Despite Sezan’s efforts to identify the culprit, the case concluded without resolution. Upon returning to the research lab, an unnervingly normal daily routine resumed. The incident vanished abruptly, like a film cut mid-scene.

Asrein worked normally, occasionally assigning me tasks, while Sezan frequently visited the lab to invite me to lunch. I felt I alone had experienced it all in a dream. The body in the stable, the ambiguous death between suicide and murder, the sachet hidden in the pillow… though these memories remained vivid to me, they seemed to exist ‘only in my mind.’

This prevented me from directly asking them “What happened to the body?” I sensed they would respond with puzzled smiles, saying “What are you talking about?”

Yet even with everyone’s apparent amnesia, I couldn’t erase my memories. While maintaining a normal facade, I secretly visited the herb garden during Asrein’s busy hours, seeking the Dehid flower used in the sachet.

The flower beloved by Sainurs appeared in an item left by poachers who attempted to kill them. This couldn’t be mere coincidence. I wanted to conduct an experiment. However, despite thoroughly searching the herb garden, no plant named ‘Dehid’ could be found. When I finally consulted Jin from the Herbology department, he responded with a light laugh.

“Haha, there’s no way it would be here.”

“Why?”

“Dehid flowers are heavily affected by weather. Because of that, in the Karsa Empire they’re only cultivated in certain coastal regions.”

Jin’s explanation confirmed why Dehid flowers wouldn’t bloom at inland Angelus University. Learning they grew only in the southern Karsa Empire, I worried about obtaining them. Unaware of my circumstances, Jin continued explaining about Dehid flowers.

“Dehid flowers are rare fragrances that were once loved among nobles as perfume.”

“And now?”

“Now… they don’t seek it anymore.”

A formerly cherished fragrance. He explained its scarcity stemmed not only from specific growing conditions but also from divided opinions about its smell. Since ordinary herb shops and fragrance stores wouldn’t stock it, I pleaded with Jin, explaining how the Sainur particularly liked it and how it might help us bond. A few days later, Jin provided three Dehid flowers.

The five petals curled outward, resembling a fountain. Deep yellow pistils and stamens contrasted dramatically with purple petals. Its powerful fragrance stung my nose even from a distance. This must be the spicy scent they mentioned. Being fresh, these flowers carried a much stronger scent than the dried ones in the sachet.

“So it likes this scent…”

I hurried toward the greenhouse, carrying the string-bound Dehid flowers. A strong cinnamon scent trailed behind me, reminiscent of multiple sprays of potent perfume. Eager to see Nur’s reaction, I entered the greenhouse and spotted a gray-furred tail among the bushes.

“Nur! I’m here.”

At my voice, the sleeping Nur perked up its ears and raised its head. Upon recognizing me, it licked its lips indifferently. My regular fruit offerings had conditioned this response. However, what followed differed greatly from usual. When I stepped closer, the peaceful Sainur suddenly sprang up. The flower in my hand marked the only change from yesterday.

“I heard you like this, so I brought it.”

Kneeling on one knee, I gently offered the Dehid flower. Rather than showing appreciation, the Sainur leaped up at the pungent scent. Its round face turned fierce, revealing previously unseen fangs. Sensing its clear aversion, I quickly hid the flower behind my back. Yet the Sainur’s agitation persisted. Something felt wrong.

“…The encyclopedia can’t be wrong…”

Even after distancing the flower and diminishing its scent, the Sainur remained in its corner, unwilling to move. Its raised fur suggested fear rather than mere displeasure. Realizing we shouldn’t share the same space, I left the greenhouse with the flowers.

After placing the flowers in a grass patch, I gathered Nur’s favorite fruits and returned. The small creature had curled into a trembling ball. Hoping to calm it, I set the fruits at a distance and spoke softly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you hated it so much.”

Eventually, Nur emerged to eat the fruits one by one. Though its appetite remained unchanged, it avoided my touch more intensely than before. Wondering why, I smelled my palm and detected lingering Dehid fragrance.

If the Monster Encyclopedia wasn’t wrong, two possibilities existed. Like humans having different preferences, Nur might particularly dislike Dehid flowers – a plausible hypothesis. But Nur’s reaction suggested more than mere dislike. It showed-

“…Are you scared?”

Perhaps traumatic memories accompanied the Dehid scent. This theory held merit.

What if this fragrance served as bait for hunting magical creatures? These hunters knew Sainur characteristics and used their nest to hide corpses. A reasonable possibility.

Or perhaps the Sainur feared the scent because all poachers carried Dehid sachets. If true, the Dehid sachet might help identify them. Though speculative, every theory held value given our lack of leads.

***

I ventured into the town near Angelus University to thank Jin for obtaining the Dehid flowers. The university town’s atmosphere differed completely from Count Ameli’s territory. I had underestimated its size, given its proximity to the imperial city. Following the main road, I dodged endless streams of merchants with sacks and large carriages.

I entered a restaurant emanating savory aromas and joined Jin at a window table. After ordering the “today’s menu,” I inquired about his well-being.

“How’s your advisor these days?”

“Hah…. Professor Beinhart? Don’t even mention it. Yesterday he was busy bragging to me, probably because he’d been to a party.”

“A party?”

“Yes. He occasionally gets invited by his former students. How should I know if one of his students is from a count’s family~ I’m not at all curious about what achievements Baron Fernand made. Who else was there… Ah, I think it was Count Sapien’s eldest son. He…”

Jin violently stabbed a fruit on his white plate with his fork. Red juice splattered onto the napkin in a brutal display. While I nodded attentively, he drank cold water to calm down, allowing me to change the subject.

“Jin seems very knowledgeable about various noble houses.”

“Of course. Our family was once nobility too, after all.”

“…Ah.”

Right, he came from a fallen noble family. Offering a belated awkward laugh, I casually pursued my inquiry.

“Then can you identify houses just by their symbols? Ah, I saw a crest in a book but I didn’t really understand it.”

“If it’s a famous house, I think I would know…. What kind of crest was it?”

I only knew Count Ameli’s lily crest. The sachet bore a lion image. Something about a ‘lion’ crest appeared in the novel, but my memory remained unclear. Tapping the table with my index finger, I recalled that day. Though details escaped me since Asrein held it, the overall shape remained clear.

“It was a side view of a roaring male lion.”

Jin stopped rolling the burst fruit with his fork and looked up. His furrowed brow suggested the question itself seemed strange rather than unpleasant.

“Are you asking seriously?”

“…Why?”

Jin leaned forward across the table and whispered quietly.

“That’s the crest of House Sio, which isn’t used anymore.”

“Sio as in… the previous dynasty?”

Jin’s kind explanation continued. The early Karsa Empire used a ‘bull’ symbol, while the previous Sio dynasty used a ‘lion,’ and the current Evgenia dynasty displays an ‘eagle.’ When I expressed surprise at this revelation, Jin’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Yes. You wouldn’t say you didn’t know that…?”

To avoid appearing ignorant of basic history, I claimed momentary confusion. Despite this clumsy excuse, Jin thankfully pursued no further questions. He speared a bright red fruit with his fork, ate it like candy, then rested his chin on his hand.

“Have you become interested in history lately?”

“Huh? Why?”

“The Dehid flower you asked me to find is also related to the Sio royal family.”

The Dehid flower connected to the Sio royal family? My soup-bound spoon froze midway. When I twitched one corner of my mouth, Jin explained patiently, like teaching history to a child.

“The last emperor of the Sio dynasty loved Dehid flowers. So all the lords governing coastal territories cultivated Dehid. They would even give Dehid flowers and sachets as gifts at banquets.”

“…Ah.”

“Tae-oh really isn’t interested in anything but magical creatures, huh?”

“Haha…. Y-yeah.”

Thankfully, an awkward laugh masked my pallid face.

The ‘roaring male lion’ inside the sachet. The Dehid flower within. I understood why Asrein immediately left the inn after seeing the crest, and why Sezan turned pale and silent.

When Duke Evgenia claimed the Karsa Empire’s throne, House Sio’s lineage ended. Yet the male lion and Dehid flower symbolizing that era emerged from a magical creature poacher. Moreover, that person concealed the crest before dying mysteriously nearby.

“Tae-oh. What’s wrong? You look really unwell.”

Previously disconnected puzzle pieces aligned gradually. Though incomplete, the framework emerged clearly. This explained Asrein’s warning against further investigation. The potential resurgence of a supposedly extinct dynasty.

“…N-no. I think I’m just a bit sick to my stomach…”

If the Sainur family’s murderer connected to the former imperial family, I had no business investigating. Speaking of this would ensure the next body under that white cloth in the stable would be mine, not that man’s.