Probing Questions and Public Notices

"Who's hiding in the barrel?"

Roy rubbed the cool barrel in confusion, looking as if he wanted to open it and take a peek.

"Hiding a corpse in a wine cellar is like planting a time bomb. With Seville Hogg's status, if he wanted to make an ordinary person disappear completely, he wouldn't need to resort to this method."

Letho paused for a moment. "Maybe the corpse in the barrel is connected to the nightmare that's been plaguing Seville. Or it could be a completely unrelated secret—one he absolutely doesn't want anyone to know."

"So should we crack it open and take a look?" Roy clenched his fists, looking eager.

"Acting on our own will definitely piss off Seville. Even using Axii Signs won't completely erase the memories from him and his servants. Not worth it for a two-hundred Crown contract."

"Rein in your curiosity! We'll pretend we never went down to the cellar."

"I'll find another way to probe Seville later. You do as I say..."

After leaving the cellar, Letho returned to the third-floor master bedroom and re-hypnotized Seville into hiding the key. Roy had witnessed the wonders of Axii Signs many times and was deeply envious.

If the target had no mental defenses and was caught off guard, they'd definitely fall for it.

"Axii Signs are more versatile and convenient than the other signs. Truly a must-have skill for travel, home life, murder, and robbery."

When the dwarf woke up from his bed, he had no memory of what had happened before. Instead, his face had shed much of its fatigue, carrying the refreshed comfort of a good sleep.

He glanced at the wall clock. "I slept for an hour? Haven't slept this soundly in ages." He widened his bell-like eyes and waved his fists excitedly. "It must be because the Witchers are here—that filthy thing clinging to me doesn't dare come out and cause trouble."

"So you two must have found something today!"

Facing the dwarf's anticipation, Letho said calmly, "That thing is cunning and hides deep. I hope Mr. Seville can provide more clues. Could you tell us about your nightmare?"

Seville's face suddenly went pale, as if he'd thought of something terrifying. The usually carefree dwarf showed a look of reluctance. He hesitated, resisted, and stammered, "My nightmare... it's terrifying, bizarre, indescribable."

"If you can't cooperate openly, even a Witcher can't save you."

"Sorry... I really... really don't want to talk about it. Catching the monster has nothing to do with my nightmare, right?"

Letho shot Roy a look, and the latter immediately understood, following the prepared script. "Of course it does! Mr. Seville, have you ever heard of a monster called a Hym?"

The dwarf shook his head blankly.

Roy began to describe it vividly. "The Hym is a product of the Conjunction of Spheres. It has no real body and can only survive by parasitizing a living being."

"Parasitizing a human body?" The dwarf's face gradually paled, his fists clenched tight.

"It's also very particular about its targets. It usually picks those who've done bad or wrong things—or other animals. The Hym feeds on their fear, regret, guilt, and other negative emotions. It constructs dreams based on their real experiences, constantly stirring up those negative feelings to corrode and destroy their sanity."

At this, Seville's lips trembled slightly, and even his thick beard gave a noticeable twitch.

"God, an invisible demon—how did I get tangled up with something like this?"

"Don't be afraid," Roy pressed on eagerly. "Let me finish. Only the host can hear the Hym's whispers. It attacks with nightmares, creates illusions, inflicts mental pain on the host, and indirectly drains their life force."

"The parasitized person usually can't get a good night's sleep, plagued by nightmares. And the nightmares get more frequent and vivid until they completely destroy the host's sanity, driving them to suicide... or madness!"

When those words landed, Seville nearly collapsed. He grabbed Letho's right hand tightly, his face drained of all color, filled with the terror of being tormented.

"Master Letho, the Hym—this demon is hurting me. Please, you have to help me get rid of it!"

"There's a prerequisite to dealing with the Hym." Letho remained cold-faced and aloof, while Roy continued explaining for him. "The demon is very tricky. Normal methods can't attack it. We have to use your inner fear to lure it out, then let the Witcher—like Master Letho—take care of it."

"So please honestly tell us what's on your mind, the root of your troubles, the wrong thing you've done."

Seville suddenly shut his eyes in pain. "Sorry, I... I need to think about it." The moment the nightmare was mentioned, he seemed to snap out of his fear, regaining clarity. His gaze toward the two also carried a faint wariness, guarding against them prying into his secrets.

"It's getting late. I'll have the servants prepare dinner. Let's talk about this when you come back tomorrow."

The two felt a bit regretful but didn't push.

"I knew it. Letho, you should've hit him with another Axii to get the truth out of him."

"It's not as simple as you think. Using Axii Signs on the same target three times in a short period has a high chance of being resisted. Now that he's on guard, it's even easier for the spell to fail."

Seeing Roy's slight disappointment, Letho shook his head.

"Kid, be patient and steady. A skilled hunter waits and waits for the perfect moment, then delivers the fatal blow to the prey, reaping the greatest sense of accomplishment."

Wasn't that the truth? Did Witchers risk their lives solving people's problems just to make a living? They also chased that feeling of fulfillment after completing a contract.

Maybe Seville was apologizing for his uncooperative attitude. The dinner he served the two was lavish to the extreme—creatures from water, sky, and land, plus all sorts of Mahakam specialties. The dazzling array of delicacies was a feast for the eyes, easily the best meal Roy had eaten since crossing over.

When the bright moon rose and Roy left Seville's estate with a burp, most of his dissatisfaction had faded.

"Kid, when we get back to the tavern, come to my room first."

"What's up?"

"Continue the monster tracks lesson we didn't finish during the day. You personally took part in your first contract today, so we might as well strike while the iron's hot and learn a bit more."

Talking as they went, the two left the wealthy district and entered a dark, quiet alley. Suddenly, a figure wrapped entirely in a black cloak rushed straight at them.

Half his face was hidden in shadow, but he looked like a boy of thirteen or fourteen, with an ugly scar the length of an index finger under his right eye. His voice was filled with fervor and anger.

"Innocent people, see clearly the tyranny of Tavik! The revolution will triumph!" With that, he shoved a notice into Roy's hand and darted into the darkness, vanishing without a trace.

Roy took the notice into the moonlight and had the tipsy Letho read it for him. "Edessberg's great revolutionary leader, Vernon Roche, has been tirelessly working for the people's interests, yet was cruelly arrested and imprisoned for three months by Baron Tavik."

"All those with a conscience still intact, gather at Prophet Lebioda Square tomorrow at three in the afternoon to join the protest march!"

"The revolutionary pioneers are immortal. The pure flame will burn away the corrupt and ignorant Baron's domain!"