Chapter 15

After my meeting with the blood merchant vampire I made my way back to Ivar and the kids back at wine shop that was still in business. Unlike before the kids weren't playing though, just sitting around with worried looks on their faces as Ivar tried and failed at keeping their spirits up. Of course, once they saw me walking down road to them they all suddenly got equal parts worried and excited.

Molly was the first to run up to me and demanding I explain everything, and so I did… in a believable and technically true fashion that hopefully would calm her justified fears but keep vampire underwraps to avoid future issues.

"So it's only a weird poor noble living in cellar? How can a noble be poor though?" Molly asked a very insightful question.

"Doesn't make much sense to me either, but yes there can be nobles who are dirt poor but still have their title to them. Don't ask me for details why it works."

"Why is he living in an old shop though, and the bones?!"

"He owns the building, and as for the bones he is just bad at cleaning up after himself. Seriously, it was a bloody mess in there and he still had things like a nice desk to make himself feel important. You have nothing to worry about since despite being a cold man he has his principles… I think."

"I always knew lots of nobles were weird and dumb… sorry for saying it was vampire and hiring you. The adults were right about us…" Molly admonished herself.

Oh dang, that won't do at all.

I kneeled down to look her directly in the eye and this time she didn't turn away, which made the forming tears at her perceived stupidity all the more clear.

"You were worried about yourself, your friends, and your loved ones. No one believed you yet rather than giving up and doing nothing you tried hard to seek professional help. That is a good mindset to have in the face of things you don't understand and just because your gut was incorrect doesn't mean you should beat yourself up. Not even grownups have all the answers so you should always want to make sure of things yourself whenever you can. The point is what you did came out of concern and all things considered I think you reacted well. Who knows, maybe in the future you will become a leader among men because you know how to act in the face of extreme situations." I encouraged.

The last thing I wanted was this bright young mind to be discouraged into not speaking her mind and thinking that children were best seen, not heard. After all, had the vampire been much less reasonable she would have been the hero of the hour by bringing it to my attention.

Molly sniffed hard and nodded at me, a determined glint in her eye.

"Think you, Mister Witcher."

"You can call me Markus, don't be afraid to post on the notice board in future again if you think a monster threatens what you love. It's my guild's job after all." I said with a smile as I patted her head.

"... You're not as scary as some stories about Witchers say you are. You are people that kill monsters like the griffins, but lots also say you steal children away and stuff. I don't believe those bad stories now."

"Thanks for your faith in me. Also, since there was no monster involved, I will not be accepting my reward on this job so you and your friends can have their money back. Now, head on over and tell them the good news. I do recommend you not play around abandoned buildings anymore since even without monsters those places can be dangerous. Now, stay safe and enjoy being a child before you are stuck dealing with grownup stuff like me." I said with giving her a friendly push that earned me a giggle.

I watched as she ran off to other kids and started talking excitedly with them.

"... So-" Ivar stepped up next to me with a gleam in his eye, and I was happy to cut him off.

"Yes, there really was a vampire living in cellar, no, I didn't kill him, no, I do not think he wants any kind of interview and I will not help you get it, and yes, he can easily kill you if you try to force the issue. There are much more accommodating vampires in the world I'm sure will love to talk your ear off and I'm sure we will encounter at least a few, so don't get mopey on me. The job is done and, assuming our follow up goes well, I won't need to kill anyone, let's go then." I turned around and started walking while Ivar was quick to shut up and follow.

"Thank you, Markus!" I heard Molly yell and turned around to see her and several other kids waving their hands at our parting forms.

I waved back and couldn't help but smile a bit since this was what the job should be about. Helping others feel safe in a world full of uncertainty.

Now… since I didn't just take the vampire at his word I wanted to do at least a little follow up. Thankfully, I knew a guy in law enforcement.

---

"Missing persons? Why the interest?" Stig asked while overlooking the training yard in front of barracks.

"Just following up on something I just did; covering all my bases, as it were."

"Hmmm, nothing sticks out. Pont Vanis is a pretty safe city, folk trust us to look into things and me and my boys do a good job of keeping the peace in most places. Sure people go missing on occasion, but usually cause they got lost themselves for one reason or another. Nothing at the moment that makes me think foul play is involved or would include work a Witcher does."

"Maybe these would be people that wouldn't be reported as missing by most? Beggars, whores, criminals, those sorts?"

"I got a few contacts in the local underworld, we have an understanding and such that nothing too serious happens while I run things and I don't waste resources running after every two-bit smuggler and operation. There aren't a lot of beggars in the city, most can find at least basic work barring serious stuff that prevents it, and I'm sure as hell that the Prostitutes Guild would raise a stink with me if any of their members started going missing with no explanation."

"Wait, there's a Prostitutes Guild?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"But of course! They provide a valuable service to the men and women of the city after all. They have coin and influence in a lot of circles since near everyone 'partakes' of their services and skills. They're not the most public about it, but I know for a fact I would have heard something if their members were involved in something worrying. Hells, we're usually the first they call on when some idiot thinks he can get out of paying for time or can assault them. Better us than the guild's toughs, let me tell you."

Huh, that was surprisingly progressive in a libertarian sort of way. Sure, there was likely a dark underbelly in that like in any organization, but if sex workers were being protected under law in general that is positive.

"I see, is there a chance though that some of the less complying members of groups could go missing and no one says anything?"

"Of course, we call that a 'Vanis Retirement'. Those who don't listen to rules and get cocky shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves at the business end of a club and dumped in the harbor. Don't get me wrong, there are some bad men in power all over the place but they usually have restraint. If you don't… well no one cries over you." Stig said with no compassion, and I can't say I entirely blame him.

Hmm, that seems to support the vampire's story… and I just realized I never asked nor he gave a name. Whatever, doesn't seem likely I will need to track him down anyhow. And even if I wanted to he likely gone to ground and is planning to move lairs.

Sure it was still daylight so I could go back over there before he does, but what would be the point at this time? Just say that I found some information that might confirm his story but still circumstantial at best?

I'd just have to hope that this vampire was on the up and up for the most part and that my threat keeps him from doing anything sketchy, it's not like he knows I'm leaving in a few days after all.

Hoping for the best in the end was the most I could do if I wanted to avoid killing a guy who I'm not sure is guilty of doing much more than what I or the current justice system would do.

Point was, I was only human, albeit a mutant one, and can only make calls based on what I knew and my own moral compass.

I'm sure a decision of mine will bite me in the ass one day but I can't second-guess myself all the time. I'm sure I could do any action I take differently and better, but sadly I had no powers of foresight.

Great, I was overthinking now. I just needed to move forward or else I would never get anywhere.

"Thanks Stig, I think you've helped set me at ease at least a little bit. I'm gonna be leaving soon for the south so we should meet up for a final goodbye before then if possible."

"Sure! I'm sure my family would love to see you off with some proper food before you slum it at sea for weeks. Be sure to stop by the night before and we can all give you a going away meal." Stig easily agreed with a smile.

"It's a promise."

---

"Awww, look at you all! You all want to go on adventurers and track down monsters don't you? Yes you do, yes you do!" My cooing at the pile of puppies in a wooden box must have been really ruining the image of all Witchers, but I didn't care at the moment.

Ivar and I followed up on the earlier notice board post about hunting dog puppies for sale and went to address the hunter put down near the market. He had only arrived the other day and was happy to have potential customers… even if it was a Witcher sticking his head in said box to be assaulted by the cutest creatures ever.

The hunter looked to be in his late twenties, with an athletic build made more for moving around quickly rather than the piles of meat by docks made for hauling cargo. He carried his bow and a few other hunter tools with him while hanging out by his emptied-out cart, most likely having sold off pelts and things to local merchants already, and was dealing with selling the puppies himself since he prided himself on his dog breeding. He had a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose from ear to ear.

Speaking of ears, he was an elf. Which made determining his age at all pretty hard, especially when he went on about how he had been breeding good hunting companions for decades.

The pups themselves looked like a weird mix of bloodhound and lab, not that it stopped them from being the sweetest little things ever!

"If trained properly they can track anything for miles and even bring down smaller animals themselves. They can also be great at giving early warnings about hostile monsters if they know the scent to be on look out for. I never had a dog that didn't take to training well if started young and stayed that way till death." Devdan stated with pride.

"You don't have to sell them on me, friend. I want them all! Sadly, I'm on the road a lot so I can only take one to give full attention to while doing my job. I already have one defenseless animal who needs me to look after him and he isn't nearly as cute."

"Hey!" was Ivar's prediciatable reply.

"Hmmm, how about this one?" I said while picking up a black-coated girl who just licked my face as I held her close. "I like her spirit!"

"Sure, though I do ask you do what you can to care for her. Dogs are great companions and should be treated as such till the end, not cattle that live and die at our convenience." Devdan sneered near the end.

"You have my word I will do everything I can to watch her back as she watches mine." I said in all seriousness… before it vanished completely from the puppy nipping at my fingers. "I shall name her… Dogmeat! After a noble canine who no matter what the world threw at her would face it head on and make even the most deadly of beasts fall to her fangs!" I said while holding Dogmeat up high.

All that got me was weird looks from Iver and Devdan. Well too bad, she's my dog and she shall be Dogmeat!

"Right… I will let you take her for no less than 50 bizants."

"Deal, I'll even throw in another 50 if you give me some dried food just for Dogmeat."

"I'll grab something. Be sure to take care of her and she will do the same."

"I've no doubt she will. Oh, Ivar good news. Since we have a dog now you can help pay back for my protection by picking up her shit." I said with a cruel smile.

"What?!"

"I dare you to say no to this face, I dare you." I said menacingly as I used Dogmeat's puppy dog eyes on him.