Chapter 175

Arriving quickly at Duke Litton’s residence, Erina seemed to catch everyone off guard with her unexpected visit. Fortunately, the Duke himself hurried out to greet her, showing a friendly demeanor typical of someone raised with affection.

“Why have you come without notice, Lady Erina? ”

The son of Duke Litton was well-known within the Imperial Knights for his good nature.

Erina replied stiffly, 

“I came to see Lady Annabelle.”

“Lady Annabelle, Mother? Did you have an appointment? I haven’t heard anything about it, so I wanted to ask first.”

“No, I just need to see her briefly.”

The Duke maintained a composed expression, but the attendants behind him were visibly flustered.

He spoke politely, “I apologize, but my mother is not at home right now. I will inform her that you came by later.”

“Then I will go to where she is. Just tell me where she is.”

“I’m afraid I cannot disclose that, even to you, Lady Erina. Please respect her privacy.”

The Duke stood firm, not budging. Erina felt torn between anger, frustration, and a desire to remain calm.

She recalled the first time she discovered the demon’s footprint. She had sensed something was amiss. That’s why, upon entering the palace, she quietly greeted Scheuer, who was surrounded by various noble ladies and knights, sharing chamomile tea.

All she had seen was the footprint of what was presumed to be a deceased demon. However, the fallen knights had all cried out about the demon before their deaths.

When she found that strange, the first person she consulted was Silcaro.

He was the only one she truly trusted and relied upon.

‘Your Highness, I don’t know who dealt with the monster.’

‘Does it matter, Erina? ’

‘If so many knights died, the damage must have been significant.’

Erina never considered a single knight lightly.

They were all like her children, believing in her and following her, so such deaths weighed heavily on her heart.

When she was distressed, Silcaro suggested,

‘There’s someone who went as far as forging a tablet; you’re being too kind.’

He wrote a letter of introduction and added,

‘I was already pondering what to do for the knights who died protecting the Empire. This works out well.’

‘What is this? ’

‘It’s a boutique introduction letter. Choose something to send as condolence gifts.’

‘But there’s also the one who forged the tablet.’

‘They’re already dead, so we can’t hold them accountable. We have no choice but to follow proper procedures.’

After receiving the pins from the boutique, she sent them to the deceased knights through an attendant.

Still, the monster’s claw was something she couldn’t comprehend.

Thus, she asked the person who knew the most about monsters and had killed many—Raygrain—on the night of the founding ceremony,

‘Can someone other than Your Grace kill a monster?’

‘Why do you want to know?’

His question radiated an imposing aura.

At that time, the situation in the North was dire, so Erina understood the need to be cautious and wanted to explain herself. If Scheuer hadn’t interrupted, she would have called out loudly and rushed over, clinging to Raygrain’s arm and not letting go. In such circumstances, she couldn’t ask about the demon’s footprint. If she were seen prying into things, it could become a vulnerability for her.

A firm voice cut through her racing thoughts.

“There is none.”

“Father!”

As Erina looked up, Duke Litton was walking toward her with a calm demeanor. It seemed someone had reported the commotion to him.

She noticed that his face appeared more haggard than before. After sending his son away, he answered without evasion.

“There is none. Is that an answer? ”

“Father!”

“You already knew the truth, didn’t you? ”

The Duke’s words left the son speechless as he tried to counter them. Erina had no choice but to accept it.

‘Your Highness…’

Even when she couldn’t wield a sword or faced the possibility of being forcibly married, she had never cried. But now, for the first time, she felt the urge to weep.

***

“Your Grace, look quickly at the window! There’s a bird! ”

Scheuer pointed outside the carriage, where a black bird sat on a branch, blinking its round, dark eyes. It looked small and round, almost like a chick.

Scheuer pressed her face against the window, clapping her hands. 

“Isn’t it cute? Doesn’t it look like you, Your Grace? ”

Raygrain’s eyelids twitched at her question. He focused intently on the bird outside. After a moment, he replied, 

“Its head color is similar.”

Beyond that, there was hardly any resemblance. The bird was too small to be a hunting bird and too rough-looking to be ornamental.

Raygrain casually continued, 

“Cuckoo”

“…Cuckoo?”

“Cuckoo. That’s the bird’s name.”

The name felt like it went in one ear and out the other. It wasn’t easy to pronounce and wasn’t particularly cute.

As Raygrain seemed ready to stop the carriage, it looked like he intended to catch the bird. Scheuer clung to his arm, urging him to sit back down.

“It’s okay! I just wanted to know its name. I was wondering if it’s in the North too.”

“You can just catch it. It won’t take long.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t really like keeping them.”

As Scheuer desperately tried to dissuade him, Raygrain sat back down, looking puzzled.

“Why not? ”

“What if it dies before me? ”

Every living being has a different flow of time, and their ends cannot align. Birds, in particular, have shorter lifespans than Scheuer.

Feeling Raygrain’s serious gaze, she tightened her grip on his arm. Looking up, Scheuer smiled brightly and continued, 

“So it’s better not to raise them from the start. It’s hard later on.”

Just watching is enough, she thought, smiling.

The carriage continued on for a while longer. Before reaching the center, it briefly stopped near the road.

With a click, the door opened, and Jess peeked in, bowing slightly.

“Here it is, Your Grace.”

From his arms, he presented a luxurious box.

Curious, Scheuer leaned closer to Raygrain.

“Why don’t you check it when we arrive in the central area? Is the carriage comfortable? ”

“There are many clergy members, so it’s safer this way.”

Jess nodded in agreement with his answer.

When the box was opened, a grotesque, dark-red claw was revealed.

Despite having heard the news of a monster’s claw being discovered for quite some time, it looked as if it had just been severed.

As soon as she saw the claw, Scheuer clamped her mouth shut.

Noticing her reaction, Raygrain asked, 

“Do you have something to say? ”

“No! I have nothing to say! ”

Scheuer shook her head, pretending nothing was wrong.

After a moment observing her with suspicion, he returned his attention to the claw.

Out of the corner of her eye, Scheuer glanced at what was inside the box and thought to herself,

‘It looks just like a chicken claw.’

Aside from the color, its appearance was very similar to a large chicken claw.

The ornate gilded box felt like a stark contrast to the unsettling energy emanating from within.

Raygrain frowned as he examined the severed surface of the monster’s claw. Could it really be a fake? Jess also seemed pale in response, anxiety spreading across his face.

After a long pause, Raygrain finally spoke.

“Summon Zero.”

“He’s on standby here, Your Grace.”

At that, Zero appeared promptly beside Jess.

Raygrain showed the box to him, asking, 

“Can you confirm if this claw matches that of His Highness Silcaro? ”

Zero took a moment to inspect the claw closely, his expression serious.

“I will need to compare it with the sample we have in the royal laboratory.”

“Do it swiftly.”

Raygrain’s tone left no room for delay.

Zero nodded and immediately left to fetch the necessary materials.

As he walked away, Raygrain turned his attention back to the box, his brow furrowing deeper in thought.

“Could it truly be a coincidence? ” 

He muttered to himself, contemplating the implications of the claw’s existence and the potential deceit lurking beneath the surface.

Scheuer watched him with concern, sensing the weight of his thoughts.

“Your Grace, do you think it’s real? ”She asked softly.

Raygrain met her gaze, his expression solemn.

“We cannot afford to take any chances. If it is genuine, we need to understand its origin and what it means for us.”

Scheuer nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

The air in the carriage grew tense as they awaited Zero’s return, each moment stretching longer than the last.

“Our ‘almost’ will always haunt me”