Volunteering

"April 15. In just ten days, Saila looked as if she were five or six months pregnant. She was so fortunate, one of the lucky ones chosen by God."

"April 30. Saila was almost ready to give birth. The important child was about to arrive. I was so excited. I have to say, Mr. Heimok really did me a huge favor!"

"May 2. They were born, and there were two of them! Haha."

"May 3. Damn it, one of the children died prematurely. What should I do?"

Old Cook had said that Ain had boasted to them about having two healthy grandsons. So one of them had died, and the remaining one had become a murderer?

Sifa shook his head. "If that's the case, wouldn't the killer have been only two months old? He must be the youngest killer in the history of the Loen Kingdom."

He continued reading.

"May 7. A Miracle happened. So that's how it is."

A Miracle? What Miracle?

"May 14. The remaining child is growing so quickly, but his appetite is enormous. His mother's milk is nowhere near enough to satisfy him. Last night, he even tried to eat Saila."

"May 21. I had old Ain buy some livestock to feed this child. He needs a great deal of flesh and blood."

"May 27. Animal flesh and blood no longer seem to satisfy it. It looks like I need to find something else for it. There are quite a few vagrants in this town, and plenty of mindless workers too. If one or two of them go missing, no one should notice. But I can't show myself personally. I'm a new face in this town. I need to think of a way."

"May 29. I have to say, there are so many idiots in this town. That old woman has already believed what I told her. She believes she is Blessed by Evernight. How ridiculous. Still, she will make a useful helper."

"June 3. I was right. Paris has already brought me a vagrant. It would be rather wasteful to use him only to feed that child. Right, I can give her the prayer incantation. First, it will make her believe even more firmly that she is one of the chosen. Second, it will make full use of these vagrants. They can serve as sacrifices first, then become 'food.' I really am a genius!"

So that was how it was.

That was how Paris had become Blessed by Evernight. The old woman had been used by someone. Those poor people Paris had tricked over had become both sacrifices and food.

Sifa's mood gradually grew heavy. Every line of the diary seemed to drip with blood, yet he silently continued turning the pages.

"June 7. Gorey, hmm, that's the child. Old Ain gave him that name. What an awful name. Forget it, he's just a tool anyway. His name doesn't matter. In any case, Gorey has been a little out of control lately. He actually snuck off to the mountains behind my back. But because of that, I discovered that he can alter and control animals."

"June 14. That little bastard actually went into town. Damn it, it can't let anyone else know about it yet. I need to teach it a good lesson!"

Sifa noticed that in this passage, the diary's owner had changed how he referred to the child. This seemed to indicate that his understanding of this "child" was changing.

"June 25. I'm going mad. That little bastard killed someone! I've already provided it with food, yet it still isn't satisfied! Damn it, it's not time yet."

"July 8. Fine, it killed another person at the inn in town. It seems I can only hide it in the mountains."

"July 11. It ran back from the mountains and claimed it had been attacked. What a troublesome bastard."

"July 12. This is serious. Based on its description, the person who attacked it seems to be the Baron's son in town. Before that, it had already encountered that boy named Sifa once, at Memorial Square. This bastard does nothing but cause me trouble. What should I do now? Kill that boy? But he's a noble. What a nuisance..."

"July 15. What a heartless Monster. It actually killed its own grandfather and mother."

"July 16. That Sifa again, that damned bastard again! Why did he go to Paris's house? Damn it, there was only a door between us at the time. I shouldn't have hesitated. If I had acted, I wouldn't have let him escape, wouldn't have let him call the police, and wouldn't have lost Paris, such a useful tool!"

Sifa could not help but freeze at that point.

The diary's owner had been at Paris's house then? Suddenly, Sifa remembered that there was a room in Paris's basement. Could the diary's owner have been inside that room at the time?

"July 17. Time is getting tight. For that matter, I need a larger number of sacrifices. Huh, I think I hear the sound of a carriage."

This was the final entry.

Closing the diary, Sifa quickly walked out of the room and happened to see Lewis and the others emerging.

"Officer, you need to see this." Sifa handed over the diary he had found.

Lewis's expression changed after reading only a few pages. "Now we have a problem."

He passed the diary to the other two. When Martha saw the final page, she cried out softly, "He wants a large number of sacrifices. Doesn't that mean the people in this town are in danger?"

Lewis nodded. "Today's search ends here. We'll return immediately. We need to meet with the mayor and Chief Kaoxi to discuss a response."

They hurried downstairs, left the farmhouse, and returned to the carriage.

As the carriage headed toward town, Sifa said, "Officer, I have a suggestion."

Lewis glanced at him. "Go on."

Sifa pointed at the diary Jeffrey was holding. "The strange incidents in our town during this period were all orchestrated by the owner of this diary."

"The diary also mentions that he hates me deeply. I think we can use that to lure him out."

The three inspectors exchanged surprised glances. Martha, the red-haired woman, reminded him, "If you do that, you'll be taking considerable risks."

Sifa straightened his back. "But the diary also says that he needs a large number of sacrifices. If my risk can resolve this matter sooner and prevent a Catastrophe from happening..."

"Then I am more than willing to take that risk."

Lewis nodded slightly. "Your courage is admirable. How about this? We'll take your suggestion into consideration. If necessary, we'll notify you again. Does that sound all right, Mr. Sifa?"

Sifa nodded in agreement.

The carriage took them to the police station in town before Sifa bid them farewell and left. Watching the carriage drive away, Lewis adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and said to Martha,

"This time, your card divination was remarkably accurate. Baron Baisen's son really did help us. We obtained a great deal of information and clues from him without much effort."

Martha proudly lifted her chest, making her curves even more alluring and causing a passing policeman to lose focus and walk into a pillar.

"Of course. I've told you before, my spiritual intuition has always been accurate."