The continuous all-night revelry during the festival had left the citizens of Flondeck exhausted amidst the joy. On the last night of the festival, there was no longer any noise continuing until dawn as in the previous days. Only a few stray cats, reeking of alcohol, could be heard meowing annoyingly on the streets.
It seems that the god who enjoys revelry hasn't had enough fun yet. As the bell rang, a piercing scream shattered the silence of the city.
Police knights had surrounded the tent of a dance troupe called "Green Fields and Forests." Several citizens were shouting frantically at the knights while others were vomiting violently on the side.
"Where is the forensic officer? Why hasn't he arrived yet?" the detective asked irritably.
"Oh, he's drunk and can't be awakened no matter how much we call him. You know, it's the festival," the guard explained for his colleague.
"That idiot! I should have stuffed his head into the toilet long ago to let him know the consequences of delaying his work," the detective spat out angrily. But he also knew in his heart that even if the forensic officer were present, it would be of no use.
Twenty-one people in total, including the dance troupe's dancers, staff, bodyguards, and guests who had paid a large sum of money to stay in the tent to enjoy the last night, had all been killed by the devil.
Only the devil could commit such an act. These twenty-one people were all disemboweled, and their organs had disappeared without a trace. However, not even a drop of blood was spilled, as if their stomachs were already empty.
Each person died suddenly, with their faces still showing the expression of seeking pleasure and joy, as if they had not had time to show their fear.
"The damn Midnight Butcher," the detective gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and his knuckles turned pale. He sighed angrily and helplessly.
Even the most experienced prosecutor appears insignificant in the face of supernatural power.
Therefore, in the first court, the most important position is not held by the big shots who hold power such as the chief justice or the chief prosecutor, but by the wizard with transcendent status.
If the class system in the world is compared to a big tree, ordinary people are undoubtedly the deep and broad roots that absorb and contribute nutrients; soldiers are like the thick bark that defends against danger; noble knights are like the sturdy trunk; merchants are the veins within the trunk; and the priests who serve God and the kings are at the very top, as if they are enjoying the sunshine under the canopy.
The wizard followed closely, like an extra branch extending from the tree top. This is because the practice of arcane magic requires exceptional aptitude, resulting in a small number of individuals in this profession.
For thousands of years, there have been power struggles in non-secular realms, with druids, warlocks, and other professions wielding mysterious powers. However, they have gradually been defeated by the clerics of the Holy Church, and have become a fallen force that will be sent to the stake once discovered. Only the wizards have managed to hold their own against the Church, and have earned the right to walk in the light.
Of course, whether the wizards and the Church had any secret agreements behind closed doors was unknown to the public.
If you angered a lord, you might be able to escape and hide in a rural area under an assumed name, but if you provoked a wizard, their mysterious spells were even more effective than an assassin's tracking abilities, leaving you nowhere to hide.
This wizard, who was skilled in mental magic, enjoyed a salary that astonished ordinary people at the First Court, and general administrative regulations could not restrain him. Only in cases involving non-secular matters, such as those involving other wizards or major cases that attracted national attention, did he step in and use his abilities to find criminal evidence and solve the case quickly.
The high salary and low workload made Albert deeply envious when he was busy and couldn't catch a break.
However, this wizard with a light workload still brought trouble to Albert.
The serial murder cases in Flondeck clearly had non-natural factors involved. The patrol team sought help from the First Court, which, as part of the judiciary system, had an obligation to dispatch wizards to assist.
However, the wizard known as Master William hadn't shown up for work for over a month.
Wizards often appear in people's sights as the court teachers of kings and the chief advisors of noble families. But compared to the mundane world, the mysterious summoning rituals and alchemical experiments are the true meaning of their lives. Obviously, Master William is immersed in magical experiments again and forgets about time.
No one wants to urge a wizard who is obsessed with experiments. Wizard towers filled with traps and wizards with irritable temperaments tortured by constant failures are undoubtedly avoided by secular people.
Because of the rumors of trespassing into wizard towers and being hit by fireballs or becoming living experimental specimens, such incidents are not uncommon.
As a newcomer, the task fell on Albert's head. "This kid has been too prominent recently, which probably aroused jealousy among some bigwigs," many people thought.
However, for Albert, although there was some fear, there was more excitement.
The mysterious magical experiments and spells that always puzzle people are alluring Albert's curiosity.
The streets were littered with scraps of paper, trash, and discarded clown masks and balloons left over from the recent carnival. Despite the best efforts of the overworked sanitation workers, the roads remained messy and disorderly even late into the night.
The recent midnight murder case had exposed the existence of the Flondeck Butcher, making it impossible for the patrol teams to continue hiding the killer's presence. Rumors of the gruesome killings had spread throughout the streets, causing people to avoid going out at night.
Some more imaginative individuals huddled in taverns, confidently declaring to their drinking companions, "That guy might not even be human. Perhaps he's a monster from the depths of the abyss. His mouth is so strong that he can eat just one part at a time, this time it was the innards, but next time it might be a thigh."
These words left the customers at the tavern in awe, while the barmaids turned pale and tried to come up with an excuse to leave work early.
However, the speaker was soon taken away by the police on charges of disturbing the peace. Knights patrolled the streets with even greater vigilance, not missing any suspicious movements.
A hapless thief, who had stolen a purse, found himself being chased by half a battalion of guards.
"I only stole a purse. Is it worth it?" cried the thief, tears streaming down his face, as he was pinned down by four or five burly men.
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The post station is empty, with only a few carriages parked at the station, and the coachmen yawned with boredom, their faces full of frustration.
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Even if the rumored monster is fierce, they still have to work, or else what will they eat tomorrow?
"Sir, please come aboard my carriage, I guarantee it's comfortable and convenient." Seeing Albert approaching, a clever coachman quickly put on a smile and shouted.
"How much to the wharf?"
"Three silver coins, and if you don't plan on taking my carriage back, you'll need to add another silver coin," the coachman said pleasingly. "You know, there's a tax to enter the city."
The coachmen next to him saw a customer coming and all showed envy on their faces. Some of them opened their mouths to speak but then held their tongues.
There are rules to follow in the carriage circle at the post station, intentionally lowering prices to attract customers and competing for customers are both unacceptable behaviors.
Those who violate the rules may have their carriage wheels sawn off someday, or even have their expensive horses poisoned to death.
Even if such things are brought to the attention of bigwigs in the guild, they will not help, but instead invite ridicule and a reputation for not following the rules.
Bureaucrats have their own rules, businessmen have their own rules, and even beggars have their own rules.
Human society is made up of rules, big and small, that create order.
The carriage slowly drove out of Flondeck's city area, and once outside the city, the speed suddenly increased a lot.
The port was located at the mouth of the sea, more than thirty kilometers away from the main city of Flondeck. It was a large town with various facilities, semi-independent of the main city. Every day, countless goods were unloaded there and transported to the various shops in the city, then circulated to places where people could afford the prices.
The road from Flondeck to the port was built wide and flat enough to accommodate ten carriages driving side by side. The ground was covered with a thick layer of black asphalt. The wealthy would never skimp on such details that could make themselves more comfortable.
Many people said that if you stood by this road for half an hour, you would see enough wealth to equal a lifetime's income.
Compared to the dilapidated roads in the old city and the speed limits in the bustling areas of the new city, this road was undoubtedly a good place for racing. Albert leaned out the window of the carriage, enjoying the wind in his face.
"Oh my good sir, it's too dangerous!" The carter caught sight of Albert's behavior and turned his head to warn him loudly, braving the wind. "There was once a gentleman who got hit by an oncoming cart like that, and his head and body were torn apart."
"Separated?"
"Yes, separated. In the blink of an eye, the half-mile long road was stained red." The carter exclaimed with exaggeration.
Within an hour, the carriage arrived at the harbor. Albert paid the fare and took a deep breath by the roadside, inhaling the pungent smell of the sea that was stronger here than in the distant city of Flondeck.
The pavement of the harbor was always damp, and nobody could tell whether the water marks on the ground were remnants of the waves or the sweat of the workers. In this semi-circular bay, small boats constantly unloaded goods from the two-masted cargo ships moored half a mile offshore, transporting them back and forth to a dozen different docks of various sizes.
Brawny workers, shirtless with only thick leather pads on their shoulders, lifted heavy bundles of cargo and carried them to the nearby truck yard. Meanwhile, the double-horse-drawn trucks, which had been waiting for some time, tirelessly hauled glass, silk, seafood, lacquerware, and other things that sustained the luxury and survival of the people of Flondeck back to their owners.
After months of hard work at sea, the sailors flocked to every small tavern to spend their wages on beer and the company of women. Often, drunken men lay asleep in the alleys, but when the horn of the ship sounded, they woke up with an indifferent expression and continued to embark on an unknown course.
The entire harbor seemed like a giant ant nest, chaotic in appearance but with clear division of labor.
Albert dodged a group of dock workers who were carrying wooden boxes. Even though the boxes were sealed tightly, Albert could still smell a pungent and sour odor. It was the leaves of a plant called cannabis that had just been brought in from Toulanka.
Albert's father had written about this plant in his notes. Cannabis leaves were effective for pain relief, but smoking too much could make a person jittery and nervous. So his father classified it as a "poison."
It seemed absurd to Albert that people would spend a lot of money to smoke poison.
Along the way, Albert inquired at three boat companies, but the response was the same: "Respected sir, we do not provide short-distance passenger boat services, and small cargo ships are also not available. Perhaps you can go to Pier 14 to inquire. It's where fishing boats dock, and for a small fee, the fishermen can escort you to your destination like they would for a king."
But Pier 14 didn't have any available boats. The early-rising fishermen had already set out at dawn on their small trawlers to chase after various schools of fish, such as tuna and sardines, in the boundless ocean.
"Why do wizards always choose to live in desolate places with no one around?" Albert thought helplessly. He turned into a small tavern he passed by and prepared to fill his stomach first.
These taverns were meant to serve sailors and dockworkers, and the variety of food and drink they offered was limited. Albert chose fried fish and grilled potato strips, along with a glass of beer.
The owner's cooking was decent, but the beer tasted rough. However, the price was relatively cheap.
After passing some time at the tavern, Albert went to pier 14. This time, a lucky fisherman had already returned with a full catch and was busy cleaning the lively and jumping cod from his nets while bargaining with the fishmonger responsible for buying the catch.
"Sixteen silver coins, no more," the fishmonger said.
"Sir, cod is difficult to catch this season. According to last year's prices, it's worth at least thirty silver coins," the fisherman replied.
"Goodness, I'm only giving you sixteen silver coins because it's cod. If it were those nasty and stinky sardines, I wouldn't even look twice," the fishmonger retorted.
"But..."
"Enough, young man. You're lucky enough to return at one in the afternoon. Don't be too greedy. You've already received the blessings of the sea god," the fishmonger said.
The fishmonger smiled at being called "sir," but he didn't budge on the price.
"Excuse me, I would like to rent your boat," Albert interjected after waiting a while, noticing that the argument between the fisherman and the fishmonger seemed unlikely to end even after dark.
"Sir, can I help you?" The fisherman curiously scrutinized Albert. It was rare to see someone so neatly dressed and refined at the port.
"I want to go to a nearby island, about nine nautical miles away. I'm willing to pay a fee of twenty silver coins." Albert said.
Before the fisherman could answer, the fishmonger exclaimed, "Young man, are you perhaps the sea god's illegitimate child? Regardless, you should share some of your luck with me. Sixteen silver coins to you, and the cod to me."
"Nine nautical miles? Sir, are you going to that island with the tower?" The fisherman's face turned ugly. "It's said that a wizard lives there. If you accidentally anger him, the storm summoned by his magic can make my boat never return."
Upon hearing the word "wizard," the fishmonger shivered and cautiously looked around. After all, in the minds of ordinary people, a wizard was not an easy person to approach.
"It's okay. That wizard is my colleague, and you only need to dock in the shallow water," Albert said.
"Colleague... Goodness, are you also a wizard?" The fisherman backed away, trembling all over.
"To ease your fears, I'll increase the fee to twenty-five silver coins." Albert said without confirming or denying it. If he could get the fisherman to muster the courage to take him to the island, he didn't mind spending a little more money and pretending to be a wizard.
No one dared to refuse a wizard's request, even if they were reluctant.
The fisherman quickly handed over the fish to the fishmonger, and the fishmonger vaguely said, "I'll go find a carriage to transport it." Then he ran away as if he had escaped from death, agile like a rabbit evading a hunter's chase.
Albert saw that the fisherman's shirt was soaked with sweat.
The fear of these two men, combined with various terrifying rumors about the wizard, made Albert nervous as well.
"It's okay. After all, Mr. William and I both work at the First Court," Albert reassured himself.
There was not a trace of wind on the sea, and the entire sea surface was like a big mirror, reflecting the dazzling white light of the sun.
As the small boat approached, the shadow on the horizon grew larger and gradually revealed a clear outline. It was a very small barren island with a long, lighthouse-like building standing at the highest point of the island.
Albert was a bit disappointed that the wizard tower was not as magnificent as he had imagined. At least from the outside, it was quite old, like the houses in the Flondeck old district, old and dilapidated.
"Respected sir, I can't get any closer," the fisherman, sweating profusely, stopped the boat by a pile of coral reefs extending from the edge of the island. "There are reefs all around this island. If we sail any further, the bottom of the boat might tear."
"If you can pick me up when it gets dark, I'll pay you another twenty-five silver coins," Albert said.
The fisherman agreed with a mournful face.
The water was not deep. Albert rolled up his pants and carried his shoes in his hand, walking towards the island along the path that spread over the coral reefs.