Andel's daughter had died three years ago... So why now, after all this time, was he approaching Jarvan IV, telling him his wife and daughter had disappeared in the fields, leaving behind the pendant his daughter always wore?
Was his daughter truly "real," or had he fabricated her existence? If she did exist, then was the strange girl captured by drone footage, who resembled Andel's description, actually his daughter?
In recent days, as they arrived at Hengfeng Village from Wrenwall, it became clear that this man's mental state was far from stable.
At times, he would wake in terror from nightmares, shouting frantically as though warding off some unseen force.
Other times, he would mutter incoherently in an indecipherable language, as if trying to communicate with some "entity."
But when his mind was clear and questions about these events arose, he would don a blank expression, with no recollection of his actions.
Li Lin had even used "Data Mind" to analyze Andel's condition, but his [Personal Status] merely listed a mild case of "schizophrenia," with no further anomalies.
After consulting with Jarvan IV, they decided it was best to assign someone to monitor him closely.
What exactly happened to his daughter? And what became of his missing wife?
Or... was she even missing in the first place?
The disappearance of the villagers in Hengfeng... how were they connected to Andel's family?
Everything was shrouded in mystery.
Even Li Lin found himself confused, unwilling to fully believe this had anything to do with Fiddlesticks.
The only thing he was certain of: Andel was lying.
But as for why this disturbed man was lying… that remained unknown.
The campfire at the center of the camp fell into a long silence once again, the only sound being the crackling of the burning wood.
All eyes turned toward Isidore, watching him with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He shivered under their stares, managing an awkward but polite smile.
To be cautious, Li Lin used "Data Mind" to verify Isidore's identity. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Tell us more about Andel," Jarvan IV said in a low voice. "You seem to know him well."
"To be precise, everyone in Hengfeng Village knows him quite well, Your Highness," Isidore replied.
Though clearly anxious to learn what had happened to his home, Isidore suppressed his urgency, respectfully continuing his explanation.
"Andel and his wife, Natalie, were very much in love. They married about... ten years ago, I believe. At that time, King Jarvan III had only just finished securing the borders with the Dauntless Vanguard.
"Not long after their marriage, they had a daughter, whom they named Quin.
"Their life wasn't prosperous; they lived by the sun's rise and fall. But despite their modest means, they gave Quin a happy childhood.
"This happiness lasted until the seventh summer, on Quin's seventh naming day—three years ago."
Isidore shook his head, his tone laced with regret as his earlier urgency gave way to sadness.
"That day, Quin was playing with the other village children. Perhaps wanting to hide, she wandered into the forest on the mountainside, alone..."
Li Lin had already guessed where this story was headed.
"Though the southwest side of Hengfeng doesn't harbor any dangerous predators, we still never allow children to venture into the mountains by themselves.
"As we feared, Quin never came back."
Isidore shook his head, sighing before he continued. "When the other children realized Quin was missing, they rushed to inform her parents. The village chief organized a search party that scoured the mountains until they finally found her body... deep into the night."
"How did Quin die?" Jarvan IV quickly asked.
This was the question Li Lin had been most eager to hear.
Isidore hesitated for a few seconds, his face conflicted. "Well..."
"Is something holding you back?"
Barrett, with his seasoned eyes, could immediately sense Isidore's unease.
"You are speaking to Prince Jarvan IV himself. No matter who's threatened you, His Highness will protect you. And the Buvelle family will stand behind you as well. You need not fear."
"You... you're the Buvelle lord?" Isidore's eyes widened. "Without the aid of you and the Illuminators, I never would've left Hengfeng Village at all..."
"To aid the weak is our duty. It's the principle King Jarvan III has always upheld."
Barrett chuckled warmly, waving a hand dismissively.
"But for now, you should recount everything you know. Only with the full picture can we resolve the strange events happening in Hengfeng."
"You're right!" Isidore hurriedly composed himself, ready to reveal the long-buried truth.
"We found Quin's body on the west slope of Hengfeng... she was lying in a pool of dried blood. She'd been murdered."
Li Lin and the others frowned in unison.
"There was a fatal wound on her neck, precisely severing her throat and windpipe—a cut far too clean for any ordinary person to make.
"And to make matters worse, there were signs that someone had deliberately wiped away any traces of their path."
"Was it a Noxian scouting team?" Jarvan IV clenched his fists. "Only those bloodthirsty savages would commit such heinous acts against a child!"
"Your Highness, let us not forget, at that time Noxus was still engaged in a two-front war with both Ionia and Freljord. There was no way they could spare enough soldiers to invade us," Barrett reminded, his eyes shifting to Isidor. "Besides, if it really was a Noxian who killed the girl, there wouldn't be anyone threatening you to keep quiet about it."
"You're right. At first, we too believed it was the work of Noxians…"
Upon hearing this, both Li Lin and Jarvan IV's attention sharpened.
Isidor's expression turned complex, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "But that same night, a small Demacian squad arrived at our village. They were clad in black robes, their faces obscured by golden masks that covered half of their features. Several heavily armed soldiers accompanied them…"
"Mageseekers!" Alberk exclaimed in alarm.
Shyvana, seated beside Jarvan IV, subtly curled in on herself. Her fiery, crimson eyes—blazing with intensity—remained fixated on the campfire before her, clearly unsettled by the term.
Jarvan IV gently patted her arm, his gaze, however, didn't waver as it landed on Isidor, whose head hung low, his face clouded with worry.
"Three years ago, Mageseekers frequently operated along the border, searching village by village for traces of rogue mages. However, unless there was an urgent matter, they would never move under the cover of night, disturbing the people's rest…"
Jarvan IV paused for a few seconds, the flickering flames casting fleeting shadows on his face. "They also wouldn't travel in large groups, nor bring along soldiers outside their own order. That would go against the secretive and independent nature of the Mageseekers' operations."
"How could we have known that at the time?" Isidor let out a bitter laugh.
"The Mageseekers gathered the entire village that night. We thought they were there to hunt down mages, but instead, they asked us indirectly about the events of the day.
"We didn't sense anything unusual at the time and told them the story of how Qin had been killed by Noxians.
"I was standing closest to them. I still remember the look on the leader's face... It was something like relief and joy?
"They gave each of our families a large sum of money—ten gold coins each—and even more to Andel's family, who had lost their daughter. They warned us to let the matter rest…"
At this point, Isidor hesitated, clearly afraid to continue.
The Mageseekers were an official organization of Demacia, and their leader, Eldred, was a member of the High Council and the Shield of the Crown. He was also the husband of Tiyana, the Grand Marshal of Demacia.
To speak ill of the Mageseekers would be akin to slapping the faces of the entire Demacian monarchy and the royal family.
Li Lin had never held a high opinion of the Mageseekers, especially Eldred.
From Isidor's account, his first thought was that the murderer wasn't Noxian, but rather those very same "conveniently present" and bribing Mageseekers, acting outside their bounds.
Coincidentally, Jarvan IV, much like his father, also harbored dissatisfaction with the persecution of mages by the Mageseekers, and suspicion quickly turned toward them as well.
But the issue surrounding the Mageseekers' order was a complicated one. As the heir to the throne, Jarvan IV had to be careful, some things could not be said aloud.
At least, not in public.
"I understand the situation now. You may go," Jarvan IV nodded at Isidor, who bowed once more before leaving. Jarvan's gaze shifted back to Barrett.
"Godfather, what do you think?"
"Are you asking me about the killer, or about the Mageseekers?"
"Both."
Barrett glanced around, and Alberk, along with the other soldiers, tactfully excused themselves.
Just as Li Lin and Shyvana prepared to follow, Jarvan IV called after them, "You two stay. There's nothing to worry about."
Barrett stared at the side of his godson's face, not immediately answering his question. "If you ask me, this matter should be handed over to your father."
"But isn't my father also looking to abolish the Mageseeker order and repeal the Magic Codex?"
"You're still young, child…" Barrett sighed heavily. "There are far too many interests tied to this. Even your father must tread carefully."
"But we can't just let the Mageseekers continue to torment the people of Demacia like this!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Jarvan IV glanced at Shyvana.
"The gift of magic isn't something anyone chooses at birth, and most of them have never harmed anyone. So why are they branded as a 'plague,' hunted and imprisoned or exiled by the Mageseekers?
"Does having magic make them any less a citizen of Demacia? I find this system utterly twisted."
Both Li Lin and Barrett were taken aback by Jarvan IV's words.
"Child, you can say these things in front of me and your father, but don't let others hear. It will give the conservatives ample ammunition against you," Barrett warned, patting Jarvan's shoulder. "You must remember, Demacia was founded to provide refuge to the victims of the Rune Wars, and resisting magic has been a shared goal for generations."
"But the times have changed, haven't they?"
Jarvan IV stood, walking over to the Demacian banner—a white wing on a blue field—outside his tent.
"If we blindly adhere to old laws without reform, no nation can hope to endure." His eyes, full of passion, burned as they rested on the flag. "Ever since King Orlon founded Demacia, our laws have always evolved with the times. So why can't the Magic Codex change as well?"
"Jarvan…" Barrett furrowed his brow slightly.
"Godfather, haven't you noticed? Nowadays, when people speak of magic, their first reaction isn't fear of the mages. It's fear of the Mageseekers and the anti-magic enforcers."
Jarvan IV turned back, his gaze lingering on Li Lin, Barrett, and especially Shyvana's faces.
"These days, what truly terrifies us isn't magic itself, but our extreme attitudes toward it… And that must change."
(End of chapter)
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