The mayor stopped in his tracks, then took a few steps back and left the room before the door slammed shut behind him. He closed his eyes for a moment, a heavy sadness settling over his features.
His hand trembled as he gripped the doorknob.
The crime scene will remain untouched until the detectives arrive... Any interference could damage crucial evidence that will help identify the culprit...
He whispered monotonously, as if the words were spoken through repetition rather than emotion.
At that moment, Overd's wife's anguished cry rose up.
"Oh God... He's been killed, he's dead... How could they do this? He was just an ambitious farmer..."
She was a woman in her late forties. She hadn'tHer body could bear the shock, and she fell to her knees, displaying profound grief. Tears streamed down her face, and astonishment weighed heavily on her eyes.
Lady Rishi, please calm down. I know this is a difficult situation for you, but you must be strong. You will be a witness in this crime... and according to you, you were the first to find the body.
The mayor moved immediately, trying to console her a little. He grasped her shoulders and gently lifted her up.
For now, go and rest in your room. Until we begin the investigation, try to process what has happened. We need you, Lady Rishi Kantem Monoth.
The mayor knew what he had to do. All that was required now was calm and composure, so that things wouldn't get any more complicated. He handed Lady Rishi over to his deputy, the superintendent.
He was a remarkably tall man.
"Jonky, take her to headquarters, and put her somewhere quiet... until we begin the investigation."
Yes, Mayor Douville.
He held her by the shoulders, trying to keep her standing. She was too weak; if they hadn't held her, she would have fallen to the ground, unable to stand.
Throughout those moments, her screams never ceased. Her whole body felt numb, yet there was a dark look in her eyes, a look that made her seem... as if her grief was not complete or pure.
The Overseer led her to the seat of legal authority with heavy steps, trying to keep her steady. The plantation slaves and guards cleared a path for him, as he seemed to pass through a full crowd, his head towering over everyone due to his excessive height.
The Special Overseer, Augie Nor, moved directly toward Mayor Douville.
"Sir, shall we begin preventative measures? Delay might give the culprit more time to escape."
"It's not that simple, Augie. Overde's murder is a mystery, and it won't be solved easily. I'm certain the culprit is not
an ordinary person."
Prove my servitude. It was my chance, but I didn't even know Opherd was dead...
And another muttered to himself:
"This is truly unfortunate... Only yesterday I saw him alive, walking before me. And now he is a corpse. Fate is never predictable. You plan something, and then a destiny written for you from birth comes and destroys everything."
Many whispers swirled in the minds of the slaves, completely contradictory.
Some were shocked and saddened, and some saw in Opherd's death an opportunity to break free from the chains that had bound them for years.
For hearts are not all the same.
There were those who were hard, without apparent emotion, looking only to their own self-interest; a pragmatic mind unmoved by feelings.
And there were those who, despite their servitude, felt genuine sorrow at Opherd's death, and followed their hearts, not their minds.
Augie knew this well. He also knew, to some extent, about the seeds of the ancient conflict between the Cantem Monoth families.
and Ruffle Monoth. This was the only conclusion he had reached so far.
"Yes, it's murky... especially with that old family feud between the Kantem Monoth and Ruffle Monoth families."
He said this as he recalled what he knew.
This complicates matters further, and points the finger squarely at the Ruffle Monoth family.
At the same time, he remembered the history of the Monoth family as he had studied it, and as it had been passed down through oral tradition.
The Monoth family was split in two, and everyone in Morge Village knew this.
Their first ancestor, Monoth, had been one of the founders of the village, and a major figure in the War of Wealth that had taken place 150 years earlier.
He had two sons
The first, Ruffle MonothAnd the second was Kantem Monoth.
Both had the right to inherit the rule of the village of Morge and the right to establish an independent entity from the Charmin clan.
But father Monoth had a different opinion. He chose to remain under the rule of the Charmin family and did not establish a fledgling state as expected. This decision ignited a fierce conflict between the two brothers; Kantem sided with his father, while Ruffle vehemently opposed him.
From that moment, a deep hatred was born, which turned into a conflict that extended across generations, reaching even the sons and grandsons.
The clan was one, and the blood was one—the blood of the Monoths—but it was divided into two opposing wings.Overd was from the Kantem Monoth side. A farmer of considerable influence in the village of Morge, and the eldest of his brothers. Thanks to his reputation and generosity, many villagers loved him and saw him as a trustworthy man.
But on the other hand, there were those who silently resented him...
And they were the members of the Ruffle Monoth familyAll of this did not solve the mystery of his murder, but rather complicated it further.
"What must we do now?"
We will gather all the slaves in one place within the plantation.
We will begin an internal investigation first. Any inconsistency in their statements will shift the suspicion to them, and we will begin investigating among them."
Mayor DuVell said this calmly and confidently.
The probability of the murderer being one of them is greater than others. As for the family feud... we will turn to that if we are certain that things here are clean, and there is no suspicion among the Overdees slaves."
Then he added without hesitation:
"Go now and summon Inspector Urgh. He will be an important element in this case."
"Yes, Mayor."
The overseer set off with quick steps to fetch the inspector, signaling the official commencement of the investigation.
The Mayor stood at the edge of the wooden veranda that extended in front of the huts, and gave his orders directly to the guards who
Accompany Him
Begin by gathering all the slaves in the cowshed. Do not allow any of them to leave or move. And any slave not here, bring him in at once.
Yes, Mayor.
The guards answered in unison.
Some of the slaves felt a knot in their stomachs.
Even those who had done no wrong, the weight of the atmosphere was enough to plant a vague unease in their chests.
At that moment, a man with medium-length blond hair, harsh features, and eyes wide with shock, rushed forward. He was running with all his might.
It was Geshe Kantem Monoth, the younger brother of Overd, at the age of forty-three.
He breathed heavily as he strode like a whirlwind across the ground. Right behind him, another young man came running in, trying to catch up, his features suggesting that he had not yet experienced the harshness of life.It was Rod Kantem Monoth, son of Geshi, and his elder brother, Furz Kantem Monoth.
Their order was clear: first Furz, then Geshi.
"Uncle, calm down... It's not confirmed yet!"
Rod shouted, trying to soothe him, his face showing exhaustion and panic.
Some guards stepped forward to stop him.
"Stop, Lord Geshi!"
But Geshi didn't hear. It was as if his ears were completely closed.
"Impossible... My brother isn't dead... Impossible!"
He rammed into the guards and knocked them to the ground with tremendous physical strength, revealing himself to be a warrior and a user of spiritual energy.
The mayor saw the scene clearly and realized he couldn't stop him by force. Slaves circled around the scene, each with a different look.
Mayor Dovell stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation with words.
"Jessie, stop... Let's discuss this first."
He raised his hands and moved closer, but Jeshi pushed him aside forcefully, forcing the mayor backward.
"Don't open that door!"
But Jeshi wouldn't listen. He opened the door to Overd's office, and there...
He froze.
The scene was gruesome.
His eyes immediately welled with tears, and his pupils twitched with shock.
"Brother... This is impossible... Brother..."
He entered the office, heading toward the mangled body.
The mayor moved immediately.
"Jessie, listen to me. Don't touch anything. You might ruin the evidence we need to catch the killer.
At that moment, Geshi turned his head.
Hellish rage, tangled emotions, burning eyes.
"Who killed him?"
---
Peace be upon you, brothers. I currently have assignments and need to study, so I will start posting every two or three days. After the assignments and exams are over, I will return to a faster pace, God willing.