William glanced at Louis. The name Percival echoed faintly in his mind, as if from another time. He was familiar with that family, one of the few noble families who truly upheld the principle of equality. They helped not because of status, but because they could. Regardless of blood or origin.
To William, that name was more than just information. If he were still Morgan Welshman, he would have known them better.
"If I may ask," Elizabeth said softly, "why did you come to the Sanctum Misericordiae church? What is it? We will help you in any way we can."
Her voice was the same as ever—friendly, sincere, and clear. William glanced at her. Beneath her cold expression, he felt something tremble in his chest. A bittersweet nostalgia and warmth mingled within him. Elizabeth hadn't changed.
Melissa was the first to answer. Her voice was quiet but firm. "Sister Margaret has been acting strangely lately, ever since her sister died. At first, we thought her sister's wedding would be the happiest day. Miss Madeline was getting married and about to start a new life. But the next day..." Melissa paused and swallowed hard. "They were found dead. She and her husband."
William turned back, his eyes sharpening. He didn't interrupt; he just let the information sink in.
"And Sister Margaret said," Melissa continued, "that her sister was killed by the devil."
Elizabeth's brow furrowed. "If that's the case, what's so strange about her?"
Melissa looked down for a moment, then softly said, "Sister Margaret never misses chapel. She prays every day. But last week, she didn't show up at all one day. She didn't attend the service and wasn't seen in the chapel. All we know is that she went out at night. We were afraid to go outside, so we just peeked out the window."
She bit her lip and hesitated before continuing.
"Today, we ventured to follow her. She went to a church called Sanctum Misericordiae. But as soon as we entered, she was gone. Nowhere. As if she had simply vanished."
William closed his eyes for a moment. It's impossible for Sister Margaret to act so strangely without reason. Especially considering the pattern of murders targeting married couples. There had to be a motive. There had to be.
Revenge?
That possibility crossed his mind. So far, all the victims had been commoners—middle and lower class. Not a single one had been from the nobility. And the Order? They had let it slide. Perhaps it was just a commoner's problem to them.
Elizabeth sighed softly, her face growing serious.
"That makes fifty-one couples who have fallen victim. All of them are commoners."
His eyes glinted as he tried to find the common thread in the still-obscure knot.
"Louis," he said finally. "What do you think?"
Louis answered calmly, as always. "If the attacker were an ordinary citizen, there are only two possibilities. First, the demon appeared out of revenge and anger. Second, someone summoned it for a specific purpose. Both are possible."
William opened his eyes and finally spoke. His tone was calm yet sharp.
"I choose the second option."
Elizabeth and Louis turned their heads toward him simultaneously.
"I choose the second option."
William's tone was light and almost playful.
Instinctively, Elizabeth and Louis turned to him.
"Any reason?" Louis asked, his voice deep and judgmental.
William merely shrugged briefly. "Just a hunch. There's no definitive reason."
That answer seemed too trivial for a case that had claimed dozens of lives. Louis's gaze hardened as he assessed the man before him. He clearly disliked the recklessness, but chose to remain silent. Elizabeth smiled faintly, a light laugh escaping her lips like a cool breeze in the thick air.
"Then," she said softly, "let us investigate further."
She then turned to the two teenagers standing next to her. "Melissa and Arthur, You should return to the orphanage. This place is dangerous."
Arthur interrupted quickly, his face scowling. "We want to stay here! We're worried about Sister Margaret. Besides, why didn't Miss Elizabeth send her away too?" He pointed at William, his voice full of protest.
William turned slowly, raising his eyebrows halfway. The boy clearly had no idea whom he was challenging.
Elizabeth patted Arthur's shoulder and spoke calmly. "Your brother can take care of himself. We need him for our investigation."
William remained silent, but inwardly, he agreed. He didn't have time—let alone the energy—to care for a stubborn child and a shy girl amid the threat of demons.
Finally, though reluctantly, Arthur nodded. Melissa bowed her head and followed him. Louis prepared to escort them both back to the orphanage. But before they left, Melissa gripped Elizabeth's hand tightly.
"Please, Miss Elizabeth, find Sister Margaret. We're truly worried about her."
Elizabeth gently stroked the girl's hair, smiling warmly and reassuringly. "Don't worry. We'll find her."
William watched the interaction silently. There was something about the way Elizabeth spoke to and touched others—kind, gentle, and human. Too human. He looked away, reluctant to look any longer.
---
They finally stood outside the Sanctum Misericordiae. Night enveloped the stone building, its bell tower looming cold and silent, as if holding its breath. William could feel the thick silence as if time had stopped in this place.
"We have little information," Elizabeth said, staring at the church's large wooden doors engraved with ancient symbols. "All the victims were married couples. The murder scene was always the church. And this church...is the spot."
William followed Elizabeth as they entered. Candlelight danced among the empty pews. There was no sound. No demonic aura. Only an eerie silence remained.
He looked up. The high ceilings were blackened with age. The smell of extinguished candles lingered in the air, mingling with the dust and dampness of the old stone.
"This church was built by the noble Roselle family," William whispered. "They hoped this place would be a bridge between the nobility and the common people."
Elizabeth turned, slightly surprised. "Do you know its history?"
William shrugged slightly. "I'm interested in interesting things."
Elizabeth smiled slightly. "But its history has nothing to do with this case."
William stepped closer until they were almost too close. His gaze was penetrating, and his voice was low. "Are you sure? What if there is a connection?"
Elizabeth held her breath for a moment, then answered calmly, though a hint of awkwardness crossed her face. "Before coming here, I requested data from the Order of the Hall of Literature. They are experts in archives and chronicles. According to them, there is no connection between the founding of this church, the Roselle family, and the victims. They were all commoners with no ties to the nobility."
William smiled faintly and nodded in acceptance, though his doubts remained. He had never fully trusted written records, including those of the Royal Order of Valmorra.