I walked into the Hall of the Mountain King. The doors closed, and a cold breeze sent chills down my spine. I looked right and left at eerie tapestries, which hung on the walls like ghosts. Dark places never scared me; I could manage well even in the gloomiest of dungeons. But walking through a desolate corridor in the skimpy light of candles was a new experience.

“Lord Faust, Your Highness, Lance Ainsworth of the Exploration Guild presents himself before you with the utmost respect,” the guard said as I entered the throne room.

“Does the Exploration Guild run on a clock of their own?” a voice said.

I looked at the far end of the room. A man was sitting on a wooden throne, which was embellished with silk upholstery and gold embroidery. His face was first hidden in the dark, but when he stood up, I saw elven ears, smooth white hair, and nut-brown eyes. Standing thin and tall, he rested both hands on a gold-topped cane, which seemed to be an ornament rather than a necessity. His thin lips moved only slightly.

Was that a smile?

“I will not inquire why you are visiting so early in the morning. It would be discourteous, since your trip must have been tiring,” Lord Faust said. “Instead, let me offer you breakfast.”

I was slightly disturbed. He did just as Marie said he would: he offered me food. I didn’t know what harm it might cause, but I decided to decline. I bowed for the sake of formality and said, “Forgive me, Lord Faust. I’m here on important business, and I don’t have much time.”

“I understand.” He approached me from the far end of the room. “The world is a busy place, and we all have matters to attend to.”

His cane tapped the ground with a gentle touch, and his steps followed with a constant rhythm. The way he carried himself asserted dominance. When he stood in front of me, I noticed the height difference between us. I fished for insight into his character, but his distant eyes showed nothing but self-confidence.

We were now alone in the dim room, and he said, “What is your important business?”

“I’m investigating the disappearances,” I said, “and an incident that may be linked to them. A girl named Marie was attacked near Ashenbrook this morning.”

“Ah, this is why you came,” Lord Faust laughed. “You are here to ask about the Witch and the Blight. I knew the guild would become aware of the recent events. But I do not want you to get involved.”

“You do not want us… to get involved?”

“Yes, you have good ears, so trust them,” he said. “The guild is disbanding; you lack the proper resources to investigate these events. Therefore, I decided that we can forgo your help.”

“I’m sure I can provide some assistance. You said something about a witch.”

He walked back to his throne, gesturing for me to follow. “Yes, the Witch and the Blight.” He sat between two flags of the Empire. “These two words are enough to describe the current situation. But let me elaborate.”

“Please do.”

“My people refer to the girl you call Marie as the Witch of Ashenbrook. She is the daughter of the local innkeeper but had been living away since her childhood. When she returned to her parents’ house, we started observing strange phenomena.”

“What kind?”

“Endless fog, midnight lights, a giant Aberration. Farmlands were destroyed; crops were ruined; livestock were murdered. The peasants called this disaster the Blight and the girl who caused it the Witch.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to blame Marie. She couldn’t have caused all these things.”

“I know, but could I force my opinions on the people?” Lord Faust shrugged his shoulders. “The peasants want the Witch dead, and the guards shy away from protecting her.”

The town created a scapegoat. I clenched my fist. “People should obey the law, and it’s your duty as a lord to enforce it. Marie is not guilty of any crime. She’s a victim of superstition.”

“Well said.” Lord Faust clapped in ridicule. “But can we be a bit more realistic? If I protect the girl, the town will turn against me. Even my men may have second thoughts when I give them orders.”

“I’d rather fight the whole town than watch an innocent girl die.”

“You are full of youth and ideals. It is enviable, this blindness.”

Lord Faust spoke and acted with decorum, but his words mocked everything I believed in. His comments implied that Marie should die; he wanted to please the masses to keep his power. I couldn’t respect such a man.

“Well, I’ll take this burden off your shoulders. I’ll protect Marie, and anyone who tries to harm her will regret it.”

“I hope you honor your word, Lance, for the sake of that girl.”

I ignored his comment and said, “Now, I’d like us to get back to the guild business. You mentioned a giant Aberration, and I’m here to kill it.”

“Do you want information about it?”

“Yes. But only facts.”

“There are no facts,” Lord Faust laughed. “I sent men into the fog, but no one returned.”

“Well, then, what can you tell me about the missing people?”

“They were travelers. I guess that they encountered the Aberration in the grasslands. But you are not interested in guesses, are you?”

He’s withholding information. But why? It’s an Aberration we’re talking about, a demon-beast that wreaks havoc wherever it goes. Why would you withhold information about a monster? It seemed useless to prolong the conversation, so I said, “Thank you for your cooperation. I will continue to investigate, and I hope this doesn’t bother you.”

“Do what you have to do.” Lord Faust waved his hand as if to grant me permission.

“Have a good day.” I bowed and turned away.

There was no guard to walk me outside, so I left the room and retraced my steps through the candlelit corridor. As I stamped on the colorful rugs, I remembered the hateful faces of the peasants, the cruelty with which they had chased after Marie, and her helplessness in that situation. If I hadn’t been there, they would’ve murdered her in cold blood, and they would’ve been called heroes.

Lord Faust would’ve given them medals. I stamped harder on the woolen rugs.

Lost in thought, I made it halfway to the courtyard but then took a wrong turn. This single mistake was enough to send me into a maze of unknown passages. I walked in circles for a few more minutes, then saw a small door that was half-open, half-covered by a curtain. It seemed to connect to the outside world.

A balcony?

It was my only hope. I was dying to leave this creepy castle. My hand eased the handle back, and I looked through the door crack. I wanted to see the forest, the sky, and Marie’s welcoming smile. But I found a bright playroom. The walls were draped in satin curtains. Frilly cushions and stuffed animals decorated the ground. And between the purple and pink, I saw seven girls—ranging in age from around eight to twenty. They were silent and still. Expensive dresses covered them from neck to toe, and the dolls in their hands looked like their miniatures.

I studied some of their faces and realized that they didn’t look like siblings. Then my eyes strayed to the corner of the room, where the oldest girl was sitting. I couldn’t see her face, but her golden hair seemed familiar. This can’t be… Yes, it was this long. Yes, it had this shine. Was my mind playing tricks on me? I stepped into the room; I wanted to see this girl’s face; I was confident that she was the blond thief. But I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.

“The guild never taught you about privacy.”

This voice! I turned around and saw Lord Faust himself. He was glaring like a nocturnal predator, and his cool demeanor was a thing of the past. I scratched my cheek with my forefinger and giggled, “I was searching for the exit. Count Stein―I mean, Lord Faust, sir, your castle is quite a maze.”

Lord Faust raised his hand as if to punch me, but the aggressive movement transformed midway into a meaningless gesture. He lowered his hand awkwardly. The tension eased, and his stiff shoulders relaxed.

“I get lost myself,” he said. “But be careful next time. You’ve disturbed my daughters.”

Daughters? I looked into the playroom again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“To err is human.” He closed the door. “Let me show you out.”

We returned to the darkness of the corridors. He led the way, and I followed with anxious steps. After a while, he cleared his throat and said, “None of my wives lived long enough to comfort me in old age. My daughters are my only treasure, and I can be overprotective sometimes. Forgive me.”

For the first time, he expressed an emotion. It seemed like honest love.

“Isn’t Marie their age? Would you abandon one of your daughters if the peasants thought she was a witch?”

“Don’t ask difficult questions,” he said in a brusque tone. “This is where we part. Farewell.”

The castle doors creaked once while I was inside and another time after I had left. When she saw me walking across the courtyard, Marie ran toward me and stopped only a step away. Her hair became messy, but she didn’t try to fix it. Breathless, she asked, “Did anything happen inside? Are you hurt?”

“Calm down, Marie. You’re being too dramatic. Nothing happened.”

“That’s a relief,” she sighed.

“But tell me, why did you warn me about the castle’s food?”

“I don’t know,” she said with a puzzled look on her face. “I had a vague feeling that you shouldn’t eat anything inside. My memories are all fuzzy and jumbled, so maybe I’m mixing things up.”

“It seems like it. Lord Faust wasn’t friendly, but he didn’t try to stab me or anything.”

She laughed a little and said, “Did you find out anything new?”

“Yeah, I know now where to find your parents. You’re the daughter of the innkeeper.”

“Let’s go tell Arthur,” she smiled. “He’ll be happy to hear you found a clue.”

She turned around and walked away. When she reached the parked wagon, she jumped on its back, pushed Arthur’s potions aside, and curled up in a corner like the cats that she feared. (Maybe it’s natural to fear the thing you resemble the most.)

I loitered in the courtyard for a few minutes, surprised by her strange reaction. She didn’t look happy that I discovered who her parents were. She made it seem as if Arthur would care more about this news. It was difficult to guess what was going on inside her head, but her thoughts seemed just as jumbled as her memories, so I decided to give her some space to sort them out.

When I finally approached the wagon, Arthur said, “Glad you came out in one piece, lad. Where are we heading next?”

“The local inn.”

I sat in the back next to Marie. As the wagon began to move, she smiled at me, but I sensed worry and sadness in her eyes.

I don’t care what the peasants call you, Marie. People invent lies and believe them for their benefit. But I won’t let them make you a scapegoat. And if Lord Faust’s helping them, I’ll stop him before he can lay a finger on you. They’ll realize their mistake once I’ve defeated the Aberration, and you’ll smile with real happiness.