CLA.S.S NEUTRAL: Stranger Is Coming

Sentence for the Criminal. Righteous Vengeance. A lot of Monsters Live in this World.

The strange coin appeared in my hand, and I said something incomprehensible, dark, and gloomy. Behind this monster, an oval portal opened, from which death breathed.

In the distance, against the background of the dark-purple sky and black trees, there was a strange creature resembling a randomly scattered pile of bones that was approaching the passage.

"Feel what your victims felt. May pain and suffering be with you for as many years as you took from the innocent people." After my words, the bony hands came through the portal and dragged Nolg there.

"Stop! Please! No!" His voice suddenly broke.

"Kurbakht, did you solve the case before me? What were you waiting for? Her sister could have died. It was precisely at the moment when he was absent that he kidnapped the girl, wasn't it? Answer me!"

Effect 'Righteous Vengeance' is over

I dropped the stick as it had gotten heavy.

"First, let me congratulate you on—"

"No. Answer my question first," I unceremoniously interrupted the royal gatekeeper.

"Well," sighed Kurbakht. "Yes, I solved the case before you. Warning your anger, I must explain that it was only last night. But let me tell everything.

I have been investigating various crimes for about ten years. The only criminal who escaped me was one who had killed women in Kavarnak five years ago.

I kept searching him throughout the country and beyond. None of the agents knew anything about the cast of the aura that I sent them. I've seen this monster's true face only today. He changed his aura—I don't know how—and he was able to take refuge in independent lands.

As I learned from one old woman, he appeared in Downhill just five years ago, and managed to gain a good reputation with the residents, and he hasn't touched anyone for such a long time.

However, lately this monster started killing again. Nars happened to live in Kavarnak and was a rather successful merchant. However, his wife was killed by Gardik. Grief overwhelmed Nars and, giving up everything, he left the city.

Ironically, he came to Downhill five years ago, and then Ridd appeared here shortly after. Nars drank a lot to forget his woe, but alcohol didn't help him. He lived quietly and didn't touch anyone—helping people from time to time, and thus getting a good reputation.

The innkeeper needed such a man. Ridd dug, or rather expanded, the bas.e.m.e.nt under Nars' house, and he made a hatch of special soundproof material. He prepared a place in the forest, and then he proceeded to kill the girls.

Ridd put the girls to sleep with a special potion—the recipe of which he had bought in Kavarnak. Then he carried them to the bas.e.m.e.nt, hiding his traces. Only once did he forgot about them—you noticed them. In order not to arouse suspicion, he kept the girls here until people quit searching, desperate to find the missing girl.

Then he again used the potion and carried them to the forest, where he did his bloody job, leaving them to feed the scavengers. Apparently, his perverted mind felt p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e when the girls were tormented by these animals.

He killed his victims in Kavarnak the same way. The piece of fur that you found in Nars' pocket was from Ridd's jacket, which was made of werewolf. You probably, as well as me, smelled alcohol. I immediately remembered the place where it was served, and therefore we came here. I wanted to watch the tavern, but I didn't find anything special until last night.

Skill 'Search for Death' increases, current level: 4

Skill 'Search for Death' increases, current level: 5

Now, if you see a faded purple aura that only partially covers other creatures, you should know that they are indirectly guilty of the death of an innocent.

As soon as this message appeared, something similar immediately emerged on my left. I went to check who it was. It turned out to be the guard who dozed off in the common hall of the tavern.

"Wake up," I said calmly, trying not to get furious.

"Mom, I've already helped my father plow the field," the fat man muttered sleepily. My eye twitched slightly, and I kicked him. "What? Where?"

"Tell us, how did you manage to kill someone?" I looked at him angrily.

"I didn't kill anyone," he answered, swallowing.

"You understood me perfectly, so tell us, otherwise you'll go after that bastard." I didn't give him time to answer: my hand, grabbing the sword, which had appeared incomprehensibly quickly, went toward his head.

"Wow! You're strong." Kurbakht nodded approvingly, catching my hand and saving the guard's life. "Let him explain everything at least."

"Oh, dear!" the guard said in a squeaky voice, noticing that he had nearly lost his head and flopped to the floor. "I… I saw how… when…"

"Calm down and tell us," the royal gatekeeper's calmness soothed the guard a little.

"When we came to Downhill for the first time… I… I saw the innkeeper leave the tavern late at night, and I followed him. He went into a large house on the outskirts and carried an unconscious girl out in his arms.

I wanted to ask what was going on, but I noticed a strange, bloody knife on his belt. It was similar to a long slightly curved claw, with a black handle, on each side of which there were wavy patterns, made as if with blood. This weapon scared me so much that I ran away."

"I see… You're sc.u.m." I felt disgusted… I didn't know what to call him. "If you had been too afraid to help the girl, at least you could have called on other people. If only he had told them what he saw."

"His act, of course, is wrong, but Ridd would have killed everyone and fled, leaving behind a mountain of corpses if the guard had called someone," Kurbakht said. "Of course, I assumed that someone protected him at an incomprehensibly high level, but I didn't expect that it was Att Khalar.

This guard made the only right choice—he ran away. However, the fact that he didn't warn me and thereby sentenced another five girls to death deserves a punishment cell. One year on the first floor of the lower level.

You'll go to Kavarnak alone; tell the jailer about my order. Your apartment is at the far end, behind the left door. As you remember, the door is unlocked. Loneliness will correct you."

"Have mercy!" the fat man burst into tears and fell to his knees. "I was afraid that he would kill me. Please! I beg!"

Kurbakht didn't answer, and the guard, howling, set off toward Kavarnak. I was very surprised, because I couldn't believe that he wouldn't run away, but the royal gatekeeper had been serious when he'd ordered the guard, so I didn't show him distrust.