Dawn had barely broken, but Leon was already dressed and ready to leave.
He simply didn’t have enough time. With the whole village up in arms, demanding they storm the castle, he had to speak to as many people as possible before it was too late.
In the past, they’d at least pretended to listen when he spoke. But ever since the disappearances increased, it was like talking to a brick wall. Still, he couldn’t give up. Even if it was just one more person, he had to try to convince them.
But as he stepped into the living room, he froze. His father was sitting there.
“Heading out again?”
“Father? You’re up already?”
“Come here for a moment.”
Leon’s chest tightened with guilt.
What if he asks why I’m leaving so early? What excuse can I use this time?
But the words that came out of Shark’s mouth caught him completely off guard.
“So, how have you been feeling lately? Any pain? Everything okay?”
“I’m always healthy. But what about you, Father? Aren’t you swamped with work?”
“I am. Tired, too. But it’s work that needs to be done for the village, so there’s no helping it.”
Watching his father rub his tired eyes, Leon felt a quiet warmth bloom in his chest.
Yeah… this is who Father really is.
He wasn’t the affectionate type. Never had been. But he always gave his all to what needed doing. Leon had never resented his father for not spending time with him. He respected him. But respect didn’t make things any less awkward. Being alone with him always felt stiff and uneasy.
Trying to change the subject, Leon looked around for a distraction—and found it sitting right in front of Shark.
“Whoa, what are these gems? They’re beautiful.”
“You noticed, huh? Took a lot of effort to get these. What do you think they’re worth?”
“I wouldn’t have a clue… But they’re so pretty, I bet people would love them.”
He meant it. Even someone like Leon, who didn’t know the first thing about gemstones, could see how stunning the clear red jewel was. It sparkled in a way that drew your eyes and didn’t let go.
“Exactly. That’s why everyone’s desperate to get their hands on them.”
“Right… Well, I’d better get going.”
As Shark went back to polishing the gems with a satisfied smile, Leon quickly said his goodbye and slipped out the door. Today was going to be another long one.
“Come on, sir, I’m telling you—there’s no monster in that castle.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m going. To confirm it. If there’s nothing there, then there’s nothing to worry about, right?”
“You’re missing the point. People are just scaring themselves and each other for no reason. It’s not good for anyone’s sanity. So please, stop spreading rumors that the castle’s behind the disappearances. Okay?”
“No offense, Master Leon, but it doesn’t matter what you say. There are plenty of others who’ve already made up their minds.”
“Master.”
The term grated on him. The class system had been abolished ages ago, yet people still clung to outdated titles. But now wasn’t the time to argue semantics.
Leon hardened his tone.
“What if you go up there and run into wolves? What if more people get hurt? What if someone dies, and the blame lands on you? Are you ready to take that responsibility?”
“Master Leon, that’s out of line. How would it be my fault?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just worried—”
“No, that’s not worry. That’s a threat.”
The man’s face flushed deep red. No matter how gently Leon tried to explain, it wasn’t getting through. Finally, the man snapped.
“And even if no one else will say it, you shouldn’t be the one talking like this.”
“What…?”
“The first person to suggest the strange things happening in this village might be connected to that old castle—wasn’t that your father, the Lord? And don’t act like you didn’t know. We all saw how he kept stirring people up behind the scenes.”
“That can’t be right. My father’s not the kind of man who believes in ghost stories.”
“I heard him with my own ears. Talking about a monster in the castle.”
No. That can’t be…
Seeing Leon’s stunned expression, the man realized he’d said too much. But it was already out in the open. There was no taking it back.
“Anyway, if you’re really that worried, talk to your father. Just stop coming here. I don’t like having to be harsh with you either.”
The door slammed shut right in front of him. Leon didn’t even raise a hand to stop it.
A monster in the castle… Father said that?
He had to know the truth. He had to ask his father—himself. Leon turned and ran. He burst through the front door of his house, panting. Shark was still in the living room, right where he’d left him, polishing the same jewels.
“You’re back early today.”
“…Father.”
But when Leon finally saw his father’s face, the words caught in his throat.
Maybe it really was a misunderstanding. Mr. Hans must’ve taken some offhand joke far too seriously. Leon forced a crooked smile.
“Father… I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“I met Mr. Hans today. He said something strange—claimed he heard you say the recent incidents in the village were connected to the old castle.”
“…So he’s the first one to start talking, after all.”
“…What did you just say?”
Shark didn’t respond. Instead, he picked up one of the jewels and held it up to the light.
“Do you know where this gem came from?”
“Uh… from a mine somewhere, right? But that’s not really the point right now—”
“This isn’t a gemstone. It’s the heart of a spider called Arachne.”
“A spider’s heart?”
The statement was so absurd that Leon found himself drawn in despite everything.
“To be precise, it’s the heart of a monster that resembles a spider.”
“A monster? Are you serious?”
“Why? You think something like that couldn’t exist?”
Leon didn’t answer. Maybe before meeting Kalz, he would’ve dismissed it. But now… he knew better. There were things in this world he still couldn’t even begin to comprehend.
“As you can see, the Arachne’s heart is incredibly beautiful. That’s why it’s valuable—and why so many want it. But it’s not easy to obtain. You see, raising an Arachne is… a rather special process.”
“What kind of process are we talking about?”
“Juvenile Arachnes are essentially parasites. They start off living inside a host’s body, feeding off whatever the host eats. Eventually, they begin devouring the host’s internal organs. And once they mature, they tear their way out of the host from the inside.”
“…That’s horrifying. What kind of animal do they use as hosts?”
“That’s the difficult part. Arachne can only grow inside a human host—specifically, inside a woman’s internal organs.”
Leon felt like someone had driven an iron spike through his skull.
What… what am I even listening to right now?
Missing organs. Mutilated bodies. Mangled corpses.
“And the moment they’re born—right as they try to consume the rest of the host’s body—that’s the only chance you have to catch one. They’re weak and vulnerable just after emerging. But if you miss that window, they molt, their shell hardens beyond steel, and they become too fast, too dangerous to hunt.”
“Then… that awful thing… why is it here? Father… don’t tell me… please, say it isn’t true.”
“Fortunately, I haven’t failed yet. It takes time for them to finish devouring their host, after all.”
“Father!”
Leon’s cry ripped from his throat, raw and ragged, as if something inside him was being torn apart. But Shark didn’t even flinch.
“How… how could you do something like this? How could you—!”
“Leon. I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Yes. That had to be it. It had to be a misunderstanding. Leon clung to that desperate sliver of hope as he looked into his father’s eyes— And then froze.
Since when… did his father smile like that?
“I didn’t hurt the villagers.”
“I knew it! That whole story—it was just a joke, right?”
“But you already know who the real culprit is.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come now. Don’t play dumb. I’m talking about the monster in the castle.”
“…How do you… how do you know about that?!”
Leon’s breath caught. The words had slipped out before he could stop them.
He braced himself for the pain—for the punishment that came whenever the curse was spoken aloud— But nothing happened. Which meant… Shark already knew about the castle’s curse.
“I had hoped to handle this quietly. Didn’t expect the Arachne’s hatching to give off such a strong stench. But Leon… you’ve actually made things easier for me. You brought me the perfect scapegoat. Thanks to you, everything’s about to fall neatly into place.”
“…You’re going to frame Kalz?”
“Frame him? Come now. Once the monster is slain, there will be no more victims. Doesn’t that mean the monster was the culprit?”
“Wha—what are you saying? Stop twisting things! This is insane!”
“The monster terrorizing the village will be gone. I’ll be hailed as the man who defeated it and protected everyone. And in return, I’ll gain the villagers’ trust, their loyalty. And as a bonus… I get the castle’s treasure—And the Arachne’s heart.”
From beginning to end, it was madness—completely, irredeemably insane.
Where had everything gone so wrong? Was the man standing before him truly the father he’d always looked up to? Or had he never truly known him at all?
A crushing wave of betrayal swept over Leon, so heavy it left him struggling just to stay on his feet. But even through the suffocating weight, one thing remained clear. He knew what he had to do.
“No, Father. Things won’t go the way you want. I’m going to tell everyone the truth.”
“You?” Shark raised an eyebrow, almost amused. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”
How?
Leon faltered. As absurd as it sounded, even telling the truth required a strategy. It should’ve been simple. The truth should’ve been enough. But in this twisted reality, it wasn’t.
“You think people will believe you?” Shark said coolly. “After everything I’ve done for this village—decades of dedication, sacrifice—and you expect them to take your word over mine? When I’m the one who presents them with the monster’s grotesque corpse? When peace returns the very moment that creature is gone? Do you really think they’ll doubt me?”
Leon couldn’t answer. He simply clenched his jaw and bit down on his lip until it bled.
A monster…
He’d thought the same thing, too. He’d drawn his sword the moment he saw him, convinced he’d found the killer. The villagers would do the same. Why wouldn’t they? Especially if Shark led the charge. And with Shark’s word as final testimony… who would even question it?
“…Even so,” Leon muttered, voice trembling. “I can’t just pretend none of this is happening.”
“I figured you’d say that.”
“Wha—?! Who are you?!”
Before he could react, two men in black cloaks appeared behind him, seizing his arms and pulling them tight behind his back.
“I’m still your father, Leon. Did you really think I wouldn’t know how my own son would react?”
Shark gestured dismissively.
“Lock him in his room. No matter what happens, you are not to open that door until I say so.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Father!”
Leon struggled with everything he had, but it was pointless. Shark just smiled—cold, unfeeling.
“Be still. It’ll be over soon. By tomorrow morning, this will all be behind us.”
“No! Please, Father—stop! You can still turn back. It’s not too late!”
Leon kicked and thrashed, doing everything he could to break free. But it was useless. His feet dragged against the floor, scraping out a desperate, grating sound as he was hauled away.
Shark didn’t even look back. He simply returned to his seat—And resumed polishing the jewel.
