Chapter 27
“Oof.”
After driving away the fifth visitor who had come looking for Kin, all the strength drained out of me at once.
“Right. These people really were children of the night.”
It was practically a miracle that no one had shown up until I managed to put Kin to sleep. Every last one of them was a nocturnal type.
I decided to be satisfied with today’s成果 and wrap things up here.
I almost got myself killed just trying to flip through a map book.
So far Kin hadn’t woken up, but who’s to say he wouldn’t next time?
Better to wait for another chance, whenever that might be.
“Count yourself lucky.”
I pouted and draped a blanket over Kin.
Seeing him sleeping so peacefully, I couldn’t just walk away.
Honestly, I guess I’m still human too. Weak to pretty and handsome things.
He was a chilling man, but with those cold, murderous eyes hidden, he just looked like a handsome young man who’d collapsed from exhaustion.
I shouldn’t be fooled by appearances. Guess I’m not cut out to be a great person.
Clicking my tongue, I left Kin’s office.
Was it because I’d overworked myself yesterday? Or because I didn’t fall asleep until nearly dawn?
Either way, I only woke up when the sun was almost setting.
“The captain said to come see him as soon as you wake up.”
The moment I opened my eyes, Ricky relayed Kin’s message.
“Huh? Me?”
He didn’t notice what I did last night… right?
Clutching my pounding heart, I followed behind Ricky.
This is my first time on this path. Where are we going?
I thought I’d gotten used to the inside of this Ashen Castle, but this corridor was completely unfamiliar.
We’re not going to some hidden dungeon or torture chamber… are we?
“Ricky, do you know why the lord called for me?”
I tried fishing for info, tense as hell, but all I got was useless praise.
“No idea. Who can read the captain’s mind? He sees ten moves ahead. The captain is perfect.”
Perfect, my ass. He seemed surprisingly careless last night.
My thoughts drifted back to yesterday.
The image of someone who’d fallen fast asleep after falling for my flimsy trick was still vivid.
Even if I’m small fry, collapsing that deeply in front of someone else? That stings my pride in a weird way.
While muttering to myself, I realized Ricky had stopped.
“Here. Go in.”
A massive steel door stood before me. Rust clung to parts of it, and strange blade marks were etched into the surface. It gave off a seriously ominous vibe.
“Ricky… where is this?”
I whispered. Ricky shrugged.
“The magic lab. The door kept getting blown up, so they replaced it with steel. Ngh—!”
With his slender body, Ricky shoved the huge door open and shouted at me.
“What are you doing? Come in already. My arm’s about to fall off.”
“…Okay.”
Wearing a deathly expression, I slipped into the dark gap.
I can’t believe I’m voluntarily walking into the lair of those infamous lunatic mages…
The moment I reached the main lab after passing through a long black corridor, five robed figures surrounded me.
The infamous “Five Mad Mages” of the Ashen Castle, stars of countless creepy rumors.
They didn’t even give me time to open my mouth before starting to judge me.
“Hm. Reading fate by listening to the voice of the stars…”
“Stars instead of spirits?”
“Stars are inanimate. How can something without will speak?”
“This has been scientifically, magically, spiritually, and theologically proven.”
“No matter how I hear it, she’s obviously a fraud…”
I was getting crushed under the pressure when Kin saved me.
“Back off, mages. She is not your experiment subject.”
Oh wow. The day he became my hero actually came.
“Lord Kin!”
As Kin strode closer, the five mages huddled together like frightened rats and protested.
“But—!”
“She doesn’t emit any special aura at all—total fraud vibes!”
“Completely agree!”
Wow. They saw through me instantly. Impressive.
But thankfully, Kin didn’t abandon his trust in me.
“What matters here isn’t whether she’s a real astrologer. It’s the finger fragment of the living corpse she brought us, and the evidence surrounding it.”
Wait—what?
Living corpse?
Did this suddenly turn into a zombie genre?
To sum up Kin and the mages’ explanation:
The evidence I found wasn’t from a normal human, but from a half-human, half-corpse being.
That’s why the body dried up like a mummy, rotted, and broke apart.
The mages grilled me.
“How did you find something this tiny in such a huge warehouse?”
“I… uh… followed the voice of the stars?”
“Explain exactly when, where, and how you found it!”
“Yesterday, in the warehouse, with my ability…?”
“That’s vague! You’re not connected to the living corpse, are you?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Despite being supposed rational thinkers, all four of the other mages leaned into the wild theory.
“Maybe?”
“Could be?”
“Search her?”
“Dissect her!”
They lunged at me, fired up.
Do they just want to vivisect a human for fun?
“Aaaah! Please spare me!”
I shoved one mage away and dove behind Kin.
“Lord Kin! Say something! Can’t you see their eyes have gone crazy?!”
I clung to his coat. He frowned.
“You’re wrinkling my clothes. Don’t grab me.”
I shook my head violently.
“But I’m scared!”
How could I not be scared after seeing all those monster taxidermies and vats of unidentified organs on the way here?
And the owners of those things—five demon-level mages—were staring at me right now!
“The only person I can trust here is you, my lord!”
When I desperately clung to him, I heard a soft snort above my head.
Did this bastard just laugh? Enjoying my misery? Yep. Definitely insane.
Grinding my teeth inwardly, I pleaded again.
“Please! They’re coming closer—!”
At that moment, Kin gently pried my hand off his clothes.
“Her alibi is solid. She’s only a consultant. She has nothing to do with this.”
The mages froze.
“…Are you sure?”
“Do you doubt my word?”
They answered reluctantly.
“Of course we believe you…”
“But her ability is… questionable…”
“Even with that evidence…”
“She still seems like a fraud…”
“So… could we at least take one drop of her blood?”
Kin waved his hand in disgust.
“No more jokes. She’s still useful to me. Touch her and I won’t forgive it.”
At his final, icy words, the mages shut up.
Phew. I’m alive.
I couldn’t believe Kin trusted me more than five top-tier mages.
“Thank you for believing me.”
“I never throw away a useful ability.”
We went to the location where the evidence had been found.
The mages searched the area thoroughly.
But the investigation team had already swept it once. Nothing turned up.
Watching the mages crawl around like bugs, I suddenly asked,
“My lord, you don’t seem very busy today.”
“Why?”
“You don’t usually come inspect scenes like this yourself. You’re always busy.”
“True.”
“Then today…?”
He looked me up and down.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, of course not.”
I stepped forward with a professional smile.
“It’s a relief you have time today. According to my fortune, someone with blue eyes would bring me good luck.”
Kin’s expression turned strange.
“…Good luck?”
“Well then, shall we see if the luck you bring actually works?”
Perfect.
The stage was set.
And the timing was now.
