episode_0020

『Month of the Cross – 22nd (Evening)』

“Emergency, situation?”

I tried to keep my cool as much as possible, but the guard captain’s voice was trembling slightly.

It is presumed that a situation that has caused even the so-called captain of the guard to be so embarrassed has occurred at this point…

Why did you come to see me?

“I don’t know what the reason is, but is it something that would call me, an adventurer, out?”

“I will explain later. But I really need Lacey’s help… ”

“Phew… … I’ll be ready soon.”

The brief appearance under the hood was that of a typical security guard suffering from fatigue and overwork.

However, the fact that such an expression appeared on the face of the guard captain, who was supposed to lead the guard, meant that something had happened that even the guard captain had to step forward.

Above all, I could guess that the reason they had come to ask for my help was that an unprecedented incident had occurred that could no longer be handled within the territory itself.

He put on a cloak over his regular clothes, picked up a spear, and left the house.

“Eggplant.”

As soon as the guard commander, who called himself ‘Francis Wing’, saw me coming out, he quickly turned around and walked quickly towards the manor house.

“There aren’t many patrols today.”

“Now, all guards and patrols in the eastern zone have been moved to the western zone, except for the minimum number of personnel.”

“Western area… ? What happened there?”

West… This was definitely the place I visited today. An area where many incidents took place, such as visiting Alex and his group’s lodgings, meeting Myrit and Elizabeth in front of the guild, picking up Muse, etc.

However, the fact that the majority of the personnel were sent there was no different from the fact that an incident in the western area that even the security forces could not do anything about was ongoing.

“A disappearance occurred in the western district… ”

“Missing? Who on earth is missing, and even that number of people is not enough, so they are asking a single adventurer for help?”

An alley is a place where vagrants, homeless people, pickpockets, etc., who exist on the other side of the city, gather together.

In this area, ruled by a wolf lord, the number of vagabonds was noticeably lower than in other places, thanks to the lord’s welfare policy.

However, it is not explained why he reached out to an adventurer who was effectively an outsider due to a disappearance that occurred in an alley.

Because lending a hand to an adventurer is directly related to the loss of honor of the lord’s guard.

“Who… It’s not. Every single one of the street vagrants in the entire western district has disappeared.”

“Everyone, I say… ? Isn’t the leap too extreme? The alleys in this eastern section alone must be over 40 sections… Could it be that such a decision was made after only investigating a portion of the western area?”

“That is absolutely not the case! I was in the air, and my men were on the ground, checking all areas to the west. Still, there was no trace of anyone. As if no one had ever existed from the beginning… That’s right.”

Francis explained what he had witnessed in the same trembling voice as before.

“But it’s strange. It’s gotten to this point, but does that mean the guards didn’t know until now? no… There must have been some people who had a connection with the people in the back alleys to begin with. Haven’t those people ever come to report the situation?”

The moment I crossed the puddle of rain that was pouring down, there was silence for a moment.

I pondered over my own doubts and asked questions to the guard leader, and it was he who broke the silence.

“I became aware of the incident at lunchtime. The security guards in charge of the western sector entered the office in fear. Then they reported that all the vagabonds in the western sector had disappeared.”

“So how did you behave?”

“It is not uncommon for a few people to disappear from an alley. No matter how safe the territory is… So at first I was just going to skip it… A thought suddenly occurred to me. When was the last time you received a report on the western sector? Say.”

“That’s… ”

At that time, Francis stopped, and I also stopped in step.

While we were talking, we were standing in front of the mansion. Even though it was time to go to sleep, the lights in the mansion were bright, and many guards were still busy going in and out of the iron door, which was supposed to be tightly closed.

Francis took off the hood he was wearing, looked back, and said.

“The lord will explain the questions Lacey has.”

“Wait a minute, where are you going? And what on earth did you just say!?”

“I have to go out to search again. Once inside, a maid will guide you to the lord’s office. And Lacey’s colleagues are already here. Well then I’ll just… ”

With those words, Francis spread his huge green wings hidden behind his hood and flew up into the sky.

What he said was ‘omission of reports on the western sector’. This may be the crux of this disappearance incident.

because… Because I also had an idea about that sense of discomfort.

The rain, which seemed to not care about my nervousness, became even stronger, and I crossed the wide open iron gate and entered the mansion, which boasted old-fashioned grandeur.

*

*

*

The inside of the mansion was just as busy as the outside. In the evening, when they should have rested at the end of the day, the occupants of the mansion ran around the mansion holding various documents and items in their arms.

Among them, when I entered the mansion, a maid came and spoke to me.

“Lacey Gliss. The lord is waiting for you. Please go this way… ”

This maid also showed signs of being tired, and led me to where the lord was. It looked like he had been working for a long time without stopping.

After walking down the red carpeted hallway for a while, the figure of a woman with long purple hair caught my eye in front of the door.

“This is where the lord resides. Please wait with your group. Then, if you’ll excuse me… ”

The maid bowed slightly and left. Afterwards, the two people remained in the silent hallway. It was me and Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth, were you here too?”

“It’s me. I didn’t know that the lord called you too.”

We felt puzzled about meeting each other in this place. And when two high-level adventurers were urgently called to a location, I already had a feeling that this matter would not end easily.

Moreover, if Elizabeth came, her companion would have also come. However, it means that it is not here…

“Is Myrit talking to Youngju Ji?”

“That’s right. The lord said he wanted to talk to that person first. We were just about to go to sleep, when suddenly a guy who looked like a security captain or something came to us and said it was an emergency and we needed help.”

I think Francis went to call Elizabeth before he came to me.

She wore a thick leather cape over her wine-colored pajamas and was holding a huge gun. It was an outfit that made it obvious to anyone that she had been summoned in a hurry.

After a few minutes of hearing Elizabeth grumbling, the door she was facing opened.

“Lisa, you can come in now… What, did you call Lacey too, my lord? Anyway, both of you come in. Even if the lord didn’t call, we were going to talk about it later.”

My presence must have been surprising to Myrit, and her tired-looking eyes opened wide for a moment, but soon returned to their original state.

As if everything he was doing in this space was bothersome, he slowly moved us into the room.

*

*

*

As soon as I entered the lord’s room, what I saw was a stuffed wolf’s head and a silver chain wrapped around it.

A symbol that was also the emblem of the lord was hanging on the wall, and underneath it, the lord was looking at documents with a solemn expression.

A man characterized by a well-trained body and neatly trimmed silver hair. His name is Edward Silverlight.

In the past, he was a famous monster hunter and was famous for slaughtering monsters like a fierce wolf. And his achievements were recognized by the king, and he was granted this estate, and it is said that he grew it to this size with his excellent management skills.

“I’m just sorry for being late. Lacey. And Elizabeth. I hope you can forgive this rudeness as this is the situation.”

The lord seemed to waste no time even looking at us and saying hello, so he only focused his eyes on the stack of documents on his desk and welcomed us in a deep voice.

Elizabeth and I each sat down at the seats in the center of the room, and joined in the heavy atmosphere.

“Then, my lord. Could you please tell me exactly what happened? You’re not trying to bring in people who were just trying to sleep last night and exploit them without any explanation, right?”

Elizabeth crossed her legs, placed her arms haughtily on the armrests, and looked at her lord as she spoke.

At first glance, it was a very rude gesture, but the lord continued talking without even looking at it.

“About 200 vagabonds in the western district disappeared. The alley was as clean as if it had been swept, leaving no trace.”

The lord, who calmly told the whole story of the incident, sighing intermittently, looked as tired and worried as the faces of the employees he had seen as he passed by the mansion.

Eventually, he returned the documents he was examining to the mountain of paper and turned his attention to us gathered in the center seat.

Despite the distance, his spirit and dignity were revealed without filtering.

“First of all, I apologize once again for this rudeness. Incidents that occurred within the territory were originally supposed to be resolved by the guards, but the issue was so serious and dangerous that it was difficult for us to handle it alone, so we had no choice but to ask for help from you, senior adventurers.”

The lord bowed his head to us and expressed his apology. The lord’s guard was respected by citizens for its excellent performance and outstanding skills, and had a reputation within the streets.

However, an incident occurred that was difficult for even them to handle, and they even asked our party for help.

“I will explain next. Lisa. Lacey. It’ll be okay though. Lord?”

“Okay, please explain.”

As if to ease the lord’s burden, Myrit took it upon himself to provide a detailed explanation of the incident.

Perhaps the reason the two were talking alone just a moment ago was because, as the leader of this party, he needed to talk about something important, and he must have heard about the details of this incident from the lord.

“This disappearance incident is believed to have occurred at least since yesterday morning. I became aware of the incident from lunch today. They say they started an investigation right after that. The number of missing people is approximately 200.”

“Wait… !? The investigation into the case started at lunch? Isn’t it too late at least? I don’t know who the culprit was, but I think it was the security guards who didn’t take any action for a day that made the incident worse?”

When Elizabeth heard the full story of the incident, she argued with the lord in an annoyed tone. Of course, I wanted to complain like her, but I felt a strange sense of discomfort.

Moreover, I am not the only one who feels uncomfortable. At least one… No, at least two people probably know about this discomfort.

The first was a man in front of me who was startled by Elizabeth’s remarks and was trying to calm her down.

“Milit. Don’t you feel it too? About the strange feeling of incongruity somewhere in a kangaroo.”

“As expected of you too.”

“What… ? Is there something else that only I don’t know about?”

After all, he knows. That feeling of discomfort. Yesterday, when I looked at the ‘alley’ on the way from Alex’s dormitory to the guild, I ignored the alley.

At the time, I thought it was nothing and ignored it, but now I realize that the act was completely manipulated intentionally by someone.

“It must have been affected by a perception-impairing barrier. Maybe.”

Myrit was thinking the same thing as me. My thoughts about the ‘alley’ were forced to change due to a mysterious barrier hanging over the alley.

Mairit, who met at the guild and was about to go to a teahouse, mentioned ‘alley’ before mentioning teahouse, and as a result, her interest in ‘alley’ was forcibly cut off.

And looking at the lord’s unfazed appearance after hearing the conversation between me and Myrit, it is clear that he also heard the story from a second person who knew about this discomfort.

” Indeed, the story is no different from what I heard from the guard captain. He also said something similar. Perhaps, as you said, the guards in charge of patrolling the alley were also affected by the barrier and could not pay attention to the alley.”

Missing report for the western sector. Is this what Francis meant by what he said before leaving?

for a moment… ! If so, it means that the lord has begun investigating the barrier… Maybe it’s already finished. If so, it would be easier to find the culprit.

Before I could say anything about him, Elizabeth spoke first.

“It looks like the lord already knows about the barrier. Have you investigated the barrier? I don’t think we were the only ones called in an incident like this, but Herry was called too. Isn’t that right?”

“It’s just as you said. At that time… Even though it was a few hours ago, the barrier was still the area of speculation. Still, in order not to miss any possibility, I immediately sent a messenger to the guild master. She also immediately sent her familiar to investigate the alley and detect traces of the barrier.”

“What is the result?”

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it. Let alone any traces of magical power, there were no traces of a struggle or even any of the belongings of the missing people found in the alley.”

The lord clenched his fists in exasperation and revealed that he had failed to detect the barrier.

However, the barrier is only a hypothesis. It wasn’t strange if it wasn’t there, and in fact, the fact that it didn’t come out even though the guild master who received the title of Archmage personally detected magic power…

It may mean that the barrier is an illusion, but… It occurred to me that detecting with magic might be the wrong method.

“Lord. There is one thing I would like to suggest.”

“Something… ? Is there something that’s bothering you?”

“As you know, the types of barriers are divided into magical power and divine power. And although it is not widely known, the two are contradictory to each other, making it difficult to detect divine power through magical power and magical power through divine power. It’s a realm of speculation, but… If the barrier was made with divine power, it makes sense that the guild master could not find out.”

“Does that mean a priest may be involved in this disappearance?”

“I can’t say no. And didn’t the lord also say this earlier? I won’t miss out on even the slightest possibility. If traces of a barrier are found through divine power detection, the scope of the culprit can be greatly narrowed.”

Mairit and the lord listened to me and were deep in thought. It’s a natural reaction.

The fact that a priest who is seemingly innocent and advocates equality for all people participates in a crime in itself causes a huge stir.

“Phew… It seems like calling you was the right answer. I will immediately send someone who can detect divine power to investigate. Well, it’s very late today, so you guys should go and rest.”

“Now, just call me like this for a moment, just talk and that’s it? Didn’t you call me to ask for something more?”

“That was the intention, but a new clue has appeared, so investigating it is an urgent priority. The weather is bad, the sky is dark, and there are still a lot of areas to check. Let’s meet tomorrow for more details.”

The direction of events shifted significantly once again.

It would not be surprising if the disappearance of 200 vagabonds was featured in the newspapers, but if the fact that a person capable of using divine power was involved was also made public, the world would be in an uproar.

At least the lord will try to solve this case as quickly as possible before that happens. That’s probably why they called us.

We stood up one by one, following the lord’s order to congratulate the guests. And just as I was about to leave the room, a deep voice filled the room again.

“This incident was entirely caused by our mistake. I am truly sorry for making you carry this burden. However, the missing people are also a precious part of this territory. It is not for me to neglect them and turn them into outcasts, but they and I need your strength. So, I am truly grateful to those of you who willingly came here.”

The lord bowed his head to us who were leaving and placed his hand on one side of his chest to show respect.

The way the man who was supposed to lead his subordinates above everyone else showed respect to us, mere adventurers, seemed to truly reveal his upright mentality before his position as a lord.

After bowing lightly to him, we finally left the room.

wait for a sec… … Let’s say the incident happened yesterday morning, and Alex and his group happened to be away at that time…

Also, Clarice’s behavior as she did not come to church for an entire month… …

no way… Surely not? It would be extremely unlikely that all of this is connected… maybe…

*

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*

“Mr. Ha… What is it that makes people feel embarrassed? If this happens, then what happens to me for saying such harsh words? ”

“You also said to use your head when speaking. What should I do if I get so angry just because I was called at a late hour?”

“No, I didn’t know there was such a background… I don’t have the honor to see my lord later, really.”

My husband, I, and Lacey left the lord’s room and headed out side by side through the hallway of the mansion.

As he said, maybe I should have refrained from speaking… ?

Ha, it’s already happened, so why say more? Just rest well today and work hard tomorrow.

In a solemn atmosphere for a moment, we quietly left the mansion after our conversation with him.

Contrary to us, the maids and guards who have been busy since I entered the mansion are truly pitiful.

By the way, at a time like this, where is that bitch and what is she doing that I can’t even see her nose?

My husband is working hard… …

“Eliza! Just wait a moment!”

“Ha… They say even tigers will come if you tell them. Where have you been all this time and now you’re here?”

“What? I worked hard too! I just came to report on the progress of the investigation to my husband, and he told me that you guys had just left, so I came to see you.”

A slovenly bitch with a fierce face ran in front of me out of breath. A former colleague and lord’s wife with neatly organized chestnut hair and a whip around her waist. It was Anydiart Silverlight.

“So why did you come to meet me? Given the current situation, I don’t think I will be able to accept personal requests.”

“Well, what… ! Eliza. I also know how to distinguish between situations, right?”

That bitch is a serious collector and asks for high-level monster capture requests on random days, so every time I see her, I feel like punching her in the head.

Last time, I went with Harry and I couldn’t listen to him bragging about robbing a store, so I broke the table.

“Seobang-nim is having a hard time wrapping his head around his head, so how could I ask him to fulfill my greed? … , not! I really have something to say!”

“Madam. I think this has nothing to do with me, so would you mind if you excuse me first?”

“Oh, that Mr. Lacey? It’s good to listen to it together, but it’s okay to go back and forth. Eliza will tell you tomorrow anyway.”

“Ha? Why should I… ”

“I’ll just go. ma’am. See you tomorrow then. Elizabeth, Myrit.”

Lacey left those words and quickly left.

Why is he like that again? After showing off that he was thinking a lot about something…

“Oh, then I’ll go first too. I will hear that story from Lisa tomorrow.”

“Uh, uh… !? Okay, wait a minute… ”

Why are you suddenly withdrawing your foot!! In an instant, he left behind the iron gate of the mansion and disappeared into the strong rain. In the end, the only people left were me and Annie.

… … If you called me here to talk about something trivial, I will crush this bitch’s head.

“What on earth are you talking about, are you holding on to the ankles of busy people? I know that if it’s pointless content, I’ll give it a shot.”

“Listen to everything people say. Because it’s really important. In the first place, those two people might not have understood this very well. As a former colleague, you will know.”

“… … What on earth do you have to say? Don’t hesitate and say it all at once.”

Only I, a former colleague, can understand Annie’s words now? no way… Is that it?

“My sixth sense is screaming at me. The real goal of this disappearance case is to lure someone. I was trying to let you know that.”

A means to lure someone? Are you sure it’s about me or my husband?”

“I don’t know exactly what that is. It’s not like they’re targeting just guards or citizens. At least people with names. Like you said, it could be you, Mr. Seob, or Mr. Lacey. Maybe it’s me or the guard captain.”

Even when I was in a party with Annie in the past, the only thing I could trust in her, even though she was so unreliable, was my sixth sense.

Like animals that avoid a place before a disaster occurs, they warn of danger when they see any sign.

I wonder if the reason Annie brought up the story with me, emphasizing that she has a sixth sense, was because of the affection of an old colleague.

Mr. Ha… If he acts like this, what will become of me who was swearing at me just now?

“I’m mobilizing everything I can and searching every corner of Yeongju, but I can’t see a single shadow of those missing people. At least I don’t think it’s in the territory. Otherwise, in just one day, they fooled the eyes of numerous guards and moved the missing people out… ”

“… … okay. Thanks for the advice. I’ll let others know tomorrow. Well, you too, cheer up. Because we will definitely find out. Both criminals and missing people.”

“Ah, yes… You guys work hard too… … Oh, by the way, Eliza. If this incident ends well, this time, I will kill the monster I mentioned last time… … ”

“Get out! You crazy bitch! Mr. Ha, I feel like a fool for feeling grateful to your bitch for just a moment!”

“Eh! Eh!?”

They say people don’t rewrite things, but I was really pathetic just a few seconds ago when I was rooting for that bitch.

I left Annie, who had a dumbfounded expression on her face, and left the mansion.

The rain was heavier than before, so I was glad I had a cape on. Otherwise, I would have ended up like a drowned rat. By the way, is my husband going to leave me alone? When I go home, I never stay still…

*

*

*

“Lisa, are you finished talking with your wife?”

“… … Uh, huh!? What, didn’t you go home first?”

Why are you out there? I saw you went home first. no way… Did you wait until me and Annie finished our story?

“I’m not a terrible husband who will leave his wife and go home first in the middle of the night.”

… … Ha, I don’t know how many times it is today. If I curse at someone first, there’s always a story behind those people, and I end up being the only one who curses…

Wouldn’t it be better not to swear? But if I don’t swear, I’m going to get sick and die. What should I do?

“I don’t know what I heard, but let’s go home quickly, wash up, and sleep before the rain gets any stronger. Because tomorrow will be busier than today.”

My husband brushed my bangs away and whispered softly.

okay… I can’t hate my husband because of this. There is no woman in this world who hates a man who always takes care of the weak and treats them kindly. I am also one of them.

“Because I’ll be busy tomorrow too. let’s hurry… Ah, what I heard from Annie… ”

I linked arms with my husband and headed home through the rain.

No matter how bitterly cold the weather is, I don’t feel cold at all when I’m with you. It’s rather hot.

My husband and I walking together in this heavy rain. If I had an artist, I would definitely want him to draw this picture!

*

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*

After saying goodbye to Myrit and Elizabeth, I headed straight home.

The moment I was about to leave the mansion, it was because of a possibility that occurred to me quite by chance.

Was it really a coincidence, or was it just a reasonable inference that came to mind as doubts piled on top of each other?

When I arrived home with that question in my mind, I immediately fell into a deep sleep.

[Ah♥ my love muse♥]

[Glacia♥ Grace♥ I love only you forever♥]

what… ?

Just when I thought I was falling asleep, what I suddenly saw were the shapes of two women.

They had pink and blue skin, and were lusting after each other’s lips, with only their upper bodies naked, in a lake.

why… what?

The two people were kissing vulgarly and whispering about their love, and hugging their breasts, which were so swollen that even the word voluptuous could not be enough, creating an indescribable lewdness in itself.

And among them, the one with pink skin felt very familiar.

None other than Muse… A being that I cannot help but love. My eternal love, my light…

[Ahaha♥ I saw it♥]

Intense dark pink hair and striking beauty that can be recognized at a glance even from a distance.

However, my fiancé was groping her body without any hesitation, passionately embracing someone other than me, without any clothes on.

[Please take a closer look. Lacey… ♥ I want to see ♥ your icy expression distorting ♥ Jyuup♥]

The Muse’s skin is dyed pink, the eerie sheep’s horns protrude from the knots tying her hair, and her left arm, which should be wearing a prosthetic arm, is filled with black flesh, giving it a grotesque shape.

Moreover, his body has grown so explosively that it would have been unrecognizable if it weren’t for his face and hair color.

It had her face, but it didn’t seem to be her.

Muse smiled slightly in my direction and started kissing me violently again.

[Chup♥Chupup♥ Jooook♥ Glaceia♥ Rape my mouth more violently♥♥]

[Chop ♥ Chop ♥ Of course ♥ Muse ♥]

A blue-skinned being who cries out love to the muse as if she were her lover.

Even if this scene wasn’t real, I couldn’t help but be angry at this abominable being who covets someone else’s lover.

[Haa♥ Glacia♥ I, I can’t take it anymore♥]

[Hehe♥ Hehehe♥ I too am at my limit now♥ Muse♥ Because we promised to love each other forever♥]

The blue-skinned woman had her back to me, so I couldn’t see her face, but she also had a body as violent as the Muse, perhaps even more violent than the Muse.

So much so that he folded the Muse’s huge breasts with his own…

As if showing it off to me, their love affair became more and more bold.

Their long tongues licked the inside of their mouths so stickily that it made even the faces of those watching them feel hot, and their slender hands vigorously massaged each other’s backs, buttocks, and chest.

Then, just as each other’s hands were about to reach their private parts, they both turned towards me at the same time.

[Glacia♥ As expected, I wasn’t dating a human male. I love you, the one who made me new, more than anything in this world ♥ You are the only one for me ♥]

[Hehe♥ Muse too♥ Of course, I love Muse the most♥]

We see two people sweetly confessing their love as if they were long-time lovers, and kissing each other weakly on the cheek.

I clenched my hands that couldn’t be held, gritted my teeth that couldn’t be ground, and shed tears that I couldn’t shed.

Muse continued to whisper love to me as if she was mocking me.

I wanted to close my ears, but I couldn’t even do that because I had no choice but to look without substance.

In the end, I had no choice but to continue watching their love affair with eyes that I couldn’t close.

[Fuha♥ Glaceon’s saliva is so sweet♥♥]

[The muse is… You’re licking me so much that the inside of my mouth becomes sweet ♥ I love you so much… Muse♥]

“Ugh… ”

I was just hoping to wake up quickly.

I know very well that the Muse would never be unfaithful to her lover.

Knowing that, the fact that I was dreaming about Muse’s affair was disrespectful to Muse and a pathetic delusion.

[ruler… The pathetic male who separated our love. And an absolutely disgusting incompetent male. Lacey Glis. It’s time to wake up from the dream ♥ Next time I see you… Let’s meet as one♥]

The blue-skinned woman smiled evilly, and at that moment, she lost consciousness in the bright light.

*

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*

『Month of the Cross – 23rd (Morning)』

“… … Ha, wow!”

Sweat ran all over my body and I was out of breath. This incredibly horrible experience felt like reality.

“… Whoo, whoo. Muse… ”

I removed the sweat-soaked blanket, sat down on the bed, and took a breath. And I engrave the image of the Muse in my head again.

My proud fiancé, who has dark pink hair tied into pigtails and is good at playing an instrument.

“Damn… Morning, is it… ”

The sunlight streaming in from outside the window and the refreshing sound of metal announced that morning had arrived.

“We have to go quickly… ha… I had an unpleasant dream this morning.”

I had to go to the guild in the morning to investigate yesterday’s disappearance.

I put my reluctant feelings aside and started preparing to go to the guild.

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