Shall said the thick fog had vanished.

Lyselle hadn’t fully woken yet, still drowsy. Hearing his words, she mumbled instinctively:

“Gone? So what? Ugh… fog always clears eventually…”

Then she finally grasped what happened. Her blurry eyes snapped wide open.

“What? The fog’s gone? Where? Where? Help me up! Let me see!”

The Master Servant Pact recognized her words as a command. Shall had no choice but to reach for her, lifting her as ordered.

Before his hand touched her, Lyselle slapped it away.

“Shoo! Useless thing! I’ll do it myself—”

She yanked the blanket aside, shoved her feet into boots by the bed, gave a light kick to secure them, and strode toward the door.

Just as Shall described, Lyselle saw Lundeheim after the fog lifted.

Sunlight bathed the city. Birds chirped; flowers bloomed. Peace reigned everywhere.

It looked exactly as it had when the Old Sage first brought her here—elegant, serene, a paradise untouched by the mortal world.

“But why?” Lyselle muttered to herself. “Why did the fog vanish so suddenly?”

She turned to Shall.

“Tell me everything you saw about the fog’s change. Skip no details.”

Shall hesitated, then answered quickly:

“The fog barely changed. At least not in the first half of the night. No signs it would clear—until just now.”

“Just now?” Lyselle frowned. “Be precise. How long ago?”

Unaccustomed to seeing Lyselle so serious, Shall stammered:

“Specifically… right before I woke you. About… three or four minutes ago.”

“…”

Lyselle’s frown deepened.

Her expression was stern, but her youthful face softened its weight—like a kitten scowling in concentration. No one could take it too gravely.

Shall, watching her, even found her oddly cute.

He banished the thought instantly. It felt like a sin. He forced his own face into seriousness.

“Anyway, roughly three minutes ago, light suddenly pierced through my eyelids. When I opened my eyes, the fog covering all of Lundeheim was gone.”

“And before that?” Lyselle pressed. “Were you meditating with closed eyes?”

“Yes,” Shall nodded lightly. “But I checked my surroundings every half hour or so.”

“Any sign of the fog thinning half an hour ago?”

“None.”

“So both the fog’s disappearance and the sunlight’s return were abrupt?”

“…Yes.”

Lyselle sighed slowly, drawing a preliminary conclusion:

“This fog was never ordinary to begin with. And that… makes it the most troublesome scenario.”

Shall didn’t understand. Before he could ask, Lyselle shot him a look reserved for fools.

“Still clueless? If the fog wasn’t natural, it was likely magical. But if it was magic—why didn’t your Magic Nullification affect it?”

Shall froze.

Lyselle continued, lost in thought:

“And it’s not just the vanished fog. What about the Elves’ teleportation array that brought us from Lundeheim’s entrance into the city? That was clearly magic too, yet your Magic Nullification didn’t disrupt it. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”

“Something’s wrong!” She pursed her lips, staring at the city bathed in dawn’s gentle light—calm, serene, seemingly unchanged. “Everything here… is wrong!”

Shall lowered his head silently. His hand drifted to the hilt of the Holy Sword at his waist. After a brief pause, he seemed to steel himself. He looked up at Lyselle and murmured:

“I failed to notice these details. My fault… But Master, the truth is… my command of Magic Nullification falls far short of past Champions. So…”

Lyselle arched a brow, finishing his thought:

“So the fog—and maybe the teleportation array—weren’t ‘abnormal’ enough to trigger your ability?”

“Hmm.” Shall nodded, then shook his head. “No. They’re not the same. I can’t confirm the array, but the fog… my Magic Nullification truly had no effect on it.”

“?”

Lyselle shot him a questioning look.

*What’s so special?* she thought. *Does your nullification have flexible standards now? Only works when it feels like it?*

Sensing her doubt, Shall explained:

“I struggle to maintain passive Magic Nullification. But if I consciously activate it… it should work flawlessly.”

Lyselle understood.

“So you’re saying the fog absolutely wasn’t magical. As for the Elves’ array—you’re uncertain?”

“Yes.” Shall nodded awkwardly.

“Then our next step is clear,” Lyselle said. “Let’s test whether that teleportation array is truly magical.”

“…Shouldn’t we investigate the fog’s origin first?”

Lyselle glared at him, exasperated. She sighed.

“Rigid thinking! Connections exist everywhere. What if the fog’s cause ties to the Elves’ array? And haven’t you noticed how many anomalies plague Lundeheim? What if the city itself is the problem?”

Convinced, Shall stopped questioning. He silently lifted the Bronze Lantern from the floor.

Its flame had died out—likely the Governor’s infused magic had depleted.

It didn’t matter. With the fog gone, the lantern offered no further help. Only when the mist returned would it be useful again.

Lyselle ignored it, letting Shall carry the heavy thing.

*No way I’m lugging that around the city.*

Unbothered by its weight, Shall gripped the lantern in one hand and the Holy Sword’s hilt in the other. He looked down at Lyselle.

“Neither of us knows where the teleportation array is. I need to ask directions.”

Lyselle waved him off casually, signaling he should hurry back.

But as Shall turned to leave, Lyselle recalled the city’s strangeness. After a pause, she called out:

“Wait. I’m coming with you.”

Shall paused, realizing she feared being alone. He had no objections.

They left the wooden cabin the Governor provided and set off to question the Elves.

With the fog gone, Lundeheim’s deserted streets now bustled with Elves.

Beautiful, sharp-eared figures resumed their routines—tending flower shops, buying groceries, greeting acquaintances with elegant bows.

The near-dead city had revived, vibrant and peaceful, as if the fog had never existed.

Lyselle followed Shall, waiting while he asked an Elf for directions. Her eyes scanned every passerby warily.

After seeing Fawena’s deformed Elf embryos, she half-expected to spot a six-legged or two-headed monster among the crowd.

Thankfully, she saw none.

She withdrew her gaze, almost disappointed. *Haven’t seen Shall fight in ages…*

If monsters hid among them, the Champion’s Holy Sword would make them regret ever being born.

As Lyselle mused, Shall finished asking. They headed toward the teleportation array they’d used upon arrival.

Before they’d gone far, Lyselle spotted a familiar figure on the street—

Fawena, Governor of Lundeheim.

She elbowed Shall, pointing her out.

Shall recognized the striking Governor too. He approached, blocking her path with Lyselle.

“Good day, Lady Fawena,” the Champion bowed formally.

The Governor frowned.

“Good day,” she said slowly. “But… who are you?”

“?”

Shall was baffled. They’d met her just yesterday. She’d even shown them the Nursery Chamber’s abnormalities.

Instinctively, he replied:

“I’m Shall, the Champion. You hired me to resolve the Matriarch issue in Lundeheim…”

The Governor’s frown deepened.

She stared at him like he was a madman, her voice wary and confused:

“The Matriarch? What’s that?”

[To Be Continued]