CH 60

There was a golden necklace that shone even in the darkness. However, even if that necklace was real, there was no emerald that should have been there. The iconic part was empty.

“Are you asking me to believe that?”

“Shouldn’t you? I feel likewise.”

As if it was a natural reaction, the man nodded his head.

“If you don’t believe me, try hitting it with a sword.”

She doesn’t know why this man was asking her to strike an important piece of evidence with her sword, but she shouldn’t pretend not to know anything. Besides, there was no reason for her to follow his words obediently.

“Do it yourself. You have to exert that much effort.”

“I thought about it again and I will repeat it again. What if my hand goes to your neck instead towards the necklace?”

“I guess I didn’t know my neck would fall first.”

As if to take the lead, the two pairs of eyes scrutinized each other. After a moment of silence, the man gently laughed.

“You know what? You’re quite the celebrity.”

“…?”

What kind of trick is he putting up?

“You went to our auction house, together with Duke Lestir, didn’t you?”

“……!”

Ah, she didn’t expect this.

‘He told me he took care of all the witnesses so how is this man knew about it?’

The man in front of her didn’t miss how her blue eyes fluctuated momentarily. He turned and folded his fingers one at a time.

“You’re curious. Even if we had set a trap there, why was it quiet now and why did we let go of the case despite knowing who the thief was? Is this necklace real?”

“…”

“What would be our answer?”

After that, he exhaled cigarette smoke. In an instant, he was the leading of the conversation and Psychke, at that time, finally calmed her heart down.

‘Calm down, stay calm.’

She swallowed her dry saliva. She hid what she was really feeling under an expressionless expression. She thought who in several thoughts and responded calmly.

“Perhaps, it was not because you didn’t leave it, but it was something you couldn’t do anything.”

“Well?”

“Duke Lestir was an untouchable mad dog from the north. While the other one was an unknown figure with no information.”

Perhaps he should have asked in bewilderment, the man’s eyebrows went down slightly. And Psychke continued,

“One, you couldn’t approach a situation where you don’t know what kind of relationship with the Duke of Lestir and if you approach him wrong, you’ll get bitten by that mad dog.”

The man who heard the correct answer showed curiosity that could not be hidden in the man’s face. He forgot that he was smoking a cigarette and leaned forward.

“Second is?”

“The real client of the necklace and the person behind was Hilvia Esland. She must have wanted to meet you quietly. Seeing you come out here, it must have been your own act, not the guild’s will.”

“…..”

“Lilian Silkisia. Right?”

“That woman.”

The man touched the corner of his mouth that was bursting into laughter with his scarred hand.

“Then what about the third?”

“I think I said this far, so I deserve an answer.”

Psychke returned the question.

“Is that fake?”

“Right.”

The man who lit up the cigarette put the necklace in a drawer.

“It’s a bomb.”

She was thinking of killing him.

“He came all the way here, so I thought he’d try to knock it down, but it turned out to be a pity.”

In his words, Psychke realized something.

‘Is the way to check if it’s real? To hit it with a sword?’

“By the way, what about this?”

His dark brown eyes, smiling but devoid of warmth, scanned him.

“The fish that asked me to come didn’t come, so I caught another fish. Although this seems like a formidable big fish.”

“…”

“Well, it’s a bit different from the plan… but this isn’t bad either. Are you close with Duke Lestir?”

Creepy sounds were heard.

There was no reason for her to hand over information so she turned her back to him. But she couldn’t hold the doorknob and looked at the man when she heard,

“Psychke Silkisia.”

“…!”

My heart sank. Did she get caught?

“I want to meet her.”

“…… Why?”

Thank god. She didn’t get caught.

But why?

Instead of answering, the man said something else.

“Tell that to Duke Lestir. Come hang out with her fiancée in the Blue Moon.”

“I refuse. The Princess… I don’t think she wants to associate with someone like you.”

“That’s how it will end, well. Then how about this?”

He had the look of a hunter throwing prey that he could never miss.

“I’ll tell you who has Keitan’s necklace.”

“Stop lying—”

“Lilian Silkisia.”

“…..”

“How is it, do you bet?”

Why does she have it then?

Didn’t she say she didn’t know about the Leas incident?

Why does she want to create fakes when she has the real one?

For what reason?

A lot of questions filled her mind at the unexpected name. Why? Just why?

The man smirked.

“Believe it or not. That is your freedom.”

“…!”

It was only then that she realized that it been planned. She hurriedly corrected her bewildered expression, but it was already too late.

“Aren’t you curious if this necklace is real or not? Then arrange a meeting with Psychke Silkisia. I’ll let you know.”

He took out a cigarette with a satisfied expression and told.

* * *

It was late afternoon when she left the upper building. It was summer, so the sun was long, and it wasn’t dark, but she walked quickly.

‘Lillian and the real necklace.’

Hearing the unexpected words made her head throb. She had to go back and organize her messy thoughts.

‘I have to go somewhere and release the magic to change my appearance.’

She couldn’t go back to Lestir looking like this since the Black Moon knows her appearance of her. So, she tried to take off the magic where there were no people around.

By the way,

‘Who was that?’

It wasn’t long before she realized someone was following her. She walked down an alley that was twisted like a spider’s web to see her opponent. She also tried to make her way through a crowd of people.

But that gaze never fell. No, it seemed that the person following her increased to two.

‘I thought he didn’t know.’

The man of the black moon. He said he wouldn’t follow her, so she went out with confidence.

He was a man who could not be trusted till the end.

‘I have to deal with him.’

The limit of the artifact Verndia gave her was nearing. The 12 hours were almost over, and she couldn’t go on like this. She thought she could handle things within the limited time frame.

Pretending she heard her way, she headed off to a deserted place. And she identified the location of the hiding guys. One was a little further away, and one…

Was getting closer?

If they are tailing her, they have to keep their distance. A moment of bewilderment engulfed her.

Tak, an arrow with a black feather pierced under her feet. I don’t think she heard it wrong. It seemed to be like a warning.

“Don’t move. Unless you want to die.”

A cold but youthful voice. This voice sounded like she heard it somewhere…

Psychke turned her head towards the sound. Just when she was trying to find out who shot the arrow, taaak!

“Oh, they were three?”

A kick came out of nowhere. She was wary of anyone approaching, so she blocked it without difficulty. The child who failed the attack tumbled backwards. Beneath the fine-grained black hair, crimson eyes shone with hostility.

Upon confirming the other person, Psychke was stunned.

“Croa?”

“What? How do you know my name?”

“…… Be sure to capture them alive.”

‘His voice is similar to that of Croa. Then the one who shot the arrow was Crow-‘

She didn’t even have time to finish her thoughts when two arrows flew, aiming for her arms and legs respectively. In the meantime, Croa ran into her with his bare hands. He hastily pulled his body out. Croa clung tenaciously.

“Wait, Croa! It’s me, Psychke!”

“Who is Psychke?”

Croa replied to the flustered Psychke.

“The one who is betrothed to the Duke. Don’t you know anything about that?”

“Her name was Psychke? Isn’t she the princess?”

“That’s her, given her an honorific name.”

“I don’t want to. Haha.”

The two crows did not stop their hands even though they were arguing. They were doing it without much effort as if they have done it before.

“Wait! Stop!”

She was busy blocking her hands and feet, so she couldn’t untie the bracelet at all because of the arrows aiming at her. She could attack at full force, but she was afraid Croa will get hurt.

When Psychke kept saying ‘I am Psyche’, the angry Croa shouted.

“The princess doesn’t look like that! And even when shorter than me!”

“Tat is because of magic. I’ll show you!”

“No. You will just escape!”

Rather, Croa thought it was a means of her escape, and every time she reached for her bracelet, Croa attacked more fiercely.

“You even blessed me!”

Crow flinched at the word blessing and murmured.

“… Are you really the princess?”

“No. The princess is smaller than I am. He’s probably saying anything because he doesn’t want to get caught.”

“They say I smell like winter!”

“….. Looks like the real Princess.”

“Do you know what winter smells like?”

“The smell of winter is the smell of winter.”

“Look at that. Why don’t you know what winter smells like? I told you, she’s not really the princess.”

… When did you tell me?

It was so frustrating that she couldn’t speak. Whatever she said, he dismissed it as a lie.

‘The smell of winter doesn’t come out when it’s completely attached.’

Nor could she expect to be recognized by her engagement ring or earrings. The engagement ring was a plain gold ring. The earring prevented Hilvia’s misfortune, which rushed to marry her, and cast magic to disable her.

“Crow, he’s too strong. Can’t I just kill him?”

“No. The Duke told me to bring him alive unconditionally.”

“Oh, that’s annoying.”

It was this one that was annoying. She can’t even use a sword because she was afraid they will get hurt.

‘It’s about time the bracelet’s mana runs out.”

At that moment, Ping, his eyesight turned. The side effects appeared beyond the time limit for using the artifact. Unbearable drowsiness began to pour into his mind. She felt groggy in the middle of the fight and his eyes were closed. The arrows that took advantage of the staggering gap scratched her cheeks and arms.

“… Uh, the smell of winter?”

Croa sniffed at the blood that shone from her wound. Even so, his final kick did not stop.

“The smell of winter?”

It was the last time she heard Crow’s frightened voice in her frightened mind. Psychke, who was kicked, passed out inevitably.

***

Returning to the mansion, Verndia couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Ah, what to do? Princess, open your eyes. Why don’t you wake up already? Are you dead?”

“She is breathing. Shake her more. We have to wake her up before Master arrives.”