Beyond the door stood Renee. She smiled gently at Vanessa and invited her to come in.

Vanessa entered with an awkward smile. Jurgen’s office was clean and simple. While thinking that the interior somehow suited his personality as she glanced around, she felt a piercing gaze from directly in front of her. It was, of course, Jurgen.

He looked down at Vanessa with an imposing attitude and asked.

“You met Arno Terevron?”

“…Yes. Somehow. By chance, really.”

Judging by his reaction, he didn’t seem to suspect what Vanessa had done after separating from the group at the market.

‘I can keep the fact that I went to the Evanwood mansion a secret for now.’

Vanessa swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly. Jurgen’s voice continued softly.

“Arno Terevron definitely died by my hands. If he’s alive, then as you suspected, he must have used alchemy to change his face. There might be other surviving Terevron royals too.”

“…Probably. But magical tools containing alchemy that can change faces aren’t common. Also, only direct bloodline members could possess the key to the storehouse where the Terevron royal family kept their collected magical tools.”

“The direct bloodline of the Terevron royal family… that would be just Leroy and Arno Terevron, for now.”

Vanessa silently nodded at Jurgen’s words. Apparently, there had been a princess around Vanessa’s age in the Terevron royal family, but she had heard the princess died of illness when she was young.

“About this mage called Saskia, do you know anything more?”

“Well…”

Vanessa disclosed everything she knew about Saskia. There was no particular need to hide anything. However, it was all fragmentary information, so she wasn’t sure if it would be helpful.

After hearing Vanessa’s story, Jurgen seemed lost in thought for a moment. Vanessa hesitated slightly before carefully asking something she had been curious about.

“Your Grace… Do you think the same as Garcia? Do you really think Saskia erased your and the Flügel Knights’ memories?”

“Not erased, probably distorted. Whether temporary or permanent, she interfered with our minds to cause memory disorder.”

“That… would surely be forbidden magic, right?”

“Yes. I didn’t know there were mages capable of actually performing it.”

“But… you’re a ‘Blessed One,’ aren’t you? With Vüs’s blessing, alchemy shouldn’t work on you…”

Divine blessing basically enhances human physical abilities. And it protects from all kinds of harmful things like alchemy, poison, and drugs.

Therefore, it didn’t make sense that Jurgen, a ‘Blessed One,’ would fall victim to alchemy.

“It’s not always that simple. Blessings aren’t omnipotent. If there exists another person in this world with a blessing as powerful as mine… if that person were to use alchemy on me, I would be helplessly vulnerable.”

“What? That means… then, Saskia also received a divine blessing?”

“That’s highly likely. Though I don’t know which god’s blessing it would be.”

With confusion in her mind, Vanessa’s lips moved as she tried to recall Saskia’s image more clearly from her memory. A few images floated in her mind from the hazy memories.

‘Saskia always had her entire body wrapped tightly in cloth. Like she’s trying not to expose even a bit of skin…’

At the time, she had thought it was just obsessive-compulsive behavior, but could it have been to hide the stigmata?

‘…Come to think of it, Jurgen’s stigmata was… in his eyes. But it’s not visible at all normally…’

Vanessa found herself staring into his eyes without realizing it, then flinched and turned away when their gazes met.

Though she wasn’t entirely sure, it seemed his stigmata only appeared when he used Vüs’s power.

“If you have nothing more to say, you may leave now. Given the nature of this matter, I plan to go support Garcia personally from now on.”

Jurgen said while gathering his sword and coat. Vanessa silently nodded and walked toward the door.

As she placed her hand on the doorknob, Jurgen’s cold voice followed.

“And I warn you, stay quietly in your room without wandering around unnecessarily. The ‘curse of misfortune’ on you seems to be still going strong.”

“…What?”

She tried to ask what he meant, but Jurgen had already quickly approached, opened the door, and gone outside.

Vanessa hurriedly followed him out, only to blankly stare at his back as he was already far away.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘That, that mad dog bastard…!’

Arno was being chased. By the mad hound that Duke Drake was said to have raised on blood alone.

He was trying his best to shake him off, but having lost too much blood from the wound on his palm, his consciousness was hazy and he could barely control his body.

He forced his eyes open and entered deep into a dark alley. As his stamina was reaching its limit, he planned to hide for a while.

Several pieces of old furniture, apparently abandoned by people, were scattered about in the alley. Arno squeezed himself between a leather sofa with holes and a desk with a broken leg.

Crouched in that narrow space, he trembled while holding his breath. The wound on his palm throbbed with pain. Though the bleeding had somewhat stopped, it could get infected if left untreated.

If he couldn’t get proper treatment, he might have to amputate his arm… Damn it. This was all because of Vanessa, that cursed woman.

He should have forgotten about such an ominous woman long ago and made a fresh start… No, he shouldn’t have believed Declan Roengreen’s words and come here in the first place.

[A regent from the Empire will soon be installed in Terevron. Though His Majesty the Emperor takes a hard stance against the Terevron royal family for their high treason… he understands that the main culprit was that tyrant, Leroy. So… think carefully. If you abandon the name of Terevron and swear submission to His Majesty, he might appoint you as regent.]

Though he had survived by changing his face thanks to the magical tool he had stolen from Leroy, the alchemy in that tool didn’t last forever. Eventually, his face returned to its original form, and he ended up having to live in hiding.

A criminal’s life, unable to show his face. For someone who had lived as royalty all his life, indulging in as much wealth and women as he desired, it was no different from hell unfolding.

However, if he abandoned the Terevron name and became regent by swearing loyalty to the Emperor, as Declan Roengreen said… though not as luxurious as before, he could live a fairly comfortable life.

Of course, he was quite uncomfortable with Declan Roengreen’s intentions in making such an offer. That man was definitely not the type to do good deeds for others…

If it became known that he was alive, it would tarnish Duke Drake’s reputation as ‘the Emperor’s most capable executioner,’ so that was probably what he was aiming for.

‘Though I received help escaping from Terevron Castle… he’s an unpleasant bastard I never want to get involved with again.’

Arno sighed quietly while cradling his painful right hand. His thoughts turned again to Vanessa. Vanessa, whom he had met after so long, was still inhumanly beautiful.

Seeing that unrealistically pretty face, passion would unknowingly ignite deep in his belly, heating up his entire body.

Though his head knew he should forget such an ominous woman, his heart found it difficult to give up. How lovely would Vanessa be, moaning beneath him… The mere thought gave him a thrilling sensation.

Not to mention, that woman was still a virgin. The fact that he couldn’t be the man to pluck that unripe fruit was truly depressing, even amid the pain in his palm.

That’s right… I must have truly loved Vanessa. No, I still love her. But that stuck-up woman, not even knowing my feelings…

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him.

Arno flinched slightly and trembled, hearing his own heart pounding violently.

Could it be that Drake’s mad dog had already found me? No… I thought I wouldn’t be discovered here—

“…Your Highness, Prince Arno.”

“……!”

But the voice that came was from someone he hadn’t expected at all. Arno jumped up and hurriedly turned around.

Beyond the broken desk, Saskia was quietly gazing at him.

“S-Saskia…! You’re alive! Oh… thank God!”

Saskia was a mage who had sworn loyalty to the Terevron royal family. Being still bound by that oath, she would surely help Arno no matter what.

Arno ran to Saskia, tears streaming down his face with joy and relief. Saskia just stood still with an expressionless face.

“Saskia, first help me get out of here. Drake’s damn dog is chasing me! And, and this hand, please treat this hand too. If it’s difficult with magic, even with herbs…”

“This is perfect timing, Your Highness, Prince Arno.”

“Yes, yes, you must be happy to see me too. With my brother dead, I’m the only direct royal of Terevron left—”

“…you see, I need your bones and flesh… and blood.”

“Huh? What did you say…?”

What Saskia had said before was too quiet to hear clearly. As Arno blinked blankly, Saskia reached out toward him.

Like a snake slithering, and like biting with venomous fangs— her pale hand firmly gripped Arno’s neck.

“Kuk…! You, what is…! Keurk, urgh!”

Arno’s eyes widened in shock at the sudden attack. His face was growing increasingly red as blood rushed to it.

Saskia’s following voice remained calm.

“I sincerely thank you for helping me, Your Highness Arno. My lord will surely be pleased as well.”

“L-let go of me…!”

Saskia strangled Arno with strength that seemed impossible to come from such small hands.

Arno rolled his eyes aimlessly, drooling. His vision was gradually darkening. Just before losing consciousness, he saw a black mark slightly revealed between Saskia’s gray sleeves. No, it wasn’t a mark—

“Stig…mata…”

His consciousness soon sank into deep darkness.

And he never woke again.