Nadine Glatteis was a 7-Star Mage specializing in Water and Ice Magic. She was considered one of the strongest mages in Eidelgard and numbered among the country’s few S-Rank Adventurers, earning her the nickname ’Witch of Black Ice’, or simply ’Ice Witch’.
Coincidentally, she was an old friend and benefactor of Adrian Rosenheim.
According to the novel, Nadine had settled down in Eisenbran five years ago, built her own witch tower, and was pretty much never seen again.
Well, until Felix and Rosalia had their cold war.
With her connections and power, both sides had to cautiously tiptoe around her, making sure not to anger the calamity that could potentially topple both factions with ease.
Rian left the Ruby Merchantry several hours later. The sun had already disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving the first stars to emerge above Eisenbran.
Alicia followed close behind him. Charlotte had volunteered to remain with Rosalia, reasoning that the presence of a Lowenhardt might discourage Felix’s officials from harassing the merchantry too openly.
"Are you going to visit the Ice Witch, Young Master?" the young maid asked. "I’ve heard her personality is quite fickle..."
Rian shook his head, staring at Eisenbran’s darkening streets. "No, I want to do some personal investigation first. Any information is valuable if we want to build a better case."
Though what he gave was only a half-truth. Rian already knew how Nadine had resolved the incident in the original novel.
She had discovered what was happening beneath the mana-crystal mine and sealed it away. The disappearances stopped, but so did the production of mana crystals.
For everyone else, it was an acceptable price. But Rian couldn’t afford that.
The mine was one of the few resources capable of extending his life. If Nadine repeated her original solution, his greatest potential lifeline would disappear in the blink of an eye.
The problem was...the novel never mentioned what she found down there. Her reasoning to close the mines down was also vague at best.
There had to be another solution.
Alicia tilted her head. "Then where should we begin?"
Rian unfolded the list Rosalia had given him. It contained the names of several missing laborers and the families who had attempted to report them.
The first name belonged to Otto Kehl, a fisherman who had reported three of his workers missing within the same month. Unlike the others, he had continued demanding an investigation even after the knights dismissed his concerns.
More importantly, his home was only a few streets away.
"We’ll begin with him."
"Young Master...I don’t believe you’re particularly suited for this."
They were currently perched on top of a nearby roof, staking out Otto Kehl’s home just like they planned.
Alicia wasn’t questioning Rian’s investigative abilities exactly. It was the fact that it took Rian an embarrassing amount of effort just to climb onto the rooftop and get into position in the first place.
"I can’t rely on you for reconnaissance every time I need something, can I?"
"Yes...you can."
For nearly an hour, nothing happened. Rian stared at the blue panel to his side, sighing softly that he was wasting his precious lifespan on nothing.
[Estimated Lifespan: 28 days, 13 hours, 12 minutes.]
Rian frowned, bringing his attention back to Otto’s home.
Through the illuminated window, they could see the fisherman sitting alone at his table, eating a simple dinner. He certainly didn’t look like someone involved in some kind of sinister conspiracy.
The man simply finished his meal, washed the plate, and returned to the table with today’s newspaper in hand.
"Young Master," Alicia whispered. "Why are we watching him instead of asking him questions?"
"Edwin worked inside Rosalia’s organization," Rian answered. "We have no way of knowing whether he was the only informant."
"You’re suspecting that this man is—?"
"No, but my gut is telling me that this man hasn’t gone missing yet for a reason," Rian stared closer. "Either he’s working with them—"
His eyes caught sight of a group of people. None carried lanterns despite the darkness, and each remained suspiciously close to the walls, off the main street. Two split off and entered the alley leading behind the building.
Rian narrowed his eyes.
"...or they haven’t gotten to him yet."
After a bit, a quiet click followed by the creak of Otto’s back door told both of them what was about to happen. Alicia immediately moved to the edge of the roof, but Rian caught her sleeve.
"Wait."
"Young Master, they’re entering his home."
"If we stop them now, then there’s no point in staking the house out for this long."
A muffled crash came from inside the house, followed by struggling and squirming, then all sound suddenly vanished.
Rian narrowed his eyes, feeling a faint trace of mana that had surrounded Otto’s home right after the attackers entered.
’They must’ve used some kind of sound-dampening magic tool...’
"What if they intend to kill him?" Alicia turned around to ask. "Then we’d have no witness and no evidence..."
"Then you intervene before they can."
The maid frowned at her Young Master’s answer. "That’s a great deal of faith you’re placing in me..."
But Rian hadn’t replied, focusing on the silhouette of Otto being dragged away from the table and back down to the alleyway.
"Get ready..."
Less than a minute later, the rear door opened again.
Two men emerged carrying Otto’s unconscious body between them while the others searched the street. An unmarked carriage rolled from the adjoining alley to meet them.
They loaded Otto inside. Rian watched the final abductor climb aboard before quietly giving the order.
"Now."
At first, they tried hopping through the rooftop to chase after the carriage. But upon realizing that Rian definitely couldn’t keep up, Alicia just decided to swoop him up and carry him under her arms.
"This is...embarrassing."
Wind struck his face as she leaped across the rooftops, clearing gaps that he would have needed a running start to cross. Below them, the unmarked carriage forced its way through the evening traffic.
They were finally beginning to close the distance. Then something whistled through the air, causing Alicia to twist sideways.
THNK—!
A crossbow bolt buried itself in the roof where her foot had been just moments earlier. She landed behind a chimney, putting Rian down.
’Tch...they’ve got backup?’
Four masked figures emerged across the neighboring rooftops. They wore plain black clothes and masks covering their faces. Two held crossbows while the remaining three drew short blades.
Rian glanced past them, at the carriage that had just disappeared around another corner.
"Ugh...why does it always have to be so difficult?"
Before the attackers could move, Rian was already standing out in the open, palms outstretched, muttering a single spell.
〈Ars Flare.〉
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter