Evidence in the Wind

Vanessa had no way of knowing how long Fren had kept him awake through the night.

He had lost consciousness almost as soon as things began, so it was only natural.

Being at Fren’s side had trained him to endure many things, but this was something he still had no immunity to.

Buried under the blankets like a corpse, Vanessa turned his head.

Fren was asleep, holding him close.

As a proper s*ave, Vanessa tried to get up first, but even that tiny movement woke Fren instantly.

“Sleep a little more.”

“…Lord Fren, are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

Vanessa asked with a worried expression.

“You’ve been sleeping a lot lately.

I was wondering if something was wrong…”

“I’m fine.

I just sleep well when you’re beside me.”

“That’s an honor.”

“Mm.

So don’t worry and go back to sleep.”

With that, Fren drifted back into dreams.

Vanessa closed his eyes to follow him, but sleep didn’t come at all.

In the end, he had to wait for Fren to wake up—fully conscious the entire time.

Fren didn’t wake until well past midday.

Seated at the lunch table with sleep still in his eyes, he spoke kindly.

“Eat well, Vanessa.”

Vanessa stared at the feast of restorative dishes prepared for him and forced a small smile.

“…Yes, I’ll eat well.”

Just as Vanessa lifted a piece of herb-wrapped meat, a servant approached Fren swiftly—light-footed in the way only elves could be.

Fren didn’t even look up as he sliced bread.

“What is it?”

“A message from Elder Polyphemos’s household.”

“Ah, the funeral date must be set.

Tell them I’ll attend.”

“No, not that…”

“Then what is it?”

Looking stunned himself, the servant delivered the news.

“The slaves who were to be buried with Elder Polyphemos disappeared during transport.”

“What?”

“This has never happened before, so it seems they contacted you first.

How should we proceed?”

“Tell them I’ll visit before sundown.”

“Yes, sir.”

After the servant left, Vanessa immediately stood.

He leaned close and whispered:

“Could this be Odysseus’s doing?”

“No, that man already took the money we gave him and returned to Penelope.

He even sent a letter saying he arrived safely and held the wedding.”

“Then…”

“We’ll have to investigate.

After we eat.”

Vanessa returned to his seat weakly.

A vague dread settled over him, stealing what little appetite remained.

‘Times like this… the quiet places are the best.’

His mind drifted to the ruin with the siren statue.

Even after buying the Lycanthrope territory where it lay, Fren had chosen to leave the statue exactly where it was.

Unlike the waterways where many sirens once passed freely, the land path was so narrow that even a single Lycanthrope could barely squeeze through.

But Fren insisted that the statue was most beautiful left untouched—and Vanessa agreed.

‘Thinking about it makes me want to see it again.’

Perhaps it was even made by his own kind.

The thought lifted Vanessa’s mood enough for him to pick up another herb-wrapped roll.

‘The chances are tiny, but… maybe it’s okay to hope just a little?’

He knew this attitude was hypocritical.

He always scolded Genoise and Niona for clinging to false hopes.

‘But just this much… isn’t it alright?’

For the first time, a small seed of selfishness grew in Vanessa’s heart.

* * *

After finishing their meal, Vanessa and Fren visited Polyphemos’s estate.

Polia—the new head of the family after Polyphemos was killed by Iason—guided them toward the fields.

“Right here…”

“Thank you.”

“No, it’s nothing…”

Like his father, Polia hid half his face behind a curtain of turquoise bangs.

But unlike his father, he didn’t stutter.

He was simply… gloomy.

Clutching a large stuffed sheep, Polia let out a faint, eerie giggle.

He had much to learn, but apparently there were no other suitable heirs.

“Have you found Odysseus?”

“No, not yet…”

Fren gently patted Polia’s shoulder.

“I see.

I’ll contact you as soon as I receive information.”

“Yes, please…”

Polia smiled meaningfully, already imagining the use of the new torture chamber he’d built in the basement.

Fren wondered if Polia might be even bolder than his father had been.

The estate was so peaceful and quiet that it was hard to believe this was the last place the missing slaves had been.

Just then, a knight who had been sweeping the area ran to them.

“Please come this way.”

“Oh right, you mentioned something to show us.

What is it?”

“It’s… something best seen yourself.”

They followed the knight across the fields.

He led them to a cliff overlooking the sea.

There, lined up at the top, were scarecrows.

Except—both Fren and Vanessa recognized immediately that they were not scarecrows.

“Oh dear.”

“Th-those…!”

Polia trembled violently.

The figures stuck into the cliff were the corpses of the five soldiers who had been transporting the slaves.

Their arms were spread wide, draped in burlap, making them look like scarecrows from a distance.

Polia screamed.

“Who would commit such an insult…?!”

“Calm yourself, Polia.”

He stroked the stuffed sheep frantically.

“This is a clear challenge to our family…!”

“…….”

“I’ll kill them—tear them apart…!”

The louder his voice grew, the faster his hands stroked the stuffed toy.

Moments later, he buried his face in it, shaking with rage.

“Who could’ve done this…?”

“Does anyone hold a grudge against Polyphemos?”

“I can only think of Iason…”

“But it wouldn’t be the elves from his family.

They’re all keeping their heads down right now.”

Polia frowned, thinking.

“Other than that… no.”

“Truly?”

“Well… my father once crushed the skull of a woman’s lover with a stone before he got married, but…”

“…….”

“But if she wanted revenge, wouldn’t she have done it sooner…?

Father said she threw herself into the sea to escape him and went missing…”

“Then she certainly couldn’t be behind this.”

“Yes… that’s true…”

Fren approached the corpses.

He lowered himself to examine them closely.

Then he spoke.

“This was done by one person.”

“…Pardon?”

“They tried to leave messy, inconsistent traces to make it look like multiple attackers…

But the wounds—same force, same angle, same dominant hand.

To injure all of them identically isn’t something several people could coordinate.”

Fren waved the knights aside.

Then asked:

“What kind of race do you think could fight five trained soldiers alone—though not knights—and also vanish with all the slaves without leaving a trace?”

Polia whispered:

“…Lycanthropes.”

Fren nodded.

Lycanthropes were the strongest physically among the four races on the southern continent.

They fought constantly from birth and were skilled at erasing their tracks.

Some were so stealthy that a man who hid with fifteen family members in the mountains was never found.

Polia tilted his head.

“But I don’t see any tooth or claw marks…”

“They hid them to make it look human.”

Polia gasped in pure admiration.

“Wow… Lycanthropes are smart enough to do that?”

“You’ve never met one, have you?”

“No, only read about them in books…

I didn’t know they were so intelligent…”

“You should throw that book away.

Battles aren’t fought with strength alone.

They’re far more cunning than you think.”

“…….”

Polia stared at the ground, trembling.

He grit his teeth.

“I’ll kill those beasts… tear them apart…”

His hand stroked the stuffed sheep again.

Fren waited for the motion to slow before suggesting:

“Let’s keep the Lycanthropes’ involvement secret.”

“Why…?!

They insulted our family!”

Polia looked shocked.

“Are you saying that so casually because it’s not your problem…?!”

Fren’s eyes softened with sorrow.

“Do I look like such a cold-hearted elf to you?”

Polia, still at an age where romantic fantasies bloomed easily, hid behind his stuffed toy shyly.

“No, but… then why…”

“You planned to bury only half the slaves with Polyphemos, correct?”

“…….”

“Polyphemos once told me this.

In his youth, he secretly saved money and bought slaves he hid across several sheep farms.”

Polia’s hand sped along the stuffed sheep’s head.

“He may not have told others, but there’s no way you didn’t know—especially since you were close to him.

By strict rules, those hidden slaves should also be buried…

But perhaps we should discuss the details inside?”

Polia nodded eagerly and ran toward the carriages.

Fren watched him go, then turned around.

“Did you find anything else?”

Vanessa, who had been observing the bodies carefully, shook his head.

“I checked just in case, but… nothing useful.”

“A proper autopsy should reveal more.

Come on, let’s go.”

Vanessa took Fren’s offered hand.

After one last look at the soldiers’ bodies, he followed.

Fren chuckled.

“Did you see how he kept stroking that doll?

I guess he calms down by touching things he likes.”

“That’s what it looked like to me too.”

“Hmmm…”

Fren stared at Vanessa.

Sensing it immediately, Vanessa leaned toward him.

Fren reached out and ruffled his hair enthusiastically.