CH 44

Varieties of dolls came where the fox doll went out. It was so huge that the ground shook just by walking.

[ “Please come back…” ]

[During the performance… if you move… you can’t…]

“Moooom!! Aaaahh!”

“Please save this person!”

People were running frantically and hurriedly. The gigantic dolls were scattered along them. Psychke wanted to follow along with the running people, but she stopped. There were many people who needed her help more than anyone. It seemed that their case was more urgent than she was.

“Th, thank you!”

“Perhaps, have you seen my child?”

“There was a child crying over there looking for his mother, so please go there.”

After taking care of those people who could have been trampled on by huge hands and feet, the surrounding area was empty. Aiden only came back after the last doll had crawled out. He seemed to come to help the people who might be in trouble with the dolls scattered all over the place. Psychke asked him whilst he panted.

“Did Stella come too?”

“No. If only she had returned.”

Aiden stared at the tent as if looking at visible objects. Tents that had been blown up here and there had turned into an abominable form as if they were about to fall anytime now.

“I am certain you’re searching for the cause of this fuss.”

Psychke nodded her head gently. The count of people who were preventing the dolls to scatter was lacking. Rather, it would be more efficient if Stella came to help them. Aiden said that the sudden fire came and went.

She tried to head inside the tent.

– Kkkyaacck!

However, Croa bit her clothes and did not let her go.

“Let go of this.”

It shook its head. Croa was so desperate that black feathers flew in the air. If Psychke went inside there and was injured, Croa was afraid that Psychke’s body will filled with repercussions.

“I’m just going to check what’s there.”

Croa shook its head in disbelief. Psychke sighed softly, then pressed her finger against her sharp beak.

“Aaayaa!”

She even shouted in such a way that she deliberately told Croa to obey her words.  Croa opened her beak as she saw the drops of blood rising from the tip of Psychke’s finger.

“This is what you did.”

“If you don’t interfere, I’ll spare you from here.”

– … Kaaack! (So, the symbol (?) ‘-‘ here, in the middle of apostrophes indicates Croa’s answer.)

Psychke succeeded in negotiating with Croa. As she approached the tent, she picked up the torn cloth and checked the inside. It was dark and no one was there. Fortunately, the support of the tents didn’t break, so it didn’t look like it would collapse right away.

“Stella?”

Aiden, who was next to her, called carefully. But there was no answer returned.

“It’s strange. There’s no way Miss Stella ran away.”

“Shall we go in?”

“I left my sword and came here……”

“I have.”

“Then I think it would be good to just check it out.”

They were vigilant and went in. As they got closer, they could clearly see that it had been shredded. Pieces of wood that would have been made as chairs and lost belongings were rolling all over the place. The stage in front of where the puppet show was supposed to be held was completely turned off and broken.

While the two of them dispersed to check inside, Croa flew to the podium above the stage. It sounded like a sharp stinging sound.

“Princess, here-”

Before long, Aiden, who was checking the immersed stage, called her.

“It’s a magic circle.”

Where he pointed was an ominously sparkling magic circle. It was painted with blood, so the color was dark red.

“It might be dangerous, so it’s best not to get too close.”

“It would be better to call people here.”

As strangers to magic, there was nothing more they could do. It was then that Aiden, who agreed with her, was about to step away from her, heard,

Kwaaang!

The sculptures from the ceiling, which were barely hanging, fell onto the magic circle. The magic circle flashed ominously. As if it were the mouth of a snake, it opened wide from side to side, creating a black entrance. The sculpture fell into the darkness of the magic circle. After a while, there was no sound hitting the floor.

“Isn’t this why this Magic Circle is in here?”

How deep is that? Psychke made a tired voice. Aiden answered with a trembling voice as if he was thinking the same thing.

“We’ll be fine.”

– Kaack!

Croa pulled at her collar as if he really wanted to go now. She motioned yes and fixed her gaze on the hole of the magic circle as she slowly backed away.

“Croa!”

In an instant, a sticky black hand came out of the abyss and tied Croa. Psychke was so stunned but instinctively and reflexively snatched Croa away from the devil.

“Princess!”

“Don’t come!”

Croa, each holding its body and wings, groaned in pain. She wanted to pull out her sword and cut the black hand, but it was too far away. If she loosened even one hand, she was afraid Croa will fall deep down. Aiden threw things at random. It was to no avail, nothing happened. As if swallowed by darkness, it seeped into the inside of the black hand.

“Call people here!”

“Yes?”

“Hurry up!!”

The black hand that was pulling Croa began to entangle Psychke’s hand as well.

“I can’t last long, hurry!”

“I’ll come soon… I’ll be here soon!”

Aiden ran out in despair. But it was quicker for the black hands to cover her hand than it was for Aiden to return.

“Aaah!”

The limp foot fell off the ground.

She was dragged along with Croa into the darkness where she could not see an inch ahead.

***

Meanwhile, around that time.

「”Shiona Tuberose, mainly uses plants for power and is especially good at hallucinations and mental systems.” 」

It was after Lia left. Verndia was scanning the personal information of a wizard. He was brought by Lia, who said that the skill written was most similar to the wave of forbidden magic left in the alley.

“Hey, Duke. It’s a question I don’t understand.”

As he was contemplating what to do, Isolet interrupted. He doesn’t like to be disturbed while deep in thought but it was rare for Isolet to ask such a question. Verndia shook his head to ask a question in return.

“Why are you looking for Keitan’s necklace?”

‘I thought it had something to do with forbidden magic, but it was something else.’

Before she left, Lia said she had found any moves regarding Keitan’s necklace and she said she would let him know sooner or later. Isolet must have heard of that and did this. When Verndia didn’t say anything, Isolet continued with a voice mixed with wonder and concern.

“I know there are some questionable aspects to the case of Leas, which ended in a rush, but I wonder if the Duke needs to step in.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because all of Silkisia’s direct lines are dead.”

Isolet answered without hesitation. He did not know the contract Verndia had signed with Leah (This is the different Leah), nor did he know the identity of Psychke. Therefore, he did not understand his master who was interested in the Leas case.

“It won’t change as long as Leas’s frame is lifted. What’s the use if all of his direct lineages are dead? You’ll only be hated by His Majesty because you’re digging for things that are all over.”

“You’re telling me to get out of this because there’s nothing to gain.”

“Yes. To be honest, I don’t even know why the Duke wants to attack Silkisia.”

As Isolet, he couldn’t help but be puzzled. If the case of Leas was re-investigated in search of her necklace, the one who suffers the most is the current Silkisia. Is the Duke trying to attack the family of the princess whom he has in mind? He knew that Psychke’s relationship with Silkisia wasn’t that bad. Either way, they are one family. When the situation reaches its climax, will the princess just keep watching?

After reading Isolet’s thoughts, Verndia laughed.

“Yes, it might look like that.”

“Are you saying it’s not an attack?”

“It may or may not be true.”

Verndia rose from his seat. He had prepared to go out to follow Psychke to the doll kingdom. And strode to his confused aide. Lia and Psychke couldn’t talk about it, so they were going to make the aide understand in a different way.

“Can I tell you an interesting story?”

Recently, it was the information he got while poking around with Lia who was trying to run away again. As always, she withdrew from him, saying it was just something she had to do, but Verndia thought she was pretty credible.

“What if Keitan’s necklace wasn’t actually a poison sting necklace?”

“Pardon?”

Isolet turned to him with his puzzled face. The fact that Keitan’s necklace, known as the poison sting necklace, could actually be an ordinary necklace… He had never thought about it.

“I can’t… I heard that 20% of those who attended the banquet that day witnessed poisonous stings coming out of it.”

“I’ve heard something else. You should not believe until you see the real thing.”

Isolet’s mouth slowly opened.

If that were true, that would have been a huge thing. Because it means that the event that destroyed a country’s dukes was someone’s conspiracy. When this happens, it becomes important to who (the mastermind/criminal) and why the person did it, regardless of whether the Duke’s family survived or not.

And…

“Lestir has more enemies than Silkisia has.”

(TN: Man was too honest, haha.)

Isolet understood what Verndia was trying to say. Because Psychke had told him, she knew the problem too. The characteristics of the monsters running wild in the North. They are unusually weak against the cold and strong against the heat, she said. It’s like someone caught the monsters living in the south, put a protective barrier on them, and released them there.

“… Duke, do you think the next target is Lestir?”

“Perhaps, take care of everything while I am away.”

“Are you leaving me behind?”

Unintentionally, Isolet’s mouth widened when he saw where the master had made a demand already.

“Can’t I just go too?”

“Then, do everything before you play. Who was the one who pulled me back saying I had a lot to deal with?”

“No, I knew that the princess would come to visit!”

“Her. Now even the princess became your excuse.”

Verndia laughed wildly. Then he hardened his face in an instant.

“…?”

His agitated gaze reached the ring finger of his left hand. As if anything had happened, his engagement ring was in place. Verndia fumbled his ring. He tried pulling to nothing happened. Then when he was sure that the ring wasn’t even moving, he made a trembling voice.

“…. What?”

“What is the problem, Duke?”

Isolet, nervous about the sudden change of the atmosphere, approached him.

“Not located.”

“Yes?”

“The princess’s location is not being determined.”

When his words fell out of his mouth, he checked her location again. He couldn’t. She was never caught anywhere in the world. Is this even possible?

“… Croa.”

He contorted his face as he contemplated many possibilities with his firm face. He hurriedly ran out of the room and ordered.

“Call Croa. Now!”