The First Commission Begins
Isabelle’s heart pounded as if it would burst at Rood’s whisper. She had passed the age of eighteen and was now twenty-two, yet she had never once been introduced to high society. Because of that, she had rarely even met the sons of neighboring territories, and encounters with men her own age were even rarer. The more achievements she piled up, the more work she had, until she no longer had time to attend debutante balls.
‘I-Is this really all right?’
Isabelle had no resistance whatsoever to Rood’s actions. She didn’t even know whether it was acceptable to become this close to an unrelated man. No, it wasn’t that she didn’t know—it was that if it was Rood, it somehow felt like it might be okay. Still, the intense stimulation made her stomach churn, and she barely held it back.
At the same time, her father’s words from when he had fallen gravely ill resurfaced in her mind.
“Do not give your heart to others too easily. Especially when it is a man—be even more cautious.”
Isabelle gathered her courage, met Rood’s eyes, and spoke.
“L-Let’s stop here. We’ve already broken quite a few rules of etiquette, but anything more than this…”
“Then why do you keep toying with me? You know I have less patience than other people, don’t you?”
“I was only…”
The emotion she felt toward Rood might not be simple fondness after all. That thought crossed her mind. But she didn’t want to say it aloud. After all, ten years ago, Isabelle had used the same Muject that Rood had used. She had pretended not to know, but when she realized he had already seen something through the illusion, she had secretly hoped. Hoped that it was the same future she had seen.
That was why she had pressed him about what vision he had witnessed. Yet she had no choice but to conclude that the future Rood saw was different from hers. No—she needed it to be different.
‘Was it horrible? Were you afraid? Did it torment you?’
When Rood had nodded at her question, Isabelle had given up. Because it wasn’t mere confusion she read in his expression—it was unmistakable terror. Just imagining that he had seen the same future and felt only fear was enough to make her heart feel like it was being torn apart.
Isabelle continued in a trembling voice.
“I-I simply wanted to solve the commission. Otherwise, how many more innocent children would have to be sacrificed?”
At Isabelle’s rational words, the wild light in Rood’s eyes calmed slightly.
“That’s not what I’m asking. I… dislike it when other people get close to me. Especially you.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Rood regretted them. They were clearly open to misunderstanding. Yet there was no lie in them. If he wanted to avoid the future he had seen in the Muject, the surest way was to revise his own goals. But if he never grew close enough to share a kiss with her, then perhaps the events he had witnessed would never come to pass. Of course, that was only Rood’s speculation.
He spoke more firmly.
“Please don’t come near me anymore. I don’t know how I should respond.”
Isabelle’s heart gradually returned to a normal rhythm.
“So that’s how it is? In that case… No, never mind. Let’s stand up now.”
When Isabelle slowly withdrew her strength, Rood released the hand that had been holding her.
‘Ha, what the hell is wrong with me? Have I really gone insane?’
Rood resented himself for nearly causing something irreversible with Isabelle. And in that moment, he faced his own feelings head-on. He was shaken by her.
“So, how exactly should I handle this commission?”
“First, go to Boeub Village and get a detailed explanation from the sheriff named Stock. Then write the information down and send it via carrier owl.”
“And after that?”
“Once I receive the message through the carrier owl, I will note down the next actions I must take or any additional information I need to investigate, and send it back to you.”
“You’re saying that alone will be enough to solve it?”
“In most cases, yes.”
Rood nodded.
“When should I depart?”
“Around three o’clock the day after tomorrow should be about right.”
“Understood.”
As Rood bowed his head, Isabelle reached for the doorknob to leave the room.
“Wait.”
Rood placed a hand on Isabelle’s shoulder.
“What is it?”
“I want to take back what I said earlier.”
When Isabelle tilted her head in confusion, Rood spoke in a trembling voice.
“The part about wanting to keep my distance from you especially.”
“Ah, it’s all right. Compared to the mistake I made…”
Isabelle waved her hands dismissively, but when she noticed the tips of Rood’s ears turning red, her words trailed off.
“I’m not good at beating around the bush, so I’ll say it plainly even if it causes a misunderstanding.”
Rood dropped to one knee and looked up at Isabelle. After taking several deep breaths, he spoke.
“I like you.”
Isabelle’s shoulders jerked once at his words.
“I want to become close to you. When I said I wanted to distance myself… it was because I thought you wouldn’t like someone with my tone and personality, just like everyone else.”
Rood did not trust people. He didn’t want to make an exception even for Isabelle. Remembering those who had been disappointed by his harsh words and actions and eventually left him, he had thought it better to maintain this distance with her. After all, the wall between noble and commoner was not something that could be bridged by feelings alone. That was the lesson he had learned during his time as a special operative.
He had seen how Galliot, a noble’s son, had claimed all the credit for Rood’s achievements, and how many of his comrades had sided with Galliot. That was why he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Isabelle would truly regard him with sincerity.
Yet regardless of those thoughts, he didn’t want to keep his feelings buried.
“I retract it. In the end, I want to stay by your side. Just as you protected me, I want to protect you as well.”
Isabelle was stunned by Rood’s words.
“Puhaha!”
Once she understood what he meant, Isabelle realized she had misunderstood him too and burst out laughing.
“Rood. I have a confession to make as well.”
Isabelle gently stroked Rood’s hair.
“I like you too. I like you so much that I went through great trouble to bring you from the northern front all the way here, and I wanted you to stay by my side. And…”
Isabelle took a breath before continuing.
“I know you’re not good with expressing yourself. That’s why I will keep trying to get closer to you. Again and again.”
She wanted to say more, but she held back. She didn’t tell him that ten years ago, the twelve-year-old Isabelle had fallen for the Rood in her Muject vision at first sight.
“I was kicking my blankets and tearing at my hair when I went to bed… Thank you for being honest with me.”
“Thank you for forgiving me.”
“Haaam, now that the tension is gone I’m suddenly sleepy. Well then, I’ll really be going this time. Ah, wait!”
When Isabelle beckoned him closer, Rood tilted one ear toward her.
‘Is she trying to get revenge for earlier?’
Rood guessed that Isabelle’s personality might be surprisingly similar to his own. Because if it were her, she would probably pull the exact same prank he had done by whispering into her ear.
Chu.
Rood’s eyes widened. He couldn’t tell whether the sensation against his cheek was real or not.
“That was my revenge. Sleep well!”
Thud.
It was only later that Rood realized this was the greatest revenge Isabelle could have devised. Because of her retaliation, he spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep a wink until three o’clock arrived.
Rood ate a simple breakfast and finished his preparations. He checked the items he needed to bring: a badge engraved with the Voenac family crest and a cage containing a carrier owl. He borrowed a horse and set off for Boeub Village.
As Isabelle had said, the entire road was a vast plain. Rood yawned widely and thought,
‘Considering the terrain, it’s strange that the murders are only happening in Boeub Village.’
In Rood’s opinion, if the culprit wanted to kill without being caught, poisoning would have been far more effective. Symptoms of poisoning could easily be disguised as illness. But the fact that the bodies had been deliberately bitten suggested the killer was deriving pleasure from the act of murder.
When Rood arrived at Boeub Village, he realized the atmosphere was quite gloomy. The villagers cast wary glances at the outsider, and from time to time, the sound of weeping could be heard from beyond the houses.
“Who are you?”
“I am Rood. Lady Isabelle has ordered me to investigate the incidents in Boeub Village, so I have come.”
The man who approached him glanced at the badge on Rood’s chest and bowed.
“I am the sheriff of this village, Stock. Please leave your horse with me and come this way.”
Rood followed the sheriff, tied his horse to a small, smelly pen, and headed to the sheriff’s office. Inside were three desks; one was neatly organized, while the other two looked quite messy.
“Please sit here.”
Stock offered Rood the empty seat, and Rood sat down.
“Those wolf bastards haven’t shown their noses for the past few days. They must be very cunning wolves indeed.”
Rood raised his hand.
“Ah, Lady Isabelle does not believe it was the work of wolves. She says these are murder cases.”
At Rood’s words, Stock slammed his hand on the desk.
“Murder cases! Haah… Well, if Lady Isabelle says so, then they must be murder cases…”
Stock was a gaunt middle-aged man who hardly looked like a sheriff. Even with eyes full of exhaustion from overwork, he was still holding a pen and tackling the reports in front of him.
“You don’t question her at all?”
Rood asked because the sheriff seemed to disbelieve Isabelle’s theory yet still accept it.
“She is the problem-solver Isabelle, after all. I just have a feeling she’ll be right this time too. By the way, it seems this is your first time in Voenac?”
‘Is this entire territory full of nothing but detectives starting from the lord herself? I can barely keep up with the conversation.’
“How did you know?”
“It’s obvious from the way you asked why I don’t question Lady Isabelle’s words. There isn’t a single person living here who hasn’t heard of her exploits.”
Rood nodded.
“If these are murder cases… then the bastard who killed Myers is wearing a wolf pelt, is that it?”
Stock muttered while staring at the neatly organized desk.
‘So the dead deputy’s name was Myers.’
Rood took out a notebook from his pocket and looked at the notes inside. It was the notebook containing Isabelle’s advice.
“Then I will ask for the detailed circumstances of the incidents. Please answer.”
“Yes, anything at all.”
“Excluding the common wounds on the victims, what were the differences between the cases?”
Stock pulled out a document and said,
“That would be… right here.”
Stock’s eyes widened as he looked at the document Rood handed him.