In Olek's room on the second floor of the Hound's Home.

One after another of Olek's personal belongings were overturned - leather breast binding straps, thick fur belly wraps to increase waist size, sausage-stuffed underwear emitting suspicious odors of sweat. They silently revealed Olek's cross-dressing habits.

Shabolai stared blankly at the sausage-filled underwear, mumbling to himself, "No wonder I didn't notice for so many days. This fellow was disguising himself so meticulously."

Harryk was also in the room, his face filled with relieved delight at their narrow escape. "Thank goodness, thank goodness. I've lost all faith in women by now - if it was the old me, I probably would have become a seduced target as well."

Rosen didn't speak. He continued searching the room, leaving not even the tiniest corner overlooked. From his actions, it seemed he intended to flip over every inch of the floor.

After a while, Shabolai recovered somewhat from the shock, surreptitiously wiping away the cold sweat on his brow. "I've drunk with her before, even gotten dead drunk. And we often discussed case details. Now when I think back on it, it makes my entire body break out in chills."

Seeing Rosen still searching, he asked puzzledly, "Rosen, what on earth are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for evidence, sufficient proof that Olek is the hidden mastermind."

Shabolai held up the red little book. "Isn't this evidence sufficient? The blood sacrificial rituals recorded here are exactly identical to how the victims died!"

He flipped to the corresponding page and read aloud, "With the hottest blood of man as lure, offer up the sweetest souls to the King of Endless Winter..."

"Just listening to these words, you can feel how utterly evil they are."

By now, Rosen had already searched the entire room yet still didn't find any familiar fingerprints - or more accurately, no fingerprints at all.

"Olek has no fingerprints... Could this fellow be a ghost?"

He had clearly seen Olek grasp the bare bronze door handle earlier, without gloves. Yet it was smooth as glass, with not a single print or drop of sweat.

Moreover, the abnormalities didn't stop there.

In the room, Rosen also didn't find any fallen hairs or flakes of dead skin, not on the floor or even the bedding Olek slept on!

It was eerily bizarre, almost frightening.

Feeling Shabolai and Harryk's inquiring gazes, Rosen didn't want to make a big deal of it. He just smiled and said, "I just find it odd and wanted to understand Olek better."

Harryk dismissed it indifferently, "What's there to understand about a murderer? The most important thing now is to find the constable and restore your teacher's reputation."

Rosen nodded, "You're right, that's the most pressing matter. My teacher has suffered terrible injustice."

Shabolai nodded repeatedly, "Exactly, exactly! I felt it was fishy too. Although Sullandy has gone mad, he wouldn't do something so foolish."

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Harryk muttered under his breath, "Wonder who was the one swearing up and down last night that he'd catch Sullandy."

Shabolai's chubby face flashed embarrassment, pretending not to hear.

He asked, "So Rosen, shall we get going?"

"Sure."

Shabolai retrieved a parcel and dumped everything in the room into it wholesale, slinging the bundle onto his back before departing.

Rosen hurried to follow along.

After walking some distance, Shabolai suddenly sighed, a forlorn look on his face. "I really didn't expect Olek to be this kind of person. It's so hard to know someone's true nature!"

He thought he'd made a good friend, but it turned out to be a despicable, cruel monster.

Rosen didn't speak, just reached out to pat Shabolai's arm comfortingly.

Around two in the afternoon, they arrived at the South City Constabulary. Shabolai placed the Blood Sacrifice Grimoire and evidence on the table, explaining the situation to Constable Rafale.

The constable immediately believed him, due to the sinister grimoire and revealing crossdressing props, but also Shabolai's noble status as the Earl's nephew.

Very quickly, the arrest warrant for Sullandy was cancelled and replaced with a restricted movement order, demanding he report to the city hall within three days for questioning. At the same time, a bounty was posted for Olek.

Upon leaving, Shabolai said, "This involves a credentialed mage, so we still have to report to the Mage Society."

This was precisely Rosen's intention, and he immediately nodded, "No problem. It's getting late, let's set off now."

On the way, halfway there, Rosen suddenly halted.

Shabolai walked a few steps before realizing. He turned back, "Why'd you stop?"

Rosen smiled faintly, glancing at an old beggar woman sitting beneath a mulberry tree.

Shabolai followed his gaze, "Beggars like her are everywhere. Don't give money, just buy her some food."

Rosen laughed out loud, "Uncle, you really ought to get reading glasses."

"What do you mean?" Shabolai listened, puzzled. "My eyes are perfectly fine! I can discern from ten miles away whether a young lass is chaste or not."

Rosen chuckled and strode swiftly toward the beggar. With one hand over his chest, he bowed respectfully, "Teacher, thank you for protecting me."

The old beggar froze, then laughed clearly. "My dearest student, how did you recognize me?"

Rosen smiled, pointing at his forehead, "Teacher, you've been by my side this entire day."

The 'old beggar' removed her wig and mask, shaking out a mane of lustrous, fiery red hair - none other than Anna Sullandy.

At the side, Shabolai's jaw dropped in shock.

Sullandy smiled, "Shabolai, I must thank you for bringing me such an outstanding student. Otherwise, I really would have been in trouble this time."

Rosen smiled, "Teacher, if not for you secretly protecting me, I wouldn't have dared investigate recklessly either. And I believe for you, this was just a minor problem."

As she spoke, her garnet eyes gazed softly at Rosen.

Then, ignoring Shabolai and passersby, she leaned down to kiss Rosen on the lips.

Kissing in public like this was a major impropriety, something that would get a person viciously scolded.

Rosen's instinct was to dodge, but Sullandy held his head in place. He could only passively accept it.

At the prolonged kiss, Rosen suddenly felt a wicked urge. Secretly, he stuck out his tongue to lick, expecting punishment, but astonishingly, Sullandy reciprocated.

Rosen's heartbeat accelerated rapidly. If on Earth, his hands definitely wouldn't stay idle, but facing the powerful teacher, he didn't dare be too brazen.

After continuing several more seconds, Sullandy released her restraint. Gazing steadily at Rosen, she leaned in and whispered, "When we get home later, I'll give you a big reward."

At the side, Shabolai's jaw fully dropped to the ground now. He pointed shakily at them, his finger quivering nonstop.

Sullandy glanced at Shabolai, helpless. "I'm afraid I don't like men shorter than me, my dearest student is the exception."

Shabolai, half a head shorter, nearly spat blood right there.

Seeing it was getting late, Rosen reminded, "Uncle, Teacher, we still have to stop by the Mage Society."

Shabolai sighed longly, barely regaining his complexion. He shook his hand vigorously, trying to shake away his dejection over his height.

"Miss Sullandy, let's go together. At the Society, you can personally explain your grievance to Mr. Ferren."

Mr. Ferren, an apex 15-star high mage, was second only to Archmage Omisiya in prestige and prowess. As a mid-rank mage implicated in murder, Sullandy needed his support most. If Mr. Ferren believed her innocent, practically no one would question it.

Afterwards, they only needed to notify the constable to immediately revoke her movement restrictions.

Sullandy smiled faintly, "I was thinking the same."