Chapter 6: Chapter 5: The Butcher of Pav 

Rumors began circulating around the capital, there have been almost 50 deaths recently within the past week attributed to one person. Originally seen at the start as random murders and robberies, the deaths began to link together due to the brutal treatment of the victims. Fear had begun to spread, and the knight orders were just called in to aid in apprehending the perpetrator nicknamed

"The Butcher of Pav".

"Numerous stabs and slashes at non-vital areas, the killer wanted them to suffer. Some even had small pieces of their body cut-off and stuffed in their mouths. The first victims were groups of small-time street thugs, but the killer seems to have gotten ambitious and the last few deaths were wealthy merchants or untitled nobles who have had a problematic history. Because the latest victims had some influence, the higher ups are ordering us specifically to help in the investigation." The magic knight captain briefed the knights under his command.

The group of magic knights remained silent as their captain turned to a trio of knights and continued.

"Ser Fae and Ser Eva, you will investigate the latest deaths with your bloodline magic. Ser Rheya, you'll be their main protection and decision maker as they go to each crime scene."

"Yes Knight-captain Garett" Rheya the long brown haired knight answers alongside her two squadmates.

"If anyone runs into the perpetrator, avoid using lethal force, the higher-ups want a public execution."

"I wish we had the same passion in acting even before this happened." Rheya muttered in her mind.

Rheya who had risen to knighthood was borne a commoner. Through determination and grit, she was able to enter the royal academy through a merit scholarship. Due to her time rubbing shoulders with the aristocratic elite,

she was already accustomed to the usual tendencies of nobility even before becoming knight.

"We need to finish this quickly so we can focus our efforts on the other dark elements within the capital. Though the underworld are also likely in a panic due to the latest killings, the knight orders will not rely on criminals to keep the peace."

All the knights nod enthusiastically at this, though many of them believe that all the victims were indeed despicable after reviewing the written reports sent by the initial investigators. They could not allow a serial killer roam within the capital without consequence, especially one that was as sadistic as this.

"It's been almost a year, I hope your alright." Rheya thinks of her old friend and classmate who had left capital after graduation.

The trio of knights, head to the last known location of the killer. Rheya, donning her uniform armor of blue gambeson supplemented with shoulder plates, gauntlets, and a chest piece all made from the scales of a lesser wyvern to cover her fair and toned body leads the way; the crowds part at the sight of the unique uniform of the knights of the magic order which trade protection for mobility.

They enter the manor of the deceased noble and find the lady of the house fuming.

"Find who did this now!" screamed the deceased manor owner's wife after a heated discussion.

The trio arrived at the manor's study where there was still blood spattered across the floor and walls. They entered and closed the door making sure no one was nearby.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone following since we left the barracks. Then again, even my sensing isn't perfect." remarked Fae dejectedly, her pony-tailed light purple hair shifting slightly against the back of her warm copper skin.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, maybe you were just to be busy focusing on our favorite spectator. You were finally able to grasp their location after all" Teased Eva the knight with green shoulder-level hair and a cool olive complexion.

The presence of someone who would occasionally hide and watch the knights while they trained was known for some time. However, they were always able to hide their exact location until a week ago.

"Hmm, maybe Fae is thinking that person is a secret admirer of hers. You said their aura was never malicious after all. " Rheya added with a teasing smile.

"Hey! I'm serious though, first of all I think this was a different person. Aside from that, this was the first time someone's presence disappeared so abruptly after I sensed them. Even the person that kept watching our practices wasn't able to hide like that" Fae puffed her cheeks while saying this.

"Anyway, we should get started." Eva interrupts the conversation as she approaches the small bonsai tree placed on the study's desk. She closes her eyes and points her palm at the plant. Suddenly, green mana emits from the small tree like smoke, eventually forming a humanoid figure in front of them. The figure was a green misty silhouette, it was shaped androgynously and had no eyes.

"Hello one beloved by spirits. How long has it been since your last predecessor?" the smoky figure greets them with an elderly voice.

"May the sun ever shine and the rain still fall oh spirit of the green. The last beloved one in my family was my great-grandfather." Eva returns the greeting.

Normal spirit magic allows the user to borrow the power of the nature spirits near them. However, Eva's bloodline causes her to be uniquely talented with this; it gives her the ability to interact with them personally.

"Ah I see, may your blood be ever blessed. For what have I been summoned?" The spirit asks for the reason for their conversation.

"I wish to ask your aid in finding who killed the one that lived here." Fae begins her line of questions. The trio of knights were anxious to know what depravity had occurred here.

"Ah, the one who died was a pitiful man, his heart reeked of corruption. He did not see the green as life and saw it only as gold." The spirit answers.

The knights nodded in understanding, based on the report they read, the late baron was known for being unscrupulous. He had abused his status in bureaucracy to live a lavish life, there were even rumors of him participating in smuggling drugs and humanoids.

"Can you speak of his killer, spirit of the green? They are needed by the living"

"His killer was a joyful in his work, laughing while the other tried to resist. He was a man dressed in the darkened skin of fallen monsters. He used two sharp sticks made from the earth, one was like a thin leaf bending in the wind while the other like a narrow sturdy mountain. His face was covered by a mask of snow that shed tears." The spirit explains what it felt and saw when the baron was killed.

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Rheya flinched internally at the spirit's narration. The killer was skilled and with a personality that matched their title of butcher.

"How did he enter and leave oh spirit of the green?" Fae then proceeds with a new question.

"He was like the wind, suddenly flowing then disappearing just as fast" It replies with no emotion.

"What do you mean oh spirit of the green?" Fae tries to probe for more information.

"He did no enter and he did not leave, he was here then no longer." The spirit elaborates, though its tendency to speak in riddles may have confused anyone else who was not used to speaking with spirits.

Rheya noticed Fae tense up at the spirit's statement.

"She must have noticed the similarity to the disappearing presence she felt at the training ground." She makes the conclusion after some thought.

"I see, thank you spirit of the green. Is there anything you need aid with?"

"You are welcome beloved one. If it does not trouble you I wish for a gift of life."

"There is no problem oh spirit of the green"

Eva removes her gauntlet and draws her dagger. Using her other hand she cuts her palm and lets blood flow onto the bonsai tree. After almost half a minute doing this, the spirit disappears. Afterwards, Rheya approaches Eva.

"How are you feeling?" Rheya asks.

"I'm alright, he was satisfied with only this much blood after all." Fae replies.

"Let me see." Rheya asks Fae for her hand.

Eva shows Rheya the cut across her palms. Rheya grasps her Eva's palm and begins to glow a golden light after a few seconds.

"Minor Regeneration"

The wound does not close however the bleeding stops faster than expected.

"Sorry this is the best I can do, at least it will regenerate some of the blood as long as you eat enough."

"It's alright, the church would be up in arms if you knew something better than this. Besides even if its instantaneous, "Close wounds" won't get the blood back."

"That's true, I'm not really good at "Close wounds" anyway since it requires a certain type of personality."

"You mean a short-sighted personality, right Rheya?" Fae amusedly speaks.

"You could say that...The people who tend to use it are those who aren't good with staying still and want to keep fighting."

"So people who are either brave, stupid, or don't value their own life." Eva surmises.

Rheya nods her head. Her two companions notice she looks slightly dejected but are at a loss on how to approach it.

"Anyway, I think you guys have noticed right?" Fae finally tries to redirect the conversation.

"How the spirit's story of the killer suddenly appearing and disappearing sounded familiar to our second extra guest recently?" Rheya asks.

"Mhm, It definitely could just be a coincidence but my instincts just tell me that their the same person."

"I think so too, the deaths started happening so close to when you first felt that presence after all." Eva added.

"Whether or not its true, we should go to the other sites and confirm the killer's description. Tell me if your feeling weak Eva, your paying with blood after all."

The trio of knights, set out to confirm what they had learnt.

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