Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Mr. Garrett, far away in Cassandra, was having his morning tea. No matter how busy he was, he would always take a break while he was drinking tea.

Sir Leo, who was heavily pregnant, sat not far away, constantly wiping the sweat from his greasy forehead with a small handkerchief. For a fat man like him, the height of summer was much more unbearable.

"Lord Garrett, I wonder how things are progressing in Nalania. After all, it's a commission from the Baron, and I hope our department can pay special attention to this case."

Mr. Garrett's thick fingers twirled the slender stem of his cup, his two thick lips pressed together as he took a sip of tea before answering unhurriedly, "Ralph Buller is our best field sheriff. Trust him. Sir Leo, he has never lost a case involving people."

“I have full confidence in Sheriff Ralf’s ability to carry out his duties. What I’m worried about is what kind of trouble might arise if he runs into that person from Nalania.”

"Oh, how so?"

"Mr. Bennett's daughter is currently working for the Nalanian Sheriff's Office. I met Bennett at a party earlier this year, and he complained to me that his daughter had become capable and terrifying. After the training with Sheriff Ralph, his daughter seemed to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Whenever I asked her about people or things related to that training, her expression would become terrifying."

"How scary?"

"For example, Mr. Ralph, we were able to receive reports from victims within a month. In the past two years, the herbal and medical industries in Nalania have been booming, especially materials for treating sprains and fractures, which are in short supply. Mr. Bennett has received several warnings from the lord about the violent enforcement of his law regarding his daughter's injuries, which have resulted in serious hospitalization. I heard that girl is now known as the 'Mad Bee' of Nalania."

“The mad bees of Narranya, the wolves of Cassandra.” Mr. Garrett took another sip of tea and let out a comfortable sigh. “How neat.”

……

Lyle and his group had just passed through the inner city walls of Nalania, the residence of nobles and a few powerful and wealthy merchants. Patrolling soldiers appeared frequently, like worker ants, indicating that something must have happened recently, leading to the martial law being declared.

What's most intriguing is probably the location of the inner city. A wise man doesn't linger near crumbling walls; in typical city-states, the lord would build his castle in the town center, providing a buffer zone for his subjects in case of invasion. However, the lord's fortress in Nalania is located in the western part of the city-state, and even outside Nalania itself, it's only separated by a thin stone wall.

Beyond the city walls lay a mountain forest covered with dense vegetation. Although steep, it was not impossible for an army to march through, suggesting that the lord had great confidence in the safety of that seemingly endless forest.

On the way forward, Lyle could see many simply dressed old men stopping, either sitting on the protruding rock steps or standing by the roadside, all looking at the mountains and forests beyond the city walls, with inexplicable expressions on their faces, or remaining silent for a long time, or sighing with their heads down.

The unpleasant twilight made the inner city far less cheerful than the outer areas, and even somewhat oppressive.

Karen followed closely behind Lyle, her eyes darting between the helpless old men. Lyle also felt a slight unease. Violet remained silent, her brow furrowed with worry. As for Ralf, his expression—as if everyone owed him a fortune—remained unchanged.

After explaining their purpose to the guard, a man in fine clothes quickly stepped forward. "You've finally arrived, Miss Sharan Bennett. The Baron has been unable to sleep these past few nights, waiting for you."

“Butler Becky, this is Mr. Ralph Buller, an expert who has come from Cassandale to help deal with the vampire problem.”

The butler, Becky, bowed to Karen first, clearly knowing who was most reliable. Then Lyle smiled; someone who didn't judge by appearance or age certainly possessed refinement, until, following Violet's instructions, he solemnly faced Ralf.

Lyle felt his tongue get tied in knots.

"Sir, have we met before?"

"No, I'm sure." Otherwise, you wouldn't be so calm.

"Then why do you look like we have a grudge?"

"..."

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Scammed?

With Violet mediating, Ralf's stiff facial features became a minor issue.

"Please follow me, gentlemen and ladies. Don't keep the Baron waiting too long. Every minute we stay increases the danger to my young master." Butler Becky took the lead and entered the magnificent fortress building.

Lyle and the others followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

“Uncle, maybe you should try to change the way you treat others.” Lyle advised Ralf on the way. Although he looked very gloomy, his face was not bad. What was scary was his deliberately mournful expression. Ralf was quite good at making others feel negative emotions.

Ralph's riding boots clattered on the silk carpet as he stared at Becky's retreating figure, his face as unchanging as a sculpture.

“There’s no need. If people dislike me because of my sour face, then they don’t deserve my kindness. I also don’t need to fit in with them. After all, usually, intimidation, deception, and blackmail are enough to achieve my goals.”

"But there will always be people your methods can't deal with, won't there? Those nobles who hold power, or wealthy merchants with huge sums of money. Your tricks will eventually fail." And when that happens, it will inevitably affect your safety.

Ralph didn't remain silent as Lyle had expected. His uncle was a smart man, and his career as a sheriff had given him a keen sense of right and wrong. But Lyle realized that perhaps he didn't know his uncle well enough; at the very least, he was not the eccentric loner he knew, the one who was quite useful in the sheriff's office.

His lips curled up high, and his sharp eyes made him look like a wild wolf.

"Humans are very fragile, both physically and mentally. Outward appearances may differ greatly, but the inner grime is the same. Finding a suitable place to attack is not difficult for me."

……

He was a middle-aged man dressed in a red brocade robe, a crimson cloak draped over his chair. His black hair was streaked with white, and his curls resembled soft, curly wool balls. His mustache was well-groomed, and it was easy to see that he had been a handsome man in his youth. He sat sideways in his chair, his posture not particularly dignified, his back to the slanting light streaming in from the window, like a temperamental poet, exuding a carefree elegance. It must be said, he was the most presentable male nobleman Lyle had ever seen.

Butler Becky gently knocked on the door, drawing the master of the house's attention away from the portrait hanging on the wall. The portrait depicted a handsome young man, whose features were identical to those of the missing man. Presumably, that was his eldest son.

"Guests have arrived, my master."

The baron's beard curved even wider as he smiled, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he stood up, one hand behind his back, clutching a platinum pocket watch.

"Welcome, Sharan. It's been half a year since you last visited me."

Violet smiled formally, "Narania didn't give me a chance to rest, Baron Tyren. For the sake of Narania's prosperity, please forgive my laxity."

“Little Sharan, you’ve become even more beautiful every time I see you. You’ve grown into a young lady,” the Baron said, his eyes falling on Ralf and the others. “Ah, you must be the sheriffs who came to help investigate my son’s disappearance. Thank you so much. Please help this lonely and helpless father of mine. I can’t lose him.”

"I will do my best, Your Excellency. May I first describe the situation as it was?"

“Oh, oh, oh, it was Becky who discovered that my Karent was missing. A week ago, in the morning, the maid knocked on his door. After not receiving a response for a long time, she opened my son’s door and finally told my butler about his disappearance. You can ask Becky for details and have him take you to the tower where my child lives.”

Lyle and the others were led out of the Baron's study by Becky.

The last thing Lyle saw was the Baron's concerned gaze.

There was a long walkway leading to the tower, slightly shorter than Andrei's passageway, or perhaps it was just Lyle's misperception, since Andrei's unkempt appearance made the place seem much emptier.

In comparison, Baron Tyrell's fortress is much more beautiful, with stained glass windows, red carpets underfoot, and rows of interior arches that resemble thresholds. Armor is neatly arranged in front of the building's pillars, showcasing the luxury of the aristocracy to the fullest.

Over there in the tower is a slightly old spiral corridor, but it's only slightly less impressive than Baron Tyrell's collection.

The once spacious room, now cluttered with books, now appears cramped. On the desk lie some exquisite trinkets and a huge full-body portrait, depicting the slender nobleman.

“After young master Kalent came of age, he moved here. He lived here for three years. He loved reading, especially the ancient books in the family collection. We suspect that he was secretly researching mysterious powers, which attracted those dark monsters, and ultimately led to his untimely death.” Becky said this with worry in his eyes. He stood alone in the center, not touching anything, as if everything in Kalent’s room was imbued with dark power.

"How did you determine that thing was a vampire?"

"On the day the young master disappeared, I mobilized all the servants to search the castle. The young master is not an active person. In the past, there have been times when he would hide in a corner and not come out. But this time, it is even more strange because none of the servants know where he is."

"The one who identified the vampire was the maid named Puli. She was the young master's personal maid and had been by his side for a long time. She had also learned about some dark creatures. Just a few days before she disappeared, on the night that was supposed to be the night she went to the young master's room to serve him, she said she saw a woman in black gently knocking on the young master's door."

"An exceptionally beautiful woman, dressed entirely in black, was so stunning in the dim candlelight that even her profile was enough to make one feel ashamed. But what was most breathtaking were her blood-red, ruby-like eyes. She glanced at Puli and said that her soul seemed to have been stolen away, and she collapsed in the corridor."

"The young master quickly opened the door and invited the woman in. Only then did the woman step into the house."

"Vampires have a habit of only entering their rooms when invited by their masters. That's why people used to keep their doors and windows closed when they slept, because opening the door would be seen as consent."

“Okay, I understand. Thank you for your story. We need to investigate the scene carefully. If possible, please leave this room for us professionals. To avoid disturbing the scene, please leave, Mr. Becky.”

“Okay.” Becky, filled with fear, was more than happy to leave as soon as possible.

Becky closed the door, and the sound of footsteps fading away could be heard outside.

Ralph pulled out a chair, lay down on it, put his boots on the desk, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Uncle, didn't you say you were going to protect the scene?"

“The scene has been completely destroyed,” Violet said casually, leaning back on the desk. She ran her index finger across the surface of the desk before lightly pinching it in her hand. “There’s not even a speck of dust. The maids here are really ‘diligent’.”

Lyle looked at the two who seemed quite relaxed.

"You've been fooled, Lyle."

Chapter Ninety-Nine: Naslan's Curse

Scammed? Scammed by whom, and scammed out of what?

"Things aren't as simple as Becky makes them out to be. Let's summarize the clues."

Violet?

“This room is still being cleaned by maids every day. At least for now, it’s definitely not the same as when Karent disappeared. The spotless tabletop and the neatly arranged objects suggest they’re trying to hide something. Perhaps the missing eldest son is still using this room.” Violet began searching the surroundings for any possible clues to hidden doors.

"But didn't Baron Tyron already report the disappearance to the police? Why would he use his beloved son to stage this farce?"

“Their relationship as father and son isn’t necessarily that good.” Ralph pointed to the blank picture frames on the wall. “See that? Both father and son have the habit of displaying self-portraits in their rooms. The Baron’s side only has a portrait of his eldest son, while this side just happens to have an empty one.”

"His strange sitting posture, he was sitting facing the painting, as if it were a performance of anxiety about offspring."

"And his greetings, his indifference to his eldest son, and his focus on the appearance of a female sheriff's inspector."

"What an interesting nobleman."

"He puts on a show of deep father-son affection, but he has to rely on the butler to answer questions about his supposedly missing son. I am very curious about the motives behind such behavior."

Ralf cracked his wrists, his gaze shifting to Violet.

“Violet, perhaps we could have pried more out of the Baron.”

“Is that so?” Violet stopped her examination, returned to Ralf’s side, and looked down at him with a smile.

"You think I should use my advantages to stay by the side of that hypocritical baron whose body is fifty years old but whose mind is still twenty? Just like you said, [Violet, as a woman, you must learn to use your advantages.]"

Violet's smile grew even more radiant; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a blossoming bloom.

Ralph hesitated for a second. His eyes shifted to the blank picture frame. "No, that idle nobleman probably doesn't have any valuable information."

"The current problem is that we are unsure whether the witness maid's testimony is true or false, which is crucial to the direction of our investigation."

"Is this a premeditated struggle for aristocratic power?"

"Or is it the twisted human heart distorted by the intervention of dark forces?"

“Why don’t you ask Karen? As a practitioner of Holy Light, she must have some unique insights.” Violet recommended Karen, who was lost in thought at the moment. Their relationship had grown much closer after spending the whole day together.

Ralph poured cold water on her hopes, saying, "It's best not to have high hopes for her. She's only been a sheriff for less than two weeks, and her job is just patrolling. Don't expect her to have vision and attention to detail. In fact, Karen is just acting as a henchman."

Ralph's uninhibited and blunt comments clearly angered Karen. She pointed her two round nostrils at Ralph while her mind raced, determined to make a name for herself and impress him.

Then, she actually discovered something.

“Sister Violet, I’ve noticed that the corridor from the tower to the Baron’s residence is incredibly long; even walking briskly takes thirty minutes. And the dining table and canteen are also over there. Isn’t that illogical? The Baron’s eldest son eats three meals a day, yet he spends the longest time getting to the dining table. This is a blind spot! It must be the key!”

It's clear that Ralph is indeed impressed with Karen, and then his shoulders start to tremble.

Lyle looked helpless. What was the key point? What did this prove? The Baron’s house was so big that it was best to ride a horse from the bedroom to the dining table.

Karen is such an idiot.

Violet forced a smile, looking at the excited Kallen with a headache on her face.