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“Salvatore at your service. Please come with me, witcher.”

***

The Patrigadin’s residence was located in the northwestern area of the city. It had a moderately-sized yard, where weeds were overgrown, and the gates were rusty. The ground was also filled with fallen leaves, making the place seem more desolate. As they went down along the main path, Roy noticed a dry fountain standing in the yard’s center, while a three-story building stood behind it.

The walls of the building were discolored, the paint was curled up, and dregs of ivy were plastered on them. Two stone lion statues stood on each side of the front door, and there was a date carved on the statues’ plates.

‘1240, month of the harvest’

“That’s the date of this manor’s establishment,” Salvatore explained.

Roy looked around at the gigantic manor, clicking his tongue. “Simon lived in this manor all by himself? He didn’t even hire a servant? Wouldn’t he get lonely?”

“He never complained, or at least we never heard any complaints from him. His whole family probably loved their peace and quiet.”

When they came up to the front door, Roy looked up and realized a window on the second floor was left ajar. Without even thinking, he slightly crouched before leaping up into the air.

Those movements aren’t human, Salvatore thought as Roy climbed up the wall like a lizard. A while later, Roy entered the room on the second floor. Salvatore suddenly remembered something, and his face fell. A moment later, he leaped up and got into the room, albeit barely.

The second floor was the residential area, housing more than ten spacious rooms that had nothing but a bed in them. There wasn’t even a dressing table, cabinet, or even a single accessory in sight. “Didn’t expect Simon to be a minimalist, but…” Roy had a question. “His family has been living in the city for decades, so why were they still poor?”

“You might not know this, but…” Salvatore sighed. “We don’t get paid well, so the money’s not enough for this manor’s upkeep, and Simon would use some of his money to help the city’s poor. He was also generous to all of us.” Salvatore had a look of gratitude on his face. “This is embarrassing, but I used to lead a wild life. Almost spent all my family’s money, then an emergency came knocking. If it weren’t for Simon, I don’t know how my family would be alright now.” He smiled. “I remember Simon had to eat a month of black bread with me after that. Not even the poorest of the poor eat like that. It was barely edible.”

“I see.” Roy was still perplexed. “But now that Simon is dead, and the Patrigadins don’t have a descendant anymore, who’s going to inherit this place?”

“We’ll send someone to Nazair and get a relative of his to inherit the place, but from what I heard, that place seems to be bad news right now.”

Well, yeah. That place is right around Cintra and Sodden. In two years, the Nilfgaardian troops will set up a base there before the war, Roy thought. Of course it’s bad news.

***

Roy caressed the bed and rolled around on it, much to Salvatore’s surprise. “Why are there so many beds here anyway?”

“It’s for his deceased family,” Salvatore answered seriously. “Simon invited everyone over once. He told us the rooms were occupied by his family when they were alive, and he’d clean them once a couple of days or so.”

Roy stared at Salvatore silently, then leaped up from the bed. “I don’t think I can get anything here. Let’s go down to the first floor.”

The first floor was fully furnished and looked more alive, but Roy wandered around aimlessly. He’d touch everything in a room, and sometimes he’d stomp the floor, much to Salvatore’s astonishment.

Roy was trying to find a clue, but he got nothing, while Salvatore kept following him curiously. When they arrived at the study, Salvatore started getting nervous and approached Roy. “These books are expensive.”

Roy looked up at the cabinet, brushing his hand across the books’ spines, and he looked closely at Salvatore’s every expression.

“Books are the most valuable things in Simon’s collection.” Salvatore tensed up, held his sword tightly, and came closer to Roy.

“What is this?” Roy turned around all of a sudden, and Salvatore quickly let go of the hilt, forcing a smile. “What book is this? ‘A Knight’s Romance’? He had this kind of book in his home? Looks like he wasn’t as lustless as he claimed. Weird. The words don’t look like they’re printed. Did Simon write this himself? Let’s see. The pages are almost torn. Seems like he flipped through the book a lot.” Roy muttered something under his breath and turned back to the book, staring at it intently. “Every page is dated. This is a diary that’s made to look like a book.”

Salvatore calmed down and held his sword again. “Why don’t you read it aloud? I’m interested in the story too. Let’s see how the impeccable Simon Patrigadin wrote his story.”

Roy nodded and cracked the book open. “My friend, I, Simon Patrigadin, will have ceased to exist when you read this book. Please, hand this to her no matter what.”

And then Roy started reading the contents aloud. “I first met you in the sprouting month of 1258. You were as noble and dignified as the purest white of snow. I believe our meeting must’ve been the work of fate. You are my love, my rose. Your smile, brighter than the whole of spring itself; your eyes, livelier than anything I’ve ever seen; your lips, sparkling more than the most luscious rose. You melted my frozen heart, as if the sun itself came knocking. And thus, I tried to find everything I could about you.”

***

“It started that day. He insulted you, called you a barren bitch. It broke your heart, and I came to comfort you, while you took pity on me.” And then Roy’s eyes widened in shock. “Hey, there’s something weird here.” He pulled something out with his index and middle finger, then he realized it was crimson lacy underwear. Wow. Spicy. The young witcher turned his head away.

“You seem nervous, Salvatore. And why are you sweating? Did something happen?”

Salvatore’s expression kept changing as Roy went on with the diary. His face was trembling, as if he were spasming, and the veins on his hand popped. Salvatore closed his eyes and took a deep breath, keeping quiet for a while. Then he replied with a squeaky voice, “I-I’m fine. The patrols have been taking a toll on me, and I haven’t slept a wink in two days.”

“Why don’t you take a nap on the second floor, then?” Roy suggested out of concern. “I’ll handle the investigation.”

“No. I want to hear more. This might be related to the case.”

“Of course.” Roy looked straight at Salvatore as he flipped to the last few pages. “December 1260. You have disguised yourself prior to your departure from the temple. And then, we hid within the bushes on Wigan’s riverbank, going on with our fun as always, but a fisher noticed us. In order to keep our shame a secret, I broke the creed once again. I spilled the blood of an innocent, but you blamed me for not killing the boy on the spot. You were worried, but that fear was unfounded. Two days later, the poor boy’s body was sent back to the city. I saw his father, and the sorrow and despair on his face crushed my soul more than anything ever could.”

Roy sighed. “I was in pain and desired comfort from you, but you refused me. Since then, you saw me as nothing but a mere stranger. Even when I walked right past you, you would never even look at me, much less grant me a smile. I was ashamed about taking the life of that innocent young man, and I hated your cruel, cold self, but my love triumphed over my hate. Ever since the day we slept together, I have sworn to never leave your side.”

Roy suddenly turned around, facing Salvatore with his back. “I will prove my unyielding love for you with a sacred ritual. A ritual of sacrifice. A ritual that demands me to pay the price of my creed, and my life. Beyond the ashes of the seven deadly sins, the most beautiful flower blooms, and I dedicate that flower to you, my lovely rose. This is the end, so farewell.”

***

Roy’s pupils turned into nothing but slits, for he was shocked about the revelation. So Simon’s the killer and the sacrifice. He fell for someone he shouldn’t have — a married woman. And that makes him the embodiment of lust.

The moment Roy finished reading, sounds of metal clashing against each other reverberated in the room, and time stopped for a split second. Salvatore had unsheathed his sword, aiming for Roy’s nape, but before he could strike the witcher down, Roy had already pulled out Gwyhyr and blocked it with the scabbard and crossguard.

A moment of standoff later, Salvatore felt a great force coming from the end of his sword, forcing him to stagger backward, only stopping after slamming into the wall. “You — ”

Roy crossed his arms, shaking his head. “I gave you a ton of openings, but you let all of them slide.”

Salvatore didn’t say anything. Instead, he held his sword, placing it horizontally across his face in the traditional ox stance. There was a steely resolve on his face that said he wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“I knew there was a traitor among the order.” Roy sighed, finally unsheathing Gwyhyr fully. He held the hilt with both hands, letting the blade point down toward the ground. “I knew you were lying, and you were a bad liar. Your face managed to keep it down, but your eyes gave it all away. I’d been wondering why you were looking nervous since we came in. And then I thought Simon wouldn’t do that to himself, since he was the prime suspect. Something was missing, but I think I know what the missing link is now. He had an accomplice, and that was you.”