Chapter 93: The Weeping Woman (3)
The children's faces were completely expressionless.
Dozens of eyes stared motionlessly at them, not even blinking. A chill ran down Philip and Veronica's spines.
"You’re here to take us back, aren’t you?"
One of the children spoke first. It was Yeren, the leader of Denain’s gang who had been listed among the missing persons.
Relieved that communication was possible, Philip responded, "That’s right. Melom and Denain are looking for you. Actually, not just them—others are worried too—"
"No need. Go back. We like it here."
"Huh?"
At Yeren’s words, the other children nodded in unison.
"Right. We don’t plan on going back."
"Madame Renia treats us well. She gives us delicious meals, teaches us to read, and dresses us in nice clothes."
"It’s incomparable to living on the streets. Mmm."
The children continued praising Madame Renia’s kindness and the benefits of mansion life. What was surprising was that Petro, who had been kidnapped just last night, was acting the same way.
"Even Petro... Changing like that overnight is strange," Veronica whispered.
Ray and Philip shared her opinion.
"Madame Renia, what have you done to them... No, what conditions did you set? I can’t understand why you’d clothe, house, and feed them without asking anything in return."
The children’s faces immediately turned fierce at Philip’s question.
"That’s ridiculous! There are no conditions!"
"Watch your words. Madame Renia is a kind person. She genuinely cares for us with a warm heart."
Some children stood up excitedly and slammed the table.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. I misspoke," Philip apologized.
The children settled down and resumed praising Madame Renia and the mansion.
"I don’t want to disappoint Madame Renia. I want to make her happy."
"Same here. I hope this mansion lasts forever."
The happiness and satisfaction on their faces seemed genuine—at least to Philip and Veronica.
Madame Renia returned with tea utensils, concluding the meal.
"Thank you for the meal!"
"We ate well today! Madame! It was delicious!"
The children scattered to their assigned chores—laundry, cleaning, dishwashing. After clearing the table, only Madame Renia and the group remained in the dining room.
Clink—
"How was everyone’s meal?" she asked generally, though her gaze was fixed on Ray.
During tea afterward, most questions were directed at him too:
"Did you like magic since childhood?"
"Do you have any favorite foods?"
"I’m curious how you lived on the streets."
The questions multiplied whenever Ray answered or deflected—as if she wanted to know everything about him endlessly.
‘The emotions she’s showing are regret... and obsession...’
Ray answered her questions while observing her emotions. Nothing new—these had been present when she looked at the other children too. But the intensity of the two emotions she now directed at him...
‘...Is far greater. Compared to when she looks at the others.’
Why?
Why this difference?
What set him apart from the other children?
"Let’s end here today. I have matters to attend to," said Madame Renia (though her question was clearly meant for Ray). "Shall we dine together tomorrow?"
There was no reason to refuse. They’d learned almost nothing about Madame Renia or the mansion today.
"Yes. Let’s eat together tomorrow."
"Good. I’ll prepare even tastier dishes."
Madame Renia smiled as she escorted them out.
The group returned to their lodings, each wrestling with their own confusion.
Particularly Philip, whose geurut harbored an unconscious resentment—a pang of hurt that this potential mother figure showed no interest in him. Yet even he didn’t understand why he felt this way.
"It doesn’t make sense. Even if mansion life is comfortable, switching loyalties instantly? Petro was searching for missing kids just yesterday! How can he abandon his friends like that?"
Philip scratched his head vigorously.
"You said she’s a mage, right? Maybe she’s using mind-control magic or something."
"Hmm... I’ve never heard of magic that controls minds," Veronica said, picking up Nero who’d been waiting outside. She glanced at Ray for confirmation.
"Veronica’s right. Madame Renia didn’t use magic."
"So they chose this voluntarily?"
"No."
Ray stopped walking. He turned to face the mansion.
"Their geuruts held no emotions at all."
●
The children’s geuruts Ray observed were completely empty.
From the moment they first met in the dining room.
Until the meal ended.
"But they didn’t act like it! They laughed, got angry... Are you sure you didn’t misread—"
"No. All eighteen were like that."
Seeing their hollow geuruts, Ray first thought of his own.
‘Just like my usual geurut. Completely empty.’
Yet there was a clear difference.
The children acted as if they had emotions—naturally, effortlessly.
How?
It was clear Madame Renia had used some trick on them.
‘...If not magic.’
Only one possibility came to mind:
Merkred and the Doctor.
The Doctor was said to possess the ability to manipulate others’ emotions. But that was fragmented intel—he might have greater powers, like stripping emotions entirely to create puppets.
This incident’s potential link to the Doctor lingered uncomfortably in Ray’s thoughts.
‘It’d help to get more info about the Doctor from Curiosa...’
He hadn’t encountered Curiosa since their last meeting. Unlike other executives, Walter’s ring couldn’t locate her—she’d likely modified the binding spell to block tracking.
Yet Ray was certain:
Curiosa was hiding somewhere, watching.
‘I could summon her if I tried.’
But exchanging more information with her beyond their previous encounter was risky. The moment her curiosity was satisfied, she’d attack without mercy.
Additional information exchange would only happen once we had enough force to match him.
That time had to come.
*
The next day at lunch.
The group returned to the mansion.
They sat around the banquet table and began eating with Lady Renia and 18 children.
“Isn’t life on the streets hard?”
Lady Renia continued directing most of her questions at Ray.
“I’ll teach you that later. I learned it from the Lady.”
“Good. Today’s role assignments are…”
The children continued eating calmly while conversing.
Veronica, who had been scanning the children, shot Ray a panicked look.
‘Dnain isn’t here!’
Last night, another had gone missing.
None other than Dnain, the gang’s leader.
‘Exactly. Ray confirmed it. The red light that swallowed Dnain was heading toward this mansion too.’
Philip was equally bewildered.
He’d thought the kidnapped Dnain would appear at today’s meal, just like Petro had.
“…….”
Ray used binding magic to confirm Dnain’s location.
Dnain’s presence remained motionless in a room not far away.
One of two possibilities:
Either unconscious.
Or restrained.
‘What’s the purpose behind abducting children?’
If it were to absorb their life force like Walter and strengthen oneself, it would’ve been easily understandable.
But no malice reflected in Lady Renia’s gaze as she watched the children.
Though hints of anger and hatred were visible, they weren’t directed at those present.
“Would you like to try this? It’s a dish I prepared specially for you all.”
Lady Renia then served portions onto their plates.
A pork dish with fresh vegetables—mouthwatering in appearance, yet none of the other children touched it.
‘There are sleeping pills in it.’
Ray realized instantly.
Even without seeing the guilt and worry in Lady Renia’s expression, he knew.
Their network had reported her visiting a pharmacy yesterday:
「Metaalphemine? Curotinole? Just ordinary fever reducers and headache meds? Why buy these?」
「Right. She didn’t seem ill yesterday. Does one of the kids have a cold?」
Ray answered:
「Sleeping pills.」
「Huh?」
「Crush them, mix with a few grocery items, and you can make sedatives. Common back-alley method.」
Over-the-counter sleeping pills were weak—barely sleep aids.
But bootleg versions knocked users out within seconds and were potent enough to erase memory.
Hence their nickname: Blackout.
‘But how…?’
A small doubt arose.
How did Lady Renia know back-alley methods?
She appeared nothing but an upper-class noblewoman.
“Come now, eat up. It loses flavor when cold.”
“…….”
Her subtle urging continued.
Ray stared at the meat speared on his fork.
‘The sedative’s likely in the sauce.’
This was familiar territory.
He’d both made and been targeted by Blackout before.
He also knew the countermeasure:
‘Just take a resistance drug beforehand.’
White.
A compound that neutralized Blackout’s effects.
Similarly easy to make by combining specific pharmacy items with groceries.
And before arriving, they’d all taken White.
“Now, go ahead. It’s delicious.”
Lady Renia’s voice was soft yet carried weight.
The surroundings had grown quiet; all eyes were on them.
Philip and Veronica too had noticed the drugged food and waited for Ray’s decision.
‘…To get information from Lady Renia—’
The most straightforward method was subduing her by force.
But he hesitated.
Not because she was a Second-Circle mage making victory uncertain?
Nor his principle against retaliation unless provoked?
Nor fear Curiosa might be watching?
None of those.
It was solely because Lady Renia might be Philip’s mother.
‘The odds are astronomically low based on circumstances.’
Yet Philip clung to hope—or delusion.
Ray didn’t want to crush that hope.
No matter how insignificant it might seem.
‘…….’
Then discomfort prickled at him.
‘Don’t want to crush it? Why?’
Efficiency demanded force.
Subduing her was possible even without provocation; teamwork with Veronica ensured high odds.
Philip already accepted how unlikely her being his mother was.
So why this urge to respect—not trample—Philip’s hope?
“…….”
Confusion lingered.
But his immediate course was clear.
Plop.
He dunked the meat into sauce and raised it.
To play along was necessary.
To reach her true self—
Chomp!
Rich juices and sweet sauce flooded his mouth.
