To prevent any possible misunderstandings, let us clarify that Sophia didn’t give Adelaide a pinpoint lecture like, “if you say this, the other party will respond like that.”

That would be more in the realm of fortune-telling rather than strategy.

She had merely predicted three possible scenarios, preparing responses for however the situation might unfold.

“If the lord readily permits the investigation of the tower and no one objects to this, praise the lord and elevate his authority. We’ll be able to investigate the tower with the lord’s goodwill and legitimate grounds, so after that, it will be Dorothea’s domain.

“If the lord refuses the investigation, or if he tries to allow it but those around him object, then pretend to be overtly angry. Say something like, ‘We said earlier that this is a matter of the bloodline’s honor, yet you ignore that?’ If they become flustered and try to accept, that’s good, and even if their response remains unsatisfactory until the end, it’s fine. We’ve already created grounds to force our way in.

“Lastly, if we get permission for the investigation itself, but some restrictions are imposed or they ask for a grace period—“

***

That evening.

The lord’s wife secretly summoned her confidants and asked, “What about them?”

“Lady Adelaide has finished martial arts training with the guards and is now in conversation with the lord. The maid called Sophia is going around questioning retainers and servants about whether there’s anyone who might hold a grudge against the tower or the children there.”

“Useless efforts… What about the other two?”

“The female mage has been holed up in her room since eating dinner. Judging by the male and female voices coming from the room, it seems she’s talking about something with the knight who was with her. The content is trivial chatter.”

“I see.”

The wife let out a deep sigh.

Why now, of all times, do such people have to come?

She was anxious.

Just when she thought she had finally obtained a sacrifice that wouldn’t weigh on her conscience, recent events were all making her nervous.

An intruder appearing in the tower used to supply important sacrifices, and outsiders declaring they would investigate the tower using that as a pretext.

She wanted to immediately imprison or expel them, but she couldn’t.

If they were mere wandering adventurers, she could make up excuses like blasphemy to deal with them, but the opponent was Lennart.

In fact, while Lennart’s influence might not be so strong in a rural domain like Donnengarten belonging to the Federation rather than the Empire, the problem was that the lord was showing them full trust and favor.

Although the wife had powerful popularity and influence within the domain, this was only possible because of her title as “the lord’s wife”.

The legitimacy to rule Donnengarten lied with the lord, and the lord, who maintained a boyish personality even as he aged, had firm influence, at least over the knights and soldiers, if not other retainers.

The wife could “advise” the lord, but if the lord was determined to push forward, she had no choice but to follow his will.

Additionally, not knowing their purpose or the extent of their abilities was also worrying.

What if that female mage discovers the secret hidden in the tower? Even if she doesn’t discover it, what if the “mage” is displeased by the act of investigating the tower and becomes upset?

Either way, it was an unacceptable outcome for the wife.

In the end, there was only one thing she could do.

“I’m tired. I’m going to bed a bit early today, so if anyone comes looking for me, send them away.”

“Understood.”

After confirming that her confidants had left, the wife opened a box stored deep in the cupboard and took out the object inside.

Jingle.

It was an old metal rod with a dark, grimy color.

A small bell was attached to the end of the rod, and every time the wife moved, the bell sound trembled.

The wife wrapped herself in an overcoat and quietly left the room.

Jingle.

Despite the strange sight of the lord’s wife wandering around late in the evening with an odd rod, no one was surprised or tried to stop her.

The soldiers guarding the door, the servants she encountered on the way, all just passed by as if they didn’t recognize her.

The wife calmly walked towards the tower with a face that seemed already accustomed to this.

Jingle.

The security in front of the tower was strict.

The number of soldiers had doubled from usual, and the number of torches illuminating the surroundings had also increased significantly, making it bright despite the sun having set.

But even they couldn’t detect the wife.

The surprises didn’t end there, however.

As the wife approached the door, the tightly locked door opened wide by itself.

It was as if the tower itself was welcoming the wife.

“…”

The wife wore a complex expression.

The power of the bell received from the mage, and the miracle unfolding before her eyes.

All of these were things that helped her current situation. Without this, she would have had to struggle enormously just to meet the mage each time.

But the wife couldn’t be entirely happy about it.

While it might be good news that an “accomplice” was capable, the fact that the “collector” was powerful was nothing short of tragic.

However, she had no other choice now. The wife stepped into the tower.

In the desolate first floor where only the stairs leading to the second floor stood out, the wife shook the bell in her hand and said, “You’re already watching, aren’t you? Please come out.”

After a brief silence, an answer came from thin air.

《Foolish contractor. I hear anxiety in your voice. What’s the rush?》

At a glance, it seemed like words considering the wife, but an undisguisable, or rather seemingly intentional, mocking tone permeated the voice.

“Tomorrow, people who want to investigate this tower will come. I tried to stop them somehow, but because of their high status, I couldn’t prevent it.”

Although they had known each other for quite a long time, the wife continued speaking without showing her disgust at the unpleasant personality of the mage whose name she still didn’t know.

“The reason I came here is to warn you about this and to let you know that this is unrelated to my intentions. So…”

《You mean, be careful not to get caught and cause a commotion, and don’t misunderstand and take out your anger on you unnecessarily?》

“…That’s right.”

Laughter echoed from the air.

《Contractor, you clever yet foolish woman, you are truly consistent. Selfish and greedy enough to sacrifice children unrelated to you for your own purposes, yet diligent and skilled in conduct. Even after reaching such a high position, you refuse to succumb to sloth. That competence is what has allowed you to maintain your position until now.》

But, the mage added.

《At least this time, it seems your opponent was one step ahead.》

Not understanding the mage’s words, the woman asked back, “What do you mean?”

The mage answered.

《It means you foolishly fell into a trap. You shouldn’t have come to see me now.》

Bang!

With a loud noise, the door that had closed as soon as the wife entered was forcibly opened.

With a heavy footstep sound, clank, a knight rushed into the tower.

The wife swallowed her breath.

The presence of the knight covered in heavy metallic luster all over his body was truly terrifying.

The blue light shining through the gaps of the helmet was like a will-o’-the-wisp, making one’s body shrink just by looking at it.

And behind, the sharp sound of hooves echoed.

Clop, clop, clop.

“—Tch. I was going to wait until you spilled a bit more, but it’s no use now.”

Black clothing that seemed to melt into the darkness of night contrasted sharply with snow-white skin.

Holding a large staff and wrapped in a cloak, the witch twisted her lips as if disappointed and stepped forward boldly.

“You are…”

The wife’s eyes widened.

After being momentarily confused by the sudden change in the situation, she quickly understood the current situation.

“Don’t tell me, you knew this would happen from the beginning!”

“Who knows? I’m not kind enough to explain everything in an easy-to-understand way. Think as you like.”

The manner at which she spoke was quite blunt to use against the mistress of a domain.

But it didn’t feel disrespectful. Forcing the etiquette of the world on a witch was a futile act.

Ignoring the speechless lord’s wife, the black witch, Dorothea, glared at the ceiling.

As if responding, a shape resembling a human face bulged out from the ceiling.

《You have the skill of a fisherman. Yes, are you happy to have caught a big fish?》

“And you have the qualities of a criminal. Looking at this, it doesn’t seem like it’s your first time. What are you doing bringing in young girls?”

《I have already paid a fair price, and I’m only getting back as much value. This is such a contract.》

The face of the “mage” wore something like a smile.

《Earthly mage, why do you, an outsider, try to interfere with the contract?》

“Earthly?”

Dorothea’s eyebrow twitched for a moment, but then she changed the subject as if she’d deal with it later.

“I don’t know who you are, and I’m not particularly interested in what kind of contract it is. But, I have business with that girl you’ve locked up. It would be easier for both of us if you hand her over while I’m still asking nicely.”

《Hahaha! Are you threatening me?》

“Does it just sound plausible?”

At Dorothea’s words, the mage twisted the corners of his mouth.

His gaze turned to the Tin Knight.

《Not quite. Since you’ve brought such a terrifying thing with you, it would be difficult for me to withstand if it came to a fight. It’s truly troublesome. But, who said we would fight?》

“What?”

《Anyway, I just need to hold out until the deadline and receive my compensation. Let’s see you try.》

Suddenly.

—Daaang! Daaang! Daaang!

An enormous resonance spread from the tower.

Rather than a bell ringing somewhere in the tower, it was as if the tower itself had become one giant bell and was ringing.

Naturally, such a tremendous sound ringing out in the middle of the night would attract attention from the surroundings.

Immediately, murmurs and shouts began to be heard from around.

“Haa, so that’s how you want to play it?”

Dorothea realized the mage’s intention.

Thinking he might be at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation, he drew in others so that a fight wouldn’t even occur in the first place.

If people rushed in and saw this situation, it would be extremely troublesome to convince them to avoid misunderstandings.

In the worst case, they might have to engage in an all-out war with Donnengarten’s soldiers.

It was certainly an annoying move.

They had secretly followed thinking something like this might happen, but the mage’s awareness and detection abilities were better than expected.

Dorothea spoke to the lord’s wife, “You, it seems you’ve been abandoned?”

“…”

But this was only fine for the mage himself.

The safety of the lord’s wife left here was not guaranteed at all.

The wife wasn’t dull enough not to understand this fact, so the color drained from her face.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“If necessary.”

Dorothea didn’t deny it.

“You wouldn’t take our side when the soldiers rush in anyway, right? If you’re going to be an enemy, killing you is always an option.”

“If you do such a thing, you won’t be safe either.”

“If we were bothered by risk, we wouldn’t be doing this in the first place.”

The wife collapsed to the ground as if falling.

Turning her gaze away from her, Dorothea put a necklace made of bones around the Tin Knight’s neck.

“Tin Can, wait on the stairs between the first and second floors. When I send a signal with that skull, move according to the signal.”

Dorothea then created a bone bowl filled with water on the floor.

Beyond the water mirror, a golden-haired girl was watching them with a tense face.

“Remember what I told you? When I send the signal, cut your hair and place a handful in the designated spots.”

“Y-yes!”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks what to do about the soldiers!]

“Well, they probably won’t be able to get in if we just hold out with a barrier, but it’s distracting.”

Dorothea rotated her left wrist counterclockwise.

Soon after, a cage was grasped in her hand.

“Let’s just put them all to sleep for a while. Even a nightmare is still a dream, after all.”

One by one, souls from the underworld crawled up to the surface.

They revealed their pale bodies and clung to the living, leading them to slumber.

It was the beginning of a night of nightmares that would only end at the witch’s whim.

***

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