The man said.

“Then where should I do the work? I can’t do it in the basement. I hate basements. They’re creepy and seem like mice would come out.”

Baron Lirald snorted.

“I can guarantee that the basement of my mansion is cleaner than that house you’re rolling around in. It’s better not to be seen by others, so go down obediently.”

“Damn it. The stupid revolutionary government’s goose bastards.”

Stupid revolutionary government’s goose bastards. Despite needing to be cautious, Matiel bit his lip to hold back laughter.

That phrase had been a popular insult since the revolutionary government began to gradually decline.

It meant that the people of the revolutionary government just quacked and shouted around.

In other words, the man’s words meant that because the revolutionary government had collapsed, he was suffering this humiliation from Baron Lirald.

Baron Lirald quickly understood his intention and cackled.

“That’s right. We swept up those geese and ate them all for our evening feast.”

He tilted his head toward the man and added ominously.

“Real ‘nobility’, that is. I am that nobility. Do you understand? It’s been 20 years since the revolutionary government fell, and if you still don’t realize I’m doing you a favor and act up, it won’t end well.”

“Damn it, hell! I get it, I get it! I’ll go down, alright?”

The man went back down to the basement—the hinge sound was heard once more—and Baron Lirald straightened a slightly crooked frame, then looked around outside before disappearing from Matiel and Charlotte’s view.

He looked more like a thief sneaking in than the owner of the house.

As the baron disappeared, the strength left Matiel’s hands. Charlotte didn’t miss that moment.

She thrust her elbow forward and stabbed it hard into his solar plexus… Or rather, she almost did.

Matiel nimbly blocked her attack and snorted.

“Such an obvious attack.”

If only I could break that smug nose of his. Charlotte thought. A few drops of tincture she could make would do the trick.

But first she’d have to tie up this damn guy and lay him on the apothecary table… Or secretly switch out his wine glass.

As Charlotte whirled around, Matiel grabbed her shoulder again. This time, not with much force.

“Wait a moment. You haven’t answered my question.”

“I only have one thing to say to you.”

She glared straight at Matiel’s face.

“Get lost.”

“If you answer my question, I’ll get lost even if you beg me to stay, so don’t worry about that.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting into, I’m in a very serious situation right now.”

“So tell me what’s so serious. And as you just saw, I’m in a serious situation too. Let’s not waste time, we’re both in a hurry. Let’s spill what we need to and go our separate ways, shall we?”

This is driving me crazy… Charlotte felt a real headache coming on.

The thought of Taemi, who would be waiting for her to arrive any moment, had long since disappeared far away.

Forget moving to where Taemi was by tonight, it was questionable if she could even get out of this hallway.

Probably impossible unless she gave Matiel the answer he wanted…

‘If something happens, I can’t handle it. If Taemi were here, it might be different.’

Charlotte’s mind raced quickly.

Tell the truth and take the chance to get out of here, or stay blocked by him and watch as an uncontrollable, probably terribly awful situation unfolds.

Make decisions quickly. Wait for the best but don’t miss the optimal moment.

Charlotte took a deep breath, muttering to herself.

“Fine, I’ll tell you. But while I’m talking, you can’t ask me questions. Hold back even if you have questions. I’m not in a position to answer everything. Understand?”

Matiel chuckled. In his life, someone speaking to him like this… was a first. Even his parents never gave such forceful orders.

“Got it, understand?”

When Charlotte sharply urged, Matiel rolled his tongue once in his mouth and nodded.

“Go ahead.”

Taking a short breath like someone about to sprint, Charlotte swiftly pulled out the ornament holding up her hair.

For a moment, Matiel thought her hair was glowing on its own. Long, lustrous silver hair flowed down past her shoulders nearly to her waist.

“My name isn’t ‘Sherry’. That’s just one of my fake names. I’m a magician, and my job is hunting magical beasts. But my magic isn’t that strong, so I can’t do anything once a magical beast grows large enough to leave its host. At those times, my partner needs to be by my side, but unfortunately, he’s far away right now.”

“Magical beasts?”

There was no weight in Matiel’s questioning voice. Charlotte realized he barely believed what she was saying, but… it was too late to turn back now.

This was past the point where lies would be of any use.

“Whether you believe it or not doesn’t matter. Most people don’t think magical beasts are mixed into the kingdom, into their lives. They think they’re all isolated outside the border. That barrier created by the ancient magicians. In the land of suffering where human entry is forbidden.”

“Is the place you’re talking about Schwarzwandelack, that region?”

Charlotte’s eyes blinked a couple of times. It was because she was surprised.

It had been almost 15 years since she had heard the name of that region, where the few remaining magicians in the kingdom had long ago isolated and confined magical beasts, so accurately stated – a place that young people nowadays treated as just an old tale.

Charlotte unconsciously listened to the gentle, soft voice echoing in her head.

That’s right. Except for that time… it was the first. That was the last time she had heard it.

“What’s wrong?”

At Matiel’s words, Charlotte inhaled sharply. She lightly slapped both her cheeks. Get a grip, Charlotte. Get a grip.

She continued speaking.

“Yes, that’s right. Whatever it’s called, it’s true that most magical beasts are isolated there. But just because it’s a magicians’ barrier doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It’s like an invisible wall or levee. It looks solid but can’t be perfect. If the hole is very small, insects can pass through between the walls. If it’s a bit bigger, things like rats or moles could go back and forth too. Do you understand what I’m saying? That’s how magical beasts isolated in the ‘land of suffering’ cross over into the kingdom. Most are tiny things. As I said, because the holes are small.”

Charlotte took a breath and put strength into her wide-open eyes.

“But it’s a big mistake to think you can swat them all like flies just because they’re small. Many small magical beasts are parasitic types. When they find a host, they enter it and grow by absorbing nutrients. Something that was insignificant at first can suddenly become a monster that can devour a hundred people. I’m someone who finds such things, magical beasts hidden inside hosts, and kills them before they grow large.”

“Are you saying that host is inside here now?”

“Baroness Lirald is the host. Don’t ask if I have evidence. She already ‘revealed’ herself to me and disappeared. You saw her whispering to me earlier, right? She called me ‘Lottie’ then. It’s a nickname my family used to… call me when I was young. The baroness only knows me as ‘Sherry’, she doesn’t know my true identity.”

“Let’s say the baroness is the host, as you claim. Then how do you extract the magical beast?”

Charlotte frowned and snorted.

“What good would it do you to know? Want to take it up as a side job? Sorry, but I don’t have time to explain everything one by one. I’ve given you an honest answer as you wanted, so why don’t you step aside now?”

Step aside. Charlotte thought. It wasn’t always the case, but sometimes when she thought very intensely, the other person would move according to her will.

She hoped that ability would manifest fortuitously this time too… but unfortunately, Matiel didn’t budge an inch.

Matiel was lost in thought. Charlotte’s words sounded preposterous, but they weren’t completely nonsense.

If he hadn’t been a member of the Old Church, if he had dismissed magical beasts as something that only existed in the past and was now just a joke to scare children… he would have thought Charlotte was crazy.

But he knew far more than Charlotte assumed.

Although he didn’t know that magical beasts were seeping into various parts of the kingdom and taking humans as hosts, he did know that the place called the ‘land of suffering’ really existed, that isolated magical beasts were still alive and breathing there, and that if the barrier collapsed or something went wrong, the tragedies of the past could be repeated at any time…

King Lyuen, and the other two members of the Old Church, knew this fact as well.

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I want to ask one thing. You can’t take out the magical beast from inside the baroness’s belly in front of everyone, can you? I don’t know exactly what you’d do, but catching and eliminating a magical beast doesn’t seem like something that can be done sneakily like pickpocketing. Besides, according to what you said, it seems to already have considerable power.”

“Damn it, yes! That’s why I’m going crazy, so move aside now!”

“Wait just a moment. Let’s do this. I’ll help you with your task, and you help me with one thing I need to do today. I’m not one to easily change priorities in what I need to do, but realistically, your matter seems much more serious, so I’ll lend you a hand first. Then you cooperate with me.”

What the hell is this guy talking about. Charlotte thought. Help with what exactly?

Then she recalled the strange scene she had witnessed earlier, the conversation between Baron Lirald and an unknown man.

Charlotte’s gaze unconsciously turned towards the arched entrance. Beyond it was still dark and shrouded in unknown darkness.

On the floor, though probably thoroughly hidden, if one felt around carefully, there would likely be a secret door leading to the basement…

Matiel said,

“I didn’t come here just to leisurely drink wine either. Baron Lirald stole something very important related to the royal family, and I came to find evidence of that. And as you saw earlier…”

“The basement, right. I know what you’re saying. But you saw it earlier too, didn’t you? That man who was with the baron went down to the basement. If we go and fling open the door now, we’ll be like trapped mice, unable to move. Why aren’t you doing that? What are you doing?”

“You’re more of a fool than I thought. Are you dense? Or is your mind not working because you’re in a hurry?”

Charlotte’s eyes sharpened pointedly.