I quickly shook my head to erase the strange idea. Raven, relieved by the side, seemed happy with the outcome.

“But… did those scoundrels really conduct the Perdiac experiment?”

“Yeah. Why are you asking again?”

Revampelle casually replied and stood up.

“If it’s confirmed that they’ve conducted the Perdiac experiment with children for decades, then if similar charges are suspected…”

“I understand. In that case, I’ll willingly go along.”

Raven’s quick judgment seemed to please Revampelle, who mumbled ‘Good’ while nodding.
“Until everything becomes clear, you should stay in this carriage for now.”

“……Yes.”

“Since Clint will be guarding the carriage, it’s better not to do anything foolish.”

“There won’t be any such thing.”

Only after hearing Raven’s firm response did Revampelle step out of the carriage. Jaerim and Clint followed, and I was about to follow suit when I turned to glance at Raven.

Raven was staring intently at the crumpled paper, as if piercing through the drawn figure of the man. Truly, with a look as if he were about to kill.

“He’s an assassin.”

Raven, who kept his gaze fixed on the lively eyes of the man in the montages, raised his head. It seemed like an illusion that the madness emanating from the eyes of the assassin was filling Raven’s pupils.

“What are you going to do when you meet him?”

“Isn’t the answer already decided?”

Raven slowly lifted the corners of his mouth. The slow movements sent shivers down my spine.

“I’ll kill him.”

Raven laughed, imagining that day.

“I’ll make him suffer more than anyone.”

“How? The opponent will naturally have a sword.”

“That’s right. Because he’s an assassin.”

Smiling, Raven lowered his head again, meeting the gaze of the man in the montages.

“It’s okay. Once this guy dies and disappears, my goal will vanish anyway.”

Raven left incomprehensible words and closed his mouth.

While watching Raven, I turned around and left the carriage.

We couldn’t stop since we couldn’t afford to wait while Raven confirmed the truth of his words.

Although we were getting closer to the palace, Raven didn’t rush.

Since hearing about the misdeeds committed by the scoundrels, he didn’t want to be associated with them, so he requested a thorough investigation.

And after a detailed confirmation.

Raven’s words were proven to be true.

After leaving the family, he had been searching for the assassin who killed his brother and ended up here.

‘…Then why did he lie that he doesn’t remember the assassin who killed his brother when he was so young?’

If he were a child, the desire to catch the person who killed his brother would have been dominant. Or perhaps he genuinely didn’t remember back then, and he remembered as he grew up?

‘Is that possible?’

Then I also want to recall the forgotten memories from my childhood. Memories with my mom.

Since all of Raven’s words were confirmed to be true, we decided to release him.

When we opened the carriage door, Raven, who had been confined for a while, came out. He looked very well, as he had been treated for his injuries and received food without any special movements.

“All is more comfortable now that there’s no need to guard the front of the carriage.”

Jaerim patted him lightly on the shoulder, making small talk. Raven, who had been getting off the carriage, tilted his head sharply.

“Wasn’t it Viscount Tenen who was guarding my carriage?”
“Hey. Naturally, I told them in a way that makes it impossible for you to even think about running away. Viscount Tenen is the Empress’s escort, and such an important force cannot be assigned just to guard a carriage.”

“If you knew that Jaerim was guarding, you should’ve tried to escape.”

Raven approached, exchanging light banter with Jaerim. Raven’s face in front of Revampelle changed fiercely.

Someone who can effortlessly switch from laughing to fierceness. Which side was the real mask?

“Where are those bastards?”

After a light gesture to the left, Revampelle walked, and Raven followed. The place Raven followed was the very end of the carriage procession.

As we reached there, the faces of the remnants appeared.

They were lying on the ground, bodies bound with ropes, surrounded by elite knights.

Walking barefoot at the speed of the horse, their feet were swollen and bleeding. Some of them had fallen, and their clothes were torn with wounds all over.

But even after seeing them in such a state, there was no feeling of pity or sympathy. What they had done to children for decades was beyond forgiving.

“Wake them up.”

Revampelle casually ordered, looking at the exhausted remnants. The knight nodded and took out a water jug. Then, he made a hole in the bottom of the jug. Wondering what he was doing, the knight threw the jug to them. It was barely a sip of water left in the jug.

Even that would soon drain through the hole.

“Water… Water, it’s water…”

Seeing the water, the fallen ones staggered to their feet. And they began punching each other.

“Move! It’s mine!”

“Give it to me! You drank last time!”

“What’s wrong with the strongest guy drinking! Get lost! Give it to me!”

As they fought, the water jug shook violently, and water poured down. Eventually, when there was not a drop of water left due to the hole, they moaned, licking the wet ground in agony.

“Oh my… Water! Please let us drink water! Please!”

“Just a sip…! Please! Please give us water!”

“We still gave water and food to the children! Damn it!”

Amidst the noisy shouting, Revampelle frowned. The knights who noticed the subtle change quickly subdued the remnants and covered their mouths with their palms.

“They still don’t seem to realize what they did wrong.”

“Ugh!”

“Well, realizing what they did wrong wouldn’t change anything.”

Revampelle ordered the knight with a stern expression.

“Do not give them water for the time being.”

“But if we don’t give water due to exhaustion, many more will fall, and the pace will slow down.”

“Connect the ropes to the carriage. Even if they fall, the carriage will pull them. Just think about that until we arrive at the palace, as long as they don’t die.”

“Yes, understood.”
A sense of fear crept over the faces of the remnants. Revampelle reached out towards Raven. Raven handed the crumpled paper to Revampelle.

Revampelle placed a jug full of water on the ground in front of the remnants, showing the contents of the paper.

“Does anyone know this person?”

A man, swallowing dry spit, raised his hand as he gazed at the jug full of water. Revampelle gestured, and a knight released the hand that was blocking the man’s mouth. The man, who had been holding his breath, breathed out heavily and shouted in a hoarse voice.

“He was with us until not long ago! … Yes.”

Raven clenched his fist as if he were about to run forward immediately. If Clint hadn’t restrained him, he might have grabbed the author’s collar and shouted.

Revampelle folded the paper and handed it back to Raven.

“Where is he now?”

“I went out to greet that person! … Yes.”

“That person?”

Revampelle’s eyes subtly furrowed. The man, still fixated on the jug full of water, gasped for air without realizing the change.

“He is the precursor to a brilliant future and the savior who will save this continent!”

The man sang praises, chuckling.

“Lord Gennerva.”

As soon as the name came out of the man’s mouth, Revampelle swept the jug off the ground. The jug toppled, pouring water all over the ground.

“No!! My water!!”

Simultaneously, the man wailed.