Chapter 40
“By the way… where exactly are we going?”
I tried to change the topic, and Michael spoke after a brief pause.
“Somewhere we won’t be seen by others.”
“Somewhere no one can see… You’re not trying to… kidnap me, are you?”
Half-joking, I spoke, but Michael answered with an unusually serious expression.
“Not yet.”
“…‘Not yet’? So, you plan to kidnap me eventually?”
“I can’t say never.”
I narrowed my eyes at his unhesitating reply.
‘I can’t tell if he’s joking or serious.’
Seeing my serious expression, Michael’s lips curved slightly.
“You were teasing me just now.”
“Not at all.”
He answered brazenly, tilting his head to one side.
“Everything I said was sincere.”
“…Right, sure.”
I replied lightly and turned my gaze back to the window.
Before I realized it, the carriage had left the Marquis’ estate and was heading somewhere in the city.
‘Where on earth are we going?’
As my curiosity grew, the carriage slowed, eventually coming to a stop.
“Looks like we’ve arrived.”
Michael, who had been peering out the window, stood up. He opened the lid of the seat he had been sitting on and pulled out two hooded robes.
“Put these on.”
“…Why all of a sudden?”
“I told you before—you didn’t want to be seen by others.”
…Right. He remembered that from the last time we met.
I accepted the robes, blinking in surprise. I hadn’t expected him to remember such details.
“Once you’re dressed, come outside.”
Michael put on his robe first and stepped out of the carriage. I followed, wearing mine and pulling the hood deep over my head.
Stepping outside, I took in the surroundings and couldn’t help widening my eyes.
“This place…?”
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
A knock on the door caught Elliot’s attention, interrupting his paperwork.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Lillia peeked inside.
“I’m here, Commander!”
“…Well, well, you’re unusually calm today.”
Elliot set his papers down and gestured for her to come closer. She brushed her slightly grown hair aside and hurried over.
“Have you found Eren Rainer?”
A few days ago, he had tasked Lillia with investigating Eren on Cynthia’s request. The best person for the job, in other words.
“It took longer than expected, but yes, I found him.”
Sitting casually at the edge of the desk, Lillia nodded with a smile. Elliot ignored her and returned to his paperwork.
“Report.”
Feigning disappointment at his indifference, Lillia continued in her usual light tone:
“Eren Rainer is currently staying at a small inn on the outskirts. The innkeeper said he’s been there for a few weeks.”
“Alone at the inn?”
“Not exactly. While observing, I noticed a few people coming and going from his room regularly.”
Elliot furrowed his brow.
“Did you check who they are?”
“I did… sort of.”
Lillia lowered her voice and glanced around cautiously.
“All of them were beastmen.”
“…What?”
Elliot froze, staring at her.
“Beastmen are coming and going from Eren Rainer’s room?”
“Yes, and from the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like they were strangers.”
Elliot’s expression hardened. Of all people, they were beastmen he knew.
‘Could it be… Eren Rainer is a beastman too?’
He murmured, and Lillia straightened slightly.
“Honestly… I’m not sure if Eren is a beastman or not.”
Her tone lacked confidence this time.
“Not sure? What do you mean?”
Elliot frowned.
Lillia shrugged lightly:
“It’s just… sometimes I smelled it on him, sometimes not.”
“…Is he masking his scent?”
“Maybe. Or perhaps he’s been around beastmen so long that he absorbed it.”
‘Although the latter seems unlikely…’
Lillia trailed off quietly.
Beastmen each have a distinct scent. If someone else’s scent had transferred, the original owner should be identifiable. Yet none of the visitors had that scent. So the most likely source was Eren himself.
‘Maybe he knows a special way to hide it.’
Rumor had it that a rare herb, Ghostflower, could conceal a beastman’s scent—but it was extremely rare and difficult to prepare. Few used it.
‘Eren probably can’t afford such an expensive herb daily… Perhaps someone is supplying it?’
Elliot, deep in thought, finally spoke again.
“…We should investigate further.”
His expression had grown serious.
“Find out why Eren Rainer is interacting with beastmen. Be careful not to let CC find out.”
“I’ll do my best.”
‘I was worried anyway. Might as well make sure.’
If Eren had a way to hide his scent without Ghostflower, Elliot intended to find out, even through a little intimidation if necessary.
Lillia smiled lightly and stood up.
“I’ll get going then.”
Michael had brought me to a theater on the outskirts.
Unlike busy theaters in the city center, this one was almost eerily quiet. Without staff at the ticket booth, one might think it was closed.
“It looks quiet, but it’s definitely open.”
Michael’s voice whispered nearby. I flinched slightly and stepped back.
“Why a theater all of a sudden?”
“I thought it would be a place we could talk without being noticed.”
He extended his arm.
“If we stay outside, we’ll attract attention. Let’s go inside.”
I hesitated, glancing at his arm and then his face. I hadn’t planned to spend time like this with him, but now that I was here, leaving him alone didn’t feel right.
‘…Well, I might as well spend a little time with him.’
Once he returned to the estate, such moments would be rare. A day spent together couldn’t hurt.
“Let’s go in.”
I placed my hand lightly on his arm. Michael’s lips curled slightly as he led me toward the ticket booth.
“Welcome. How many tickets?”
The attendant barely looked up from his book. Clearly uninterested.
“Two VIP tickets.”
Michael handed over gold coins, and the clerk’s expression brightened immediately. He hurriedly gave Michael two tickets.
“Here are your VIP tickets.”
Michael quietly took them, glancing at me.
“Do you like tragedies?”
“Tragedies? I don’t dislike them…”
Why ask that all of a sudden? Michael seemed to sense my puzzlement and added:
“Most plays here end sadly.”
“Ah, I see.”
I preferred happy endings if given the choice, but since we weren’t really here to watch the play, I nodded casually.
“I don’t mind a sad ending.”
“Good to hear.”
Michael smiled meaningfully and led me inside.
Unlike the empty exterior, the theater was well-maintained. VIP and regular seats were separated, indicating that nobles visited occasionally.
“This way.”
Following Michael, we climbed the stairs until we reached the VIP seats on the third floor.
