The Divine Hunter

usiness in Aldersberg from Zoltan Chivay and the other dwarves.”

Seville paused for a moment.
“I owe him a lot, and he’s my best friend, but I know he’ll never work under anyone for long.
Once we came to Aldersberg, he found a new goal and left my team.
Since he was a child, Ken has seen his father being tortured and discriminated against by humans because of his elven bloodline.
His father has never enjoyed the same equal social status as humans, and because of that, he despises inequality and discrimination.
Ken, ever so passionate, took action to go against that system.

“As you know, witcher, Aedirn’s high taxation rate is one of the inequalities Ken saw, so he, in all his wisdom, gathered people who would fight against the system.
Of course, he did it in secret.
He didn’t care about anyone’s race or past.
Anyone who had the passion for equality and rebellion were welcome in his team.
They enjoyed free food and accommodation, though I sponsored a part of the expenses.
The people of Aedirn might be born with a rebellious streak, and thanks to that, his team grew quickly, to the point where Baron Tavik had to pay importance to them.

“The advent of Ken’s forces broke the balance of Aldersberg, which was made up of the baron’s troops, the people of Aldersberg, the Sparrow Triad, and the Mahakaman dwarves.
The baron, the moderate part of the balance, started negotiations with Ken.
It went well in the beginning, and almost everyone was happy with the outcome.
The taxes on peasants and merchants were lowered by one fifth.
I told Ken he should stop when he was ahead, but he wasn’t happy with the results.
After a while of peace, he started pressuring the baron again.
A good man’s fury can demolish the entirety of the Mahakam mountains —  that’s what I always say.
The baron was infuriated by Ken’s actions, and he issued a bounty on his head.”

Roy’s eyes shone at that point.
He could guess who that Ken character really was. 

“He came to me to escape the troops’ search.
As his friend, I took him in, of course.
I swear on Mahakam’s name, I hid him in the place with the most cover in the residence.”

Roy and Letho showed no change in their expressions, as if they knew nothing of what was to come.

“The cellar contains too much wine for the troops to search.
And I forbade them from opening the lids so my wine wouldn’t get spoiled.
Not desiring to cross the Mahakaman dwarves, the baron didn’t pursue the matter any further.
Of course, they hadn’t noticed that Ken was hiding in a barrel of sixty-year-old dwarven liquor.
Ken was safe.
Very safe.” Seville smiled bitterly.
“But I had forgotten one thing: Ken has never drunk even a drop of wine in his life.
He’s worse at drinking than a newborn.
When I went back to the barrel he was in, he’d fainted from the scent of the liquor.
Ken was lying in the liquor, his face red.
He looked like he was sleeping, but no matter what I did, he wouldn’t wake up.” Seville paused.
“H-He died.” Seville sat up and held Letho’s beefy hands.
He looked agitated, his heart threatening to burst forth from his chest.
“How ludicrous! Fate played a cruel joke on him! A wise man who’d never had any wine died in my wine cellar! I would dream of Ken every night.
He’d demand to know why I killed him with my wine.
I have let him down.”

Letho had an incredulous expression after learning about the whole matter from Seville.
The guy had never had a drop of liquor for as long as he’d lived, but he’d died in a barrel of liquor.
Ironic.

“I-I’m a bastard.
I deserve the nightmares.
I know I’ve let him down, but I didn’t kill him,” the dwarf muttered unintelligibly as tears streaked down his face.
He covered his face, bawling like a big child.
Roy’s lips twitched at the sight. 

“Alright.
We get the situation now.
Calm down, Mr.
Seville.
Come with us to the cellar.
If what you say is true, then the cellar is the place you fear the most.
If I’m right, the hym will most likely show its true form there.”

“Huh? C-Can I not go?” Seville hugged himself in fear.
He was in a dilemma.
Seville wanted to see the monster that had been haunting him for months, but he couldn’t overcome his fear.

Letho pretended to think about it for a moment.
“Alright.
You can wait for us outside the cellar.”

“H-Here’s the key.”