"Who's hidden in the barrel?"
Roy rubbed the cool barrel in confusion, looking as though he wanted to open it and take a look.
"Stashing a corpse in a wine cellar is like hiding a ticking time bomb. Given Seville Hogg's status, if he wanted to make an ordinary person disappear for good, there'd be no need to use a method like this."
Letho fell silent for a moment. "Maybe the corpse in the barrel has something to do with the nightmares troubling Seville. Of course, it could also be an entirely unrelated secret—one he absolutely doesn't want anyone to know."
"Then should we open it and have a look?" Roy clenched his fists, looking eager to get started.
"Acting on our own would definitely anger Seville. Even using the Axii Sign, we couldn't completely erase his and his servants' memories. It's not worth it for a two-hundred-Crown contract."
"Keep your curiosity in check! Let's act as if we never went down to the cellar."
"I'll try another way to sound Seville out later. You just do as I say..."
After leaving the cellar, Letho returned to the master bedroom on the third floor and hypnotized Seville again, making him hide the key. Roy had seen the Axii Sign work its magic many times, and he couldn't help feeling envious.
If a target had no mental defenses, they were sure to fall for it when caught off guard.
"The Axii Sign is more versatile and convenient than the other Signs. It's an essential skill for home and travel, killing and looting."
When the dwarf woke up in bed, he had no memory of what had happened. The fatigue had left his face, though, and he looked refreshed after a good sleep.
He glanced at the clock. "I slept for an hour? I haven't slept that soundly in ages." His eyes widened like saucers, and he waved his fists excitedly. "There must be a Witcher here. That filthy thing haunting me wouldn't dare come out and cause trouble again."
"Then you two must have made some progress today!"
In response to the dwarf's eager question, Letho replied impassively, "That thing is very cunning and well hidden. I hope you can give us more clues, Mr. Seville. Could you tell us about your nightmares?"
Seville's face suddenly went pale, as though he'd thought of something terrifying. The usually carefree dwarf looked awkward. He hesitated, reluctant to speak, then stammered, "My nightmares... They're terrifying and strange. I can't describe them."
"If you can't be open and honest with us, the Witcher can't save you."
Letho gave Roy a glance. The boy immediately understood and delivered the lines they had prepared. "Of course they're related! Mr. Seville, have you ever heard of a monster called a Hym?"
The dwarf shook his head, bewildered.
Roy began an animated explanation. "Hyms are a product of the Conjunction of Spheres. They have no physical bodies and can only survive by possessing living creatures."
"Possess a human?" The dwarf's face grew paler, and his fists clenched tight.
"They're very particular about their targets, usually choosing people who've done something bad or wrong, or other animals. Hyms feed on negative emotions like fear, regret, and guilt. They also use their victims' real experiences as the basis for their dreams, constantly stirring up those negative emotions and corroding their minds until they're destroyed."
At this, Seville's lips trembled slightly, and even his thick mustache gave a very noticeable quiver.
"Good heavens, an invisible devil! How did I end up attracting such a thing?"
"Don't be afraid," Roy continued eagerly. "Let me finish. Only the host can hear a Hym's whispers. It attacks with nightmares and creates illusions, inflicting mental anguish on its host and indirectly draining their life force."
"Those possessed usually can't get a good night's sleep. They're plagued by nightmares that grow more frequent and vivid, until their minds are completely destroyed and they either kill themselves or... go mad!"
As the words fell, Seville seemed close to breaking down. He clutched Letho's right hand, all color drained from his face, his expression fearful as though he'd been ravaged by ****.
"Master Letho, the Hym—that devil—is hurting me! Please, you have to help me destroy it!"
"There's one condition for us to deal with the Hym." Letho kept his expression cool and impassive, while Roy continued explaining for him. "The devil is very difficult to handle. Ordinary means can't hurt it. We have to use the fear in your heart to lure it out, then let the Witcher deal with it—Master Letho, for instance."
"So please, tell us honestly what's troubling you, what's at the root of it, and what you did wrong."
Seville suddenly squeezed his eyes shut in anguish. "Sorry, I... I need to think it over." As soon as the nightmares came up, he seemed to snap out of his fear and regain his composure. A faint wariness crept into his gaze as he guarded against the two of them prying into his secret.
"It's getting late. I'll have the servants prepare dinner. We can talk about this tomorrow, when you come back."
The two were a little disappointed, but they didn't press him.
"Knowing that, you should've used Axii on him again and gotten him to talk."
"It's not as simple as you think. There's a high chance of resistance if you use the Axii Sign on the same target three times in a short time. He's on his guard now, too, so it's more likely to fail."
Seeing the slight disappointment on Roy's face, Letho shook his head.
"Kid, be patient. A skilled hunter waits and waits for the perfect moment, then strikes a fatal blow to the prey and reaps the greatest satisfaction."
Isn't that so? Witchers risked their lives to solve people's problems. Was it only to make a living? They were also pursuing the sense of satisfaction that came with completing a contract.
Perhaps Seville was making amends for his unwillingness to cooperate. The dinner he served the two was extraordinarily lavish: all kinds of fish from the water, birds from the sky, animals from the land, and all sorts of Mahakam specialties. The dazzling array of food made it, without a doubt, the best meal Roy had eaten since arriving in this world.
By the time the bright moon had risen and Roy left Seville's manor with a burp, most of his dissatisfaction had faded.
"Kid, come by my room when we get back to the tavern."
"What's up?"
"We'll continue the lesson on monster tracking that we didn't finish this afternoon. You took part in your first contract today, so we might as well build on that and teach you a little more."
As they chatted, they left the wealthy district and entered a dark, quiet alley. Suddenly, a figure wrapped in a black cloak dashed straight toward them.
Half his face was hidden in shadow. He looked like a boy of thirteen or fourteen, with an ugly, finger-length scar beneath his right eye. His voice brimmed with fervor and anger.
"Innocent people, open your eyes to Tavik's tyranny! The revolution will surely triumph!" After saying this, he shoved a proclamation into Roy's hand, then darted into the darkness and vanished without a trace.
Roy took the proclamation into the moonlight and had the tipsy Letho read it aloud. "Vernon Roche, the great revolutionary leader of Edessberg, has worked tirelessly for the people, yet the cruel Baron Tavik has arrested and imprisoned him for three months."
"All those who still have a conscience, gather at Prophet Lebioda Square at three tomorrow afternoon to join the protest march!"
"Long live the revolutionary pioneer! The pure flames will surely burn away the Baron's corrupt and benighted domain!"
Before you continue