Chapter 115

Shaterian agreed with that statement.

Considering the people who had not even been reported missing, this case was indeed a serious matter.

And yet, the investigation had been dragging on like this, which made it reasonable to conclude that the higher-ups had no interest in the matter.

The Marquis seemed to be hiding something, and the people of the Marquisate displayed an oddly hostile attitude.

The entire territory was suspicious, as though it was undoubtedly concealing a secret.

“We’ll have to dig it up, won’t we?”

As the saying goes, a thirsty person digs the well—they would have to ask if they were curious.

The sun was beginning to set. The dinner appointment with the Marquis of Kulnensi was approaching.

They quickly returned to the Marquisate in a carriage.

“This way, please.”

Upon arriving at the Marquisate, the butler, who had been waiting, guided them to the dining room.

When they arrived, the Marquis, who had arrived earlier, greeted them.

“I must apologize for lunch. I was rude to leave His Highness the Crown Prince and the Duke and Duchess unattended. Something urgent arose that could determine the fate of the Marquisate.”

“If it concerns the fate of the Marquisate, it must be important.”

They nodded in understanding and took their seats as directed.

Once everyone was seated, the well-trained servants began serving the food with restrained movements.

The Marquis treated them to a heartfelt dinner with a kind demeanor.

To be honest, it was unexpected.

That morning, the Marquis had raised his head stiffly in front of Orgon.

And yet, in just half a day, his behavior had changed so drastically.

Was it the matter he referred to at lunch, which concerned the fate of the Marquisate, that caused this change in attitude? Or had Shaterian misunderstood the Marquis?

‘There’s no way it’s a misunderstanding.’

Shaterian rarely misjudged first impressions.

She was certain that the Marquis was merely bowing his head temporarily and that her initial judgment of him was not wrong.

The sudden change in his attitude was undoubtedly due to the person he had met at lunch.

As Shaterian cut into the main dish, a chicken stew, she observed the Marquis seated across from her.

The longer she looked, the more the Marquis seemed to resemble someone she had seen before.

But her memory, clouded by time, failed to recall exactly who that person was.

“While you stay in the Marquisate, we will ensure the knights are accommodated, so you need not worry about that.”

The Marquis spoke proudly, and their eyes met.

“How generous.”

“…Yes.”

As Shaterian continued to stare without averting her gaze, the Marquis’s expression grew puzzled, as though wondering why she was looking at him that way.

Her silent observation seemed to irritate him slightly.

But at that moment, the Marquis’s feelings were not what mattered.

It was the lingering traces of dark magic around him that drew Shaterian’s attention.

That morning, he had not carried such an aura.

This suggested that the dark magic was related to the grand matter concerning the fate of the Marquisate.

“What is this matter that concerns the fate of the Marquisate?”

Shaterian asked casually, lowering her gaze back to her plate.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot disclose that.”

“Then who was the person you met at lunch?”

“…”

The Marquis remained silent.

As a result, the previously calm atmosphere in the dining room began to freeze over.

“I’m curious as well. What was so important that you had to abandon the Crown Prince to deal with it?”

Orgon’s voice carried a teasing tone, but it subtly pressured the Marquis in support of Shaterian.

“…It was someone related to the fate of the Marquisate.”

“Well, I suppose that can’t be helped.”

Shaterian acted as though she didn’t mind the Marquis keeping the truth hidden.

“Thank you for understanding.”

In the icy atmosphere, the meal resumed.

The sound of utensils clinking was absent, making the dining room eerily quiet.

Suddenly, Shaterian thought of something and asked.

“I heard today that disappearances have been frequent in the Marquisate. Despite the high number of missing persons, the culprit has yet to be caught. Can you share the progress of the investigation?”

“Why are you interested in that case?”

“We’re searching for someone who has gone missing.”

“Someone you’re searching for?”

“Yes. Someone from Mortre Village who moved to the Marquisate two years ago after the monster incident.”

“…”

The Marquis fell silent, lost in thought.

“Why are you looking for that person?”

“There’s someone from that village who is suspected of being a dark sorcerer.”

It wasn’t just a suspicion—it was a certainty.

After another long pause, the Marquis finally began speaking about the disappearances.

“However, there are many suspicious aspects that make it difficult to categorize the case as a simple disappearance. It’s unclear whether the culprit is meticulous or if these are not actual disappearances.”

“I heard there are already over thirty reported missing persons?”

“Yes. That’s the problem. If they were truly abducted, what could the culprit’s motive be for taking more than thirty people? If the goal was to k*ll them, the absence of any bodies is strange. But if they weren’t killed, the number of captives is far too large.”

If they weren’t killed and were being held somewhere, the culprit would need a number of accomplices equal to the captives.

“Moreover, it’s impossible for such acts to be carried out within the Marquisate.”

Shaterian nodded at the plausibility of the Marquis’s reasoning.

“We also considered the possibility that the missing persons were taken out of the Marquisate. But if they were killed and smuggled out, the gatekeepers, who thoroughly inspect all cargo, would have noticed. And if they left alive, could it still be called a disappearance?”

“That would simply be running away.”

“Even so, just in case, we checked the records of those entering and exiting the Marquisate. Recently, no one has entered and exited the Marquisate more than thirty times—or even ten times.”

It seemed that the Marquis, despite appearing indifferent, had conducted a thorough investigation into the matter.

If the bodies were smuggled out, there was the risk of discovery. And if the missing persons left alive, it couldn’t be called a disappearance.

So where had all those missing people gone?

There was no need to speculate further.

The traces of dark magic on the Marquis’s shoulder provided the answer.

And yet, he continued to feign ignorance.

The Marquis must have anticipated this line of questioning and rehearsed his excuses in advance.

Who was the person that left traces of dark magic on the Marquis?

If it wasn’t Masetike, was there another dark sorcerer involved?

If the person intentionally left traces of dark magic, it could be an attempt to lure them into a trap. If not, it indicated a careless dark sorcerer.

‘Which one could it be?’

In any case, now was not the time to pressure the Marquis about it.

Shaterian planned to gather solid evidence before making her move.

She was determined to end everything with this case, so she was waiting for the right moment.

“By the way, is there anything inconvenient about your current accommodations? Of course, I take pride in the fact that it’s the best hotel in the Marquisate, but I wonder if the lack of personal attendants is causing any discomfort.”

“It’s not particularly an issue.”

Since neither of them required personal attendants to begin with, there wasn’t anything inconvenient.  

When asked how Orgon felt, he too replied that there was no discomfort.  

“Still, aren’t the Duke and Duchess newlyweds? This should be a time when you’re busy enjoying your honeymoon, yet you’ve been preoccupied with hunting monsters. Surely, it must be hard to find time to relax. Besides, with the thin walls of hotels, wouldn’t it be awkward among the knights? On the other hand, the walls of the Marquis’ residence are quite thick, so…”

“What…”

“Cough!”

Shaterian was rendered speechless by the absurdity of the comment, while Orgon, who had been drinking water, barely managed to swallow it without spraying it everywhere.  

Glancing at Orgon, who was hastily covering his mouth with a napkin, Shaterian turned her gaze back to the Marquis.  

Who would have thought he would suddenly bring up such a topic?  

Newlyweds were often seen as fiery beings who could ignite at just the sight of each other.  

Of course, such sentiments didn’t apply to the unusual relationship between Shaterian and Eched. However, the Marquis clearly believed the rumors that they were madly in love and had married for romance.  

“Ahem!”

Out of embarrassment, Shaterian cleared her throat. Then, she gave the Marquis an awkward look.  

“…We’ll handle things ourselves, so there’s no need for you to concern yourself so much.”

“It seems I’ve misspoken. My apologies.”

Though she was tempted to reprimand him for his significant misstep, Shaterian decided to let it slide with a magnanimous heart.  

The dinner with the Marquis ended, leaving behind a sense of heaviness.  

While not particularly fruitful, the evening had revealed various things.  

As soon as the meal concluded, they boarded a carriage to return to the hotel.  

“The hotel walls, though… Ow!”

Before Orgon could finish his teasing remark, Shaterian stomped on his foot, silencing him.  

While she had turned the topic out of embarrassment, there was another reason for her reaction.  

If one wanted to quickly understand the Marquis’ intentions, the easiest way was often through his words. However, if they weren’t careful, they could fall prey to him.  

The Marquis, who clearly had ties to dark sorcery, had invited them to his residence, but his true intentions remained unclear.  

Wouldn’t it be the perfect situation to be assassinated if they entered blindly without knowing anything?  

Another reason for their caution was the need for information exchange.  

After returning to the hotel, they gathered in the first-floor dining area.  

Taltos, gulping down ale placed before him, wiped his mouth and spoke.  

“I wandered around the streets all day, but there wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy. The merchants’ attitudes were a bit cold, though.”  

Understanding why the merchants were so aloof was difficult for outsiders like them.  

It was already hard to strike up a conversation with such hostility, and expecting them to explain the reason was even more unlikely.  

Then it happened.  

The answer was handed to them, along with a mug of ale.  

“That’s because the Duke and Duchess were the ones who ruined the Earl of Nen.”