“Oh, this is so annoying.”

“What’s going on?”

The man did not respond to Baron Bruno’s query; instead, he merely banged his head on the table. Baron Bruno appeared to be quite accustomed to the scene; he was simply observing it without becoming agitated.

“I don’t know; everything is ruined.”

Bam, bam, bam. 

‘Crazy guy…’

No, he wasn’t at all accustomed to it. Everything Bruno did was merely a facade.

He was a good talker, but it was strange to see him suddenly get angry and hurt himself. He also spoke in a childlike manner. No, it wasn’t just the way he talked. He was behaving in a childlike manner.

‘This is the king of the underworld.’

X is the king of the underworld. He claimed to be in the same boat as him, but Bruno had no idea what his real name was. When he met him for the first time and asked his name, he said.

“I don’t have a name.”

“What?”

“No one asked me here, so I didn’t make one.”

Bruno wondered whether he could entrust himself and his family to such a person. Regardless, the man scratched his chin and thought for a while.

“Let’s go with X.”

“X? What about your last name?”

“Do you think I need that? Just call me X.”

Bruno had no idea what X meant. As if it were a secret, X simply placed his index finger on his lips. The figure seemed to be threatening and dangerous, but Bruno’s hatred for Conler was so intense that he could bear it all.

“Huh? Isn’t that right?”

“What?”

As Bruno was recalling his first meeting with X, X whined at him. Bruno responded curtly to the question.

“Isn’t it too much to interrupt me like that?”

“Who interrupted you? Conler?”

When Bruno responded, X burst out laughing uncontrollably. It was a loud, piercing noise. After that, he stopped laughing and spoke seriously.

“You really have nothing but Conler in your head.”

“That Conler.”

Bruno gulped. X has always been lighthearted and childlike, but when he looks at him with such a straight face, he feels a strange sense of pressure. Bruno was occasionally genuinely overwhelmed by X, but he didn’t want to admit it. Every action Bruno took, as he had previously stated, was a facade. Bruno didn’t know what to do because he wasn’t sure what was real.

Bruno was stupid to X, but he thought he was funny. So X smiled again, this time with a straight face.

“Oh, by the way, you must be furious,”

“To whom?”

“You’re so stupid.”

“Why are you calling me stupid when you don’t tell me anything?”

When Bruno shouted, X laughed again. Oh, it’s fun. Funny. If you or your daughter were less fun, it would be a mess.

X, who didn’t dare speak about his thoughts, decided to give some hints 

“If there is a king, there is a god.”

“God?” 

“They personally came forward.”

Bruno looked puzzled. X tapped the table with the tips of his fingers. He is running low on patience. He has been waiting for a century.

Ah, just thinking about it was so much fun.

“Oh, they’ve already intervened.”

Just wait a little bit. Let’s see what happens to that Conler.

***

“Something terrible is clinging to Mary.”

Estin spoke in a stern tone. Hestia and Lucas both nodded in agreement.

The filmmaker is deceased. The child claimed that the same person who abducted her as a baby and left her in the director’s care also gave the order to kidnap her once more. Furthermore, the guy she met in Tana district was there. Although Mary’s abduction at the Tana Earth was discovered here, no one considered reprimanding her.

“Why didn’t they kidnap her themselves this time?”

“I don’t know. Even back then, they didn’t kidnap her themselves.”

For a moment, Estin slammed the table again, recalling that they had left the child at the Brandon orphanage without changing her name. A crack formed on the table, and Estin’s palm was cut.

Estin was in a state of helplessness for the first time since Helena’s death.

Born Conler, he believed there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish.

‘Blessed by the demons…….’

Estin, who had lost his temper, rubbed his palms around his mouth. Estin with blood around his mouth resembled a blood-crazy demon.

“It’s strange.”

Hestia was also dying in rage. She should have accompanied her as deputy chief of the knights. She regrets having only posted additional knights to the coast of Padula.

But …… The problem was that she was not sure if she could keep Mary safe even if she was there.

“Yes, they didn’t fall down no matter how much we cut them.”

“Is it similar to young master Rex’s ability?”

Lucas spoke in a grave voice. At first glance, the two’s skills appeared to be comparable. Mary, however, claimed that there was a slight variation.

“According to Mary,”

“…”

“If Rex can control the dead, they can control the living at will.” 

“I…”

Hestia opened her mouth cautiously.

“It’s a dangerous idea, but let’s send the director to Master Rex…….”

“I tried it.”

“What?”

“Rex came to try. But it failed.”

When Rex used necromancy, even if the body was severely damaged, traces of the soul could still be felt in the body. It finds the traces and calls the soul back to the body.

But Rex, who was finding the soul of the things Aiden had knocked down, was embarrassed and filled with tears as he said,

“There is no sign of soul in the body at all…….”

“Is that possible?”

“Rex said it was his first time.”

Estin barely managed to calm Rex down as he sobbed because he couldn’t help him.

It wasn’t that Rex wasn’t helpful, though.

‘There is no sign of the soul in the body.’

“They must be the ones who signed a contract with their souls as collateral.”

“Are you talking about the underworld?”

The underworld was the most dangerous place on the Kaya continent. A place where anyone can go, but not everyone can.

They cleverly dodged the tracking network and signed contracts with people on the ground. They were well aware of people’s flaws and exploited them.

Estin didn’t understand those people, but he didn’t want to blame them. He’ll simply disregard it and let it go.

However, when things turn out this way, he can no longer ignore it.

“Mary’s tutor, Logan Reilly, is working on it.”

“Logan Reilly says Baron Bruno is involved, so shall we call him?”

“Not yet.”

Estin shook his head. It’s not time yet.

“Why?”

“Baron Bruno has only recently entered the underworld.”

“Ah…”

As time passes, Bruno will become increasingly connected to it.

“That’s right.”

“We can aim for that time.”

The steady advancement brought a small sense of relief to Hestia and Lucas. But despite his best efforts, Estin was unable to comprehend one thing. He couldn’t understand this, even though it seemed to be a crucial point. The puzzle will be complete with just this piece.

“How can Mary be involved in such a place?”

***

Since arriving at the mansion, I have been lying in bed. Though I didn’t have the energy to get up, it wasn’t as serious as some people were worried about. When I refused to eat, Bonita and Carol burst into tears, so I tried to eat something light.

I felt like I was being overprotected by everyone. Even the cold Aiden was upset. I believe it was because he was present at the scene. He refused to let anyone into my room. I’m grateful, but…  It was somewhat uncomfortable.

No, it was actually annoying to talk to people. It was as if everything was troublesome. I was aware that everyone was concerned about me, but I believed it was all for naught. The man’s warning that they would leave me if I did anything wrong kept echoing in my ears. I could be sent to Nicor if I make a small mistake. I hugged Nero tightly.

“Nero.”

Nero couldn’t have answered, but his eyes just seemed to twinkle.

“A strange thing happened to me.”

Nero seemed to tell me that it was okay.

“I’m so scared. What should I do?”

Please keep me safe. I was tightly hugging Nero when I suddenly thought of Arsene. How I wish Arsene were here with me. When I was in trouble or in danger, Arsene protected me. Is Arsene okay, Nero? That day, the fire wasn’t very hot. I’m sure he made a good escape.