Chapter 3.7

James couldn’t accept that the person who had killed his entire family would suffer only mild consequences. Before the perpetrator could be transferred to prison, James killed him with his own hands. 

Still, his anger didn’t subside easily. James then turned his focus on the investigator responsible for the case. That investigator was Azrael Hyacinth. 

James wanted Azrael to taste the same despair he had experienced. And so, he kidnapped Maria Hyacinth and held her hostage. 

“What does the letter say?” 

“It says I must pay for my sins.” 

“For you, Young Master? No, you caught the perpetrator. What crime could you possibly have committed?” 

The letter crumpled in Azrael’s hand. The perpetrator had brazenly revealed his name. 

James Hayward. Azrael had never forgotten that name. James didn’t hide his intentions. He exposed everything and even questioned Azrael. ‘Wasn’t it all your fault?’ 

“Carlson. The perpetrator has given us 100 hours. If we fail to find him and Maria within that time, he claims he cannot guarantee her life.”

“D*mn it! Even Lady Maria… This is outright a hostage situation, isn’t it?” 

“But knowing it and still having to comply is the nature of a hostage situation. We must act quickly. There’s no time to waste.” 

Immediately, an investigation team was formed. Because the hostage was the young lady of the Duke’s estate, many investigators volunteered to assist. For the next 100 hours, everyone gave their utmost effort. They tracked the minimal clues left by the perpetrator, narrowing down the possible locations and distances he could have traveled. 

Eventually, James’s trail was discovered. Azrael stepped into the temple just shy of the 100-hour limit. It appeared to be an abandoned place, long forgotten and devoid of visitors. As he ventured further inside, he found James standing before the altar. 

“James Hayward.” 

“Well, who do we have here? The noble investigator tirelessly upholding justice day and night! You’ve arrived quicker than I expected this time.” 

“…Where is Maria?” 

“The young lady? Don’t worry; I’ve been taking good care of her.” 

“If there’s anything you desire, speak now. As long as you return Maria safely, I’ll grant you whatever you wish…” 

Azrael had promised the Duke and Duchess that he would find Maria and bring her back unharmed. His father had embraced him with a worried expression, while his mother had tearfully held his hands tightly. Azrael carried the mission of returning with Maria no matter what. 

As Azrael’s solemn expression hardened, James suddenly burst into laughter, as if he had just witnessed something utterly absurd. 

“Haha, hahaha! What a joke! You could never grant me what I desire most. What could a mere investigator like you possibly do to fulfill the prayers that even the gods have ignored?” 

At that moment, Azrael instinctively understood. What James truly desired wasn’t someone’s death or a revenge filled with despair. He simply wished for his family to be alive again. 

But since that was impossible, he had no choice but to act on his second desire. A cold sweat trickled down Azrael’s back. 

“Once again, I ask: Where is Maria?” 

James stared at Azrael with cold, lifeless eyes for a long moment. Then, he let out a heavy sigh and threw the lantern in his hand to the ground. 

Instantly, flames erupted from the floor. It was as if he had prepared the ground with oil beforehand, as the fire created a barrier between Azrael and James. 

“James Hayward!” 

“Yes! Azrael Hyacinth! Listen closely, and make sure you hear this well.” 

With the raging flames behind him, James walked toward the altar. There was something covered with a white cloth. When he removed the cloth, a familiar face appeared. 

“Maria…” 

Azrael instinctively reached out, but the flames denied him passage. Moreover, with Maria in James’s grasp, he couldn’t act recklessly. 

The silence between them lasted only briefly. Soon, the sound of bells began to ring. 

“Time’s up.” 

“…Wait.” 

“Listen carefully. Once again, you were too late, and thus, you saved no one.” 

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of loud explosions echoed throughout the temple. The pillars and ceiling began to collapse, crashing down onto the altar. Azrael ignored the flames and rushed forward, but the temple’s collapse was faster. 

By the time Azrael reached the wreckage, James and Maria had already disappeared amidst the rubble and explosions. Azrael desperately tried to lift the debris, but he was powerless to do anything alone. 

Even as he struggled, the temple continued to crumble. Eventually, Azrael was forcibly dragged out by Carlson and the other investigators. 

“…Maria, no. Maria…” 

Thus, the “Maria Hyacinth Incident” came to an end. When Azrael’s mother heard the news, she collapsed from shock. Over the following months, her health deteriorated until she eventually passed away. Azrael didn’t even have time to grieve Maria’s death before he had to arrange another funeral. 

But the tragedy didn’t end with Azrael. 

His father, having lost both his beloved daughter and wife in an instant, drowned himself in alcohol and drugs for months. Half a year after Maria Hyacinth’s death, his father, unable to endure the pain, took his own life. 

At the young age of nineteen, Azrael inherited the title of Duke of Hyacinth. 

“Young master… No, Your Grace. What will you do about your reinstatement?” 

“…I’ll return. Carlson, this is all I have left now.”

From that moment onward, Azrael became obsessive about every case he handled. The only mission left to him was to uphold justice. 

No reason could ever justify m*rder. That was Azrael’s conviction. 

He didn’t believe in the romanticism of death or any justification for k*lling. He thought that doing so would be tantamount to insulting the deaths of his family. 

* * * 

Beatrice was blindfolded and loaded onto a wagon that traveled for quite a while. Due to the jostling of the wagon, her blindfold loosened and slipped down slightly, allowing her to catch a glimpse of her surroundings. 

Inside the wagon were several other men. Each of them was wrapped in bandages, lamenting their circumstances to one another. 

“D*mn it. That guard was so persistent. Even after stabbing his arm with a knife, he wouldn’t let go.” 

“Exactly. If we hadn’t half-killed him, he would’ve been a major hindrance.” 

It seemed as though the men were talking about Carlson. Amid the boisterous chatter, Beatrice slowly assessed her situation. She had no injuries on her body. Though her wrists were bound, they had used soft cloth instead of rope. 

Additionally, a thick blanket was draped over her shoulders. It didn’t cover her head completely, suggesting it was merely to keep her warm rather than to conceal her appearance. 

“Well, if this job ends smoothly, we’ll definitely get our reward.” 

“Yeah. And remember, we can’t leave a single scratch on the woman.” 

After confirming the men’s faces, Beatrice closed her eyes again and listened to their conversation. Their idle chatter continued for a while until the wagon came to a stop. 

“Hey, Miss! Wake up!” 

One of the men approached and roughly shook Beatrice’s shoulder. She slowly sat up, pretending to have just regained consciousness. The man removed her blindfold and grabbed her arm to help her stand. 

“Put these on.” 

In front of her was a pair of women’s flats. Beatrice took off her shoes and slipped on the flats. They were slightly large, but they fit well enough. 

After she changed her shoes, the man helped her out of the wagon. As she looked around, she realized they were on a cliff overlooking a vast ocean. The cold sea breeze brushed against Beatrice’s cheeks. 

One of her discarded shoes was placed on the cliff, while the other remained inside the wagon’s cargo hold. 

Soon, several men gathered and began pushing the wagon. It quickly plummeted down the cliff, crashing onto the rocks below. The wagon shattered into pieces, its wooden planks swept away by the waves. 

“What do we ride now?” 

“Another wagon will be here soon.” 

Even among the men who had kidnapped her, Beatrice calmly observed the scenery around her. She appeared as though she were on a leisurely outing. The men whispered among themselves, unsettled by Beatrice’s lack of fear. 

Before long, the sound of hooves echoed in the distance. The men draped an old robe over Beatrice and leaned in to whisper to her. 

“From now on, don’t say a word.” 

“I just need to pretend to be part of your group, right? If that’s what you want, why not untie my wrists? I can’t escape, nor do I intend to.” 

Beatrice smiled and extended her wrists to the man. He furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, and then reluctantly untied her bindings. 

“Behave yourself.” 

“Of course. Thank you, kind Sir.” 

Soon, a group of wagons arrived. Without saying a word, the men placed Beatrice into one of the wagons and joined the group. Silence filled the wagon interior. Beatrice stretched lazily and gazed out the window, seemingly bored. 

After switching wagons several times, they finally arrived at a mansion. The old and worn wagon creaked as it passed through the mansion’s back gate. The men helped Beatrice out of the wagon, waving and laughing as they bid her farewell. 

“Goodbye, Miss. We’re not sure if we’ll meet again.” 

“Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet again. I’ve already memorized your faces.” 

Turning away, Beatrice slowly walked toward the mansion. A maid stood waiting at the back door to greet her. Without a word, the maid opened the door and gestured for Beatrice to follow her. 

The maid seemed to have anticipated Beatrice’s arrival, as she prepared a warm bath for her. The soothing water melted away the fatigue accumulated from days of travel.