Chapter 31

Outside the room.

The wind was howling and the rain was pouring, with thunder rumbling and lightning flashing.

The inside and outside were two different worlds.

Loslin was not surprised by the other's words and said, "You know?"

Dorov nodded and said, "I know."

"Ha-ha—" Loslin chuckled, turning his head to look at the mess around the room. "But the fool outside doesn't know."

Dorov knew who he was referring to, but he had a different perspective on this. "Everyone has their own unique talents."

Loslin did not argue with Dorov's words; he had no interest in arguing. He touched a broken stone pillar and turned to look at him. "I want to hear your thoughts."

"On the way here, I already heard from Frenner about what happened, but seeing it with my own eyes still surprised me." Dorov's voice was somewhat low, his gaze falling on the bodies on the ground. He shook his head and said, "It really makes one curious about the killer's motive."

"I don't think you need to care or sympathize with those scum. I only need to know about Ambefin, or rather, what you can investigate is what concerns me."

Loslin sneered, his proud demeanor hiding deep disdain. He pointed to Ambefin's head and looked directly at the middle-aged constable. "Perhaps you won't disappoint me."

Dorov frowned. He disliked this person, perhaps because of his attitude, or perhaps because of everything about him.

He was not afraid of him; he was not Frenner, and he had no reason to fear him. Perhaps his status was awe-inspiring, but that was not a reason to fear him.

He had his reasons for being here, and he had something to seek, but first, he needed to prove himself.

The room was somewhat quiet. Dorov spoke quietly, "The killer eliminated all the servants and guards. He seemed to want to avoid alarming Ambefin, or perhaps he didn't want to leave any witnesses who could identify him. He was very cautious, and—"

He pointed to the severed arm of Ambefin's corpse. "The sudden assassination didn't seem to be effective at first. Even so, Ambefin paid the price of losing an arm to escape. After that—"

"After a fierce battle, Ambefin died." Dorov spread his hands, looking around the severely damaged room.

"Is it that simple?" Loslin chuckled.

"Do you need it to be complicated?" Dorov countered.

"No, it's just that this information is useless." Loslin said casually.

"If it wasn't a simple assassination, I think the killer had a specific purpose." Dorov suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Loslin seemed to be interested.

"According to Frenner, the important valuables in the room were not stolen, but I found something interesting on Ambefin, or rather, not just one thing."

Crouching next to Ambefin's corpse, Dorov lifted his left hand and showed it to Loslin. "When I checked casually, I noticed a ring mark on Ambefin's left middle finger, and the bone between the fingers showed signs of wear, indicating that the killer likely forcibly removed the ring after killing Ambefin."

"What kind of ring could be so important to the killer?" Loslin looked at the pale dead hand, his words filled with meaning.

"I don't know. I think only the killer knows the reason." Dorov answered straightforwardly.

"Is there anything else? Didn't you say you found something else interesting?" Loslin deflected, not minding Dorov's rudeness.

"The sword wound in the heart of the corpse caught my attention." Dorov pulled open the chest of Ambefin's corpse and pointed to the wound through the heart. "From the other victims, it's clear that the killer killed with a single, clean strike. But Ambefin's heart was already fatally wounded, yet the killer still decapitated him. This doesn't seem to fit the killer's usual method."

"Perhaps it was out of anger." Loslin said with a strange smile.

"Possible." Dorov frowned slightly, seemingly agreeing with his guess. Soon, he turned his gaze to Ambefin's severed head and sighed. "From his expression at the moment of death, Ambefin probably didn't believe anyone could kill him."

"Or perhaps he didn't expect the killer to be a peak high-ranking swordsman who has touched the FerNu law."

"What?"

Dorov exclaimed, looking at Loslin, who was smiling ambiguously.

An ordinary person might not understand what Loslin was saying, but Dorov knew. In the past, while working in the capital's guard bureau's investigation department, he had learned many secrets, and those secrets were symbols of danger and mystery to most people.

The Loslin in front of him did not seem as simple as he imagined. Perhaps he knew even more.

Dorov's heart was conflicted. He felt he had been drawn into something significant, and even if he wanted to back out now, it might be too late.

He was searching for redemption in a vague and unknown world, thinking he could stop at any time, but now he realized he had no way back.

He began to regret agreeing to this investigation.

"What? Surprised?" Loslin's voice broke the silence.

Dorov looked at Loslin, nodded, and said expressionlessly, "A little."

"It seems you understand something." Loslin chuckled.

"Can I withdraw from this investigation now?" Dorov asked seriously.

"No, I said I need an explanation." Loslin pointed to Ambefin's corpse.

"Ah—"

Dorov sighed inwardly, knowing the outcome but still not giving up. Shaking off his侥幸, he had no choice but to continue.

"Lord Loslin, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"What ring level mage was Ambefin?"

Loslin narrowed his eyes, looking at the expressionless middle-aged constable, as if thinking. After a moment, he said, "A high-level mage."

"Whoa—"

Dorov drew a sharp breath. He had suspected Ambefin was a mage, but he never imagined he was a high-level mage. He couldn't fathom how such a person could be so deeply hidden in the capital, and the most terrifying part was—

He was the Fourth Prince's man, and his death would naturally enrage the Fourth Prince.

But the question was, what was the Fourth Prince's purpose in hiding a high-level mage?

Could it be?

Dorov didn't dare to think further. When he changed his perspective, he discovered an even more terrifying fact: who was the person who could kill a high-level mage?

A tangled mess.

He clenched his fists, feeling even more uneasy than before.

"You don't need to worry too much. I just need a simple explanation."

Loslin smiled, finding the other's appearance amusing.

Dorov took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and needed a moment of silence to clear his mind.

"Lord Loslin, could a peak high-ranking swordsman kill a high-level mage?"

Opening his eyes, Dorov asked a question.

"Yes, if an ordinary high-ranking swordsman had a law-breaking weapon." Loslin paused, tilted his head, and smiled. "Do you think the killer was not a peak high-ranking swordsman?"

"Yes."

Dorov exhaled a long, suppressed breath. "From what we know, the killer had the advantage of a surprise attack. If he were a peak high-ranking swordsman, I think Ambefin would have died in the first attack. But he didn't, and the situation turned into a prolonged battle. I think if it was an ordinary high-ranking swordsman with a law-breaking weapon, it could explain the current state of the room."

Loslin looked around the room, nodding in agreement. "It seems I overlooked something. Indeed, it's possible. A high-level mage would find it hard to escape and counterattack a peak high-ranking swordsman's continuous attacks, but an ordinary high-ranking swordsman with a law-breaking weapon wouldn't have that capability."

"I think Ambefin's expression at the moment of death might have been disbelief that an ordinary high-ranking swordsman could kill him. The killer might have been injured, which is why he decapitated Ambefin out of anger." Dorov continued his speculation.

"Um—" Loslin nodded. "Then what?"

"The clues about the killer might be found in what we've discussed." Dorov said definitively.

"Tsk-tsk—" Loslin looked at the serious middle-aged constable with admiration. "It seems you are of some use. So, what are the clues?"

Dorov paced back and forth, organizing his thoughts. "I think I should first ask the people on Stone Plate Street if they noticed any suspicious individuals that night. Then, I will seek assistance from the capital's church and alchemy association to investigate if anyone with magical injuries sought treatment in the coming days. Of course, this is all predicated on the killer not leaving the capital."

"It seems it will take a long time." Loslin said.

"Yes, but—" Dorov looked at the other, his tone somewhat tentative. "Perhaps we can start by investigating the Fourth Prince's enemies, especially those who could possess a law-breaking weapon. I think we might find something."

"Ha-ha—" Loslin smiled ambiguously. "Sometimes, investigating someone isn't difficult for us, but the prerequisite is having a clue to follow."

Dorov nodded, acknowledging that the Fourth Prince's influence in the capital could indeed achieve this.

"Is there anything else?" Loslin asked.

"I remember something, but I'm not sure if it's related."

Dorov hesitated.

"What is it?"

"A few days ago, there were two murders in my jurisdiction. Both victims were killed with a single, clean strike, and the killer is still unknown. From observing the bodies here, although the wounds caused by the weapons are different, the methods are similar."

"Oh?" Loslin showed interest.

"I speculate that the person might be a high-ranking warrior. If I find any clues, I hope to receive your and the Fourth Prince's assistance."

"Sure." Loslin waved his hand indifferently. "As long as it's a high-ranking warrior."

"Thank you. Can I take my leave now?"

Having finally stated his purpose, Dorov felt a weight lifted. He didn't want to stay here any longer; he wanted to leave.

"Let's go together. The Fourth Prince might be waiting impatiently."

---

Thank you to "Two Little Monks" and "One Day Not Said to Go Upstairs to Defecate" for your support, especially "One Day Not Said to Go Upstairs to Defecate" and the author of "Ghost Beast Heaven" for pointing out the flaws. I really appreciate it.

I could have written an extra chapter yesterday, but I was never satisfied, deleting and rewriting until now. I apologize.

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