Chapter 39: Sick

If Pons Benet’s entry into Narak’s home was truly to take her hair and nails, it meant Narak was most likely murdered by a relative, because Narak had an excellent reputation, was the pillar of the family, and was physically and mentally healthy—unlikely to commit suicide… Lu Mi rapidly formed a series of deductions.

If Narak really died by a relative’s murder, then why?

Seeing her brother sink into thought and remain silent for a long while, Aurora assumed he was frightened by “a man turning into a sheep” and “the possibility that someone from the Berry family was murdered,” so she softly comforted him:

“The situation is serious, but it doesn’t affect us yet.”

“I need to reflect—I’ve been too strict about forbidding you from learning real occult knowledge, making you panic and freeze when faced with similar events. Hmm, this world, in recent years, has seen a rising frequency of supernatural incidents, and I can’t always be by your side. You’ll grow up, you’ll have your own life…”

I’ve never heard that growing up means leaving your family… Lu Mi silently rebutted.

He could feel that, because of the man-turning-into-a-sheep incident, Aurora had softened her stance on his exposure to occult knowledge.

Just one more push and I could confess to her that I’ve become an extraordinary… Lu Mi hadn’t yet spoken when Aurora made her decision:

“Go pack your bags right now. We’ll leave Kordu immediately using the Novel Weekly’s invitation.”

“Lucky timing—this telegram arrives just when we need it, letting us depart openly without raising suspicion.”

“Hmm, during the journey, when we’re alone, I’ll tell you some real occult knowledge—but don’t even think about becoming an extraordinary. It’s too dangerous.”

It wasn’t luck—it was because we discovered the problem that we sent the telegram, we just received the reply this cycle… Lu Mi silently grumbled, yet felt relieved that his sister remained the same decisive person.

Though he didn’t believe they could successfully leave Kordu Village—or escape the cycle—he had to try.

“Uh, what about those three sheep, those three people? Don’t we save them?” Lu Mi asked tentatively.

Aurora shook her head:

“That could provoke conflict with Pierre Berry. I don’t know how strong he is, or how many allies he has. Rescuing them blindly is too dangerous.”

“Let the authorities handle it—that’s their duty. When we reach Dariel, buy train tickets, then send an anonymous letter to them to deal with it.”

“But what if they don’t believe us?” Lu Mi deliberately pressed.

Aurora smiled:

“You’re truly illiterate in the occult.”

“We’ll describe the man-turning-into-a-sheep incident clearly in the letter. They’ll naturally send specialists to divine. Even without clear insights, they’ll detect anomalies in Kordu.”

“I understand.” Lu Mi stopped wasting time and went upstairs to pack.

Soon, the siblings each carried down a brown suitcase.

Aurora glanced outside and said:

“Go find Madame Pualis and borrow her carriage—we must reach Dariel as quickly as possible.”

The journey from Kordu Village to Dariel took ordinary people an entire afternoon, but Lu Mi, as a “Hunter,” wouldn’t need that long—though in Aurora’s eyes, he still wasn’t an extraordinary.

He hesitated whether to confess to his sister now, then remembered escape from Kordu was nearly impossible—better to use this chance to visit Madame Pualis’s home and look for clues. Lu Mi murmured:

“Alright.”

He reached out, took her suitcase, and carried both as he walked toward the door.

Aurora nodded, satisfied and relieved, then said with slight confusion:

“You’ve gotten stronger—you’re carrying them so easily.”

She instinctively raised her right hand to rub her temples, but Lu Mi had already stepped outside, so she abandoned the gesture and hurried after him.

On the way to the administrator’s residence, many villagers saw Aurora leaving with luggage and curiously asked about it.

Aurora answered calmly, with legitimate reasons.

Lu Mi, however, invented seven or eight stories to handle different villagers along the way.

That Aurora won the French Legion of Honor and was going to Trier for the award; that he’d been specially admitted to the Trier Higher Normal School and could enroll immediately; that Aurora had gone bankrupt from stock trading and creditors were coming—villagers with little exposure to the outside world stared blankly.

Thanks to Lu Mi’s reputation, they eventually chose not to believe him.

Soon, the siblings arrived before the black building, once an ancient castle.

Looking up at the two towering spires, Lu Mi smiled:

“I wonder what’s inside. Aurora, have you ever been in?”

“How could I wander into someone else’s home?” Aurora rolled her eyes at her brother.

Lu Mi muttered under his breath:

“I thought Madame Pualis would invite you to tour the castle. People like her love showing off their grand houses and precious collections.”

“What’s there to tour…” Aurora’s voice trailed off as she realized this would help her describe castles in her writings. “Ah, we’ll talk about it later—no idea if we’ll ever return to Kordu.”

She led Lu Mi through the colorful garden toward the castle’s main gate.

After a few steps, Aurora slowed, glancing left and right, and said in confusion:

“The flowers in this garden are blooming so early…”

Kordu Village sat on a hill near highland pastures—normally, spring’s first blooms didn’t appear until mid-to-late April.

“Perhaps Madame Pualis’s gardener has special methods,” Lu Mi said, recalling the woman was an extraordinary via an abnormal path, suspecting a supernatural phenomenon—but he couldn’t say so aloud.

Aurora merely made a passing remark, didn’t dwell on it, and together they reached the castle, greeted warmly by Madame Pualis.

Today, the lady wore a blue corseted gown, still adorned with the diamond necklace set with gold, her brown hair half pinned up, half hanging loose—appearing younger than usual.

She sat on a single sofa in the parlor, listened quietly to Aurora’s request, then smiled faintly:

“No need to be so formal—we’re friends.”

Hmph… Lu Mi sneered inwardly.

Who introduces their friend to a marriage prospect like that?

He’d barely finished his silent mockery when Madame Pualis turned to him, her bright brown eyes shimmering with liquid amusement.

Lu Mi instantly recalled their last cycle’s conversation and felt uneasy.

“Alright,” Aurora said, resigned.

Every time she borrowed the carriage, she offered payment—but Madame Pualis always refused—so Aurora usually brought her modest but not cheap gifts on the return trip, plus a tip for the driver.

While waiting for the driver to prepare, Madame Pualis invited the siblings to taste her chef’s desserts.

Lu Mi sampled a pancake and glanced around:

“Where is Monsieur Longde?”

Louis Longde was Administrator Beoster’s butler, who had come with him from Dariel to Kordu Village.

Lu Mi possessed evidence of Louis Longde’s affair with a village woman and his secret sale of castle artifacts, which revealed that Madame Pualis was the parish priest’s mistress.

The story about accidentally catching the priest and Madame Pualis in the church? Pure fiction for outsiders!

Now, Lu Mi sought out Louis Longde to curse him: “You pig-breeding bastard, why didn’t you tell me Madame Pualis is a witch?”

Madame Pualis sighed:

“Louis is ill. Resting in his room.”

Ill? Lu Mi suddenly felt this might be suspicious.

While Aurora chatted with Madame Pualis, Lu Mi excused himself to the restroom, left the parlor, and headed straight for the stairs.

The castle was large; the administrator’s couple brought few servants—everywhere felt empty, echoes sometimes rang in certain halls, giving Lu Mi ideal conditions for sneaking around.

With his keen senses, he easily avoided a male servant and a maid, stepped lightly to the second floor, and found Louis Longde’s room.

He didn’t knock. Instead, he pressed his ear against the wooden door.

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

…

The room emitted repeated, agonized male screams.

Is he really ill? Sounds severe… Lu Mi thought briefly, then walked to the side, opened another servant’s door—the administrator and Madame Pualis lived on the third floor.

He slipped in, quietly closed the door, stepped to the other side, and pushed open the glass window.

Lu Mi looked down—no one was there. He gripped the sill, leapt out lightly, and hung from the castle’s outer wall.

Then, with a silent leap like a wildcat, he landed on Louis Longde’s windowsill.

Standing at the window’s edge, he turned sideways and peered inside.

He saw Louis Longde, naked, lying on his bed, his belly swollen high—about to burst.

Seeing the forty-year-old butler’s black hair soaked in sweat, his face twisted in agony, hearing his piercing screams, Lu Mi frowned:

What disease is this?

So terrifying—his belly could swell this much…

Beside Louis Longde’s bed stood a woman in her forties.

Brown-haired, brown-eyed, attractive, with few wrinkles, dressed in a gray-white long gown, she beamed at Louis Longde:

“Almost there! Almost there!”

What’s almost there? Lu Mi had just thought this when a scream erupted—he saw a spot on Louis Longde’s belly bulge violently upward.

In the blink of an eye, it ruptured—Louis Longde’s belly split open!

A bloody little hand reached out.

“Born! Born!” the woman cried joyfully.

She bent down, pulled a wrinkled, filthy, bloody infant from Louis Longde’s belly.

Lu Mi froze:

“…”

(End of Chapter)