Snow Witch'S Journey
A bleak city
The city looks scared. Fear of something threatening him. The streets were deserted even though it was still in the atmosphere of the North Star Celebration. The decorations were hanging, and the festive trees were so pretty, but there was not the least bit of joy that was the same when I was in Pondorian. I saw the faces of the townspeople pale, even under the bright shining light of the street. Some store owners close their stores for some obscure reason.
Some people show an exaggerated nervous response when I call or I touch. Their bodies trembled half to death with sweat pouring out. As far as I know, they're scared.
“What do you think?” I asked Aeron. I lay down on my bed, looking at the compass I put next to me.
“I should have asked you. Why help? Are you a detective or a witch?”
“I'm a witch, Aeron. Even so I still want to help her.”
“But, that's not your problem. That's not my problem either. If you feel like you don't understand it or are confused about what to do, don't be ashamed, just refuse,”.
After I noticed it again, the reflection on the compass did not dazzle my eyes. Smooth and classy. The strange carvings behind to widen to the side also look as beautiful as the carvings on the walls and doors of my inn. A luxury inn that the guard had specially booked for me. They really serve me here.
“I've thought about it, Aeron. Everyone I met before always helped me. They're very nice. I don't want to continue being an aided party, I also want to put all my energy into helping them. I want to help them find the missing people,” I replied gently so that he could understand my point.
“Are you sure you can find them?” Aeron still can't believe it.
“Therefore I want you to also help me find him. You want to, right?” I flipped the compass, pointing the compass face to face me, even though I knew he couldn't see my face. “What makes you so hateful if I try to help people?”
He didn't answer me. I don't think he wants to talk about it. A secret she didn't want to tell me. I put it back and sat on the edge of the bed. Just as I wanted to move on, Aeron said, “I'll help you.”
I quickly took it. “Really?”
“Yes, but only this time. Unlike looking for animals, inanimate objects or others, if you want to find someone, your image must be detailed. Name, age, hair, face, clothes, the more complete the better. There can't be a single mistake because I won't be able to find it, okay?”
Rowan said 8 people were reported missing in the past 2 months: 2 young girls, 2 adult women, 1 small child and 3 adult men. There's no pattern here and they only have one thing in common. According to eyewitnesses, they were all reported missing during the night of the storm. To get a complete picture of their specific conditions and complete characteristics, the only way is to ask people close to them.
Their face painting is plastered not only on the walls of every building, but also in the room of Rowan's guard house. I watched them carefully one by one and made sure they were recorded in my mind.
“Maybe it's a regular murder case?” guess I'm still the faintest.
“Kurasa no. The motive is unclear and the victim is too original. It was as if his killer was attacking anyone he met. The two male victims were city guards, just like me. Why kill them? Even during the storm, the city guards would not roam the streets. I don't understand what the purpose behind killing them is, if it's murder,” the rebuttal.
“Once, perhaps a grudge.”
“No way, I know the victims. They are good people. All the people here never show hatred for each other. We are always friendly and kind to anyone, even we will never start a scene,” explained the guard. “We've asked all eyewitnesses who claim to have seen the victims before they went missing, they said they didn't see any suspicious activity, screams or traces of murder around. When it's a storm, Miss Nivalis, most people will choose to stay home.”
“So, you mean they just disappeared in a blizzard?” ask me to see if my mind suits him.
“That makes more sense than being attacked by monsters.”
“Monster?”
“Only nonsense of ordinary citizens. No need to care.”
The guard then invited me to meet with the witnesses or the families of the victims. After 2 guards were declared missing without anyone seeing or anyone knowing, one man was reported missing by his own wife. The woman was an ordinary housewife and her husband's job was a woodcutter. The last time she met her husband, when he was saying goodbye to work.
“For what works when a snowstorm is wild-wild?” I asked the woman who came to serve two teas for me and Rowan.
“I also thought the same thing as you. I had already banned him but Gustaff still insisted on cutting down wood,” the woman replied with a stern reply. It has been almost 2 months since the loss of her husband, she must have endured her grief while talking to us. His eyes sometimes water.
The woman shook her head in wonder, “No. Gustaff was also one of the victims! I can make sure it's not him who causes people to go missing.”
“What is there other information, such as .. age, skin color, eyes, hair and clothing she last wore.”
“My husband is 48 years old, his skin is a little darker than mine, his eyes are blue and his hair is curly. When saying goodbye, he wears red clothes with blue pants. Can all of that help find him?”
“I don't know. But, I wish it were just like you, madam. Thanks for the willingness.”
After leaving the victim's wife's house, I rushed to a quiet alley, leaving Rowan there. I took Aeron out and tried to use all the information I got to know his location. The pieces slowly fused into a whole picture, a figure of a man as mentioned appeared in the shadow of my mind. I opened my eyes and the marker plate immediately spun indicating its direction.
“Where? Aeron, where's the guy?” I'm just impatient.
The compass disc was unceasingly spinning like a windmill. Not even showing direction.
“What happened? Is the picture still incomplete?”
“Not, that person's whereabouts no longer exist. I can only point the way to something that really exists in this world. When its existence does not exist, for a living creature it means death, then I can not show it,” he explained. “Better, we choose the worst possible. The man's been missing for 2 months. It's impossible to survive out there, unless there's a luxury inn and warm food in the middle of the forest.”
It was hard to accept, though, I agreed with Aeron's opinion. If everything is the same fate, then I must prepare myself. I'd love to tell the guards that I found the missing survivors. Feel the happiness of their long-awaited family. However, if fate had set it that way, I couldn't have done much.
I got out of the alley and Rowan called me. He looked agitated because I left him. He was afraid that I would become one of the missing victims. So ridiculous. I won't disappear that easily.
While walking, Rowan explained the profile of the victims to me, “2 adult women who became victims were ordinary citizens. There's no record of fouls they've ever made. Unlike before, these two women had no family left. Don't have a child and their husband is also dead-”
“Rowan, I'm sorry if this investigation didn't work out the way you wanted it to. I don't want to disappoint you,” cut me. Not only do I have to prepare myself, but so do I.
“It's okay, Miss Nivalis. You'd like to take the time to help with this investigation and make us grateful. Even if the result is bad, it does not mean we will hate miss.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I continue. The latest victim was an 18-year-old girl. According to her parents, the girl went to her lover's house, after which there was no news of her.”
“How about her boyfriend, the guy, have you ever talked to her?”
“No, he refused to talk to us.”
“Then we head there. Maybe there's information he knows.
We walked for a short while, suddenly someone called me, from the front, a woman running towards me, “Magician Lady! Please help me, please.”
Rowan holds the woman and holds her back, “Nona Nivalis is busy at the moment.”
“I heard that witches who helped Pondorian citizens come here. Please. Only miss can finish it.” The woman forced.
I can't refuse it. If that's really serious, I have to help her. “Can you go alone? I won't be long,” my door to Rowan. “Ask about the full name, age, last clothes, eye color and hair, all the characteristics that can be obtained from the girl. The more complete the better.”
“I understand. I'll find out the other two female victims first. Their house is not far from here, I should be able to get the full information from his neighbor,” nods the guard.