A Small Victory

Silencing the witnesses.

The same thought surfaced in their minds, Dr. Sven included.

Coincidences like this simply didn't happen. The only thing these four had in common was that they had been ordered to abandon their posts the day before yesterday, which risked exposing the involvement of Steward Locke and the city lord.

Lynch and his three companions felt a lingering wave of dread.

If Lynch hadn't realized yesterday what it meant for Leonard to have hidden the murder weapon at home, they never would have pried the information out of the four guards or confirmed that Steward Locke was the one who lured them away from their posts. Had that been the case, once the illness manifested today, the truth would have been buried forever.

The four inwardly congratulated themselves on staying half a step ahead of their adversary. In this light, the act of silencing the guards was practically a full confession. While it might not definitively tie back to the city lord, his steward was without a doubt deeply implicated.

A small victory.

But what about Knight Terry?

The four soldiers had claimed that when the steward came to borrow men, it had been done with Knight Terry's consent. Terry ought to have known as well, so would he be the next target for elimination? If he didn't die, it would prove he belonged to the city lord's camp.

Regardless, the adversary likely believed they had successfully tied up loose ends and wouldn't target them or Dr. Sven for the time being. It was the prime opportunity to dig deeper—so long as they didn't let the enemy realize they had deduced the true cause behind the four men's condition.

“Who are they?” Lynch asked, feigning ignorance. “They all fell ill together? Do they have anything in common?”

“Yes. They're all guards stationed at the South Gate, on duty together over the past few days.” Knight Terry wore a solemn expression, making it difficult to discern whether he was being genuine. “Could this mean the root of the problem lies at the South Gate?”

“Aside from that, do they share any other similarities?”

“None that I know of,” Knight Terry said through the translation. “Or perhaps I can go back up and question the other soldiers in a bit. There might be something I'm unaware of.”

Was this Oscar-level acting?

As Lynch narrowed his eyes in contemplation, Miss Diana leaned close to his ear and whispered softly, “It doesn't seem like an act. It makes sense, too. If that Locke was lying and never got Terry's consent in the first place, ordinary soldiers in any era wouldn't dare approach Terry to verify it—especially when they'd accepted bribes.”

That made sense.

Lynch nodded inwardly. Navigating interpersonal nuances was an otaku's weak spot, but coming from a high noble with her insight, what left her lips was virtually the definitive answer.

Therefore, Terry could very well be innocent and not in danger of being silenced.

“You're right. There might indeed be an issue with the South Gate; perhaps it was infiltrated by the enemy.”

Lynch played along at once. Even if Terry's stance remained unconfirmed, he served as the perfect pawn to divert the enemy's attention. Lynch clapped the knight firmly on the shoulder and said with earnest gravity:

“We'll leave that to you. Given our identities, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to get directly involved. We'll pursue the investigation from another angle. I'll hold onto your badge for now, and if either side discovers anything, we can keep each other posted.”

As he spoke, he shot Dr. Sven a meaningful glance, pulling her aside to whisper, “If nothing went wrong, each of them should have a silver bead on them that we gave them. When you inspect them in a bit, help us retrieve those while you're at it.”

It wasn't out of greed; such items were far too conspicuous in a small town and could easily be traced back to them, which would immediately give away the fact that they had met with these four men.

The doctor froze for a second before immediately realizing that Lynch and his companions had already made contact with the victims and wished to keep Terry in the dark. Rolling her eyes slightly, she raised her voice:

“I need to examine their physical condition right now. Terry, have them... never mind. Don't risk your soldiers. It's too dangerous, and they could lose their lives. Lynch, your people have combat capability—come give me a hand.”

“Then I'll head over to inspect the South Gate first. I leave this place in your hands, Ms. Sven.”

Terry suspected nothing and readily allowed himself to be dismissed, leaving only four soldiers behind at their disposal. Seizing the opportunity, Dr. Sven instructed the four soldiers to stand guard at the entrance to the underground prison on the grounds that it was too hazardous, before finally turning a questioning gaze toward Lynch.

Seeing Dr. Sven cooperate so smoothly, Officer Natalie couldn't help remarking, “It seems you trust us more than that armored knight. Is there something wrong with him?”

“He's a decent man, and he truly cares about the common folk, but at the end of the day, he's the city lord's man. In comparison, I'd rather trust you because we have an exchange of mutual interests. In my fifteen years of wandering, I've found that to be the only reliable basis for trust.” Dr. Sven sighed. “So, what's really going on with those four?”

Only then did Lynch share everything that had happened yesterday afternoon without holding anything back. Dr. Sven didn't voice any doubts throughout the telling; instead, her expression grew increasingly grave the more she listened.

“So we all believe the mastermind is the city lord, or at least tied to him. What happened today only reinforces our suspicion,” Lynch concluded, inquiring further, “We didn't dare ask around carelessly, so we can only turn to you. What kind of person is the city lord? From your perspective, is it possible that he's behind this?”

“The city lord's name is Jackson. His family has been nobility in the Republic for generations. Over a century ago, they built this city for the Republic and have governed it ever since.”

Dr. Sven hesitated for a moment before continuing:

“He ought to be considered a rather good noble. At least over the past hundred-odd years, the populace hasn't suffered much, nor have they ever clashed with us. To tell you the truth, even I can hardly believe he's the culprit. By comparison, I'd rather believe Locke acted alone, because I genuinely can't fathom why Jackson would do such a thing.”

“So you think he lacks a motive?”

“Exactly. I don't know what kind of system your homeland has, but in the Republic of Seler, this entire city is his personal property. If he were the culprit, it would mean he was personally destroying the fruits of his family's labor built up over generations. When I suggested seeking outside help, I merely exaggerated the ghoul threat slightly, and he agreed without the slightest hesitation. Going by his behavior, it's really hard to believe he would do this.”

“Yet you believed it yesterday.”

“Yes. Ever since you arrived, you've been helping us and acting with utmost professionalism. Even Terry told me in private yesterday that he admired you—not just for your strength, but for how calmly you could face those enigmas. Besides, we share mutual interests, so I believe you wouldn't deceive me. What's more, your reasoning makes complete sense, and with what happened today, the likelihood of the city lord being the culprit has only grown. Now, even I can't say for sure.”

“Perhaps something caused a change in his mindset?” Lynch said thoughtfully. “Did anything unusual happen recently?”

“How recent is 'recently'?”

“Uh, three months?”

“None.”

“Then when did something happen?”

“Half a year ago, his youngest son died of illness. I don't know if that counts.”

“What did you say?”

Tropes from all the TV shows he had watched in his past life flooded into his mind. The moment Lynch heard those words, two or three dozen perfectly plausible motives flashed across his thoughts. Taking a deep breath at once, he said in a grave tone:

“Do you know where his son's grave is?”

“Of course. It's in the cemetery outside the western city wall.” Dr. Sven looked at Lynch with a puzzled expression. “You're not planning to dig up a grave to scavenge for food, are you?”

“I suspect there isn't even a corpse left in that grave,” Lynch said in frustration. “Let's examine these four first. Afterward, I want to go find it—preferably dig it up and take a look.”