Habitually fiddling with her ring, she opened a new door. Maximilian was already seated at the center of the long table.

“Please, sit here.”

“What’s your question?”

“I believe I said to sit down.”

“Do we have to dine together when we’ve just met?”

Cordelia responded somewhat aggressively, perhaps hoping Maximilian would consider her rude and dismiss her.

However, Maximilian’s expression remained unchanged.

“You dislike me.”

“…That’s not it. I’m just shy and can’t dine with someone I’ve just met today.”

“Why would you dislike me? I’ve been polite and kind to you.”

“You seem to have forgotten inviting me to an unwanted meal.”

“I’m merely curious about how you met my brother. Since I can no longer see him.”

It was hardly appropriate for the person who made it impossible to meet his brother again to say such a thing. Cordelia inwardly marveled at his audacity.

“How much do you know about my brother?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you think he accepted you as his disciple?”

“I suppose he highly valued my talent.”

“Whatever talent you possess, it’s nothing compared to my brother’s. He’s been rewriting the history of magic since he first manifested his magical power at the age of five.”

For the first time, Cordelia agreed with his words. Although she was born with the ability to see magical power, skill in magic isn’t determined by that alone.

Not only the ability to handle magical power, but also thinking skills, memory, and insight. If one lacks even one of these, they could never reach Leonard’s level.

“My brother.”

He paused briefly as if recalling something, then continued.

“My brother doesn’t trust people easily. That’s why he has no friends, no colleagues, not even disciples. He only uses those relationships temporarily for his own benefit.”

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

“I mean you’re just being used as a chess piece. For my brother’s benefit.”

“Well, it seems your brother can no longer use me since someone killed him.”

Cordelia said, openly mocking him. Maximilian leaned forward and asked.

“Dead, you say? That’s impossible. I haven’t found his body yet.”

“…”

“You know what kind of person my brother is. I can’t believe he’s dead until I completely burn his corpse.”

“It sounds like you’re determined to find and burn it.”

“That’s right. I intend to find and burn it. Don’t you think that’s the only way for my brother to rest in peace?”

The more the conversation continued, the more it became clear that he was certainly not normal. The most frightening aspect was how he wore a mask of kindness and friendliness as if it were nothing.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

Just then, Caron arrived with a steaming lamb steak. He placed the plate on the table and scurried away.

“Please, eat. Caron is an excellent cook.”

Cordelia remained seated, looking at the delicious-smelling lamb.

She recalled the first magic Leonard had taught her. He had shown her a rather useless spell, in Cordelia’s opinion, that could identify all the ingredients in a dish without tasting it.

‘Can’t you teach me how to make fire come out of my hands instead? Water or ice would be good too.’

‘Stop complaining and just do as I say.’

‘What use is this peanut magic? It’s not like I’m going to work as a chef.’

‘At the very least, you’ll be able to detect poisoned food.’

‘Come on. When would I ever eat poisoned food?’

Yet, the lamb Caron had brought clearly contained finely ground tunaya, a plant commonly used as poison.

Colorless, odorless, and with particles so fine, it’s impossible to detect with the naked eye. Without magic, Cordelia would never have noticed it.

“What are you doing? I said eat up.”

He casually urged her to eat. Cordelia looked straight into Maximilian’s eyes, averting her gaze from the plate.

“You must really hate me.”

“Me? How could that be? You’re my brother’s only disciple.”

“Then why is there tunaya sprinkled on the lamb? It’s a poison that causes instant death at the slightest touch to the tongue.”

“Hmm.”

Maximilian wasn’t surprised. Without any change in expression, he lightly snapped his fingers. Though it wasn’t a particularly loud sound, Caron burst through the door as if he’d heard a thunderclap.

“Did you call, Master?”

“Caron. Our guest says there’s poison on the food.”

“P-pardon?”

“Caron, why don’t you try eating it? Prove to me whether I’ve been rude to our guest or not.”

“M-master.”

As Maximilian lightly waved his index finger, the plate in front of Cordelia floated up and gently landed in front of Caron.

Caron’s face turned deathly pale. He trembled all over and then collapsed on the spot.

“Master. Please spare me. Please spare me…”

“If there’s no poison in this food, Caron will be fine.”

Caron’s face was now drenched in tears. Cordelia sprang to her feet and shouted.

“What are you doing? I told you there’s poison in there!”

“What am I doing? I’m confirming whether there’s really poison in it or not. Hurry up and eat, Caron. You know I don’t like wasting time.”

He urged Caron in the same kind and gentle voice as when they first met.

Caron looked up at Maximilian once with tear-filled eyes, then picked up the lamb with trembling hands.

“Please take care of my little sister, Master.”

“Of course. You know Reina is my most cherished disciple.”

Cordelia walked over to stop him, but Caron was quicker. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit into the meat. After barely chewing a few times, his body began to convulse.

“Kuheck!”

“Hmm.”

Caron’s limbs twisted into grotesque shapes. Cordelia flinched at the horrific sight. But the seizure was brief, and soon foam flowed from his mouth before he breathed his last.

The entire process happened in an instant. Cordelia stared at the dead man at her feet.

It was hard to believe even though she had seen it with her own eyes.

“You were right. Fortunately, the culprit who poisoned the food is dead, so let’s just move past this.”

“…You’re insane. You must be insane.”

“But how did you know? You haven’t been learning magic for long, but you’ve already mastered detection magic?”

“You killed him. You ordered the poison to be put in, and your own disciple, how could you do that to your disciple!”

“What are you saying? I didn’t kill anyone. Caron poisoned the food himself and ate it himself. People call this suicide.”

Maximilian spoke calmly despite Cordelia’s screams. His voice didn’t waver, and he didn’t even raise an eyebrow. It seemed so unreal that Caron had collapsed and died on the floor.

Cordelia staggered backward. Goosebumps rose from her toes to the top of her head.

The only thought in her mind was that she had to get out of here.

“What do I need to do for you to let me leave?”

“I told you. Just answer my last question.”

“What… is your last question?”

“Where is my brother now?”

He rested his interlaced fingers on his chin and tilted his head slightly. Cordelia answered, gasping for breath.

“How would I know? Where dead people go.”

“Your seal. It was engraved quite recently.”

He swiftly grabbed Cordelia’s wrist like a hawk. His grip was so strong that Cordelia winced.

“Others might not know, but I’ve seen Acheron’s seal hundreds, thousands of times. So I know well.”

“Ugh.”

“This seal was engraved just about two months ago.”

Light emanated from his fingertips, and complex geometric patterns appeared. Cordelia twisted her arm with all her might to escape his grip, but it was useless.

“In other words, this was engraved after my brother died, no. After he was reported dead.”

“Let go of me.”

“Where is he? Where’s my brother?”

She could see magical power gathering at his fingertips. Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut.