, fine. But you didn't even send anyone to give the worker a proper burial?"
The mine owner seemed completely oblivious to the problem with their actions. "Didn't you see how crazy they were acting? Their superstition has them terrified."
"What about you? You don't seem scared. Why didn't you do it?"
"Are you kidding? If I had to do everything myself, why would I hire people? We've talked enough, Master. Can you start working now?" the owner said, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.
Lynn was speechless.
He mused that such arrogance was born of ignorance. Because of some notion of pride or other nonsense, they had just left the bodies there. They didn't even consider what would happen if a scavenger got a whiff of the scent. Ghouls liked to eat dead bodies, but they wouldn't say no to live ones, either.
"One last question. With so many workers in the mine, did no one see what happened?"
The mine owner shook his head. "No. We just suddenly heard a roar that sounded like some kind of beast. It nearly deafened us. Master..."
The owner trailed off, looking like he wanted to hurry Lynn along.
Lynn waved his hand. "Alright, alright, stop rushing me. I'll go take a look. But I suggest you have my payment ready while I'm gone. If I come back and you're wearing a long face, I'll be very angry."
The bodies of the worker and the sheep that crushed him were on the other side of the mine.
When Lynn cautiously approached the scene, he was surprised to find that while the bodies were indeed starting to stink, they hadn't attracted any scavengers. He muttered, "These people are really lucky." In the continent, those two bodies would have been picked clean, and the workers at the mine would probably have been in danger too.
Lynn walked toward the bodies, and a flock of crows that had been perched on them took flight.
"Alright, where to begin?"
He knelt down, his eyes fixed on the head of the worker's corpse under the sheep. "Fractured skull base, likely from a heavy blow... Hmm, no other wounds on the body."
Then, he looked up at the sky. He could almost see the scene as it happened: the worker suddenly crushed by a sheep that fell from the sky, dying instantly.
Next, he examined the sheep's body. "Multiple contusions on the tissue, caused by a fall from a high place. Its belly has been torn open, and there are several other wounds on its body. These must have been caused by extremely sharp claws."
"Judging by the angle and length, they're the claws of a Forktail."
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