Cost Lives

Alex checked the corpse. It looked the same as he had seen in the brothel. It is work of a same person and the one who knew the identity of the murderer was that young girl who lied that she had killed him.

"Hey, who are you and why are you checking the body without permission. Don't you know.." Alex turned towards the door to see two local knights walking towards him.

The knights looked shocked and immediately bowed their heads.

"Master, we were not expecting you to be here."

"Do you know who the man is?" he asked, cutting their apology. He did not want to listen to their half hearted apology and waste his time. The knights nodded as they entered the room.

"Yes, he is a knight that belongs to the Sonarise empire. I think he is here in search of something since many had seen him and his partner wandering everywhere when their country was suffering from turmoil.

I heard that the old emperor was killed by the mob when he was announced as guilty of selling his country.

Though everyone decided to forgive his daughters, they ran away after stabbing their war hero. Who knew he might be looking for them." Alex frowned as he was hearing too much about that empire these days.

The Sonarise empire was not on good terms with their empire after war two decades ago over a fertile land that was in the middle of their boundaries.

To think that everyone died and the new emperor got the throne was.. Unnerving.

"I have heard that many commoners and nobles have crossed the borders and decided to live in this town, since it's nearest to their boundaries. We have already written a letter to the royal palace about it and are waiting for their decision.`` Alex nodded as he stood up from there.

"Then I will leave this case to you. If you need any help or find anything strange, then contact me or any member of my team." the knights nodded their heads with respect. Everyone has a good impression of the knight who worked day and night for the welfare of the empire even if it was a village that was long forgotten by the capital.

"By the way, where are the guests of the inn?" The woman was already so nervous and scared she must be worrying too much after knowing there was a dead body. It would be better to take her to another inn for the night or she might shiver with fear all night.

"Oh! They are collected in the hall for some questions. Then they would be left to rest in their room.'' Though confused, they replied honestly when Alex nodded and left the room.

He quickly walked down and saw a small crowd gathered in the hallway but to his surprise there was no single woman with dark hair. Due to her cloak, he had not seen her face well, except her pointed fair chin and dark hair that reached her waist.

But there were only two women with dark hair present who were with their husbands and one had kids too.

"Is there any customer that left the inn?" he asked the one who was questioning the guests. He shook his head with confidence.

"Not at all. We have collected all the guests here." His words only made Alex frowning further. Did she run away knowing that there was a murder in the inn?

He checked the crowd once again before leaving from there but all the way his eyes were looking for the woman.

"Master, you are back!" his brows raised when he saw most of the members of his group waiting for him at the door.

"Master, that pimp had told me that there were a dozen more girls to be sold from where he had brought the girl in advance.

They would have an auction today and a few of the girls there were only 13 and 14." there was a hint of urgency in his voice that made Alex worried too.

"Do you know the place of the auction?" he asked but the knights shook his head.

"No! But that girl knows. I have tried to coax her to talk but she is not replying." he sighed and a hint of irritation could be seen on his face. His hands were clenched into a tight fist with helplessness. The only thought that kids are going to be pushed into the business like brothel or were taken as slave burnt him.

Alex could feel his frustration as he sighed but patted his shoulders.

"Where is the girl?" the knight pointed at the corner room when Alex nodded and left for there. The door was not locked to his surprise as he had thought that it would take a lot of time to convince her to open the door.

When he opened the door, the girl was sitting on the window with her legs dangling outside. A mere pressure and she would fall and break her bones.

"You are not afraid of us. You were not afraid of the death of a man in front of you then what is the reason for your silence?" He did not try to show her sympathy nor did he tried to convince her that he was a kind man and made false promises to her.

His face was calm like a night lake and his eyes were blank with no emotions in them.

"I did not trust you. I did not trust anyone here. So, I do not want to share any kind of information with you."

"Even if it would cost you the lives of so many innocent girls?"