Nothing. In the entire town, they looked for clues but found nothing. They asked people around, but they did not remember anything other than learning the news of the murder and mutilation of Lady Wanda. Heck, they only learned about the murder from the rumours.
The thing was, Sylvester learned from the peasants that Lady Wanda was not even good-looking. She looked like a man, and the Baron was crazily looking for a match for her but to no avail. Most people didn’t know the woman at all.
That left them at square one yet again, with no clues. All they could hope was that the Baron would be helpful and tell them something about the case, or at least recognise the sketch of Sir Kenworth, the Most Wanted man in Gracia at the moment, with a reward of a thousand Gold Graces on his head. The reward was huge, as Duke Grimton and Count Raftel were funding it.
“I’m tired. I’ve talked with so many people, and they say the same thing. She was ugly, nobody knew her, and they didn’t care.” Felix tiredly returned to Sylvester’s tent to report.
“Same with the rest. Stop searching now. The Baron should be returning soon enough.” Sylvester was busy writing something.
“What are you doing?”
“Finishing my book,” Sylvester replied. “I need a little more inspiration, and I think I will have it once we solve this case. The book is supposed to be aimed at every single person in the world, or at least those who follow the faith of Solis. It gives out warnings and various hymns, telling how easy it is for a man to fall into depravity.
“How life can, in an instant, turn a harmless puppy into a ferocious wolf. This is full of tales and situations people can take inspiration from—it’s a manual of sorts on what to do, how not to fall and lose all.”
Felix quickly came beside Sylvester and took a peek. “Hmm… are these new hymns or the old ones?”
“New.”
“Sweet!” Felix exclaimed. “I love reading your hymns. can’t wait to be the first reader of this book and use these hymns on pretty noble ladies. They dig a good poem.”
Sylvester chuckled and continued to work. “Only if you focused on your training as much as you do in finding a girl. I am about to rank up, my friend; move fast, or I’ll leave you behind.” ．
“What! In what? Knight or Wizard rank? Wait, why are you not wearing the rank plate even now?”
Sylvester shrugged, dismissing it as not a big deal. “Lost it to the Shadow Knight when it came after me. Haven’t got time to go to the administration office and get a new one yet.”
Thud!
“My lord!”
All of a sudden, a loud thump of the foot resounded, and at the gate of his tent, a crusader knight appeared, saluting him. “The Baron has returned, my lord. Prima Jason Woods has come to invite you.”
‘Good lad, it seems training them didn’t go to waste.’ Sylvester proudly nodded. He had given the men a short session on marching and behaving with the senior, especially in a public setting.
“At ease. Tell the Prima that I will be at the castle in a few minutes. Tell Lady Aurora, Priest Gabriel and Bishop Lazark to meet me there too.” He ordered and started to gather his luggage.
He looked around and found Miraj lazily sleeping near the entrance, with sunlight falling on him. He went close to him and lightly tapped him without acting suspicious. He then left behind his items so Miraj could eat them and also follow him back.
Sylvester didn’t take horses this time as the camp was not too far away from the castle. On his way, others also joined him, all except Isabella. Sylvester didn’t allow her to meet any high nobles because the chances of them having seen her before were very high.
“The Baron is likely not going to be helpful.” Sylvester briefed them. “Let’s try the old tactics of good guy and bad guy. Lady Aurora and Felix, you be the crooks, threaten him of destroying his house if they don’t cooperate. Then I will appear, shining like a night star, and gently ask him.”
“Got it!” Lady Aurora agreed immediately.
“What if they still disagreed?” Felix asked.
Sylvester faced Bishop Lazark this time. “If love and anger fail, then fear shall prevail. Everyone wets themselves in front of a necromancer, after all. I’m sure the Bishop can do a trick to get the job done.”
“I can melt one of their bodies and turn them into undead.”
“…”
“Calm down, Bishop.” Sylvester quickly stopped him. “We want to scare them, not kill them. Just summon one of your undeads; they have to have a few skeletons lying under their lands.”
“Understood, Lord Bard.”
Soon they arrived near the castle walls. They had a lot more guards now since the Baron had returned. The Prima was also waiting for them near the gates.
“Lord Bard and Lady Tenth! I hope you had a good night’s sleep. Come, the Baron has ordered for a feast to be held to honour your holy arrival to these lands.” Prima Jason started his usual bootlicking.
‘I can actually use a feast right now. Been a few days since I’ve had a proper meal.’ Sylvester thought and followed the Prima inside.
The castle, from the inside, was like any other ordinary castle. Most castles he had seen were identical unless they belonged to a king or some high noble. Most didn’t have much character or flavour in them. And this one was one of those extra bland ones.
There were no decorations other than some paintings and a few lanterns to illuminate the castle. There were no gold or beautiful carvings. Only once they arrived in a place one could call the great hall they saw some decorations in the form of silk curtains and engravings. But gold was still nowhere to be seen, nor silver or any other precious stone.
Sylvester didn’t speak and let Gabriel announce their names and positions, all for the sake of building superiority in the latter’s mind.
“Baron Redman, you are in the presence of Lady Aurora, Tenth Guardian of Light. Lord’s Bard and Grand Crusader, Sylvester Maximilian, and Sword of Solis, Felix Sandwall.” Gabriel announced as they were the most senior. Bishop Lazark was left, as it was better if he didn’t come into focus.
The Baron was fat. There was no telling where his chest ended and belly started; it was all just a big bloat. His face was so fat that his eyes, nose and mouth seemed like a small spot over his colossal head. His cheeks resembled a bulldog as well. He had dirty red hair and black eyes, nothing that would say he was of nobility; even his clothes were that of any average merchant.
“Your holy presence has truly graced this land and the castle, Lord Bard and Lady Tenth. I welcome you to my humble abode and the feast I have prepared.” The Baron spoke sweetly; his voice was not manly either.
Sylvester agreed, appreciative of the attitude, and decided to first see the Baron’s whole family and understand what they were like. “Thank you, my lord. Please guide the way.”
So they soon arrived in the dining hall, where a big long table was set, and the servants were placing the dishes on it, decorating it.
But what Sylvester was amazed at was that other than the servants and slaves, everyone else was fat, including the Baroness and likely the daughters of the Baron.
“This is my small family. My wife and my five daughters. They are my world; they are my everything.” The Baron introduced Sylvester to everyone.
‘If his sixth daughter was supposed to be ugly compared to these, then she must have probably been a demon.’ Sylvester thought to himself and took a seat.
He listened to everyone making small talk and eating. He could feel the happiness in the family. There was joy, warmth and excitement for some reason.
“How was the Duke, my lord?” Sylvester asked.
The Baron’s eyes shined as if he waited for this to be asked. “He’s marvellous, my lord. He is brilliant and should have been the King, honestly. He decided to compensate us, lords, if our crops suffered any climate disaster. He even helped me set up marriages for all my daughters—he’s amazing.”
‘He means whatever he says… Interesting.’ Sylvester nodded and ate his food.
He didn’t ask the man anything until lunch ended when they proceeded into the Baron’s solar. The place also appeared ordinary, with nothing but a wooden desk and some bookshelves around the walls.
“Baron Redman, we are investigating the murders of noble women around the kingdom—which occurred in a similar fashion as your sixth daughter’s. Kidnapped, murdered, breasts cut. Do you have any clue about the culprit or any suspicions?” Sylvester asked as he sat in front of the Baron with a small diary in his hand.
The Baron rubbed his shin and moved across the room to open a drawer embedded into the wall. “As much as it was saddening what happened to her, I have now gotten over her death. Call me heartless, but none of us loved her. She was an ugly little thing, cruel in mind and nasty in the tongue. Always creating trouble and hurting the servants. She even beheaded our little cats.
“But I did investigate it and found this little knife near the murder location.” The Baron brought the knife draped in red silk cloth.
Sylvester took it and checked it closely. “Hmm… this is too ordinary to be of any use to us. There are no markings, and it appears to be crudely made. Can you tell us about the murderer? Did you see him? A man by the name of Sir Kenworth?”
The Baron shook his head. “None at all, lord bard. This is a remote part of the world. We’re just farmers here making a living in the fields. You are the only outsider to visit us in months, and trust me when I say it, if anyone from outside enters my lands—I’d know.”
Sylvester frowned and cursed in his mind. ‘Damn it; this is useless. The entire trip was for nothing. So many months and still nothing.’
“So there is nothing that can help us find the murderer?” Lady Aurora stood up.
“I’m afraid I can’t help, esteemed lady.”
“What now?” Felix blurted, looking at Sylvester.
Sylvester also stood up and bowed his head lightly. “May the holy light enlighten you, my lord. I must take my leave now. We shall leave your lands in a day.”
“You can stay as long as you wish, lord bard. I am honoured to meet you.” The Baron saw them out of the castle and entered the town.
Sylvester was frustrated and felt helpless. There was no clue to take the next step now. ‘Where should I go now? Back to Lord Inquisitor? No, that won’t help us. There has to be something. There is no such thing as a perfect crime.’
Bam!
All of a sudden, in the crowded town market, a young boy crashed into him. Sylvester quickly helped, “Be careful, child. Watch where you’re going.”
“I-I came to see you, m-my lord.” The boy scaredly spoke and took out a little piece of paper from his pocket. “H-He told me to give you this.”
“Who?” Sylvester looked left and right in a frown. But his heart knew what this would be—another blessing in a mysterious disguise.
He took the parchment and found a cryptic message on it. ‘Search where you shouldn’t. For the sinner sits where you wouldn’t. High on the ladder, they create chaos, for they have no ethos – S.S.R.’
“S.S.R?”