"Nyau, what the hell just happened?"
"I-I don’t know. Suddenly, the Village Chief’s body just... it burst..."
Nyau answered my question in a faltering, shaky voice.
"That doesn't tell us anything," Ryune pressed. "Do you have any idea about the cause, the magic used, or who the culprit might be? Anything?"
"I—I don't know what to tell you! There truly wasn't a single warning sign!"
Even with Ryune’s interrogation, Nyau had nothing to offer. It was unsettling that even a Sage like her was completely in the dark.
"Um, if I examine the Village Chief’s remains, I might find something, but..."
With that, Nyau started to approach the body. It was in such a gruesome state that, frankly, it was hard to even look at.
"He burst from the inside, didn't he? How is that even possible?"
"I can only assume someone planted something like a bomb inside his body beforehand," Ryune speculated.
The two of them began to trade theories while staring down at the corpse. Since they were the experts in magic, I decided it was best to stay out of it and watch in silence rather than intruding.
However, there was one thing I absolutely had to confirm.
"Hey... if anyone else finds us like this, they’re going to think we’re the culprits, aren't they?"
The moment they heard that, Nyau and Ryune both froze, their mouths hanging open in a synchronized "Ah."
Currently, we were the only ones in this house.
If the Village Chief had met such a suspicious and violent end under these circumstances, it was only natural that the finger would be pointed at us.
A second later, the front door flew open.
An officer stepped in. The moment he saw the corpse, he let out a piercing scream. "S-Someone’s been killed!" The shout was so loud it surely reached everyone stationed around the house.
In less than a minute, a flood of soldiers poured into the room.
Among them was Captain Garrett.
"Sage Nyau, I’m going to need an explanation for this..." the captain said, addressing her as the leader of the Escort Unit.
He didn't look like he suspected us yet; he seemed more bewildered than anything. It was clear he was struggling to process the scene.
"His body suddenly burst while we were in the middle of a conversation," Nyau explained. "I have no idea what caused it."
"Do you have any leads on a culprit?"
"At this moment, I know nothing."
"Do you truly know nothing?"
A tense back-and-forth followed between Captain Garrett and Nyau. It was like a game of verbal tug-of-war as the captain tried to squeeze any bit of information out of her.
When he finally realized that Nyau genuinely had no answers, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"This is a disaster... If a suspicious, unexplained death occurs while His Highness is on an expedition, our security measures will be torn to shreds by the critics. We need a culprit, and we need one now."
The captain muttered to himself, his eyes drifting toward us. It was a silent plea, an implicit demand for more cooperation.
"Shouldn't we look to His Highness for a decision?" one of the subordinates suggested.
"I’ve already sent for him," Garrett replied.
I listened to them consult each other. It was obvious to anyone that the Second Prince was the only one who could settle a situation like this. Nyau was a person of interest, and while Captain Garrett was the ranking officer among the soldiers, he didn't have the authority to take command over the Prince.
The only problem was that the Second Prince was completely unreliable.
"Excuse me."
A few minutes later, the door opened and Elsie stepped inside—the maid who had come to report the Prince’s "illness" earlier. Whether she had already been briefed or not, she didn't look the least bit panicked.
On the contrary, she surveyed the room with chilling composure before making a declaration.
"As of this moment, I, Elsie, shall take command of this site as the Proxy for His Highness, the Second Prince."
The room fell into a dead silence.
I instinctively knit my brows. The Prince’s proxy? Was that even allowed? She was supposed to be nothing more than a servant.
I wasn't the only one thinking it. Captain Garrett looked utterly floored.
"Elsie, I apologize, but such a significant decision..."
Elsie reached into her uniform and pulled out a sheet of paper, cutting the captain off mid-sentence.
"This is a Letter of Authorization written by His Highness himself. Given his poor health and the nature of this emergency, he has formally delegated his authority to me."
The captain took the letter and scanned it carefully. I watched as the color and expression drained from his face.
"This is... definitely His Highness's signature and Signet."
I couldn't believe what was happening.
Did the Second Prince really trust this maid that much?
Then again, despite her status as a servant, she carried herself with a strange, undeniable weight. Even the soldiers were starting to fold under her presence.
"His Highness has placed his trust in me to fulfill this duty. Our responsibility is to resolve this emergency as swiftly as possible."
Garrett hesitated for a heartbeat, then regained his professional posture and nodded.
"Understood. Elsie, how should we proceed?"
"I have already grasped the situation," she said. "The Village Chief met a suspicious death. And the only ones present at the time were Sage Nyau and her two attendants."
Elsie’s gaze drifted slowly toward the three of us.
"I ask the three of you. Do you truly claim to have no knowledge of how the Village Chief died?"
"As I have already stated multiple times, we know nothing yet. He died suddenly right in front of us," Nyau said. Ryune and I both nodded in agreement.
"I see. Then, given the circumstances, there can be no doubt—the three of you are the culprits who murdered the Village Chief!"
Elsie made the declaration with total confidence.
My breath hitched. Even though I’d seen it coming, hearing it actually happen was another thing entirely.
"W-Wait just a minute!" Ryune shouted. "Why on earth would we do something like that?! Even if we don't know who did it yet, if you just investigate, I'm sure you'll find evidence somewhere!"
Ryune’s logic was sound, but Elsie didn't even blink.
"Your motive is indeed unknown. However, the facts of the scene speak for themselves. I see no reason to entertain further debate. Captain Garrett, take them into custody."
"U-Uh... very well."
Garrett hesitated, but he began to move to follow the order.
"This is insane! Because—"
"Ryune, that is enough."
Nyau’s voice cut through the air.
I watched her, assuming she had some plan to navigate this crisis.
"But why?! At this rate, we're all going to be treated like criminals!"
"And why is that a problem?" Nyau asked. "Think about it, Ryune. Do you honestly believe the likes of them could ever hope to restrain me?"
She gestured toward Captain Garrett and the soldiers with total contempt.
I couldn't believe my eyes. This wasn't the flustered Nyau from a few minutes ago. She looked detached, superior—arrogant.
"But if you do that, it’ll just make them angrier!" Ryune countered.
"If they wish to brand me a traitor to the state, then I shall simply leave this country. There are plenty of nations that would welcome me with open arms."
It wasn't just a statement; it was a threat.
I didn't fully understand the scope of Nyau's influence, but even I knew that her defecting to another nation would be a catastrophic loss for the kingdom. The soldiers realized it too; their faces turned pale.
Elsie, however, didn't lose her cool. If anything, a faint smile touched her lips. She stepped forward, her voice ringing with authority.
"What are you all so afraid of? Regardless of her status, if she is a Suspect, then detaining her is basic procedure. Or are you telling me you refuse to follow my orders? To defy me is to defy the Prince himself."
She was so commanding that it felt as if she had been possessed by the very authority of the Royalty she served.
"Captain Garrett, I will repeat myself. Take Sage Nyau and the other two into custody immediately. This is an order from the Second Prince. Surely you aren't suggesting that you, too, intend to rebel against the state?"
Garrett looked like he was about to be sick.
After a long, heavy silence, he finally spoke.
"Take Sage Nyau and the others into custody. Now."
The moment the command was given, the soldiers shouted their assent and began to close in with heavy, slow steps.
I looked at Nyau, worried, but she simply scanned the approaching men with ice-cold eyes.
"I see. So that is your decision. How very disappointing."
Nyau leveled her staff at the soldiers.
"Green Magic, Third Tier: Emerald Vine Binding: Vine Binding."
In a flash, thick vines erupted from the walls and floor, snaking around the soldiers. They tried to fight back, but it was useless; they were bound tight and immobilized in an instant.
"Ryune, prepare to depart. We are leaving this country right now."
"O-Okay!" Ryune stammered, clearly thrown by the turn of events.
What about me? What was I supposed to do?
My whole goal was to prevent the tragedy caused by the Demon Beelfegor. But there wasn't a trace of the demon—instead, everything was spiraling out of control in a completely different direction.
"Nyau, are you serious about this?" I asked, trying to gauge her intent.
"There is no reason to stay here. If you remain, they will only arrest you as a Suspect."
"I... I see..."
I was lost in confusion. In the previous timeline, Nyau had definitely been killed by Beelfegor. If she left the village now, the timelines wouldn't match up.
That meant something else was coming. Something that would prevent her from leaving.
"How strange. I was under the impression that Sage Nyau was a merciful woman. I never expected her to be so heartless."
The voice came from Elsie. Like the soldiers, she was currently bound by Nyau's magic.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Nyau asked, stopping in her tracks at the Provocation.
"Well, an unexplained murder has occurred in this village. If the cause isn't found, the death toll will surely rise. To just abandon the village and walk away... don't you think that's a bit cruel?"
"And what basis do you have to claim that the 'damage will spread'?"
"Hmm, let me see..."
Elsie tilted her head, appearing to ponder the question for a moment.
"Oh, right. I was the culprit who killed the Village Chief. So it’s only natural I’d know the damage is going to spread."
...Huh?
My mind ground to a halt.
She had confessed so casually, so fluently, that I thought I had misheard her.
Nyau and Ryune looked just as stunned; their eyes were wide with shock.
And then there was the other part of what she'd said. She had confessed to being the murderer, and then warned that the damage would spread.
This is bad! I have to stop her right now—!
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Elsie whispered something.
I couldn't hear the words.
But suddenly, a blinding Light erupted from her, consuming everything.
The flash filled my vision, and the world vanished into white.