Atticus [BL]
Chapter 22 Leslie’s Death

Chapter 22: 22 Leslie’s Death

[Warning: This Chapter contains sensitive content, including slight gore. Reader discretion is advised.]

***

The news of Leslie’s death instantly spread in the small village of Cerefina, causing panic and fear to the villagers. The village was a peaceful place with no reports of crime. Who would have thought their peace would be disturbed?

Elwin and Nerys were on their way to return the bonnet to Leslie. To help Nerys conceal his long, pointy ears whenever they went outside, Elwin had crocheted an earflap hat for him.

Upon arriving, they noticed a crowd of villagers gathered around Leslie’s house, where she lived with her grandmother.

"What’s happening...?" Elwin asked in confusion.

"The girl’s already dead," Nerys replied in a low, heavy voice to answer his question.

"What...?"

Elwin recalled Nerys mentioning it last time, but he hadn’t given it much thought.

Actually, he had forgotten about it.

"Elwin, wait!" Nerys tried to stop Elwin when he quickly ran from his side towards the crowd.

Elwin rushed toward the house, squeezing through the crowd until he reached the front. His eyes immediately landed on a man and a woman standing by the closed door. It was clear they weren’t from the village, but Elwin couldn’t care less whether they were members of the Sanction or not.

"What happened here?" he asked the two, "Where’s granny Gisella and Leslie?"

Molly and Abel, who accompanied the Deacon to check on the scene, looked at Elwin before their eyes went down to the bonnet that Elwin was holding.

"Who are you?" Molly asked.

"Elwin, I’m a friend...this is...this is Leslie’s bonnet I borrowed the other day," Elwin answered candidly, his heart beating so fast that his words almost trembled when he spoke.

"Why would you borrow a bonnet? Do you— ugh!" Abel asked suspiciously, but Molly elbowed him.

"Sorry to break it to you, boy, but Leslie is dead." Molly said with a hint of regret in her voice, "I guess you can just keep that bonnet as a memento from her."

Ewlin stared at them in shock, unable to grasp what he had heard.

"But... who would even do such a thing to her?" he muttered, his trembling hand clutching the bonnet he was holding.

Leslie was a good girl—gentle, kind, and a devoted granddaughter. He was certain she had no enemies who would wish her dead.

The two members of the Sanction watched him with sympathy.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Deacon Frantz emerged alongside the village leader. As Elwin caught a glimpse inside, his suddenly eyes dilated in sheer horror.

"...L-Leslie!" he gasped, stepping back in fright as the bonnet slipped from his grasp.

Inside the house, Leslie’s lifeless body hung upside down, pinned to the wall. Her arms and legs were splayed wide, each limb nailed firmly in place. A deep gash split her stomach open, allowing her intestines to spill out and drape grotesquely across her chest. Thick, dark blood trickled into her bulging eyes, staining them a horrifying shade of red. Even her private parts bled—a harrowing sign that she had likely been violated as well.

Next to her pinned body were phallic symbols drawn using her blood, like a child’s drawing using their fingers.

"Dear god...! Uggh...!"

A few of the villagers caught sight of the grotesque scene as well and immediately vomited.

The gruesome and chilling sight made Elwin’s knees turn weak, although he did not vomit, he almost fell to his knees, but a pair of arms immediately caught his trembling body.

"Be careful, young man."

The man who caught Elwin helped him to his feet before he picked up the bonnet on the ground and handed it over to him.

"I believe this is yours,"

Still not able to process what he had witnessed, Elwin stared at Leslie’s bonnet that was handed in front of him in a daze before he reached for it.

"Th—"

"Atticus, what are you doing?"

Upon hearing the name, Elwin quickly raised his head and glanced at the man who helped him. His breathing hitched the moment he laid his eyes on the man.

A pale, white-haired man with scarlet red eyes smiled at him and tapped his shoulder. Elwin froze on his feet as he dazedly stared at the man’s face.

I thought that was Atticus for an instant...!

Elwin had completely forgotten about Leslie’s horrifying death. His mind instantly wandered, staring at the white-haired man in front of him.

Why does he look like Atticus?

What’s happening?

The white-haired man ruffled his fluffy, ginger hair, "Your hair looks delicious." he remarked before he turned and walked towards Deacon Frantz, leaving him in complete perplexity.

"We already sent someone to call for the city police officials and forensic teams to handle the body and for further examination." Deacon Frantz stated after the white-haired man arrived beside him.

Deacon Frantz then turned to the village leader, "Please, will you accompany me to the Lord’s Manor to deliver the bad news?"

"C-certainly sir! How could we have forgotten to inform the Young Master right away!" replied the village leader in complete shock.

The village leader, an old man with an amiable face, looked guilty. Frantz stared at the village leader’s face, unable to believe that despite his gentle demeanor, he was able to hold a proper conversation after seeing the grotesque scene inside the house.

"I... I’ll come with you! I’m a friend of the Young Master!"

Deacon Frantz and the village leader turned to look at Elwin who suddenly appeared and intervened in their conversation.

"Elwin! Yes, of course. Will you accompany the Deacon to the Young Master’s estate? I need to be present here when the city police official arrives." The village leader cried in relief.

Deacon Frantz took a short glance at Elwin before he looked in the direction of Molly and Abel, "Accompany the village leader here before returning to the Chapel."

"Yes, Deacon." immediately answered the two.

Frantz then gave a subtle nod to the village leader before he turned to Elwin again, "We need to hurry."

"Yes..."

However, before Elwin could take a step, someone suddenly grabbed his hand and held it tight.

"I’ll come with you,"

"N-Nerys? I’m sorry I have forgotten about you..."

Nerys, who suddenly appeared, stared intently at Elwin, his grasp on Elwin’s hand firm. He was still wearing the Earflap hat that Elwin crocheted for him. It perfectly hid his long, pointed ears.

"It’s alright. Quick, we need to hurry to the Young Master’s estate." Nerys said and dragged Elwin.

"Hold on, Nerys that’s not the right direction..." Elwin stopped Nerys before glancing back at the Deacon and the white-haired, "Nerys will be coming with us, too."

The white-haired man smiled in amusement, his scarlet-red eyes scanning Nerys, who kept his gaze fixed on Elwin and, for some reason, refused to look his way. Elwin could feel Nerys’ body trembling and the tightening grip on his hand.

"Is he your friend?" The white-haired man asked Elwin.