Chapter 87: Plans foiled
"Mysterious stones?" Charles looked puzzled, but he replied in a polite manner
"I have not seen anything out of the ordinary. Besides, people spend a lot of time in the gardens and the surrounding areas of the mansion, but no one else got afflicted by the creep."
"Perhaps not in the gardens," Riku said. "But sometimes, such things can be overlooked, mistaken for ordinary objects. With your permission, I’d like to briefly examine the mansion and Lord Gregor’s bedchamber again."
Though surprised, Baron Charles readily agreed. "Okay, Mister Riku. You may do so. However, you might not find much."
Soon after lunch, Riku, accompanied by Charles, Borin, and the others, returned to Lord Gregor’s room.
In the bedchamber, Riku’s gaze swept the room methodically. He ran his hands along the heavy drapes, checked beneath the ornate furniture, and scanned the bookshelves.
Then, his eyes fell upon a small, decorative bowl on a side table near the bed – a collection of polished river stones and dried flowers, likely meant as a simple, rustic ornament. Most of the stones were ordinary grays and browns. But one, nestled amongst them, was slightly darker, almost matte black, and felt subtly cold to his attuned senses even from a distance.
An ordinary person would never be able to feel it, but RIku who had used his healing on so many people afflicted with the creep, could immediately tell that something was off.
He picked it up. It was about the size of a bird’s egg, smooth and unassuming. However, Riku was certain.