Published at 28th of March 2026 7:57 am

Chapter 141: Theories

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Vithals research club is tense. Everyones nervous, unable to decide if theyre hoping to be called to the hunting team or fearing it.

So, what do you think? Will the count come today? Daniel asks, eyepatch over his illusionary eye today. Apparently, he prefers seeing the thing in itself, but being exposed too long can induce headaches.

I shrug. She already told me Im off the team. So, it doesnt matter much to me.

You talked with her? Did she mention B team? A girl, perhaps four years older than me, asks with nerves matching the rest of the group both wanting and not wanting at once.

I shrug. I wouldnt be surprised if she pulled Daniel into the hunters. She seemed rather hopeful that he could counter that spell. But she didnt say anything to me about it.

Right she trails off and looks away.

We spend another ten minutes listlessly going over the work she assigned last time, trying to find an insight into the hard problems presented to us, but just uselessly going over the same ground again and again.

Everyones heads snap up as the doors open and the count walks in flanked by two mages who, by their age, are either about to graduate or just have. She introduces them as our groups new leaders, then takes Daniel and another with her to the hunting team.

She tries to walk briskly out after that, but the room erupts into a series of questions that seem to stun her into answering them. Its true that the cultist is here? Where did it happen? How many dead? and other similar questions. She answers them calmly in turn, stating that theres no need to worry as theres been only one confirmed death so far, which occurred in the low section. A few want to leave the group, but she assures them that theyll be occluded from any divinations against the pursuers so long as they keep to theoretical work. She sounds sure, much more than I am, at least. The killer shouldnt have reason to divine the theoretical group, but that doesnt mean that they cant. Who knows what they might decide to do in a fit of pique.

Still, its not like it would benefit them, so staying in the group shouldnt endanger them any more than any other random passerby.

After everyones questions are addressed, she slowly looks at each of us in turn as if silently asking if there are any other questions in a way that makes it clear that she hopes there is not. However, when she gets to me, I raise my hand and speak.

Is it true that there have been individuals reported as missing that divinations have linked to the killer?

Her eyebrow flickers in surprise. Where did you hear that? She asks sternly.

I shrug. Just a rumour a relative told me.

You shouldnt listen to rumours about things like this. Thats how panics start.

Which is why Im asking you about it so I can dispute it if I hear it again.

If you hear it again, then you should just ignore it.

Does that mean its true? someone else asks, I dont pay attention to who as I stare at her face for hints. Really, shes an open book compared to the people I gambled against. I dont need to hear it to know its true.

Which does rather complicate matters again, but hopefully in a way that will make the hunt easier later, as Allan said.

I dont bother to hide the fact that I see the truth in her face, so she sighs and nods in confirmation. Dont spread this. Youre all close enough to an official source that even a denial would feed the rumours. But yes, there have been five individuals from across the section designated as missing connected to the killer. But oddly enough, weve been unable to confirm their deaths with divination or mundane means.

Could the concealment spell account for that? I ask, keenly intent and ignoring the fact that shes obviously hesitant to give me answers.

She shakes her head. We dont think so. It could, in theory, but they would have to stay in close proximity to the corpses, well after the deaths, which seems unlikely given that they lived some distance apart. More likely is that were being strongly countered by anthropomancy, or at least enough to obscure whether the bodies are missing or no longer extant in a recognizable form.

I nod slowly. Another mark in favour of them being at least near my level of power, or having a connection with local gangs.

Have you questioned the beast kin in the area then? the girl from earlier asks, annoyingly insightfully.

A boy scoffs. Just because theyre beasts doesnt make them Anar worshipers.

She raises a hand in defence. No, I mean you know. They might have an arrangement to handle the bodies, she says.

Several people look disgusted at the suggestion, while others look around with raised eyebrows, indicating almost amusement at the notion.

A good suggestion, Count Vithal says calmly. However, it is one weve already investigated without luck. There are many beast kin gangs in the section, as some say their containment is a main reason for its existence. An interesting tidbit that Ive havent heard about something Ive been wondering. Unfortunately, its not important at the moment. Its clear they either dont know anything about the killing or killings, or even the revelation that their customer might be an Anar cultist isnt enough to move them to talk to their more ubiquitous foe. After all, the killer hasnt targeted any of them yet.

Then perhaps it would be convenient for that status to change. Or at least appear to. Daniel says meaningfully.

I know thats the sort of statement one is supposed to express outrage over, and some do, but others seem to actually consider the implied suggestion.

Enough. The count states as much as commands. Its not a method were considering. Killing a member of the populace to motivate a subgroup is something far more likely to come back and bite us than actually result in anything useful.

Okay, but the beast kin gangs arent the only ones who can dispose of bodies, right? I ask, feigning helpfulness. Couldnt you just ask around if any of them gained any new customers recently? Im sure the average populace would be eager to help if they find out theyve been working with a cultist.

Vithal shakes her head, clearly not impressed. Thats assuming its not already obvious to them that theyve been working with a cultist. Its not common knowledge, but the markings for the ritual cant be removed without destroying the surface entirely. Which, I think even the dullest of gangs would quickly realize the significance of their customer repeatedly bringing them corpses with burnt or cut off faces.

Ah, good to know, I say, putting on a show of being rebuffed.

I had hoped she didnt know that about the runes. It might have diverted some of their resources.

Now you do. But enough of this. I shouldnt have said so much. Its safer for all of you in the theoretical team not to know the details of the hunt. Some look disappointed, while others look relieved. This team will meet here, or in the normal field for applied testing during the normal time as your new team leaders see fit. You will not be informed of any developments in the hunt other than what will be made available to the general public. Understood?

When will the announcement be made? Someone asks, then immediately winces as the count snaps towards them, then softens.

Ulnday. Though as rumours have already begun to spread, you have permission to inform acquaintances if you think its necessary to steer them clear of the surrounding sections. For those of you in my classes, I have lectures preplanned for several weeks in advance. I intend to teach as normal, but should circumstances arise, there are several adequate substitutes. Now, there are several pressing leads, so I must go. Good day.

Right, the first of our new leaders, amale, says with a smile the moment shes gone, obviously trying to hide whether hes disappointed or relieved not to be on the pursuit team, lets see what B Team has been working on No, sorry, T Team now. I guess youll be handling all the theoretical research now We Well be handling it, I mean.

The other one takes over from his stammering, to which he seems relieved, but tries to hide it.

Right, she says, straightening a stack of papers before her. Ive written out several problems that weve been working on, which I believe to be vital in combating anthropomancy. But we should know what youve been doing so we can expand that list if need be. She tries not to be derisive with the if need be, but doesnt quite succeed in not conveying that shes not fully expecting that weve been doing anything important. Its a bit annoying, but everyone lets it slide.

I spend the session doing precisely what the count wanted us not to do and think about the information she gave us. It might have been risky to press for the information on the extra suspected victims, but it was vital that I know if that clue was reliable. There really was no other way to find out as quickly. Besides, I might as well try to get some concrete benefit from being here; otherwise, theres no point.

So, additional victims or maybe not. People do go missing all the time in the low sections. It wouldnt be surprising for any given resident to be connected to five or more missing people. Plenty of reasons why it might be best for a body to not be found, whether that decision was made by someone else, or the body in question. Theres probably any number of cases that someone found a way out of the section and didnt tell anyone for fear of interference. Such as if they found a live-in job somewhere that might be jeopardised by knowledge of their origin spreading, or if theyre afraid of someone in their old life.

Of course, if theyre alive, then Vithals diviners should have an easy time finding them, though there are ways to cut all ties, even magical ones, to ones past life. Just taking on a new identity will help obscure locating attempts, though it doesnt replace active countering. There are services one can hire which will actively block pursuit. Theyre expensive, but many might find it worth it if it means leaving everything truly behind them. Especially if they stumbled onto a bit of coin that others might be looking for.

Then again, Vithal is almost certainly aware of such services and will inquire into them. Theyre known for being tight lipped about their customers, but a loose Anar cultist might grant an exception.

But there are more extensive services one can find. Ones that can obscure traces far more completely. Unfortunately, they arent suitable for my own use, since, besides lacking the required magic myself and not trusting others to place it on me, it would require no longer working towards the mission.

The first step these specialists take is sculpting the body. Divinations work partially on physical form, so changing the form makes the tracking attempt less likely to succeed. Its by no means a failproof method, but it does help much in the same way illusion magic does.

The second step is sculpting the mind. Placing a geass on the customer to make them think they're someone else. Implanting false memories or changing existing ones to match new contexts. Usually, such magic destroys the mind to the point that the memories wouldnt be usable anyways. But if the subject is willing and lets down their guard, then the procedure can be performed with only moderate damage.

Of course, such a thing is highly illegal. A counter divination service is legal so long as theyre not hiding criminals. But this, which doesnt even need counter divinations beyond the first few days, is extremely dangerous. It requires trusting the mind mage to make the correct changes and only the correct changes. That they wont take advantage of being able to shape a person to serve some twisted desire.

Only the truly desperate would seek such a thing but someone you know becoming an Anar cultist might be reason enough for that. They wouldnt even necessarily need to find out. Many who came into my cult would behave erratically after their first sacrifice. It was always unnerving when it happened, and the patriarch was always sure to cull them, citing a danger to the flock. But if someone were to suddenly act like that around people who have no context for the change? It might be enough to flee by any means. Especially if they suddenly started displaying magic ability that they might use to track them.

Of course, this theory comes with its own problems. First, it means that they have a deep connection to the section after all. Second, Vithal said they lived apart. Presumably, she already checked if they worked near each other, and would have mentioned if they did, which means the killer would have to travel.

Meaning someone socially invisible who can go through multiple gangs territories without issue. But not so socially invisible that they failed to make connections with people in different locations or maybe not.

Im thinking about this as all or nothing. That either all of the missing are dead, or all of them fled. But it could be some of both. I dont even know where they lived, but even if I did, I would need to know which were murdered and which were missing before I could extrapolate information from it.

This would be so much easier if I were on the pursuit team and had access to the details. Maybe the Mud Hares will know something about missing people the guards are unusually interested in. Ill ask them the next time I visit.

Until then, the only information I have which Vithal might not know is that some people behave obviously different after their first sacrifice, which might cause their relations to hide from them. It might not be relevant, but its an approach Vithals team might not have, and thats the only way Im going to beat them.

Now I just have to figure out what sort of person would fit the theory.

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