Chapter 67
At last, Kainel slowly got to his feet.
Ceres patted her now-freed left arm.
“Ow… my arm’s numb.”
“What time is it now?”
“Around three. There was another message from the palace just a moment ago—something about a corpse found in the capital…? Lord Kainel?”
Del, who was giving his report, trailed off in confusion when Kainel suddenly started striding away without answering.
“Wh–where are you going again?”
“…Guess he’s embarrassed now.”
“Huh?”
Embarrassed?
Who, Lord Kainel?
“What kind of nonsense was that—spring coming to the Duchy of Persia or whatever…”
“But it’s true.”
When Del turned around, Ceres was also rising to her feet, dusting off her clothes.
“Anyway, what did you just say? A corpse?”
“Oh, right. This morning, near Delrassi First Avenue, a body was found—”
“Wait, hold on. Delrassi First Avenue?”
This morning?
No way…
“Was it a man?”
“They’re still confirming the identity, but yes, male.”
“…”
Ceres remembered the man who had visited her shop late last night.
She had joked, ‘He’s not going to die as soon as he leaves, right?’ but… surely he didn’t actually die?
His coughing did sound pretty bad…
Still, not bad enough to die instantly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hmm… Just wondering if it’s someone I know.”
“Excuse me?”
Ceres brushed her hair back in irritation.
This feels really unsettling.
“Can I take a look at the body?”
“Pardon?”
“This way.”
Guided by a guard, Ceres made her way toward the room where the corpse had been placed. As they walked, she glanced to the side.
“…Why are you here?”
The one walking beside her was none other than Kainel.
Del had arranged permission for her to view the body, so she’d come prepared—but he was already there waiting?
“This was my assignment to begin with.”
I’m not following you—you’re following me.
He emphasized the point as he moved ahead, and Del followed quietly behind him, hiding a small smile.
When he’d first told Lord Kainel that the palace requested his help in identifying a corpse, the man hadn’t even acknowledged him.
So why agree to come all of a sudden—right after he mentioned that Lady Ceres wanted to see it too?
Del swallowed that curiosity as usual.
“Here we are.”
Inside the guarded chamber lay a corpse, shredded by something sharp.
Del quickly glanced at Ceres, worried.
The body’s condition was horrific—he feared she might be shocked. He had initially objected when she said she wanted to see it; this wasn’t something a young lady should look at.
But since she’d said it might be someone she knew, he had no choice but to bring her.
And yet—
“Hm. Instant death.”
…What was with that calm tone?
She stepped right up to the corpse, examining the wounds intently, without even flinching.
I knew she wasn’t ordinary, Del thought, watching her. Anyone who speaks so casually with Lord Kainel can’t be just anyone—but still, to stay this composed seeing this…
He shook his head slightly and turned to the guard.
“Has the identity been confirmed?”
“Yes. Male, early forties. Name’s Zento—a local thug.”
“A thug?”
“Yes. Known for drinking and causing trouble. Apparently, witnesses saw him drunk and heading home that night.”
“I see…”
The more Del heard, the less sense it made.
Nothing unusual happened—just an ordinary day—and yet, the man was suddenly killed by a monster?
While he was thinking, Ceres continued examining the corpse.
Not the man from last night.
Half the face was gone, but she could tell—different build, different features.
Should she feel relieved?
Click!
“…?”
A new figure entered the room.
Del turned—and his eyes widened before quickly bowing his head and stepping aside.
It was the Crown Prince of Aserai.
“Oh, the Grand Duke is here as well.”
He smiled warmly upon spotting Kainel.
Kainel merely nodded in greeting and returned his gaze to the corpse. The Crown Prince did the same.
A mysterious corpse discovered in the heart of the capital.
Everyone was shocked—it was apparently killed by a monster.
That made no sense. The Black Forest hadn’t appeared anywhere nearby; how could there be a monster attack in the capital?
“Still no idea what kind of monster did this?”
“No, Your Highness. Every mercenary captain in the capital came to examine it, but none could identify it.”
“That’s… troubling.”
The first step in solving anything was knowing what had caused it. Without that, even guessing the events was impossible.
But if even veteran monster hunters couldn’t identify it—
“Shakera.”
“Definitely Shakera.”
Two quiet voices spoke in unison.
“Shakera?”
The Crown Prince turned toward the source—the two still examining the corpse, Ceres and Kainel.
“The wounds are deep, torn rather than cut. Not many creatures have fangs that large and thick.”
“Anyone should’ve recognized it from that alone. That sticky residue with the fishy stench—it’s a dead giveaway.”
“Still, just to be sure… yes, see that tiny puncture in the abdomen? Tentacle wound. The flesh is blackened—means it burns its prey as it strikes.”
“Then the culprit is…”
“Only Shakera fits.”
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they’d done this countless times before. Everyone else could only stare.
What is this familiarity…?
Their words meshed naturally—like partners with long experience hunting together.
Kainel Persia—his expertise made sense.
He had defended the duchy for 300 years, facing countless monsters; none knew more about them than he did.
But that girl…?
How could she recognize what even guild masters couldn’t—just from looking at torn flesh?
And what was with that strange closeness between them?
Until recently, she’d been working as an assistant secretary for Cheion. Seeing her attend the Grand Duke during the last imperial meeting had been puzzling enough.
Cheion looked pretty irritated that day… was this why?
Yes, there was something undeniably odd about this woman.
“Shakera isn’t a common monster… How could this happen?”
“We’ll have to find out.”
…And seriously—was she really speaking so casually to the Grand Duke of Persia?
Even the Emperor himself rarely did that!
Had anyone ever spoken to him so informally?
“Look here.”
“Mm.”
Ignoring the Crown Prince’s bewildered stare, Ceres and Kainel continued focusing entirely on the body, lost in their own world.
“And so, Anna married the prince and lived happily ever after.”
“Yaaawn… Sis.”
“What is it? Want me to read another one?”
Maybe because she hadn’t seen her much lately, little Yulia was being unusually clingy tonight.
After tucking the child into bed, Ceres deftly read aloud the fifth fairy tale of the evening.
She was used to this—Artea had always been clingy when she was little too, constantly begging for bedtime stories.
“When you marry a prince, do you become happy?”
“Well…”
Yeah, right.
More like your life turns into hell.
You end up walking on thin ice every day.
Well—maybe if you liked political power games, that might count as happiness.
