“……What? Peter is missing?”

The next day, Natasha heard the shocking news through Mrs. Sherry, the tavern owner.

“Yes, yesterday he didn’t show up for work without notice, so I thought the troublemaker must be drinking heavily somewhere again….. But the inquisitor came looking for him, saying there’s been no word since the day before yesterday. Really, where could he have gone? It doesn’t make sense that there are no witnesses!”

Suddenly, she remembered last night’s events. The uninvited visitor to her house seemed to be an inquisitor investigating the case. They must have come to ask about Peter’s disappearance.

“Anyway, seeing as Peter disappeared without a trace, it doesn’t seem like he ran away….. The inquisitors also think he may have fallen victim to thieves after money or something. Tisha, you be careful too. The world is too dangerous these days.”

“Yes, I understand. Don’t worry too much and get some rest. I’ll work extra hard today to cover Peter’s share.”

“Thank you for saying that, at least.”

Mrs. Sherry brought various snacks, telling her to eat while working. Despite Natasha’s polite refusal, her apron pocket ended up stuffed full of all sorts of candies and chocolates.

To deal with the bulging pocket, she opened and ate some snacks. A sweet apple-flavored candy stuck alternately to the roof of her mouth and tongue.

‘Peter’s disappearance, huh…’

Peter Sabrina was a mischievous young man who had been constantly bothering Natasha since her first day working at the tavern.

Dumping all sorts of odd jobs on her, the easy target, was the least of it. Even pinning his own mistakes on her was somewhat tolerable. At least until he confessed his love, saying he liked the quiet Tisha.

After being firmly rejected, he turned violent and started all sorts of harassment. Once he even tried to follow Natasha to her home. That day, she was too scared to go home and just wandered around the alley.

For Natasha, who had kept quiet not wanting to cause friction, the news of Peter was a bit sad, but not enough to make the whole day gloomy. She was only worried about the mopping she’d have to do in Peter’s place.

Really, sometimes she hated how excessively pessimistic she had become.

“Good work, Tisha. I’ve put in double for today, specially.”

“Thank you, madam.”

Her tired, haggard face brightened for a moment. With today’s double pay, she wouldn’t have to worry separately about carriage fare.

Just as she was about to go out, Natasha turned back in alarm. She reversed her steps and returned to the kitchen.

“I forgot to bring something, just a moment…!”

She didn’t even answer Mrs. Sherry, who asked what was wrong, and hid herself next to the chimney in the kitchen.

Soon after, the bell announcing entry to the tavern rang. A dull voice started to announce that business hours were over, then faded.

“As I told you before, Peter didn’t show up for work without notice the day before. I thought the troublemaker was skipping work on his own again, so I didn’t contact him. It would be more beneficial for the tavern to fire him anyway.”

The inquisitor taking notes eventually nodded as if satisfied. Mrs. Sherry, who had been very tense as if she were the culprit herself, subsequently relaxed.

“Are there any results yet?”

“No, we’re going to look into more villagers. Well, since no traces have been found, the investigation isn’t progressing. We have no choice but to narrow down suspects and interrogate them intensively.”

“Since it’s likely the work of thieves, I suppose you should try to identify suspicious individuals.”

“Yes, that’s right. Thank you for cooperating with the investigation.”

“I only did what I had to do. Still, he’s a child who’s worked here for a long time…”

Natasha, eavesdropping from behind, froze.

‘If they’re going to identify suspicious individuals…’

There was a high possibility that her forged ID would be discovered by the inquisitors who came to search. She might get caught up in unnecessary trouble and have all sorts of information revealed.

‘…I’ll say I lost my ID.’

First, she could confess that she lost her ID.

The inquisitors said they would come back to the tavern tomorrow to talk with the employees. There, Mrs. Sherry could vouch for her. If her identity and alibi were proven, she could escape the inquisitors’ investigation net.

‘Yes, it’ll be fine. It’s no big deal. No need to be too surprised.’

Suppressing her growing anxiety, she returned home.

And when she finally reached home after passing the hill.

“Ah…”

Her self-hypnosis became futile. The well-packaged anxiety jumped out of its place and knocked on the door.

A group of inquisitors was standing in front of her house.

This in itself wasn’t a problem, as it was already an anticipated situation.

‘Letius Royal Knights…’

The real trouble was that the investigator standing in front of the door belonged to the Royal Knights.

There was no way the high-and-mighty Royal Knights would move directly to find a young man who went missing in a small village.

Natasha, sensing the suspiciousness of the situation, took a step back. Her misstepped foot must have unfortunately stepped on fallen leaves, as a series of rustling noises escaped.

There was no way the capable knights wouldn’t notice this. They exchanged glances among themselves, finding Natasha, who had visibly stiffened, suspicious.

‘I can’t run away.’

Running away would only raise more suspicion. Wouldn’t she look like someone with something to hide, fleeing at the sight of them?

Natasha boldly stepped forward, pretending to be calm. Though she tensed under their scrutinizing gazes, she acted as if she had a destination in mind.

At that moment, one man who seemed to hold the highest position walked over. His white hair, which had been gently swaying in the breeze, came to an abrupt stop.

Then the knight politely asked.

“Please cooperate. Are you perhaps a resident of this village?”

“No, I’m just visiting a friend’s house.”

“At this late hour?”

“My friend had something to pass on. Do you have some business with me…?”

“No. Sorry to bother you late at night. Please be careful on your way.”

“You too are working hard at this late hour. Well then, farewell.”

Fortunately. Fortunately, she responded well without trembling.

Now, as explained, she just needed to safely arrive at the ‘friend’s house to visit late at night’.

That was the key.

‘Where… Where should I go?’

The alley was, of all places, at the farthest corner of the village. The back was a dead end, and there wasn’t much road left to pass in front.

In the end, she had to decide on a destination in front of them.

‘Should I make up an excuse that I took the wrong path?’

No.

Once suspicion was raised, excuses wouldn’t work. They might offer to escort her to her friend’s house. Then, it would truly be irreversible.

‘The road is ending soon, Natasha. You have to stop.’

With each step, it felt like her lifespan was being shaved off. She was repeatedly conscious of the Royal Knights’ gaze fiercely scanning her shadow and back.

‘But after stopping?’

The question folded without an answer. She stopped in front of a house as if entranced. The house two blocks away that had been empty until someone new moved in a few weeks ago, was it?

Natasha knocked on the door of a neighbor she had never met.

‘Will they be home?’

Would they be home at this hour? Wouldn’t they be sleeping?

‘Would they let in a stranger like me?’

Wouldn’t they just throw me out asking who I am?

Coincidentally, it’s right after an unfortunate incident occurred. The heightened sense of caution wouldn’t allow letting a suspicious person into one’s residence.

‘Please, at least open the door. I’ll explain somehow…!’

Natasha knocked on the door again to the unresponsive occupant.

Though it seemed the Royal Knights would find her suspicious, she couldn’t turn her head in time. Once eye contact was made, everything would be discovered. From the forged identity to her real identity.

That’s when it happened.

The closed door elegantly opened a crack. A large hand with protruding knuckles grabbed her waist and pulled her inside.

Soon after, the door closed. What then dominated Natasha’s vision was an unfamiliar interior.

For a newly moved-in house, it was neatly organized. With not a single piece of furniture, it was a scene that made one doubt if people really lived here.

She looked up and faced the unknown neighbor. Due to the dark interior, the neighbor’s appearance was only dimly visible. However, when the kind neighbor bowed their head, just as the clouds disappeared and the faint moonlight illuminated the two people.

“I was about to visit you soon anyway.”

“……”

“I’m honored that you came to see me first.”

Natasha encountered a familiar figure.

Eerie red eyes, hair shining brilliantly even under the night sky. A rugged impression, but an appearance exuding splendor and a sturdy physique hinting at status.

“You are……”

It was Sieghart Asthart.

The blood-red eyes thoroughly examined the woman. The coldly shining, sculpture-like face moved up and down repeatedly. Even that simple action, made elegant by the man’s bad taste, constricted Natasha’s breath.

Sieghart, she had fled far away to avoid that man. For a perfect escape, she had unhesitatingly plunged into challenges with little chance of success. Yet, the man’s appearance instantly nullified her grand plan.

Why on earth was this man here?

Why was he standing proudly in front of Tisha Winter, looking down at her?

As if he had expected her to come looking for him.