“It came, the strange thing. Smells everywhere.”

It said.

Although its pronunciation was slightly awkward and word order was a mess as if unfamiliar with human speech, Charlotte could understand its words without any difficulty.

Known as the “One-legged Pere” among monster hunters, it was originally fond of eccentric pranks and good at deceiving humans.

They each had a hat, and if this hat was taken away by someone else, they had to become a subordinate.

Charlotte kept this Pere named Wyen by her side as an informant to bring news about monsters, instead of making it a permanent subordinate.

From Taemi, information among humans, from Wyen, information among monsters.

That was Charlotte’s business secret, who rarely wandered far from the pharmacy.

“You mean something that gives off a smell has come in. How much? Is it strong? If it’s already escaped, it’s useless.”

“No, it grew. Not entered either. Wandering around. Smells.”

So it’s not parasitic in a human body, and hasn’t fully grown yet, Charlotte thought.

It was rare for a monster that crossed over from the land of Hoxsa to the kingdom to wander around without taking a human host.

It was something Wyen—who despised Charlotte terribly, having had his hat taken—might walk in on his own for.

“Where is it?”

Wyen’s face and lips twitched simultaneously in a strange direction, as if he were a doll with his mouth sewn shut with thread, before speaking.

“Bi, Billit. Billit.”

“Billit? That’s near here.”

“Overflowing, fishy smell. Reverberating.”

“You say it smells fishy, is it a water creature?”

“No. Not water creatures. Give me back my hat.”

He only speaks accurately when asking for his hat back. Charlotte snorted and shook her head.

“Don’t say such nonsense. How long was the period you promised me? Say it with your own mouth.”

“7, no, don’t want to. Don’t want to. Don’t want to tell you.”

Wyen took his hands out of his pockets—each hand had six and four fingers respectively—clenched his fists and covered his face.

Frowning painfully like a child throwing a tantrum, he shook his head, causing his body standing on one leg to sway unsteadily.

Charlotte shook the water out of her wet hair and said.

“70 years. Exactly 70 years. Only 10 years have passed, and there are still 60 years left between you and me. So don’t throw useless tantrums and get lost.”

“Mean. Mean Lottie. Spiteful Lottie.”

“Yes, I’m mean and spiteful. And I’m also a magician. How about I show you some spite?”

Fear quickly filled Wyen’s eyes.

Though hideous in appearance and capable of harming ordinary humans, he couldn’t move an inch in front of Charlotte.

“Give me the information and disappear quickly.”

As soon as Charlotte finished speaking, Wyen took a note out of his dirty pocket, tossed it, and disappeared back into the wall.

Charlotte, who had been watching the wall that had become mushy return to its original state as if nothing had happened, sighed and lowered the light of the lamp.

“I hate fishy smells, but I can’t not go check it out if it’s wandering around without a host.”

Talking to herself in the silence, she hit the small, complexly shaped celestial globe placed on the counter with her hand.

The dull, bluish model stars that caught the light spun to the right.

* * *

It was when dusk had thickly fallen that Matiel arrived in Billit.

The Liberon Baron’s residence was brightly lit as if hosting a party, but not a single person was talking or laughing loudly.

People dressed in black clothes were gathered in small groups near the entrance, and occasionally middle-aged and elderly ladies wiping tears behind veils could be seen.

Matiel quietly passed by them and went to find the separate room where the coffin was placed.

As the funeral had not yet begun, there were few people in the separate room.

Only Baron Liberon sat with his shoulders slumped as if bearing the weight of the entire world alone, having lost his son at a young age.

“Baron Liberon.”

Surprise spread across the baron’s face as he quickly raised his head at the sudden voice.

He was originally old, but when Matiel saw him, he mistook the baron to be about 100 years old.

That’s how tired and aged he looked.

“Th-this can’t be. Ah… Duke Matiel of Elinak.”

The baron hurriedly walked up to Matiel and bowed deeply.

Matiel also greeted him with a short bow, then turned his gaze towards the coffin where the body was laid.

“His Majesty expresses his condolences. He wanted to come personally, but due to his busy schedule, I came instead.”

The old baron’s hands trembled.

Though he had lived his entire life for the Roynock royal family, it was a great honor for the king to take interest in such a matter.

Even if it was for the death of a son not yet thirty years old.

“I don’t know how this old body can repay His Majesty’s gracious kindness. Now I can no longer work for the royal family, and you care for a sinner who has outlived his child. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Listening to the baron’s tear-filled words, Matiel felt as if something bitter was filling his mouth.

Of course, he supported the royal family and had no doubts about his own authority as a top-ranking nobleman.

However, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat sorry for the old baron’s situation, having to bow and express gratitude rather than cry and lament in front of his dead child’s body.

“How could I fully understand the feelings of a baron who has lost his child? However, I too express my deepest condolences. Not simply because of His Majesty’s orders.”

“How can you say that? I am only grateful. I don’t know how to properly thank you, Duke, for coming all this way.”

“May I see the deceased?”

“Of course, please do.”

The baron quietly stepped back. In truth, Matiel was not at all acquainted with not only Baron Liberon but also his sons.

He knew that the eldest son was married and about to inherit the title, working as a financial official like his father, but it would be more accurate to say that he learned about the second son for the first time today.

The coffin was decorated with white roses and bluish cornflowers.

He didn’t know if these were the deceased’s favorites in life, but the thought that cornflowers were a bit strange came first.

Matiel stared blankly at the face of the young man lying in the coffin.

He was young. He looked three or four years younger than himself, who was 27 this year.

‘Hm?’

Matiel’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he looked down at the corpse.

He glanced towards where the baron was standing, and seeing that he was lost in thought facing the window, took out a long, thin silver rod from his breast pocket.

Then he pushed the rod between the closed teeth of the corpse and pulled it out.

As I thought, Matiel thought. He could see the tip of the silver rod turning dark blue.

He put the rod wrapped in a handkerchief back into his pocket and looked down at the face of the corpse.

Faint livor mortis could be seen under the powder applied to the face, with dark spots visible between them.

“Baron.”

Baron Liberon, who had been slumping his shoulders, turned his head.

“Yes, Duke?”

“Excuse me, but may I ask about the cause of your son’s death?”

Baron Liberon’s gaze turned towards his son’s coffin. His wrinkled eyes were moist.

“They say it was a heart attack, Duke. He had a weak heart since childhood, so it’s not surprising that he couldn’t even run around excitedly.”

“A heart attack.”

Matiel, who almost let out a laugh, took a deep breath.

A heart attack, even if the autopsy was entrusted to someone who had just obtained a medical license, such a conclusion would never come out.

‘No, a heart attack could occur. The problem is that it wasn’t natural.’

Matiel looked at the baron.

“You must have a personal physician? Could I know who that is?”

Baron Liberon’s mouth twitched slightly. He had sensed something strange in Matiel’s attitude and tone.

“Duke, if I may ask, why…”

“I have some questions to ask. It won’t harm the baron, so please tell me.”

Usually, funerals don’t start until after 10 pm. If we hurry, there’s still time…

Baron Liberon said.

“It’s a doctor named Eigen. He has been our family’s physician for generations. If you go to Roffle Square, you should be able to see the sign.”

“Roffle Square. I see.”

“The current physician was a close friend of my son… the deceased.”

A friend. This was unexpected.

Matiel gave a brief greeting to Baron Liberon before hurriedly leaving the baron’s residence.

“To Roffle Square.”

The carriage soon began to move.

As they went down the road, Matiel realized that there was a cemetery not far from the mansion.

Building a mansion in a place like this, it seemed the ancestors of the Liberon family were no less eccentric. Or perhaps they hadn’t thought about it at all.

Anyway, it’s not my concern. Matiel soon forgot about the Liberon residence.

Instead, he took out the silver rod from his pocket again and examined it closely.

* * *

“It’s been a while since you’ve used a pager for something this important, hasn’t it?”

Despite Taemi’s sarcasm as soon as he got off the passenger carriage, Charlotte remained unresponsive.

She unfolded the note Wyen had dropped, checked the address, and looked around.

There was nothing special except for the eerie, bluish gas lamp light, but if there was one thing that stood out, it was the long signpost firmly stuck in the roadside.