Ioan Pryde was certain from what had just happened.

She must not find out the depth of the ‘love’ in his love-hate for her. Hatred would be preferable.

She was already someone who had completely shaken up his life.

Even without knowing a fraction of what he had done for her, she still tried to hold his leash like an owner.

If she could try to wield him with just the tiny piece of sincerity he couldn’t hide, what would happen if he gave her the whole iceberg?

‘What on earth would happen?’

Hiding his ice-cold inner feelings, Ioan Pryde smiled gently.

“No, madam.”

“Please don’t dwell on it for long… Lord Pryde.”

They smiled at each other once more, raising the corners of their mouths.

It was an extremely noble and polite conversation, but neither of them meant it.

[This is the timeline separator]

The fourth day.

The blizzard finally stopped.

As soon as the blizzard ceased, Delphine, freed from Ioan, headed to the promised garden.

However, no matter how long she waited, Glasscock did not appear.

If she delayed any longer, Ioan might become suspicious.

Finally giving up and about to head back to the mansion, something caught Delphine’s eye.

A small, black object fallen in the bushes.

It had a square body with a transparent crystal embedded in the center.

‘…What is this?’

It was something she had never seen before. As Delphine was picking it up and examining it, the servants came running towards her in a hurry.

“Madam!”

It was a cry announcing Glasscock’s death.

[This is the timeline separator]

Glasscock was found next to Cally’s body, which had been left outside the mansion.

His own dagger was stuck in his heart.

Betty and Malcolm, who had been watching him, swore that he had never left his room.

However, the window of the guest room where he had stayed was locked from the inside.

The police were summoned immediately.

“Lord Pryde!”

The police officers who arrived at the mansion saluted Ioan respectfully before even finding the body.

“We received a report and came to investigate!”

“I see.”

He merely nodded.

Only then did the officers begin their investigation.

Shortly after, they found an envelope in Glasscock’s possession.

It was a short suicide note written in a hurried scrawl.

[That night, I had a minor argument with Miss Cally.

And at the end of the argument, in a fit of anger, I ended up killing her.

It was never my intention. Please forgive me.

Before the blizzard stops and my crime is all revealed, I’d rather choose an honorable death.]

There were several additional notes at the end asking to preserve his honor as a nobleman.

The investigation was concluded with disappointing speed.

The reason was that everyone had a perfect alibi.

“For the past two days, we’ve always been in groups of at least two!”

“That’s right. Ask everyone! We couldn’t possibly be the culprit.”

“The master and madam didn’t even step out of their chambers for safety! We were suspicious of that guy from the moment he suddenly arrived.”

“We knew all along that he had killed that red-haired woman.”

The servants testified one after another.

However, the officers who had saluted Ioan didn’t seem to have any intention of investigating the Earl and his wife in the first place.

Throughout the investigation, Delphine watched Ioan with a pale face.

He had returned to his usual gentle expression.

Was she being too sensitive if that appearance seemed like a lion returning from hunting its prey?

…She wasn’t sure.

Why did she keep having suspicious thoughts about him?

Delphine, who had been watching all those scenes in the yard, slowly moved her feet.

She headed towards the shed where the two bodies were placed, with weak, staggering steps.

There was no one inside the shed.

The two bodies, which had been roughly examined, were covered with white cloths.

The investigation was already in its final stages.

With trembling hands, Delphine lifted one of the cloths.

A pale, sleeping face appeared.

It was Cally.

“You didn’t happen to check those eyes after the Count died, did you?”

“For example, was there anything unusual about those eyes?”

“There was a common feature in those strange murder cases. They say all the corpses had their eyeballs dug out.”

Delphine reached out her trembling hand towards her cold face.

She didn’t know what was driving her actions now.

She only thought that even when you think you’ve reached your limit, there’s always something left at the bottom of human nature.

I can’t help it. I have to check.

Delphine, muttering prayers to God in her mind, put her hand on her closed eyes.

The cold touch of the corpse sent chills down her spine.

“Hic.”

An involuntary sob burst from her lips.

Delphine forcibly pulled open her eyelids.

Dead eyes.

Empty eyes lacking the subtle trembling of pupils that should be there.

Cally’s green eyes were fixed blankly on the void.

Delphine, suppressing her wildly bursting sobs, now reached for Glasscock’s eyes.

“…Mph.”

Were his eyes blue?

She couldn’t remember clearly as she hadn’t paid close attention.

However, Delphine would never be able to know what color his eyes were from now on.

Where his eyes should have been, there were only round, hollow holes.

Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of nausea, Delphine rushed out of the shed and dry-heaved.

“Madam!”

“My lady? Why are you in such a place…?”

“Oh, don’t come!”

Ioan, who was hurriedly approaching her, froze at her expression.

What expression am I making right now?

Delphine quickly bowed her head to prevent him from seeing her face.

“I’m, I’m just shocked. I’ll be fine after resting a bit.”

“Oh my. That’s understandable. Here, hold onto my shoulder, madam.”

Anna, with an expression of utmost concern, quickly supported her.

Delphine, with her head bowed, passed by Ioan who was frozen in place and returned to her chambers.

“Come, lie down quickly. I’ll help you change into comfortable clothes. What on earth is happening…”

As Anna busily undressed her, Delphine trembled, absently letting her body be moved.

The eyes are gone.

And only Glasscock’s.

Who did it?

Why on earth?

What’s the reason Cally has hers, but he doesn’t?

What connection does this have with the recent murder cases in the capital?

And why is she so… uneasy about Ioan?

“There. All done. Please lie down on the bed quickly. …Oh. By the way, my lady. What are you planning to do with that necklace?”

“Necklace?”

Delphine, suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, looked at Anna’s chubby face.

“That ruby necklace the woman tried to steal. Even if it’s an unpleasant item, it’s still valuable. I can’t believe you just left it on the table like that.”

Ah, that necklace…

Delphine blankly stared at the bedside table.

I was too uncomfortable to put it in the safe, so I just left it on the dressing table.

“You must be feeling uneasy about it. Shall I call for a jeweler?”

“Yes. I suppose we should.”

Delphine answered absent-mindedly as she picked up the necklace without thinking.

Did Cally really try to steal this necklace?

Next to the necklace was also the black object she had picked up in the garden.

Right. This was here too.

Delphine, still dazed from the shock, picked up the object with a blank expression.

It was an unfamiliar item.

Angular and square-shaped, with a crystal-like gem embedded in the center.

As she examined it closely, Delphine suddenly realized where she had seen a similar object before.

It closely resembled the Northern Continent item she had seen in the 2nd District council.

The one she had mistakenly thought emitted light when she touched it.

“The incredibly delicate craftsmanship and… the embedded crystal are just like it.”

Delphine muttered to herself as she held up the object to examine it.

When she pulled on something attached to the end of the object, a long wire-like thing came out.

It was truly a strange-looking object.

What could this possibly be used for?

As Delphine was inspecting the object, her fingertip touched the crystal.

At that moment.

The transparent crystal seemed to shimmer with a rainbow of colors.

Crackle−.

An unfamiliar sound burst from the black object.

Delphine was so startled she dropped the object.

“Young miss. What are you doing? Why aren’t you lying down?”

“…”

Before Delphine could answer Anna, she quickly picked up the dropped object again.

As she placed her trembling hand on the crystal, a crackling sound came from the holes in the black object again−.

[“…Glasscock Duke. Are you there?”]

A low, calm voice flowed out of the black object.

“Oh my goodness! J-just now! A man’s voice came from there!”

“…Anna.”

Delphine quickly called out to Anna.

Through recent events, she was developing a habit of becoming calmer in urgent situations.

“Keep watch outside the door. Signal me if Ioan comes.”

“Young miss! What are you up to again…!”

“Anna.”

Delphine called her name loudly, with an irresistible air of authority.

Anna stomped her feet anxiously, then reluctantly ran out of the room.

“I swear I won’t live out my years because of you, young miss…!”

Delphine, still touching the crystal, whispered into the black object.

“He’s dead.”

There was no response from the black object.

Ioan could appear suddenly at any moment.

Unable to contain her impatience, Delphine whispered into the black object again.

“He, Ioan might come. There’s no time.”

Has the connection been lost?

Just as she thought that, the voice answered.

[“…Lady Pryde?”] [This is the timeline separator]