It was his last day on the island, a few days before boarding the boat.
It was a cloudy early evening, and rain seemed imminent. He was a messenger named Thomas, and he was taking a shortcut home after finishing his work. He could get there more quickly by crossing the forest connected to the Duke's house and descending to the North Shore cliffs.
The boy was crouching deep inside the forest. At first, he was worried about where he was hurting, so he approached him from behind. Then, he stopped walking at the thick smell of blood. Then he covered his mouth with both hands.
The boy was cutting off the necks of the small animals that were struggling in the trap, one by one. When he couldn't cut the necks, he seemed to stab the dagger deep into the beast's chest. The horrific sound of the wild animals' strange moans, their dying screams, and their humming continued without stopping. Blood was spraying everywhere.
The boy was clearly enjoying the act. He was sitting with his back to him, so Martin couldn't see his face. But he could clearly feel how much he was enjoying it from the faint humming and gestures. He couldn't move his feet because of the eeriness.
At that moment, the sound of urgent footsteps was heard from somewhere as if someone was looking for the boy. Martin quickly hid behind a large tree. Fortunately, raindrops fell one by one, blurring his vision. A woman wearing a cloak was pulling the boy by the arm and shouting something.
The sound of shovels digging the wet earth was heard again and again. But the rain was getting heavier and Martin could not see clearly. Feeling anxious that he should not be caught, he hid behind a tree until the woman and boy roughly buried the animal's body in the ground and left.
And so what happened? That's right. He didn't say a word because he felt like he shouldn't say anything. Martin kept his mouth shut even to the adoptive parents who were Remedy's parents at the time.
He guessed he was just scared. He looked a few years younger than him, but for some reason, he couldn't help but feel some kind of instinctive fear from the back of the boy crouching and committing the murder.
Martin picked up his coat and ran out the door. He didn't even hear anyone calling him. He was so nervous he was going crazy.
The purple eyes were slightly visible under the brim of the hat, the neat lips under the straight bridge of the nose, the polite gestures without a trace of impropriety, and the back view as he turned away. All of these things gave rise to a strange sense of foreboding.
In a corner of his mind, Martin recalled the briefing he had heard at the police station about the scene where the body of the Emperor of Trieste was found and the evidence. The Emperor tried to leave behind the identity of the culprit he had discovered until the very end with his bloody fingers. As a result, four letters, Kyle, were drawn on the wood.
But there was one strange thing. He remembered the moment when the captain of the guards who was present at the scene drew a picture and showed it to the police chief and expressed his doubts.
"The wrist was tilted slightly to the right. Looking at the angle, it looks like the letters were written from the middle rather than the beginning...There were other letters before “Kyle,” but the ink wore off, so it looked like they were written from the middle with a different pen. In this case, the ink would be bloodstains. In any case, since the culprit has already been caught, we have no reason to raise the issue further."
Martin's head was spinning quickly. The experience of working at the Metropolitan Police Department for seven years and gradually rising from the bottom was sounding an alarm.
Bryn took the letter from the train station clerk and went into the house. She kept tilting her head as she opened the letter.
“That’s strange. A letter all of a sudden at the station where I just saw you off... Is there something urgent that you want me to bring to you?”
As she read through the letter, Bryn's curiosity turned to horror. Her calm face became a confused expression, and her hands began to tremble.
“Angie...!”
"Bryn, and Martin.
As you read this letter, I will already be on the train crossing the Trieste border. I will follow Michael to Hedestad to testify in favor of Kyle and also to appeal to his health. I am truly sorry for making the decision and committing it without saying a word. I will ask for Noah one more time.
With Michael by my side, I'm sure nothing will happen, but if you don't hear from me for over a week, could you make a formal search request under the peace treaty between Wintegar and Trieste?"
Bryn blinked. She understood what Angie meant immediately. The peace treaty between the two countries, signed before the assassination of Rainier VIII, included a clause stipulating that each country would actively cooperate with its own public authorities in the search and rescue of missing or injured citizens in the other country. An agreement on the judicial procedures for extraditing suspects in the event of a crime was also included.
“I’m really sorry for always bothering you in various ways. And I know you’ll be angry if I say this, but... If something happens to me, can I leave Noah in your care? I know that you both think of Noah as I love Patricia like my own daughter. But even so, asking for this is really shameless. However, there are only two people in the world that I can trust and leave Noah to until he grows up to be an adult, so I hope you’ll understand my feelings.”
“Angie, my goodness. You’re not in your right mind. How could you...”
Bryn tightened her grip on the letter. Raising Noah with Patty was not a problem. She had always had a nanny, and if Angie ever married someone in the future and things didn't work out, she and Martin were thinking of continuing to raise Noah. So the only problem now was Angie's reckless behavior and her safety.
“You just got out of there, why are you trying to go back on your own two feet, Angie!”
A large sigh escaped Bryn's mouth. Even though she said it like that, the reason was obvious enough. Angie still loved Kyle. She had been trembling with fear and said her eternal farewell because of the terrible atrocities committed by the Duke, but now that they had finally met like this, she could not deny her true feelings.
Angie still loves him. And the Duke, too.
Even while he was being escorted, Kyle thoroughly cleaned up the scene so that no sparks would fly to Angie, and it seemed that he spent a considerable amount of money to silence the guards on the side of Vintergar. Even in a crisis where his own head could be cut off, he did his best to hide Angie's existence and protect her.
“But even so, what if you suddenly set foot in that scary place! The Grand Duke who will become the next Emperor is such a scary person... He is said to be hell-bent on returning to an absolute monarchy. And there is even a strong theory that Grand Duke Winston is behind the Emperor’s assassination!”
Bryn jumped up from her seat, holding the letter in her hand. This was not the time. She had to send someone to her father's office right away and give a message to Martin...
“Bryn!”
At that moment, Martin kicked open the door and came rushing in. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, and it seemed as if he had come running at full speed without taking a carriage or a car.
“Martin? What are you doing at this hour... No, you came at a good time. Please take a look at this letter!”
“Angie? Where is she now?”
“Get on the train! Hurry up and read this letter first!”
Martin recognized Angie's handwriting immediately and took the letter. His brow furrowed terribly. He immediately called the chauffeur and told him to prepare the car.
“I should go to the train station.”
“I’ll go with you! The kids are being watched by a sitter... We’ll have something to talk about on the way.”
There was no time to stop Bryn. Martin listened intently to Bryn's rapid-fire story next to him. She explained how after he went to the Metropolitan Police, Angie had a long chat with Michael Randall in the annex and then went to see him off to the train station.
“What should I do? Fortunately, Michael is by her side, but still...”
“No. I’m more worried because that guy is here, Bryn.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“He’s a dangerous man. And if my hunch is right...”
Martin buried his face in his hands and washed his face dry.
“It must be that man who murdered the Emperor of Trieste. Not the Duke of Blackwell.”
“What? What is that...”
“Only two names on the list of the Trieste delegation had the word Kyle in them. One was Kyle the other was Mikyle. Both Mikyel and Mikyle are used.”
At that moment, the train station came into view. Martin got out of the car and ran towards the platform. However, the train that crossed the border of Trieste once a day had already left. It was a train that only people with the Trieste Imperial ID and their companions could board.
The couple turned around, looking side by side at the empty platform. Bryn bit her lip and sighed.
“Don’t worry too much, Martin. I think it would be best for you to first send a letter to Trieste through the police department. I’ll also contact my father.”
“I guess so. Once I submit the official document and get permission, I plan to go to Trieste myself.”
Martin stared at the endless horizon of train tracks. Without even realizing it, he was praying earnestly to God.
Please, please don't let Angie be... God, please.
It was a cloudy early evening, and rain seemed imminent. He was a messenger named Thomas, and he was taking a shortcut home after finishing his work. He could get there more quickly by crossing the forest connected to the Duke's house and descending to the North Shore cliffs.
The boy was crouching deep inside the forest. At first, he was worried about where he was hurting, so he approached him from behind. Then, he stopped walking at the thick smell of blood. Then he covered his mouth with both hands.
The boy was cutting off the necks of the small animals that were struggling in the trap, one by one. When he couldn't cut the necks, he seemed to stab the dagger deep into the beast's chest. The horrific sound of the wild animals' strange moans, their dying screams, and their humming continued without stopping. Blood was spraying everywhere.
The boy was clearly enjoying the act. He was sitting with his back to him, so Martin couldn't see his face. But he could clearly feel how much he was enjoying it from the faint humming and gestures. He couldn't move his feet because of the eeriness.
At that moment, the sound of urgent footsteps was heard from somewhere as if someone was looking for the boy. Martin quickly hid behind a large tree. Fortunately, raindrops fell one by one, blurring his vision. A woman wearing a cloak was pulling the boy by the arm and shouting something.
The sound of shovels digging the wet earth was heard again and again. But the rain was getting heavier and Martin could not see clearly. Feeling anxious that he should not be caught, he hid behind a tree until the woman and boy roughly buried the animal's body in the ground and left.
And so what happened? That's right. He didn't say a word because he felt like he shouldn't say anything. Martin kept his mouth shut even to the adoptive parents who were Remedy's parents at the time.
He guessed he was just scared. He looked a few years younger than him, but for some reason, he couldn't help but feel some kind of instinctive fear from the back of the boy crouching and committing the murder.
Martin picked up his coat and ran out the door. He didn't even hear anyone calling him. He was so nervous he was going crazy.
The purple eyes were slightly visible under the brim of the hat, the neat lips under the straight bridge of the nose, the polite gestures without a trace of impropriety, and the back view as he turned away. All of these things gave rise to a strange sense of foreboding.
In a corner of his mind, Martin recalled the briefing he had heard at the police station about the scene where the body of the Emperor of Trieste was found and the evidence. The Emperor tried to leave behind the identity of the culprit he had discovered until the very end with his bloody fingers. As a result, four letters, Kyle, were drawn on the wood.
But there was one strange thing. He remembered the moment when the captain of the guards who was present at the scene drew a picture and showed it to the police chief and expressed his doubts.
"The wrist was tilted slightly to the right. Looking at the angle, it looks like the letters were written from the middle rather than the beginning...There were other letters before “Kyle,” but the ink wore off, so it looked like they were written from the middle with a different pen. In this case, the ink would be bloodstains. In any case, since the culprit has already been caught, we have no reason to raise the issue further."
Martin's head was spinning quickly. The experience of working at the Metropolitan Police Department for seven years and gradually rising from the bottom was sounding an alarm.
Bryn took the letter from the train station clerk and went into the house. She kept tilting her head as she opened the letter.
“That’s strange. A letter all of a sudden at the station where I just saw you off... Is there something urgent that you want me to bring to you?”
As she read through the letter, Bryn's curiosity turned to horror. Her calm face became a confused expression, and her hands began to tremble.
“Angie...!”
"Bryn, and Martin.
As you read this letter, I will already be on the train crossing the Trieste border. I will follow Michael to Hedestad to testify in favor of Kyle and also to appeal to his health. I am truly sorry for making the decision and committing it without saying a word. I will ask for Noah one more time.
With Michael by my side, I'm sure nothing will happen, but if you don't hear from me for over a week, could you make a formal search request under the peace treaty between Wintegar and Trieste?"
Bryn blinked. She understood what Angie meant immediately. The peace treaty between the two countries, signed before the assassination of Rainier VIII, included a clause stipulating that each country would actively cooperate with its own public authorities in the search and rescue of missing or injured citizens in the other country. An agreement on the judicial procedures for extraditing suspects in the event of a crime was also included.
“I’m really sorry for always bothering you in various ways. And I know you’ll be angry if I say this, but... If something happens to me, can I leave Noah in your care? I know that you both think of Noah as I love Patricia like my own daughter. But even so, asking for this is really shameless. However, there are only two people in the world that I can trust and leave Noah to until he grows up to be an adult, so I hope you’ll understand my feelings.”
“Angie, my goodness. You’re not in your right mind. How could you...”
Bryn tightened her grip on the letter. Raising Noah with Patty was not a problem. She had always had a nanny, and if Angie ever married someone in the future and things didn't work out, she and Martin were thinking of continuing to raise Noah. So the only problem now was Angie's reckless behavior and her safety.
“You just got out of there, why are you trying to go back on your own two feet, Angie!”
A large sigh escaped Bryn's mouth. Even though she said it like that, the reason was obvious enough. Angie still loved Kyle. She had been trembling with fear and said her eternal farewell because of the terrible atrocities committed by the Duke, but now that they had finally met like this, she could not deny her true feelings.
Angie still loves him. And the Duke, too.
Even while he was being escorted, Kyle thoroughly cleaned up the scene so that no sparks would fly to Angie, and it seemed that he spent a considerable amount of money to silence the guards on the side of Vintergar. Even in a crisis where his own head could be cut off, he did his best to hide Angie's existence and protect her.
“But even so, what if you suddenly set foot in that scary place! The Grand Duke who will become the next Emperor is such a scary person... He is said to be hell-bent on returning to an absolute monarchy. And there is even a strong theory that Grand Duke Winston is behind the Emperor’s assassination!”
Bryn jumped up from her seat, holding the letter in her hand. This was not the time. She had to send someone to her father's office right away and give a message to Martin...
“Bryn!”
At that moment, Martin kicked open the door and came rushing in. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, and it seemed as if he had come running at full speed without taking a carriage or a car.
“Martin? What are you doing at this hour... No, you came at a good time. Please take a look at this letter!”
“Angie? Where is she now?”
“Get on the train! Hurry up and read this letter first!”
Martin recognized Angie's handwriting immediately and took the letter. His brow furrowed terribly. He immediately called the chauffeur and told him to prepare the car.
“I should go to the train station.”
“I’ll go with you! The kids are being watched by a sitter... We’ll have something to talk about on the way.”
There was no time to stop Bryn. Martin listened intently to Bryn's rapid-fire story next to him. She explained how after he went to the Metropolitan Police, Angie had a long chat with Michael Randall in the annex and then went to see him off to the train station.
“What should I do? Fortunately, Michael is by her side, but still...”
“No. I’m more worried because that guy is here, Bryn.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“He’s a dangerous man. And if my hunch is right...”
Martin buried his face in his hands and washed his face dry.
“It must be that man who murdered the Emperor of Trieste. Not the Duke of Blackwell.”
“What? What is that...”
“Only two names on the list of the Trieste delegation had the word Kyle in them. One was Kyle the other was Mikyle. Both Mikyel and Mikyle are used.”
At that moment, the train station came into view. Martin got out of the car and ran towards the platform. However, the train that crossed the border of Trieste once a day had already left. It was a train that only people with the Trieste Imperial ID and their companions could board.
The couple turned around, looking side by side at the empty platform. Bryn bit her lip and sighed.
“Don’t worry too much, Martin. I think it would be best for you to first send a letter to Trieste through the police department. I’ll also contact my father.”
“I guess so. Once I submit the official document and get permission, I plan to go to Trieste myself.”
Martin stared at the endless horizon of train tracks. Without even realizing it, he was praying earnestly to God.
Please, please don't let Angie be... God, please.
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