Bell the Second burped, stumbling out of the Tavern, thoroughly drunk. Ever since he'd tasted wine at the festival, he couldn't get that flavor out of his mind.
He'd even snuck into the Castle once to steal some from where they dumped the dregs, even though the City Guard said it was for the wild boars.
But Bell the Second didn't care much about that. Lots of people in town did the same, so he wasn't the only one, and nobody was ashamed.
But now, looking back at his old life, he realized he'd been worse off than a boar back then. The different tribes were always fighting.
Fighting for land, women, and food. Even though he lived inside the Driftwood Hall's fortress, his life was always uncertain.
Those northerners, who didn't even have land to farm, would come to the tribes every late autumn and steal people. His little daughter and wife were taken two years ago.
"Ah! It's good now! The Whale Oil and Whale Perfume my son sent the other day can be traded for drinks! By the Old Gods, please bless the Lord! He is your Holy Son!"
Bell the Second was sighing with emotion as he walked towards his home. Because he'd had a bit to drink, he shouted the last part.
Bell the Second had woken up the commoners living upstairs, and several families had dumped buckets of bathwater on him. The old drunkard had scurried away, clutching his head, and sobered up considerably.
As he walked near his home that day, he saw the Blacksmith Shop, already closed for the night. He glanced at the moon in the sky and realized he was a bit late coming home.
It was because he had met a new friend at the Tavern, who had enthusiastically bought him two shots of strong ale. He had been so happy, and now it was this late!
Just as he turned to go home, a shadow suddenly blocked his path. He was about to speak when a sharp pain shot through his neck.
The main artery in his neck was instantly pierced by a sharp blade, and blood spurted out. Some of it even flowed back into his lungs. Bell the Second couldn't make a sound; he just twitched and fell to the ground.
Even in death, he didn't know why he had died, or why someone had killed him.
"Don't blame me! You can only blame yourself for seeing something you shouldn't have. They've started asking questions in the Castle! I don't want to be exposed because of you!"
The killer murmured to himself, watching Bell the Second convulsing. He soon disappeared into the night.
The news of a death in the city reached Mako early the next morning, and he frowned slightly, as if anticipating something unpleasant.
Sure enough, Sas Ting entered the room shortly after, saying that Captain Mans of the City Guard had a matter to report.
Mans was once the strongest warrior of the Kraul Clan and Henk's cousin. He was also the first person on Skaggs Island to challenge Mako to a duel.
This incident had spread after he took office and was still being talked about with relish, making him always avoid Mako.
For no other reason than it was too embarrassing. The Rockborn all knew that Mako was the Holy Son, someone who could use magic.
Anyone who dared to challenge him would eventually turn to ashes under that mysterious power.
Mans was really frustrated right now. The apprentice from the Blacksmith Shop had come to report a death during this morning's patrol, and this matter instantly made his nerves tense up!
His clan leader had just left a day ago, and something like this had happened. Mans felt like he was going crazy.
The most important thing was that he was about to meet the Holy Son, which was the thing he feared the most.
Ever since the last time, when his challenge to the Holy Son was revealed by a drunken subordinate, Mans had been called "Brave Mans" by the people, not as praise for his bravery, but as a mockery of his overestimation of himself.
However, Mans didn't dare to explain too much, because every time he explained the incident to the crowd, he would be despised.
Looking at the office door opened by Sas Ting, Mans swallowed hard and clenched his fists before walking in.
"Holy Son! Lord! Uh, uh! Sir! I, I'm here to report the dead, the arrest!"
Mans was nervous, and the Common Tongue he had spoken fluently a moment ago instantly became halting, making him want to burrow into a hole like a groundhog.
Mako was drinking flower tea at the time, and almost spat it out after hearing Mans's halting Common Tongue and his nervous tone.
He looked at the ashamed Mans and comforted him in a soft voice:
"So it's Mans, is it! I remember you! Don't be nervous, don't be scared. Just explain things clearly. Henk told me your Common Tongue is very good! Speak clearly! This is your job!"
Upon hearing Mako's words, Mans' body stiffened instantly, his eyes widening in disbelief that Mako actually remembered him.
Thinking of Mako's reassurance and Henk's instructions before leaving, he suppressed his unease, feeling excited.
Mans took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and then said to Mako:
"My Lord! This morning, we found a dead body in the street outside the Blacksmith Shop. Judging by the flesh and rigidity, I estimate the person has been dead… for a while.
Uh! How to put it! It was probably midnight! Uh! This guy's method of killing was very clever; the blood was drained very cleanly, so it wouldn't taste so… bloody!
Ah! Sorry, I was wrong! My Lord! I haven't eaten anyone in a long time! Really! You have to believe me!"
Mako looked at the City Guard Captain Mans, who was desperately explaining himself, and was speechless.
At the same time, he was also fortunate that he had kept the people from Abyss Fortress by his side. Otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble they would cause? These wild and unruly cannibals could only be restrained by his "chain." Otherwise, something would have gone wrong long ago.
"Alright! Alright! I believe you! So, did you find anything? Any suspects?"
"No! Lord! I've already caught the murderer! Humph! He thought he could hide it well! But he was still caught by me. Can I take off his thigh and eat it? I want to marinate it, uh! Ah! Ouch!"
Mans was talking about his accomplishments at length.
However, his tone and actions made Mako feel that he shouldn't have learned the Common Tongue. He was like a loudspeaker from Blue Star, capable of directly talking people to death!
But after hearing the last sentence, Mako's anger surged instantly. He picked up a book from the side and threw it, directly causing the burly man, who was over 2 meters tall, to cover his head and scurry away.
"Lord, I was wrong! I'll never talk about eating people again! I really haven't eaten anyone! You don't have to go there, it's a mess, uh..."
"Quick, lead the way! Take me to see it! From now on, shut your mouth, and I'll tell you when you can speak!"
Seeing Mans trying to dissuade him from going, Mako was instantly furious! He cursed at him again and told him to shut up.
\n\nMako, led by Mans, arrived near the Blacksmith Shop. The entrance was packed with people, but they were all being blocked by City Guard soldiers holding obsidian spears.
\n\nThese people had been "educated" well by the Abyss Fortress warriors and weren't disrupting the scene, just watching the excitement from a distance.
\n\nBecause Mako lacked iron, soldiers like the City Guard were still using their original obsidian weapons.
\n\nSeeing Mako approach, everyone hurriedly saluted and greeted him. Mako, in turn, bowed his head in return to those on either side of him.
\n\nUpon arriving, Mako saw the fallen body. Near the wall of a house, there was a young man being held at spearpoint.
\n\nThis young man looked to be around 20 years old, and his clothes and appearance were no different from an ordinary Rockborn.
\n\nHe was trembling with fear, as the City Guard soldiers surrounding him were discussing how to eat him. Some suggested boiling him into soup, others grilling him, and some even suggested eating him raw.
Seeing Mako approach, they stopped their discussion. These guys were intimidating the suspect, hoping to get information and a confession out of him.
"Slap, slap, slap!"
City Guard Captain Mans rushed forward and slapped them a few times, then pointed in Mako's direction, seemingly trying to express something with "sign language"!
Mako looked at Mans helplessly, completely dumbfounded by his clownish behavior. He quickly said:
"Alright! Alright! Speak quickly! Tell me exactly what happened and who is this guy?"
"My Lord! The deceased is an old man from Driftwood Hall. His name is Bell the Second. He usually lives alone. He has a son who works in their whale oil workshop.
This guy is called Joman, from King's Hall. He's an apprentice in the fur workshop and usually lives alone! His house is about five houses away from here!"
Mans explained to Mako bit by bit. It turned out this guy was Joman, the one who had sent Bell the Second home according to the information.
According to City Guard Captain Mans, this Joman saw the whale oil and whale perfume the old man had stored after he had last escorted the old man home. He wanted to seize those valuable items for himself.
So, last night, he killed the old man at his home when he returned.
Because Mans followed the blood footprints to his house and searched it, they found the young man burning clothes and the murder weapon.
Furthermore, they also found whale oil and whale perfume under Joman's bed. Based on this information, Mans determined that this young man was the killer!