Ciela inspected the contents of the mug with a dissatisfied look on her face. The mug was still half filled with a black liquid and she remembered the details from a book she had read before. 

‘No way.’ 

It said that grinding the horn of the Verdant Deer, which was said to live for 100 years, would produce an odourless black liquid. She clearly remembered it being described as having a sharp, tingling taste on the tongue. 

‘Elixir? It’s not like it’s the name of a pet.’

The problem was that Calix seemed to treat Elixir as casually as if it were the name of a pet. She stared at him, demanding an answer. 

“It’s tea.” 

“What’s this tea called?” 

“The effects are guaranteed.” 

Realising it was indeed an elixir, her grip on the cup tightened. 

‘Why does he keep trying to sneak elixirs into my mouth?’

It seemed wasteful to throw away the elixir, and Ciela frowned deeply. 

‘I didn’t even notice any effect from the Circa.’ 

As for the Circa, she had taken it the same day as the Fairy Apple. Although her condition had improved the next day, she couldn’t be sure if it was due to the effects of the Circa. 

Drip. Drop. 

Raindrops began to fall on the surface of the lake, one by one. Worried about the rain getting into the cup, she covered the opening with her hand and let out a short sigh. 

“Phew. I can’t even tell if it’s working or not, so please don’t try to sneak it into my drinks again.” 

Acknowledging that he meant well made it harder for her to refuse, so Ciela quickly emptied the cup and stood up. 

“Understood.” 

‘Next time I’ll just give it to her directly.’ 

While Calix thought about which elixir to prepare next, he quickly followed her lead.

* * *

Marquis Arcel listened to the report with a menacing glare. 

“So you’re telling me that my men have disappeared without a trace?” 

“Yes.” 

“And you still haven’t found that damned Turbin?” 

“Yes.” 

A cracking sound echoed from the Marquis’ knuckles. Veins bulged from his hands up into his arms. 

“Is this really the time for you to just keep saying ‘yes, yes’ like a fool?” 

Crash!

Unable to contain his anger, the Marquis hurled an ashtray to the floor. 

“…….” 

The man delivering the report bowed his head even lower. Any more words would only provoke the Marquis’ anger further. 

“Haa.” 

The Marquis stopped shouting and throwing things and took a deep breath. The office looked like a battlefield after a war, completely destroyed, but no one cared. Neither the man bowing on the floor, nor the silent servants standing still, nor the Marquis himself did anything but stay where they were. 

“No one saw Turbin?” 

“We gave the innkeeper a small amount of money and asked, but he claimed to know nothing.” 

Unaware that the innkeeper had already been bribed by Calix, the Marquis crossed his arms and continued his thoughts. 

“He couldn’t have vanished into thin air. Did he manage to escape during that time?” 

The first time he sent assassins, he received a report that Turbin had not returned overnight. He then sent more men to investigate the places Turbin frequented, but they found no trace of him anywhere. As Turbin’s belongings were still at the inn, he hoped he might return, so he sent the assassins out again the previous night. This time, however, the assassins did not return. 

‘In the morning I sent more men to the inn, but they reported that they couldn’t find any trace.’ 

Clench 

“Who could have intervened?” 

A cold voice carried an unmistakable aura of menace. If he knew who it was, he seemed prepared to kill them in the most brutal way possible. 

“…Who could it be…?” 

Like a hawk stalking its prey, his brow furrowed. Countless scenarios flashed through his piercing eyes. Just then there was a knock at the office door. A servant looked in and announced to the Marquis. 

“Maxon says he has something to tell you about Miss Ciela.” 

“Let him in.” 

Maxon, looking like a rat, bowed to the Marquis and took off his hat, holding it with both hands. 

“I hear you have something to say about Ciela. What I give you will change according to what you know. So let’s hear it.”

The servants often acted as the Marquis’s eyes and ears, providing him with information in exchange for small rewards. Maxon, imagining the reward he was about to receive, swallowed nervously and began to speak. 

“Well, two days ago I happened to witness the young lady meeting her former fiancé.” 

“……” 

“I only saw it from a distance, so I’m not sure exactly what happened. But I clearly saw her former fiancé stop his carriage and start talking to her.” 

The Marquis stared at the servant, his fist clenching tighter with each passing moment. 

“What is Ciela doing now?” 

“The young lady hasn’t left her room since yesterday and says she’s not feeling well.” 

“Have you confirmed that she is in her room?” 

The servant bowed his head. 

“I haven’t done it yet. I’ll have a look now.” 

“No need. I’ll do it. Step aside.” 

The Marquis left the office and walked down the corridor. Ciela did not leave her room. Turbin disappeared. Could it really be a coincidence that the two weren’t connected? 

The pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit perfectly in his mind, though in reality it was more like a thief anxiously forcing mismatched pieces together. 

That damned fool must have told Ciela about the inheritance after all. 

As the Marquis stormed down the corridor, the servants pressed against the walls like the parting of the Red Sea, shrinking away from his intimidating presence. 

When he reached Ciela’s door, the Marquis reached out and grasped the doorknob. 

Click-click. 

No matter how hard he turned the knob, the door wouldn’t open. A faint sound indicated that it was locked from the inside. 

“Ciela! Come out now!” 

‘Bang! Bang!’ 

He banged hard on the door, but there was no response from inside. 

‘I knew it.’ 

His suspicion hardened into certainty. The Marquis gave a silent command to the subordinate who had followed him. 

“…….” 

The man understood the command immediately and disappeared in an instant.

Click, click.

The Marquis continued to turn the doorknob, knowing full well that the door would not open. He tapped it with such force that it seemed he might break it. 

Then, suddenly, the door creaked open. 

“Why are you here so early in the morning and so suddenly?” 

“Uh…?” 

It couldn’t be. Of course, he assumed it was the subordinate he had sent to open the door. But it was Ciela who appeared, wrapped in a shawl and still in her pyjamas. Her dishevelled hair and wrinkled clothes suggested that she had just woken up. 

The Marquis, nervous, scanned her appearance before locking eyes with her. 

“A father can visit his daughter when she’s ill, can’t he?” 

“The way you knocked on the door seemed awfully urgent.” 

“Hm.” 

The Marquis cleared his throat uncomfortably. 

I knew it. 

His suspicion hardened into certainty. The Marquis gave a silent command to the subordinate who had followed him. 

“…….” 

The man understood the command immediately and disappeared in an instant.

Click, click.

The Marquis continued to turn the doorknob, knowing full well that the door would not open. He tapped it with such force that it seemed he might break it. 

Then, suddenly, the door creaked open. 

“Why are you here so early in the morning and so suddenly?” 

“Uh…?” 

It couldn’t be. Of course, he assumed it was the subordinate he had sent to open the door. But it was Ciela who appeared, wrapped in a shawl and still in her pyjamas. Her dishevelled hair and wrinkled clothes suggested that she had just woken up. 

The Marquis, nervous, scanned her appearance before locking eyes with her. 

“When a daughter is ill, isn’t it natural for her father to visit her?” 

“If that’s the case, why did your knock at the door seem so urgent?” 

“Hmm-hmm.” 

Caught off guard, he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

‘Have I misunderstood something?’ 

No. It was too early to jump to conclusions. The Marquis straightened his posture and spoke again. 

“Actually, I have received word from Count Turtlik that Turbin has disappeared.” 

“What? Really?” 

“Have you, by any chance, met Turbin recently?” 

Her eyes widened in surprise and she leaned against the wall as if trying to piece together her memories. Her lips moved slightly before she spoke in a low voice. 

“I met him yesterday on my way home.” 

“Hah! So he came to find you! Did that shameless man ask you anything?” 

The Marquis asked her, feigning exaggerated shock, as if he had just discovered this. 

“He blamed everything on Lilia and begged me to forgive him, saying he was a victim too. 

“The madman was talking nonsense. What else did he say? 

“When I refused to forgive him, he asked for money, so I gave him some. That’s all.” 

Ciela’s eyes rolled briefly before she looked her father straight in the eye. 

“Do you think he ran away because he couldn’t pay his debts?” 

The Marquis narrowed his eyes. He stared at her, trying to tell if she was lying, but Ciela didn’t show the slightest hesitation. 

‘She doesn’t look like a liar.’

Ciela wasn’t someone who could act that convincingly. In the end, the Marquis had no choice but to admit that he had misjudged the situation and to put his suspicions aside. 

“Thank you for telling me.” 

“It’s nothing. But was it really so urgent that you had to pull on the door as if to break it down?” 

“Didn’t I just say I was worried about you?” 

“Oh, right. You did. I must have forgotten because you kept asking me about Turbin.” 

The Marquis, caught off guard, cleared his throat awkwardly. 

“It’s disappointing that you don’t understand a father’s concern for his daughter. I was so worried about you that I told Theodoro to come to the estate immediately.” 

Her hand tightened instinctively around her shawl. 

“But it’s not even time for my examination. Did you really call Theodoro, Father?” 

“Yes, I did. He’s already confirmed he’s coming today.” 

It had actually been the Marchioness who had arranged it, but the Marquis was lying to make it look like he was the one who cared so much for her. 

“Since I didn’t know Theodoro was coming, I’ll change now.” 

Ending the brief exchange with a polite farewell, Ciela returned to her room. 

“Ugh. So bright.” 

She scrunched up her face against the sunlight streaming through the window. The sky, cleared by an overnight downpour, was nothing but bright blue. Shielding her face with one hand, as if she couldn’t stand it any longer, Ciela closed the window and carefully drew the curtains. 

“It’s better now.”

Well, time to change. 

Ciela opened the wardrobe. Inside, Sarah was hiding. Without a word, the two locked eyes and Ciela calmly picked out her clothes as if nothing had happened. 

“Titi.” 

“Meow.” 
“Our little cutie, how well you respond!

While she was getting dressed, Titi, who had been looking away, belatedly approached her. Ciela showered Titi with praise, then handed Sarah a piece of paper and a pen.

[I didn’t get caught.]

[It seems that the presence we felt outside the window has withdrawn.] 

[However, just to be sure, wait a little longer before leaving.]

Sarah nodded. Ciela, now tidied up and her messy hair roughly in order, took a look out the window. 

‘It’s a relief I wasn’t too late.’ 

After spotting the Marquis Arcel’s men visiting Turbin, she decided to leave for the Marquis’ estate at dawn, just in case. It was fortunate that she had made this decision – any later and things might have gotten rather unpleasant. 

Remembering the words the Marquis had spoken when he came looking for her, Ciela picked up the pen again.