Chapter 441: The Murder Case

Chapter 441: The Murder Case

The recent light showers had dispelled the summer heat that had lingered for several months.

The weather had turned cool, and in the mornings and evenings, one needed to wear a jacket when going out, even Worm couldn't resist coming out to play.

After Rod had successfully lured Lucy, he and Mira left the guild and rented a carriage, heading towards Laven Village.

It wasn't impossible to travel there directly by carriage, but it was more comfortable to ride in a carriage, and they also had some privacy, making it more convenient to talk.

They stopped for a break at noon and only arrived at Laven Village in the afternoon.

Along the way, Rod had seen through the eyes of the crab responsible for scouting ahead, and most of the crops had already been harvested, with only a few scattered fields still filled with golden crops that hadn't been dealt with yet.

After half a year, the village had been well-fortified with a wall, which was based on the vine wall that Rod had asked the Tree Sprite to build before he left last time.

The incinerator, which was used to dispose of the rats' corpses and feces, had mostly been dismantled, and the strange smell that had lingered around the village for a long time had also disappeared.

Rod got off the carriage and helped Mira down, only to find that the ground wasn't damp, probably because the rain from the previous days hadn't reached this area.

A man pushing a cart full of rice passed by and recognized the two who had just gotten off the carriage. He exclaimed in surprise, "Archmage? Oh, Mr. Rod, Miss Mira."

"Lightning?" Rod remembered this person; he was the one responsible for guarding the village entrance and watching over the bonfire, and he was always running around to help, a very diligent person.

"I didn't expect you to remember me," Lightning said happily, then realized, "You must be here to attend the Harvest Festival, right? I think the Village Chief mentioned this."

"Indeed, Mr. Jasper invited us, is he at home?"

"He should be in the center of the village preparing for tomorrow's activities. You can go straight there. If he's not there, he's probably resting at home. I..." Lightning gestured to the cart he was pushing.

Rod waved his hand, "Oh, you go ahead, it's fine. We know the way."

Lightning bid them farewell and pushed the cart away.

Mira paid the carriage driver, who looked at Rod with envy.

Rod was in a great mood.

The two walked into the village side by side, and the two crabs were sent by Rod to patrol the nearby area.

In the village, some people were moving things, while others were threshing grain, creating a bustling scene. The villagers' spirits were much better than during the rat infestation, not just a little bit.

Many people along the way recognized them and greeted them enthusiastically.

A little girl followed the two for a while, and Mira stopped and asked, "Is there something you need?"

The little girl shook her head, "Big sister, you're so pretty. Can I be as pretty as you when I grow up?"

Rod took a closer look; the little girl had two braids tied on her head, freckles on her face, and a missing front tooth, which made her speech a bit whistly.

She was actually quite cute, but her smile was a bit ghastly.

Mira patted her head, "Of course you can, maybe even prettier than me."

"Taffy! Stop fooling around and come home!" A shout came from a distance.

The little girl responded and turned to run back.

But after a few steps, she tripped and fell flat on her face. She didn't cry or fuss, quickly got up, and ran home without even dusting herself off.

The way she fell and her agility in getting up reminded Rod of Wendy, and he wondered how she had been doing lately.

The last time he had rushed back in a hurry probably worried her for a while, so he decided to write her a letter in a few days or contact her directly using a communication magic crystal.

"Move that wood over there, put it here, yes, over there..."

When the two reached the center of the village, they indeed saw the Village Chief directing others in setting up the venue.

A stage over two meters high had been set up, with an offering table on top, probably for the ceremony.

Colorful flags were flying, and various decorations were hung, creating a festive atmosphere.

As they approached, Rod called out, "Mr. Jasper!"

Jasper asked without turning around, "What's the matter?"

But after speaking, he felt something was wrong; the people in the village either called him Jasper or Village Chief, and it was rare for someone to address him as 'Mr.'

Jasper turned around, surprised, "Mr. Rod, Miss Mira? How did you get here?"

Rod was puzzled, "Wasn't it you who posted the named task, asking us to come as escorts?"

"Oh, no, I mean..." Jasper was a bit flustered, "What I mean is, the Harvest Festival doesn't start until tomorrow evening, so why did you come so early?"

"We received the escort mission suddenly, and we were worried that something might have happened here, so we came a day early to check. If necessary, we can also prepare in advance." Rod explained.

Mira asked, "Has something happened near the village that you suddenly need to spend a lot of money on escorts?"

Jasper hesitated, "Actually, nothing much, no, not that... If I have to say, there is something that makes me feel uneasy..."

"Village Chief, where should we put this?" Two young men carried a stone mortar used for making rice cakes.

"Put it over there!" Jasper turned and said, then apologized, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go to my house first."

Mira asked, "What about the work here?"

"I'll ask my wife to come and watch over it. I just need to tell the young people how to set it up."

Jasper led the two while talking.

Since they couldn't discuss serious matters, they chatted along the way. Rod asked about the village's situation, "It seems that this year's harvest is very good."

"Thanks to your help, after the rat problem was solved, everyone immediately started replanting. This year's rain has been good, and the harvest is excellent."

When he mentioned this, Jasper's face lit up with joy, "If I tell people about this, no one will believe it. It's the year we suffered a rat disaster, but the harvest is even better than previous years, so we want to make this Harvest Festival a grand celebration."

"That's great." Mira was delighted, indicating that Rod's previous efforts hadn't been in vain.

"But... I only found out later that you two are such famous archmages. The previous payment was really..."

Rod said, "Please don't mention that again. Archmages don't charge based on their reputation. Since we agreed on it, it's not related to other aspects."

He was a bit impressed by the villagers' work efficiency and the speed at which they turned their crops into cash.

Before they reached Jasper's house, Jasper expressed his gratitude repeatedly.

When Tara saw her husband, she asked, "You're back so early... Do we have guests?"

Jasper said, "It's Mr. Rod and Miss Mira from last time."

"Oh, I'll go make some tea right away."

"I can do it myself. You go to the venue and keep an eye on things. Don't let the kids mess it up. We have something to discuss here."

Mrs. Tara bowed slightly in greeting, "Well then, we'll take our leave."

Rod and Mira didn't mind such matters; after all, the situation over there was also crucial.

Jasper poured tea, and the three of them quickly got down to business.

"Regarding Miss Mira's question, has something happened recently...?" Jasper hesitated before continuing, "At the beginning of the month, someone was murdered."

"A murder case? Was someone from the village killed?" Rod was startled; even in this world where magic was prevalent, murder cases were rare.

He had encountered dark guilds or dark magic sects committing murders in the past because he often ventured into dangerous places, which was a survivor bias. Ordinary people might not encounter such incidents in their entire lives.

A look of distress appeared on Mira's face; even if they were called demons, they couldn't ignore the value of life.

Jasper shook his head and said, "It wasn't someone from the village; it was a merchant who frequently did business nearby. A total of five people, including the driver and helper, were all killed on their way back.

The bodies were discovered after a night had passed, so no one saw what the murderer looked like.

There was no mistake, not a single trace of evidence was left behind!"

The money on those people was gone, but the goods, although rummaged through, were still intact and left at the scene, along with the horses and carriage."

"Robbery and then murder to cover it up?" Rod furrowed his brows in speculation, but something felt off.

If it were a robbery, they should have taken the carriage as well, as the goods were valuable, and it would be easier to escape by driving or riding the horses.

Jasper said, "The town's security team investigated and said that the traces left behind suggested a mage was involved. They couldn't handle it, so they reported it to the Council of Judges."

"The Council of Judges..."

The Council was currently overwhelmed with its own affairs and didn't know when it would resume normal operations. It was unlikely they would have the capacity to deal with a case that only suspected mage involvement.

"Anyway, it's been almost half a month, and there hasn't been any news. Everyone has been afraid to go too far, and it's only gotten better these past few days."

Mira asked, "So, has that case been left unresolved?"

Jasper nodded, "Yes, the bodies were taken away by the security team, and they should have been claimed by the families for burial by now."

Mira said, "I see, so because of this incident, you're worried that someone might cause trouble or even kill during the Harvest Festival, and that's why you invited us to be your guards?"

"It's not just because of that unknown murderer," Jasper explained. "Ever since we heard the news of the Council of Judges being destroyed, we've noticed that the security in nearby villages and towns has been deteriorating.

We can tolerate it on regular days, but with the Harvest Festival coming up, it's like we're announcing to others that we're having a grand and wealthy celebration...

We can't cancel such an important festival due to security concerns, so we have no choice but to proceed with it. Fortunately, we know two reliable mages like you, and with your presence, everyone will feel more at ease."

In reality, the most cost-effective solution would be to cancel the festival altogether. However, for the people here, the Harvest Festival was the most important event of the year.

It was like not going home for the New Year because of concerns about pickpockets; the festival had to be held regardless.

Rod and Mira exchanged a glance and nodded, "So, our task is to guard against potential external enemies, right?"

"Um... yes, that's right," Jasper seemed hesitant again.

"Do you have anything else to add?" Rod asked, "It's best to clarify everything before confirming the task to avoid disputes later on."

"Oh, nothing else," Jasper assured them, "We will pay the reward, and we can even give it in advance. There won't be any disputes, so please rest assured."

His behavior made it difficult for Rod to feel at ease, as if someone had set a trap for him to fall into.

Although they had their suspicions, they had no reason to refuse the task at the moment, so they agreed and decided to be extra cautious.

Rod placed the task sheet on the table, "Then the task is confirmed. Regarding that murder case, we'd like to obtain more detailed information."

Jasper asked in confusion, "Is it necessary for the guard task?"

Rod replied, "Of course. If we can identify the murderer within a day and take care of them, it will be a permanent solution.

Even if we can't, we can still gain some understanding of their magic and combat style through the clues left behind, which might be useful if we encounter them."

Jasper hesitated, "I only know that the merchant's name was Spike. For other information, you'll need to ask the town's security team."

That made sense; the villagers weren't detectives, and no one would casually approach a crime scene, so they wouldn't know much about the case.

Rod said, "At least tell us where the crime scene is."

"It's about 2 kilometers east of the village, on the road to town. Follow that road for about 2 to 3 kilometers southwest, but since it's been so long, there might not be anything left."

"We'll have to go and see for ourselves," Rod stood up, "So, let's get to work now."

"Oh, yes, your accommodations are still at my house, in the same room. Do you want to rest or have something to eat first?"

"No need, let's go and check out the scene while there's still daylight. Just keep the room for us."

The two left the village chief's house and headed out of the village.

Seeing that no one was around, Mira asked, "Do you feel like something's off about the village chief?"

"Yes, something's definitely off," Rod said, "I feel like he's hiding something from us and is being evasive."

"I have the same feeling."

"Let's be extra careful. From now on, we won't eat or drink anything from his house, not even tea or snacks. We'll use the ingredients we brought and cook for ourselves."

Rod felt it was necessary to be cautious given the suspicious behavior. Even if they had to eat, they would wait and see if others were fine after consuming the food.

Named tasks sounded impressive, but they could also be used to take advantage of the designated mages.

High rewards often came with high risks, so they had to be vigilant.

Mira said, "Did you forget? Poison is ineffective against demons."

Rod asked, "What about sleeping pills or anesthesia?"

"..." Mira fell silent for a moment, "They're effective."

"So, when girls are out, don't drink anything from strangers."

Rod took out a pair of sunglasses and put them on Mira, then stepped back to admire her, "You look great."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end