"Bugs..."

Standing in the center of the hall, I began to use the most basic skill from the branch of familiar manipulation magic: communicating with a familiar and summoning them from afar. As an Insect Mage, naturally, the ones I summoned were the creatures bred in the tanks in my room.

If categorized by the object of manipulation, I would fall under the category of Familiar Manipulation → Beast Control → Insect Magic. All familiar manipulation magic abides by a fundamental principle: "The phenomena that can be realized depend solely on the functionality of the familiar itself." For example, if you wish to use a familiar to observe things far away, it needs to have vision capabilities; if for eavesdropping, it must have hearing abilities; if you wanted it to fly, the familiar must come equipped with wings or other flying features. For mages specializing in this type of magic, their strength is always determined by the abilities of their familiars. The more powerful, intricate, and multifunctional the familiar, the harder it is to control, and the fewer can be precisely manipulated at any given time.

The creatures I was about to control were small flying insects — simple, agile, equipped with keen olfactory senses — perfect for searching out missing persons.

The insects arrived, flying from the direction of my room. After entering the hall, they circled around me once and then darted outside.

"Do you remember? Earlier, I had these insects memorize everyone’s scent. Once one of them spreads the scent markers to the other bugs, the search can begin."

I explained this to York and Lux, deliberately ignoring anyone else who was unimpressed or lacked usefulness in the current moment.

"That's convenient. Impressive," said York.

"It's hardly impressive," I replied lightly. "Carrying out a search within a designated radius using familiars is practically an entry-level skill taught to all practitioners of familiar manipulation magic."

"But..." York's expression grew serious as he carefully studied me. "Isn't this beyond the skill level of a student mage? If you ask me, you already qualify as a full-fledged beginner mage."

"I feel the same way. Tell me, have you never taken the beginner mage certification test?" Lux chimed in.

"..."

As expected, someone would eventually bring this up.

The rank of a mage signifies more than prestige; it also comes with additional advantages — sponsorship from guilds, favor from nobles and even royalty, access to key locations... It’s rare for someone with the appropriate abilities not to seek an official certification.

Although I am indeed qualified to be a beginner mage, I haven’t taken the test. It's simply because I lack interest. However, no one would believe something like that if I said it outright.

If I cannot navigate this situation carefully, it may sow the seeds of unwarranted suspicion against me. I must tread cautiously.

"No... about the beginner mage test... I don't think..."

I softened my tone, adjusting it to sound like I was struggling to disguise a fragile unease behind a veneer of calm.

"...I lack Ellen's and Chloe's strength, nor do I possess the talents of Liliana or Anhans. I've only been studying on my own, without any proper instruction."

I carefully observed their expressions from the corner of my eyes, choosing the perfect moment to bow my head slightly while allowing my face to flush faintly red, making my gaze shift nervously at calculated intervals.

"I... I honestly don't think I can pass the test with confidence. If I were to fail... it would bring shame upon my family, and so..."

My attempt was calculated — to present myself as someone outwardly composed, hiding an earnest desire to improve beneath an external mask shaped by familial neglect. To the others, I wanted to appear like a child burdened with the pressure of indifference from their loved ones, pursuing personal research to enhance their abilities yet held back by inner self-doubt.

How effective was it?

"Uh... Nerlis, you're far too hard on yourself. The beginner mage certification is nowhere near as dreadful as you're imagining," Lux shook his head with a reassuring smile.

"I'm sorry, perhaps it’s our fault for being so distant toward you all along. We've probably fueled your anxieties without realizing — but, really, you can trust your own efforts and showcase your growth," York said apologetically with a wry grin.

"...Thank you."

Their empathy reassured me; it seemed the ruse worked well.

And then—

"Got it!"

Suddenly, one of the insects transmitted a signal, and its origin was—

"It's on the first floor, near the corridor by the kitchen!"

---

Ten minutes later—

After a brief discussion, we decided to proceed together as a group. Considering the state of everyone’s nerves, leaving someone behind seemed ripe for potential risk.

But the primary reason was down to Ellen and Chloe; when they heard Nerlis had located Anhans, they insisted on seeing him personally, no matter what.

Which led us all to witness the horrifying sight.

Bloody footprints.

Anhans's lifeless body.

Lying still in a pool of blood.

All signs of life completely extinguished.

"Anhans..."

And just like what happened to Claffa, there was a gaping hole in his left chest — his heart utterly gone.

"Anhans!!!"

Distraught, Ellen let out a piercing scream that echoed through the corridor.

"Calm down, Ellen—!"

"How could I possibly stay calm?!" Ellen shrieked furiously. Her voice cracked with rage. "You bastard... You— you dared to take away my Anhans...!!!"

"...Who could have done this? How..." murmured someone.

Ellen was teetering on the brink of madness, wild as a lioness provoked, while Chloe was overwhelmed by silent grief, on her knees and sobbing uncontrollably.

The others—Liliana and Nia—quivered, backing into the shadows, and Molly had nearly passed out from sheer terror, having just witnessed yet another death.

Lux tried in vain to console Ellen and Chloe, as York and Nerlis seized the opportunity to investigate the crime scene.

"Once again, the heart is missing... The perpetrator took it."

"Look at the chest cavity. Unlike Father's wound, this one's edges are rough rather than smooth."

"Which means the culprit was pressed for time—and... it seems Anhans fought back."

The two surveyed the surrounding area. Three broken puppets scattered on the floor told part of the story.

By analyzing the blood, it became apparent the numerous footprints had been left by these puppets after stepping into the pool of blood flowing from Anhans's body.

"Hold on, Nerlis, something's not right..."

"What do you mean?"

"The bloody footprints—look, they’re clearly from the puppets." York pointed at the ground.

"And? What's strange about that?"

"Well, the puppets are supposed to stop functioning the instant their controller dies. How did they ‘step into the blood’ afterwards?"

"It’s probably because Anhans used 'autonomous puppets.' Familiars can be categorized as manually controlled or autonomous—the former performs actions solely based on the mage's direct manipulation, while the latter acts through pre-set magical commands powered by embedded energy sources like mana crystals."

"So—" York frowned deeply, "Anhans's puppets were autonomous. Even after his death, they followed their last command until their energy ran out?"

"That’s likely the explanation."

"Hmm..."

York's face darkened. His gaze locked onto the hollow cavity in Anhans's chest, and his breathing grew heavier. Taking a deep breath, he turned toward the group and declared: "Anhans is gone... and given that he was the only one skilled at tracking magic, it’ll hinder any deeper investigation. Everyone, back to the hall—"

"NO!!!!"

Ellen furiously interrupted him.

"Don’t joke about this... You’ve got to be kidding me!!!!! Anhans... Anhans is dead!!!"

"...I understand the feelings you and Chloe have, but—"

"But what?! What do you understand?! What do you know?! Anhans was—"

Overwrought, Ellen kept shouting, knowing full well it was little more than futile rage escaping her.

Until—

"I KNOW THE MURDERER’S MOTIVE!!!!!"

A roar erupted from York, cutting through Ellen’s tirade like a blade. His sheer intensity stunned everyone into silence, leaving Ellen glaring at him in shock.

Not just Ellen—all eyes turned sharply toward York, questioning and disbelieving.

He knew the killer's purpose?

How could he know?

What could he possibly have figured out?

Faced with their stares laden with uncertainty, York clicked his tongue in irritation before letting out a deep sigh — his face haggard, as though weighed down by the realization.

"I’ve suspected something since I first saw Father’s condition. Looking now at Anhans, the missing heart... It’s confirmed for me. Our culprit is after—well, let's save the explanation for the hall."

With that, he spun toward the direction they had come from, leading the way without waiting for acknowledgment. The others hesitated in confusion, but they quickly followed.

"And one more thing," York added abruptly as they walked.

"Keep an eye on Molly. There’s a good chance she’s the killer's next target."

"W-what?!"

Startled by the sudden proclamation, Molly anxiously glanced around, as though expecting the perpetrator to emerge from the shadows and seize her. Lux furrowed his brows and questioned York in frustration: "Could you stop being so cryptic and just tell us already? What’s the killer’s motive?"

"...It's Sacrolish."

York murmured the peculiar term almost under his breath.

Everyone's eyes went wide—their shock far greater than when they’d first seen their father’s corpse.

"Wait... York... you’re not messing around, are you?"

"Do I look like I’m joking?" he replied curtly, his tone filled with irritation. "'Sacrolish,' which translates to ‘Great Secret Treasure’ in Dragon Language—one of those treasures has been hidden within this estate for centuries!"