Chapter 25
“So, the dormitory… was it this way?”
Isabelle, searching for the dormitory, had ultimately gotten lost. The rain that had poured all day showed no sign of stopping, and the streets, shrouded in complete darkness, were so dim that she could barely make out her surroundings.
As Isabelle looked around nervously, with no sign of anyone nearby, a familiar voice brushed past her ears. The voice grew closer, heading straight toward her. Spotting Huitman emerging from the shadows, Isabelle, relieved to be alive, ran toward him.
“Huitman! Did you come looking for me?”
Another shadow, hidden in the darkness, revealed itself. When Isabelle saw Adolf, the smile on her face vanished, and she froze in place.
“…Your Majesty is here too.”
“……”
Adolf glanced at Isabelle without a word. Isabelle, oddly relieved by his silence, turned her attention back to Huitman.
“Huitman, what about Kezef?”
“He said he had something to look into and left the village. He’ll probably head straight to the Duke’s residence once he’s done.”
Of all times, her most reliable companion, Kezef, wasn’t around.
Even if she spoke to Huitman, it was obvious he’d ignore her or brush it off, and her already strained relationship with Adolf had worsened after yesterday’s incident, making the atmosphere uncomfortable.
Frustrated by the constantly misaligned situation, Isabelle let out a deep sigh.
“By the way, where have you been wandering until this hour?”
She figured she should at least share the information she’d gathered so far.
Isabelle briefly explained the events of the day.
“Actually, while investigating Dr. Morus, I ran into Mr. Hybert’s other wife.”
“Another wife?”
“Yes… Jane, who works at the village hospital.”
“What?”
Huitman suddenly raised his voice, pressing his hand to his forehead. Isabelle, having no idea why, furrowed her brows and raised her voice as well.
“What’s the matter all of a sudden? You scared me!”
“You mean you met the wife who works at the hospital?”
“Yes…?”
Huitman dryly recounted what he had learned earlier that day.
“She’s apparently notorious in the village for her hysteria. Her obsession with Hybert is so extreme that it’s no wonder he ran away.”
“……”
‘Jane… what kind of life did she live?’
Chilling memories of Jane’s words flashed through Isabelle’s mind. She shook her head slightly to push the thoughts aside and changed the topic. Meeting Huitman today had turned out to be fortunate.
“Anyway, Huitman, there’s somewhere I need you to come with me.”
“At this late hour, where could that be?”
“Sorry, but it’s too risky and time-sensitive for me to handle alone. Thanks to Amanda, I met someone who knows Hybert well, but I can’t manage by myself with all this tension. I’d like you to come with me.”
“That’s not difficult, but…”
Huitman’s gaze shifted to Adolf. It seemed difficult for him to bring Adolf—someone he valued more than his own life—to a potentially dangerous place. Yet Adolf, as if unconcerned, straightened from his lean against the wall and spoke.
“I’ll go too.”
“But Your Majesty…”
“Keeping me locked in a messy bedroom once is enough. Or are you refusing my order?”
“That was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.”
Huitman quickly bowed his large frame. Adolf gave him a sidelong glance before turning his attention to Isabelle.
“Let’s hurry before it gets any later. Lead the way.”
“……”
Isabelle shared the same concern about bringing Adolf to a dangerous place. The problem was that it was almost midnight. Judging it better to have him nearby than let him wander and disappear like yesterday, Isabelle headed toward Denver’s house with Adolf.
Splash, splash, splash.
Rainwater streamed down the roof at an alarming speed. Now, the downpour was so heavy that even umbrellas were barely useful.
Isabelle rolled up her drenched dress with one hand and pounded on the door.
“Denver! Are you in there?”
Creak—
The door, which she assumed would be locked, opened emptily after a few knocks.
“…Why is the door open?”
As Isabelle stared into the pitch-black house, a metallic scent of blood reached her nose.
Frowning, she pinched her nose. The faint smell grew stronger and more nauseating the more she inhaled.
‘This is the smell of blood… why blood…?’
Huitman approached Isabelle, who had frozen like a wooden doll, and handed her a handkerchief. His expression was cold as he muttered:
“Something’s definitely happened here. And it’s not just one or two of them.”
“Not just one or two? Huitman, what do you mean…”
Before Isabelle could finish speaking, Adolf pushed past them and entered the house. Huitman sighed heavily and hurried after him.
“We’ll find out once we go in. Don’t fall behind.”
“……”
Isabelle swallowed dryly and stepped into Denver’s house.
Thud!
As soon as she entered, the door slammed shut with a deafening crash. Isabelle’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at the silent, windless window.
“Hey, hurry up!”
“…I’m coming.”
Isabelle kept her gaze fixed on the door as she took heavy steps forward.
By the time they reached Denver’s bedroom, the metallic smell of blood was overwhelming. Even Huitman, who had spent much of his life on battlefields, held his arm to his nose at the unbearable stench.
Isabelle could barely breathe. After gagging, she turned to see Adolf, seemingly unaffected, and clicked her tongue before trying the door handle.
Click.
The door was firmly locked. Anxiety surged through Isabelle as she pounded on it.
Bang! Bang!
“Denver! Denver!”
When no response came, fear slowly crept up from her toes to engulf her.
“Step aside.”
Huitman pushed Isabelle aside and began ramming the door with his body.
Thud! Thud!
The old wooden door split easily under Huitman’s strength. As he cleared the remaining debris with his hands, he noticed something and furrowed his brow.
“What the hell is this?”
A chair and a large dresser blocked the doorway, haphazardly stacked as if to keep anyone out.
Isabelle, still staring forward, asked:
“Huitman, can you move this?”
“Something like this?”
Before finishing his sentence, Huitman kicked the chair blocking the door, breaking it and creating a small opening just big enough for a person.
After a few more kicks, he muttered, annoyed:
“I can’t break through the dresser.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
As Isabelle bent to squeeze through the narrow gap, a sudden mist filled the room, obscuring her vision.
“Damn it, where did this fog come from…!”
The mist quickly enveloped Huitman and moved toward Adolf. Isabelle lunged, grabbing his hand to keep him from being swallowed.
“Your Majesty!”
The damp, moldy-smelling fog soon covered both of them.
