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Episode 10
Ugh… Even if they’re assassins, is it really okay to think something like this about the dead?
For a brief moment, guilt stirred in my chest.
But it didn’t last long.
The dead are dead, and the living have to live!
If zombies count as “living,” anyway.
Still, no matter how you looked at it, it felt like such a waste to just bury those bodies in the ground.
Fresh corpses. Newly dead.
If we went down the mountain and came back later to dig them up, would they still count as “fresh”?
As long as it was within twenty-four hours, that should still be okay, right?
No matter how I thought about it, corpses with cleaner backgrounds than those assassins would be hard to find.
If my brothers absorb them, there won’t even be bodies left. And since they’re assassins, no one will come looking for them anyway. Isn’t this a total win-win?
It was a perfectly logical conclusion.
The timing was just too good.
“Miss?”
“Oh—sorry. I just felt a little dizzy.”
As I staggered, Werner quickly caught me.
“I’ll escort you inside. This way for a moment—”
“Wait.”
Tristan stopped me just as I was about to get into the carriage.
“Can you feel it? A trace of dark magic.”
“Sixty seconds have already passed.”
“Your Highness, do you really need to ask someone who’s clearly shaken after seeing corpses? At least give her time to steady herself”
Werner tried to stop him, but Tristan didn’t take his eyes off me.
It was a silent demand for an answer.
Did he notice something?
If he’d been suspicious earlier, he would’ve asked while we were alone in the carriage.
Asking now meant he’d sensed something from this scene and wanted confirmation.
Was he trying to figure out whether this was a dark mage… or the Church? But what tipped him off?
My thoughts spun wildly.
I kept my frightened expression and tilted my head slightly, exposing my pale cheek to look even more fragile.
“I debated whether to say this or not,” I said softly.
“My answer might change too many things.”
“But since Your Highness already seems to have an idea… I suppose I can’t hide it any longer. Yes. In this forest”
Whoooosh.
A cool wind blew through the trees.
“I don’t feel anything at all.”
That was my answer.
Was it the right one?
If it wasn’t, I’d have to scramble to fix it somehow.
I looked up at Tristan, who was staring straight at me.
His face was expressionless as always, but I noticed the subtle shift.
Reading people’s expressions had always been my strength.
“…I thought so.”
I was right.
After having his suspicion confirmed, a faint sadness crossed Tristan’s face.
“So it really was all orchestrated by the Church. This accident site itself was a trap meant to lure me here.”
“How can you be so sure?” Werner asked.
Tristan bent down and lifted one of the corpses at his feet.
As he did, something spilled out from the wound in its abdomen.
“There’s a holy mark carved into the back of his neck.”
“A holy mark…”
“Yes. The clearest proof of affiliation with the Church. A brand placed on God’s servants.”
Despite uncovering the truth, he didn’t look relieved.
“They were clever. Holy marks fade after death. Even if we dragged these bodies to court right now, by the time a coroner examined them, it would look like nothing more than a strange stain.”
“They erased the evidence… but left a warning.”
It was practically a declaration of war.
Tristan’s lips twisted slightly.
“There’s nothing more to do here. Let’s go.”
He climbed into the carriage without hesitation.
Werner soon returned as well.
It hadn’t been nearly enough time to bury five bodies, so I asked carefully,
“Um… what about the bodies?”
“For now, we buried them roughly. A cleanup unit will handle the rest. Please come in.”
Werner answered gently.
Judging by his tone, this wasn’t the first time he’d dealt with something like this.
I wanted to ask what “cleanup” really meant, but that would’ve looked suspicious, so I stayed quiet.
I kept up the act of a noble lady shaken after seeing her first corpses.
Fine. I’d let those bodies go.
As tempting as they were, anything connected to the Crown Prince was too dangerous to touch.
The carriage was silent the entire way down the mountain.
And there was only one thought filling my head.
So then… where am I supposed to get bodies?
Later – Walker Residence
“You just left them there?”
Yulia clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“I agree it’s a waste, but it’s better not to touch them. If His Highness gets suspicious, we’re done.”
“Yeah~. If the cleanup crew shows up and the bodies are gone, wouldn’t that be super weird?”
Edmond and Isaac had a point.
“But still! What a waste!”
Yulia complained.
“Do we really need human bodies, though? I mean, corpses are corpses.”
“If you want cat ears instead of human ears, sure.”
“…Okay. Point taken.”
Isaac accepted that immediately.
“How many do we need?”
“I’m not sure exactly. But we’re way too weak right now. More is better, right?”
“…I suppose.”
Edmond stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“We should be prepared to go out.”
“Huh?”
“Only Emily and I. Yulia, Isaac—you two stay here.”
“What? Where are you two going all of a sudden?”
“To get corpses.”
Bellond Empire – Underground
Where there is light, there is darkness.
After the Holy War, the Bellond Empire enjoyed unprecedented peace.
And so did the parasites feeding beneath it.
Bored nobles wanted stronger thrills.
Underground merchants were more than happy to supply them.
That was how the continent’s largest black market came to exist beneath Bellond.
Their dirty money was deeply intertwined with noble factions, making it impossible for the Imperial family to wipe them out completely.
Or rather… they just gave up.
Donald, one of the biggest players in the black market, grinned as he shoveled gold coins into his arms.
Every night, his greatest joy was filling a bathtub with gold and sleeping in it.
Knock, knock.
“Boss. You have visitors.”
Donald jumped.
“What? I don’t have any appointments today!”
“They came in without one and went straight upstairs…”
“What do you mean, what should we do? No appointment means I don’t spare even one minute—!”
Bang!
The door burst open, and two figures in suspicious robes walked straight in.
“Is this how you treat guests?”
The refined voice made Donald freeze.
One glance was enough.
High-quality fabric.
Luxury shoes only nobles wore.
The second figure was the same.
Nobles!
Donald instantly plastered on a smile.
“Oh my! If I’d known you were such distinguished guests, I would’ve welcomed you personally! What brings you to a place like this?”
The man pulled out a small token.
“You recognize this.”
“…Th-that’s—!”
Donald’s eyes widened.
His father’s dying words echoed in his mind.
If someone comes with this token… ask nothing, and give them whatever they want…
“…Everyone out! Now!”
Once the room was cleared, Donald poured tea with trembling hands.
“So… what do you want?”
Edmond Walker calmly replied.
“Bodies.”
