“I don’t see any reason to think otherwise.”

Matiel said. However, King Lyuen still wore an ambiguous smile and remained silent.

“The first victims in the Eliki region were a married couple. Ilina Bun and her husband Tolz Bun. These two had no relationships that could have harbored grudges, and they were wealthy enough not to be targets for robbery. Also, on the day the couple was murdered, there was heavy rain in the western region. Due to the overflowing stream in front of the couple’s house, when the sun rose the next day, all the villagers came out to clear the road, but the couple didn’t show up. The villagers who went to their house discovered the two bodies.”

“Matiel, but.”

“Please continue listening, Your Majesty. When the bodies were discovered, Ilina Bun was in the kitchen, and Tolz Bun was in a narrow corridor off the dining room. There were no signs of a weapon being used, but both had traces of nosebleeds. So people thought the couple had unfortunately suffered brain hemorrhages. Simultaneously.”

King Lyuen let out a long, heavy sigh.

It took quite some time to deduce that Ilina Bun and Tolz Bun were the first victims of the serial killings.

As the number of people who died suddenly in a similar manner increased, the deaths of Ilina and Tolz, which had been considered natural, were reinvestigated.

The king said,

“But not just Ilina Bun and Tolz Bun, even the subsequent victims showed no signs of bite marks. This photo… is a special case.”

She looked down at the newspaper on the table with an uneasy expression.

Like Charlotte, she too hoped that the two distinct marks on the man’s neck would somehow disappear.

However, there was no way the marks captured in the photo would vanish.

Matiel said,

“There must be something we’ve missed. I plan to meet with the sheriff of the western region.”

King Lyuen tilted her head.

“If that’s the case, I’ve already given you full authority, so was there a need to come to me for this matter?”

“Actually, I came because there’s something I’d like to request of Your Majesty.”

“A request. What is it?”

Though the king’s attitude was cool, Matiel momentarily hesitated, his lips barely moving as he thought about how to broach the subject.

Since it was as rare for him to be at a loss for words as it was for him to smile, King Lyuen felt curious.

“I’m intrigued to know what it is.”

After being lost in thought for a moment, Matiel spoke.

“Your Majesty, do you know of a man named Berrett, who was once a renowned monster hunter?”

“I do. I’ve heard he was a tragic figure. He was an exceptionally skilled monster hunter, but his entire party was wiped out in the depths of the land of Hoxsa.”

“I thought you might know. Actually, I met his daughter.”

King Lyuen’s eyes blinked quietly.

“His daughter.”

“Yes. Her name is Charlotte Berrett. She runs an herbal shop in the alley at 3 Bucklit Street.”

“An apothecary, you mean? How did the duke come to know such a person? Were you ill somewhere?”

This is the important part, Matiel thought.

King Lyuen, befitting someone who had re-established the Vandrop royal family, knew well about the monster hunters who were under royal management.

Naturally, she also knew much about monsters, Schwartzvandelac, and magic.

Although she herself was more interested in advancing engineering than magic.

“I met her at Baroness Lirald’s party.”

“The Baroness? Are they close enough for her to invite the child to a party?”

“I was puzzled by that point as well… In any case, she seemed to have built a friendship with the Baroness under the name ‘Sherry’. That day, I visited the Lirald mansion to find Lord Rogers’ diamond. There, I saw her remove… a monster that was parasitizing Baroness Lirald’s body.”

King Lyuen’s eyes took on a different light.

It was just for a moment, but Matiel realized that the conditions to persuade her had been somewhat met.

“As Berrett’s daughter, that’s to be expected.”

“Yes. She seemed to know quite a lot about monsters and Schwartzvandelac as well.”

“So what is this favor you want to ask of me, Duke?”

Matiel sent a serious and bold gaze, one he had unconsciously cultivated since his birth into the ducal family, suitable for earning people’s trust.

“I was thinking of utilizing her knowledge and abilities in investigating the serial killings in the Eliki region.”

King Lyuen didn’t give an answer easily.

She only took a few deep breaths with a faint smile and a thoughtful expression.

Matiel felt slightly perplexed that the king’s response wasn’t immediate.

He thought he had laid the groundwork properly and explained the necessity sufficiently, so why?

The king sent a calm gaze to him, as if seeing right through Matiel’s thoughts.

“I actually had some acquaintance with the monster hunter Berrett. Before he left on his last expedition, I had a request for him. He carried it out brilliantly… If his daughter inherited even a fraction of her father’s abilities, she would certainly have an aptitude for monster hunting, but I cannot grant the duke’s request.”

Matiel’s eyes widened slightly.

“May I ask why you cannot grant it?”

King Lyuen, slightly pursing her lips, took a sip of the almost cold tea to moisten her throat.

“First, because this is a matter for the Old Clergy. As the duke knows, the position of the Old Clergy is kept strictly confidential. In the old monarchical era, there were far more members belonging to the Old Clergy, but now there are only three. We could increase the number, but we don’t in order to keep grave secrets.”

“I’m aware of that. However…”

“Continue listening. There’s that, and also, it hasn’t been confirmed that the serial killings occurring in the western region are definitely the work of monsters, right? In fact, apart from the victim in this photo, no other victims have been found with the same marks.”

That was true.

Although the condition of the deceased victims was uniformly strange, if they all had wounds on their necks, reports would have come in long ago.

“But, Your Majesty.”

King Lyuen raised her hand, gently interrupting Matiel.

“For now, continue the investigation. If it truly turns out to be a case involving monsters, then we’ll reconsider, but using Berrett’s daughter needs more careful consideration. After all, since the revolutionary government, the slogan ‘Serve the royal family thoroughly’ has rusted away, hasn’t it?”

In other words, they couldn’t arbitrarily drag in someone unrelated to the royal family and assign them such a dangerous task.

Of course, if she set her mind to it, King Lyuen was someone who could do just that, but on the surface, there was a need to show a generous royal family that respected freedom.

Matiel replied,

“I understand Your Majesty’s words. Then I will investigate this matter more deeply myself.”

“Very well. Oh, by the way, I was about to send someone to the duke’s residence, but since you’re here, I can tell you directly. Do you know Baron Liberon living in Billet?”

“I haven’t exchanged greetings, but I do know of him. He worked as the capital’s financial officer and retired due to chronic illness two years ago, right?”

“That’s right. I hear his second son passed away at a young age. Regrettably… The funeral is to be held tonight, so please go and express condolences on my behalf. He was someone who devoted himself to working for the Roynock royal family even before the revolutionary government came to power, so we should show at least that much courtesy.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

Only then did King Lyuen finish the remaining tea with a slightly satisfied expression.

* * *

After Matiel left, Charlotte sold an ointment good for itching and a bottle of tincture to help with sleep, then turned the sign on the door to ‘Closed’.

Usually, she would keep the ‘Open’ sign up until sunset, but today she wasn’t in the mood to face people and listen to their complaints one by one.

She spent the afternoon going around the entire shop, dusting, sweeping, organizing unnecessary herbs, taking out tincture bottles with peeling labels, cleaning them thoroughly, and reattaching new labels.

When she raised her head, her back drenched in sweat, it was already around the time when the sunset was deeply setting in.

Charlotte soaked in the bathtub filled with herbs for a long time.

After bathing long enough for her fingertips to tingle, she finally felt her mood lifting a bit.

With her wet hair wrapped in a soft towel, she came downstairs and heard a knocking sound, as if someone was tapping, from the dark corner of the wall, or more precisely, from inside the wall.

‘Well done. Now I’m so tired I’m hearing things.’

Sighing and shaking her head, she turned the lever of the oil lamp, brightening the store.

Then, more clearly this time, she heard a knock-knock-knock sound. It was definitely coming from inside the wall.

I didn’t hear wrong after all, Charlotte thought.

“You may come in.”

As soon as she spoke, the wall that had been empty became thin and hazy like a soap bubble, and something small and entirely dark green popped out from inside.

It had a very bizarre appearance.

First, there was a single leg that looked like a greatly shortened version of a human leg attached under a round, swollen body.

The arms were absurdly thin and short compared to the body, with both hands tucked into the pockets of ragged cloth scraps that served as pants.

It had two eyes, but one was squinted as if frowning, and the head was flat.

Charlotte leaned against the counter, folded her arms, and looked down at it.

“What’s the matter, Wyan?”