A foul stench assaulted him.
Though he had smelled plenty of blood along the way, this was the first time he'd encountered such a rotten odor.
Holding his breath, he pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was a woman's corpse, hanging from the ceiling.
Leech noticed a worn-out piece of paper on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. It was covered in a scrawling, tadpole-like script.
It was clear the letter's author had little education. Leech had to rely on his own interpretation to make sense of it.
"My dearest sister Alice, I hope you are well. We were so in love after we married. Oh, the terrible witch hunts are finally over. Just as the Minstrels sing, the darkness always passes. We can hold each other and heal together. It will take a long time, I know... but as long as we have each other, we at least still have each other."
Leech drew his Longsword and, with a casual slash, severed the rope. The body thudded to the floor.
The body was light, nearly mummified.
