Layton immediately noticed.

“This must be the Duke’s room!”

Unlike other rooms with basic furnishings, this one had a lot of furniture and items, all subtly luxurious, suggesting that it wasn’t likely used by the mansion’s employees. In other words, it was the room used by the owner of this mansion.

Excitement surged through Layton at the thought that he had finally found the Duke’s room. However, he quickly suppressed his elation, reminding himself that he was like a spy infiltrating enemy territory.

“Is there anything related to the medicine here?”

Layton searched every corner of the room from the entrance. However, the room, excessively clean, had not a speck of dust.

Passing through the bed, wardrobe, and drawers, Layton finally reached the desk near the window, hoping to find something. There, on the desk, lay a single letter.

The sender of the letter was… Matap?

“This is quite suspicious.”

Matap was an extremely secretive place. They rigorously screened guests and demanded exorbitant fees for requests. Moreover, they claimed never to disclose the client’s information, even if Matap were to be destroyed.

Why would the Duke, one of the Empire’s only aristocrats, have any dealings with Matap?

Layton unfolded the letter with anticipation. However…

“What is this…?”

The contents of the letter were written in an unknown script. Layton squinted at the letter as if in a fight, but in the end, he couldn’t decipher its contents.

However, there was one clear word written in Andrian Imperial language.

“Lunar eclipse…?”

Only this one word was written in Andrian Imperial. Since it didn’t reveal much, Layton folded the letter nervously.

Unable to return empty-handed, Layton began searching through the desk drawers. Most of the drawers were empty, but at the bottom drawer, there was a bundle of papers.

Layton pulled out the bundle. Holding one of the papers on top, he examined it closely. At the top of the paper, it was labeled as a transaction record, and below, there was a stamp that read “Greif.”

It’s related to Greif…! However, just like the letter, the contents were written in an unreadable script.

“Darn! What is this script!”

Annoyed, Layton gathered the papers and put them back into the drawer. In the end, he gained nothing.

He had been away from his seat for too long, using the excuse of going to the bathroom. As he contemplated returning, thinking that Nelja might be looking for him, he noticed that there were quite a few books related to the Zigrid myth on Duke Hart’s desk.

Come to think of it, under the Emperor’s orders, the Duke was also seeking information about the heart of Zigrid.

“I mustn’t let him find it before me…”

With a serious expression, Layton left the Duke’s room.

And just as he turned to go down the stairs, someone grabbed Layton’s wrist.

Layton excused himself to go to the bathroom, and Nelia, feeling a slight thirst, gulped down water.

Duke Hart seemed lost in thought, silently staring at the dining table. His expression appeared focused, as if concentrating on something.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes passed.

However, Layton did not return.

Without realizing, Nelia, who had been absentmindedly tapping the table with her fingertips, stood up when twenty minutes had passed since Layton left his seat.

“It’s strange that he hasn’t come back until now. He might be lost in the mansion, so I’ll go and bring Layton back.”

Duke Hart looked up at Nelia, who had suddenly risen.

“If he went to the bathroom with Ton, he shouldn’t have trouble finding his way.”

That’s right. If he went with Ton, it wouldn’t take this long, and it was indeed too late.

“There’s a high chance he’s wandering around somewhere.”

As Nelia remained silent, the Duke nodded gently with a soft expression.

“If Nelia is concerned, go and find him.”

“Yes, I’ll bring him back quickly.”

Nelia briskly left the drawing-room. Layton might still be in the bathroom, but somehow, she had a bad feeling.

The ominous feeling grew as she looked at Ton, who was sitting alone in the hall. Approaching Ton, who was reading a newspaper, Nelia asked,

“T-ton… Have you seen Layton?”

“Layton? No, I haven’t seen him.”

Seeing a hint of unease on Nelia’s face, Ton inquired,

“Why do you ask?”

“He said he was going to the bathroom, but it’s been twenty minutes, and he hasn’t come back.”

Ton folded the newspaper and placed it on the table, standing up.

“Oh no… Perhaps he got lost in the mansion. I’ll check for him.”

“Yes, please. I’ll look around too.”

Saying that, Nelia walked in the opposite direction of Ton.

“Where on earth could he be?”

She had told Ton to go to the bathroom with him, but seeing Layton disappear alone, it was certain he was wandering somewhere in the mansion.

After searching the mansion for a while and asking the maids if they had seen Layton, with no success, Nelia suddenly remembered Reunite.

“…Should I go and ask Reunite?”