Chapter 92

92

As I meticulously investigated the area under my responsibility, I subtly checked to see if Zen was doing well as I had instructed him.

Fortunately, Zen was carefully investigating without making even the slightest mistake. Place things back in their original positions, exactly as they were. Leave no trace of fingerprints, and so on...

To avoid being caught by the overly sensitive Owen, we had to be cautious.

"...However, there’s no sign of any evidence. That safe... "

While searching under the desk, I stood up and gazed at the safe placed in a corner of the room. Owen must have the key to that safe. But it was a safe that could also be opened with a dial in case the key was lost.

"There’s nothing more to find here. The only thing left is that safe..."

I slowly approached the safe. The black iron safe, which seemed to reflect Owen’s taste, even had a black number pad. White numbers were engraved in a circle on top of it.

"What could the password be...?"

Owen would probably have set a random number. But he might have used a number with personal significance. Upon closer inspection, this safe’s dial required matching eight numbers to open.

"Eight numbers... Could it be a birthday?"

"..."

After a moment of thought, I carefully turned the dial with my gloved hand. I cautiously combined eight numbers, but the safe didn’t open.

"If it’s not Owen’s birthday, maybe it’s his father’s? Or his birth mother’s... No, that’s unlikely."

Owen’s birth mother, who had given birth to Owen and Hessen, had passed away long ago. Owen seemed to have no trace of longing for her. I found his lack of sentiment deeply unsettling.

"Father’s birthday..."

I slowly combined the numbers again. ...But the safe didn’t open this time either.

"Did he set it to a random number? Or Hessen’s birthday? ...No, that’s impossible."

Owen ignored Hessen. While Owen was emotionless, Hessen was overwhelmed by his emotions. They were polar opposites, with Hessen secretly feeling uneasy about Owen and Owen looking down on Hessen. However, when it came to tormenting me, they worked well together.

"Hessen’s birthday is out of the question. Then what could it be...?"

As I pondered, Somnia’s voice echoed from deep within me.

"Try your birthday, Lily."

"Try my birthday?"

I was taken aback by the unexpected suggestion. ...Owen’s safe password being my birthday? That’s impossible...

"But... is it completely impossible?"

Owen... is abnormally fixated on me. He has exerted control to make me his complete possession and dislikes it when I go against his will, even slightly.

Just as I had planned to bring down Owen and the Everett family, Owen must have planned to completely control me. He probably wants my mind to be completely broken, to turn me into a real doll without will.

"...That won’t happen."

I will die as myself, maintaining my dignity intact.

I turned the dial again. With little time left, I moved my hands a bit more quickly this time.

1 8 1 6 1 1 1 2

November 12, 1816. My birthday.

Click—

With a sound of something grinding inside, the safe opened.

"..."

It really was... my birthday as the password.

A chill ran down my spine. I felt a sudden coldness as if a cold wave had hit. After a moment of stiffness, I asked Somnia casually.

"...Somnia, how did you know the password was my birthday?"

It just seemed like it would be.

...It was a ridiculous yet somehow plausible explanation. I glanced at the clock. Now, only 9 minutes were left. Though I was anxious, I tried to remain calm as I examined the contents of the safe.

"This is... a ledger. It might be useful."

I first replicated it with a replication magic tool, then took the real one and left the fake in the safe.

The fake replicated by the magic tool would disappear if the tool was destroyed or its lifespan expired. Therefore, I had to manage the magic tool well. Since the replication was flawless, Owen wouldn’t notice the fake ledger, but if it suddenly disappeared, he would be suspicious.

"And the other documents..."

As I examined the other documents one by one, I suddenly froze.

"This is..."

At the same time, Somnia went wild inside me, shouting in an ancient language that I couldn’t understand, driving me mad.

"Somnia, be quiet."

After warning Somnia, I carefully examined the document again. The document contained... a magic formula. And while I couldn’t read all of it...

"...It’s definitely a wizard’s handwriting."

I wasn’t a complete novice in magic. I could interpret magic formulas and characters to some extent. Focusing my mind and examining it in detail, I soon understood what this magic formula meant.

"...No doubt about it. This is the magic formula used to create a homunculus."

Furthermore, the text written in the wizard’s handwriting... specified the method of using the magic formula, the number of homunculi needed, and other materials.

"The most important material... is the painful death of a human, the intense emotions at the moment of being killed...?"

I couldn’t believe it even as I read it. How... could someone do such a horrific thing?

"Owen Everett, you despicable man."

Shaking with both hands, I quickly examined the remaining documents. The two remaining documents were maps. One was a detailed map of the Veronese territory of the Valentina family, and the other was a map of the entire kingdom.

The maps had unknown marks indicated by red 'X's. After some thought, I realized these marked the locations of the cracks that had occurred in Veronese.

"The locations where cracks have occurred in Veronese... exactly match!"

Additionally, there were blue 'X' marks. These blue 'X' marks did not match the locations of the cracks that had occurred. So...

"The blue marks... are the locations where future cracks will occur."

My heart raced. I quickly examined the map of the entire kingdom. Red 'X' marks and, more numerous, blue 'X' marks.

The area with the most blue 'X' marks... was Dornac, the territory of the Delacroix family.

"...Mad... Mad, Owen! Mad Everett family!"

Not content with turning Veronese into a wasteland, they were now targeting the entire kingdom.

This... was an unforgivable act. I had long known that the corruption of the Everett family had reached its peak, but I never imagined they would destroy the kingdom to strengthen their own privileges.

"I must inform His Majesty the King. ...No, the King is not in his right mind. The people I can trust are..."

Queen Elemele and the Crown Prince.

They had connections with Delacroix, were friendly to Valentina, and had a grudge against the King. Most importantly, the Crown Prince genuinely cared for the country.

"...According to the orders written on this map, simultaneous cracks will erupt throughout the kingdom in a short time. ...Oh God, this must be stopped at all costs."

I quickly replicated the maps and documents and placed the fakes in the safe.

I hid the real documents in my clothes and closed the safe. I also reset the dial to the exact numbers it was before I touched it.

"Only 3 minutes left."

I turned and hurriedly approached Zen. He was frowning, looking around the room. He clearly hadn’t found anything.

"Lily, did you find anything? I didn’t find anything in my area..."

"I found it."

"Huh?"

"I found the evidence. I’ll tell you later. For now, we need to hurry back to Valentina Castle. If we’re too late, Owen will be suspicious."

"Oh, right!"

We left Owen’s room and went to the cleaning tool storage room on the first floor. After placing the cleaning tools back in their original positions, we hurriedly headed for the garden.

"..."

My body reacted first. I quickly pulled Zen to hide behind a large decoration in the corridor. The person who appeared around the corner was none other than... Father.

Kazef Everett, Duke.

As a spirit contractor, he might notice something if he saw Zen. So it was best to stay out of sight.

"...So, ...will be... useless soon. Lily, that girl."

"..."

There was no trace of warmth in Father’s voice. ...It’s not surprising. He’s always been like that.

"She seems to be in a dying state. Damn, I spent so much money raising her, and she’s not even worth it... I thought I could marry her off a few more times while she’s still young."

...I couldn’t even laugh. That man hasn’t changed at all. His greed is endless, and he treats people as tools, never giving anything to others.

"A beast, worse than an animal."

I glared at him coldly from behind the large decoration’s deep shadow. If I could see him rolling in the dirt, worse than a worm, I would have no more regrets in life. Of course, Owen and Hessen should be in that dirt as well.

"So, we need to adopt a girl to replace Lily."

"...What?"

My body stiffened involuntarily.

Click, the sound of a door opening nearby.

"Find a suitable orphan. About sixteen years old would be good. We can train her for three years and then marry her off. She can be a bit dim-witted, but she must be pretty. That way, she’ll be useful."

"Yes, Duke. By the way, there’s a suitable child at the Eloise orphanage..."

Thud—

The door closed.

At the same time, the voices faded and were no longer audible.

I was in shock, feeling my hands and feet turn cold as I stiffened.

...Another victim will be created besides me...?