"Welcome. It seems you have finally recovered."

Yuder greeted Nathan Zuckerman with a nod, responding to his indifferent greeting. Nathan Zuckerman had been staying in an empty house in the village, dressed like an ordinary mercenary.

Though his face remained stoic as if nothing had happened, Yuder vaguely remembered him from the time of his heat, when only Kishiar and nothing else seemed to matter. At the time, he hadn't cared about anyone else, but looking back, he realized how embarrassing the situation must have been for Nathan.

‘But what can I do…’

What happened had happened. Even in his previous life, he had embarrassed himself before Nathan, but this time felt completely different.

This was partly due to what Kishiar had told him just before coming here.

"I hope you won't feel sorry or ashamed about Nathan. Unforeseen events can happen to anyone, and Nathan was well aware of the possibility before coming."

Yuder knew that his heat was approaching even before leaving the capital. Kishiar had included Nathan Zuckerman in the group in anticipation of such an event, and the loyal knight had perfectly handled the aftermath.

"So, when you meet Nathan again, express your gratitude, not an apology. Nathan would prefer that."

Following Kishiar's advice, Yuder decided to thank Nathan first.

"Thanks to Sir Zuckerman taking care of things, I was able to recover completely and return. Thank you."

A fleeting emotion crossed Nathan Zuckerman's dark navy eyes. The knight hesitated as if to speak, then shook his head politely.

"…No. I haven't done anything significant to deserve thanks."

"I'm curious about your standard for something significant. From my perspective, what you did was indeed significant."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Hahaha. Anyway, thank you, Nathan."

Kishiar, with a playful glint in his eyes, smiled and patted Nathan Zuckerman's shoulder. This eased the atmosphere among the three. The casual, comfortable air felt strangely new and intriguing to Yuder, unlike when he left things in the hands of comrades like Kanna and Gakane. Entrusting someone like Nathan Zuckerman silently felt different.

Perhaps Kishiar said no more words were needed so Yuder could experience this feeling.

"Then please come in. I'll give you a proper report of what I've seen and heard in the village."

"Alright."

Nathan Zuckerman began to explain in his characteristic silent manner.

"As you've seen on your way here, this mountain village is really ordinary and small. It belongs to a lord beyond the mountains, but it's far away, and the total population barely reaches a hundred. Most residents specialize in gathering herbs unique to this place or serve travelers who come to see the famous lake atop Mount Guanamar."

"Yes, that's why I pretended to be a mercenary here to see the lake and rented this house. Wandering around daily didn't arouse much suspicion. People say this time of the year is the most beautiful."

"Hmm, winter being the peak season... That raises a peculiar point."

Kishiar looked at Nathan Zuckerman and Yuder as if he expected they had already realized this. Yuder recalled the information about the village that Kishiar had shared with him earlier.

"A few years ago, some relatives of the Diarca Duchy came here to spend the summer, you said."

"Yes."

"If it was for sightseeing, they should have come in the early winter like now, and if it was to spend the leisure summer, there would have been many other better places than here, so I’m curious as to why they came."

"Exactly."

Kishiar's eyes lit up, signaling he had found the right answer.

"I also found that suspicious and asked the villagers. Loosening their guard over drinks, many remembered them for that reason."

Nathan Zuckerman continued quietly.

"According to the villagers, they came to spend the summer but didn’t seem to enjoy the surroundings much. They returned earlier than planned after a few days of touring with guides. One guide who went down to the village at the mountain's base is due back today, so I plan to meet her."

"Hmm."

Kishiar's eyes sparkled with cool interest.

"Indeed suspicious. Good. Did you also find out more about the Crown Prince refining poison mushrooms here?"

"Yes. Actually, that's the most important part I wanted to discuss."

Before continuing, Nathan Zuckerman glanced around cautiously. Despite being a swordmaster with superior senses, his vigilance showed his well-trained discipline as a knight. Yuder, having once led numerous members, highly regarded Nathan's caution.

"I decided a direct approach wouldn't be wise to uncover that matter. So, I hinted to the local herbalists about wanting to buy herbs that could be gathered around that time, asking indirectly about events during that period."

"A wise approach. So, what happened then?"

"A villager had died."

Nathan Zuckerman replied with an expressionless face.

"One herbalist went out to gather herbs and was found brutally murdered in the mountains. It was right before the harvest festival. Soldiers sent by the lord concluded he was killed by a beast, but the villagers seemed to think otherwise."

"They suspected murder?"

"Yes."

According to Nathan, the unfortunate herbalist who died around the harvest time was a young man born and raised in the village. He was cheerful and well-regarded among the villagers, with no known personal grudges.

"This Mount Guanamar doesn’t have beasts dangerous enough to harm people. There were no similar incidents before or after the herbalist's death."

If it were a dangerous place, nobles wouldn't come to see the lake. Most nobles Yuder knew always frequented only the safest and most comfortable places.

"The villagers mentioned that before his death, the herbalist frequently went down the mountain to meet someone. He said it was a merchant to sell herbs to, but no one in the village had ever seen this merchant."

"A mysterious herb merchant who's never been seen and a murdered herbalist."

There was a highly suspicious air about it. Everyone was likely thinking the same thing.

"I assumed the merchant's identity might be linked to the servant the Crown Prince had sent to the village and tried to dig deeper, but those I met knew nothing about it. However, someone suggested the deceased's family might know."

"Have you met his family?"

Yuder asked. Nathan Zuckerman shook his head.

"That person is the same one I mentioned earlier, who had guided the Diarca relatives. That's why I haven't met her yet."

"She was supposed to return today, wasn’t she?"

Kishiar interjected.

"Yes."

"That's fortunate. We should join you when you meet her."

Yuder recalled the blood-stained Dudureli mushroom sack he brought from the cabin. It was well-packed and stored in his baggage.