The Darkness Weaver

Charles sat hunched over his investigation notes in his small room in this tiny village, his face tense with concentration. A breeze stirred the thin curtains through the window as an oil lamp cast flickering shadows. His silhouette fell across the stack of documents as he worked to connect every clue and mystery, trying to unravel the dark secret shrouding this peaceful land.

Crime Scenes:

Mary Thorn's Bedroom - The young woman's lifeless body was discovered in horrific condition, just two days before her planned second marriage. The corpse showed signs of high concentrations of ergot poison, with bruising on the body before death.

Forest near the village - The body of Thomas Wright, son of a former soldier, was found in a state of torture no less brutal than Mary's, but with additional wounds inflicted after death. No signs of struggle or the body being dragged from elsewhere were found, indicating the incident occurred there.

Key Testimonies:

- Robert Thorn, son of the former village head, admitted he disapproved of his father's widow's remarriage and had past conflicts with the Wright family, but denied being the murderer.

- Reginald Vineyard, Mary's new fiancé, testified with a trembling voice that he loved her and had no reason to harm her, though he acknowledged arguing with Robert about inheritance matters.

- Priest Gerard, the village priest, stated gravely that Robert had feelings for Mary before she married the former village head, while Thomas had often tried to approach Mary even after her marriage, unlike Robert who seemed to have given up.

- Most villagers whispered their belief in evil curses, citing the scandalous relationships within the former village head's family. Their eyes reflected fear mixed with disgust when speaking of these matters.

Relationships Between Those Involved:

- Edgar, the deceased former village head, was notorious for his infidelity, carrying on numerous affairs even while married to Mary. His shameless philandering and the public scandal it caused eventually became too much for her to bear.

- Mary, Edgar's new wife, intended to marry Reginald, making Robert fear becoming the only heir without an inheritance share. He strongly opposed this marriage.

- Robert, Edgar's only heir, had conflicts with his father and stepmother, as well as past grievances with the Wright family. He possessed special knowledge of herbs.

- Thomas, son of Edgar and Robert's old enemy, was in debt to many and wouldn't repay them, with Reginald being his largest creditor. He was mysteriously and brutally killed in the forest.

Additional Information:

Former Village Head Edgar Thorn - Died last year, initially attributed to a strange illness and old age. However, new forensic examination revealed he was killed by ergot poison, like the other victims.

Charles exhaled deeply, his eyes fixed on the papers in his hand as he drew lines connecting each event and person in the circle. Prominently encircled with thick lines was the name of Robert Thorn, his prime suspect. All evidence seemed to point to him, but this truth alone wasn't enough to conclusively solve the case.

Charles continued his analysis: "When the former village head first died, everyone thought it was due to a strange illness. However, Dr. Elias's later examination showed he was killed by ergot poison, clearly linking his death to his wife's demise and Thomas's as well."

He furrowed his brow in thought before concluding, "Given the family closeness, knowledge of herbs, and inheritance motive, Robert is the main suspect in poisoning the victims. If Mary remarried, he would lose his chance to be the village head's sole heir. As for Thomas, he might have known something and was silenced."

He noticed attempts to distort the case to appear supernatural, hoping to divert attention from Robert. His position as sole heir made villagers hesitant to accuse him directly. Moreover, personal interests and vendettas had become so entangled that the truth had become distorted and obscured.

'There's enough evidence to prove Robert's direct involvement, but to make this case absolutely clear, we need a voluntary confession from him, along with additional documentary or physical evidence to support it.'

Charles raised his hand to massage his temples lightly. 'We'll need bait for this plan. If it goes well, we should get both clear evidence and Robert's confession,' he thought, his eyes hardening with determination.

The young detective donned his cloak and hurried from his room. As he descended the stairs, he happened upon Edmund sitting in an armchair reading in the living room.

"Where are you going at this hour?" Edmund asked curiously, setting down his book to look at Charles.

"I'm heading to the temple."

Edmund nodded in acknowledgment. "Today the village head announced that the strange deaths in our village were caused by poisonous fungi on rye. Do you really think such tiny fungi could cause such horrible deaths?" Edmund inquired.

"Yes, it's definitely true. Dr. Elias has proven it completely," Charles replied confidently.

Edmund nodded, his eyes dimming. "It's truly unfortunate that the truth didn't emerge sooner. We might not have lost five innocent lives. I hope Mary will be the last, but even though the truth has been revealed, most villagers still don't quite believe it."

"I can understand them. When what they've always believed is suddenly told to be wrong, some people who don't want to admit their mistakes deceive themselves, choosing to cling to their old beliefs rather than accept the truth. Changing someone's mind takes time. Let the facts gradually erode those false beliefs."

After conversing a bit more, Charles bid farewell and headed toward the temple. The young man with dark brown hair and eyes in his long cloak walked through the night's darkness, amid the biting cold wind and damp earth, toward the village's ancient house of faith.

Upon reaching the silent temple, Charles found two city guards stationed at the door. They had been ordered to protect the distinguished Dr. Elias, who had been specially dispatched from the capital. After stating his purpose and passing security checks, the guards escorted him to meet Dr. Elias in his temple quarters.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Several raps on the door preceded the guard's announcement of the visitor to the room's occupant. "Dr. Elias, Detective Ravencroft is here to see you!"

Footsteps sounded softly from within the room, and soon the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with a stern face, his black hair streaked with gray, his keen eyes reflecting a cold, distant gaze.

"What business brings you here so late, Detective?" Dr. Elias asked in a deep voice, studying the other man carefully.

"I have a lead on the culprit, but I need your help," The listener raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise before gesturing for his guest to enter the room.

Charles stepped inside. The room was simply furnished with only a bed, desk, and a few chairs, suggesting its occupant was there only temporarily. The guard who had escorted him, knowing his task was complete, turned to leave, but Charles called him back.

"Wait. I'd like you to join our discussion, in case we need reinforcements from the city guards in pursuing the criminal." The young guard looked confused for a moment before nodding silently.

Charles then shared all the investigation details and conclusions with the two men in the room. He expressed his straightforward opinion that while all evidence pointed to Robert, there were still some questionable points, such as the post-mortem injuries on Thomas's body and the sudden death of the former village head the previous year.

"Given the relationships and past history, Robert is the suspect with the strongest motives, whether it's the inheritance, jealousy, or even deep-seated resentment toward his own father. Mary's choice to remarry must have further fueled his anger," the other guard summarized.

"Indeed. From an emotional and psychological perspective, eliminating his father and his heart's rival seems highly plausible. It also aligns with the violent marks on Thomas's body, as if seeking revenge," Dr. Elias commented in an even tone.

"The evidence we have strongly indicates Robert's involvement, but we need to prove his guilt conclusively. Otherwise, it might become a case decided by personal bias," the city guard objected.

"I agree, which is why I've already devised a plan..." Charles began explaining his strategy to use bait to lure Robert into attempting another attack, likely using his familiar method. They would need to let Robert believe he had an opportunity to act without witnesses, hoping he might confess various things while venting his feelings to his victim during the act. When everything was in place, the hidden reinforcements would arrest Robert along with all the evidence.

"This method is too risky. If it fails, another innocent person will die," both men objected simultaneously. But Charles insisted he trusted in the soldiers' caution, and if anything unexpected happened, Dr. Elias would be ready to provide immediate medical treatment.

"But who will you use as bait? Someone Robert would target, his heart's enemy, someone he would take great satisfaction in eliminating," Dr. Elias asked quietly.

"Well... if my hypothesis is correct, the most suitable person would be Reginald Vineyard. I'll persuade him to help us myself," Charles concluded the important agenda and arranged a secret meeting place before the three separated to perform their duties.

At the grand mansion of the Vineyard family, Charles was led through halls decorated for the upcoming wedding that would never happen. In one corner stood an ornate wooden chest containing the bride's trousseau, while nearby a tailor's dummy wore an exquisite wedding suit, now destined to remain unworn. These preparations for joy had transformed into monuments of grief. In the study, Charles looked sympathetically at the young man sitting in an elegant chair before the fireplace. Reginald was drowning in grief over the irreversible loss of his loved one, his eyes red, dried tears staining his face, one hand clutching an empty wine bottle tightly.

The sound of Charles's footsteps made him start, before the butler led the detective in while introducing the visitor.

"Detective Charles is here to see you, Mr. Vineyard."

"Tell him I don't want to see anyone right now," the young man refused in a hoarse voice.

"Mr. Vineyard, I need to speak with you, about Mary-"

But at the mention of Mary's name, his emotions exploded. "She's dead! Because of that cursed fungus! I shouldn't have left her alone! I shouldn't have cared about the villagers' gossip!" Reginald shouted loudly, before breaking down in tears again, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"If only the witch legends were true, I could have already avenged her!" With that, he drained the remaining liquor in one gulp before hurling the bottle at the fireplace, shattering it with a resounding crash throughout the hall.

"Another bottle!" Reginald shouted, but the butler shook his head wearily.

"You've had too much to drink, sir. Please don't harm yourself any further," the elderly man cautioned his master with concern.

Charles walked closer to the distraught young man, pulled up a chair beside him, and spoke calmly.

"What if I could give you that chance for revenge... The opportunity to avenge her, would you take it?"

The drunken man, whose eyes had been full of misery moments before, suddenly sparked with interest. Reginald slowly turned to stare intently at the young detective.

His face showed a mixture of suspicion and confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you everything, but first, you must promise to fully cooperate with this plan."

Charles looked into the other's eyes seriously, hoping fervently that the desire for revenge would drive the plan to success.

Reginald hesitated for a long while, Charles's keen gaze seeming to pierce into his thoughts.

Finally, the young man nodded slowly in agreement, his lips pressed into a line, his eyes full of determination.

Having received the answer he wanted, Charles explained the investigation's conclusions, the overall plan, and Reginald's crucial role in luring Robert to confess his crimes.

Though disgusted at the thought of facing the brutal murderer himself, Reginald decided resolutely to fight for justice for his love, no matter the danger. He would do it for Mary.