* * *

Beasts work in groups.

However, there was only one Beast I saw today. This means that there are no crowds to travel with.

Looking at the route, it was clear that the one demon that caused the incident reported to the capital was also the one.

However, he decided to stay nearby for a few more days and continue the search, just in case.

late afternoon.

The place we reached through the rain was the castle of Count Nicklas, the closest to the mountain.

Count Nicklas lost his arm during the war with the Beast Beast, but he was a loyal man who kept his position until the end.

Zerkan decided to stop by a nearby temple, so Raphine arrived at the Count's Castle first.

Her countess and her husband welcomed her kindly.

"Welcome, Vision."

"Once you got wet in the rain, I will guide you to the room."

Her countess gave her maid a hurry and gave her a glance.

After washing with warm water, Raphine entered the room prepared for the VIP. The room was very warm.

Raphine sat down in front of the wood-fired fireplace. She then dried her ruby back to her doll form. Seeing her droopy in the rain somehow felt pitying.

"You worked hard today, Ruby."

"It's nothing, sweetheart."

Raphine patted her teddy bear's head and fell silently in her thoughts.

Zerkan said that the appearance of the beast was different from the existing ones.

In addition, the weak divine power was felt in the changed body of the beast....

'It's not an open rift.'

If that was the case, the demons would have poured out.

In the circumstances, the picture was roughly drawn.

Before the rift in the temple was closed, the demonic beast was captured.

I don't know what the intention was, but he conducted a biological experiment and succeeded in instilling divine power into the body of the beast.

'It's unclear whether the captured beast escaped or was deliberately released.'

Either way, it is a big event that should never be overlooked.

However, since the corpse of the beast was burned, there is no evidence left. Only Raphine's testimony.

'We have to find evidence.'

Raphine got up from the sofa and headed to her window. It was still raining outside.

There was even her fog, and it was hazy outside the window.

Raphine wiped her steaming windows and raised her forehead to take a closer look outside her.

for a long time like that With a squeaking sound, Zerkan and the horses riding by the knights appeared through the faint fog.

The Count's coachman led the horse, and Zerkan and the knights entered the building.

Raphine immediately turned around and stood in front of the door.

By the time he heard footsteps in the hallway beyond the door, he didn't wait and opened the door first.

"...!"

Zerkan, who seemed a little surprised, met his eyes.

Raphine waved her way and beckoned her to come in.

Zer Khan wiped a little water with the towel the servant gave him at the entrance on the first floor, but he wasn't like a mouse, as if he had just come out of the water.

Although his whole body was wet.

"Did you know?"

Raphine asked the most important thing first.

Zerkan nodded.

"It was definitely winning. Some of the priests looked strangely busy and impatient."

"...We will try to destroy the evidence as soon as possible."

"If you go a little further north from here, there is a temple bigger than the counties. I think he may have experimented there...."

"The road to the north is rough. It's raining so much that it's impossible to move now."

"However...."

Raphine looked at Zerkan.

His complexion was pale and his lips had turned blue. In the midst of this, he thought that the wet, curled-up hairstyle would suit him well.

He usually had his hair down, so I didn't know him well, but his swept look gave off a slightly more masculine feel. Her forehead is pretty....

And most of all, his clothes were wet, and his large skeleton was all exposed.

It was embarrassing to see his white shirt getting wet and revealing his skin. With every breath he took, his chest muscles fluttered openly....

"Hey, wash it first."

Raphine pointed towards the bathroom and pushed him in.

Zer Khan was suspicious of Raphine, whose face suddenly turned red, but he meekly went into the bathroom.

Well, since I was running in the rain, the smell of dirt and rain must have been mixed.

Anyway, the horses and the knights were too tired to move right now. It would be the same for the temple.

Zerkan took off his wet clothes and went into a large bathtub filled with warm water.

When I closed my eyes, many memories came to mind like fragments.

He thought he would never see a beast again....

He bit his lip hard. His memories on the battlefield were only terrible.

People praised Zerkan for winning the war against the Beast Beast in the end, but in fact, it was only an illusory victory.

He lost so many soldiers. If you count his family members left behind, the number of victims is uncountable.

The dead soldiers were precious children, wives, husbands, and parents.

Zerkan tried not to dwell on every single death of the soldiers, but that was impossible.

Everyone thought it was their fault. The resentment of the bereaved family seemed to pile up behind their backs one by one.

The weight of that responsibility was entirely his own.

Sometimes the things I carried were so heavy that I felt like suffocating, but I persevered.

Because he has work left to do.

So the rift was closed, and he had done what he had to do. However, even after the war was over, the burden remained intact.

It was when a dark spirit that preyed on the dark thoughts of the contractor creeped out.

thump thump.

The sound of Raphine knocking on the door woke Zer Khan from his thoughts.

He looked around and looked towards the door.

And he realized at the same time. That he has no clothes to change in this bathroom.

"You don't have any clothes to change into? I will ask you to bring it to me."

Raphine's voice was heard through the door.

Zer Khan washed himself and wiped his water with a large towel. Around that time, Raphine's voice was heard once more.

"I left my change of clothes in front of the door."

Zerkan realized once again that this place was not the Imperial Castle. It was strange to be with Rafine in a place like this, but I was also strangely happy.

'By the way, I'm going to use another shot.'

He couldn't help it. Because in the eyes of others, the two are already like a perfect couple.

After changing clothes, I saw Raffine sitting in front of the fireplace.

The way he likes things warm was considered cute, just like a kitten.

Raphine glanced at him and then looked back to the fireplace. Zerkan sat a little further away from Raphine.

"I have to go as soon as the rain stops. It's dangerous, how about you stay here? If you want to ride a bear... I can't stop it, though."

Raphine laughed at his words. Zerkan's heart fluttered at that small laugh.

"If we act prematurely, they will think we have been caught. It's best to pretend you don't know. Besides, there may be more stolen beasts, so you have to move carefully."

"But...."

"If it's a female car, you might be able to unleash a magic trick in a private house."

Raphine's words made sense. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing research. I have to find evidence.

"We just need to send in an investigator who is safer than moving ourselves."

"Who is that?"

"My spirit."

"...."

In fact, a little while ago, Raphine had already sent Orphana to a nearby temple.

For the past few days, Orphana has been very lazy and does not want to do anything. It was because of the spirit of darkness.

So she deliberately had her run an errand, and Orphana left the investigation as if she liked it and ran away.

Usually, people do not know how far a spirit master can do with a spirit. This was because each elemental priest had different abilities, and there were no detailed records about it.

It would be the same for the temple. Raphine decided to take advantage of that.

In fact, even among the same spirits, it was the same as not knowing each other's abilities in detail.

For example, Violet and Zerkan did not know anything about the Holy Relic.

Also, each spirit seemed to have a different method and frequency of communicating with the contractor.

Violet said he didn't communicate with the spirits at all, except when fighting.

Zerkan is... I just don't seem to do it at all.

'By the way, the spirit of darkness is annoying.'

One of the causes that makes Zerkan black. Besides, the one who tormented Orphana.

Raphine narrowed his eyes and looked at Zer Khan. To be precise, he was aiming at the spirit of darkness beyond....

"Are you mad at me?"

Zerkan asked, confused. It was because Raphine's eyes were bloody.

"... No."

Raphine wiped his eyes away.

"Can I trust your spirit?"

"My spirit is very trustworthy and very friendly with me."

At those words, Zerkan nodded as if curiously.

'I guess I'm not really close with the spirits.'

After all, it was hard to imagine that Zerkan would open up to anyone other than Violet or Adrian.

Even Zerkan is someone who is building some walls for the two of them.

At that moment, the servant's voice was heard along with a chirping sound.

"The meal is ready."

Raphine stood up.

"Shall we go eat first? It seems that the Counts took special care."

"...Do it."

Raphine left the room with Zerkan and went down the stairs.

And as he walks down the hallway to the dining room.

Raphine suddenly clings to Zerkan and crosses her arms. Zer Khan lowered his head in surprise and looked at Raphine.

When her eyes met, Raphine rolled her eyes and smirked.

Literally, it was mysterious and lovely, just like a small butterfly flapping its wings.

"...!"

That moment when my heart felt like it was going to drop.

In the distance, I could feel the Count's popularity.

When I found out that Raphine had restarted her play because of people's eyes.

For some reason, Zer Khan felt the blood draining from his body.