Chapter 861: The Impermanence of Changes in the World

Most of the hoteliers stood hesitantly, not knowing what to do.

They were all arranged by acquaintances in the town to stay here, and they didn't walk around the hotel much on weekdays, so naturally they didn't know anything about Kant and the others.

Judging from the conversation between Kant and the orc man, the reason why this group of attackers came to the door was indeed because their target was Kant and others.

Without understanding the situation, should we continue to participate in stirring up this muddy water?

Most of the wanderers wandering between the lobby and the escalator have this in mind.

"I don't know anything, I'm going back to my room to pack my bags now, what does your conflict with that group of people have to do with us?" A dwarf stepped out of the crowd and said to the group of Calradian soldiers.

The leading soldier glanced at Kant who was sitting in his chair and intercepted the dwarf who had turned to leave.

"Please wait." The soldier spoke.

"What? Do you want to force someone to stay? There was a hint of annoyance in the dwarf's tone.

"Those who want to stay stay, and those who want to leave go." Kant said lightly: "Some people are worried that they will get into trouble, and such thoughts are indeed unavoidable. But on behalf of Calradia, I pledge to all those who have not left the table and are participating in the discussions. We will not divulge what you say. And, as long as you choose to stay at the hotel: we can guarantee the safety of all of you before you leave town. ”

After Kant said this, the noisy scene became quiet.

After a while, the travelers, who were struggling to choose, found a chair near the table and sat down.

“... All right. The dwarf, who was stopped by the soldiers, frowned and thought for a while, then agreed.

The soldiers on the side, seeing that his attitude had softened, immediately took him to a chair close to Kant and sat down.

"Thank you for your trust." Kant nodded, then turned his gaze to the dwarf beside him and asked, "What's your name?" ”

"Molier." The dwarf glanced at Kant and responded.

"Well," Kant said, looking up at all the wanderers, "perhaps before today, you didn't know who we were. So let me start by introducing myself. My name is Kant, and I am the lord of the oasis country of Calradia on another continent. These people with me are soldiers and generals from Calradia. ”

"Hello everyone, my name is Bhandak. He is the commander of the army of Calradia. After receiving Kant's eyes, Bandak briefly introduced.

"Hello everyone, my name is Able. It's a soldier from the land of elves. Our elven army and the soldiers of Calradia were sent to this island on a mission. Able spoke consciously after the two of them had finished speaking.

"It's you!" One of the travelers in the crowd screamed in surprise, "You went up the mountain to rescue the dwarfs. I've heard the names of you and the other two Terran captains. ”

"Hmm." Able smiled and nodded, and said, "Then do you know how Cory Dave is doing?" ”

Even the last time I met the Dwarves, I hadn't heard the Gnome Patriarch mention Corydave's name. Now that he met someone who knew the inside story, Able couldn't help but ask.

"I heard that he has been dismissed from the Inspectorate." The tenant thought for a moment and replied, "But no one has seen him since then." I don't know if it was the gnomes who imprisoned him, or if he fled somewhere on his own. ”

"I see." "If that person had only been dismissed, the punishment would have been too light for what he had done," Abel said. ”

"Is Cory Dave the one who set a trap for the world to think that the gnomes have disappeared?" Kant raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Yes, that's why we're here on this island. It's probably because of what he did. Able said indignantly.

"I see." Kant responded.

"Don't talk about this yet, let's talk about what happened to you today." Bandak remembered the letter that DeWitt had written earlier, and that letter did mention the name of Cory Dave. It's just that the most important thing now is to integrate the clues in everyone's hands, so he hurriedly opened his mouth and presided: "Who said it first?" ”

"Everyone's going through the same thing, I think," said a traveler in the crowd.

"Yes, yes." All the rest of the travelers, even a few waiters, chimed in.

"You're staying together?" Bandak was stunned and said.

"Yes." Another traveler explained: "Everyone was called to the lobby by a young waiter who said that some of the leftovers from this morning had been found to contain toxins. All those who have had breakfast are required to go downstairs for a health check. ”

"Did any of us get such a message?" Bandak confirmed to the soldiers behind him. After receiving a negative answer, he turned to the tenant who spoke and asked, "What time was it when you were called to the lobby?" ”

"It's about seven o'clock in the evening." The tenant responded.

"I see." Bandak didn't know what came to mind, and muttered under his breath.

"We were still dining in the dining room," Abel pondered, "but why didn't we hear anything downstairs?" ”

Kant pondered for a while, then asked, "What does the waiter who brought you the news look like?" ”

"Thinnest than the other orc attendants, and bloodless on their faces." The tenant replied as he recalled.

"Could it be the same person?" Able and Kant looked at each other, their eyes full of doubt. Then he shouted, "By the way? Where did the waiter go? We haven't seen him in the cellar, have we? ”

"If he belonged to the Dark Side Organization, he probably escaped from this inn by now." "If he's a staff member in the store who has been held hostage," Bandak said.

Bandak couldn't bear it, but he didn't say the rest of the words.

"Do you know the waiter that the tenant is talking about?" Kant asked the others.

"Of course they do." Bandak said lightly at this point.

"Bandak?" Abel asked, confused, "Have you seen this waiter with other waiters before?" ”

"Yes, tonight when I went to the backyard to make medicine." Bandak looked coldly at the two or three waiters in the field, and said, "He still has him, and he is bullying that waiter with his fists and feet." ”

The two waiters named by Bandak looked embarrassed.

Chapter 862: The Helpless Status Quo

When Able heard this, his expression became solemn. opened his mouth and said: "I didn't expect this kind of thing to happen in this store, it seems that the basket of things that happened today finally found the source." You two, you'll have to explain it to us. ”

The two orc attendants glanced at each other, and the attendant standing opposite Kant spoke, "My lords, the attack by outsiders really has nothing to do with us. As for who is responsible, it is also the waiter who made a mistake and let the attacker take advantage of the loophole. ”

"Less fart for me!" Able frowned and yelled, "Is it up to you to decide whether it's right or wrong?" Lao Tzu hates you guys bullying weak bastards the most. Now give me a timeline of what you know, and ask the others what you did wrong! ”

“... Be. The waiter pursed his lips and replied, "This waiter is an orphan brought back from the outskirts of the city by our boss. The body is weak, and the temperament is also withdrawn. We usually just... Just tease him around. I didn't expect this kid to poison our food. But the sky took care of us, and this morning everyone went to the city gate to help unload the goods, and ate breakfast in the tavern on the street. The staff meal was thrown away. ”

"And then?" Bandak asked coldly, "When did you find out?" ”

"When we got back to the store at noon, we didn't know there was such a thing." The waiter continued: "It's just that the people from the health center on this street came to our store and said that someone had poisoned the leftovers sent by the back kitchen to dispose of. At that time, the bookkeeper was also panicked, and immediately asked us to search the back kitchen to find out who was poisoned and how. ”

"You didn't notify the guests right away?" Able asked, confused.

"At that time, we will notify you. I can't explain it clearly. The waiter standing in the corner responded.

"You go on." Kant said lightly.

"And then we found out what the kid was doing." The waiter paused, and continued: "Before we brought him to the bookkeeper, we were in the backyard, and we gave him a heavy hand and taught him a lesson. ”

"I guess it's not just a little heavy-handed." Bandak recalled what he had seen, took a deep breath, and said, "Didn't the waiter faint?" ”

"Nope! That kid is definitely playing dead, and when he sees you there, he's—" the waiter defended.

"If I hadn't shown up in the backyard, that waiter would have been beaten and knocked unconscious by you." Bandak interrupted him and said, "Then talk about what happened next." ”

"Yes..."The waiter's face was not good-looking, after all, he was usually used to being majestic among the men, and he was suddenly taught a lesson, and he couldn't refute a word. It's inevitable that the mood will not go well. However, Kant and the others took good care of their inn, and whatever Bandak said, as a waiter in the store, he had to endure it. At this time, he replied in a low voice, "After you leave, we will send Jackie to Mr. Bookkeeper and let it be disposed of." At this time, the boy woke up again, and cried to Mr. Bookkeeper about how we usually treated him. The bookkeeper said: After this matter is dealt with, we will deal with it. ”

"Then we started to go to each guest room and call all the guests, saying that it was a hygiene inspection." Another waiter answered.

"And then? Why didn't you inform us? When was Mr. Bookkeeper killed? Kant asked.

"In addition to dinner, we are mainly looking at guests who have had breakfast or lunch at the restaurant. I didn't eat at the restaurant. Mr. Kant, the only one who has ever eaten, orders the dishes that are in charge of the head chef of the restaurant. The ingredients used by the chef are procured and stockpiled by himself. ”

"I see." Kant nodded and said, "Then how did Mr. Bookkeeper get killed?" ”

"It's that Jackie, I heard Mr. Bookkeeper talking to him alone in the back kitchen, and after a while, I heard the news that Mr. Bookkeeper had been killed." The waiter's eyes seemed to be breathing fire, and he said through gritted teeth.

"Jackie?!" Bandak was surprised.

"At that time, there were only two people in the back kitchen, he and the bookkeeper, it must be him." The waiter nodded.

"Who was the first to discover the scene?" Kant raised his hand and asked everyone in the lobby a question.

The wanderers, who listened intently to the story, were stunned for a moment, and then immediately identified each other.

"I remember it was Mr. Dewitz..."

"No, I heard about it from someone else." The person named denied it.

Until the end, the source of this news was not found.

The expressions of the crowd became distressed.

"If everyone is not lying," Kant said, lowering his eyes, "it seems that the first person to discover this scene was one of the group of people who had just been kidnapped." ”

"Your Majesty, what do you mean—" Abel's eyes widened, remembering what he had seen in the hallway when Jackie came to deliver the message. Then he asked the waiter urgently, "How did you get kidnapped by those people?" ”

"Mr. Bookkeeper died of suffocation because he was strangled by a rope." The waiter said, "Except for the fact that the back kitchen leads to the lobby, it can only lead to the backyard. All of us were searching in the backyard when we were attacked from behind. So until the assailants reveal their identities, we don't know who our attackers are. ”

"It seems that Jackie chose to cooperate with the people of the Dark Side Organization in a panic." Kant nodded.

"The other party's condition is probably 'will send you out of the town safely' or something." Bandak sighed and said.

"After I broke their plot, Jackie must have escaped from this hotel." "He's penniless now, I don't know where he's going to flee?" Abel said. ”

"I don't know." Bandak replied in a deep voice.

"I think he'll go back to the inn, after all, it's the only place he can hide in this town." Kant said: "Whether he killed the person or not, when you still get it, you have to ask him personally." ”

"Hmm." Bandak nodded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have told you everything that happened today." The waiter said, "Now that you know what is going on, can you let us go back to rest?" ”

Abel glanced at the waiter, walked over to the tea table, and said to everyone, "Everyone has worked hard, please go back and rest." ”

Chapter 863: Search for Fragmentary Clues

"If there are any more personal details, you can tell anyone in the army afterwards. Today we will not delay everyone's rest. After all, most people should be tired too. Kant added.

"Your Excellency." One of the vagrants in the crowd said, "I hope I can get out of the city within tomorrow, could you please send a few soldiers to protect me?" Just send it to the gates of the city. After that, I will ask an acquaintance to pick me up. ”

"Me too." "Me too!"

After him, several wanderers spoke up in demand.

"Your Highness," Abel said hesitantly.

"It's all right, all the guests who need to leave the city within tomorrow, register with Molière, and hand it over to me tomorrow morning." Kant promised: "I will allocate a group of men to escort you out of the city." ”

"Thank you, thank you." The first guest to speak thanked him.

"It's fine." Kant waved his hand as he stood up, turned away from Datang, and walked towards the stairs leading to the guest room.

"Your Highness, are you going back to your room to rest?" Bandak followed Kant's footsteps and asked.

Kant walked to the steps of the stairs, paused, and said, "Well, there's been so much going on today. I'll have to tidy up in my room. You and Abel search the inn again. Collect all the missing information, and when the innkeeper returns, he will at least have to give someone an explanation. ”

"Yes!" Bandak nodded.

"After doing this, you and the soldiers should hurry back to their rooms and rest. Thank you very much. Kant nodded slightly.

"Yes."

After watching Kant walk up the stairs, the guests returned to their bedrooms.

Bandak gathered his soldiers together and commanded, "All soldiers! Five teams were divided into teams to search the hotel. Except for the part of the guest room that is occupied. Don't miss a single corner! ”

"Yes!" The soldiers of Calradia replied in unison.

Seeing this, Able also began to lead the elven soldiers to conduct a detailed search of the inn. They even flew over the roof tiles to see if anyone had slipped through the roof.

The soldiers worked until late at night before returning to the lobby to assemble.

"Did you find anything?" Bandak asked solemnly.

"Second Squad!" A Calradia soldier stepped out of the queue and reported in a loud voice: "We found the rope that the murderer used to strangle Mr. Ledger. ”

Another soldier handed over the blackened half of the rope.

"Where did you find that?" Bandak asked, holding the rope gently in his hand.

"In the pyre under the stove in the back kitchen." The soldier responded.

"Hmm," Bandak nodded, and continued to ask, "Anything else found?" ”

The squad leaders shook their heads in silence.

"We found signs on the roof that someone had climbed." Able spoke at this point.

The news was reported to him by his soldiers: the roof tiles were very messy, presumably because the attendants liked to sneak up on the roof to party, but from the elf's point of view, they quickly made out a footprint that extended to the window of the corridor on the second floor.

"That row of footprints proves that Jackie climbed the roof alone." Abel said briefly.

"Hmm." Bandak nodded and said, "Everyone has worked hard, go back and rest." ”

"Yes, Commander!" The soldiers agreed.

After the dismissal, Bandak followed Abel and walked back to his room. He was still clutching the half of the rope in his hand.

"Mistress Kant and I wonder why you don't seem at all happy to hear what we say before your meal. It turns out that you met the group of waiters. As Able took off his boots at the entrance, he whispered to Bandak, "You stopped them, didn't you?" ”

"At that time, I hesitated for a moment until I heard Jackie lose his voice," Bandak replied.

"Ugh." Able shook his head and said nothing.

"Your Highness." "Your Highness."

After seeing Kant, sitting at the tea table, prostrated under the candlestick, depicting something, Abel bowed to Bandak and greeted him.

"You're back?" Kant put down his pen, looked up and asked, "Did you find anything?" ”

"The murder weapon was found, and Jackie did leave the scene and walked through the roof and to the second floor to inform us." Able responded.

"Well, what's the murder weapon?" Kant asked, stroking his forehead.

"The rope was thrown into the pyre of the fire." Bandak held the rope in his hand in front of Kant and explained.

Kant stared at the half of the rope in silence for a while, and then said, "Okay, put this rope in the package and seal it." When the innkeeper returns, he will hand it over to him. ”

"Yes." Bandak nodded in reply.

"Your Highness, if tomorrow we need to send someone to take the guests out of the city, the men from the West City—" Abel said worriedly.

"It's okay, I'll go tomorrow too. Enough of our men. Kant shook his head and said.

Not long ago, Molière sent in a list of guests who wanted to leave the city tomorrow.

"Aren't you out of town?" Kant asked with a slight surprise after reading the list.

"Nope. Those who get out of town first are fools. They will be sought out by the assassins. Molière replied dismissively, "Besides, I want to stay and see how you put that group in prison." ”

After Molière left, Kant made a rough calculation of the men he would need to send for tomorrow. The task was not as labor-intensive as it might have been.

"Your Majesty, you're going tomorrow too?!" Able was surprised and said, "No, that guild is not a serious place in the first place, what if Pik and the person who connected with him talked about the adult?" ”

"It's almost the end of the month, and I still have to find out the details of this guild." Kant raised his eyebrows and said, "I'm not you or Bandak, and Pique doesn't have the need to mention me to the people around him. Besides, the day we met Peake was two weeks ago, after which he left town. I didn't get a chance to meet up with the people in the guild. ”

"But I still don't think it's right," Bandak said, shaking his head, "The tree is a big wind, and we've come all the way." I met with the leaders of all races. The town is such a big place, and I guess many people already know our identity. ”

"Well, well. I won't go to the guild myself, but you'll have to send someone to the guild to inquire. At least figure out where the doorway is to buy medicine. Kant saw that he couldn't compete with the two in front of him, so he compromised.

"Yes." Abel replied.

Chapter 864: The shopkeeper who arrived late

"Do we have soldiers in our ranks who are suitable for such a task?" After acceding to Kant's request, Bandak became distressed again.

"It's something you need to arrange." Kant shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'll give you a day tomorrow at most." The day after tomorrow is the last day of the month, the day the bottoming operation begins. ”

"We'll definitely find the right fit." Able responded.

Kant glanced at the two helplessly and said, "You can continue to think about it, I'll go back to my room to rest." ”

"Hmm." Bandak nodded in response.

Kant didn't pay any attention to the two, but got up and left the main hall.

Abel and Bandak stood in place, meditating for a while. Still no results were obtained.

Bandak sighed helplessly: "I didn't expect that I didn't know the soldiers so well that I couldn't even think of their respective strengths. ”

"I know my people very well." Able shook his head in frustration and said, "None of them are suitable for this kind of reconnaissance mission. Maybe they fell asleep when the waiter at the front desk of the guild told them something. ”

"No, it won't." Bandak sat down at the tea table, took out two teacups, and filled them with tea.

"Thank you." Abel sat down across from Bandak, and at this time raised his teacup and said to Bandak, "If it really doesn't work, let me go in." ”

"Do you think His Majesty Kant will agree to your suggestion?" Bandak took a sip of hot tea and responded.

"What should I do?" Able fell on the tea table and sighed.

"Isn't there still a day for tomorrow? Let me find out if there is a suitable one in the team. Bandak turned his head to look out the window and replied.

"That..."

"Knock knock!" A knock on the door interrupted the conversation.

"Who could it be so late?" Bandak stood up, put down the teacup in his hand, and muttered as he walked towards the entrance.

After opening the door, a relatively unfamiliar face appeared in front of him. The other party was dressed very luxuriously, and he was obviously not a guest in this hotel.

"You are—" Bandak struggled to remember in his mind, and said in confusion.

"My name is Trubin, and I'm the shopkeeper of this inn." The half-orc in front of him was in a very low mood, and replied in a low voice, "I want to see your Highness." ”

"The innkeeper?!" Bandak yelled, "When did you come back?" Come into the house, Your Highness, and go back to his bedroom to rest. ”

"I want to see him, and if I don't see him today, I won't have a reason to enter your room." Trubin glanced away and spoke slowly.

"Then I'll go and inform Your Highness at once, please come into this room first. Prepare some hot tea in the room. Bandak noticed the frost on Trubin's coat: he must have rushed back from outside the city in a hurry...

"Hmm." Trubin nodded slightly, took off his boots, and walked into the main hall with Bandak.

Able was now agonizing about the plan of action for the day after tomorrow, and was a little surprised to see Bandak approaching with a half-orc with a raw face. Hesitantly, he asked, "May I ask who this is?" ”

"We've eaten together before." Trubin's eyes went back and forth between Bandak and Abel and explained, "I am the shopkeeper of the inn. ”

"Ah," Abel immediately stood up, bowed, and said, "I'm sorry, shopkeeper." I don't have a good memory lately. ”

"It's fine." Trubin patted the condensed droplets on his coat and said, "Please go and inform His Highness Kant, I want to see him." ”

"Okay, okay." Abel and Bandak looked at each other and nodded.

Then he turned and walked towards the bedroom, and after seeing the candlelight shining through the room, he knocked softly on the door and called out in a low voice, "His Royal Highness Kant." ”

"What's wrong?" The sound from the bedroom relieved Able that Kant was still resting.

"The innkeeper arrived, and he said he wanted to see you." Able explained through the crack in the door.

After a while, the bedroom door was opened by Kant. Before Kant had time to put on his coat, he was wearing a single coat and asked Abel who was standing in front of the porch, "Where is the shopkeeper?" ”

Abel folded his hands respectfully in front of him and replied, "I'm sitting in the main hall to rest." ”

"Hmm." Kant nodded, and immediately walked towards the main hall. After seeing Trubin's figure, he quickened his pace, walked in front of him, and greeted: "Shopkeeper." ”

"His Highness Kant." Tubin stood up politely and replied: "I received the news..."

"I'm sorry because we're here to stay overnight and cause you so much trouble." Kant said apologetically.

This time, although the contents of the store were not damaged, the death of Mr. Bookkeeper will be a shadow over the reputation of the inn.

"I can only say that you and I are not very lucky." Trubin's eyes were a little gloomy.

"The people at the Inspectorate have taken the raid away. Philit's body... They were also transported away. Kant said, "I hope you can understand that it is for the purpose of conducting an official investigation." ”

"I saw it at the Surveillance Center, Philitt... It shouldn't be like that...", Trubin's voice took on a whimpering cry at the end of the day.

"Please mourn." Kant sighed and bowed his head.

At noon, when he was traveling with the innkeeper, he heard Trubin tell the story of his stay in the town with Philit.

At the end of the story, Trubin says to Kant: He is three or four years older than Philett, so when he wanders, Philett is the protected one. Therefore, Philit, who has entered the threshold of middle age, has always maintained a childlike state of mind. And Trubin has been running around in order for them to continue to live peacefully. Deal with the various forces in the town.

It's just that in recent days, Philit suddenly mentioned to him that he wanted to go out on his own.

Naturally, Trubin immediately rejected Philit's request for various reasons.

Therefore, for several days Philit hid from him.

"It feels like the story of a little girl's house." Kant commented at the time.

"Hehe," Trubin laughed, "I'm used to him being protected by my side, and if there is no such person, I don't know if I will lose the idea of working hard." ”

At the tea table, Kant looked at the innkeeper who was hiding his face and sobbing in front of him, and his heart also aroused a sense of sorrow, not knowing what to say.