Chapter 42

If Ponsbeny entered Naloka's house to take away her hair and nails, it suggests that Naloka was most likely murdered by a relative. This is because Naloka had a good reputation and was the pillar of the family, both physically and mentally healthy, making it unlikely that she committed suicide... Lumian quickly made a series of deductions.

If Naloka was indeed murdered by a relative, then why?

Seeing her brother lost in thought and not speaking for a while, Aurore thought he was scared by the "people turning into sheep" and the "possible murder in the Berry family," so she gently comforted him with a few words:

"The situation is serious, but it hasn't affected us yet.

"I need to reflect on this. Always forbidding you from learning real esoteric knowledge can make you panic and not know what to do when you encounter similar things. Well, in recent years, the frequency of extraordinary events has been increasing, and I can't always be by your side. You will grow up and have your own life..."

Lumian silently disagreed in his heart, thinking that growing up doesn't necessarily mean leaving the family...

He could sense that because of the "people turning into sheep" incident, Aurore's attitude toward his exposure to esoteric knowledge had softened.

With a bit more effort, I can directly confess to her that I have already become an Extraordinary... Lumian hadn't even had time to speak when Aurore made a decision:

"Go pack your bags now. We'll leave Cordu immediately with the invitation from the 'Novel Weekly.'

"Luckily, we received this telegram at a critical moment, allowing us to leave openly without arousing suspicion.

"Yes, on the journey, when we're alone, I'll teach you some real esoteric knowledge, but becoming an Extraordinary is out of the question. It's too dangerous."

That's not luck; I sent the telegram after discovering the problem, but only received a reply this time... Lumian silently grumbled, feeling relieved that his sister was still decisive.

Although he didn't think they could smoothly leave Cordu village or break the cycle, they had to try.

"Um, what about those three sheep, those three people? Should we not save them?" Lumian asked tentatively.

Aurore shook her head:

"This could lead to a conflict with Pierre Berry. I don't know how strong he is or how many helpers he has. Blindly trying to save them is too dangerous.

"Let the authorities handle it. It's their responsibility. When we reach Dali, we'll buy steam train tickets and send an anonymous letter to the authorities to deal with it."

"But what if they don't believe us?" Lumian deliberately asked.

Aurore smiled:

"In esoteric knowledge, you are indeed a layman.

"In the letter, we'll describe the 'people turning into sheep' incident in detail. They will naturally consult professionals for divination. Even if they don't get detailed revelations, they will discover that something is wrong in Cordu."

"I understand." Lumian didn't waste any more time and went upstairs to pack his bags.

Soon, the siblings each carried a brown suitcase downstairs.

Aurore glanced outside the door:

"Let's go find Mrs. Poullais and borrow her carriage to reach Dali as quickly as possible."

From Cordu village to Dali, it takes an ordinary person an afternoon, but as a "Hunter," Lumian wouldn't need that long. However, in Aurore's eyes, he wasn't an Extraordinary yet.

After hesitating whether to confess to his sister, and considering that they might not escape Cordu village, Lumian decided to use the opportunity to visit Mrs. Poullais and look for clues. He nodded:

"Okay."

He reached out and took the suitcase from his sister, carrying both as he walked to the door.

Aurore nodded in satisfaction and then asked curiously:

"Your strength has increased, hasn't it? You're carrying them so easily."

She instinctively raised her right hand to rub her eyes, but Lumian had already left the room, so she gave up and quickly followed.

On the way to the administrative office, many villagers saw Aurore with her suitcase and curiously inquired about the situation.

Aurore, with a legitimate reason, was very calm.

Lumian, on the other hand, made up seven or eight stories to deal with different villagers along the way.

Something about Aurore receiving the Intis Honor Legion Medal and going to Trier for the ceremony, or about him being specially admitted to the Trier Higher Normal School and ready to enroll, or about Aurore's stock investments failing and creditors about to arrive, leaving them no choice but to flee. The villagers, who had little knowledge, were stunned.

Thanks to Lumian's reputation, they chose not to believe him once they regained their senses.

Soon, the siblings arrived at the black building, an ancient castle.

Looking up at the two tall towers, Lumian smiled:

"I wonder what's inside. Aurore, have you been in there?"

"How could I go wandering around someone else's house?" Aurore rolled her eyes at her brother.

Lumian muttered:

"I thought Mrs. Poullais would invite you to tour the castle. Don't people like to show off their big houses and valuable collections?"

"What's there to tour..." Aurore's voice trailed off as she realized it would help her describe castles in her works, "Well, maybe another time. I don't know if we'll ever return to Cordu."

She then led Lumian through the colorful garden to the castle's main gate.

After a few steps, Aurore slowed down, looked around, and said curiously:

"The flowers in the garden are blooming early..."

Cordu village is on a mountain, and the nearby plateau grasslands usually don't see the first spring flowers until mid to late April.

"Maybe Mrs. Poullais's gardener has special methods." Lumian thought about the lady being an Extraordinary through unconventional means and suspected it might be related to some extraordinary phenomenon, but he couldn't say that aloud.

Aurore just sighed, not thinking much about it, and together with Lumian, they arrived at the castle, where Mrs. Poullais warmly welcomed them.

The lady was wearing a blue corseted dress, with a diamond necklace embedded with gold around her neck. Her brown hair was half up and half down, making her look younger than usual.

She sat on a single sofa in the small living room, listened quietly to Aurore's request, and smiled faintly:

"There's no need to be so formal. We are friends."

Ha... Lumian silently mocked.

Who introduces marriage prospects to friends like that?

Just as he silently mocked, he saw Mrs. Poullais looking at him, her bright brown eyes filled with a smile.

Lumian immediately recalled his conversation with Mrs. Poullais in the previous cycle and felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Alright." Aurore looked helpless.

Every time she borrowed a carriage, she would offer to pay, but Mrs. Poullais would always refuse. So, she usually brought some not too expensive but not cheap gifts on her return and gave the driver a small tip.

While waiting for the driver to prepare, Mrs. Poullais invited the siblings to taste the sweets made by her chef.

Lumian tried a pancake and looked around:

"Where is Mr. Lund?"

Louis Lund was the administrative officer Beost's butler, who came to Cordu village from Dali.

Lumian had a hold on him for his affair with a village woman and secretly selling some of the castle's treasures, which led to the discovery that Mrs. Poullais was the priest's mistress.

The story about accidentally catching the priest and Mrs. Poullais in the church was just to fool outsiders!

At this moment, Lumian was looking for Louis Lund to scold him, saying, "You bastard, why didn't you tell me Mrs. Poullais is a witch?"

Mrs. Poullais sighed:

"Louis is sick and resting in his room."

Sick? Lumian felt there might be something wrong.

While his sister chatted with Mrs. Poullais, he excused himself to go to the bathroom and headed straight for the staircase.

The castle was large, and the administrative couple had brought few servants, making it seem empty and even echoing in some places, providing better conditions for Lumian to sneak around.

Relying on his strong senses, he easily avoided a male servant and a maid, quietly reaching the second floor and finding Louis Lund's room.

He didn't knock immediately but turned his head and pressed his ear to the wooden door.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

...

The room echoed with the painful screams of a man.

Really sick? It sounds pretty serious... Lumian thought for a moment, then went to the next room and opened the door—Administrative Officer Beost and Mrs. Poullais lived on the third floor.

Slipping into the room, he quietly closed the wooden door, took a few steps to the other side, and pushed open the glass window.

Lumian looked down and, seeing no one, immediately supported himself with both hands, nimbly flipping out and hanging on the castle's outer wall.

He then lightly leaped, landing silently on the butler Louis Lund's window sill like a wild cat.

Standing at the edge of the glass window, he turned his body and quietly peered into the room.

He saw Louis Lund lying naked on the bed, his belly swollen as if it might burst at any moment.

Seeing the middle-aged butler's black hair drenched in sweat, his face contorted in pain, and hearing his occasional agonized screams, Lumian furrowed his brow:

What kind of illness is this?

It looks terrifying, his belly is so swollen...

At that moment, a woman in her forties stood beside Louis Lund's bed.

She had brown hair and eyes, a good complexion with few wrinkles, and wore a grayish-white dress. She was excitedly shouting to Louis Lund:

"Almost there, almost there."

What's almost there? Lumian thought, then heard a scream and saw something pushing up from Louis Lund's belly.

Almost instantly, it burst, tearing open Louis Lund's belly!

A bloody hand reached out.

"Born! Born!" the woman exclaimed happily.

She then bent down and pulled out a wrinkled, dirty, and bloody baby from Louis Lund's belly.

Lumian was completely stunned:

"..."