KTYLBH 35

Chapter 35

‘Seriously? That’s what they’re worried about in this situation?’

Yes. What mattered to them was that their guaranteed break time was being cut short. I couldn’t understand it. Even though they were senior maids just like Karen, they didn’t seem to care at all about her punishment.

“You may return if you like. Anyone who wants to stay may do so,” Aeon said indifferently.

Despite his words, the senior maids standing at the front began to scatter one by one. The others glanced around nervously, then followed. The researchers had already left the moment the “sacrifice” had been decided.

Soon, only three of us remained in the hall—Karen, Aeon, and me.

‘Not a single person stayed by Karen’s side.’

It was clear. No one cared whether Karen lived or died. I couldn’t even look at her properly and kept my eyes on the floor, but then her clear voice rang out.

“I’d like to go to the Exhibition Room.”

It sounded like she was picking a vacation spot.

“You’ve wanted to go there for a while now,” Aeon responded casually.

“As expected of Master—you remembered.”

“That’s all you’ve ever wished for.”

Listening to their conversation, my vision blurred again and my stomach churned.

“May I go now as well?” I asked.

“You may leave early, but wouldn’t you like to see the scapegoat’s final walk?”

My eyes met Karen’s. I tried to recall every bad thing she had ever done to me.

‘Just earlier, she dragged me by the hair through the snow. And at the herb shop… if Mary hadn’t come, who knows what she would’ve done with that sickle?’

Those thoughts floated through my head, but my heart no longer remembered the fear. All I felt was guilt—guilt that I was sending a powerless, foolish maid to her death.

“I’m not shameless enough to stay.”

As I turned away, Karen’s voice followed from behind.

“Please come see me in the Exhibition Room later! I’ll be at the very back!”

That cheerful voice chased me like a nightmare, and I quickened my steps.

I was sure I’d have a nightmare tonight.

“Lady Karina, are you listening? Lady Karina?”

Captain Hanson’s voice grew louder until it finally exploded.

“Karina!”

“Y-Yes? Did you call me?”

The captain let out a long sigh.

“Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about that missing persons case. There’s no clear evidence. This isn’t something the military police should be involved in.”

“But Captain! Every one of them had brown hair and green eyes!”

“Try walking through the streets of Baynan. Unless they’re nobles, half the population has brown hair and green eyes!”

“But all of them—”

“Enough with the brown hair nonsense! Thanks to you, I get nauseous just looking at hair now!”

Before Karina could argue back, the captain barked another order.

“Go support the patrol unit!”

Karina was practically kicked out of headquarters.

Handling the Master of the Mage Tower alone was beyond her capabilities. To bring him to justice legally, she’d need at least the captain’s authority. But as always, the captain had no interest in this case. He just thought Karina was stirring up unnecessary trouble.

‘What should I do about Lady Hyren? I hope she made it back safely the other day.’

Now that the culprit behind the mysterious disappearances was clear, Karina still couldn’t do anything.

‘Maybe I should really go see that author, like Lady Selinia suggested.’

All the solid plans she had built up had collapsed one by one. Now, Rudis was her only remaining card.

‘Rudis… He should be registered in Baynan. I’ll have the squad search the hotels first…’

At that moment, the voice echoing in her head seemed to whisper right into her ear.

“Sir Rudis!”

It felt like someone had read her mind. Looking around, Karina realized she had wandered into the heart of Baynan City.

To the west of the central fountain stood the famous Alexandra Bookstore, the largest on the continent. What caught her eye was not its grand size but the sound of a name—“Rudis”—coming from that direction.

‘Did I hear that right?’

Karina made her way toward the bookstore.

It wasn’t any smaller than the Jean-Thierre Boutique, and it stood three stories tall. Every book published on the continent was said to gather here. Even walking past it, you could smell the ink.

But today, that familiar scent was masked by the heavy fragrance of perfume. A long line of well-dressed young ladies stretched outside.

‘I’m sure I heard “Rudis”…’

“Kyaa! Rudis!”

She hadn’t misheard. That scream definitely came from inside the bookstore.

‘What on earth is going on?’

Karina approached a woman wrapped in red fur and asked, “Excuse me, what’s happening here?”

“It’s Sir Rudis’s book signing, of course!”

The woman spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Sir Rudis’s…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know who Sir Rudis is?”

Karina’s blank expression earned her a sharp look.

“Of course I do. He’s a bestselling author…”

And the very person Selinia believed could help her.

“What are you doing then? Get in line. Don’t think about cutting.”

“Especially not if you’re in uniform,” someone muttered behind her.

Still dazed, Karina joined the end of the line.

‘Was this a coincidence? Or did Lady Selinia already know about the signing event?’

It felt like the entire situation had been orchestrated just for her. Being kicked out to patrol, ending up here—it couldn’t all be coincidence. It was like a divine opportunity.

“So if I stay here, I can meet Sir Rudis, right?”

She asked the person in front and got a firm nod.

‘The gods are helping me.’

She had left Rudis out of her plan because she didn’t know how to reach him. Though he was famous, only his books were in Baynan—not the man himself. He didn’t have an estate here, and someone like her couldn’t track down a free-spirited writer.

Karina was bursting with anticipation. She had long forgotten the assignment Captain Hanson gave her. That task could wait—the other officers could handle it. But poor Selinia only had Karina.

And this could even lead to the brown-haired women who had disappeared. The higher-ups didn’t care, but public opinion would shift once Selinia’s name was involved.

The line was long, but Karina was patient. People nearby grumbled about aching feet, but standing still was her specialty. Three hours, four, even half a day—she could wait.

Just then, something interrupted her thoughts.

“Apologies…”

A man walked down the line, bowing his head as he went. Jeers and complaints followed him, but he bore them silently, heading straight toward Karina.

“I’m sorry. Please go home for today.”

“What do you mean?” Karina grabbed his sleeve.

“The signing event is over.”

“You’re ending it suddenly?”

“We extended it an hour past the scheduled time. It’s just too crowded now.”

“So the rest of us won’t get to see Sir Rudis?”

“That’s right.”

Karina still had a bit of patience left. If there was another signing tomorrow or the next day, she’d line up again from dawn.

“Then when’s the next one?”

“There’s no schedule yet.”

That answer broke her patience.

“What do you mean, there’s no schedule?!”

Sensing trouble, the man quickly corrected himself.

“There’ll be another event when his next book is published…”

“Next book? When’s that?!”

“Well… Sir Rudis doesn’t write slowly… Maybe in about a year and a half…”

Before he could finish, Karina had already bolted toward the bookstore. A year? Absolutely not. She couldn’t wait even a week. She had to meet Rudis now.

“Sir Rudis! Are you inside?!”

Karina pushed through the crowd and entered the store. The guards tried to stop her, but they couldn’t restrain a woman in uniform with a sword at her side.

“What’s going on?”

“I need to see Sir Rudis. Now.”

“The event is over.”

“I know. But I’m not here as a fan—I’m here as a military police officer to request his cooperation.”

One hesitant guard finally spoke up.

“Sir Rudis has already left.”

“Don’t lie. I was just outside.”

“It’s true. He left through the back door.”

“The back door?”

Karina’s eyes lit up. The back alley wasn’t wide enough for a carriage. Unlike the sunny main street, it was still icy from the snow that had fallen days ago.

‘I still have a chance.’

Karina dashed to the back exit. As she expected, the slippery road had slowed everyone down. But not everything was going according to plan.

‘Wait… Which one of them is Rudis?’