Chapter 11:
The reason I could confidently go gather evidence of Kid’s murders was entirely due to Kid’s insane personality.
Kid spared no means or method to torment Seniel.
He knew that Seniel struggled to accept the crimes he had committed, so he proudly showcased his misdeeds to Seniel in all sorts of ways.
Placing newspapers reporting Kid’s murders on Seniel’s desk, decorating Seniel’s room with murder tools or evidence—those were the basics.
Going further, to torment Seniel even more, he meticulously stored all records of his crimes in a hidden space inside the room at the far right end of the first floor of the mansion.
According to the original plan, once he had finished all the killings, he intended to invite Seniel there.
‘I don’t understand…’
It wasn’t a museum or gallery.
Anyway, I needed to visit that place to gather the evidence.
Seniel’s room probably had a few pieces of evidence too, but to pressure Kid, I needed solid proof.
And for that, I first needed the key to open the hidden space.
Two keys were required: one to enter the first-floor room, and another to unlock the hidden space inside that room.
The keys were hidden somewhere in the mansion by Kid. After all, with our bodies swapped, he couldn’t always carry them on him.
‘Luckily, I remember where those keys are.’
The moments I had scolded myself for where I had hidden things earlier were finally paying off.
I put on a polite smile whenever I passed any staff and headed toward the annex.
On the second floor of the annex, I entered a room where I could clearly see the garden’s fountain.
Even though it was probably unused, it had been maintained very neatly.
‘It’s nice that no one’s here, but it’s a bit creepy.’
It was convenient not to have to shoo out any cleaning staff, but being alone in an unfamiliar room was frightening.
I wrapped my arms around myself, as if bracing for a corpse to suddenly pop out from the bed.
Even with no one around, I glanced toward the door once, then cautiously approached the dresser.
I opened the second drawer. Reaching deep inside, I ran my palm across the top of the compartment. There was a pocket of sorts. I gently explored it, and a key popped out.
‘Exactly. Here it is.’
The small key engraved with roses was the one that opened the first-floor room in the main building. I carefully put it in my cardigan pocket.
‘But why did he make the entire first floor off-limits?’
In the original story, I hadn’t heard that all the first-floor rooms were restricted. Maybe I just forgot.
Regardless, I only needed to photograph the evidence in that room. Luckily, I had bought a recording orb yesterday.
I exhaled in relief at the smooth start and pocketed the key. With the first-floor key found, I now needed the key to the hidden room.
I closed the drawer and quietly left the room.
The next destination was the separate wing. The annex was connected to the main building, so reaching it was straightforward, but for the separate wing, I had to exit the annex.
Finding the separate wing wasn’t difficult. A short walk along the artificial stone path brought me right to it.
The separate wing where Seniel stayed was even more barren than the main building. The exterior was similar, but darker in color. The gloomy portraits hanging by the central staircase added to the oppressive atmosphere. I didn’t want to stay here long.
On the second-floor central stairs, I stopped in front of a portrait of former Marquis McCourt. He resembled Seniel but had sharper, more rugged features.
I carefully lifted the portrait to check behind it.
‘Huh?’
Was this the wrong place? I counted the floors and looked again.
Nothing caught my fingertips.
I couldn’t be misremembering. I fully lifted the portrait and inspected the wall.
‘What the…?’
Only a hook, presumably for the key, but no key.
“Damn. He must’ve taken it.”
Kid occasionally moved keys to his hideout. Either he brought it there or moved it somewhere else.
I had a feeling I wouldn’t see this key for a while.
No wonder the start went smoothly.
But it was too early to be discouraged.
There was still another spare key to the hidden space.
As I said before, Kid enjoyed tormenting Seniel.
He took pleasure in pushing Seniel into situations out of his control and watching him struggle in frustration and helplessness.
Apparently, a spare key was hidden in Seniel’s office.
Kid expected some reaction from Seniel upon seeing it, though I didn’t understand why.
‘Seniel wouldn’t even know what that key was for, so he couldn’t give Kid the reaction he wanted.’
Maybe it had a cursed inscription or something. In any case, it wasn’t my concern.
The spare key in Seniel’s office had supposedly never been moved, so it should still be there.
I quickly descended the central stairs and instructed someone to prepare a carriage.
It took about two hours by carriage from the mansion to the temple. What had been morning back at the mansion was now nearing lunch.
We’d arrive with no time for lunch, and likely wouldn’t eat until around three in the afternoon.
‘So… where was Seniel’s office again?’
I vaguely remembered the way to the office from my past visits, probably from a few pre-meal trips.
‘If Seniel’s in the office, I’ll have to get him out quietly.’
As I wandered through the temple, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“This area is off-limits to the public. If you’re lost, I can guide you…”
‘Off-limits? I wasn’t stopped outside.’
A man with light green hair and gentle brown eyes looked at me wide-eyed.
“Madam. Do you remember me? We met before. I’m Sansi Nepin, aide to the Grand Minister.”
“Ah…”
‘Sansi Nepin.’
I knew him. Somehow familiar, but I now realized he was the person in both my memories and thoughts who helped Ezette capture Kid. He was also the first person to realize the original heroine was a woman, not a man.
Sansie smiled kindly as he spoke.
“If you’re heading to the Grand Minister, shall I guide you to his office?”
I had no reason to refuse.
“You’re busy; I worry I might waste your time. Could you guide me?”
“Not at all. I was on my way there anyway. Shall we go together?”
Sansie walked ahead with a bright smile. Though in his early thirties, he had the freshness of someone in their twenties.
He knocked on the office door. Inside, there was no sound. Sansie knocked again.
“Grand Minister, this is Sansi Nepin. I’ll be entering.”
Sansie couldn’t wait any longer and opened the door, looking around. I peeked in as well.
No one was there.
‘The interior is surprisingly plain.’
Just a wooden table, a five-shelf bookcase against one wall, two sofas, and an upside-down rose symbol of the Imperial Church on the wall.
For a Grand Minister’s office, it seemed rather humble.
“The Grand Minister must have stepped out briefly.”
Good.
“This isn’t usually the time for him to be gone… but lunch is soon, so he should be back in ten minutes. Shall we wait?”
Sansie gestured to the sofa. Not only me, but he sat as well. It seemed the senior clerics had a horizontal relationship.
I stayed standing, giving him a neutral look.
‘I just want to find the key quickly and leave.’
Sansie looked up at me.
“Not sitting? Also, if you haven’t eaten lunch yet, have it at the temple. Today’s meal is good.”
True to his friendly description, Sansie led the conversation naturally. I felt uncomfortable.
“Oh, did you come to have lunch with the Grand Minister? Newlyweds, huh.”
“…I suppose.”
How do I get him to leave?
While ignoring Sansie’s chatter, my eyes caught something.
Ah, there it is.
I approached the desk and lightly shook an empty bottle I had picked up.
“I’m thirsty from coming all this way, but there’s no water. Where can I get some?”
Sansie immediately got up from the sofa.
“I’ll fetch it.”
“You don’t need to…”
Right, I’m the superior here. Make him go get the water quickly.
“I’ll be back soon. Please sit.”
Sansie smiled like sunshine and went out. Feeling a bit guilty about making such a kind person work, I felt uneasy.
Once the door closed, I quickly crouched by the bookcase. I pulled out a book from the bottom corner.
The book had clearly never been removed from the shelf; dust had collected thickly.
A cough from the dust. I opened the book’s inside, feeling hard metal. Flipping the book upside down, the key popped out.
‘I thought there might be a cursed inscription.’
The only marking was “Nectar.” Nothing unusual otherwise.
I returned the book to the shelf, dusted my hands, and stood up.
Click—the door opened.
‘Ah, damn, that startled me.’
My heart raced even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. I forced a neutral expression.
“…Miss… no, Bibi?”
Turning around, I met Seniel’s eyes.
“Ah, that….”
“What brings you here? …Could it be because of Kid? Did something happen…?”
“No, no. I came to pray for a bit since it’s been a while, and stopped by to greet you.”
I naturally offered the excuse, backing away from the bookcase.
“I just looked around a bit. Lots of difficult books.”
“…I’ve never read them either.”
I smiled awkwardly and slowly walked toward the office door.
In the oddly tense silence, I reached for the doorknob. Seniel seemed about to say something.
“Lunch is…”
I didn’t need to hear the rest; it would only waste time. I held the doorknob, waiting.
“No.”
My rare patience was met with a curt reply. Deflated, I rolled my eyes and awkwardly said goodbye.
“Seniel must be busy. I’ll leave now. See you tonight.”
I immediately turned away; I didn’t even know if he nodded or replied.
