Two-story wooden house.
Erne found the largest room among the similarly shaped rooms, opened the door, and went in.
There was a large table, a hastily emptied display case, and a jar on one side of the room with a few shards of broken glass glittering.
“Is that a gift for me?”
After clearing away everything except tea leaves, firewood, and brooms, they left behind such a meaningful jar? If that isn't a trap, then what is?
Also, look at the neat envelope they placed on top of the box as if it were nothing. This was meant to tell Erne to come closer to the box.
“I can’t just leave after coming all this way.”
Erne never shied away from a challenge like this, even when surrounded by enemies on all sides. His nickname was not Mad Dog for nothing.
But this time it wasn't out of jealousy or curiosity.
'That letter doesn't seem to be addressed to me.'
Of course, the sender, presumably a priest boy, must have sent it to Erne. Erne was the only one who entered this mansion.
But here they must recall the incident at the North Wall. The priest sent a black-winged bee to the Rhineland Mansion and then waited at the North Wall.
As soon as Judith saw the black-winged bee, she tried to go to the north wall, because there was a solution there.
But instead of Judith, Erne went there, and the boy would have reported the story to Chief Omar.
'The priest is most likely after Judith. But he probably thinks it's me now.'
Although it was full of things that didn't make sense, Erne intuitively understood it.
The letter that the priest left behind was a message to Judith, and he had to read it to protect Judith from that bastard.
'Have I ever hesitated in front of something like that?'
Erne held his sword tightly, but he walked towards the complex with a step that showed no hesitation. Nothing happened as he walked forward.
He pried the letter open with the tip of his sword. Still, nothing happened.
“...”
Erne quickly reached out and picked up the letter, then put it in the deepest pocket of his jacket.
Although he was curious about the contents of the letter, he had to read it once his safety was ensured.
Upon closer inspection, the floor at the back of the complex was cracked. There was a hole about the size of an adult's fist, and black mucus was seeping out of the hole.
“Did you break it on purpose, or did you leave it behind after it was broken?”
As Erne stared at the complex, a row of black dots flashed before his eyes.
The black dot started out as a thick, mucus-like substance that flowed out of the complex.
A small dot that would not have been visible if it had not been lined up in a row. Erne followed the black dot with his eyes.
The dot continued from the floor to the wall. As it went up the wall, it became increasingly blurry, and when it got close to the ceiling, it was completely cut off.
The dot was disconnected, but Erne's gaze continued to follow the path where the dot would connect, and the moment it reached the corner of the ceiling.
"...Shit!"
He came face to face with dozens of split eyeballs.
Erne swung his sword immediately. It was a desperate and clumsy move, like a beginner holding a sword for the first time, and he lost his balance and fell on his butt, but it was still a very good choice.
"Ha."
As he fell, he saw what had cut his sword in two.
It was a spider. A spider as fat as Erne's fist.
Despite its size, the spider was very agile. As soon as its eyes met Erne's, it kicked off the ceiling and pounced on Erne. If Erne had been a little late in retorting, he would have lost face.
“I’ve been through all sorts of things.”
Erne, who had been chewing on the harsh words, tried to get up, grumbling. However, the arm that had been holding the sword felt hot and he had no strength left.
“Fuck, what the heck is this...”
There was a clear liquid on the blade that cut the spider. The liquid flowed down the sword, through the handle, and down Erne's hand holding the sword to his elbow.
The area where the liquid had flowed became red and swollen and he could barely move as if he was paralyzed.
“Is it paralyzing poison?”
Erne nervously threw down his sword, cut the hem of his robe, and wiped the liquid on his arm. Still, his paralyzed hand did not return.
“I guess that’s what you left behind to do.”
Erne suppressed his anger and debated whether or not he should take the jar and the spider corpse.
If he can get out of here safely, it will be good evidence, but can he get out of that fog carrying this burden?
As Erne was pondering for a moment, a creepy, creaking sound came to his ears. Erne turned his head toward the source of the sound.
A spider corpse split in half. Something was moving as if boiling in the gap. Erne couldn't help but frown as he took a step closer.
“Did you hit the pup in the meantime?”
There appeared to be dozens, if not hundreds, of chicks feasting on the split mother.
“Is it just me or do they seem to be getting bigger?”
No, no. The chicks were growing at an exponential rate. The mother to be eaten kept getting smaller, and the chicks kept getting bigger, so who would be the next prey?
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Erne immediately ran out of the room.
It would be rude to call it running away, but what can I do? He can barely move his right arm.
Erne, who had come down to the first floor like that, had to grit his teeth again. The fog, that damned fog, was filling the mansion as well.
“Fuck.”
Erne, who was faced with the fog without being able to do anything, closed his eyes again and left the mansion.
He hoped he would be as lucky as he was when he found this house, but it never came twice.
He walked and walked until the soles of his feet began to burn and eventually became numb.
Then, Erne climbed up without knowing it was a rock and fell down.
“Ugh.”
A sharp pain rose from the back of his head. He barely managed to suppress a scream and finally opened his eyes. The fog was thicker than before, and his right arm still couldn't move.
"Ha."
How much water had I not been able to drink? His mouth was chapped from extreme thirst. He had no will to go any further.
His mind was hazy as if blood was flowing from his head. His ears were also blocked, so he could no longer hear anything.
Erne lay there and thought about Judith. It was a little regretful that there was not a single thing that could remind him of Judith at this moment.
The sleep he hadn't slept in days was about to fall. If he slept here, he would die. Erne, who had a gut feeling, sat up with a start. Even as he did so, his eyelids were drooping down.
That was when.
Dagdak dagdak-
The ground shook faintly with the sound of horse hooves.
“...Gold?”
Erne, who had been absentmindedly calling Gold's name, laughed in vain and then sat back down.
Why would there be gold here? Is it time to die? He pressed his hands against the ground, his breathing unevenly, and a slight vibration rose to his palm.
Hee-
A familiar rustling sound. Erne slowly raised his head. In the thick fog, his clever horse was running towards him.
“Please, Marquis, just release the Gold near where Erne went missing.”
“I’d be happy to help if it helps, but do you think you could go in alone and find Erne?”
“I drew a tracking formula under Gold’s belly. It’s a spell that will allow you to find Erne’s scent and voice from afar.”
Judith, with her gaunt face, offered to give him Gold's reins, but Cain could not bring himself to refuse.
“I can’t guarantee that it will succeed, but this is our silver lining.”
They have to grab onto even a shred of straw.
Judith begged earnestly. Cain, too, felt like he wanted to grab onto even a shred of hope.
What would I not do to find Erne?
So he released the Gold in front of the foggy forest,
“Oh my God, Erne!”
Are you really going to bring Erne?
Cain sat on Gold and was so surprised to see Erne emerging from the thick fog that he almost fainted.
“Are you okay?”
“Water, water first.”
Erne, who was on the verge of exhaustion, emptied the water bottle that Cain had handed him in one gulp. As the water poured in, his face looked as if he was finally starting to feel a little better.
“Are you hurt? I brought a doctor, so you should go there first.”
Cain supported Erne as he came down from Gold.
“How many days have I been stuck in there?”
“Today is the third day.”
It was so damn hard, I've been wandering around for so long. Erne hasn't been able to sleep, drink, or eat properly for three days.
“I would have died if it weren’t for the Gold. How did you come up with the idea to bring Gold, Marquis?”
“It wasn’t my idea, it was Madam's. She said she drew a tracking formula on Gold, but you can go and ask her about it later.”
Was it Judith? The moment he saw the Gold, he had a feeling that Judith had sent it, and it was true.
“Wait a minute, so you told Miss Harrington that I was trapped in that fog?”
“I told her.”
“Why did you tell her that? It’s making her worry for nothing.”
Erne frowned and glared at Cain.
“No, that’s...”
I brought Gold to tell you that news, and thanks to that, Erne was able to escape. Cain just smiled at Erne's criticism.
“She must have been very worried. She must be busy with business.”
“Well, that’s true, but I still thought it would be ethical to tell her the news.”
“If you left me alone, I would have gotten out on my own. Why are you doing that?”
Get out on your own, you punk, look at the state you're in now. Your right arm is paralyzed, you're dehydrated, and if it weren't for the Countess, would you have come out alive?
Cain swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
“Anyway, did you find anything in there?”
Erne found the largest room among the similarly shaped rooms, opened the door, and went in.
There was a large table, a hastily emptied display case, and a jar on one side of the room with a few shards of broken glass glittering.
“Is that a gift for me?”
After clearing away everything except tea leaves, firewood, and brooms, they left behind such a meaningful jar? If that isn't a trap, then what is?
Also, look at the neat envelope they placed on top of the box as if it were nothing. This was meant to tell Erne to come closer to the box.
“I can’t just leave after coming all this way.”
Erne never shied away from a challenge like this, even when surrounded by enemies on all sides. His nickname was not Mad Dog for nothing.
But this time it wasn't out of jealousy or curiosity.
'That letter doesn't seem to be addressed to me.'
Of course, the sender, presumably a priest boy, must have sent it to Erne. Erne was the only one who entered this mansion.
But here they must recall the incident at the North Wall. The priest sent a black-winged bee to the Rhineland Mansion and then waited at the North Wall.
As soon as Judith saw the black-winged bee, she tried to go to the north wall, because there was a solution there.
But instead of Judith, Erne went there, and the boy would have reported the story to Chief Omar.
'The priest is most likely after Judith. But he probably thinks it's me now.'
Although it was full of things that didn't make sense, Erne intuitively understood it.
The letter that the priest left behind was a message to Judith, and he had to read it to protect Judith from that bastard.
'Have I ever hesitated in front of something like that?'
Erne held his sword tightly, but he walked towards the complex with a step that showed no hesitation. Nothing happened as he walked forward.
He pried the letter open with the tip of his sword. Still, nothing happened.
“...”
Erne quickly reached out and picked up the letter, then put it in the deepest pocket of his jacket.
Although he was curious about the contents of the letter, he had to read it once his safety was ensured.
Upon closer inspection, the floor at the back of the complex was cracked. There was a hole about the size of an adult's fist, and black mucus was seeping out of the hole.
“Did you break it on purpose, or did you leave it behind after it was broken?”
As Erne stared at the complex, a row of black dots flashed before his eyes.
The black dot started out as a thick, mucus-like substance that flowed out of the complex.
A small dot that would not have been visible if it had not been lined up in a row. Erne followed the black dot with his eyes.
The dot continued from the floor to the wall. As it went up the wall, it became increasingly blurry, and when it got close to the ceiling, it was completely cut off.
The dot was disconnected, but Erne's gaze continued to follow the path where the dot would connect, and the moment it reached the corner of the ceiling.
"...Shit!"
He came face to face with dozens of split eyeballs.
Erne swung his sword immediately. It was a desperate and clumsy move, like a beginner holding a sword for the first time, and he lost his balance and fell on his butt, but it was still a very good choice.
"Ha."
As he fell, he saw what had cut his sword in two.
It was a spider. A spider as fat as Erne's fist.
Despite its size, the spider was very agile. As soon as its eyes met Erne's, it kicked off the ceiling and pounced on Erne. If Erne had been a little late in retorting, he would have lost face.
“I’ve been through all sorts of things.”
Erne, who had been chewing on the harsh words, tried to get up, grumbling. However, the arm that had been holding the sword felt hot and he had no strength left.
“Fuck, what the heck is this...”
There was a clear liquid on the blade that cut the spider. The liquid flowed down the sword, through the handle, and down Erne's hand holding the sword to his elbow.
The area where the liquid had flowed became red and swollen and he could barely move as if he was paralyzed.
“Is it paralyzing poison?”
Erne nervously threw down his sword, cut the hem of his robe, and wiped the liquid on his arm. Still, his paralyzed hand did not return.
“I guess that’s what you left behind to do.”
Erne suppressed his anger and debated whether or not he should take the jar and the spider corpse.
If he can get out of here safely, it will be good evidence, but can he get out of that fog carrying this burden?
As Erne was pondering for a moment, a creepy, creaking sound came to his ears. Erne turned his head toward the source of the sound.
A spider corpse split in half. Something was moving as if boiling in the gap. Erne couldn't help but frown as he took a step closer.
“Did you hit the pup in the meantime?”
There appeared to be dozens, if not hundreds, of chicks feasting on the split mother.
“Is it just me or do they seem to be getting bigger?”
No, no. The chicks were growing at an exponential rate. The mother to be eaten kept getting smaller, and the chicks kept getting bigger, so who would be the next prey?
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Erne immediately ran out of the room.
It would be rude to call it running away, but what can I do? He can barely move his right arm.
Erne, who had come down to the first floor like that, had to grit his teeth again. The fog, that damned fog, was filling the mansion as well.
“Fuck.”
Erne, who was faced with the fog without being able to do anything, closed his eyes again and left the mansion.
He hoped he would be as lucky as he was when he found this house, but it never came twice.
He walked and walked until the soles of his feet began to burn and eventually became numb.
Then, Erne climbed up without knowing it was a rock and fell down.
“Ugh.”
A sharp pain rose from the back of his head. He barely managed to suppress a scream and finally opened his eyes. The fog was thicker than before, and his right arm still couldn't move.
"Ha."
How much water had I not been able to drink? His mouth was chapped from extreme thirst. He had no will to go any further.
His mind was hazy as if blood was flowing from his head. His ears were also blocked, so he could no longer hear anything.
Erne lay there and thought about Judith. It was a little regretful that there was not a single thing that could remind him of Judith at this moment.
The sleep he hadn't slept in days was about to fall. If he slept here, he would die. Erne, who had a gut feeling, sat up with a start. Even as he did so, his eyelids were drooping down.
That was when.
Dagdak dagdak-
The ground shook faintly with the sound of horse hooves.
“...Gold?”
Erne, who had been absentmindedly calling Gold's name, laughed in vain and then sat back down.
Why would there be gold here? Is it time to die? He pressed his hands against the ground, his breathing unevenly, and a slight vibration rose to his palm.
Hee-
A familiar rustling sound. Erne slowly raised his head. In the thick fog, his clever horse was running towards him.
***
“Please, Marquis, just release the Gold near where Erne went missing.”
“I’d be happy to help if it helps, but do you think you could go in alone and find Erne?”
“I drew a tracking formula under Gold’s belly. It’s a spell that will allow you to find Erne’s scent and voice from afar.”
Judith, with her gaunt face, offered to give him Gold's reins, but Cain could not bring himself to refuse.
“I can’t guarantee that it will succeed, but this is our silver lining.”
They have to grab onto even a shred of straw.
Judith begged earnestly. Cain, too, felt like he wanted to grab onto even a shred of hope.
What would I not do to find Erne?
So he released the Gold in front of the foggy forest,
“Oh my God, Erne!”
Are you really going to bring Erne?
Cain sat on Gold and was so surprised to see Erne emerging from the thick fog that he almost fainted.
“Are you okay?”
“Water, water first.”
Erne, who was on the verge of exhaustion, emptied the water bottle that Cain had handed him in one gulp. As the water poured in, his face looked as if he was finally starting to feel a little better.
“Are you hurt? I brought a doctor, so you should go there first.”
Cain supported Erne as he came down from Gold.
“How many days have I been stuck in there?”
“Today is the third day.”
It was so damn hard, I've been wandering around for so long. Erne hasn't been able to sleep, drink, or eat properly for three days.
“I would have died if it weren’t for the Gold. How did you come up with the idea to bring Gold, Marquis?”
“It wasn’t my idea, it was Madam's. She said she drew a tracking formula on Gold, but you can go and ask her about it later.”
Was it Judith? The moment he saw the Gold, he had a feeling that Judith had sent it, and it was true.
“Wait a minute, so you told Miss Harrington that I was trapped in that fog?”
“I told her.”
“Why did you tell her that? It’s making her worry for nothing.”
Erne frowned and glared at Cain.
“No, that’s...”
I brought Gold to tell you that news, and thanks to that, Erne was able to escape. Cain just smiled at Erne's criticism.
“She must have been very worried. She must be busy with business.”
“Well, that’s true, but I still thought it would be ethical to tell her the news.”
“If you left me alone, I would have gotten out on my own. Why are you doing that?”
Get out on your own, you punk, look at the state you're in now. Your right arm is paralyzed, you're dehydrated, and if it weren't for the Countess, would you have come out alive?
Cain swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
“Anyway, did you find anything in there?”
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