The next day.

Without having to wait, a reply came immediately.

‘I knew it.’

I was certain this person wouldn’t delay.

I opened the reply with a grin.

The reply was exactly as I had expected.

[Miss Lize.

You’re sending me a compilation about Red Mask and ten other monsters…! When I received your letter, I thought I was dreaming…. I don’t know if I deserve such a precious gift. But if you’re willing to give it to me… I absolutely, definitely want to receive it! Thank you so much, Miss Lize! Congratulations on successfully presenting your work! If you permit, I’d like to have another in-depth conversation about monsters with you. I’ll be waiting.

Sincerely, Louisa Blue.

P.S. I’ll definitely include the phrase you requested in the article!! Though the deadline is today, adding something short won’t be a problem. My position has improved lately thanks to your work. Thank you!]

‘She wrote what I asked about in the postscript while the main text is all about monsters… This is so like Louisa.’

I expected a reply like this, but I couldn’t help chuckling because it didn’t deviate from my expectations at all.

I had asked Louisa to include a phrase in her article in exchange for sending her a compilation about “Red Mask and ten other monsters,” in other words, the red mask and ten other urban legends.

‘Now, what should I write?’

I intended to publish a message for K in the newspaper.

The Erin newspaper where Louisa works is the largest newspaper in the empire.

Most citizens of the empire get their major news through the Erin Daily.

‘Plus, Louisa’s articles are getting attention these days.’

Even if K doesn’t read the newspaper, the chances increase that they’ll hear people talking about the anonymous message.

‘And once they confirm the message….’

K will realize that their proposal is still valid for Jean, and will surely come to meet him.

‘Then I can confirm their face.’

What intentions this mysterious person called K has. Whether they truly are the mastermind who manipulated Jean to take revenge on Cayenne in the original work.

“Well then, let’s write a reply now.”

I picked up my pen and wrote a reply while humming and sighing.

[To K. I need your help. I will wait at the place you mentioned, accompanied by one escort. You are the only one who can help me.]

‘This should look like Jean wrote it, right?’

If K truly wants to manipulate Jean, they’ll be reassured by the fact that he’s relying on them.

So they should understand even if he brings one escort.

‘It would seem stranger if he showed no caution at all.’

I carefully sealed the letter, then called a servant and asked them to deliver it to Louisa immediately.

The servant nodded and took the letter.

Now the message will successfully appear in tomorrow’s newspaper.

‘I’ll have to write the monster compilation once this matter is settled.’

I stretched and thought.

The next question is, who to bring as an escort….

‘First of all, not Arkle or Naran.’

I nodded firmly.

Considering their behavior yesterday, those two were absolutely out of the question.

‘Someone who can follow what I do without asking for reasons and who can use force if necessary….’

There was no need to think long.

“Sylvia, come with me somewhere.”

On the day of the appointment, I spoke to Sylvia while wearing a robe and smiling brightly.

Seeing me, she looked at me as if wondering what I was plotting again.

“Where are you going?”

“I said I’m going to meet Jean Allenheim for a while. Officially.”

When I answered cheerfully, Sylvia groaned and held her forehead.

“You’re doing something dangerous again, aren’t you? If something happens to you, I’ll be in trouble…”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

“Haah… Of course.”

Even while grumbling, she answered as if it were obvious.

I smiled at her as if I knew she would say that, and Sylvia looked like she had been tricked again.

“With Sylvia coming along, I feel completely safe!”

“…Let’s go.”

So, guided by Sylvia, I headed to the abandoned shrine, the meeting place.

❖ ❖ ❖

“It doesn’t seem like anyone’s here, right?”

“Yes, I don’t sense anyone.”

In front of the shrine, the appointed time was approaching, but no one had appeared.

“What kind of person are you meeting? Calling you to such a deserted place is suspicious…. In front of this smelly old shrine.”

Sylvia frowned and continued to grumble while remaining vigilant.

‘What kind of person I’m meeting, that’s what I want to know too, Sylvia.’

I just smiled apologetically and said we should wait a little longer.

‘Could they have failed to notice the message was for them? No, if they planned all of Jean’s actions in the original work, they must be clever enough to realize it.’

If not, it means they’ve given up on meeting Jean.

‘…Was this person just genuinely concerned about me? Was it just a coincidence?’

As the appointed time passed with no sign of anyone appearing, I too began to waver.

‘Hmm. Perhaps Jean planned the revenge himself after all….’

Just as I was thinking this, Sylvia suddenly covered my nose and mouth.

“Sylvia?”

“Don’t speak!!”

Sylvia shouted strongly and didn’t remove her hand from my face.

“This smell is a sedative drug! I know it because it’s often used for assassinations. We need to escape while covering our mouths…”

Sylvia couldn’t finish her sentence before losing consciousness.

“Sylvia!”

I quickly covered my nose and mouth with one hand while catching her as she collapsed toward me.

‘F*ck, what a dirty trick!’

I cursed inwardly while looking around, and saw a figure approaching.

A tall man wearing a robe like mine.

As he slowly removed his robe, his face was revealed.

Though his top covered his nose and mouth up to his neck, with golden hair and green eyes… he was definitely someone I had met before.

I also removed my robe and faced him.

Baron Clark’s eyes wavered when he confirmed my face. He dropped the hilt of his sword and muttered.

“Lize Allenheim? How…?”

“A holy knight who’s decided to go completely off the rails, I see?”

Despite my mocking tone, Baron didn’t answer.

After alternately examining me and the unconscious Sylvia, he approached me with quick steps.

Then he roughly grabbed my arm.

“Come with me!!”

“Let go of me.”

“Stop talking—”

“Now—!”

Baron, who looked puzzled at my shout, didn’t have time to look around.

Because Arkle, who burst through the shrine door, rushed at a terrifying speed and struck Baron hard on the back of his head.

“Ugh…!!”

Baron, who screamed in agony, collapsed with a thud.

Arkle looked down at him with cold eyes. It was the first time his red eyes looked so chilling.

“Not content with sending a threatening letter to my wife… you try to harm her.”

“Th-threatening letter…?”

Baron raised his head as if he didn’t understand.

When our eyes met, I stuck out my tongue slightly.

‘Surely you didn’t think I’d really bring just one escort?’

Since I couldn’t tell those who didn’t know the original story about K, I had made up a story about receiving a threatening letter and had knights and Arkle waiting inside the shrine.

‘And that’s not all.’

The knights who had been waiting inside the shrine came out and apprehended Baron and me.

One of them approached me and handed me a recording stone.

“Did you capture it well as I explained?”

“Yes, Miss Lize. Everything is recorded, from when that man knocked Sylvia unconscious to when he tried to kidnap you.”

“Well done, camera director!”

I had asked one knight to record with a recording stone.

To leave irrefutable evidence.

“You’re finished now, Mr. Final Villain.”

At my words, Baron’s complexion darkened.

“…I, I just…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll let you talk all you want. I have a lot I want to hear.”

“Let’s go, wife. It’s not good to stay here long.”

Arkle had one knight carry Sylvia and ordered the rest to surround Baron.

“Arkle Cayenne, things won’t go as you wish…”

“Start walking.”

Arkle glared at Baron while emitting overwhelming killing intent.

“I can’t let my wife stay here any longer, so start walking. If you don’t like that, I’ll turn you into a corpse and have you carried.”

“Ugh…”

Baron bit his lip until it bled, then after meeting Arkle’s gaze, he finally took a step.

I watched him go ahead, then moved forward under Arkle’s escort.

“Is it difficult for you to walk?”

“I’m fine. I can manage.”

Thanks to Sylvia blocking it, I don’t think I inhaled much of the drug.

As a result, though my body felt a bit heavy, I could move reasonably well.

“If it’s difficult, I can…”

Arkle, who had been speaking calmly, for some reason closed his mouth tightly without finishing.

He seemed to hesitate about something, but I was also lost in thought, so I couldn’t observe him closely.

“I can carry you…”

“—Arkle. When we get back to the mansion, let me interrogate Baron myself.”

Our voices overlapped as we both spoke at the same time.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

When I asked cheerfully, Arkle shook his head.

‘Hm? He seemed to be seriously considering something. Well, if it’s important, he’ll tell me later!’

Nodding to myself, I continued walking.

By the time we reached the carriage, Arkle was wearing a somewhat disappointed expression.

❖ ❖ ❖

As soon as we arrived at the mansion, the knights took Baron to the underground interrogation room.

Naran, who came running after hearing the news, insisted with fire in his eyes that Baron be handed over to him immediately, so all I could do was laugh and stop him.

“Martha said no rough methods. Since he’s a holy knight, the imperial family might hold us accountable later…”

“Tch—! I could make him spill even what time he was born!!”

After fuming for a while, Naran, still not calmed down, glared at the interrogation room door before finally leaving.

‘Now, shall I go in?’

I slowly opened the interrogation room door.