The audacious kid who entered his house was certainly extraordinary.
What kind of kid was she to irritate people with her various tricks, and even making them angry was a remarkable skill.
'It seems her talent for enchanting people is exceptional.'
Margaret may pamper Navia out of love for her daughter, but to see the steely Suleiman act like a doting grandfather was something he had never seen before.
Even Minerva, usually so timid, acted recklessly as if possessed by something.
"How annoying."
He absentmindedly clenched his fist, only stopping when he slightly squished the cake.
"Tch. Such a petty trick."
Trying to bribe with food, do they think I'm a child of eight years old?
It was a childish and pathetic idea.
"......"
'If I leave this as is, it will rot.'
There was no kindness in him to cast a preservation spell on such a useless cake.
He didn't want to keep it in his room and bear the smell of decay, nor did he want to throw it out and have the servants come begging in a fuss.
'No choice then.'
Lark, with no other option and truly out of necessity, took a big bite of the cake.
"Hmm."
He scowled at the cake in his hand.
"Is it spoiled?"
No, it wasn't the unpleasant sourness he expected. It must be cream cheese mixed with lemon.
"Such a nasty taste."
He thought of throwing it away, but since he already took a bite, he forced the rest into his mouth.
'It's been quite some time since I've eaten food directly.'
But of all things, lemon cream cheese? That kid really had a variety of ways to annoy him.
Lark grumbled and finished off the cake in his hand.
He hated anything sour.
Forcing down the piece he held, he still didn’t want to eat the half-circle of cake left.
'I'll just leave it in the kitchen. They'll take care of it.'
Snap!
He immediately headed downstairs.
"Hahaha!"
As he approached the kitchen, a faint light leaked out, along with soft laughter.
Lark’s steps slowed as if he were sinking into a swamp.
Margaret's voice could be heard inside.
"I should do something with my hair tomorrow."
Minerva added,
"Me, me too…"
His steps halted right at the door.
A long, golden line appeared along his body.
Delicious smells wafted warmly from the kitchen.
Human warmth, laughter, soft conversations, and bright lights illuminated the interior like a beautiful scene from a story.
Lark watched from afar, unable to blend into that world.
He dared not approach.
If he intruded, that scene would undoubtedly be ruined.
He was fundamentally different from them.
A girl busily moved among the three adults, sleeves rolled up.
The expression of the child Lark had seen was dry and barren.
She had been a child whose will to live shone brightly… but now, she was vibrant.
The child who once glittered like a gem now seemed like a budding sprout, full of intense vitality.
It was a warm and pleasant sight.
Lark thought of himself in his very early years.
"Mother! I've cooked something. Please try this-"
"Throw it away! How dare you, you disgusting monster. Just leave me alone!"
His eyes stung.
The silver hair slicing through the air brought back long-forgotten memories.
It was a fracture.
Like the red fractures that split and shattered his body, the child was another fracture splitting the dark mansion.
That's why it pained him to see the child.
Lark's expression turned from cold to fierce.
'...Damn it.'
What was he thinking, coming all the way here?
He could have just thrown away this damned cake, regardless of the servants' fuss.
Snap!
He returned to his room and immediately threw the cake out the window.
The way Navia was blending in here was similar to a dream he once had, a hope he once held.
‘I thought I wanted to be happy one day.’
Happiness was an illusion.
Through countless returns, Lark was convinced of the nonexistence of happiness in this world.
The world was filled with unhappiness. To these miserable people, happiness seemed like a deity to be worshipped.
Lark no longer dreamed of such illusions. He had awoken from the nightmare of happiness, only to face reality.
It was then.
Sparkle!
Something caught Lark's eye.
If it hadn't faintly reflected the light of the sunset, even he might not have noticed it—a thing ordinary humans could never find.
Lark frowned and reached out his hand.
Instantly, the object he was looking at moved into his hand.
Then a pitifully damaged hairpin fell into his palm.
It was the pearl hairpin Navia had discarded.
The hairpin's paint was chipped, rusted from rainwater. The pearl was fake, its luster murky.
"Is this the child's?"
Lark closed the window and flopped down on the sofa, glaring fiercely at the hairpin in his hand.
He threw the hairpin onto the table. Then he noticed three letters scattered on the floor.
These too were traces of the child having entered his territory and stirred things up.
Change was occurring.
In a place where all possibilities had been killed, something was beginning to start.
"It's coming soon anyway."
No matter how much Lark struggled or clung to vain hopes, when he died, this world would disappear.
The end of this cycle was not far off.
*
Suddenly it was mid-November.
The sun set faster, and night fell.
The bustling areas remained lit, with shops open late, but those outside the city center closed early.
The capital, where even the Eseled Duke's family had become insignificant, and the Eiles Duke's family had disappeared eight years ago, causing the security in the capital to deteriorate day by day.
The slums on the outskirts of the capital.
A luxurious carriage, out of place on the damp and dirty streets, drove through the night and gradually came to a stop.
A gentleman, wrapped in a black coat, stepped out.
His face was completely hidden behind a mask.
The man walked down the narrow street and opened several old doors.
Finally, he opened a heavy, luxurious mahogany door.
Click.
Below the red carpeted stairs, a vast casino unfolded.
The gentleman who had arrived was Nikan Agnes.
Nikan, like others wearing masks and indulging in pleasure, made his way through the crowd to the exact location.
He handed his membership card to the stoic, wolf-masked staff and was led to a secretly hidden room.
The door opened, and a blonde dealer inside greeted him politely.
"Welcome, sir."
Nikan's membership card was exclusive to VVIPs who spent over 20 million gold annually at this casino.
They were offered special services unique to this casino.
"Do you have a request?"
"I want a child killed."
"Murder incurs an additional fee, is that acceptable?"
Their conversation sounded as if they were dealing in fine jewelry at a jeweler.
Nikan replied.
"Whatever it costs."
The blonde dealer's eyes sparkled.
Anyone using this service was a colossal wealthy individual, unbothered by any additional cost.
"Let's hear your request."
The dealer invited Nikan to sit.
Nikan took the offered seat and filled out the request form.
'Eseled Duke's family, Navia.'
The task was to be completed before dawn the next day.
"That's quite urgent."
To the dealer's exaggerated concern, Nikan retorted.
"It shouldn't take long to kill an eight-year-old child in the deserted Eseled Duke's mansion."
"There are two war heroes there."
"Just two old, worn-out wizards. I can add more to the fee, so just make sure it's done properly."
At Nikan's commanding tone, the dealer smiled meaningfully and bowed his head.
"As you wish. You can pay the additional fee in the next room. Do you need a receipt?"
"I'm not insane enough to get a receipt for the price of a human life."
It was also an implicit threat not to leave any evidence.
"Very wise. If the task fails, we will return half of the upfront payment."
The deal was struck.
Nikan stood up and said.
"I'll be waiting for good news."
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