After giving her clue, Evelyne looked up at the night sky, now pitch-black. The cold night wind brushed past, and only the city's lanterns remained to light the quiet streets.
"If we're going to Dawnery Merchant, it's better to go in the morning," Evelyne suggested, her eyes on Darwin. "It's past midnight now. That place is usually closed."
But Darwin shook his head slowly, eyes fixed forward without hesitation. "I have to find Liriel as soon as possible. I'm afraid something might've happened to her…"
Silence followed. Then, inside his mind, Zero's familiar voice echoed.
Darwin looked up at the starry sky. The cold air stung his skin, but it wasn't the cold that made him shiver. His thoughts were filled with Liriel—her smile, her gaze.
Maybe it's true…
Maybe he was already enchanted.
"Damn it…" he muttered inwardly. But there was no regret in his voice—only a quiet admission to himself.
Darwin turned to Evelyne. "I'm going to Dawnery Merchant now. I don't care if it's night or day."
Evelyne frowned. "But—"
"You should go home. Get some rest. Tomorrow, if I've found Liriel, I'll keep my promise and take you adventuring."
But Evelyne raised her chin, her face red with frustration. "No way!"
Darwin narrowed his eyes. "Don't be stubborn. This place isn't safe. Go home. Have the kingdom investigate the four people who were chasing you."
"I said NO!" Evelyne shouted loudly, shattering the quiet of the night. Her face flushed, but her golden eyes blazed with unwavering resolve. "I won't go back to the castle! Not ever! Even if it kills me!"
Darwin froze. The look in Evelyne's eyes—normally annoying, spoiled, and self-centered—had changed. Now it was firm. Serious. No joke. Like someone determined to fight against their own fate.
He took a long breath, looking at the girl as if weighing a burden that couldn't be dropped anywhere else.
Finally, he spoke, voice heavy and deliberate, "In that case, there are conditions."
Evelyne stood up straighter.
"You must stay close to me. Always within my line of sight. And you must follow everything I say. Everything."
Evelyne lit up like the morning sun. "Yes! Yes! Okay! I promise! I'll be super obedient!" she nodded quickly like a chicken pecking at grain.
Darwin gave her a long look, then turned away and sighed again.
Evelyne clenched her fists, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Then let's go! I know the fastest way!"
With light and eager steps, Evelyne led the way to Dawnery Merchant. Darwin followed behind, while Zero's voice returned in his mind.
>
Darwin replied silently.
"Yeah… but maybe this trouble will lead me to the answer."
When they arrived at the destination, Evelyne pointed to a grand house surrounded by tall black iron fences. Marble pillars rose haughtily behind the gates, and a chandelier on the front porch cast a dim golden glow. Two guards stood firm at the gate, clad in black uniforms with a golden eagle emblem on their chests.
"That's Dawnery Merchant," Evelyne said confidently, her finger pointing at the imposing mansion.
Darwin narrowed his eyes, observing the towering house. "It's… bigger than I imagined."
Evelyne nodded vigorously. "Well, the owner is the richest person in the kingdom."
"No wonder," Darwin murmured. Then he glanced sideways, a little suspicious. "You sure this is the place?"
"Ung!" Evelyne answered with full confidence, nodding rapidly like a child who just got candy.
Darwin began to think. He couldn't just walk in without a plan. "I should use stealth," he muttered.
But Zero's voice immediately cut in.
Darwin frowned. "You sure?"
Darwin exhaled. "Then… I'll go in from the front."
"Ung," Evelyne replied again, as if she were attending a seminar she didn't understand.
Zero sighed loudly, as though slamming into a mental wall.
Darwin just grinned. "Relax, I'm not that careless. I'll disguise myself and have Ciel create a distraction. While they're busy, I'll sneak in using stealth."
Zero paused, then replied flatly.
<...Fine. Whatever>
Darwin smiled. "I'll be fine. And I still want answers."
He turned to Evelyne. "Wait in my inventory. Don't come out until I'm done. And remember—don't ever tell anyone about this."
Evelyne thumped her chest proudly. "Your secret's safe with me!" she said with a wide grin.
Darwin hesitated for a moment. But there was no time for debate. He opened his inventory, and with a single touch, Evelyne vanished into it, stored in his personal dimension.
Then, Darwin raised his hand forward.
"Ciel," he whispered.
Instantly, from the shadow beneath his feet, Ciel emerged—shrouded in black mist like smoke.
"Make some noise."
Ciel roared loudly and bolted toward the gate. In seconds, the sound of metal crashing and guards screaming echoed in the distance. Ciel charged like a black storm, scattering the guards' attention.
Darwin immediately activated his stealth skill, his body blending into the night's shadow. He vaulted over the fence and slipped into the grounds like a shadow, heading toward the main house.
He moved through the corridors with his Shadow Predator skill, accelerating as if running through fog.
But as he passed room after room, Darwin realized—checking each one would take too long. Ciel wouldn't last much longer outside.
I need the most important room in this house. The owner's quarters…
Then his eyes locked onto a wider hallway with polished floors, guarded at the end by two men in deep black uniforms.
That must be it.
He swiftly approached and struck the two guards with clean, precise blows. Both collapsed before they could make a sound.
Darwin kicked open the grand wooden doors with golden carvings.
"BANG!"
Inside, the scene was nothing like he expected.
An elderly woman sat gracefully in a silk-covered chair, her silver hair in a neat bun, eyes calm but sharp like an old eagle that had seen war.
Beside her stood a female elf. Her long blond hair flowed, and her emerald eyes were sharp and alert. She wore a maid uniform, but her posture revealed years of combat training. And her face…
Darwin froze.
She looked like Liriel… but older…
Before he could speak, the old woman's voice broke the silence—soft, but icy.
"Have you come… to kill me?"