The carriage that had raced through the night arrived in front of a modest house. Seeing the moderately pitched roof, the horses snorted contentedly, and the people stepped down from the carriage to stretch their stiff muscles. The end of a day steeped in fatigue, where dusting off one’s clothes sent thick darkness tumbling down instead of dust.

It was a night perfect for unburdening old stories.

As we poured out our tales from the island, the men kindled a fire in the hearth. Amidst the creeping warmth, a warm soup naturally found its way onto the dining table. It had been so long since a proper meal that I feared it might not sit well, but my stomach, cruelly enough, emptied the bowl with alarming speed. From Erika’s direction, I could even hear the sound of weeping.

Meanwhile, Saya looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if she had fallen into ecstasy after just a single spoonful. Seeing her stomping her feet, unable to even swallow that one bite, it seemed to suit her taste remarkably well. At the same time, Haru was throwing a tantrum at Ms. Rebecca with soup smeared all over her face.

Even amidst such a warm scene, the story continued. With each memory retraced, the parents’ expressions grew darker, and eventually, someone began to sob. The woman who claimed to be Miya’s aunt, in particular, couldn’t listen to the end and broke down right there.

Among them, only one person maintained their composure. It was the woman who claimed to be Lena’s sister. It was partly because her expression was hidden by bandages, but there wasn’t a single tremor in her posture. It was a truly wooden reaction.

Only after the empty soup bowls had grown cold did the story come to an end. At a time when no one could grasp what to say, the man who claimed to be Miya’s uncle finally spoke.

“…I see. So that’s what happened.”

His tone was calm, but he couldn’t hide the trembling in his voice. He chewed over our story for a long time before suddenly turning his head toward Ms. Rebecca.

“What exactly did you people do to let things come to this? You call yourselves the security guards, but instead of protecting the children, you just ran away.”

“Honey, calm down. She’s the one who stayed until the end.”

“So what? The fact remains that she couldn’t stop the others from fleeing. You all gouged us with those so-called ‘dignity maintenance fees’ just because it’s a noble academy. But when an actual crisis hit, you couldn’t even protect a single niece of mine.”

“I have no intention of making excuses. As a parent myself, I feel only profound remorse.”

“Is ‘sorry’ supposed to fix everything? So the world’s going to hell anyway, is that it? I’m at a complete loss for words.”

“That’s enough. You’re not the only one who lost a child.”

“What? This person is…”

“Stop it, honey! And Mr. Aron’s father, please calm down as well. I’m sorry, kids. We showed you an embarrassing sight.”

In the end, the woman who had cried the loudest was the first to regain her composure. Wiping her moist eyes, she made an effort to change the subject.

“So, what are you going to do now? Do you have anywhere to go?”

“I plan to head west to see my parents. It’s a bit of a long way, though.”

“Right. Of course you should. How far is it? Do you have a way to get there?”

“For now, we plan to walk.”

I deliberately paused and stared at her. She then naturally exchanged glances with the others before speaking in a cautious voice.

“I see. But… it would be too dangerous to walk…”

“…”

“Mr. Aron’s father. You mentioned that if you couldn’t find your child, you would return to your hometown for now. Where is that?”

“It’s Ezra. A small city west of the Capital. As I mentioned, I left a sick wife behind… I plan to return tomorrow, if not sooner.”

“West, huh. If the direction happens to match, how about giving these kids a ride? You have the space, after all.”

“But it might be a bit cramped for a long journey. Even if you and your husband were to opt out, it would still be quite uncomfortable.”

“Don’t worry about that. There’s an abandoned carriage in this village. We can somehow manage to share the space.”

“Are you two planning to go as well?”

“There’s nothing left for us to do here anyway. I want to watch over the kids on their way. Is that alright with you, kids?”

She offered us a benevolent smile. But instead of meeting her eyes, I scrutinized the expressions of the people one by one. Then, I slowly nodded.

“Then we would be grateful. However, we’ll have to impose on you tonight, for which I am deeply sorry.”

“That’s fine. We’re the only couple left in this village, so it’s full of empty houses. You can probably stay next door. It used to be a house with many children, so the rooms are spacious and there are plenty of beds.”

“That’s a relief. Then can we go check the place out first? We can continue the rest of our conversation in the morning.”

“You must be exhausted, so go ahead. I’m sorry we didn’t get things ready for you sooner.”

Only then did she rise from her seat and guide us out the door. True to her word, the neighboring house was quite large, and upon inspecting the inside, there were plenty of beds to lie down on.

I thanked her once more and stepped inside. After watching her leave, I closed the door and let out a deep sigh.

“Phew…”

“…What a kind person.”

Ms. Rebecca, who had watched her retreating back until the very end, left a brief remark. At those words, Erika chimed in brightly, completely oblivious to the mood.

“Right? They are such wonderful people. Isn’t that so, Lope?”

“…”

“What’s with that expression? Is something wrong…”

“Miya. Camilla. Aron.”

I listed those three names in turn. Then, I cast my gaze toward Erika.

“Have you heard of them, Erika?”

“Uh… well. I feel like I have… but also maybe not…”

“You said Miya was a first-year, right. How about you, Haru? Have you heard of her?”

“Yes. A kid like that does exist. First-years have a lot of classes together, so I’ve bumped into her a few times. I don’t really know what she looks like, but I think I remember hearing her talk about her aunt.”

“I see…”

“Guys… are you doubting those people by any chance? They all seemed like good people…”

“Well, it was a bit too contrived for a coincidence. Out of all those people, bringing us specifically. I definitely thought something was off.”

At Haru’s pointed remark, Erika fell silent. I also shook my head and agreed with Haru’s assessment.

“There are too many things that bother me. When we were pushing through the crowd earlier, their movements were suspiciously organized. Besides, it’s strange that they gave up so quickly just because they couldn’t see the kids right away. Above all, Lena doesn’t have a sister. That woman with the bandages is definitely lying.”

“Still…”

“…Moreover, at first she pretended to only be interested in Erika, but as time went on, she only spoke to Lope. Lope is right to be suspicious. I don’t think we can believe everything they say.”

“…”

Even Saya, who used to be incapable of suspecting others, offered the same opinion. It was a sharp observation, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit bitter. It felt as though she was gradually being tainted by this world.

To shake off that thought, I continued to retrace their actions.

“The people who claimed to be Miya’s family. Their grounds seem the most solid. The kid does exist, and she did talk about her aunt. But they’re so excessively kind that it feels artificial.”

“That could just be their nature, Lope. From a parent’s perspective, they’re actually the most natural. They’re trying to fill the void of losing their niece with other children.”

“Hmm. I think it was Camilla, she’s the most suspicious to me. She barely said a word this whole time. And wasn’t she just staring at us the entire time?”

“She wasn’t, Haru. And it’s only natural to lose your words when you’re overly shocked. I was actually more suspicious of the man who claimed to be Aron’s father. He came to pick up one son, but he brought such a large carriage.”

“Tha…but isn’t the most suspicious one that woman with the bandages…? You said she lied. I’ve never heard that Lady Lena had a sister either.”

Different opinions clashed sharply, fanning the sparks of suspicion. Some of the points raised might not be true, and some might just be baseless doubts. Or perhaps everything was correct. The possibility that they were all in cahoots couldn’t be ruled out either.

But as Erika said, the most suspicious one was ultimately that woman with the bandages. What was her purpose in lying? What kind of face was she hiding behind those bandages? The more I thought about it, the larger my doubts grew. It was an issue that couldn’t be concluded hastily, so a brief silence hung over us.

Of course, there was someone for whom such silence was completely unsuited. Haru kept tilting her head in confusion before finally scratching her scalp furiously and throwing a fit.

“Ugh, my head hurts. I thought we finally got off the island, and now it’s this again.”

“You knew the road ahead wouldn’t be smooth.”

“Ah, whatever. My head hurts, so I want to smell Senior after such a long time. Come here. Let’s have a proper hug.”

“You really…”

Before I could say anything to dissuade her, Haru sniffed at the air and charged in my direction. For this moment, not even Ms. Rebecca could stop her, and Erika turned away with an awkward laugh. I, too, gave up and leaned my back against the wall.

In the end, the blind girl ended up in my arms once again. And she tried to bury her face in my chest to smell me. But right then, someone’s fingers pushed her forehead away.

And that, of course, was Saya.

“Huh…?”

“…”

At Saya’s sudden action, Haru tilted her head. Until now, she had only done it verbally; this was the first time she had physically intervened. While Haru was lost in confusion, Saya pushed her body away completely.

And after pondering for a very brief moment, she leaned her back against the very spot where Haru had been clinging.

“Mmm…”

“…”

“…Oh my.”

At this unprecedented behavior, Ms. Rebecca chuckled, and Saya, her face flushed, bowed her head deeply. But Haru wasn’t one to just let that slide.

“Goodness. I always thought you two slept together. So that’s how it is?”

“…”

“I should have rubbed against him too when I had the chance. No, wait. If you count me rubbing against Senior, I’m probably on par with Saya. Is Saya that pretty, by any chance?”

“Stop it.”

“Damn it, I can’t see, so how am I supposed to know? Come here, Saya. Let me feel what you look like.”

“Haru. Stop…”

“Wow. Look at how hot your face got. So you were embarrassed? Jealous of this cute junior?”

Perhaps thinking it was her chance, Haru kept teasing Saya. Somehow, watching that scene was a bit embarrassing, so I averted my gaze to the empty air for no reason.

But Ms. Rebecca was there. She put on an uncharacteristically serious expression and muttered to herself, as if wanting me to hear.

“…Right. We should probably give her something to obsess over.”

“…”

“I’ll have to work on that.”

I couldn’t tell if the subject of that effort meant Ms. Rebecca herself, or me. Actually, it was highly likely to be both. While I was agonizing over it, she approached Haru.

“I saw a well earlier, so shouldn’t you wash up first? Haru, I’ll help you, so let’s…”

“Ah, no. You smell like metal. I’m going to wash with Saya.”

“I smell…?”

“Saya is usually in charge of washing me anyway. Right, Saya?”

“Ah… yeah. I should. Um… doesn’t Erika need to wash too?”

“M…me? Uh… well, about that…”

“Phew…”

Amidst the barrage of conversation, I suddenly looked up. The peace that had visited after such a long time felt incredibly welcome. I wanted to set aside my worries for a moment and simply immerse myself in this situation.

It suddenly occurred to me that I might miss this moment terribly later on. So I inserted a bookmark in my mind and savored the peace that would soon depart.

Even so, the night slipped away relentlessly. The moon, which had risen obliviously, was now running at full speed to wake the setting sun.

A cool breeze brushed past my ears. I flinched and opened my eyes, only to find a chill seeping in through the cracks of the slightly broken window. Along with it, the faint sunlight filtering in hinted that morning had already arrived.

Two hours. Or maybe just one. In the end, I had spent another sleepless night plagued by worries. The lingering fatigue hadn’t faded and continued to weigh down my eyes.

“…”

Meanwhile, Saya had climbed onto my bed at some point. She had definitely been in the adjacent bed when I closed my eyes, but at some point, she had burrowed into my arms. It seemed she could only fall asleep that way, so I couldn’t possibly stop her.

But if I stayed like this, Haru was bound to wake up and throw a fit, so I quietly rose. Only then did Saya’s arm drop onto the sheets, and her warm body heat faded in an instant. Feeling a bit lonely, I cast my gaze out the window.

Then, a pure white figure suddenly caught my eye. My vision was still blurry, so I had to rub my eyes several times to figure out what it was. Only after rubbing my eyes hard four or five times could I discern the identity of that figure.

It was that mysterious woman, her face wrapped tightly in bandages.

In a landscape so cold that the windows fogged up, she stood aloof like a lone blooming flower. If not for the bandages wrapped around her face, she wouldn’t have looked out of place as a young lady of nobility. Looking at her standing all alone with no one around, I fell into thought.

Ultimately, she was the most suspicious person in this situation. And this seemed like the only chance to have a conversation with her alone. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I gathered my clothes and went outside.

“…Ugh.”

I had thrown on a thick coat, but the cold wind still bit into my bare skin. The only saving grace was that a faint warmth rose from the ground despite the freezing wind. The sensation was strange, but it wasn’t what I needed to focus on right now, so I approached her. And I cautiously offered a greeting.

“Hello.”

“…”

“You said you were Lena’s sister, didn’t you.”

“…”

She glanced at me through the gaps in her bandages before turning her head away again. She didn’t seem willing to converse, but I deliberately blocked her path.

“Actually, I was quite close with Lena. My name is Roman. Did Lena not mention me?”

“…”

“Did you perhaps hurt your throat and can’t speak?”

“…”

I tried using lies to lead the interrogation, but there was still no answer. I needed to at least catch a change in her expression. After pondering for a moment, I decided to poke at the most sensitive spot.

“When we first met, I thought it was a bit strange. I’d never heard that Lena had a sister.”

“…”

“Excuse me, but are you really Lena’s sister? What is your name?”

“…”

“If you won’t tell me…”

“…Linne.”

Only then did the bandages part slightly, and a gruesome, grating sound scraped out. As if she had truly suffered burns on her throat, she clawed at her neck with all her might and stared at me.

“It’s Linne. Lena’s older sister, Linne.”

“…”

“Are you satisfied now?”

“I apologize. For doubting you.”

I feigned an apologetic air and bowed my head. Nevertheless, I continued my questioning.

“But Lena never once talked about having a sister. That’s probably why I found it strange.”

“That girl hated me. It’s only natural.”

“Still, you came to pick her up. Even though Lena didn’t come.”

“We are family, after all.”

“You were unusually quiet last night. Barely reacted at all. Was that perhaps because of that reason as well?”

“…”

Only then, perhaps sensing that traces of suspicion still clung to my tone, she glared at me with fierce eyes. And she spat out a single phrase as if chewing on it.

“I was just angry that those imbeciles defiled Lena. To the point where I couldn’t control myself.”

“I see…”

“Those vermin. How dare they touch my little sister. If I had it my way, I’d tear them all to shreds.”

“…”

“Are you satisfied now? Does this look like enough anger to you?”

At her response, I fell silent. But it wasn’t because her voice carried a hint of murderous intent for the first time. Nor was it because I was intimidated by her aura and belatedly regretted suspecting her.

…

Vermin. Imbeciles.

It was because those words were all too familiar.

During our time on the island, I had heard countless profanities, but not many people used those two words. No. Beyond there not being many, there was originally only one person who used such language. And she was someone I knew all too well.

Even the intonation with which she spat out those words was familiar.

I kept my mouth shut and stared intently into her eyes. Her eyes, which looked somehow familiar, seemed to be mocking me. Amidst an eerily familiar aura, a hasty conclusion surfaced in my mind.

I couldn’t be certain. The possibilities were still open to everything. But my intuition was pointing to a single person.

“What is it?”

“…”

Looking at her like this, her physique and gaze seemed incredibly similar. No, in fact, the aura was so similar that I wondered why I hadn’t realized it until now. An elegant, noble aura that Lena, a commoner like me, could never possess, flowed from her body.

This woman was definitely not Lena’s sister.

…

She was Roselia’s sister.