To the unknowing eye, it would simply look like a scrape, easy to overlook. But neither Cryer nor Olivia missed it.

It would not be surprising if this case was connected to the ancient god and the wizard lurking in the Kingdom of Norden.

While staring at the letter, Olivia, who had become stiff, was asked by the Emperor.

“Do you see any connection between the Kingdom of Norden and this case?”

“We’ll have to look into it.”

The wizard in the Kingdom of Norden might be involved, but we can’t be sure that the Kingdom of Norden itself is related to the case.

Maybe it is…

After all, the Kingdom of Norden is nothing more than a tool played at the fingertips of the wizard.

Even the dynasty of the Kingdom of Norden, which had declared war many times, was nothing more than a puppet.

A tool not even that important in the grand scheme of continental war…

Her mouth tasted sour as if she had chewed on a dried persimmon.

But this is a chance to dig into the character known as the ‘wizard’.

Even when asked, Cryer’s response was,

‘A middleaged man who resembles a goat.’

‘His laughter is disgusting.’

‘He only laughs and teases about using the ancient god for a secret purpose.’

Those were about it.

“Will you permit the proposal to send someone to the Kingdom of Norden?”

The Emperor, stroking his chin, fumbled with another document and spoke.

“They said there’s been no further damage since the vacant lot was discovered.”

As he uttered the word ‘vacant lot’, the Emperor frowned.

Understandable, considering the countless number of incomplete bodies buried in that lot.

Some of the bodies were so damaged that age and gender couldn’t be determined.

Most of them were on the missing persons list, but there were quite a few that weren’t.

“Yes. For now, it seems to have stopped.”

“For now…so it’s not over yet.”

“It’s risky to conclude that it’s over.”

“Can it be solved without any?”

When the Emperor pointed at the letter from the Kingdom of Norden and asked, Olivia immediately replied.

“I can’t guarantee it.”

The Emperor rubbed his throbbing temples at the decisive answer that left no room for doubt.

“Clues?”

“Still far from enough.”

“Hmm.”

With a deep sigh of frustration, the Emperor unexpectedly said,

“There’s a plea from the Taren family.”

“Taren?”

Olivia, who had asked in surprise, quickly nodded with an ‘ah’ expression.

“Well, the Taren trading company is located in the area where the incident happened.”

“Yes. Apparently, it’s causing enough disruption to their trade that the imperial citizens are becoming anxious.”

“If it’s Taren, they would have spent money to investigate the incident.”

“Didn’t they share the information they gathered with the investigation team?”

At this, Olivia shut her mouth, and the Emperor did not rush her.

Eventually, Olivia spoke.

“We should send someone to track down the culprit. Let’s ask them to send someone.”

There’s no other sharp solution, so even if it’s doubtful, they have to accept the proposal.

If it weren’t for Taren’s plea, they might have hesitated more.

But it’s Taren.

The solid pillar supporting the royal family and the center of the trading company running for the prosperity of the empire.

“If the Duke of Taren, who hates being in debt, has spoken, we need to resolve this as soon as possible.”

Not just for Taren, but she also wanted to check the wizard’s hidden intentions. But she didn’t mention that.

“Send a messenger to the Kingdom of Norden. And, Princess.”

Before the Emperor could say anything else, Olivia nodded.

“I’ll meet the Duke of Taren.”

Around the time the blazing sun was leaning towards noon.

Despite the bright day, the deepest and darkest back alley of the somewhat damp and dark capital.

In order to purchase a person as a sacrifice for an ancient god, the man was plodding along.

In his possession, a money pouch given by Ambroise rattled, and upon hearing the sound of money, the eyes of the people in the backstreets began to flicker.

Among them, a child with fast hands and even quicker feet lowered his body, targeting the man.

The moment the child took a step from darkness into light.

“Hey.”

The owner of the rough hand tightly gripping the child’s neck was a man who usually treated the child like garbage.

The child reflexively shrank his neck, and the man pulled him back into the darkness.

The gloomyfaced man slightly raised his voice so that others around could hear, pressing down on the back of the child’s neck who was trying to break free.

“Don’t touch that man. Don’t even think about it.”

Those who heard his words had faces that didn’t understand at all, but at his next words, they withdrew their necks extended towards the sound of money and crawled back into the darkness.

“He smells of blood. It’s incredibly foul, enough to twist your nose.”

No one ignored the warning of the man who had survived in the darkness to this age, and the man rattling the money pouch soon disappeared from their sight.

Moving like an utterly ordinary person, or rather, an ordinary walk, the man eventually stopped in front of a house.

A ramshackle wooden house that looked no different from any other house.

Knock, knockknock, knock.

The man who knocked on the door at a regular rhythm waited there for a while.

How long had passed?

Creak, squeak.

As the door opened with a nervewracking hinge sound, the man entered without hesitation.

In the dim darkness, a voice echoed in the house where a few candles flickered barely.

“What have you come to buy?”

Her face was not visible, but judging by the voice, she must have been an elderly woman.

“I’ve come to buy a perfectly healthy person…”