You want to apologize for intruding into the cabin and get to the bottom of what is happening.

You are about to start saying words of apology. After all, you entered someone else’s cabin without the owner’s permission. Then, you're going to carefully figure out what exactly Cornelius is doing now.

However, your intentions were not destined to come true.

The reason for this is that something extraordinary has happened.

Cornelius shouts out only a few words: “Sorry... I must...”

All you have time to do is think in fear: “What the hell?!” Something strange and frightening is happening here..."

Subsequent events occur extremely quickly - in a matter of moments.

The old man runs very quickly to the central part of the cabin. You notice a scarlet colored gem in his right hand. Cornelius almost manages to reach the strange structure in the central part of the cabin. His hand reaches up. After a couple of moments, the gem will approach the hole at the top of the device.

You take a quick reflex action that radically changes the situation.

The fingers of your right hand grasp the hilt of your thin elven dagger. You quickly grab this weapon from its sheath. And you throw a dagger. The dagger takes flight.

Only fractions of a second pass.

The sharp blade of the dagger cuts Cornelius's flesh. Two severed fingers of the unfortunate human merchant's right hand fall to the wooden floor. A scarlet colored gem also falls onto this floor. Blood oozes from the stumps of the fingers.

There is another consequence of your action due to the fact that the flight path of the dagger was not exactly horizontal, but had a diagonal direction from bottom to top.

This consequence is that the point of the dagger pierced the left eye socket of Cornelius. Mucus and blood ooze profusely from this eye socket. Cornelius Oberkap's body fell down, hitting one of the small chairs.

You look intently into the face of this old human. Glazed and lifeless look in the right eye. Streams of blood that flood the left side of the face. The hilt of your dagger, which rises above the left eye socket. You realize that your dagger has pierced the brain of this human.

So, you killed this human. You killed Cornelius Oberkap. You are a murderer. A murderer who killed a defenseless person because of some vague feelings and incomprehensible unfounded fears.

It just seemed to you that Cornelius’ actions might somehow threaten you. His incomprehensible phrases made you suspicious... Your intuition gave you a feeling of potential danger. You didn't think twice. You did not try to resolve the misunderstanding diplomatically. You did not try to influence Cornelius by threatening ****.

No.

You just killed him.

You killed a person who didn't even have a weapon in her hands.

But you had a weapon.

Right now, your mind is experiencing a chaotic collision of panicked thoughts, remorse, and hysterical emotions.

You look at the corpse, which lies on the wooden floor of the cabin.

Another thought arises in your mind: "If the captain of the ship finds out about what happened, then he can simply report my crime to the city guard of the elven city of Tior-Faen! I will be immediately arrested at the port! I could be executed! I don't want to die!"

You begin to take frantically fast actions. You approach the lifeless body and you pull your thin elven dagger out of its eye socket. You wipe the blood from the silver blade on Cornelius's clothes. You pick up the corpse and you drag the corpse towards the bed. You manage to drag the corpse onto the bed. You cover the corpse with a blanket so that the ugly wound is not visible. You collect human finger stubs and you hide them inside Cornelius' backpack.

You leave Cornelius's cabin, closing the door behind you.

You think: “I need to leave the ship early in the morning! As soon as the ship arrives at the port of Tior-Faen! I only have a chance in this case. Cornelius always loved to sleep and did not wake up too early... I hope that his corpse will be discovered only when I manage to hide on the streets of the city..."

You walk down the corridor, limping slightly. The pain in your wounds is quite sensitive, but you try not to make any sounds that might attract unwanted attention to you.

You quickly return to your cabin.

While you were away, none of your companions woke up. Oolok lies on the bed and makes a long snore. Franz moans slightly in his sleep.

You lie down on your bed. You close your eyes. But instead of sleep, the thought persistently pulsates in your mind: “I have to get up early in the morning! As soon as possible! And I need to wake up Oolok and Franz right away..."

For many hours you lie in bed and you cannot sleep even for a short moment. It is likely that the tragic event that occurred had a significant impact on your well-being and peace of mind.

Time passes. The minutes drag on one after another.

You think with fear: “I would like to leave this ship as soon as possible!”

After a tedious wait of many hours, you hear the sounds of sailors' voices.

You listen.

"Soon the ship will be moored to the pier! Act quickly, guys!" - you understand that this is the voice of Malcolm, the captain's assistant.

The sounds of rapid footsteps of a group of persons along the corridor near the cabin. Probably several sailors are rushing to the deck.