Kisa’s mind went blank.

Seierd was a murderer? He killed someone with Cobi? And it was his own brother?

Even as she understood the meaning of the words that had just come out of that man’s mouth, she couldn’t understand it at all.

“What in the world are you talking about, sir?”

At that moment, the words uttered by Count Seodor brought her mind back to reality.

“Duke Hillan could not have done such a thing. Well, it’s not my place to say, but to think there are still people spreading such false rumors. Don’t ever say such things in front of me again.”

He criticized his attendant, who called himself Monk Emil, in a rather theatrical tone.

Looking at the unfolding situation, it was clear that they were all in on it together, but what kind of trick was this again?

As Kisa looked at him with such suspicion, the Count cleared his throat and stroked his beard.

“But, well… Daniel, this person too, it seems like both of them have something personal to say to Lady Ranspelt, so how about having a conversation with them now?”

“Pardon?”

“I will leave you alone so you can talk freely. There’s a balcony over there, so I’ll go out and smoke a cigarette.”

“Count.”

Count Seodor ignored Kisa’s call and quickly moved his steps to the balcony.

Seeing his back, Kisa could vaguely guess the Count’s intentions.

‘He’s going to pretend he has nothing to do with it.’

It was nothing more than a futile excuse, but he seemed to want to make it clear that he was officially unrelated to what the other two were about to say from now on.

“He’s an uncle who’s more timid than he looks.”

Daniel shrugged his shoulders and took the seat that had originally been the Count’s.

Then, looking at Kisa who was standing awkwardly in front of his chair, he nodded his head.

“Come on, sit down. How long are you going to stand like that?”

Kisa ignored Daniel’s words again and looked at the man kneeling on the floor.

“Are you… really Monk Emil?”

The man quietly nodded his head.

“Honestly, it’s hard to believe. Count Seodor, until just recently, was someone who claimed that Seierd murdered the former Duke, and Daniel Rowens over there also holds a considerable grudge, thinking that I was taken away by him.”

Kisa continued, trying to maintain her composure as much as possible.

“The fact that you appeared with those two is suspicious from the start. They might be preparing a fake witness to slander Seierd, for all I know.”

“Slander? No way. I came here to save you from danger, Kisa.”

Daniel tried to interrupt the conversation with nonsense, but Kisa didn’t even acknowledge him.

“Ah, well. That’s…”

The gaunt-faced man clearly showed his embarrassment at Kisa’s point.

“I really am Emil. How can I prove this… Should I show you a notebook with my name on it?”

Damn it, Kisa bit her lip, swallowing an unfamiliar curse.

If the man had shown perfect evidence as if daring her to see it, it would have been even harder to believe.

His clumsy attitude seemed to reveal sincerity, and it cast a shadow over her heart.

“Or you can check with Pavella Monastery right away. They will probably tell you that I am currently out due to an urgent family matter.”

“……”

Kisa couldn’t make any reply.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Daniel looked down at Monk Emil and urged him.

“Come on, it’s better to tell the story quickly. Monk Emil. What exactly happened in the past? What did you witness?”

“Ah, yes.”

At Daniel’s urging, the man carefully opened his mouth.

“It was more than a year ago from now. It was about two months before Duke Hillan lost his life. At that time…”

Kisa could hear the sound of the monk swallowing his dry saliva, showing how tense he was.

Kisa listened to his words with a feeling of wanting to run away somewhere, but with her feet stuck in place.

It was a story that was short if short and long if long.

“Come quickly. Please come quickly.”

Emil, who was hiding behind a pile of firewood in a crouched posture, muttered to himself.

His legs were numb, and his nose had long lost its sense of smell due to the foul odor.

How long did he have to stay like this? The young monk let out a deep sigh.

This was one of the most remote places in Pavella Monastery and also a place that the monks avoided the most.

The reason was none other than this. The smell of compost that would be sprinkled on the vegetable garden cultivated by the monastery.

No matter how much the monks enjoyed self-mortification, there was no need to deliberately torture their noses, was there?

Unless it was the occasional storage of leftover firewood nearby, no one would ever come to this place except when it was time to spread the compost.

So if you saw an exception to that, it had to be suspicious.

Emil recalled the scene he had seen a few days ago.

Emil, who had suddenly woken up in the middle of the night, was taking a leisurely stroll around the monastery when he heard the faint sound of someone’s footsteps.

Curious as to who was walking so stealthily, he quietly held his breath and watched, only to find that the owner of the footsteps was none other than Cobi Brown.

He turned his head several times to survey his surroundings but failed to notice Emil’s presence behind a tree and passed by.

When Emil learned that there was a compost storage in the direction Cobi had appeared from, he felt justified.

That bastard had finally left a clue.

The monastery’s errand boy, Cobi Brown. Emil had never liked him for a long time.

He was lazy and had a murky look in his eyes, as if he would cause an accident someday.

It was also deeply pathetic that he didn’t know his place and followed Seierd Hillan around, volunteering to be his minion.

‘As expected. He finally showed his true colors.’

For several months now, there had been a strange phenomenon of medicine stored in the dispensary gradually disappearing.

He immediately suspected Cobi.

Although they were meticulous about locking the doors, there were a few times when he had entrusted the key to Cobi to make various requests, as he was an errand boy.

If Cobi frequented the blacksmith’s shop, it would have been possible for him to make a spare key during those times.

‘That damn bastard.’

Emil gritted his teeth.

The medicine made by him, who had extensive pharmaceutical knowledge, using high-quality medicinal herbs cultivated directly at the monastery, could be considered a top-grade product.

Even if it wasn’t a large quantity, it would be enough for Cobi to make some pocket money if he sold it.

The thought that the medicine made for the poor who couldn’t afford to buy it was being used as gambling money for that bastard infuriated him.

Emil vowed to thoroughly expose Cobi’s crimes, and on the day he discovered the suspicious behavior of the culprit, he decided to stake out after much contemplation.

Unless there was clear physical evidence, catching him in the act was the best option.

And so, waiting for the right moment for several days, the medicine finally decreased again.

Emil, who had predicted that Cobi would take action within a few days, started staking out near the compost storage from that day on.

Because of that, he lacked sleep and his clothes were soaked with a horrible smell, but his determination was only firm.

Thus, with the hope that Cobi’s tail would be caught soon, Emil waited behind the pile of firewood today as well, just for the culprit to show himself.

Someday, Cobi would come. Either to hide the stolen medicine here or to meet with an accomplice in secret.

How much time had passed? A rustling sound woke Emil, who had been dozing off.

He could sense it instinctively.

Cobi had finally come.

Soon, along with the sound of footsteps, human voices could also be heard, so Emil listened carefully with bated breath.

But the next moment, he couldn’t help but tilt his head in rising doubt.

“…Did you bring it?”

That wasn’t Cobi’s voice.

Then an accomplice? But it sounded somehow familiar.

Emil didn’t need to deliberately dig through his memory.

“Yeah, it’s here.”

Cobi kindly revealed the person’s identity as he seemed to hand something over to him.

“Seierd, thanks to you making a good mold, it came out very clearly. What do you think? It’s exactly the same as that key, right?”

Oh my goodness. Seierd Hillan?

Emil almost screamed without realizing it but managed to suppress his voice.

He couldn’t believe that Seierd Hillan was involved in this.

Of course, he was close to Cobi, but there seemed to be no reason for someone who received living expenses from the ducal family to get involved in such a shoddy crime.

Moreover, while Emil did not believe in Seierd’s morality, he acknowledged his boldness.

Whenever he looked at Seierd Hillan, he got the feeling that despite this and that, this was what it meant to have the blood of a great noble family.

To think that such a man would assist in stealing medicine from the monastery’s dispensary.

While Emil was having such thoughts, Seierd’s voice was heard again.

“Yeah, it’s similar to the key that guy had.”

It seemed like he had thoroughly examined the object Cobi had handed over.

Wait, a key? Not medicine?

The words of the two people that continued to be heard plunged Emil into an even greater maze.

“Well done, Cobi. But you didn’t raise any suspicion from the person who made it, did you?”

“Of course not. I’m a bit clumsy, you know. When I said I lost the key to my quarters, they didn’t ask any more questions.”

“Really?”

“Are you going to achieve your goal with this now?”

“That’s right. We were lucky in many ways. I never thought Visherk would call me first and then give me an opportunity.”

At that, Cobi laughed, “Hehe.”

“You’re amazing. To swipe the key in the brief moment when the other person took their eyes off you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I learned pickpocketing skills from you in advance.”

As if responding to Cobi’s laughter, Seierd’s voice also had a hint of amusement.

“Anyway, just wait and see. The moment that brief gap takes that guy’s life.”

It was a innocent laughter, like that of a young child.