Yunsol steadied herself, mindful of her position and the mistake she had already made earlier.
“Yes, I remember. You said you’d make me regret it so much that I’d wish for death.”
For a fleeting moment, she felt indignant.
“And you remember what I said in return, don’t you?”
What wrong had she done to deserve such hostility? She was Hundt’s agent—Help (1) had made that clear!
Bowing her head, she forced humility into her voice.
“I kneel before you and beg for punishment for my arrogant words. You swore you would repay me a thousandfold, ten thousandfold—I heard you clearly.”
But Ethan’s tone shifted, low and unnerving.
“Even if you do find the comb, how will you prove it wasn’t a trick of your own making?”
“…What?”
“How do I know you didn’t steal the comb in advance and hide it away somewhere convenient?”
“That’s not true!” she protested.
He laughed.
“No. I’m sure you said you were Hundt’s agent. If you were using trickery, that would be another matter entirely.”
Yunsol bit her lip, searching for a rebuttal. But against his premise of sheer distrust, she had no words.
“Isn’t it also the role of an agent to inspire faith in even the most deluded minds?” Ethan pressed.
How was she supposed to know that? Hundt had only given her one day of experience!
As she sulked inwardly, the Duchess interjected gently.
“Ethan, Laura has something to say.”
Laura, who had been silent until now, nervously raised her voice.
“M-my lord, it’s been over a year since I lost my grandmother’s comb. I—I don’t think I could have hidden it all this time…”
“You could have conspired with her.”
“Master!”
Laura flinched in shock.
“I—I only just met this person! Madam, you know that, don’t you? I’ve been in hiding, avoiding attention, too busy to meet anyone!”
Her voice trembled with desperation.
“The other maids—no, not even anyone in the castle—knows this person! Your Majesty, I have never betrayed you, never deceived you!”
Terrified, she clung to Ethan’s knees and begged.
Watching her, Yunsol realized his threats weren’t empty words. Ethan’s reputation for exquisite cruelty in torture wasn’t an exaggeration—his victims must have truly regretted ever crossing him.
“Don’t clutch him like that,” Yunsol intervened gently. “If you still don’t believe me, I’ll find something else later—whether it’s a needle, a spoon, anything.”
“…How—how did you do that?”
Laura’s faint mutter seemed less like disbelief and more like wonder at how Yunsol knew. But Yunsol ignored it.
“What exactly does the comb look like? Describe it in detail, please.”
“It’s crescent-shaped,” Laura answered quickly. “Made of walnut, a deep brown color. The handle has gold-leaf vines engraved on it.”
“What size?”
“About the size of a palm.”
With that, Yunsol focused.
Since childhood, she’d had one peculiar talent—she was good at finding things. Whenever someone spoke of a lost item, a list of possible hiding places appeared in her mind. Even if she had never met the owner or seen the item.
Back in elementary school, she had helped classmates recover their belongings more than once. But soon, nasty rumors began to spread.
“Didn’t she hide it herself and pretend to find it?”
“I told you she was faking it! She just wants the attention when people thank her.”
Gossip turned to subtle bullying, and baseless accusations piled up. Eventually, she gave up using her ability at all.
Looking back, she could see how strange it must have seemed. No wonder they hadn’t believed her.
Yet now, this forgotten talent had become invaluable.
Closing her eyes, she pictured the comb Laura described. Her mind went still—then, like a breath of wind, the answer came.
—Deep in the left drawer.
There was only one vanity in the attic, a mirrored dresser that looked communal.
Yunsol pulled open the left drawer. It stuck at first, warped and misaligned, but she forced it open. Inside lay scraps of cloth, lace, ribbons, tiny cases, and bottles half-filled with colored liquid.
She tugged the drawer free and searched the back, in the most inconspicuous corner. Her hand closed around something hard and long.
Laura’s comb. Exactly as described.
A system window flashed.
[SYSTEM: Find Laura’s Comb (1/1) Complete!]
“Did you see that?”
Yunsol thrust the comb before Ethan’s eyes. His face went pale.
“…It must be a trick…”
His denial was a whisper. Yunsol’s lips curled in a crooked smile.
“Oh, really? Then give me anything else—anything you’ve lost. I’ll find it.”
She handed the comb back to Laura, who stood frozen in disbelief.
Immediately, more windows appeared.
[SYSTEM: Laura’s Comb Return Complete!]
[SYSTEM: Quest ‘Laura’s Comb’ Completed!]
[SYSTEM: You have become familiar with the Search skill!]
[SYSTEM: Quest rewards will be paid!]
From the void above, a beam of light pierced the roof. Within it, a golden-handled magnifying glass shimmered, descending slowly.
Everyone—including Yunsol—stared speechless. She reached out, and the artifact vanished into her grasp with a radiant glow.
[SYSTEM: You have obtained Hund’s Sacred Artifact “Magnifying Glass”! It will be stored in your belongings pocket.]
Another announcement followed, but Yunsol dismissed it impatiently. The operator’s interruptions were too frequent to endure.
“I’ll check the logs later,” she said coolly, looking to Ethan. “I hope you enjoyed the show.”
His expression of shock was deliciously satisfying.
The Duchess suddenly dropped to her knees before Yunsol.
“Agent!”
Yunsol staggered as the woman clutched her legs.
“Please—please find my son. His name is Louis. Louis Blake. A sweet boy, curly black hair. He disappeared at nine years old—he’s been gone ever since…”
Tears soaked Yunsol’s skirts. The Duchess’s sobs wracked her frail frame.
“I lost him in Undine Square, the capital. He’d be twenty-three now. He was wearing—ah—ah…”
Her breath faltered into panicked gasps. Still, she clung to Yunsol’s knees, forcing herself to speak.
“Please calm down. Slowly,” Yunsol pleaded.
But the Duchess seemed deaf to reason, desperately repeating scraps of memory.
Laura darted off. “I’ll fetch Corax!”
Ethan stood useless, his face hollow, unable to comfort even his own mother.
The Duchess collapsed further, trying to kiss Yunsol’s feet. Yunsol managed to pull back, freeing herself before she too was overwhelmed.
The woman crumpled onto the floor, gasping and sobbing, her grief flooding the room.
Yunsol swallowed hard. She could never claim to understand the pain of a mother who had lost her child, yet she could imagine the unhealed wound festering for years, driving her to superstition and despair.
Quietly, awkwardly, Yunsol sat beside her and laid a hand on her back. She rubbed in stiff, hesitant strokes.
“I’ll find him for you.”
The Duchess raised her tear-streaked face.
“I’ll find your son.”
Yunsol smoothed the Duchess’s tangled hair, wiping her cheeks. Her voice wavered, but she forced sincerity into every word.
“So… you must stay strong. Prepare yourself to meet him again. If you break down like this, your son will only be sad. Leave the search to me. Take care of yourself until then.”
The Duchess threw her arms around her, trembling, sobbing, but calmer.
“Thank you… thank you…”
Corax soon arrived with Laura. He checked her pulse, her temperature, then helped the Duchess to her feet and carried her away.
Laura followed, leaving only Ethan and Yunsol behind.
Silence stretched. The ferocity in Ethan’s eyes was gone. He looked disoriented, broken—like a child lost in the dark.
“Your Majesty,” Yunsol said gently.
He didn’t respond, his gaze chasing something unseen. Yunsol stepped closer.
“Hey.”
He blinked, startled, and drew back as though burned.
“You… really are an agent, huh?”
His expression crumpled, a painful mix of relief and shame. Finally, he sighed.
“…Why is it like this?”
“What?” Yunsol blinked. Had she heard right?
“Hey, what do you mean by—ah!”
Ethan scooped her up suddenly, holding her in both arms. His words came awkwardly, almost childlike.
“Watch your head, yo.”
Yunsol froze. She had been ready to scold him, but instead a strange sense of safety washed over her. For once, there was no need to struggle for balance.
Ethan strode down the stairs.
“I’ll be frank—it’s not my fault I didn’t recognize you at first glance. I’ve never seen such a shabby agent before.”
Yunsol twitched. Should I just rip out all my bangs?
