Amber light elegantly illuminated the dining table.
It was a rather spacious room. Maximilian von Adelheit, seated in a space that could comfortably host eight people, recalled the waiters who would be guiding guests outside in the restaurant.
Since Maximilian entered the restaurant, they had not come to him even once. This was a request made by Maximilian.
As he tapped his fingers on the desk for a moment, he adjusted his outfit one last time. A stray thread poking out caught his eye.
‘Trivial.’
With a flick of his cane, the protruding thread instantly froze. It was a very simple spell for him.
“…Tsk.”
Having shattered the frozen thread completely, he swept away the remnants of ice and thread from his hand before glancing subtly at his watch. The time was two-thirty in the afternoon.
The prearranged meeting time was three o’clock. Although Maximilian had come out early, it was customary among nobles to arrive at the meeting place thirty minutes beforehand.
However, the person he was supposed to meet had yet to arrive.
Without the purpose of meeting someone, Maximilian would have been excitedly choosing clothes for tomorrow’s Fall Festival at the Caldera Imperial Academy. He would have happily fumbled with the invitation given to him by his beloved daughter, Laura.
While it was a festival he was attending with an invitation from Laura, next year, his second daughter, Riina, would also be entering the academy, making it an important day for him to go out holding hands with Riina after a long time.
With such a day ahead, having to forcibly meet someone he did not wish to see…
‘Pathetic. Truly…’
Maximilian’s gaze sharpened. The fierceness in his eyes resembled the state of him in the sensitive times before the Cesar Li incident.
– Creak—
After about five minutes, the door finally opened. Maximilian’s sharp, attentive eyes turned towards it.
“You’re quite late, Baron Eniche.”
“Oh, my apologies, Your Grace the Duke of Adelheit. However, wasn’t the meeting time three o’clock?”
“…That’s enough. Just sit down quickly.”
With light brown hair and slightly slanted dark brown eyes that were typical of nobility. A nasty scar marred his right cheek. Maximilian swallowed back his disdain as he looked at that face.
“I truly apologize. This will not happen again.”
“……”
The man who called Maximilian, Heintje von Eniche, sat across from him with a subtle smile. Just seeing his smirk made Maximilian feel irritation rising within him.
“So, what is the reason for summoning me?”
Maximilian wanted to get straight to the point. It was frustrating not being able to prepare for tomorrow’s festival, but it was equally vexing to confront Baron Eniche, who irritated him just by being present.
Whether Baron Eniche realized Maximilian’s feelings or not, he merely smiled as if to enjoy the moment.
“Haha… are you really jumping straight to the main topic? The food hasn’t even arrived yet.”
“Let them serve as much food as they want when I come. Before that, it would be better for both of us to say what we need to say and part ways.”
“Is it not a long-awaited reunion? I’m quite pleased to see you again after such a long time.”
“Is that so? I feel absolutely dreadful.”
“Your Grace, joking is…”
“I am, at present, very busy, Baron Eniche.”
Each word spoke in parts, carried a strong sense of dissatisfaction and anger from Maximilian. Baron Eniche, who could not have missed that, reflexively twitched his eyebrows.
“Then, do not waste time with unnecessary talk and get straight to the point. After all, we gathered to discuss the information that Chief Curbin mentioned, did we not?”
“…Yes, yes. That is correct. Hmm…”
Baron Eniche held the position of Director of the Treasury. In contrast, Maximilian occupied the position of Chairman of the Senate, making him almost a political rival.
‘An idiot who picks fights over every little thing.’
That was how Maximilian viewed Baron Eniche. He had long sought to create his own noble faction, politically distancing himself from Maximilian.
While he did not openly attack Maximilian, who was known as a hero of the Great War and had fallen from the imperial family, technically a bloodline of the imperial household, he always opposed Maximilian’s proposals whenever possible.
It was also Baron Eniche’s Treasury, which reacted most sensitively to the ‘Amendment on Compensation for Veterans’ proposal that Maximilian had recently put forward.
Of course, there was no need to take a submissive stance towards Baron Eniche. The Senate often needed the Treasury, too.
“Well then, I will get straight to the conclusion. It seems you wish that as well…”
“Explain quickly.”
“…It appears that ‘Luonntor’ will break.”
“……!”
His answer was something Maximilian had anticipated. While it fell well within the range of expectations…
‘…No.’
Maximilian firmly steeled his wavering mind. It was still merely a hypothesis. He asked Baron Eniche.
“What of the war reparations?”
“Whatever trickery was used, we barely managed to pay this year’s portion… but beyond that for next year? I truly don’t know. The information is too lacking.”
Baron Eniche’s expression, which had been grinning annoyingly, changed drastically and became utterly serious. He was usually a playful and teasing person, but he knew when to take things seriously. That was why he held the position of Director of the Treasury.
Maximilian opened his mouth.
“We need to allocate more budget to the Federal Intelligence Department. We must increase funding for the agents’ operations.”
“We’ve already acknowledged that. If you submit a proposal to the Senate, the Treasury will quickly arrange the budget.”
“We must ensure that the Defense Department does not interfere with the Intelligence Department. Though they were part of the Defense Department in the past, now they are a directly controlled agency of the imperial family.”
“We are aware of that as well. I will contact His Grace, Duke Carthroy, in advance.”
“Can you handle it? If it concerns the interests of the Defense Department, he can be quite stubborn.”
“Do not worry. He should not have much to say when budget allocations are mentioned.”
“Perhaps elevating it to the Federal Intelligence Department wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“That seems problematic. While I can manage to get the budget passed, there might be some backlash from the senators who are concerned about the imperial family’s influence growing.”
“Indeed. Those fools. They need to be cut off somehow…”
“By the way, it seems we have detected unusual movements from the Navy Department. There appear to be troubling actions in joint regulatory waters…”
“Damn it. I suppose I must meet with Duke Carthroy.”
“I will arrange a meeting later. We should all sit together.”
“Handle that yourself. I am busy just with Senate matters.”
The long yet short conversation came to an end. As Maximilian stood up from his seat, Baron Eniche followed suit.
“It has been a while since we had a constructive conversation. It was quite nice, Your Grace.”
“It was a conversation like sewage. Lately, it seems all I encounter are miserable affairs.”
“Haha… take care.”
– Creak. Bang!
After Maximilian left the room, silence settled inside. After a moment of reflection, Baron Eniche opened the door and called the waiter.
“Hey there.”
“Yes. You called for me?”
“The most delicious dish here.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
As he watched the waiter’s retreating figure, Baron Eniche let himself sink into the soft chair and closed his eyes.
‘…Indeed.’
For him as well, it was certainly a wretched conversation.
Sofia the Sub-priest and I cautiously moved forward, one step at a time.
It was not just because I recalled the past whenever I saw dark places, making me overly cautious. The inherently timid Sofia the Sub-priest was almost clinging to me as we moved.
“Is this really a festival booth…? We didn’t come to a haunted house, did we? Right?”
“Sofia the Sub-priest. This is indeed a festival booth. More importantly, please calm down.”
“It’s too gloomy…. I’ve only been to a haunted house once, but it usually gets strange around here…”
– Squeak…
Suddenly, a strange sound echoed from somewhere. I instinctively tried to deduce the source of the sound.
‘…Front? Back? No, both?’
The sound of old wooden planks being stepped on. It was the sound of someone walking on the wooden corridor we were traversing. Not just one person, but at least two. Perhaps even three.
“Uurgh…”
Sofia the Sub-priest, having heard the sound as well, clamped her teeth and tightly gripped my arm. The soft sensation traveled through my arm.
“Sofia the Sub-priest.”
“P-Priest, please… you absolutely must not go anywhere alone… okay? Please.”
Sofia the Sub-priest was in quite a frightened state. It was understandable; the chilling sensation enveloping her body truly made it feel like we were walking inside some haunted place.
The dark, dingy atmosphere. The candleholders on the wall that only emitted very faint light, the cobwebs visible here and there, the eerie red graffiti, and the trash that occasionally appeared.
– Whooooosh—
The sound of wind blowing through broken windows or fallen doorways was alarmingly realistic. I couldn’t help but admire Daniel and Vivian’s obsession with the occult.
Chloe and Elin likely participated in the production as well, but the key aspects were undoubtedly handled by Daniel and Vivian.
“Sofia the Sub-priest. If it becomes unbearable, let’s go back to the entrance…”
“A-Alright, don’t send me alone. A-Are you kidding me…?”
“…Then let’s proceed slowly.”
Sofia the Sub-priest did not want to go alone, and I, as the professor in charge, had no choice but to check the festival booth.
In the end, our compromise was simply to move ‘more slowly and carefully.’ With each cautious step, the floor creaked softly underfoot.
“Gulp…”
The sound of swallowing dry saliva resonated. Along with that, the faint rapid heartbeat could also be heard coming from Sofia the Sub-priest.
With the surroundings being so calm, Sofia the Sub-priest and I naturally became sensitive to every sensation. Did the members of the Occult Research Club plan for this too?
Just then, while I was also slightly tense as I moved slowly, it happened.
– Thud. Creak.
A faint sound. However, it was a sound that had clearly reached my ears.
Sofia the Sub-priest seemed to have heard it too, her frightened expression becoming blank. To be honest, what we had expected was for Chloe or Elin to pop out and scare us, rather than the sound we just heard.
– Thud. Creak…
The same sound came a second time. With a vacant expression, Sofia the Sub-priest gripped my body tightly, burying her face into my shoulder. The sweet scent of lilacs wafted gently.
“Priest…!”
“Shhh…”
I wrapped my hand around the back of Sofia the Sub-priest’s head. Her trembling began to gradually settle.
The sound was coming from where we had just walked—behind us. I turned my body toward that direction while almost hugging Sofia the Sub-priest closely. It was a stealthy and perfectly executed movement.
– Clang!
“…Ah.”
Had I not stumbled slightly into a mysteriously carved crevice in the corridor floor, things might have gone smoothly.
“……”
An oppressive silence descended. Even knowing this was just a booth for a festival, tension began to surge within me unconsciously.
Then, after a moment.
– Thud. Creak…. Thud. Creak….
The noise we heard moments ago began to echo regularly and continuously. The sound was growing louder and louder.
– Thud. Creak…. Thud. Creak…. Thud. Creak….
“Uurgh…”
“Sofia the Sub-priest, shhh…”
As the sound grew louder, it meant that whatever was making the noise was getting closer. It was not the sound of someone talking, nor was it a single drop of an item; it was—
‘…Footsteps?’
– Thud! Creak….
Without the chance to move, the heavy sound was almost right in front of us. Sofia the Sub-priest and I slowly turned our heads toward the direction of the sound.
And there, stood…
“……”
A hulking man, completely covered in white, with golden eyes shining like a beast, a large butcher knife and bolts protruding from his head, drenched in blood.
In his massive hands he held an axe, also caked with blood, grinning horrifyingly at us.
So…
“…Lord Jericho?”
“Kyahhhh—!”
With a piercing scream, Sofia the Sub-priest grasped my hand tightly and began to run desperately. I unintentionally followed her.
Moreover, Sofia the Sub-priest was… incredibly fast. They say even herbivores bite back when cornered—was this the kind of situation they were referring to?
“Uh, um…?”
“P-PROFESSOR?”
In the midst of our flight, we even encountered Chloe and Elin, disguised as ghosts, but they were no match to stop the terrified Sofia the Sub-priest from running.
So we ran for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, we started to see light in the distance.
– Whoosh—!
“…No.”
Contrary to Daniel’s words, which suggested an expected experience time of ten minutes, both Sofia the Sub-priest and I managed to exit the booth within five minutes.
I shielded my eyes from the glaring sunlight. Daniel and Vivian were rushing towards us, their faces filled with concern.
“P-Professor! Are you alright?”
“Sub-priest! Are you okay…?”
“…Ugh!”
“…H-Huh?”
As Sofia the Sub-priest paused momentarily to catch her breath, she came to me with teary eyes and tightly embraced me. My priestly robe began to become damp from the tears.
“Wahhhh—!”
“……”
With her crying so sorrowfully, I found myself at a loss for what to do, only able to gently stroke the back of Sofia the Sub-priest’s head. Daniel came over without a hint of understanding and asked.
“Uh, Professor Antorelli, how was it? Our haunted house…?”
“…It was good. It was good, but…”
“Waaah…! sniff* Hic….”
“…First, could you please fetch a handkerchief for me?”
“Oh.”
Somehow, I felt a sign was needed in front of the haunted house.
Something like, ‘Handkerchiefs Required.’
