“Yes!”

“Oh, I almost forgot. When you talk to the magician, be sure to ask about this.”

“This is…?”

What I handed over was a paper with the red emblem that often caused the zombies’ transformation, a problem I faced.

“This red emblem seems to appear when the culprit uses magic. Just like how magicians each have slightly different magic circles or unique colors of magical power, I wondered if magicians could distinguish people with these magical symbols.”
This was also information that Zero had shared with me. Magic circles, magical power, and spell circles could become unique codes for identifying people.

So, I carefully kept the red emblem drawing he had made. It seemed like information that could be helpful during this quest.

Sherry and Jacqueline cautiously accepted the emblem drawing I presented.

“We’ll do our best to gather information specifically about the culprit.”

“Count me in too!”

“Sure. Just don’t overdo it.”

“Yes!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A few days later, surprisingly, a magician from Quina sent a letter stating that they would come to Agatha directly, rather than through video communication.

I was surprised when I heard the words from the local lord who delivered the news to me.

“Why would they go that far…?”

Well, it could be just the stubbornness of a quirky old man… However, he claimed that it was urgent to come here. Even though he tried to escape, thinking I was persecuting him to find the Quina magician, he leaked information about zombies and suddenly changed his attitude. He insists that Your Grace must go there.

“…Do you see anything suspicious?”

Maybe it’s a trap set by the culprit.

I asked in anxiety, and the lord shook his head.

Not at all. He wasn’t mentally unstable, and after investigating his background, his behavior was clean. It wasn’t someone who had come from Quina to do something illegal. He was a person who had genuinely come to travel to this country.

“In that case… it should be okay. I welcome him to use the gate and come here comfortably.”

The lord’s expression brightened at my words.

Thank you! Um, as promised…?

“The first right to use the warp gate will be yours. If the magician from Quina safely arrives as a guest at my mansion, that is.”

Thank you!

The joyful lord, as if about to jump, glanced at me and whispered.

Um… I didn’t mean to upset you, I just wanted to convey my sincerity…

‘He’s saying something he doesn’t really mean.’

I responded with a soft business-like smile.

“Of course. His Highness the Second Prince would also appreciate your efforts when he hears the news.”

Th-thank you. Duke!

As soon as the video communication ended, fatigue overwhelmed me.

“Hmm…”

‘Without Zero chattering by my side, it’s a bit boring.’

The atmosphere in the mansion changed after the small hamster disappeared.

People in the kitchen, who used to admire the cute hamster version of Zero, seemed a bit gloomy.

Even though I explained that Zero had temporarily gone up to the divine realm, they still felt sad, saying, ‘You’re leaving without bringing a single dessert….’ I didn’t know when their unique bond had silently become strong.
The head chef promised to prepare a three-tier cake with all his might to welcome Zero’s return until Zero arrived. The sincerity was tremendous. The mini three-tier cake prepared exclusively for Zero had already surpassed double digits.

Party members also casually asked me where Zero was when passing by. Among them, Benedict asked frequently. According to him, the spirits were pestering him, asking where the small and cute god had gone, and he couldn’t sleep. Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, it seemed irritating.

‘If Zero were here right now, he would have cursed those annoying creatures like little pests.’

I used to think it was noisy when he was here. Seeing how empty it felt now, Zero seemed to be a more precious existence than I had thought.

Even though he was the mastermind who brought me here and a deceptive character who handed out quests, I still missed him.

“Mmm. Don’t weaken!”

‘Until Zero arrives, I need to resolve the quest.’

It was when I was about to leave the room after patting my cheeks.

Knock, knock.

‘Hmm? Who is it?’

Curiosity struck as I heard a sound from outside.

“It’s me. Your Grace. Sienna.”

A soft and gentle voice.

A voice gathered with only delicate and lovely things from the world made me shiver.

‘Crazy… Could he have heard everything?’

Since when has he been here?

“May I come in? Your Grace. I’d like to see you. I have something to say…”

What does he want to say?

In the video communication, I mentioned calling a magician. Is he confirming that?

Does the hungry Sienna want to devour that magician?

‘No, he wouldn’t try to harm me before that, right?’

Knock, knock. The sound of knocking on the door echoed again.

“Your Grace? I saw that you were inside…”

Why don’t you open it?

If the coaxing tone indicates that the air is tense, is it just my delusion or paranoia?