Gun of Ashes

”Who knows? That was over a hundred years ago.”

Yawei shook his head; all the people involved are long dead, and there are even places where you can’t find their graves.

”Anyway, among those commoners…more accurately, nobles, they were all promoted by Count Navis, and with their testimonies, the matter faded away.”

”But Madre didn’t give up so easily. The struggle between the two lasted a long time. After all, once the war ended and territories were reclaimed, it was quite considerable wealth, while Count Navis had nothing but the empty title of Count and the armor left by the Old Count. His only territory lay in the fallen zone, let alone wealth.”

”Facing the Baskerville’s power, he was utterly powerless to resist. So, he cleverly joined the army, traversing the southern battle zone, accumulating power bit by bit during the war.”

It was truly a difficult time; merely hearing about it, one could sense the scent of gunpowder.

”At that time, Navis’s promotion of so many commoners also stirred considerable controversy. Although they were the lowest nobility, it was still a leap in class. But to boost morale, the Queen tacitly approved of it all and then revised the laws.”

”No one cared about those people. Like Navis, apart from the empty title of nobility, they had nothing.”

Yawei couldn’t help but glance at Selyu. The girl wasn’t looking at him but was quietly staring at the fire in the fireplace, with the flames reflecting beautifully and magnificently in her eyes.

He spoke out of impulse.

”But sometimes…people just need a kind of recognition, even if it’s a mere title.”

People crave recognition from others.

Using the validation of others to offset self-doubt, greedily seeking this affirmation, through others to confirm their existence, through others to believe in themselves, making the impossible possible, so even a peasant can become a Red Knight on the battlefield, a wandering beggar can become the Duchess of Stuart.

Whatever it is, as long as another person acknowledges your existence, it might be a great motivator, like a beam of light in the darkness, prompting you to reach out with an unyielding hand.

It’s just recognition, that’s all.

”Following that, just as everyone often says, a group of nobodies among the nobility achieved everything they wanted through the war, because of the connection granted by warfare. They were closely linked together, to such a large scale that it caught the Queen’s attention. To consolidate her rule, the Queen broke up the group, dispatching them to different battlefields, resulting in what everyone knows: this enabled the Stuart group to expand like a virus, filling Navis’s various territories and industries across Ingwig.”

The people nobody cared about stepped onto the center stage, Yawei’s voice was light, but it was said with passionate fervor.

”The expansion brought about the conflict of interests, like with Baskerville. Located in the south, fueled by old grudges, their disputes persisted, ultimately turning into irreconcilable hatred. And all this ended with Stuart’s rise, completely defeating Baskerville.”

”Thus, they died, and we survived, continuing up to this day.”

The book turned to a new page, and Yawei’s voice grew heavier.

”Next comes the curse, initially spoken by some remnants of Baskerville. They cursed every member of the Stuart group, claiming that the hounds would relentlessly pursue them.”

”So did these so-called hounds truly come?”

Finally reaching the main point, Lorenzo asked.

”I don’t know, but the only thing known is that the Stuart family has always been small in numbers, and in recent years, group members have continuously died, one family after another disappearing...although this is still quite normal, as no one can exist forever, until these letters arrived.”

Yawei said, glancing at the letters on the low table.

”First someone saw a bizarre hound, then someone dreamed of it, followed by more people experiencing the same phenomenon.”

”Everyone involuntarily thought of that ancient curse and thus sought our help.”

Lorenzo silently picked up the letters; they were from different families, with the only commonality being that they all originated from Stuart’s territory and were members of the group.

”The hounds…”

According to the letter contents, everyone’s description of the hounds was astonishingly consistent—ominous hounds lurking in the darkness, only their low growls craving flesh could be heard.

They roamed in the shadows, inseparable, like shadows accompanying.

”Did any of them actually come into contact?”

Lorenzo judged this wasn’t any illusion; no absolute uniform hallucination exists, let alone simultaneously imposing it across various locations.

”Not yet, the clearest case so far is someone saw massive footprints while patrolling the garden at night.”

Yawei answered.

”So there hasn’t been a direct confrontation with the hound?”

”No, but we can’t rule out it happening next.”

Yawei said.

”Initially, everyone didn’t mind it, thinking it was merely hallucination, but in the subsequent days, the frequency of hound appearance increased.”

He handed Lorenzo another letter that detailed the bizarre feeling.

”He didn’t see the hound directly, but he said he could feel it; when alone, he would sense being watched by a beast, as if some creature hiding in the darkness was about to snap his neck when he turned around.”

This was a report from one member. Lorenzo frowned deeply, having no clue.

”Honestly, I’m not some great detective; I’m just a cunning fraud.”

Lorenzo shook his head.

”Trickery can’t deceive hallucinations...”

”Are you going to give up?”

Selyu suddenly said. It was evident the detective had no idea how to proceed.

”Just unsure where to begin; such ethereal things…”

Lorenzo felt somewhat troubled.

”How many group members are there?”

He asked.

Yawei once again flipped through the pages of the book, finding the answer within the first few pages.

”According to records, Navis promoted over two hundred people back then.”

”Two hundred? That many?”

Lorenzo was momentarily dumbfounded, beginning to understand why it was so controversial at that time.

”Actually, not all of them survived, as many died in subsequent battles, and during the Radiant War. When Stuart officially counted, only sixty-one survived, and now only thirty-two families remain.”

”Though only thirty-two are left, through a hundred years of accumulation, they possess considerable power.”

Listening to Yawei’s description, Lorenzo gained a new understanding of the Stuart group.

The emblem of Stuart was this—sixty-one swords crossed into a round shield, although some swords had already broken, thirty-two blades still existed, fulfilling the centuries-old pact.

”Examining all thirty-two families? That’s impractical.”

Lorenzo quickly eliminated his own idea, as these people were scattered across Ingwig’s lands; just traveling around would take months, not to mention the investigation.

”Actually, you don’t need to think about those; there’s someone here already awaiting investigation.”

Selyu suddenly said, pointing to herself as she looked at Lorenzo.

”As the master of Stuart, I’m the main target of the curse, yet so far, I’ve not seen the so-called ’hound.’”

”If the rumored curse is genuine, then it will surely appear, won’t it.”

Selyu asked.

No need to go anywhere; Selyu was the best bait for a target, if the hound existed, it would surely appear.

Listening to Selyu’s analysis, Lorenzo nodded in agreement; now his suspicion leaned towards Demon, as in his view, whenever anything exceeds logic, blaming Demon is a safe bet.

”So please stay here a few more days, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

While Lorenzo was still pondering, Selyu suddenly said.

”Umm…wait, what?”

Lorenzo was momentarily at a loss.

”Aren’t you a Demon Hunter? If the hound really comes after me, please trouble yourself to kill it.”

Selyu looked at Lorenzo, then tossed out a set of keys.

”You can do it, can’t you.”