Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Rose’s heart pounded wildly.

“The last line in the notebook was especially ominous. As I remember it…”

She furrowed her brow, searching her memory.

“It definitely said, ‘Destruction for the sake of creation. From the wreckage, we shall rise again. We must prepare the next card for the reversal of heaven.’”

“Hmm. The first part is about world destruction and rebirth; the ‘reversal of heaven’ in the second part… they’re referring to the demon they worship, I assume.”

Rose immediately nodded in agreement at how quickly James understood.

“Yes! Exactly!”

She was just grateful he could make sense of the truth she’d blurted out on impulse.

But James, who had grasped her meaning so quickly, felt deeply uneasy.

If Rose’s theory was correct, then the criminal organization she’d vowed to investigate was far more dangerous than he’d imagined.

A nationwide network with religious overtones.

Faith—the most terrifying word that could justify anything.

A group bound by blind devotion might do anything, anytime.

James began to worry about how to stop her from taking on such a reckless mission.

“So I’ve been thinking about our next steps.”

Unaware of his dark thoughts, Rose continued brightly.

“Since they have branches all over the country, if we combine the search for the girl with investigating this group…”

“No.”

“What?”

His flat, immediate rejection startled her.

She’d been sure he’d say yes without question, at least to the part about finding the girl, given how dedicated he was to that goal.

“I’m absolutely not going to neglect the search for her. That’s our top priority, as agreed.”

“It’s not about priorities.”

“Then what is it about?”

James frowned, clearly displeased.

“You wanted revenge for your parents—and now you want to take on a nationwide criminal organization? Of course it’s dangerous. This isn’t something you can handle alone. Leave it to the Bureau’s veteran agents.”

“B-but we were the ones who caught Robert Burns and his accomplice!”

“We got lucky. Don’t you remember? Both times you nearly got killed.”

He wasn’t wrong, and she had no comeback for that. Frustration twisted in her chest.

‘He’s this against it, but I can’t even tell him it might be the group that killed my parents…’

If he refused to help, then there was no chance of using the Bureau’s official resources to investigate.

Their arrangement specifically prohibited her from acting alone.

If only I had the leverage to persuade him.

But what stung most was how little she was allowed to decide for herself.

Rose protested, her voice rebellious.

“I’m not some helpless seven-year-old. Even if it’s dangerous, I’d rather face that danger alone…”

Yet she couldn’t finish.

James was glaring at her with raw fury in his eyes.

‘What the—why is he so angry?’

She hadn’t known him that long, but she’d never seen him look so livid; it made her shrink back without thinking.

“…I’m not stupid enough to go looking for danger on purpose.”

“Rose.”

He said her name more heavily than usual before continuing.

“Did you forget they broke into the Bureau’s headquarters and killed two people?”

Forced to face that brutal truth, Rose bit her lower lip hard.

“I don’t want you getting hurt. I won’t allow it to happen.”

His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

She barely remembered how she’d managed to leave James’s office.

Practically running back to her room, Rose slammed the door shut and threw herself onto the bed.

Even the soft comfort of the mattress did little to soothe her.

“You’re pathetic, Rose Taylor.”

But what choice did she have?

All the determination in the world didn’t change the fact that she didn’t really know what she was doing.

It was suffocating.

“April 26, 967. Confirmed destruction of the Neutral Grail.”
“Destruction for the sake of creation. From the wreckage, we shall rise again.”
“We must prepare the next card for the reversal of heaven.”

She recalled the lines written in Robert Burns’s notebook.

They were undeniably the demon worshippers who had once offered her as a sacrifice for an ancient summoning ritual.

And they were almost certainly the same cult her parents had been hunting.

They were relentless.

Even after learning she was no longer a viable sacrifice, they hadn’t given up. They’d just started searching for another way.

One way or another, they meant to summon Ahadpessera of the Reversal onto this land.

It was maddening.

Knowing exactly what was coming but being powerless to stop it.

What’s the point of coming back in time if I can’t change anything?

She squirmed angrily on the bed, but it did nothing to ease the suffocating frustration.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I really should leave this to the veteran agents. Maybe that’s why I came back.

That’s the limit of my role. The mission I’ve been given.

Her heart felt like it was freezing over.

A deep, cold wave of despair washed over her entirely.

“Did you hear they fought?”

“I didn’t catch what was said, but there was yelling.”

“Is it because of those witch rumors?”

“Eek… You think we’ll get caught in the crossfire?”

In the servants’ break room, the favorite topic of gossip was once again their master, James Dautryche, and his fiancée.

Especially since several of them had seen Rose striding toward James’s office that morning with a frightening look in her eyes, the rumors had only grown more elaborate.

“Oh? Betty, you’re getting up already? You don’t look well. Why not rest a bit more?”

“Mm, I’m fine. I just need to talk to Amelie.”

Betty, who had been quietly listening, stood up first. Once outside the break room, she waited anxiously by the door for her friend.

“Amelie!”

“Betty! Why are you waiting out here? What’s wrong?”

“I need to ask you a favor.”

Betty tugged her friend down the corridor to a secluded corner and lowered her voice.

“Listen… can you switch night duty with me today? You know I used up all my leave days…”

“That’s not a problem, but… why?”

“…Because tonight’s shift is in the young lady’s room.”

Her voice dropped even further as she darted a glance around, looking utterly terrified.

“The young lady’s room? That’s an easy shift! Sure, I’ll switch.”

“Thanks. And… be careful. She’s a witch, you know.”

“Hah! I don’t believe those stupid rumors.”

Amelie burst out laughing, dismissing the gossip that had spread like wildfire through the house.

“Listen, I saw it…”

“What? Did you see her summoning ghosts or something?”

Amelie couldn’t help teasing her friend; Betty’s frightened face was both pitiable and oddly cute.

“Or maybe talking to spirits, since they say she’s a necromancer? Oooooooh?”

“…”

Usually Betty would have snapped at her to stop, but today she was strangely silent.

“Betty?”

“…I saw it. A ghost, floating in her room.”

The terror on Betty’s face was no act.

“I swear I can’t go in there, day or night, Amelie!”

“Okay, okay. Calm down. I said I’d switch.”

Realizing Betty was truly frightened, Amelie decided she’d better report this to the housekeeper, Margaret, as soon as possible.

Rumors might only last a hundred days, as the saying went, but this nonsense was doing nothing but harm.

“Even Grace said what I saw was really a ghost. I’m so scared I haven’t slept properly for days.”

“Grace? You’re still seeing that woman? Betty, she’s a con artist.”

“Don’t say that! She’s not a fraud. She really sees spirits…!”

Betty’s voice trembled with genuine hurt as tears started falling. Amelie was taken aback by her friend’s raw reaction.

“Alright, I’m sorry. Calm down. You should rest. I’ll tell Margaret you’re not feeling well.”

She kept her tone steady, trying to soothe her, but inside she was unsettled.

What’s gotten into her? She’s really terrified. Even when I tell her Grace is a fraud, she won’t listen. All because of these ridiculous rumors.

As she walked toward the housekeeper’s office, Amelie found herself cursing the gossiping servants still busy spinning tales in the break room.

After clashing with James and returning awkwardly to her room, Rose found it impossible to concentrate on her magic studies.

In the end, she closed her book with a sigh and began methodically cleaning the lingering traces of mana that had built up in her room.