"Generally speaking, if the heart is forcibly dug out, the blood vessels connected to it, especially the nearby large arteries, will rupture and cause a large amount of blood to gush out." Mr. Murray further analyzed, "However, the strange thing is that the surrounding blood vessels are almost not affected by the effect of blood pressure, except for the disconnection from the heart."

"What's going on?" Elena then asked.

"I don't know yet." Mr. Murray spread his hands helplessly, "It's really hard to explain."

He hadn't seen such a death, at least so far.

"You're not bad at all." Officer Christopher said, "We think so too. That's why I wondered if there was something that could make the body's blood clot in advance?"

"Wouldn't that be a blood clot?" Elena said.

"yes, but I can't think of any other way. Unless the heart is dug out after a person has died." Officer Christopher continued, "If the person is dead, the heart stops and the blood around the body stops, so even if the organ is harvested, there should be no heavy bleeding."

"However, the state of this wound is obviously not what it was caused after death." Mr. Murray explained, "When a person dies, the body gradually begins to stiffen. After a certain amount of time, it will soften again. Unless it has just been cut off, the muscles and tissues of the body are still active, so that such marks can be caused. However, if this is the case, then the blood in the veins should not have lost its fluidity at that time, and it is still impossible to avoid the loss of blood, which causes the phenomenon in front of us."

The wound on the deceased's chest looks like it was inflicted before his death. However, the blood in the nearby blood vessels did not lose much.

Is it really possible to remove a heart from a living person without causing massive bleeding?

"In this way, the cause of death is indeed a little strange." Elena finally understood their confusion, "In this way, you can't do it before you die, and you can't do it after death?"

"It's hard in every way. However, if a solution to the problem can be found, the cause of death can be revealed." Mr. Murray concluded.

"So, apart from the method of heart-splitting, what other might have caused this lady's death?" Elena asked again, "The drowning and poisoning you just mentioned have been ruled out, right?"

"That's right."

"Is there any other possibility?"

"I don't know yet." Mr. Murray shrugged, "If it were so easy to figure out, of course the case would be simple. The police don't have to work so hard, do they?"

"Yes, it's because it's bizarre that it's more nerve-wracking." "And there's been more than one case like this recently."

"What?!" Hearing this, Mr. Murray was a little shocked, and his expression instantly became more serious, "Are you saying that this kind of thing has happened more than once?"

"Yes." Officer Christopher replied earnestly, "Counting this, there are already three corpses, all of which have had their hearts removed."

"Is it all recent?"

"Hmm...... To be precise, the first case took place fourteen days ago, and the second one seven days ago."

"Where were the first two?"

"It's also at the water's edge, and it's in a similar state like this."

"Isn't it...... Is it a serial murder?" Elena asked.

"Well, generally speaking, it's very likely." Officer Christopher replied, "After all, we didn't release the details of the deceased after the body was found. But the three times the technique is almost identical."

In other words, apart from the police, only the killer knew how he committed the murder - in fact, even the police officers have not yet figured out the exact cause of death.

In short, it should be unlikely that the crime of imitation is committed.

Mr. Murray inquired again about the details of the previous two cases.

Because Bella and her party had other things, they didn't delay for too long.

They said goodbye to Officer Christopher and walked across the Seine through the stone bridge next to them.

According to the address written on the envelope, they were able to find Mr. Pickle's old friend.

Mr. Minore Federico is a collector who, in addition to collecting books and manuscripts, also has many paintings, sculptures and other works of art.

Knowing that Mr. Pickel had introduced him, he entertained the three guests with great hospitality. And invited them to visit their own collection.

"So, you're looking for Gilles de Les' manuscript?" Mr. Federik asked after reading the letter.

"If there is, it would be better." Bella replied.

"Well, that's not a coincidence." "That manuscript has recently gone missing," said Mr. Federico.

"Huh? Missing?" Elena seemed to hear something interesting again, "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm sure you've heard of Gilles de Les's identity, right?"

"Hmm." Elena nodded, "He was an adjutant who followed the Holy Maiden during the Hundred Years' War, right?"

"That's right." "In that year, the 'Holy Lady of Orleans' was burned at the stake in Rouen because of the betrayal of the French and the persecution of the English Church. What was the mood of Gilles de Les at that time, I'm afraid no one can understand. But from what he did afterwards, it can be seen that his obsession with that 'holy woman' has almost reached the point of madness."

"I heard that he was finally convicted of child murder and burned at the stake?"

"Yes, because he tried to use the lives of more than 300 children to resurrect that unfortunate girl."

"That's cruel, isn't it? And, can it really be done?"

"You should know about alchemy, right?" Mr. Federik asked.

"Of course." Elena was born into a family of alchemists.

"Then you must also know that the so-called alchemy is actually 'equivalent exchange'." "To get a result, you have to pay the same or even more price," Mr. Federico said.

"That's true. But it has to be within a balanced system to achieve this, right?" Elena said.

"Looks like you're more professional." Monsieur Federico gave him an approving look, "Not to the Medici family."

"Where, where." Elena is still more modest, "I only know a little about the fur."

"Just because it is within the system, certain laws must be followed, and this is the alchemy of 'normal'." "But what Gilles de Les wants to do is bring the dead back to life," said Mr. Federique.

"But 'resurrecting the dead' is an act of rebellion against the laws of nature, right? It's not just an equivalent exchange."

"That's why it's called black magic!"

"I guess I understand." Elena nodded thoughtfully, "He wants to forcibly break the laws of normalcy at a great cost."

"In principle, that's pretty much it. He wants to exchange the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of children for the saint who died in the flames."

"Since it's a law, it won't be so easy to break, right? It's not just a matter of numbers."

"Yes, if you do it forcibly, it will only invite disaster."

And Gilles de Les finally paid the price for his actions.

"Excuse me." Mr. Murray spoke, "The two of you seem to have a good understanding of alchemy, black magic, and so on. However, I'm a little curious."

Mr. Murray's keen instincts seemed to sense something.

"Please." Mr. Federik said.

"What does he want so many children to do?" Murray asked, "Despite what the two of you just said about 'equivalent substitution,' I can probably understand a little bit. But how?"

In fact, Bella also wanted to know about this question, but Murray was the first to bring it up.

"Well...... There are many theories." Mr. Federico thought for a moment, then continued, "According to the manuscript, the man at the time, that is, Gilles de Les, decided to take a more 'safe' approach, which was to gouge out the heart from the child's living body as a tribute to activate the magic circle."

"Heart-ripping?!" Mr. Murray's hunch seemed to be coming true.

"Yes. Not only that, but in order to maintain the freshness of his heart, he also had to try to get as much "childlike innocence" as possible in the short time before chanting. Therefore, he also invented a way that he claimed to be very 'quick and effective', and even allowed the other person to "obediently give his life for the Holy Maiden" without feeling pain or bleeding." Mr. Federico's words were somewhat sensational, but they did not seem like nonsense.

"Is there a description of how that method works in the manuscript?" Mr. Murray asked with a serious expression.

This surprised Mr. Federico for a moment.

Mr. Murray also realized that he had asked too much, so he explained a little what had happened when he came.

"I see." Mr. Federico frowned, "To be honest, I didn't look at that manuscript too closely. However, I have the impression that the corresponding method has been mentioned. But it's something I can't understand."

"I don't understand?" Elena asked, "Can't even you read it?"

"Well, it's not that it's any strange symbols, it's that it's too subtle." Mr. Federico replied, "What kind of purity, gift...... It's just words that don't understand."

"This ......"

"Because I didn't specialize in this, I didn't really care." Mr. Federik felt a little ashamed, "Damn, there are people who use this method to commit crimes!"

"You don't have to blame yourself." Mr. Murray reassured, "That may not be the case. For now, this is just speculation on our part."

"But who else but that manuscript? In what way? Learn such a cruel method!" Mr. Federico's emotions were slightly agitated, "If it was through other channels, it would be even more terrifying, wouldn't it? It's the second Gilles de Les!"