After taking a deep breath, I carefully pieced the fragments together. A brilliant light—one I’d experienced once before—flared to life, casting a radiant glow across the space.
When I opened my eyes, a perfectly restored copperplate was resting in my hands. It was finally complete. Now, I could break Kalz’s magic too. My heart swelled with emotion, and I instinctively reached for the lighter to read the engraving—but it wouldn’t ignite.
“What the… Did it run out of oil already?”
Fortunately, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough that I wasn’t completely helpless. Disappointed, I slipped the copperplate back into my bag with care. I’d have to postpone deciphering it for now. After all, the spell could only be broken if everyone made it out safely.
I resumed my search for the exit.
That’s when a rattling noise echoed from beyond the wall. Did it notice me moving and come back? No matter—whatever it was, I couldn’t afford to miss a chance to escape.
I sharpened my hearing and moved toward the sound. It was coming from…
“A safe? This was a door?!”
I muttered in disbelief—only for a voice to respond from the other side.
“Who’s there? Is someone in there?”
Leon’s voice.
Relief washed over me, but it was tangled with a surge of complicated emotions. I didn’t believe the friendship Leon showed me was fake—but I couldn’t be sure he’d defy his father for my sake, either.
Could I really trust him? What if trusting him put everyone in danger?
I hesitated, torn. But in the end, I had no other choice.
“It’s me, Leon.”
“Bell! Thank god. Are you okay? I heard you passed out because of the secret pact. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“How do you know about that?”
“That rabbit we met back at the castle… it told me you’d been taken. And that it was my father’s doing. Bell, I’m really sorry.”
His voice was thick with worry, relief, and guilt—and for a moment, it caught me off guard. My throat tightened. Yeah… now wasn’t the time to doubt him. I had to believe.
“I never thought he’d go so far. Not to you. And I had no idea our house even had a hidden room like this.”
“Wait—your house? This place is your home?!”
“You didn’t know? I was just as shocked when I realized this was where Gold had led us.”
So that’s how they found me. Gold led them straight here. Good boy. When we get back, he’s getting an extra hour of walk time. At least.
“Okay, okay. Just open the door already.”
“I want to—but I can’t from this side. I only found the hidden passage because I saw some light leaking out. But the door itself… it looks like it needs a key.”
“Then head back to the castle. Warn them—tonight, people are planning to attack. Hurry, Leon.”
“Don’t worry. They already know. I told them.”
“Haah… thank god.”
“So let’s focus on getting you out. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
Everyone was waiting for me. The warmth in his voice stirred something deep in my chest. I saw my friends’ faces flash through my mind. But now wasn’t the time to get emotional.
“It’s locked on this side too, but it’s a safe-style lock. I think it just needs the right combination. Do you have any guesses? This was your study, right?”
“Hm… Try 0626. That’s my dad’s birthday.”
The way he said dad carried a weight. It didn’t work, but I didn’t have the luxury of comforting him. I focused, turning the dial carefully, feeling for each click with my fingertips.
Click.
“…Nope. Not it.”
“Okay, then try 0913. That’s my mom’s birthday.”
Click.
“Didn’t think so. They’ve been divorced for ages. She even remarried.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“Huh? Oh… August. Wait—hold on. These kinds of locks usually have a limited number of tries. This could be our last chance. Let’s think about it.”
He wasn’t wrong. But I also knew that wasn’t the only reason he hesitated. He wasn’t ready to say it. And that’s exactly why I wanted to be the one to try. Maybe—just maybe—this could ease his heart, even a little.
“There’s no time. It’s too dark to look for clues. Just tell me—your birthday.”
“August 4th.”
- I didn’t hesitate. I spun the dial.
***
The mountain, once silent save for the howls of wolves, now echoed with the crackle of flames. Dozens of torches flickered in the night, swaying with each synchronized step like a river of fire charging through the darkness. Their destination: the ancient castle gates nestled deep within the forest.
“So this is the place.”
“I’ve lived in that village my whole life… I thought it was just a story. But it’s real.”
“Then… the monster who eats people—is that real too?”
The murmurs rippled with tension—part fear, part excitement. Then, one man stepped forward, facing the crowd.
“Are you afraid?”
“……”
“Do you feel fear?”
“……”
“I understand. So do I. But the monster who killed our friends—our family—is inside that castle. If we don’t take revenge now, we’ll keep living in fear. Is that what you want?”
“No!”
“It won’t be easy. We don’t know how powerful the creature is. But if we stand together, we can win. Let’s slay the monster—take back our peace!”
“YEEAAAAHH!”
A deafening roar erupted in response to Shark’s fiery speech. Pleased, he turned to the hooded man standing beside him and gave a crisp command.
“Open the gate.”
The man stepped forward and shattered the lock with a prepared set of tools. With a groaning creak, the massive doors began to part—slowly, heavily. Shark stepped through first, his boot landing on castle ground. One by one, the others followed.
“Is this… a garden?”
“Looks way more well-kept than I expected. Feels like someone still lives here.”
“What, does the monster do his own landscaping?”
With weapons in one hand and torches in the other, they wandered through the garden, their fear momentarily forgotten as curiosity took over. Most of them had heard legends of this place since childhood—it felt like stepping into a storybook.
That illusion didn’t last long. The moment a silvery rain poured down from above—flung by a parrot in midair—the spell shattered.
“Ah! What the—?! That stings!”
“Shit! I got hit with a fork!”
While everyone panicked under the surprise aerial assault, some of the men began rising off the ground.
“W-Wait—what’s going on?! Someone’s pulling me up!”
“It’s a ghost—it’s gotta be a ghost!”
“Relax, relax~ I’ll let you down eventually.”
Jack, invisible thanks to a clear potion, used his long neck to quietly hoist men up into the high branches of the garden’s massive trees. He made sure to pick the lighter ones, hoping they wouldn’t get seriously hurt even if they fell. It was Jack’s subtle way of showing kindness.
“Stay calm! It’s just a trick—don’t panic! Head for the mansion!”
At Shark’s command, those still on their feet sprinted toward the front entrance. A few fast runners nearly reached the door—only to trip violently and crash to the ground.
“Ugh!”
“Something grabbed my leg—!”
“Crap! If you fall like that, you’ll—AAGH!”
The ones who hit the ground first became obstacles themselves, tripping up those behind them. No one realized the real culprits were two squirrels, who’d tugged on wires strung across the garden right on cue.
“Hah! That old guy couldn’t time it right during training, but in the real thing? Nailed it. Alright, let’s try this string next.”
“Hohoho! Caught a big one!”
Latecomers arrived to a scene of groaning bodies and tangled limbs, staring in disbelief.
“What the hell are they doing?”
“Looks like they just tripped over their own feet.”
“Whatever. Get up, already.”
“I’m serious! I think my leg’s broken! Agh, don’t touch that!”
Almost half of the intruders never even made it inside.
“Filthy insects, trying to play games with me…!”
Grinding his teeth, Shark slammed his boot into the mansion door and kicked it open. Inside, the house was unnervingly silent—so quiet, it made the chaos outside feel like a dream. That silence only made the tension worse.
“Why’s it so quiet?”
“What if something jumps out again?”
“Damn it… I thought this was just about killing some monster. If I’d known it’d be like this, I never—!”
A man muttered under his breath, but the glare he got from Shark shut him up instantly. Just as quickly, Shark flashed a pleasant smile, as if nothing had happened.
“The monster is somewhere in this mansion. Split into teams of two or three and search every room.”
“Isn’t that… kind of risky?”
“That’s why you shout the moment you spot it—so the others can come help.”
But… won’t that just make the monster go for the one who screams first?
No one dared voice the question. One look at Shark’s stiff smile was enough to choke the words in their throats.
