145 Investigation (2/2)

”And?” said Thunderstrike impatiently.

Meld began rattling off her hypotheses. ”The perpetrator was not a mage. Likely not a human, either. No normal human possesses a natural ability to project such force. Potentially could be one possessing of the heroic mutagen.”

Thunderstrike raised a brow. ”But we would know about any rogue hero. Mindeye has a tab on every active hero in the entire duchy.”

”There are those that escape her vision.” Meld tilted her head backwards, her blindfolded eyes angling towards Triple Threat. The three adventurers were busy talking with knights themselves a little way off, near the gates. She took a cursory look at Jeanne before swiveling her head forwards again. ”But yes, the possibility is unlikely. A monster, perhaps.”

”A monster not spotted by any manner of guard? One that could scale the powerful magical defenses erected around the noble estates? This does not sound ridiculous to you?”

Meld continued to analyze the floor, not sparing a look at Thunderstrike.

”The point of this type of work is to find clues, then the answer. If you wish for a more straightforward task, then I will gladly have you transferred back over to the north,” she said, voice as calm and pleasant as ever. ”Perhaps the elves will grace you with a matching scar over your other eye.”

”You are lucky that you are favored by the duchess, elsewise I would smite you down with the strength of a thousand storms,” said Thunderstrike.

”There is no such thing as luck in our line of work,” said Meld as she ignored the threat and decided to step inside the mansion. There were other knights still surveying the area, but she wanted to get a personal feel into the situation as well.

”Wait!”

Meld and Thunderstrike turned around to see Sylvie and Azhar running up to them. Jeanne had stayed back at the gates where weary knights were gathering around her, thanking her for her service, for showing up to aid them, and no doubt, there were a few of them wanting to see if they could have a more private meeting later.

”Good adventurers,” said Meld. ”Have you heard anything of noteworth from the other knights?”

Sylvie shook her head. By now, she was feeling a bit tired, her pale red eyes underlined with dark bags from not having slept in almost an entire day working on the case. ”I wished to ask you the same. We have only heard tell of the deaths and their gruesome nature, but nothing that would bring us closer to a suspect.”

”I thought as much. The front party of knights found nothing either,” said Meld. She held out her hand. ”I was about to investigate myself. Would you like to join us?”

Sylvie nodded and fell into a walking pace behind Meld. Behind them, Azhar and Thunderstrike exchanged routine glares at each other.

Meld turned her head from side to side as she got a read on the insides of the mansion. Extremely well ordered with the exception of the corpses which now lay with black sheets covering them, as if someone or something had surgically assassinated every single living being here without touching a single piece of furniture in the whole mansion.

As she surveyed the situation, she said to Sylvie quietly, ”I apologize for my comrade's prior anger at the Flagon.”

”No, I do understand where his thinking lies,” said Sylvie. ”It would be natural in his position to believe that the beastwomen would know something of what transpired here and have them locked away before they could escape. I would have liked to try and get him to see my way of thinking, but unfortunately, Azhar devolved the talk into a shouting match.”

”No talk would have gotten through to Thunderstrike.” Meld smiled. ”A shouting match was perhaps the best way to pass through that thick skull of his.”

Sylvie widened her eyes a bit.

”Oh, pardon me. A hero insulting another hero is unfathomable is what you think, yes?” Meld shook her head. ”Heroes are humans too, my dear. I like to believe I have the luxury of liking and disliking whomever I want.”

”I suppose so.”

”I sense you are guarded around me.” Meld cocked her head, her broad hat somehow defying physics and staying on despite its precarious angle. ”I will not pry into your reasons, but know that as a hero, I am forever your ally.”

Sylvie nodded slowly. She hid her guardedness incredibly well, but not well enough for Meld to not pick up on it. ”I understand.”

A commotion rang through the mansion. It came from the kitchen, and immediately, the group rushed towards it.

Bursting out of the kitchen's marble rimmed entrance were several knights guarding and holding up Ella, Chevrette's daughter. The sole survivor of this attack.

Perhaps with her, thought both Sylvie and Meld, there would be answers.