The Starving Ghost and the Hidden Necromancer
Sir Rshah gazed at Ian with eyes gleaming with interest. I don't know much about this guy's skills. But... The name "mage Ian" had come from his subordinates. Sir Rshah hadn't even known such a person existed in the world. He'd simply given him high marks for helping the Santiago Knights and Takarion of the Golden Finger.
But in this moment, Sir Rshah formed a firm assessment of Ian. Ian is undoubtedly a wise mage. The idea of a clever mage solving riddles had always seemed like something out of fairy tales to him—old stories for children. Yet Sir Rshah now had to revise his thinking. Right before his eyes stood a wise mage straight out of legend.
Ian was the only one who knew the full story surrounding the necromancer Maria. The villagers all believed she was a murderer. Sir Rshah had suspected as much himself. But Ian had sifted through the sea of confusing information and uncovered a startling new possibility.
If it held solid ground... Even if Maria claimed innocence, Sir Rshah would have agreed. "Mage Ian. Explain this 'starving ghost' business."
Ian sent the children away first, then spoke in a calm voice. "Just now, I happened to witness Maria being tormented by the mystery of death."
"In what way?"
"She was digging up the earth, trying to eat worms."
"..."
"..."
The young lord's face twisted in shock, and even Sir Rshah looked mildly taken aback. "That's no ordinary sight."
"If an average person had seen Maria like that, they'd just think she was crazy," Ian said flatly. "Just like the Robert couple thought."
The Roberts' faces drained of color. The young lord snapped at them. "Speak up! Did you know Maria was acting strange?"
"W-well...! We knew she had a huge appetite, but..."
A huge appetite. That was one of the reasons the Roberts despised Maria. She'd sometimes devour food like she was possessed, and it grated on them like nothing else.
But they hadn't recognized the mystery of death clinging to her. Maria had truly been possessed...
"We never dreamed her gluttony was due to a ghost!"
"That's enough." Ian shot the couple a glare. Guilty as they felt, they slunk back to their places without another word.
"As I saw—and as Joseph and the Roberts know—Maria is tormented by a 'hungry ghost.'"
Joseph nodded reluctantly. "I'll grant you that... but so what?"
Crack! Ian slammed his staff against the floor. "Maria has never properly learned necromancy. She doesn't know how to control the mystery—in fact, she's the one being controlled by it."
"Ah." Sir Rshah let out a low sound of admiration. He understood what Ian was getting at.
Sir Rshah was a cleric who had studied the scriptures and the Maronius language. He had some knowledge of magic. "I see. If Maria... got caught up in a mystery by chance..."
Figures a university man gets it, Ian thought with a grin, picking up the thread. "Exactly. She wouldn't have had the spare capacity to harm anyone."
"What...!"
"If Maria had been possessed by a ghoul by chance! She'd have run off chasing rotten meat instead of killing people!"
"...!"
"...!"
The young lord and villagers gasped in unison. Ian declared it loud and clear. "The mystery attached to Maria is a starving ghost—that's why!"
# These were the three truths Ian sought to prove: Maria's motive and means for murder, and whether it was even feasible.
He'd shown not only that her motive was murky but also that carrying it out was highly improbable. Maria could have been possessed by a ghoul by chance—that much was the whims of mysteries. However...
A Maria dominated by the mystery of death would be obsessed solely with food. She couldn't have torn Eric apart. "Seeing her try to eat worms convinced me. The mystery on Maria has no aggression."
"...But couldn't she have killed him to eat Eric?" Joseph blurted desperately.
Ian shook his head. "Recall the body. What state was Eric's corpse in?"
"Well..." Joseph shut his mouth. He'd buried Eric's body himself. It was badly damaged, but there were no signs of cannibalism...
"Let me sum up the situation," Ian said again. "On the day Eric was killed, Maria had passed out—knocked unconscious by someone."
"At that time, the true culprit of this crime manipulated a ghoul to kill Eric, then slipped away clean."
"You all assumed it was Maria because she's the only one who could control a ghoul."
"Yes. Maria could certainly be possessed by a ghoul."
"But her ghost is fixated only on food. If she'd borrowed its power, she'd chase eats—not attack people."
"..."
A heavy silence blanketed the court. The deathly quiet was broken only by a girl's sobs.
"Hic... huuuh...!"
It was Maria. Forgetting this was the lord's court, she pressed her forehead to the ground and wailed. "Waaaaaah!"
Kira and Belenca rushed to calm her, but Maria's tears wouldn't stop. Relief that she wasn't a murderer. Guilt over dead Eric. Rage at the true culprit. A storm of emotions churned in the small, fragile girl's heart.
That pain and fury wouldn't subside easily...
Ian waited patiently for her to cry it out. As her sobs faded, Sir Rshah spoke. "I understand fully. Ian, it's hard to see Maria as the one who harmed Eric."
"Precisely."
"Go on. Is the culprit you suspect in this village?"
The villagers held their breath, staring at Ian. He nodded slowly. "Yes. He is."
Gasps and groans mingled in shock. Ian continued. "Shepherd Phael."
"...!"
"Of course, it could only be him."
Phael shuffled forward with a bewildered look. He faced Ian, utterly confused. "Me, sir?"
"You, Phael."
Phael glanced around, as if scouting an escape route. "Saying that out of nowhere... it's awfully confusing and inconvenient."
The villagers nodded. Ian's accusation felt utterly random.
"You don't think I'm the killer just because I witnessed it, do you? Pushing without solid proof is a bad habit..."
Ian chuckled. Phael's reaction screamed guilty as charged. "You know what, Phael? In detective novels, when the sleuth fingers the culprit, they all say the same thing: 'Got any proof?'"
"...What novels?"
Ian inwardly lamented the pitiful medieval literacy rates. I keep telling them to read at the library! Not that there's a library, or books, or even literacy...
"As you said. One reason I suspect you is that you're the only witness."
Phael immediately looked aggrieved. "Treating me like the killer just because I reported it..."
"That's why it's suspicious. Listen up. Maria wasn't possessed by a ghoul. So who controlled it?"
"..."
"Only Maria, Eric, and you were at the scene. Eric's dead, Maria's out cold. That leaves you."
Phael scratched his head. "A hidden necromancer..."
"That makes it even weirder. Some random necromancer strolling by gets bored and has a ghoul attack a villager? Especially a boy Maria was friendly with?"
Motive ambiguity. Ian pointed it out, and Phael shot back. "Could've been a weirdo necromancer! Mages are all quirky anyway!"
The villagers nodded. Even Sir Rshah seemed to agree. Ian's innocent heart felt wounded. This is mage discrimination! Prejudice! And the fact it actually convinces people is just depressing...
"No. You had motive to kill Maria's boyfriend candidate."
"Oh ho? Me? You really think so?"
...This bastard. Not even hiding it anymore?) At Phael's brazen reply, Ian spat it out. "You wanted Maria, didn't you?"
Phael burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Mages gonna mage—talking crazy! You think I'd kill Eric over one girl like Maria? Learn necromancy and prep a ghoul for that?"
"..."
"Mage sir... I don't sense the mystery of death on Phael."
Joseph whispered like he was giving advice. I know that, dude.
Of course Ian knew. "No need. You've been a necromancer from the start."
Phael's parents and acquaintances jumped in shock. Our boy... was a necromancer all along?!
Phael sneered at Ian. "What are you even..."
But Ian cut him off. "You've been a necromancer all along. Unknown mage."
"...!"
Ian's target was clear: not Phael, but the mage hiding behind Phael's shell.
Phael's acquaintances gaped at him in horror. Phael didn't panic or deny it. He just... laughed. "Heh heh... Not bad brains, mage."
Ian stared at Phael coolly. The shepherd Phael was a necromancer who had infiltrated the village.