Not My Sins

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

"This is the second case this week," The Duke muttered as he read through the report in his hands, he placed a finger on his jaw as he studied intently. "How serious is it this time? Did you see for yourself? Are you sure these farmers are not crazy?"

"Last night was a massacre, My Lord." Arcane narrated, a wry look hanging on his eyebrows. "There were a total of seven dead wolves on the west bank."

"So it isn't an accident, someone is intentionally hunting them?" The Duke straightened up, there was no one with such physical prowess on his Duchy, someone skilled enough to kill a pack of wolves. "What weapon was used?"

If someone fired a gun or an arrow at a distance, it could kill that much of them, but it would take a great deal of training to attain such archery height; it would be splendid to have someone of such qualification on his lands.

"There were no cuts or marks on the bodies of the wolves, I had thought they had been killed with an arrow or a gun but that wasn't the case My Lord," Arcane hesitated to include the next part, the Duke noticed and so he put the paper away before turning to look at him.

"Go on," he urged, and only then did Arcane proceed.

 "They were killed with something so blunt, it could be a piece of wood that was struck at the vital places." He proceeded. "Most of the beasts had broken jaws and some of them their neck was broken." 

The Duke burst into mocking laughter, it was impossible unless the killer had superhuman speed and a god-like strength, a human could never take on a pack of wolves without a weapon.

"Are you sure the physician wasn't drunk when he examined the bodies?" He asked out of genuine curiosity. "How else can you explain someone killing seven wolves without even inflicting a wound upon them?"

Could there be someone of such skill, here on this property? Duke Elias thought hard and well, and then he concluded.

There is someone who could have such skill.

He wasn't so sure, but it could be possible as well. 

"Where is Doni?" He asked Arcane and Arcane twitched. "Have you seen that boy do anything out of the ordinary in these recent days?"

"As usual, he is attending to the horses," Arcane answered, he had seen him on the way to the Duke's office, and that was how it had always been. "Unlike other workers on the estate, Doni seems to be in love with his job, he attends to the horses as though they were his brothers, he doesn't do anything apart from just that."

The Duke's eyebrows drew together in sharp lines, he didn't want to believe it could be possible but there was a possibility that he was rearing a snake on his lands.

"Let's go."

"Strip." The Duke ordered Doni.

Doni had been feeding the horses when the Duke and his right-hand man, came up to him and removed him from where he did his work, and he was brought up to the storehouse just behind the stables.

 "Take off all your clothes." The Duke addressed once more. "Every single material you have on at the moment, I want them on the ground."

"Why?" Doni asked making the Duke's gaze harden, Doni's insubordination isn't a new thing, as a boy with a mental illness it was expected. "I haven't gone close to the mansion, so whatever you are looking for, I didn't steal it."

"Have you heard of the rumor going around the estate?" He asked curiously.

"I am not sure which of the rumors you are here about," Doni answered. "If that will be all, then I will take my leave, the horses haven't all been fed."

Doni turned on his heels, leaving the Duke standing there, but he was soon stopped by the next line of speech.

"They found the body of eight wolves at the west bank today," Doni heard the heavy footsteps of the Duke approaching him, but he remained rigid with his back turned to them. "The wolves were killed with something blunt and probably they had their bones broken with just hands."

Doni felt his heart stop in his chest when the Duke placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to whisper the rest of the words in his ears.

"Who do you think could have killed all seven of them?" He asked tauntingly. "We suspect the killer acted alone and he might have suffered some injuries."

"Probably some of the royal guard that you had to protect the estate?" He answered promptly, taking the initiative to take the Duke's hands from his shoulder. "If the wolves pose a threat and we suffer a risk of an attack, I don't think they should be left alive."

"You have a point but the Royal guards are equipped with the finest swords the empire has ever made, yet there were no cut marks on the wolves." Doni's eyes widened in surprise. "What kind of dumb guard would risk his life like that?"

"How would I know then?" Doni mentioned. "I am just a stables boy."

"This particular feat has been displayed by the former crowned prince of the empire, Prince Reynold Carl Leni De Aubreun I, he was a terrific hunter, despite being a child." Elias grabbed Doni's upper arm and turned him towards himself, there it was, the stubborn glare on his face. "He went on a hunting trip, and his guards left him alone by accident due to a break in their formation, the prince was attacked by a wild boar, but the prince killed the boar with a small string."

"I am quite fascinated by his hunting skills, but I don't see the relevance of this story at this present time." Doni remained bored. "Are you trying to make me strip because you suspect I killed those wolves or it's because you want to compare me to the crowned prince of the Empire? Please keep in mind that I am merely a stables boy."

"That boy is a sly one," Arcane muttered with a small smirk, Doni had a small screw loose in his head but it was entertaining to watch sometimes. "Why don't you kick him off your estate?"

"No," Elias stroked his jaw again. "That boy has nowhere to go and as much as his presence disturbs me, it would do even worse when he isn't within my reach."

"You have a great fondness for the boy, despite what his mother did to you." Arcane was always touched by the Duke's kindness, he might not look it but he was very considerate in some aspect. "You are truly a great man."

"Keep your eyes on Doni," The Duke suddenly instructed. "Anyone he talks to or anyone he meets, keep your eyes on every single thing he does through the day and in the night, and once you figure out something strange in his activities let me know."

"Yes, sir," Arcane said with a small bow and then he dispersed in an attempt to keep the Duke's orders.

"Ahh!" The palace maids screamed in confusion, they didn't know what to do, but as the Prince came back he started raging, throwing everything in his room across the walls. "Your Highness… Please!"

"Get out!" Aryan yelled at them, but they were unable to move, they wanted to stay just in case the Prince hurt himself, he was just a child and broken ceramic pots are quite sharp. "I said get out of my room, right now!"

"Your Highness…" The maids remained hesitant. 

 "Do you find it difficult to listen to me as well?" He yelled dropping the vase in his hands with a certain anger, the ceramic fell to the ground shattered, and cut his hands. "I am the Prince, shouldn't a useless maid do everything they are told to?"

"What is going on here?" The maids tensed when they heard the voice of the Empress, but they were also relieved because they didn't know what the Prince would have done if the Empress hadn't shown up.

"Good time." He chuckled, the Empress turned to look at them and they froze.

"The crowned prince is gravely injured and all you do is just stand around and watch him?" She shrieked causing them to fall to their knees. "Leave us at once."

 In less than a minute, the maids stumbled against themselves and left mother and son alone.

"All you have to do is give them one order and they will listen." The prince muttered. "Maybe it's because they know I am not a true prince."

Vermil's eyes widened as soon as she realized her son had now found out the truth, this is the Duke's work, the bastard told him.

"Why did you do that?" Aryan yelled at his mother. "The Duke did everything for you to become Empress, how could you betray him like that? How could you betray me like this?"

"A-Aryan…" She sobbed as she reached for him, he swatted her hands away from his face. "It's not what you think it is."

"I am a Prince, no matter what you did…" He chanted. "I am a prince, I will continue to be a prince, and without your help when it is time I will become the Emperor."