CHAPTER 41

"Why not? Everyone loves them—go online and see for yourself. The paper's owners are patting me on the back for a job well done. And really—"

"Really, Alexei Ilyich, the perfect is always the enemy of the good. We don't want to overdo things. Let's just wait six months and come back for another cycle following up on this one."

"You may be right," Gamroth grunted and paused.

"Now that I think about it, that's a great idea. It looks like you still have some brain cells left! Oh, and head over to accounting once you're done with this cycle. The owners said to give you a bonus when you're done. Our numbers are up. Not just thanks to you, of course; don't flatter yourself. We're all doing a great job under my excellent leadership. You just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Did you see that I sent you two more articles?"

"Yep, one's being published tomorrow, the other two days later. So, in five days, I'll need another one."

"Sounds good."

"See you." Gamroth hung up.

What a guy! He calls, wakes you up, insults you, and gets you all worked up over work. I paused to be happy I had such a great boss and jumped in the shower.

When I logged in two hours later, Elysium met me as it always did—with great weather and birds singing outside the window.

I walked down the stairs and winked at Lubelia.

"Good morning, beautiful!"

"It isn't good at all!" The lovely girl answered me with a haggard and gloomy look on her face. "Some-one killed Yanka, our shepherd, during the night. Who would do such a thing? He wouldn't hurt a fly."

"How was he killed? With a knife? Or did they crack his skull open?"

"If only! It's like he was fried. His clothes were all scorched, and he was covered in burns. Harsh Budochnik says he saw lightning flashing during the night."

"Well, maybe he was just struck by lightning?"

"What lightning, sir? We haven't had a cloud in the sky for two weeks now. No, there's some kind of black magic afoot. You got rid of one witch, and now there's another one."

"Looks like it." I was thoughtful.

The suspicions I'd had the day before took on new meaning.

I left the hotel and walked quickly in the direction of the Tearful Goddess Order mission.

"I need to speak with Master Hugo immediately!" I stepped through the door and barked at Brother Tsimiskhy, who was sitting behind the same desk drinking what looked like milk or kefir.

Service in paramilitary organisations is enough to change even the most inveterate clerical workers.

Brother Tsimiskhy sprang from his stool, reminiscent of Jackie Chan springing to his feet from a prone position. A second later, he was back and had flung the door open wide. "Master Hugo is ready to see you."

"Good day to you, Sir Leyton." The master greeted me from his chair by the fireplace, nodding his head in my direction.

"It's good to see you, master. I suspect I know who the witcher is." I had barely crossed the threshold when I gave him the news of the day.

The master stood up and walked over. "You suspect, or you know?"

"Oh, that's just a phrase from a bad novel. I have a few facts and a few small details that all point to one person. I'll give them to you, and we can decide what we think. Okay?"

"Go ahead." Von Shlippenshtain crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yesterday the local mayor gave me a quest that had me kill a witch in a nearby forest. You know, kidnapping people, dark rituals, all that."

"I'm aware. Gunther von Richter told me about how you killed the creature in a desperate battle."

"Me? No, it was Gunther who killed her. We fought together, but he landed the killing blow. He really did a fantastic job. I doubt I would have been able to do it alone."

"Still, he probably wouldn't have been able to do it alone either. You both did good work. Continue."

"You should give Gunther some kind of appreciation or acknowledgment. He'd like that."

"We well, we will. Please, continue."

"Anyway, the mayor said that I had to bring him the witch's book of magic to prove that I'd killed her. There's nothing out of the ordinary there—you did the killing, now prove it. But here's the thing: all I got from the witch were her glasses. And I think that's what I was supposed to use to prove that she was dead."

"What do you mean?"

Whew boy. How was I supposed to explain to an NPC what was written in the quest?

"There was an engraving. "Witch Glasses.''

"Okay, and?"

"There was nothing like that for the book. It looked like it had been in the witch's family for ages, handed down from generation to generation. And that's what the mayor wanted. He didn't care about the glasses, but he'd need them to justify the expenditure to the city council. They'd want proof, too, after all."

"Yes, that is strange. Is there anything else?"

"There is. The book contained all the spells Frida knew. The strongest and most effective was the lightning she cast from her hands. And did you hear that the shepherd Was killed last night? Did you hear how he was killed? The mayor even mentioned how much he didn't like the shepherd; I heard him myself. That's all circumstantial, but—"

You completed a quest: Witcher in the Shadows.

Task: Find out something about the witcher living in Fladridge or its outskirts and get the information to Hugo von Shlippenshtain.

Reward:

600 experience

"That is circumstantial, you're right." Hugo walked around the room and rubbed his temples. It struck me that if he didn't have a mustache and you stuck a pipe in his mouth, he'd be the spitting image of Sherlock Holmes. "Still, it paints a picture."

"I don't know if you've noticed," he continued, "but a lot of people in the city have been saying that the mayor has changed over the past six months. He used to spend time chatting with the people in the city, and he took charge of the feasts for all special events and especially weddings. They even used to joke that your marriage was only valid if the mayor was at your wedding. He always made sure the roads were in good repair. But in the last few months he's been unwilling to leave his office, he doesn't go to feasts, and he always says he's too busy for anything. I think it's fair to say he's the Witcher."

The master stopped. "We need to hurry?"

"Why?" I asked.

"He got what he needed, and he was only living here until he could find that book. Witchers are different from witches. While witches live with the knowledge handed down to them, witchers are always trying to find new spells. He has the book so he could take off at any moment."

Hugo opened the door and shouted into the other room.

"Von Richter! Where are you, you lazy, good-for-nothing imbecile?"

Thirty seconds later, a sleepy Gunther tumbled down the stairs leading to the second story. He was still just in his long johns, but his sword was in his hand.

"Well, look at that. And you, Laird Leyton, were telling me this walking mistake we somehow let into the order is a great warrior?" Apparently, I was already a "laird." The old master had promoted me.

"At least he has his sword!"

Gunther stood there, blushed, blinked, and looked like he wanted to sink through the floor.

"Yes, though he won't need it to kill his enemies—they'll die of laughter as soon as they see this sorry excuse for a knight."

"Good morning, Master Hugo. Good morning, Laird Leyton." Gunther managed to choke out some mumbled words.

"A good morning for some, the last morning for others if that's how you're going to be behaving in the future, von Richter. We're going to spend all night training—get dressed, get undressed. I even have my supply of switches." Master Hugo said that last part in what could only be described as a fatherly tone.

Wow. The game may have been virtual, but the army is still the army. I almost mentioned the burning match and my sergeant, but I decided against it. The poor guy was already in an unenviable position.

"You have two minutes to get yourself ready. I'm going to hunt the witcher, and you, of course, are coming with me. Laird Leyton, I have a question for you."

"Yes, Master?"

"Would you give this lout and me the honor of your company? You're a good fighter and an honorable comrade. That creature is bound to be pretty strong, and I don't have much hope for this cephalopod."

You have a new quest offer: Kill the Witcher.

This quest is a variable reward for Witcher in the Shadows, a quest you completed earlier.

Task: Kill the witcher.

Reward:

1500 experience

Other rewards: variable

Important note: You should probably attack the witcher with 2-4 other players. He is a high-level monster that far exceeds most opponents you will find in Fladridge.

Accept?

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