Chương 311: Chapter : 311

"But Mr. Carrion cared," Derek continued.

"He found me in an alley. He did not judge me. He took me to his estate. He gave me a warm bed. He gave me a job in his greenhouse. He treated me like a human being. He saved my life." Sayma pushed her thick glasses up.

"He sounds like a very generous master."

"He was the best," Derek nodded slowly.

"He loved his plants. He loved his research. He just wanted to cure diseases and help people. I spent every day with him in the garden. We talked about everything. I was not just his gardener. I was his confidant." Naomi crossed her arms. Her face softened.

"I am sorry for doubting you, Derek. But why did they kill him? What did he tell you?" Derek's face turned very grim. The sad smile vanished completely. He looked around the empty tavern as if someone might be listening through the walls.

"He was working on a miracle," Derek whispered.

"He discovered the Devil Flour. He figured out how to synthesize it. He created a cure for magical cancer."

"We know about the cure," Princess Iris said softly.

"We found his encrypted journal. We know the pharmaceutical companies wanted to bury the medicine to protect their profits." Derek shook his head.

"The medicine was only part of the problem. Mr. Carrion found something else. He found a massive, explosive truth. It scared him. It terrified him." Zinia stepped closer.

"What did he find?"

"He found out what the politicians were doing in the shadows," Derek revealed. His voice shook with fear.

"Mr. Carrion was secretly involved in refining the deadly Solurius radiation." The 13th Unit gasped. Luna's sleepy eyes snapped wide open. Ira stood perfectly still, but her pale eyes focused intensely on the old man.

"Solurius radiation?" Sayma asked. Her voice cracked slightly.

"The toxic waste? The same radiation that destroyed the border villages ten years ago?"

"Yes," Derek confirmed.

"The Upper Council claimed they banned the material. They lied. Corrupt politicians brought the raw Solurius back to the capital. They forced brilliant scientists to work on it in secret."

"And Mr. Carrion was one of those scientists?" Princess Iris asked. She felt sick to her stomach.

"They forced him," Derek cried softly.

"They threatened his life. They wanted him to figure out how to stabilize the radiation. They wanted him to weaponize it. Mr. Carrion hated it. He tried to sabotage the project from the inside. He tried to ruin their formulas." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Ken leaned against the wall. He did not look surprised. He had seen the mathematical equations in the secret lab. He knew someone was building a bomb.

Now he knew Carrion was forced to help them do it.

"He tried to stop them," Derek continued.

"He wanted to expose the entire conspiracy. He wanted to reveal the corrupt politicians and the pharmaceutical companies. But they found out. They knew he was going to betray them. So, they blew up his laboratory and silenced him forever." Naomi clenched her fists.

"That is absolutely disgusting. They forced a good man to build a weapon, and then they murdered him to keep the secret."

"We need proof," Sayma stated quickly. She pulled out her notebook and pen.

"Derek, we believe your story. But we cannot take a politician to trial based on a story. We need documented evidence of his involvement with the Solurius radiation." Derek reached a shaking hand into his patched-up brown coat. He fumbled around in the deep inside pocket.

"Mr. Carrion knew they were coming for him," Derek whispered.

"He came to the greenhouse on his final night. He looked terrified. He gave me something. He told me to run away and hide it. He told me to never show it to the police." He pulled a small object out of his coat. He set it carefully on the wooden table in front of Princess Iris. It was a small, leather-bound journal. It looked very similar to the one they had found in the hidden chamber. But this one was sealed with a complex, glowing red magical lock. Sayma gasped. She walked over and stared at the book.

"A second journal. His personal notes."

"Yes," Derek nodded.

"This contains his most private, dangerous research. It contains the names of the people who forced him to work on the radiation. It contains everything. It is highly encrypted. I could never open it." Sayma reached out and gently picked up the journal. She examined the glowing red lock. Her analytical mind instantly started working on the puzzle.

"It is a blood-seal cipher," Sayma muttered. She pushed her glasses up.

"It is incredibly advanced. But I can break it. I just need a few hours in a quiet room." Princess Iris looked at Derek. Her violet eyes shone with profound gratitude.

"You risked your life to bring this to us. You are incredibly brave, Derek. You honor Mr. Carrion's memory."

"I just want to see his killers face justice," Derek said softly. He gripped his wooden cane. He looked very tired.

"Please. Do not let his death be in vain."

"We will not fail you," Naomi promised. She gave the old gardener a firm, respectful nod.

"We will drag these people into the light."

Princess Iris looked at Derek. Her violet eyes were soft and kind. She offered him a warm smile.

"Thank you, Derek. You gave us the journal. You gave us the truth. You are very brave." Derek nodded with thankful eyes and slowly stood up. He grabbed his wooden cane. He took a step toward the back room of the tavern. He paused. He turned his head to look at the girls. A new thought crossed his tired face.

"Wait," Derek said softly.

"There is one more thing. I almost forgot." Naomi stepped forward. She rested her hands near her twin daggers. She did not look angry. She just looked focused.

"What is it? Did you remember another secret laboratory?"

"No," Derek shook his head.

"It is not a place. It is a person. Mr. Carrion had a romantic partner. Her name is Anny. She is a very beautiful woman. They were in a serious relationship for a very long time." Zinia raised an eyebrow. The tough earth magic user crossed her strong arms.

"A girlfriend? Did she work with him in the lab?"

"No, she is not a scientist," Derek explained. He leaned on his cane.

"She lives a very comfortable life. But Mr. Carrion spent a lot of time with her. He visited her apartment almost every single night. If he was scared during his final days, he might have talked to her. She might possess some intimate insight into his paranoid thoughts." Naomi immediately frowned. She shook her head. Her green eyes looked incredibly skeptical. She crossed her arms right back.