“We’re moving out~”
Inside the carriage, Dorothy, after informing Vania twice, activated the Corpse Marionette Ring, setting the undead coachman in motion. With the crack of the whip, the horses pulled the carriage forward.
Using the bird’s-eye view of her crow marionette, Dorothy tracked a luxurious carriage in the distance. However, after some time, she encountered the same problem as last night.
Due to the speed difference, Dorothy’s carriage gradually fell behind. Soon, the gap exceeded three kilometers, surpassing the maximum control range of her corpse marionettes, making it impossible to continue tracking.
But this time, Dorothy had prepared another plan.
“Sister Vania, it’s your turn now.” Dorothy turned to the slightly uneasy nun beside her. Vania nodded in response.
“Phew… Got it.” As she spoke, Vania closed her eyes and began to focus on sensing something.
“I see it… Just keep moving forward…”
Hearing Vania’s words, Dorothy nodded and had the coachman continue driving. They gradually left the city, heading into a dense forest.
To avoid losing track like yesterday, Dorothy had consulted Vania through the Literary Sea Logbook about whether there were any tracking methods used by the Lantern Path Beyonder. The answer she received was the Beacon Sigil.The Beacon Sigil was an emblem imbued with the meaning of Lantern. It could create an invisible mark on an object’s surface. A Lantern Beyonder could sense the position of this mark after memorizing the sigil.
If no Lantern Beyonder was available, a small compass-like tool could be used instead. This tool could store and locate the sigil by consuming Lantern spirituality. Such devices were commonly used in the Serenity Bureau.
To Dorothy, this functioned like a transmitter, with each sigil having its own unique “wavelength.” Once memorized, a Lantern Beyonder could track it over long distances.
After learning about this item, Dorothy asked Vania if she had one. Unfortunately, as a clerical nun who didn’t participate in tracking missions, she didn’t possess such a tool.
So, early this morning, Dorothy went to school and bought one from Aldrich for 30 pounds. She also spent an extra 20 pounds to learn how to mask scents to avoid detection by Chalice Beyonders with enhanced senses.
Aldrich’s answer was simple—wrap it in a container coated with Stone drug, and the scent would be nullified.
Finally, Dorothy had Vania memorize the Beacon Sigil and imprinted it on a hair accessory she had bought from a street vendor, which she then gifted to Anna as a farewell present. The processed accessory retained no trace of Dorothy’s scent.
This was a precautionary measure, and now it was proving useful—Dorothy could track it all the way to the mentor’s hideout.
“Right now, Viscount Field, as the mentor, is being held up by the Serenity Bureau. However, without definitive evidence, the Bureau can’t act against him directly. They’ll likely be locked in a prolonged stalemate. Even if the mentor makes a move, although he’s at the Black-rank, he can’t possibly take on the entire Bureau alone. According to Vania, that Bureau Director, James, is no pushover either.”
“But the mentor’s hideout and his subordinates must be dealt with. The other children must be rescued before his followers do anything extreme in his absence. Since the mentor is occupied with the Bureau right now, this is the perfect opportunity to strike. As long as there’s no Black-rank present, we should be fine.’
With these thoughts in mind, Dorothy continued steering the carriage deeper into the mountains. At that moment, a sense of unease crept into her mind.
“Come to think of it, I originally expected the mentor to resist and fight the hunters head-on, attempting a forceful breakthrough. But he actually agreed to go with them to the Bureau just like that?”
“In situations where exposure is imminent, most people would choose to go down fighting. Following them back to the Bureau without resistance means having no escape at all. Outside, there’s still a chance to flee, but once inside, escape is impossible. Could it be that the mentor is so confident in his disguise that he believes he can fool the entire Serenity Bureau?”
“Or is it…?”
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy pondered. An ominous feeling welled up inside her.
—
Cypress Fir Tower Underground, Serenity Bureau, Igwynt.
Inside the director’s office, James and Viscount Field sat across from each other at a desk. In front of them, a steaming cup of tea was placed on both sides as they conversed.
On the desk lay a sheet of lyrics.
“So… Viscount Field, what you’re saying is that you stumbled upon these lyrics in an old book and, thinking they suited the children well, had them sing this song?” James asked, his expression serious as he stared at the viscount.
Field responded with righteous indignation.
“Of course! If you’re asking me for the exact origin of this nursery rhyme, I don’t know. I picked up that old book years ago from a secondhand shop on White Pearl Street. That shop doesn’t even exist anymore—where do you expect me to find it now?”
Outside the office, a group of hunters stood at the ready, gripping their weapons in anticipation.
Among them, Elena peered into the office through a small window. Her eyes were locked onto Viscount Field, a faint golden glow flickering at the edges of her pupils.
“Elena, what do you see?” Gregor, standing beside her, asked.
Elena replied slowly, “He has a protective aura of Shadow, but it’s weak. I’ve seen through it. I can tell… His body contains an excessive amount of Chalice—far more than an ordinary Craver. And there’s something else inside him… something strange that I can’t quite discern. But one thing’s certain—Viscount Field is hiding something.”
Hearing this, Gregor exhaled and whispered to his team, “Draw your weapons. Be ready to move at any moment…”
The tension outside the office was palpable. Meanwhile, inside, Viscount Field was still speaking.
“James, I’m warning you again! If you don’t—ugh…”
Field, who had been pointing a finger at James, suddenly frowned. He stopped speaking, rubbing his temples with an odd expression. His hand began to tremble slightly, and he started muttering to himself.
“Something’s wrong… Something’s wrong… What’s happening? Why am I reacting now? Didn’t I just drink it? Why is it kicking in so soon?”
“Viscount, are you alright?” James frowned, watching the strange behavior.
Field slowly raised his head, his expression tinged with fear. “J-James… Has my butler, Luer… come to get me?”
“Butler?”
Hearing this, James immediately stood up, opened the office door, and asked the team outside, “Has Viscount Field’s butler arrived?”
“Butler? No… Mr. James, no one has come.”
Gregor responded with a puzzled look.
Just then, a scream erupted from inside the office.
“AAAAHHHHH!!!”
Everyone turned back, only to see Viscount Field collapsing onto the floor. His hands clawed at the ground as his entire body convulsed violently. His face flushed red, and his murmurs turned into pitiful wails.
“No… No… No… Save me! I don’t want to turn into a monster! Don’t abandon me, Master! Don’t abandon me, Mentor!!”
Mysterious crimson patterns surfaced on Field’s body.
James’ eyes widened at the sight.
“Cognitive poison… Mutation…”
…
Elsewhere…
Snap!
Inside a luxurious carriage, an elderly man with a goatee, dressed in a butler’s uniform, closed his pocket watch. Sitting comfortably, he crossed one leg over the other.
“It’s time. Things should be starting on Field’s end…” murmured the man, Luer. He placed his cane horizontally across his lap, stroking the ruby at its tip, which glowed faintly with red light.
“Thank you for your six years of loyalty, Viscount. My dear master.”