1468 times. There was a knife mark on his face.
Elio was about to grab the middle-aged woman and ask her but held back.
Since the other person approached first all we had to do was meet at a set time.
‘It’s the back door…’
I thought it was on the other side of the main gate so I looked and saw a small door.
Once I confirmed the meeting place I finally felt relaxed.
From guard to butcher.
It feels like big and small things are being resolved all at once.
Suddenly I took out my pocket watch and looked at the time. It was only 7 o’clock.
‘2 hours…’
Two hours at a party is a long time for some and a short time for others.
It was a boring and painful time for Elio who had limited interpersonal relationships.
He looked at his watch almost every ten minutes.
“Time flies.”
Baroness Ashley Nelson came up to him and spoke to him.
“Count.”
“Oh Sir Ashley. “How have you been?”
“Thank you. “What are you doing alone?”
Perhaps because it was her party Ashley’s tone was extremely feminine.
“I was resting.”
“It’s late but congratulations.”
“What?”
“Boundary expenses. “I heard it was a project the Count had been longing for.”
“Who said that?”
“Baron Cloud. “Isn’t it?”
“It’s not a wish but it’s true that it was planned. “Anyway is it worth it to be a musketeer?”
While serving as her knight she was injured and was forced to become a musketeer.
“Why did you become a musketeer now? “It suits me so well.”
“Is it better than holding a knife?”
“There is no comparison.”
Elio glanced at Baron Ashley.
I thought she was just saying it but her bright smile makes me think she means it.
There was a moment of silence between the two.
At that time the sound of a lute (a musical instrument similar to a lute guitar) being played was heard from somewhere.
A beautiful singing voice soon followed.
It is a bright and lively voice that matches the light melody unique to the lute.
Elio turned her head to the stage feeling somewhat familiar.
It was Erica Noble with her hair cut short.
She had only seen the pipa played but the lute seemed to suit her better.
Suddenly Erica Noble’s confession and Tracy Gold’s death came to mind.
While he was lost in thought Baron Ashley’s voice reached his ears.
“You were probably invited because it is the most famous Bardos in Hirhera.”
“I guess so.”
Elio nodded her head.
After her alleged love triangle with herself Erica Noble became the most famous bardos in the North.
It was only natural that she would be invited to Hir Hera’s first official event.
“This may be a little rude but I have one question. “Can I ask you a question?”
“What is it?”
She said “I heard that you rejected Miss Erica’s confession because it wasn’t to your taste.”
Elio smiled bitterly.
Also it seems that Fabian who was covering her mouth was talking about misjual and gojual.
He is such a consistent guy.
“You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable.”
“It won’t be any inconvenience.”
Elio shrugged her shoulders.
Baron Ashley was one of her close acquaintances and she was entitled to ask that question.
“Because even as a woman I think Ms. Erica is beautiful.”
“She is a beauty even for men.”
“Heh! Isn’t that true too? But why…”
“Miss Erica looks like her dead wife. “When I look at Miss Erica she reminds me of my dead wife.”
“ah….”
An exclamation flowed from Baron Ashley’s mouth.
She never thought that it might be for that reason.
She quickly changed the topic.
There was extensive talk between the two about war and the Abyss gods.
Baroness Ashley had extensive knowledge as she was a graduate of the Imperial Academy.
Elio felt comfortable talking to her Baron Ashley.
The two people ate food and talked for a while.
Then Elio suddenly came to his senses and quickly took out her pocket watch and checked the time.
She is 8:58.
She had no idea that the ridiculous amount of time would pass so quickly!
Elio spoke quickly.
“Oh my! “I have an appointment at 9 o’clock so I have to get up first.”
“Oh that’s right. See you next time.”
Elio nodded and quickly left her party.
As she watched the back of Count Lagoa walking away from her an involuntary sigh escaped Baron Ashley’s mouth.
When she reached the back door Elio checked her time one more time.
It was 9 o’clock written on the note.
She naturally looked around inside her but couldn’t see the middle-aged woman.
‘Then is it outside?’
Elio opened the door and went out.
Her large trash cans were laid out in an orderly manner.
There was a streetlight nearby but as expected the area around the back gate was dark.
‘Should I have caught him and asked him earlier?’ When I regretted it someone appeared in the dark.
She was a middle-aged woman who gave a note and disappeared.
Elio was afraid that she would run away in surprise so he hurried to talk to her.
“You’re the one who gave me the note right?”
“yes.”
The middle-aged woman answered calmly but she looked anxious and looked around without stopping.
“Don’t worry. “There’s no one around here.”
Only then did the woman stop looking around her and took a step closer to Count Lagoa.
Elio asked the woman first to make it easier for her to speak.
“Do you know anything about the Butcher?”
“yes.”
“Please tell me. “If you provide a decisive tip we will pay you the promised reward.”
The woman spoke without any hesitation.
“He is Viscount Stema Griff.”
“Surely you are Viscount Stema Griff famous for being a lover of culture and arts?”
“yes.”
“What proof is there that he is a butcher?”
“I am in an affair with Viscount Griff.”
Elio listened silently without interrupting her.
“I got to know Viscount Griff at a concert and we met often after that. As the commander of the Phoenix unit he spent more days in the snowfield than Hirhera. When he happened to come to Hirhera he did not go to camp but he stayed with me.”
“Wait a minute but what do you do?”
Elio was curious about the identity of the middle-aged woman.
This is because Hirge is a military town and there were still more military officials than ordinary people.
She said “I’m the manager of the Blue Parrot Saloon. “I’m not the owner… I’m managing the bar on his behalf.”
“aha. Please continue.”
What grew rapidly in Hirhera were bars not inns or restaurants.
With all the northern armies gathered together it was only natural.
“One day early in the morning I saw him sneaking out. At first I thought he left because something happened at the unit. He came back in an hour…. That morning he saw something strange. He had blood stains on his coat. “It was clearly clean until the day before.”
“You don’t even know if it’s a monster’s blood stain.”
“There is some kind of monster in Hirhera. Moreover at that early morning. “If there was a monster the bell would have been rung and there would have been chaos.”
“Yes of course.”
Elio agreed right away.
Even if a monster appeared it would happen on the outskirts of the city.
What was even more strange was that she went out in her sleep and captured a monster on the outskirts of the city.
“There was an uproar all day long because someone died that day. From then on I became cautious in dealing with Viscount Griff. “It feels like something is uneasy and unsettling.”
“That’s not all is it?”
“Of course. “Bardos was murdered again recently.”
“I did.”
“He was with Viscount Griff that day too… He went out at dawn and came back.”
“Hmm.”
A sob flowed from Elio’s mouth.
It was a suspicious situation but it was not enough.
Above all Viscount Stema Griff’s face is as clean as a wizard.
This time as I was thinking about making a pointless report something unexpected came out of the woman’s mouth.
“That day he was breathing a little hard probably because he was embarrassed. So I opened his squinted eyes and saw… his face was a different person. “At first I thought there were robbers.”
“But was it Viscount Griff?”
“Clothes. The clothes were Viscount Griff’s clothes. I was so scared I thought my heart was going to explode. After a while he lay down next to me… and I just pretended to sleep. I felt like I shouldn’t open my eyes. In the morning I saw it was Viscount Griff. “At that time I really thought I was dreaming.”
“It’s an amazing story but that alone is not enough.”
“At that time I saw a glimpse of a knife mark on his face.”
“….”
In an instant Elio came to his senses.
Come to think of it Viscount Stema Griff was a wizard.
Illusion an illusion magic can be used easily by a 4th circle wizard.
It was entirely possible if the face had been changed using illusion magic.
“thank you. “If Viscount Griff is the culprit I will reward you.”
“I didn’t ask to receive compensation. Tracy Gold once sang in our tavern. “I’m satisfied she got her revenge.”
After finishing her sentence the middle-aged woman disappeared into the darkness without even looking back.
Elio thought for a moment and headed towards her security guard.
After checking the Butcher’s data once more on her constable he returned to Chrysopedio.
Chrysopedio.
Elio snooped around looking for Viscount Griff.
The nobles who misunderstood this as an act of enjoying the party clung to it.
Elio refused the invitations of the nobles and she roamed around Tapizang like a hyena.
Viscount Griff surrounded by people came into his sight.
Erica was smiling brightly next to Viscount Griff.
Anyone can see that he is an art lover and the beautiful Bardos he supports.
Elio seeing Erica lightly let out her exhaled breath.
This is also a very bad relationship.
Elio who paused for a moment quickly walked towards Viscount Griff.
As Count Lagoa approached the nobles rushed to make way for him.
Elio stopped tall in front of Viscount Griff.
For a moment the surroundings became quiet.
The nobles held their breath and looked alternately at Count Lagoa Viscount Griff and Erica.
Could this be another love triangle between Count Lagoa and Viscount Griff?
While the nobles were imagining a rare love triangle in their heads Viscount Griff spoke.
“Your Excellency Count Lagoa. It’s an honor to meet you. “I am from the Kingdom of Fricia…”
“embrace. Viscount Stema Griff. Are you a lover of culture and arts? “Haven’t we met before?”
“Yes I saw you in the snow field while scouting with my unit. “At that time I didn’t know who your Excellency was so I was very rude.”
Elio looked at Viscount Griff with strange eyes.
That’s just lip service. He didn’t do anything wrong that day.
Erica smiled and greeted me as if nothing had happened.
“hello? Count Lagoa. See you here again.”
Elio just nodded his head and didn’t say anything to her.
An awkward silence fell in the hall.
The first to speak was Viscount Griff.
He mistakenly thought that Count Lagoa had come to visit him about his son.
“Thank you for generously forgiving my poor child’s mistakes.”
“It’s not even that bad.”
“no. Even though it was a misunderstanding… when I think of the sin I committed against the Count ten years as a squire is nothing.”
“Like you said Harvey did it because of a misunderstanding. “But what were you thinking Viscount Griff when you did such a thing?”
“Are you saying you did something like that?”
“I received a report a little while ago that you were a butcher. “What do you think about this?”
“I don’t know who slandered me but… that’s a blatant lie. As you can see there is not a single scratch on my face let alone a knife wound.”
“For you to say something like that even after knowing that I am a magic swordsman… you are more foolish than I thought. “Changing your face with illusion magic can be done with just 4 circles.”
“No matter what anyone says I am not. “I have no reason to do that.”
“The Butcher is a recent notoriety. Do you know that I served in the Hirhera Garrison? Hirhera is a military town so security is well developed and crime rarely occurs. At best they are pickpockets and robberies are rare. “Hirhera and a butcher who suddenly kills people… Don’t you think it’s a bit unexpected?”
“Your Excellency the Count! Is it because of Miss Erica that you are doing this? “Aren’t you driving me into a butcher in order to monopolize Miss Erica?”
An excited Viscount Griff grabbed Erica’s arm.
Erica who suddenly found herself standing next to Viscount Griff blinked in surprise.
Elio who was looking at Viscount Griff asked.
“Now does that mean you are going to take Miss Erica hostage?”
The eyes of the nobles around him all turned towards Viscount Griff.