Chapter 36
Crunch, crunch.
The sound of dry leaves being stepped on finally faded.
Isabel stood in the middle of the dark, desolate road, scanning her surroundings. Soon, her brows furrowed.
“How can this be?”
It was currently summer in the Celesio Empire, the kind of stifling heat where sweat would bead on one’s skin just by standing still. Yet here, it was as if the season had changed—trees were bare, and the fallen leaves on the ground looked frozen, brittle and dry.
She bent down and picked up a leaf, pressing it lightly between her fingers. With a crisp crack, it crumbled instantly.
Brushing the remains from her hand, Isabel looked back at the path she had taken. From the moment she had stepped off the village road toward the mountain, the entire atmosphere had changed, as though she had crossed into another world.
Pedro’s words—that no one set foot here anymore—didn’t seem to be a lie.
“…Unbelievable.”
After a long while, Isabel tore her gaze away and let out a heavy sigh, stomping her heel against the parched ground.
From past experience, this usually meant one thing—something was nearby.
For example, a spirit.
Or a terrifyingly powerful spirit.
Or a spirit so dangerous that if she dared confront it, she’d be sent straight to heaven without even a chance to scream…
In short, there was a damned spirit lurking around here.
“Should I turn back now?”
She stared hard at the path she had come from, but quickly shook her head, brushing the thought away.
She hadn’t come all this way just to leave empty-handed. Besides, even if it had been an illusion, traces of Rosie had undeniably been found here. At the very least, she had to confirm whether Rosie was really here or not.
And then there was her detective’s intuition—usually right more often than not—whispering to her that a clue she could uncover here might be the key to solving the bigger mystery plaguing this village.
It was dangerous, yes. But also a temptation far too sweet to ignore.
“Fine. Let’s go. It’s not like I’ll die or anything, right?”
Lifting the hem of her cumbersome dress with both hands, Isabel pressed onward. It wasn’t long before a familiar scene seized her attention.
A ground blanketed in black ash. The charred remains of houses, nothing left but traces of their foundations.
It was exactly the same as the hallucination she had seen. The only difference—this time it was real. And in reality, letting her guard down for even a moment could mean disaster.
She exhaled slowly, her breathing sounding louder than usual. Then, the sound of leaves crunching followed.
“This is…”
As Isabel cautiously approached the ruins, something familiar flickered at the edge of her vision.
Bending down, she picked up a strawberry caramel, dirt clinging to its wrapper. Her lips pressed tight as she clenched it in her fist.
“It really is Rosie’s favorite caramel. She has to be here.”
Haunted by the guilt of shouting at Rosie earlier, Isabel didn’t hesitate—she hurried deeper inside.
“Hey!”
Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder roughly and spun her around. Her gray eyes widened as they met the furious glare of an unexpected figure—Adolf.
Caught off guard, Isabel stammered, “Y-Your Majesty? How… how are you here?”
“That’s what I should be asking. What are you doing in a place like this, alone?”
“I… I came to investigate something—”
But her words cut short as she noticed something. In the dim light, she hadn’t realized before—sweat was dripping down Adolf’s forehead.
“Don’t tell me… he came looking for me?”
Listening closer, his breathing was ragged too. Isabel, who had only ever held unpleasant memories of him, found his sudden appearance unsettling. She couldn’t help but suspect there was some motive behind his actions, rather than mere concern.
And as if to confirm her suspicion, Adolf impatiently seized her wrist and tugged her forward.
“You’re coming back to the inn.”
“Wait a minute. I still have things to do here!”
“Not now.”
“Why not? I can’t just let myself be dragged off without a reason!”
Adolf suddenly stopped and turned, his gaze colder than ice.
“Lady Herphelder. Do you know why you’re still alive despite your insolence toward me?”
“….”
Before she could respond, he spoke again, his voice low and heavy, reminding her of her position.
“You live only because I need you to cure my illness. Otherwise, you’d already be dead.”
“….”
Isabel lowered her head and let out a hollow, soundless laugh.
Of course. She should’ve known. This man never failed to live down to her expectations.
How does he manage to be insufferable every single day, without exception?
Her thoughts grew harsher, but she didn’t argue back. She didn’t even want to. After all, technically, Adolf wasn’t wrong.
Just as he was keeping her alive out of necessity, she too was using him for her own purposes.
Still… what infuriates me is that condescending tone and attitude of his.
Suppressing her anger with steady breaths, Isabel finally looked up at him with a calm, detached expression.
“Your Majesty is right. I overstepped. Let’s go back.”
With that, she brushed past him. He faltered, momentarily stunned. He couldn’t understand—he had just dragged her away, and now she was the one walking off so coldly?
But Isabel didn’t get far before she was forced to stop.
Plop.
A faint sound landed by her ear.
She turned toward it—and froze, staring at the ashen ruins. Adolf stepped beside her, bent down, and picked something off the ground.
“A caramel?”
Sensing something strange, Adolf crushed it underfoot, his tone flat.
“Let’s go back.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
But just as they turned away—
Plop.
The sound came again. Isabel instinctively looked back—and her eyes went wide.
On the ground lay a crumpled scrap of paper, soaked in bright red blood.
