Chapter 18

When Cecilia and the others stepped outside the cottage, there was already a bit of a commotion. Mordred had returned with the soldiers, either having heard the news or finished the investigation. Bernard and Ticky also rushed out of the cottage, following Cecilia and the others.

“So? As expected, Gil and the others don’t know anything either?”

Jade asked the returned Hughie. Hughie only nodded regretfully, saying “Yeah.”

“Considering the previous kidnapping incident, it’s worrying, isn’t it...”

“Do you have any idea where they might have gone?”

Dante, following Mordred, spoke with a worried voice.

“I don’t know. I was watching them until they entered the cottage. ...But...”

Cecilia glanced at the servant.

“Did you search the room?”

“Yes.”

“The windows?”

“...They were open...”

Cecilia moved to the back of the cottage. Looking up, she could see that the window of their room was open, with the curtains fluttering.

(I’m sure I closed the window before we left...)

“Could it be...!”

Cecilia’s gaze, which had been fixed on the window, shifted to the forest, in the direction where she had met Ticky and Bernard.

“Hey, Oscar!”

“What is it?”

Oscar flinched at being called suddenly.

“Did you meet any guards when you came to look for me?”

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“Just one, who was inside...”

“Just as I thought!”

Cecilia moved away from the spot and called out to the servant.

“Bring me a map of the back of this cottage immediately.”

“Huh?”

“Hurry up!”

“Yes, yes!!”

“What’s going on?”

Gilbert, who had approached, received the map Cecilia had been given and spread it out on the table.

“I met Ticky here.”

Cecilia pointed to a spot just outside the innermost circle of the concentric security perimeter.

“Gil, how many soldiers would I encounter if I walked straight from the cottage to this point?”

“At least one, at most seven.”

“What’s the probability of only encountering one soldier?”

“It’s not impossible, but the probability is quite low. The soldiers should be moving around their posts. ...So, that’s what you mean?”

It was helpful that Gilbert understood quickly. With a grim expression, he said, “I’ll go check,” and left the scene.

“What’s going on? What’s happening!?”

Jade, who had been listening, peered at the map with a puzzled look. Cecilia continued her explanation.

“Both Oscar and I only saw the innermost guard on our way to this point. The same when we returned. From the back of the cottage to where the guards’ presence ends, we only encountered the innermost guard. Do you think that’s statistically possible?”

“Borrowing Gil’s words, the probability is quite low...”

The uneasy atmosphere made Jade start to panic.

“Low-probability events don’t happen that often. But we’ve experienced this three times, including the return trip.”

“The first time was a coincidence. The second time was a miracle. The third time is a certainty...”

At that point, Dante seemed to understand what Cecilia was getting at.

“In other words, it’s highly likely that the guards in that area have been eliminated by someone.”

“Yes.”

Cecilia nodded firmly in response to Mordred’s summarizing words. When Gilbert said he would “go check,” he meant the guards. Whether they were dead or just knocked out, they were probably somewhere in that forest.

“So, Leen was kidnapped, right? By who? Where!?”

Cecilia stared at the map, recalling her past life’s memories. The killer was likely involved.

(An event with a killer related to a water body or forest...)

Cecilia’s finger traced the map. The fact that the guards had been eliminated suggested that Leen was somewhere beyond this point. However, the forest was vast, and they couldn’t just search aimlessly.

(Remember, remember, remember!!)

Cecilia clutched her head. The killer had killed Leen multiple times, both by the water and in the forest. Thinking about this made everything seem suspicious. But there had to be a place, a unique spot where Leen could be killed.

The next moment, Cecilia suddenly leaned over the map.

“I got it! It’s here!”

“Huh?”

“Leen is here!!”

Cecilia pointed to a cave located deep in the forest, beyond where she had met Ticky and the others.

The event where Leen is killed in the cave can only occur if she doesn’t enter any character’s romance route from the common route and if her affection level isn’t high enough for a normal ending. Leen, suddenly summoned by a suspicious letter, goes to the designated place without suspicion and is kidnapped there. When she realizes, she is inside the cave, where she is stabbed in the stomach and killed by someone.

(...And because the body was found in a cave owned by the Sylphie family, Cecilia is accused of the crime, imprisoned, and executed.)

The killer’s choice of the Sylphie family’s cave to kill Leen was likely not a coincidence. By killing Leen there, the killer could eliminate another candidate for the divine maiden without getting their hands dirty, and as a bonus, pin all the blame on Cecilia.

“Dante!”

Cecilia grabbed his arm.

“You’re the fastest runner, right!? Go there immediately! We’ll follow you later!”

“Um...”

“But be careful! There might be someone with a knife!”

“...”

Dante’s expression was a bit awkward, but he ruffled Cecilia’s hair and said, “Alright.” His gaze, which seemed to look at her as if she were a helpless younger sister, made Cecilia momentarily question it, but before she could voice her doubt, Dante had already run off.

“Dante, I’m coming too!”

Hughie immediately followed him.

“I don’t like being a burden.”

“That’s... fine.”

As expected, both of them were former assassins. In terms of agility and speed, no one could match them. Using tree branches and rocks, they disappeared into the forest in no time, moving like parkour athletes.

“Jade, it’s okay if you’re a bit late, but bring a blanket and first-aid supplies in case we find Leen!”

“O-Okay!”

“Mordred and Oscar, please come with me! If we find Leen, please treat her immediately!”

“Understood.”

“Got it.”

We are also conducting a reader survey in the activity report. If you have a moment, please fill it out.

https://mypage.syosetu.com/mypageblog/view/userid/763283/blogkey/2485526/

Thank you for your support of the first volume of the book.