Death of the Miner

Spansom, located at the foot of the Mahakam mountains, has a population of no more than two hundred households. The vast majority of its young and middle-aged residents do not engage in agricultural work, instead joining the dwarf-run mountain mines as laborers.

This has been the way of life for over fifty years.

The village buildings are not constructed from wood and earth like those in typical villages, but are instead built from various rich mineral stones, making them sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing.

Roy sat on the rug in the village chief's house, drinking a thick soup made from shriveled vegetables, and stroked his smooth chin.

"Witcher business is too good. I just left Edessberg and before I could even catch my breath, someone's already knocking on my door."

"Village Chief Cassili, according to you, there have been four consecutive murders in the village in the past three months?"

The man with a bulbous nose, who was smiling obsequiously by his side, nodded with a heavy expression. "Three young lads who were not yet married, dead for some time. The most recent victim, Brady, was discovered just a few days ago. He left behind two children and a widow who will have to rely on the village for support from now on."

He sighed, "Since Spansom was founded, there haven't been such heinous murders for over twenty years. The village is in a state of panic. Everyone says it's the mountain fiends acting up, and they're all on edge, afraid it will be their turn one day. Please help us catch the real killer. We can discuss the reward."

The Witcher waved his hand. "No need to rush about the reward. We need more information first. Why were there almost only old men, women, and children in the village when we entered? Where are the men?"

Cassili pointed to the sun outside the window. "At this time of day, everyone is still working in the mountain mines. There are still four or five hours until quitting time."

"With such a major incident happening in the village, they still have the mind to go to work instead of staying home to look after their wives and children?"

Roy asked in surprise, "Aren't the men afraid of something happening to their families?"

The village chief rubbed his large nose and gave a helpless, wry smile. "There's nothing we can do. I've already spoken with the adults in the mountains about the situation you mentioned. They've slightly reduced the villagers' daily working hours, so everyone can get home before nightfall. And they promised to catch the killer."

"But they are not professionals, after all. Three months have passed, and there has been no progress in capturing the killer. It seems that these monster attacks must be dealt with by Witchers."

He said this with anticipation, and a hint of caution, looking towards Letho.

"'The adults in the mountains'?"

Roy savored the phrase, finding it rather novel.

As far as he knew, in the current social context, ancient races like dwarves and elves were at a significant disadvantage compared to humans. However, in Mahakam, the roles seemed reversed.

Humans worked in the dwarf mines and referred to the dwarves as 'adults'.

He could feel the genuine reverence in Village Chief Cassili's voice when he mentioned the dwarves.

"Could it be that Mahakam's Great Elder, Borovar Hog, is a tyrant?"

Meanwhile, Letho picked up where the village chief left off and asked directly, "Let's get to the point. We need to understand the general situation of these four deaths. For example, the cause of death..."

Cassili said indignantly, "As the village chief of Spansom, I rushed to the scene immediately and saw their deaths clearly. I'll never forget it. Fiends are a pack of brutal beasts!"

The man recounted his observations.

The Witcher and Roy fell into thought.

"Died in the mountains, their abdomens were all cut open, and their bodies were propped up on high branches facing the ground, left to be pecked by birds and gnawed by beasts..."

The Witcher exchanged a look with his partner. Roy, understanding his intent, voiced his conclusion:

"Based on your description, I can almost be certain that they were not killed by fiends as the villagers claim!"

"I'll tell you clearly, under normal circumstances, fiends don't roam around randomly harming people. They dislike open forests and prefer to dwell in dark, narrow places like tombs. The situation you described sounds more like... some kind of ancient ritual. For more clues... we need to examine the bodies of the deceased ourselves."

Roy looked intently at the village chief, who blinked for a moment before snapping back to attention.

"It wasn't fiends... then what was it?" His face was apologetic. "Examining the bodies is probably out of the question. Because we were afraid the lads would be infected by the fiends... turn into something foul, the village burned their bodies... burned them... Although it's disrespectful to the deceased, there's no other way. It's for the sake of the living."

Roy was speechless, feeling a sense of unease. After a moment, he said with a complex expression, "Who told you that fiends can infect people? They aren't viruses or plagues, how could they be contagious? You burned the bodies, so the investigation is difficult to continue."

Cassili's face stiffened at his words.

"Who told you at the very beginning that everything was the work of fiends?"

"The adults in the mountains."

Roy pondered this.

Letho clapped his hands and stood up.

"Ordinary people don't understand monsters. Little one, you don't need to be too harsh. How about this, Village Chief Cassili, you take us around the village and collect clues along the way."

"Then this commission..."

"We need to understand more before deciding whether to take it."

As the two left the village chief's gate, a group of village women and children who had been closely watching the situation immediately averted their gazes like startled rabbits, clumsily and nervously pretending to be busy.

"Is this case very troublesome, Letho? You're even hesitant to take it?" Roy noticed the Witcher's serious demeanor and clearly felt that this commission was likely very difficult.

"Little one, didn't I tell you not to take on commissions beyond your capabilities, especially you who have only learned a smattering of knowledge and are so careless?" The Witcher emphasized in a deep voice.

"First, figure out what level your opponent is at, otherwise, you might not even know how you died..."

Led by the village chief, the two arrived at the home of the latest victim, Brady. A woman dressed in simple clothes, with a flushed face, was already waiting at the door.

After the Witcher identified himself to the woman, he asked directly, "Has your husband been acting normally lately? Any strange behavior or special instructions?"

The woman, with sorrow in her eyes, pondered for a moment before shaking her head blankly.

"How is your husband regarded in the village?"

"Brady has always had a good reputation. If anyone in the village had a problem, he was always the first to rush to help. Besides working in the mine, Brady is also skilled at hunting. Every time he brought back game, he would share it with everyone in the village."

The village chief, Cassili, added, "I can vouch for that. Her husband is well-liked in the village. Those three young men who died had some disputes with certain villagers due to their youthful impetuosity, but Brady has a gentle temper and never argued with anyone. He's a man everyone praises."

Hearing this, the village woman seemed to recall her husband's virtues again, and she covered her face and wept.

"Wuuu... Brady was in the mine for half a month and didn't come home. I never expected our last meeting to be a final farewell. I... I couldn't even keep his body!"

Amidst her sobs, two chubby little figures suddenly rushed out from behind the door. They pounced forward, hugging the woman's legs tightly, their little mouths pouting as they began to cry along with her.

"Alas, poor Tina, Jim, losing their father at only five years old. How will they get by in the future..."

The village chief couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke the boy's hair. The child suddenly lifted his small face, wiping away tears with his dirty hands. He looked at Roy with tear-filled eyes and asked, "Will... will you catch the killer?"

At the same time, the mother and children also turned their gaze towards them.

Roy glanced at the Witcher, whose face showed no discernible expression. He could only take a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his heart, no longer looking at the little cat-like face.

"Village chief, let's visit the homes of the other deceased next..."

"Do villagers often stay in the mountains for ten days to half a month without coming home?"

"Only Brady worked that hard. He wanted to save some money to send Jim to school in Edessberg."

"I see..."

The subsequent visits yielded no surprises. The remaining three young deceased had simple relationships. Even if they had minor squabbles with villagers, it wasn't enough to warrant murder.

The Witcher didn't even need to use Axii Signs.

Roy also had a strong feeling that the killer was likely not human.

"Then please take us to the scene of the most recent incident."