Kenna returned to the actual library of myrrh cinnamon. After submitting the last book sealed by the harpsichord he was then alerted that the barley underground shelves were still hidden as the secret base. Kennan sighed in relief when he exited the room. He waited for the half moon door to fully shut. Kennan walked through the halls and imagined how Novena would stride her way out with a satisfying smile.
Ophir was beyond shocked when the woman's body that was unidentified burried in a canal is the very person who stood as his sole family. Ophir kept blinking and he felt like a world within him trembled. The forest that he loved to visit became a desert without it's oasis.
"This is strange she got her body beaten by wood. Her fingers were missing. Her face is half burnt." Hexel concluded upon examining the body with Lehi.
"There is a bag here, under her heel." Kiel reached and yanked.
"Her name is Bethany..... without a last name. She is... uh it's muddy. I can't read it." Ain stated as he wiggled out some dirt out of his hands.
"Her name is Bethany Glockenspiel. She is my gurdian. She is a story teller." Ophir professed. His pause made the atmosphere heavier.
"Let's transport her body unto the Kingdom for further investigation." Ophir wrapped as he eyed Nevi to help Hexel carry the dead body within the wheel.
Cyrus heared the report and waited for Tera to summarized the real cause of her death.
"She had been beaten with wood. Had her fingers cut off with bread knife and her cause of death is because of dark magic. It may have the affinity of someting explosive."
"That is far too cruel." Natalina commented as she gaze at Ophir who had his head hang low.
"Hexel also mentioned that a strange engrave is carved on her stomach." Tera added.
"Lehi read it as heinous" Tera passed the message before getting back.
Ophir stayed in their chamber when Lehi came in holding Bethany's cleansed bag.
"Sorry for making you wait. Here, check her things the team decided to leave the inspection to you." Lehi stated.
"Yeah thanks." Ophir shortly answered.
"I will be outside. I think you need more time alone." Lehi considerately stated.
Lehi stood up and turned her back. Ophir grabbed the hem of her sleeve and muttured.
"Please stay with me."
Lehi nodded and sat beside Ophir as he open the bag and lay out Bethany's things.
Ophir already knew what is inside. Yet he wanted to see if he can safe keep the remnants of someone precious to him.
Her brown lether wallet had their photo together. The pen that Ophir made out from feather and awl is wrapped in vintage style. Lehi just watched him be caught in his memories. Lehi can't help but take in the view. It's a new side of Ophir. Lehi haven't seen Ophir's face like this before. It was both of longing and sadness. Lehi had her chin rested upon her palm.
Ain and Nevi went back to the scene to look for the fingers that were missing as requested by Tera. The two followd the canal from the head and tail but they found none.
"I don't think that she died in the canal itself. I bet she got murdered from a different location and got thrown to the watercourse." Nevi suspected as Ain hear it out.
"Yeah. we need to explore more and site more witness." Ain added as they both look around but found the trees swaying it's branches from side to side.
Nevi suspected that whoever did it had the power to cross and pass over every time and space. Nevi can't help but be worried since this case is literally an out of the world and out of the blue situation. Nevi suspected as much that it could have been done from a book. Nevi have read the story before but cannot retrieve any more evidences or proof within the parameter. As much as Nevi wanted Lila to be on site or Urchin to be the one to check it from a trance but that will expose their identity and source. Nevi can't help but silence his own thoughts and lips.
"I think we need to head back." Nevi suggested since their searching are on dead end.
Hexel shook his head when the engraving got cleared. It was bad enough that they can't make out her system. The cut on her fingers were not uniform. Hexel can tell that the culprit purposely tortured the victim.
"It's as if she was getting force to spill something." Tera voiced out as she sealed her writen observation.
Ophir was right, nothing was added or subtracted.
"This is strange, usually she carrys a souvenir from one place to another."
Lehi was about to speak when a knock came from the door. Lehi voluntarily open the door and saw Nevi.
Nevi invited himself in and spoke.
"The murder definitely happened in your era. We can't seek out any more evidences within this dimension."
"Yeah thanks. I also notice something strange. Some of her collection were missing." Ophir admitted.
"Hexel is bothered as well. The torture she went through seems to be done since she refused to speak up. It seems that the culprit is forcing her to spill something." Lehi stated.
"It seems that that the culprit had carried out the torment from a fiction story." Nevi pointed as he eyed Lehi.
Lehi recalled all that they have acquired so far and nodded.
"Yeah. It's the book entitled "Counting Fingers"
"Following through the story it is the same." Nevi also said.
Ophir was confused and ask.
"What's the name of the author?"
"Her name is Heinous. I mean pen name, but the author's biography said that it was Evingel." Nevi furrowed his brows.
"Evingel?" Ophir asked.
"Yep that's it." Nevi nodded.
"Heinous means evil crime." Lehi stated.
"It would be safe for us to ask Kennan's help since a person that is not meant to be here is now dead here." Nevi suggested.