CHAPTER 15

In some countries, the limousine is a type of car used to deliver a dead body towards the graveyard. The very same is happening to me, except that I'm still alive. It won't be long though before I'm completely dead in this very car.

The katana on my neck has been getting a lot colder lately. With one twist, my blood will flow.

"That's a bold statement." Yehanna scoffed menacingly. "But you seem to figure it out completely. How did you do that?"

I listened to my heartbeats that is beating like a boom box. I felt my cold sweat slide through my face. There's no getting away from her, so I might as well reveal what I was thinking.

"I noticed the connection between the deaths of Sage Wilhelm and Sage Peterson. According to the autopsy reports given by the Librarian, both of them suffered the same cause of death. The precise strike from their back that cut their lungs, heart, and spinal cord while not hitting the ribs is a work of a great assassin."

"So, what if they both died the same way? It doesn't point out to me."

"During the hostage-taking incident, I saw how you executed it. You cleanly sliced the lungs, heart, and spinal cord of that hostage-taker with the help of your magical katana and wind magic. I knew that your elemental affinity is wind ever since the Remedial Exam. You use the wind to create swift and heavy attacks and use it as air bullets for your magic pistols."

"I'm not the only person in the Dragonoid Military Academy to do that. I'm pretty sure some Dragon Sages could do the same."

"Maybe, but I have one more piece of evidence that points to you." I gulped briefly. "And that is the 99th Dragon Sage Batch List you requested from me. That list contains documents of sensitive private information like the addresses of all the new 1-star Dragon Sages, including Duke Peterson."

"It's true, I left my trail on that one." Yehanna slightly lowered her katana, which made me relieved. Now the cold blade is nowhere near my body, but she can still cut me with a sing swing. I was about to get a deep breath but Yehanna continued to talk. "That doesn't explain why I have to kill them, though."

"You have plenty of reasons to kill them. The first Dragon Sage you killed, Sage Elbert Wilhelm, is a three-star Dragon Sage who is famous for interrogation magic. I've heard that he always accepts torture quests for criminals. He may be your grandfather's interrogator, and he did unspeakable things to your grandfather."

Yehanna bit her lip. Her grip on her katana tightened to the point that it was shaking. "Correct." She muttered.

"And about Sage Duke Peterson. He's a new Dragon Sage who's done very little things, so there's another reason why you hate him. Being a traitorous hypocrite, perhaps? I heard he owned yachts and mansions which came from corrupt money. He might be friends with some fat nobles from the bureau of investigations."

"That's right." Yehanna slightly bowed. "He's also involved with the corruption scandal, but his name was excluded from the blacklist. Not being contented, Duke Peterson even dipped my grandfather's name deeper into the issue."

Yehanna spun her magical katana and then it turned to golden dust. She gave a genuine smile that did nothing to remove my fear.

"Well done, Uly! You solved the mystery of the Dragon Sage serial killer! You should be proud of yourself!"

"All I did was to connect the dots from the evidence under my nose. I had doubts, but all was it was cleared when I learned the primary motive this night: the revenge for your grandfather. I just guessed to fill in the blanks." I nervously scratched my head.

"It's not just for revenge," Yehanna muttered.

"Huh?" I asked even though I heard it the first time. I just want confirmation.

Yehanna turned to the driver. "Are we there yet, Sebastian?"

"A few minutes, milady," Sebastian answered.

Yehanna made a deep breath and then crossed her arms below her breasts. She must be homesick and getting impatient already. Or maybe they just want to get rid of me as soon as we step foot on their manor.

But wait, if they just want to dispose of me, Yehanna could just slash my neck and throw my body in the street. Nobody else except me knows her secret, so this is the best time for my death.

"Uh, aren't you going to kill me?" I raised my hand.

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Yehanna raised her voice.

I just shook my head like an obedient kindergarten kid.

"Then there's no need to kill you." Yehanna smiled. "Besides..."

Suddenly, the old limousine stopped. With a quick twist of the keys, the car engine was off. Sebastian then went out of the car and opened the passenger's door. He bowed like a humble servant. "We're here, milady."

Yehanna was the first to get out. I heard her mutter in a soft voice. "...I need you."

I followed Yehanna outside the limousine.

A large old manor greeted me with tranquility. This place is devoid of light. There are two dried fountains, and the plants in the gardens are dead. There is one central pathway that leads to the very entrance of the manor, and it's covered with dried leaves.

Only the moonlight gives shine on the way.

If I could describe this, a haunted house or an abandoned mental asylum will do. It's all eerie, but for some reason, I felt this kind of air peaceful and refreshing.

Sebastian bowed and went back to the limousine, probably going to park it somewhere else. The only ones entering the manor right now are Yehanna and me.

With three knocks on the wooden door, Yehanna entered. I wordlessly followed her until a blinding flash of light emerged.

The insides of the manor are different. Everything looks new and painted. The walls are beige white, the carpet is clean, and there's a single chandelier that matches the quality of the ones back in the Royal Hall. Who would have thought that inside this abandoned haunted house is a proper home for rich girls like Yehanna?

A mana-controlled wheelchair went in the center. It is being sat by a ten-year-old boy with dark blue hair and pearl-white skin. He's wearing light blue pajamas as if he's getting ready to sleep in the late stages of midnight.

What's the most noticeable thing about this kid is that he is blind. His eyes are covered with a long elastic bandage.

"Sis, you're finally here!" The boy cried happily.

"Yifus? I told you to sleep already, didn't I?" Yehanna sermon like a caring older sister she is.

"But I don't want to! I can't sleep if you're far away!" The boy threw tantrums.

"Fine, fine." Yehanna caressed her little brother's hair. "I'm here now, so you can finally rest."

"Hey! Hey! Is the party good!" Little Yifus shook his sister's hand. "Is the princess pretty? Are there Royal Knights at the party? Does the food taste good? You went with your partner Dragon Sage, right?"

"It's not the time to tell you all those stories~" Yehanna laughed. "It's bedtime already, so you should sleep first!"

"Awww."

"Don't worry, I'll tell you every detail about the party tomorrow!"

"Really? Thanks! You're the best, sis!" Little Yifus celebrated.

"Now, now! Let's go to bed already~" Yehanna gently pushed the wheelchair of her handicapped brother towards a room to the right-wing. Before exiting the scene, Yehanna waved her hand at me, silently saying that I should wait for her.

It wouldn't take much time and effort for a ten-year-old handicapped person to stay in bed and sleep at these wee hours of the night, so after about two minutes, Yehanna's back.

She's not the jolly Yehanna I know when talking to her cute little brother. She's not also the threatening Yehanna that pointed her sword at my neck. She's back to being the timid Yehanna who seems so sorrowful and full of weakness.

The beautiful maiden held her elbow and bowed.

"Shall we discuss outside?"

I just nodded and opened the wooden door to the exit. Yehanna went outside first, and then I followed.

I closed the wooden door. When I turned, I saw Yehanna close to me. I can't see her face, however, as her vision is fixated on the ground. Her whole body is shaking.

"Hanna."

"I'm not killing just for revenge. I'm doing this for my brother. Aside from his eyes, his spinal cord was taken away from him for inhumane purposes. It was a Dragon Sage who did that to him."

"Dragon... Sage...?" I muttered.

Suddenly, I remembered the Dragon Sage Thesis of Princess Amaryllis' brother. The hybrid experiment between machines, beasts, and humans. The one which happened to the case of Moby and Remy, who got their body parts replaced by feral limbs and automatons. The documentary on how children were killed and revived just for the sake of magical technology.

If such Dragon Sage Thesis for a 3-star Sage is possible, what's more for those of higher ranks? What about that thesis that is deep beneath the library?

"I told you that I made you my Dragon Sage for one condition, right? Now that you know everything, you are now ready. And this time, it's my turn to plead."

"Hanna."

All of a sudden, Yehanna fell on her knees. She gently grabbed both of my hands and cried.

"Please help me, Ulysses. Please help me bring justice for my grandfather and little brother. I beg you."