Garrin, Barion and a few of the Law Enforcement division manage to arrive at the abandoned warehouse. The units under the two Slayers were assigned to guard the city gates, making sure no one either leaved nor entered. What greets them is a massacre like none other. The lieutenant as well as the few men he had taken were all dead, leaving no one alive.
Their bodies are shredded beyond recognition with some having their heads, arms and bodies diced and minced into a pile of flesh. Some of the few from the Law Enforcement division couldn’t hold their lunch in as they throw up. After that, silent tears and moans are heard for their fallen comrades and their lieutenant.
Garrin and Barion are expressionless. Obviously, Garrin is angry within. Because with this, that’s definite proof that the Bandit Society, namely Dread, didn’t have anything to do with it.
Barion crouches down and inspects the wounds of the corpses.
These injuries are similar to the ones of the dead people in the mansion but… if one looked close enough, these seem more natural than the ones from before. It’s as if someone fabricated the ones from the mansion. Barion squints his eyes as he examines the corpses with his mana. And also, there seems to be a hint of demonic energy within the wounds. Was this caused by a demon? To think they made it this far.
Barion didn’t tell Garrin or anyone about his findings. If he is to tell Garrin, then there is no doubt that he would be infuriated more about the Bandit Society and that isn’t good for anyone considering how short-tempered he is due to his scythe. And telling anyone about anything related to demons would cause an uproar not only within Waham but within the entire kingdom.
Not only that, the Holyland might even dispatch their holy knights and soldiers to investigate. Meaning the entire country could be looked at with a suspicious eye for ‘allowing’ a demon or demons to invade their country without them even noticing. He’d have to report it directly to his superiors and let them decide on their next course of action.
“Commander Barion.”
A member of the Law Enforcement division calls out to Barion holding stacks of parchment and books.
“This is the report of our investigation we managed to retrieve after arriving here in Waham. I decided to give it to you since the King Cobra Slayer doesn’t seem to be of sound mind.”
Barion looks at Garrin who is emanating killing intent with veins bulging across his forehead. Barion takes the report and reads it, making a startling discovery.
***
In the Capital of the Slavia Kingdom.
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Zeke is walking on a hallway with Maeve.
“So, are you finally going to tell me who your scapegoat is?” asks Maeve.
“A few months ago, some of our people who we stationed at Waham as spies discovered some suspicious individuals. I ordered them not to engage and only observe but after a few weeks of observing, they were found out and killed. I saw the scars all over their bodies and I could tell that no human did that so I had them inspected. Within their bodies, a small amount of demonic energy was discovered.”
“Demonic energy? A demon?”
“Yes. I wanted to avenge our fallen comrades right there and then, but I decided to postpone my revenge. Picking a fight with demons isn’t a smart idea after all. Of course, an opportunity presented itself while we were in Waham so I took it to kill two birds with one stone.”
“I see.”
Zeke smiles before becoming expressionless again.
But my work was sloppy this time. Well, I wasn’t given much of an open window and had to do everything within a single day. But, I shouldn’t worry much. Even with what they find, it shouldn’t be enough to point to the Society let alone the Viscount. So, it could be said my mission was a success.
Zeke grips the healing potion in his hand tightly as his gait quickens. He has more pressing matters ahead of him after all.
I’m sure ‘he’ hasn’t gotten the report about my return yet but knowing him, it should be soon since he has spies of his own monitoring every ‘ranked’ member within the Society. I should be done then.
Zeke and Maeve arrive at a room where two guards are stationed outside. He looks at one of them with a favourable expression and the other, not so much. Of course, due to him being an expert at his poker face, no one would tell a difference except for those who have known him for a long time.
After entering the room, two people are visible in Zeke’s field of vision. One is the girl lying in the bed with dark veins all over her pale face. The other is the male doctor by her side.
This is Elena, Zeke’s little sister. She is sick with an unnamed disease. Unnamed diseases are diseases that people know almost nothing about. Doctors spend their time studying these diseases but with no progress. So, they register diseases like that in the ‘unnamed’ category, listing only their symptoms and giving them a special number. It is believed that if someone were to solve even one of the diseases in this category by providing a cure or other related clues to help in find a cure, then they would be rewarded with fortune and fame.
Of course, potions don’t work for such diseases even the famous high-rank level 2 potion crafted by the divine doctor himself.
The disease that Elena is sick with affects one’s mana network. Due to her mana network restricted, only a small amount of mana enters their brain which is barely enough to keep her alive. After all, in this world, the human body is overly dependent on mana to the point that even the cells have a secondary ‘powerhouse’ besides the mitochondria. And that powerhouse is responsible for the creation of mana in the body.
“How is she?”
“Master Zeke. Ah yes, her condition isn’t getting any better. I’ve administered the secret concoction given by ‘him’ from the divine doctor but even that isn’t enough to cure her.”
Zeke reveals the potion in his hand.
“Master Zeke, is that-“
Zeke stops the doctor by placing his finger in his mouth, hushing the doctor. The doctor looks at the door and then nods slowly. Zeke mouths, “try this” to the doctor.
After a few minutes, the two guards who were covered with complete silence till a few minutes ago are startled by a man’s scream of pain.
“NOOOO!”
It is evident from the scream. Something bad happened.