Chapter 26: Old Friends, You Look Familiar to Me
"They said that the people who carried the bodies here were wearing hoods and were wrapped in black robes, so their faces were not visible. There were four people handling the bodies, and one of them had a section of his right little finger missing. From the little finger to the back of the hand was a granulation of tissue that had healed after being engulfed by flames," said Sewell.
"It's very obvious. When Lianna's body is sent back tomorrow, we can ask Lady Mary to inquire about the identities of the other deceased and determine the approximate area where those people committed the crime." Darien said.
"You are so amazing that you can even understand birds talking. Can other birds do that? My sister has a nightingale. It sings every time it sees me. I really want to hear what it says to me," said Kenneth.
"I can try," said Sewell.
After a long bumpy ride, Darien was already exhausted. His body had not fully recovered yet, and he just wanted to go back to his room and rest like Madam Mary.
"I'm going to rest for a while. Call me for dinner," he said.
Kenneth called a servant to take him to his room, which had been prepared before they left and was decorated to be particularly warm and comfortable.
"If you need anything, you can call us at any time. We will be here. If you don't see the servants, you can ring the bell at the head of the bed." The servant said before closing the door.
Darian yawned deeply, changed into a soft nightgown that reached his ankles, and quickly fell asleep hugging the quilt.
He slept very comfortably. When he woke up, he was in a trance for a moment and thought he was still in the tower.
"Sevier, what time is it?" he shouted subconsciously.
In the tower, Sewell would always be by his side.
"It's 5:11 pm. Can you open the curtains now?" Sewell replied.
"Pull it open." Darien buried himself comfortably in the quilt again.
The curtains were pulled open with a few swipes, and ample sunlight still poured into the room, slightly dazzling.
Darien squinted his eyes to adjust to the light and asked, "When is dinner and what is for dinner?"
Sewell hung the curtains on their hooks. "About half an hour later. The crows outside the kitchen said that tonight's dinner would be salmon, which I guess would be served with bread, foie gras, soup, perhaps beef consommé, and pullet with baby lettuce. They didn't mention dessert."
Darien said, "The crows here aren't smart enough to remember the entire menu, so we'll have to wait until tonight to reveal it. When did you come in?"
Sewell replied, "You did not rest long after helping Mr. Kenneth interpret the nightingale's song."
Darien got up from the bed, his mind still a little dazed. "My clothes."
Sewell picked up the clothes draped at the end of the bed, dutifully doing what a good valet should do.
Darien only had to raise his hand, turn around, and raise his head slightly, and his clothes would be changed.
After changing his clothes, he didn't plan to go out, but fell into the rocking chair and continued to take a nap.
When dinner time approached, the servant knocked on the door and invited them into the banquet hall.
Lady Mary's husband, of whom there was much fame, was also there.
The monthly love potion was an important source of income for the magic shop, and Darien sincerely wished the earl a long life.
Lady Mary's husband is named Philip, who is older than Lady Mary. Compared with Lady Mary's dazzling beauty, he is just a man who can barely be considered handsome and well-proportioned.
Darien took a look and thought that he might have other qualities that made Lady Mary love him so deeply.
"Dear Philip, my brother Kenneth brought back two friends who provided a lot of help on his journey," said Lady Mary.
"Yes, Jason and Jack are both very good friends." Kenneth said quickly.
Count Philip was not very interested in this kind of thing. He just smiled and listened to Darien and Sevier's fake identity introduction, and then turned to talk about his own affairs.
This was undoubtedly a neglect, and Kenneth immediately looked unhappy.
Darien didn't care. He didn't come to be friends with Count Philip. His only thought about Count Philip was to pick his pocket if he had the chance.
Lady Mary was not going to smooth things over for her beloved husband. She said, "Philip, it's not polite of you to do this. Even if you don't intend to make friends with them, you can't just nod, you should send a warm greeting."
The power of the love potion was infinite, and Lady Mary knew very well how to use it. Count Philip immediately expressed his apology and treated Darien and Sevier more gently and politely than before.
Darien found it amusing.
Delicious dishes were served on the table. Smoked salmon was served with crispy butter bread as an appetizer that only required a small bite. When you took a bite, your whole mouth was filled with the fish fat and the crispy bread edges, which was like a stepping stone to awaken your desire for food.
The crows' information was somewhat reliable. They predicted the appetizer and soup correctly one after another. The small dish of soup served was beef broth. It was the color of rich honey amber, with a rich flavor of beef, sweet vegetables, and a slightly spicy aroma.
Darien occasionally joined in the conversation, but most of the time he just listened to the conversation between Lady Mary and Count Philip while enjoying dinner.
The conversation between them was very interesting. Lady Mary liked to express her love to Earl Philip directly, just verbally without making any promises. After expressing her love, she asked Earl Philip to prove his love for her with concrete actions.
Darien thought he had learned something new.
Love potions can be used to get through financial crises when necessary.
The last dessert served on the table was a small, delicate piece of chocolate cake, signaling the end of the dinner.
The chocolate sauce on the surface of the chocolate cake has not cooled down completely yet, and it flows thickly to the point of the plate. Sugar is sandwiched between the two layers of cake to neutralize the slight bitterness of the chocolate sauce.
Darien finished the whole piece of chocolate cake with great relish, and his stomach was bloated. Every dish tonight seemed delicious to him, so he couldn't help but eat more.
He felt like humming because he was too full.
Seville had to lie and say that he was full and asked the kitchen for a cup of digestive tea, which he secretly delivered to Darien's room so that the greedy wizard could feel better.
The next morning, Lady Mary told them that Lianna's body had been taken to the church.
Darien can go there and examine the body.
The church is on the outskirts of the royal city. The cemetery behind the church overlooks a green hillside, which is dotted with wild flowers in spring.
Lyanna will be buried there.
They went in a carriage, which was a little more comfortable.
"Darian, I hope you can find the murderer." Lady Mary said to him, "If Lianna disappeared in the city, then these people are likely being protected."
Several gates leading out of the city are constantly guarded by guards. If you want to transport the body out of the city, you either have to deal with the guards or have another way of transporting it.
"I will," Darien agreed.
Lianna was placed in a small room next to the cemetery. A priest led them into the room and then left. Only Darien and Sevier were left in the room.
The coroner has examined the body and concluded that he died from excessive blood loss.
Darien could see that there were deep cuts on Lianna's neck, arms, and knees that had exposed flesh. Crude sutures had sewn the wounds shut. Lady Mary had asked a woman who made a living mending corpses to do the repairs.
The body did not need to be re-examined. Darien was not good at dissecting and cooking corpses. That was the job of the necromancer. He came here to see if he could summon Lianna's soul.
"Give me the quill and the potion," Darion said.
The quill and potion bottle were gently placed in his palm at the same time.
Lianna was lying in a narrow coffin, emitting a bad smell. Fortunately, she had not started to rot and swell. Ignoring the hideous wounds on her body, she was just a quiet girl lying there and sleeping.
Darien dipped his quill into the potion and gently drew the rune on her forehead.
The last stroke was made, and after waiting for a long time, nothing happened.
"She disappeared," Sewell said.
"She hasn't disappeared. There are still traces of her soul in her body. She's just not here." Darien pointed to the almost invisible light spot to Sevier.
If Lianna's soul isn't here, then where is she?
Sewell asked this question.
"She should be where she died," Darien said.
It's possible for someone who died unjustly to wander around the place where they died, and perhaps Lianna's soul is left there.
A sheriff's report of the death was also delivered to Lady Mary's residence in the afternoon.
Lady Mary said that Earl Philip wanted to review it, so the sheriff did not dare to delay at all. He sorted out the identity information of the deceased as quickly as possible and sent it over.
Darien flipped through the pages and took a quick look. Fourteen of the bodies had been claimed, most of them living on the east side of downtown, from Warren Street to Priest Cross Road.
Lianna's parents said that she went out that day to buy something at a grocery store, which was only about two or three hundred meters away from Warren Street.
The area was confined to these two streets, and Darien decided to take Seville there to take a look, perhaps they would find something.
The last time they came to the downtown area was a few months ago, or more strictly speaking, thirty years ago. They crawled through the sewers from the shops in the underground market and then defeated a Kalerit in a tavern.
The cellar of that tavern was excellent, and the wine and ham were plentiful.
The Earl's carriage did not enter the lower town. Darien stopped the carriage at the edge and then walked over.
Measuring by footsteps, Warren Street and Priest Cross Road are a fairly large area. After walking for a while, Darien felt his steps were weak and his body was clamoring to stop.
It was getting late when they arrived, the sun was losing its brilliance and gradually sinking below the city walls, so it seemed reasonable to sit down and find a place to eat dinner on this street.
"There's a tavern up ahead. Let's go in and rest for a while. By the way, do you have money?" Darien said to Sevier.
"I brought it." Sewell nodded.
This is a large tavern. As time goes by, more and more customers come into the store.
As soon as Darian stepped in, he felt that the place was very familiar. He recalled carefully and it seemed that this was the tavern where Tina worked.
The decoration here has changed slightly, and it should have been renovated in recent years, but the direction of the stairs and the door has not changed. I don’t know what happened to Tina.
I probably won't be a dancer here anymore, but maybe I can become a very good dance teacher.
"Hey Tina, you look really beautiful in this outfit today. Where are your girls? When are they going on stage?" A drunken voice sounded at the table closest to them.
"It's still early! Tucker, you're drunk too early! You won't be able to open your eyes later!" Tina's voice was very loud, and even after so many years, it still had that wild liveliness.
Thirty years have passed, and she has changed a lot. She has become plumper, her face is no longer young, she wears many thick jewelries, and there are laugh lines on her face. She looks like she has lived a good life.
Darien rarely traveled such a long time to meet his former guests, excluding King Soran, who came to him on his own initiative.
"I'd like to see your menu," he said.
"Here, your faces look unfamiliar. This is your first time here, right?" Tina sat down opposite them.
She bought this tavern ten years ago and became the owner. She has danced here for many years and it has become an inseparable part of her.
"Second time," Darien said honestly.
"Yes, we've been here before, but it wasn't like this when we came here," said Sewell.
Tina looked at their faces carefully. They were all very young and didn't look like they had been here ten years ago.
"Okay, maybe my memory is wrong. So what do you want to eat? Do you need my recommendation?" Tina shook her head.
"Fried mushrooms, pickled olives, sliced sausage and bread with butter," said Darien.
The food on the menu is extremely simple. These simple dishes are prepared for alcoholics and are only used as snacks.
"I suggest some smoked fish rolls. Would you like some wine?" Tina said.
"Thank you for the recommendation. We don't drink. Are there any empty rooms? We need one. If it's convenient, can we chat?" said Darien.
"Oh...ah? Did I hear it wrong?" Tina was surprised, her eyes rolling around their faces.
"Just catching up. We met many years ago, Kalerit, do you remember?" Darien reminded carefully using as few words as possible.
"It's you! I remember it exactly! Oh my God, come up with me, I'll take you to the best box! It's incredible! So many years have passed, I have so many questions to ask." Tina became excited and hurriedly pushed them upstairs.
Darien and Sevier were walking side by side, being pushed forward by a strong force. After so many years, Tina had mastered her werewolf abilities, and the first push almost sent her flying.
She led them to the best decorated and most private box at the end, pushed them in, pressed them down on the chairs, and then ran away, leaving only a message to wait for her to come back.
"After not seeing you for so many years, Miss Tina is still so heroic." Sevier couldn't help but sigh.
"Even more enthusiastic." Darien nodded.
"This pub has a lot of guests coming and going. I've read in a book that a pub is a good place to gather information," said Sewell.
"That's right. The most common method is to eavesdrop and talk to the bartenders and dancers in the tavern to see what they know. I think we can ask Tina. She might know if there are any suspicious people around here or what happened." Darian said.
As soon as he finished speaking, the tightly closed door of the box was kicked open.
Tina was carrying two large trays full of food in a very generous manner, and behind her was a bartender with several bottles of wine in his arms.
"Put down all the drinks and don't come up again. Unless something big happens, don't come looking for me. I want to catch up with friends I haven't seen for a long time today." Tina said to the bartender behind her.
The two large trays were steaming hot. In addition to the two dishes that Darien had just ordered, there were also dishes that were not on the menu.
For example, a large cheese-baked lobster cut in half, or a pigeon roasted with rosemary.
"It smells delicious," Darien praised.
"Of course, I hired the best chef to cook for me. To celebrate our reunion after many years, although in a different way, this meal is on me!" said Tina.
"Thank you for your generosity. Let's talk while we eat. I have something important to ask you." Darien said.
"Okay, but before that, can you let me tell you about my experiences over the years? I have to say that thanks to you, my life can go on smoothly." Tina said.
"You seem to be doing well. I'd love to hear about it. I think we can start from a long time ago." Darien made a gesture of invitation.
Sewell picked up the corkscrew and filled each of their glasses halfway with wine.
Tina is naturally passionate and unrestrained. She took a sip of wine and began to tell her stories over the years.
It was probably after that life-and-death experience that she discovered that she could actually use her werewolf abilities very skillfully. Although she could not completely transform into a wolf, her sense of smell was more acute, and so her opportunity to make a fortune came.
Of course, this process will be omitted here. Although this opportunity is not very legitimate, she guarantees that it is not bad either, and it is still in line with a slightly lower moral category.
In short, she used the money she earned to buy the tavern, and then she became the owner of the tavern. She also served as the girls' teacher. In order to avoid the same tragedy, she would hire a carriage to take them home every night.
Darien ate and listened as Sewell used a fork and knife to remove the tender meat from the pigeon breast and leg from his plate.
A great meal with great stories and delicious food.
"It's a wonderful storytelling and the food is delicious. I'm glad you are willing to share your story with me. It's also a pleasure to see the wonderful lives of my guests," said Darian.
"Oh, it's such a pleasure to chat with you. To be honest, you are very good at chatting." Tina waved her hand.
Darian has extensive experience in chatting with others. He knows that the best way to chat is to listen more and encourage the other person to speak. As long as these two points are achieved, anyone can become a good chat partner.
"Thank you for your compliment. Miss Tina, you have always lived around here, right? Between Warren Street and Priest Cross Road," Darien asked.
"This is quite a large area, but it is true. The tavern and my residence are both here, and I rarely go anywhere else." Tina replied.
"In this area, more than a dozen residents have disappeared in recent days, and their bodies were found in the woods outside the city. I want to know if there are any suspicious people nearby? For example, the little finger on the right hand is missing, and there are signs of fire on this little finger." Darian continued to ask.
"Suspicious person? I've never seen anyone with this characteristic. Well... to be honest, I think anyone who suddenly gets rich and comes to the tavern for a drink is quite suspicious..." Tina fell into deep thought. "Do you have anything more specific?"
"The blood had been drained from those bodies, and there were large knife wounds on their necks, hands and feet." Darien thought for a moment and said.
"You mean blood?" Tina's expression seemed to indicate she remembered something.
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