Chapter 44: The Fire Mystery
TL: Etude
Ordo Kingdoms capital, Crystal Shine Fortress, was still enveloped in an atmosphere of tense solemnity.
Although it had been some time since the royalist troops recaptured the capital, the martial law had not been eased at all. Every few steps on the streets, there were guards and watch posts. It was common for patrolling soldiers to suddenly stop those they deemed suspicious and interrogate them extensively.
The usually bustling taverns were now quiet, with customers quickly leaving after purchasing their drinks. Those few who stayed to drink only exchanged brief, mundane conversations, a stark contrast to the usual unrestrained debates and boisterous discussions.
A carriage raced towards the royal palace, carrying a thin, tall man with a goatee, none other than Count Merlin, who was in charge of the kingdoms intelligence system.
Count Merlin, seemingly calm and collected, was actually extremely troubled. On the night the princess led the army to retake the capital, a massive fire broke out at the granary, destroying most of the stored grain and fodder. This disaster had severely disrupted the royalists plans to quell the rebellion in the south.
Fire prevention was always a priority in managing the granaries, and it was nearly impossible for all the storehouses to catch fire simultaneously. It was clear this was a provocative act, a direct challenge from the traitor Jars You think youve won? I still have plenty of tricks up my sleeve to deal with you, right under your noses.
It was easy to imagine Princess Catherines fury. In an emergency meeting following the fire, in a fit of rage, she unsheathed her sword and chopped a table in half, vowing to never coexist with Jars.
As the head of intelligence, Count Merlin was naturally ordered to uncover the truth behind the fire. However, the more he investigated, the more puzzling the case became. He repeatedly went over the information he had, contemplating how to report to the King and the Princess.
King Rodney XVI of Ordo, having recently recovered from a severe illness, was now able to attend to state affairs. Count Merlin, after being thoroughly searched by the royal guards a necessary precaution even for someone of his status hurried to the kings study.
Upon entering, he found Princess Catherine already there.
Count Merlin, how is the investigation of the granary fire going? the king asked urgently, bypassing formalities. King Rodney XVI, in his late thirties, looked worn and worried, his temples graying despite his relatively young age for a noble.
Your Majesty, I regret to report that there has been no significant breakthrough in the case.
Despite the kings recent recovery, Merlin decided to report the truth after much deliberation.
Princess Catherine, standing beside her father, asked, Is there a difficulty?
Yes, Your Highness. Allow me to explain, Count Merlin began, pulling out a scroll of parchment with the information he had gathered.
According to the guards on duty, the fire broke out after the warehouse manager, Fuller Bart, entered the granary. Another soldier volunteered to assist him with lighting and accompanied him inside. No one else entered during that time.
So, the culprit is among these two?
Count Merlin nodded, Lets start with the soldier. Weve collected his background he is of a clean record, having served under Viscount Klein for over three years. Those familiar with him have a good impression, and even Klein, who knows him personally, doesnt believe hes a spy. People recall no suspicious behavior from him, and in a military camp, its nearly impossible to deceive everyone.
Catherine suggested, So, it seems unlikely the soldier is the culprit. What about Bart?
Count Merlin continued, The warehouse manager indeed has significant suspicion, and Your Highness should be familiar with him.
Yes, in my memory, he was competent and diligent. During his tenure, there were never incidents of theft or embezzlement in the warehouse, Catherine recalled.
We have inquired about his entire social circle colleagues, friends, and superiors, but no unusual behavior was reported. He has always been loyal to the monarchy and even faced trouble from the rebels during Jars uprising.
So, what about his family? Catherine noted a missing piece in the counts list.
Again, Merlin nodded, Your Highness is astute. According to Mrs. Bart, there were unusual signs with her husband.
What kind of unusual signs?
The main suspicion around the warehouse manager lies not in his day-to-day dealings, as he meets many grain merchants from different places due to his position, making it hard to trace any suspicious individuals. However, his biggest red flag has been his recent mental health issues.
Catherine frowned slightly, Are you suggesting that Mr. Bart might have been mentally unstable, so setting the warehouse on fire in a fit of madness isnt out of the ordinary?
Merlin hurriedly clarified, Thats not what I mean, Your Highness. Mr. Barts mental state had always been normal before, and theres no history of related illnesses in his family. The suspicious behavior started about two months before the fire around the time Jars began his rebellion.
During that period?
Yes, Your Highness. According to Mrs. Bart, her husband suddenly started suffering from insomnia, spending entire nights unable to sleep. Despite trying various sleep aids, nothing worked. After a period of painful, restless nights, Bart finally began to sleep but started talking in his sleep, something Mrs. Bart swears he had never done before.
What did Bart say? Catherine asked, intrigued.
King Rodney XVI, who had been listening quietly, also leaned forward in anticipation of Merlins response.
Merlin looked down at his notes, Most of it was incoherent mumbling, but here are a few phrases Mrs. Bart could make out.
He placed the parchment on the kings desk. After the king and princess finished reading, they saw phrases like:
Who are you? Stop following me!
Where am I? Why cant I get out?
I wont listen to your nonsense, get out of my head.
I did what you asked, everything is placed, no one will find it, please leave.
I dont want to do this! This could get me hanged.
Please, let me go! I beg you!
Master, master, I will continue to heed your holy teachings, do not abandon me.
Your servant will fulfill the mission to death, my supreme master!
Merlin added, The last two weeks of his speech were particularly suspicious. The last phrase was the final one Mrs. Bart heard before the fire. Although suffering from insomnia, the manager still kept his habit of going to bed early. Worried about her husband, Mrs. Bart stayed awake. Shortly after he said that, he woke up and said he needed a walk to clear his mind, and then the warehouse caught fire.
Catherine and Rodney XVI exchanged a look, both with evident questions in their eyes: What does this mean?
Looking at the puzzled king and princess, Merlin, equally bewildered, suddenly had a bizarre thought: Could the warehouse manager have been under some kind of spell or witchcraft?
He quickly shook his head, dismissing this absurd notion from his mind.
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