Chapter 2.6

While Azrael was in the capital, the temporary investigation headquarters took a brief rest. The investigators, who had worked for days without sleep, either rested in their rooms or reviewed and organized investigation materials. Only a few members patrolled near the temporary headquarters.

Robert lay slumped in a corner of the interrogation room, his wrists bound. He was still reeling from his interrogation with Azrael, which had gone far worse than he had expected. Even the details he had sworn to keep to himself had spilled out, and by the time he realized his mistake, tears were already streaming down his face. 

In the end, Robert could only admit one undeniable truth: Azrael Hyacinth was unlike any noble investigator he had ever encountered. Yet, that realization did not erase the motives behind his crimes. If the Second Investigation Unit was not to blame, then the root cause lay within the First Investigation Unit. 

Once Azrael returned, Robert would undoubtedly be transferred to the capital for trial. He had attempted to assassinate Duke Azrael Hyacinth, kidnapped Lady Beatrice Delphinium, and murdered a commoner. The trial’s outcome was predictable. 

“I can’t die here.” 

Robert ate the food he had been given and began plotting his escape. While lying down, he had managed to observe the knights’ patrol shifts to some extent. Although there was no clock in the interrogation room, there were other ways to measure time. 

The sound of a knight’s footsteps faded into the distance. Robert, after carefully counting the seconds, retrieved a thin hairpin hidden in the sole of his shoe. The interrogation room door was locked from the outside, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be opened from within. 

After several clicks and rattles, the door quietly swung open. 

Robert cautiously descended to the first floor and rummaged through a laundry basket. He grabbed a random robe and threw it on, but the smell was overwhelming. Wrinkling his nose, he slipped out of the temporary headquarters. 

By now, the sky had turned dark; it was early dawn. 

Stopping in a corner of the street, Robert stood still, pondering where he could go and what he should do next. Then, as if recalling something, he suddenly began to run. 

After a long sprint, he arrived at a cabin halfway up a mountain—the same place he had used as a kidnapping site. 

Opening the door, Robert quickly searched the interior until he found a hidden compartment. Inside were several boxes of varying sizes. He pulled one out and opened it. 

That was when it happened. 

“It’s been a while. Have you been well, Mr. Robert?” 

From the darkness, where silence had reigned, Beatrice greeted him with a smile. 

Startled, Robert dropped the box he was holding. 

Crash! The sound echoed as its contents spilled across the floor. Robert instinctively took several steps back, his face filled with shock as he pointed at Beatrice, stammering. 

“You… How are you here…?” 

“Oh my, I apologize if I startled you. But if you escaped, isn’t this the only place you would come?” 

“What? ‘The only place’?” 

“You have no acquaintances, no connections, and even the carriage and belongings you had were all confiscated as evidence. At the very least, you’d need money to run away, so of course you’d come looking for emergency supplies.” 

The box Robert had dropped revealed various items scattered across the floor. Among them were light clothing, shoes, and handkerchiefs—basic necessities. 

As the cabin had served as a resting spot for coachmen, it contained their essential supplies. 

One of the items was a leather pouch filled with coins. A few silver coins, peeking out from the pouch’s opening, were the same ones Adam had handed over when transporting the wine barrel containing the body. 

“If you were lucky enough to survive, you should’ve stayed quietly in bed. But instead, you’ve gone and invited danger upon yourself!”  

For a moment, Robert was stunned. Soon after, he grasped the situation and shouted at Beatrice. She was just a noble lady, alone. With that in mind, he thought he could easily overpower her and began to rush toward her. 

But that was only Robert’s assumption. 

As soon as he reached out his hand, his head began to spin. His legs trembled, and after staggering a few times, his body collapsed helplessly against his will. 

“That’s why you shouldn’t have exerted yourself so much. You were in a hurry after escaping, and walking up the mountain on foot instead of riding in a carriage must have been exhausting, right? Thanks to that, the drug worked faster.” 

“D-Drug? What did you do to me?!” 

“How was your last meal? You seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, not realizing it was laced with anesthetic.” 

Beatrice spoke as she approached the fallen Robert. The darkness that had obscured her features was now illuminated by moonlight, revealing her fully. 

Robert, consumed by rage, tried to scream, but his voice froze in his throat when he saw what Beatrice was holding in one hand—a hatchet. 

A cold sweat trickled down his back. Meanwhile, Beatrice calmly fiddled with the hatchet blade and spoke to him nonchalantly. 

“Oh, don’t worry. This isn’t like the old, worn-out hatchet you used from the communal storage. The blade is very sharp. Would you like to take a closer look?” 

“Wait, w-why are you holding a hatchet…?” 

“Don’t you think it’s foolish? Whether it’s a noble lady, an elderly woman, or an innocent-looking child, anyone can wield a blade. Death is fair, Mr. Robert.” 

“W-What are you planning to do to me?” 

The hatchet sliced through Robert’s shirt, the blade pressing against his skin and leaving a red line. His unsightly upper body was exposed, but fear outweighed any sense of shame. 

“Just as you once did, I’m thinking of giving Sir Azrael a gift…” 

“P-Please spare me! I’ll do whatever you say!” 

“Really? You’ll do anything?” 

“Y-Yes! I’m sorry about what happened before! If you want me to live quietly like a mouse, I’ll do it! If you need money, I’ll earn as much as you want! So please…” 

“Mr. Robert, fear cannot buy a loyal servant.” 

At those words, Robert’s face turned pale. 

Beatrice glanced at his expression before swinging the hatchet down onto his ankle without hesitation. 

The heavy sound of the impact was quickly drowned out by Robert’s scream. His eyelids trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face, and saliva mixed with frothy white bubbles spilled from his mouth. 

Though he tried desperately to thrash in pain, the anesthetic left him only able to twitch and shudder—like a fish pulled from the water long ago, barely able to flop. 

“To bind someone with a contract, to burden them with a debt of life, to enslave them with love… Even then, you must ultimately win their true heart.” 

Blood splattered, staining the hem of Beatrice’s dress red. Yet she paid no attention and continued to swing the hatchet. 

“Don’t you agree, Adam?” 

At some point, a man who had been standing silently nearby began to stare at Beatrice. 

After severing Robert’s wrists and ankles completely, Beatrice pulled a dagger from her waist. 

Unfortunately for Robert, he was still breathing. His mouth emitted shapeless groans, sounding almost like the cries of some grotesque beast. 

Beatrice brought the dagger to his face, laying the blade flat against his skin before slowly carving into it. She methodically separated muscle from flesh, peeling it away gradually. 

Even after losing all his limbs, Robert instinctively tried to resist. But Adam stepped forward and pinned his shoulders down with brute force. 

Robert’s eyes, clouded with tears and blood, reflected an even deeper despair. 

Beatrice met his gaze and sat down on his waist. 

***

By morning, Carlson, who had spent the night conversing with Florence Hill, finally returned to the temporary investigation headquarters. 

The moment he stepped inside, he sensed the commotion. 

Before he could process his confusion, several investigators rushed to him, hastily explaining the situation. 

With each word, Carlson’s expression shifted into a mixture of shock and disbelief. 

“What? The suspect disappeared? And this happens while the commander is away… You’ve already sent a messenger to inform him, right? Is anything else missing?” 

“Uh… Just one robe from the laundry cart. It seems he used it to disguise himself.” 

“What about weapons?” 

“They’re secure. Luckily, the storage was locked.” 

“Hah… Well, at least that’s one good thing. This is going to require a hundred incident reports. Got it?” 

Carlson sighed heavily and ruffled his hair. 

Though his mind was overwhelmed, he quickly regained his composure upon realizing that he was the only person who could be considered in charge at the moment. 

Never before had Carlson missed Azrael so desperately. 

Soon, the knights gathered on the first floor of the temporary investigation headquarters. 

While the total number wasn’t large, as it only included those involved in the investigation in this region, they were the best available. 

“Raise your hand if you were the one who delivered dinner to the suspect last night.” 

“Well… It was supposed to be my responsibility, but I fell asleep right after preparing the meal and couldn’t go. When I woke up, the meal tray was gone, so I assumed someone else had delivered it…”

“These fools…! While the commander and I are running ourselves ragged outside, what on earth are you doing in here?” 

“It’s not just me! Most of us were so tired from the investigation that we fell asleep right after dinner!” 

“Most of you? Raise your hand if you slept last night.” 

Out of the twelve gathered knights, eleven raised their hands. The only one who didn’t was Liam.