Spellhounds, suspicions and soldiers

"That green hair really suits you. Is it a natural colour?" Dia asked.

"In a way, yes." Farah ran a hand through her hair. "It turned green after I became a one-folder. For some time, I couldn't quite get used to it, but it grew on me eventually."

"Why did your hair change colour?" Lily asked, drawing close to it. "I don't think becoming a mana-user has effects on hair, does it?"

"The healer said that it was just an accident," the countess replied.

"Things like these do happen randomly," Risti added. "It is worth noting, however, that mana-users that experience a change to their body during their first inscription tend to be more famous over their more normal peers. Having a special hair colour makes one stand out, so their deeds are more easily recognised."

"Is that a good thing?" Farah asked, curious.

"That depends on whether you want to be well known or not, really," Risti replied. "You probably don't know this, but mana-users who are very famous tend to get lots of creepy, undue attention. Like knowing someone's favourite shampoo brand, preferred brands of underwear…"

So you do know that what you're doing is creepy and uncalled for, right? Dia looked at Risti, who was listing off a laundry list of what kinds of information people usually sought for such famous individuals, and shuddered.

"Ahem. That's all very interesting, but I think we need to focus on the main point at hand," said the countess. Walking up to the guards, she brandished a golden seal.

"I am Countess Farah, the ruler of Farah County. Let us through; we want to investigate a particular corpse."

"Ma'am," said one soldier, who shook like a leaf upon sealing the seal in her hand, "we've been issued orders to not let anyone through."

"And is their authority higher than mine?" Farah asked. "I am a countess, second only to Duke Istrel in his lands. No one can gainsay me in this aspect."

She paused. "I'll make this easy for you. Hear my orders, soldiers of Pletsville. Let me and my companions through."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The small barricade of soldiers split apart, long enough for Dia and the others to follow the countess in. The barricade closed up moments later behind them, but Dia wasn't alarmed by that act. The soldiers here would give way to anyone of sufficient power, but that was the extent of it.

"That's the corpse, then." Dia walked up and examined it. It was beginning to stink, but it didn't affect her and Risti much. The other two were hanging back a bit further, and after taking a good look at it, she shook her head.

"Cause of death is internal injury," Dia muttered. "Rough treatment, beatings…things like these around three to five days ago. However, there is another batch of dead people, who died a lot more recently, which is over there."

Beckoning for the others to follow, she headed over to the other pile of bodies, the ones that looked as if they died not too long ago. Turning to a particularly burly soldier, she asked, "Why were these people tied up here and executed?"

"They started a fire and stole some valuable items," the soldier replied.

"And did you get them back?" Dia asked.

"What's that got to do with you?"

"Answer the question, soldier," Farah cut in. "Or you can answer to me. As a countess, I have the right to imprison anyone for contempt against nobility. I'm a nice person, so I rarely use this right. Don't be the first one I use it on in this town."

The burly man stiffened up, before lowering his head. "We did not get it back."

"Which means that the thief is still at large," Dia muttered. "I have a hypothesis."

"It's likely the same as mine," Farah said, a smile on her face, "but you can have the honours."

"This man" —Dia pointed at the corpse that the spellhounds here were staring at— "probably came into contact with our target. For some reason, however, that man was captured and strung up, eventually passing away. A few days later, arson and robbery happened in this military encampment, which resulted in the loss of valuable items. Does the latter incident feel like it's about revenge?"

"It does seem that way to me," Farah said, "but we can't be certain. Soldier, those dead people here…on what basis did you capture them?"

"They were at the encampment when a fire broke out yesterday," the soldier replied. "We had intended to let some of them into our company, since they rendered us some meritorious service in getting rid of knaves and rogues in the town, the ones over there. But when we gathered them, a fire broke out and valuables were stolen."

"Fits like a glove, if you ask me," said Lily. "Friend gets captured and killed by a mob, and Tot sets fire to the camp to frame that mob. Interesting idea."

"You're saying that these people are innocent?" The burly soldier laughed. "We're all the same mould. These people went overboard when they captured those poor foreigners and peons there. Most of those captives only croaked out a word or two before they died; we were already intending to arrest anyone who didn't want to join us for murder."

Dia felt the urge to slap the soldier, a sentiment clearly shared by everyone else. However, there were few laws against things like this, especially when there was no proof that the soldiers actually did any harmful acts of substance. From what she could tell, this company of soldiers here were simply instigators and nothing else.

And more importantly, they were acting to enforce Emperor Grandis' orders of capturing Tot. Condemning them for being overzealous here could very well backfire on anyone who tried it.

She glanced at the others, who were badly shaken by the soldier's words. "In other words, these people took the fall for Tot. Well, soldier, it seems that the master thief everyone's looking for isn't here any longer."

The burly man shrugged. "Like we would be able to claim the Emperor's rewards anyway."

"Let's go," Dia said. "There's no information of value here, unless—"

"Not yet. There's still things I can do," said Risti. "Follow me back to that corpse."

The spellhounds mewled as the four returned to the corpse.

"You have a solution for this?" Dia asked.

"A skill, yes. It's not all that reliable, since it doesn't actually answer my questions directly all the time. Let's just hope that we get a lead." Risti closed her eyes, and mana welled up around her. Within moments, the mana floating around her had gathered into a small orb, which rolled apart to form a piece of parchment barely wider than a handprint.

"What's that?" Farah asked.

"Last Words." Risti looked at the parchment, frowning as she read the words on it. "Hmm. Surprisingly enough, this man was actually someone dispatched by Duke Istrel. Or at least, someone working for an employee of the duke. It seems that the last thing he remembers was being at an inn and interrogating someone."

"What happened after that?" Lily asked

"His conscious mind stopped working after that," said Risti. "Seems like a case of poison or something, but since he didn't die from it, it's probably something like an intoxicant, just a lot stronger."

"What does all this mean, then?" Lily wondered out loud.

"Beats me," Risti replied. "Isolde, any ideas? You're the most experienced here after all."

"Well, if nothing else, we have a lead. It's back to the inn. I'm not sure what to think about all these, though. If he's a friend of Tot, why would he be poisoned? If they weren't related, why would Tot burn this place?"

"Very good questions," said Farah, "but I think we'll need to dig a lot more to find out anything else."

"You're probably right about that," said Dia. "The inn it is, then."

The others nodded. Stepping away from the corpse, the four retraced their routes. Passing by the company of soldiers and a whole bunch of hellhounds at the same time, Dia looked at them, an odd look in their eye.

"What's wrong?" Farah asked.

"Just wondering if they would be able to catch Tot if they don't have skills like Risti's, that's all," Dia replied. "Right, Risti, how did you learn that skill?"

"Well…"

"Oh, it's alright if you don't want to tell us. Skills as miraculous as yours are definitely family secrets."

"Thanks for your understanding, then. It is something I really cannot disclose on a whim," Risti replied. "But I can tell you that the process is rather…chilling."

"Chilling…" Dia shook her head. From the sounds of it, the process of attaining this skill probably had something to do with dying people or corpses after all.

"Chilling or not, this is our only lead for now," said Lily. "I wish my skills were this useful for investigations, though. Mine's all about making things."

"I'm all about fighting," said Dia.

"And mine's about governance."

"Well, at least we're all specialised in one way," said Risti.

"True…"