Clues

Clues

Not long after, Ham led the others out of the banquet hall, waved them away, and headed alone toward a carriage.

"What happened?" Dina from the Patrol Hall lifted the carriage curtain, revealing her exquisitely beautiful face.

"You didn't bring the person out?"

"We ran into Baron Karl." Ham lowered his head.

"With a Baron vouching for them, and since the suspicion was not particularly strong to begin with, I did not insist on taking them away. I found a place inside and asked a few questions."

"Karl?"

Dina looked puzzled.

"One of the Baron's friends was admitted to the Barrow Troupe, so he was invited to the banquet," Ham explained.

"Mm."

Dina nodded without asking further and changed the subject.

"Did you find out anything?"

"No." Ham looked regretful.

"The troupe members did not even know that one of their companions had died. That girl named Chino was not valued within the troupe to begin with."

"Hmm..." Dina rubbed her smooth chin.

"What did the Night Watchman say?"

"They said it was not Vampires. Vampires drink blood, while the victim lost her life force." Ham's eyes flickered as he asked curiously.

"Ma'am, do Vampires really exist?"

"I don't know either." Dina was unclear on that matter as well. Leaning back, she sighed.

"So we still have no clues!"

"Not exactly."

Ham shook his head lightly.

"All the victims were women, and all were virgins. More importantly... their identities were unusual."

"They were not nobles or born into wealthy merchant families, yet they were qualified to attend upper-class banquets, such as troupe members and high-ranking gardeners..."

Dina slowly straightened up, her expression turning grave.

"I suspect," Ham continued.

"The murderer holds a certain social status, or at least frequently attends high-end banquets. He has some particular fetish for virgins, and he is not selective about beauty."

One of the victims had been quite ugly in life.

"Not bad."

Dina smiled.

"Ham, you truly are South City's finest Constable. It seems I made the right choice in assigning this investigation to you."

"Ma'am." Ham looked up.

"I heard Count Recton will soon be holding a dinner party. I wonder if I am qualified to attend."

"A dinner party..." Dina frowned.

"Ham, you are very talented, but talent alone is not enough to attend a Count's dinner party."

One needed a certain status and standing.

"Yes," Ham said.

"I merely suspect that the murderer may attend as well."

"Is that so?"

Dina pondered briefly before speaking.

"I'll find you an invitation."

"Thank you, ma'am!" Ham beamed.

Dina shook her head lightly.

She knew very well that Ham had always wanted to enter the so-called upper class, but his humble origins had limited his prospects.

With ordinary looks, low birth, and no Breathing Technique training, someone like him could only become a highly skilled employee no matter how outstanding his talent was in a certain field. He would never truly enter the upper class.

Some things were determined at birth. If you had them, you had them; if you did not, you did not. In other people's eyes, effort was merely a joke.

Like Karl.

Though he possessed little talent and was inferior to Ham in every respect, he was a noble.

The status of a Baron surpassed all acquired effort.

"Thank you, Baron Karl."

Percy looked deeply grateful.

If Karl had not spoken up, she would have been forcibly taken away by the Constables, and the consequences would have been impossible to predict.

Even if nothing came of it, there would have been more gossip within the troupe.

Now,

she had merely been called into a room alone and asked a few questions. It would not affect her reputation.

"It was nothing."

Karl shook his head.

"You needn't be so polite."

Her enthusiasm made it difficult for him to restrain himself.

Percy's gown clung tightly to her waist, while its daringly cut upper half revealed the full curves of her chest whenever she bent over.

Karl was tall, so his gaze could not avoid certain places. More importantly, Percy made no effort to hide herself and even deliberately displayed her advantages.

She was a fully developed woman who understood men.

"I never expected Chino to die."

"Yeah!"

"It's terrifying. I heard she was drained of all her blood by Vampires. I wonder if it's true."

"..."

The whispered conversations around him brought Karl back to his senses. After lingering for a while, he found an excuse to take his leave.

There was no point in staying any longer.

Night fell.

Jenny sat before her dressing mirror, her face flushed, unable to calm her excitement for a long time.

What she had experienced at the banquet was unlike anything she had ever known. Because of Karl, Percy and the other senior members had treated her with exceptional warmth.

They had even promised that she would soon be allowed to perform onstage officially. Such treatment was something newcomers could only dream of.

For the correct version, look no further!

The apprenticeship she had thought would be difficult had suddenly become easy.

"Karl..."

Touching her cheek, Jenny's eyes filled with shyness. Then she lightly bit her thin lip and rose to her feet.

At that moment, she wore only undergarments beneath a thin gauze nightgown, her youthful and vibrant figure fully displayed.

Slowly opening her door, she quietly made her way to Karl's room beneath the hazy moonlight streaming through the window.

Taking a deep breath as if she had made a momentous decision, Jenny raised her hand and knocked on the door.

"Tap, tap..."

"Tap!"

There was no response from inside.

Jenny frowned slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally gritted her teeth and pushed hard against the door.

Creak...

The door shook.

A moment later, the sturdy bolt left her lowering her head helplessly.

"Hmph!"

Stomping her foot in embarrassment, Jenny turned and returned to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

In the darkness, the landlady Mary watched the entire scene through a crack in her door. Seeing this, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

There was relief in her eyes, but also a trace of regret.

No one knew a daughter better than her mother.

After returning, Jenny had been brimming with excitement. When she spoke of the banquet, she had gone on and on, her eyes shining.

Her expression had been especially unusual whenever Karl was mentioned.

How could Mary, with her experience, fail to see it?

Her daughter had clearly fallen for him!

Yet faced with Jenny's bold actions, Mary did not know what to do. Should she stop her, or simply turn a blind eye?

If her daughter could marry a noble, Mary could not ask for more. But would he be willing to marry her? Or was he merely playing around?

If he was unwilling...

Jenny had worked so hard to enter the Barrow Troupe. If she got involved with a man, she would no longer be able to sing.

Her whole life might be ruined because of it!

Fortunately, Karl was sleeping deeply and had probably not heard the movement outside. Otherwise, it would have been a real disaster.

The mysterious place.

Karl, who was training in his Breathing Technique, knew nothing of what was happening outside. Even if he had known, he would not have cared. What had happened at the banquet was insignificant to him, and once he left, he put it out of his mind.

Besides, Jenny was too young in his eyes. He could not bring himself to make a move.

Percy would be more suitable.

"Exhale..."

"Inhale!"

With each measured breath, the medicinal power of the Secret Potion seeped into his marrow and blood vessels. As his life force grew stronger, his physique slowly improved as well.

"The process of Knight Squire training is to condense a Life Seed. Once the Life Seed takes shape, one can advance to become a knight."

"During the process of condensing a Life Seed, one's life force increases, and one's physique naturally improves as well."

"I asked around today. Some Breathing Techniques truly can grant abilities beyond those of ordinary people. The Poison Wolf Breathing Technique must be what gave me my sense of danger."

Women had been murdered one after another in the city, and their deaths were especially bizarre. This made Karl realize that Signo City was not as safe as he had imagined.

Besides,

exploring Black City would also require strength, so he could not slacken his training.

(End of chapter)