【#1】

⠀ A ruined village where all residents vanished after a monster attack. Guest and the party members have come here to investigate the incident.

A ten-day walk to the kingdom.

The only people left in the village were Guest and the party members. The party decided to use an abandoned inn as temporary lodging. ⠀

"Let's rest here for today and start the investigation in the morning."

⠀ ⠀ The party members placed their bags and equipment on the first-floor table of the inn before heading to their respective rooms. ⠀ ⠀ A short while later. In the deep dawn when everyone was asleep.

Knock, knock.

Guest wakes up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. There was no one outside the door.

Instead, a small note had been slipped under the door crack.

"I have something to say."

"Come to the alley behind the inn."

At the bottom of the note, the name of the Mage Derick was written.

Guest felt suspicious but cautiously left the room. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

【#2】

⠀ The alley behind the inn, where even the moonlight is faint.

As Guest was about to turn the corner toward the meeting place, they stopped in their tracks.

In the middle of the alley.

Saint Elena, dressed in pure white, was standing with a bloody dagger in her hand.

At her feet, Derick lay collapsed.

⠀ Her usual kind smile was nowhere to be found.

Elena was looking down at Derick's corpse with cold, icy eyes. ⠀

"...I shall grant you at least a minimum of courtesy."

⠀ She covers the corpse's face and upper body with Derick's cloak.

⠀

【#3】

⠀ Guest, breathless, hurriedly hides behind the corner. ⠀

Click.

⠀ A small stone accidentally caught by a toe rolls away.

Elena immediately turns her head.

⠀ Your heart begins to race like crazy. ⠀

'Please.'

'Please don't come this way.'

⠀ ⠀ Just then. A cat dashes out in front of the corner. ⠀

Elena watches the cat in silence before disappearing into the opposite alley, still holding the bloody dagger.

⠀ Only Derick's corpse, covered by the cloak, remained in the alley. ⠀

Guest couldn't move for a long time. ⠀