The castle of the Arquis Kingdom.

In the prepared briefing room, the divine beings quickly gathered, straightening their heads.

“Prince Airen, please enjoy the prepared banquet!”

“No, I haven’t come here to relax. Let’s postpone the banquet and check if the offerings from the Empire match the kingdom’s records first.”

The reason for the divine beings’ humility was that as soon as the Empire’s prince arrived, he immediately checked whether the Empire’s tribute and the kingdom’s records matched.

It was his plan to deliberately divert people’s attention for Lucia’s special mission, but as a result, his dreamy business trip life with her was completely ruined.

The imperial prince, capable of tensing everyone with a single gesture, stood next to Lucia, who always wore an indifferent expression. However, she couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter at his charismatic appearance.

But now, instead of Lucia by his side, a young and fearless knight, Hees, even smaller than the prince, was guarding the seat with empty eyes as he chewed on prepared pastries.

‘Darn it… Lucia, come back quickly…!’

While he was dealing with the three divine beings, Lucia, hiding her identity, began searching for someone.

After the entire aristocratic family was murdered, the only survivor found was the head butler who managed the inside of the aristocratic castle.

He was said to have been a former mercenary who was dismissed even by mercenaries in the past, but he swore an oath to the aristocrat and became a butler. Now, he lived alone and was rumored to be suffering from an illness.

This made Lucia suspicious.

‘Leaving the only witness alone like this. Does he really have no intention of finding the enemy?’

She couldn’t stop thinking that the fallen kingdom was decaying even faster than expected.

The small hill near the small forest she arrived at.

When she unfolded the prepared map, it seemed like she had arrived accurately.

But it was ironic.

In such a desolate place where a fierce beast was likely to appear, someone lived alone.

Even if he was sick, his skills shouldn’t have rusted.

‘What kind of illness makes him live alone in a place like this?’

She arrived at a small house after clearing the rough grass.

Looking at the smoke rising from the chimney, it seemed that there was someone inside.

“I’m a knight of the Empire. Can we talk for a moment?”

She expected it to be difficult, judging by the firmly closed door, but again, it was different from her expectations.

The door opened soon.

However, strangely enough, what caught her eye was a flashy pair of shoes.

She gradually raised her head and, scanning the dress full of jewelry that did not suit the small and shabby house, confirmed the owner.

And for the first time in her life, Lucia took a step back.

“Oh, come in quickly.”
When the door opened wide, there was only a muscular old man named Helbert, wearing a tight-fitting dress, welcoming her with a shy girl-like smile.

Now she understood. That illness.

“What’s going on, sister?”

“……. ”

‘Dementia.’

Seeing his terrifying appearance, it seemed like he wasn’t living alone because people deliberately didn’t come near him.

However, Lucia had some experience with dementia.

Of course, it was an experience of confusion, but she gained something from that experience.

To confirm whether it was real dementia or not, it needed to be shocking enough for him to realize it.

“Aaaaah!!!”

“Where is the child?”

“Uuuaaaah! Sister! I’m scared!”

After tying the elderly man in a dress adorned with lace to a tree, Lucia began throwing shock-inducing human darts.

“Aaaaah! Save me!!”

“Ask again. Where is the child?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! You’re really mean!!”

When his bold nasal voice pierced Lucia’s ears, she unhesitatingly threw a dagger.

This time, right next to his Adam’s apple.

Then his cloudy eyes started to bounce like ping pong balls.

‘Clearly, he seems to recognize the situation…’

But that too was short-lived, and his insane behavior with nasal sounds did not stop.

It continued until the dagger hidden in Lucia’s body fell off.

Now, only the long sword remained.

Thinking that this was the last one, Lucia began to untie her cloak to loosen up.

Since he had lost consciousness, it didn’t matter what her true identity was.

Finally, a cold wind passed through, and the sweat that dripped down while forcibly tying the elderly man to the thorny tree felt like needles.

The sound of Lucia finishing her warm-up.

It was the sound of her kicking with her boots.

A chilling sound that reached deep into the heart, different from the dagger.

With his soul deeply shaken by the rising red energy from the sword, his eyes kept trembling without a break.

His face stiffened,

“Wait! Sister. I am sane now.”

The word ‘sane’ felt strangely uncomfortable.

Lucia briefly glanced at him and did not stop her actions.

“I’m leaving. This is the last time.”

“No! I spoke nonsense! Please stop right now! I’m really sane now!!”