Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Suspicious Village (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Knock knock.
"Anyone home?"
"Wh-who... I-inspector...!"
The house closest to the village chief's place.
I knocked on the door of the farmer's home I'd heard about, and a young man who had been peeking nervously from the chief's house appeared.
"Mind if we talk for a moment?"
"I'm scared... Please, please do something about it, Inspector...!!"
'...This guy's dark circles are brutal too.'
Practically panda levels. His face was etched with exhaustion.
He looked utterly terrified—no mistaking it—and I narrowed my eyes. He flinched and took a step back.
"Do you have trouble sleeping normally? Stay up late?"
"N-no... I go to bed early... I-I'm scared to even go outside... I toss and turn a bit, but I fall asleep quick..."
Could someone who goes to bed early have dark circles this bad?
The woman from earlier might have an excuse since her husband was sacrificed, but could a night or two of tossing and turning do this? I doubted it.
Of course, it could just be exhaustion from this bizarre situation.
"Do you know anything about what's happening?"
Grip—!!
"N-no... I really don't know anything...!!"
"..."
"Ah...! S-sorry...!!"
The terrified man who'd backed away lunged forward and grabbed my arm.
His desperation bordered on overkill, sparking needless suspicion, but I brushed it off.
Watching him bow and apologize repeatedly, he just seemed genuinely timid.
If this was an act, he was shaking so badly I'd never catch the culprit in this village.
"One last question. Anyone you personally suspect? It'll stay between us, so be honest."
"I... I suspect Otto. The blacksmith shop echoes every night—it's deafening... I ask what he's doing so late, but he won't answer, won't let anyone inside...!!"
'Doing something every night, huh.'
Otto was definitely that burly guy from earlier.
The one who'd closed his eyes throughout the chief's story, then subdued the knife-wielding woman.
"Got it. Anything else?"
"No... Please find the culprit, Inspector... I'm scared to death..."
He clutched his face, arms trembling, so I nodded and turned away.
Interviewing them one by one like this should start piecing things together.
'Next house is definitely over—'
I turned my head, thinking the next one was that way, when the Wiki notification popped up.
Analysis done already? I blinked and checked my phone right away.
'Case Notebook?'
Still analyzing, but something new appeared beside it.
Multiple strategies? First time seeing this—intriguing.
I'd seen temporary activations before, so I scratched my head and opened [Case Notebook].
A mysterious village where someone is murdered every other day. 1. Village Chief, Barka.
Suspects: Everyone in the village
Notes:
2. Farmer, Hans.
Suspects: Blacksmith, Otto
Notes:
"That's why it's called the Case Notebook."
I get it. Like an item in a mystery game that organizes clues.
Interrogate one by one, gather info, find contradictions—that's the goal.
Not a full strategy, but helpful enough.
Can't input data manually, but satisfying regardless.
'Says analyzing, so more will come later.'
Profit either way.
I felt like planting a kiss on the Wiki for prepping this.
'Next up... the innkeeper over there.'
Step.
"Found you!"
"...?"
As I turned to find the next spot, a cheerful voice and footsteps approached.
"I'll help you, Inspector!"
"Kid... use proper speech."
"Oh, got it, Granny. I'll help you out, Inspector!"
The village's only kid and an elderly woman who seemed to be his guardian.
Wasn't planning to meet them yet, but early wasn't bad.
"Hello. Anything you know, care to share?"
"Greetings... I don't know much. Just an old herb gatherer selling to passing merchants..."
Herb-selling granny.
Got it, noted.
"Granny knows tons about herbs! She can spot poisoned ones at a glance!"
"Is that so?"
"...After decades, I know 'em on sight."
The kid's words sharpened the old woman's expression for a split second.
Might be my imagination, but it felt suspiciously off.
'Because of the poison plants mention?'
Hard to say, but something felt fishy.
"Anyone you suspect?"
"No... I can't believe the culprit's one of us. Must be something else..."
Not suspecting anyone caught my attention, but her follow-up more so.
'Something else...?'
Maybe just backing faith in villagers, but couldn't dismiss outright.
Stroke.
"I suspect Elena Auntie."
"Mind telling me why?"
"She carries that knife. My mom and dad got stabbed too."
"...Sacrificed?"
"Yeah. Been living with Granny since. Not real Granny, though."
I frowned at the kid's blunt delivery.
A child under ten, emotionless about his parents' murder.
What horrors does it take to become like this?
How many deaths has this village seen?
'Could be other reasons.'
The widow's husband died recently—she was broken then.
She'd been fine when the kid's parents died.
"Let's go quick, Inspector!"
"...Huh?"
"I'll show you. I said I'd help, right?"
"No need. It's dangerous—go home with Granny—"
"I'll help."
A chill ran down my spine as the kid looked up.
Bright voice, smiling eyes and mouth.
Yet it felt ghostly wrong.
'Better keep him close?'
This brat was a suspect too.
Could force him away, but that expression said he wouldn't budge.
"Sure you can help?"
"Yeah."
"Why help?"
"Gotta know who killed Mom and Dad."
Like the chief—revenge motive.
Granny silent? Probably his usual vibe.
"For revenge?"
"Think I can?"
"Doubt it—for you."
"..."
Don't know how the killer murders.
Bodies vary each time—not ordinary killings.
'Over twenty sacrificed already...'
Ten-year-old spotting the killer couldn't avenge.
Pat.
"I'll do it for you."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
I ruffled his hair with a smirk.
Have to find and likely execute the culprit anyway.
As long as he's not it, I'd handle it.
"So leave it to me and you—"
"This way!"
"...Ah, okay."
Was gonna send him off, but kid's got action.
Dashed ahead waving; I chuckled dryly.
"Take care of Timmy."
"Yes."
Nodded to the quiet granny and followed.
3. Old Woman, Masa.
Suspects: No one
Notes:
4. Boy, Timmy.
Suspects: Widow, Elena
Notes:
"Inspector's here? Folks from the capital sure are handsome~. First hunk like you I've seen."
"Me? Honestly, I suspect the wandering merchant. First incident was the night he arrived."
5. Innkeeper, Rosa.
Suspects: Wandering Merchant, Philip
Notes:
"Damn... What'd I do to get stuck in this hellhole...!!"
"Suspect? Obviously the chief—that old geezer. Sealing the village? Sane person do that? He's framing me—obvious!!"
6. Wandering Merchant, Philip.
Suspects: Village Chief, Barka
Notes:
"...Inspector, huh. Said you'd come one by one—sorry, two now."
"Hunter Jack sneaks out every night. Don't know why."
"Blacksmith noises at night? ...Where'd you hear? Just making self-defense stuff."
7. Blacksmith, Otto.
Suspects: Hunter, Jack
Notes:
"...Say who you suspect, and they'll kill for you instead?"
"Village chief."
8. Widow, Elena.
Suspects: Village Chief, Barka
Notes:
"Peace be with you, brother."
"I... trust everyone. Suspect no one."
"A trial from the Lord. We'll overcome. I believe the Inspector will shepherd us."
"Oh, the fatigue? Probably late prayers. Pray nightly for no victims... but my prayers fall short..."
9. Nun, Claire.
Suspects: No one
Notes:
"Why ask my opinion, Inspector? Or does everyone think I'm the killer?"
"Hmph, stick around dying village just to die? Forest safer."
"Suspect? Everyone—why specify? Pick one and you help?"
10. Hunter, Jack.
Suspects: Everyone in the village
Notes:
"...These crazy bastards."
Dusk had fallen before I knew it. Sitting in the living room of the house the chief showed me, I squeezed my eyes shut.
The fully compiled [Case Notebook] made my head throb.
All suspicious.
Everyone suspects everyone. No one clean.
'Is there even one culprit?'
That's the issue.
Don't even know how many. One's best case—could be two, three, more.
Hell, all of them.
"Chief most suspected, others... all shady."
Cliché says unsuspicious are culprits, but sealing village makes it fair suspicion.
Few not directly named.
Not zero since "everyone" votes, but...
'Farmer, old woman, boy, innkeeper, nun.'
Half unscathed.
Makes sense from chats.
They're fishy too, but suspects are next level.
"Haa."
Stuck. Time left, but no leads.
Wait for next victim?
'At least one odd fact...'
Not always stab wounds or beast bites on bodies.
Many unscathed victims.
Cause of death unknown for several.
'Doors locked, barricaded—still die...'
Culprit kills remotely.
Magic or poison viable.
And I gotta find them.
"Night owls most suspect, but..."
Someone's lying—who knows. Can't fully trust testimonies.
"..."
Just gather everyone together?
No incidents then.
If someone dies, catch on spot.
'All die but me? Game over?'
Two days one death so far—could rampage.
Wisdom Tower, so no "fight boss" probably...
"...Everyone dies but me—I'm culprit?"
Could use that.
Culprit won't kill me.
Tower rules: survive to morning meeting day 3. Pick right/wrong.
Invincible till then.
"Risky though."
Still, grouping safest.
Find culprit, evade three days—clear?
'No deaths? Can't catch...'
Ironic: save others, I die. Chuckle escaped.
No victim today? Complicates. Need more evidence.
"Patrol outside..."
No point staying. Verify testimonies myself.
Drag night wanderers back.
Grabbed doorknob to leave—
Inspector's movement restricted
Time until movement allowed: 8:00:00
"What."
Mafia game for real? Eyes widened at popup.
Rattle—!
Yanked door—locked.
Wait passively? Absurd.
Swipe.
"..."
Break window? Tower'd block it.
Intact tomorrow—awkward explanation.
"No choice."
Nothing to do, no more info—
Plop!
"Ugh..."
Dove into pre-scouted bed.
When's the last real bed?
Tower gives 8 hours rest—waste is crime.
"Clear 50th, put bed in Hideout..."
No prior thought, but lying here? Bliss.
Better than vanishing food.
'Gotta clear this floor too...'
Sleep hit fast.
Bed magic? Tower forcing? Dunno.
Didn't care—got comfy, closed eyes slow.
Bang bang bang—!!
"Anyone there!! Inspector—!!"
"..."
Groaned at thunderous knocks.
First wake-up call in ages—post-army maybe.
Bang bang bang—!!
"Inspector!!!"
"How... so fast on door..."
Half-asleep, forced up.
Ignored warm bed, shuffled slow.
Creak.
"Yes...?"
"Sorry so early, Inspector...!!"
Opened door—exhausted chief rushed in.
Sky behind: early dawn, sun barely up.
"So what brings y—"
You here? Obvious question.
"Victim... in village center...!!"
Chief's cutoff words: knew it. Dry chuckle.