Isaac had heard rumors from royals and nobles who had previously stayed at the Heilen Villa that the Chamberlain in charge of managing the estate was highly competent. And indeed, those words were true.

The Prince had made the decision to go to Heilen during the evening banquet. And he arrived in Heilen less than a full day later. It had barely been a few hours since the messenger, who had ridden through the night immediately after the banquet, delivered the news that ‘His Highness the Prince is coming,’ when the Prince himself came storming in. There was likely no other precedent for a royal traveling to another region with such lightning speed.

From the perspective of the Heilen Villa, they were suddenly receiving their master like a bolt from the blue after a period of leisurely inactivity. One could only imagine how frantically busy they must have been trying to clean and prepare everything in just a few short hours. Generally, it takes at least a week or two to properly prepare to receive a royal noble; having to do it in half a day meant the Chamberlain must have been moving at a blinding pace.

“And yet, for everything to be set up so flawlessly without a single flaw to be found…… the rumors about the Heilen Chamberlain’s competence weren’t empty words.”

Isaac muttered to himself as he slurped down his meat stew.

The Prince had arrived in Heilen before the sun had even set. If one departed the capital in the morning, it usually took a full day of riding to arrive sometime the following morning. Yet the Prince had reached Heilen while the sun was still in the sky, and right on his heels, Isaac had arrived looking like a corpse ready to drop dead from exhaustion. As for the rest of the servants, despite riding as if their lives depended on it, they fell significantly behind and only reached Heilen in the dead of night.

The staff at Heilen were greatly shocked and flustered to receive the Prince much earlier than expected, but true to the rumors, the competent Chamberlain greeted them calmly without showing the slightest hint of panic, and there was no shortage of preparations. They had even immaculately prepared a room for the escort right next to the Prince’s bedchamber without a speck of dust, fully stocked with all the basic clothing and necessities a guard who arrived empty-handed would need. Let alone the preparations for the Prince himself.

“Even the items prepared in advance for the escort are of better quality than what I usually use…… Mmm, very good. Very nice.”

He had heard that the other servants had to deal with some unorganized areas when they arrived, but to prioritize the essentials so perfectly that the higher-ups couldn’t find a single fault was truly remarkable.

Isaac muttered as he ran his hands over the guard uniform prepared in the wardrobe. As it was brand new, it looked much sharper and more stylish than Isaac’s old uniform. He had tried it on last night and found the sizing a bit off, but the new one brought to him this morning fit perfectly. The spare pajamas, toiletries, and personal items were all better than the ones Isaac originally owned.

Everything was simply excellent.

Furthermore, Heilen itself was a wonderful place. Everyone who had ever visited Heilen unanimously praised it as a beautiful place, and it seemed those weren’t empty words. Unlike the capital, where cold winds had already begun to blow in the mornings and evenings, Heilen, known for its mild climate year-round, didn’t even have a large temperature gap between day and night. It was the perfect weather—neither too cold nor too hot from morning to evening.
Moreover, having only arrived yesterday, he hadn’t interacted with everyone yet, but all the people Isaac had met so far were kind and gentle. It was said that the people of Heilen had dispositions as mild as the weather, and it seemed to be true. Of course, because of the rumors surrounding Prince Kyan, there were occasional nervous and anxious glances directed at the Prince even here in Heilen. However, perhaps because they had only heard the rumors and hadn’t experienced his terror firsthand, the people’s gazes were closer to reverence than pure fear, which allowed Isaac to breathe a sigh of relief as well.

Surrounded by forests and lakes, Heilen boasted stunning natural scenery, but it was also correspondingly less developed, often earning it the moniker of a ‘rustic backwater’ among the capital’s denizens. However, it was also a place cherished and loved by royals who wished to stay quietly in nature. It suited Isaac’s personality much better than the always crowded and complicated capital.

Yes, everything about Heilen was wonderful.

However, if he absolutely had to force himself to point out a single point of dissatisfaction……

“Is the stew to your liking?”

At some point, a young servant approached Isaac’s side and asked with a beaming smile. In one hand, he carried a tray with a glass on it. The vibrant green liquid inside, which looked incredibly healthy and entirely devoid of taste, was undoubtedly vegetable extract. Isaac stared at the glass of green juice with bleak eyes before scooping up another spoonful of stew.

“Yes, it’s very delicious…… I’ve never had such a rich and fatty stew before.”

It hadn’t even been two hours since he ate breakfast, yet having a meat stew served as a ‘snack’ was a first for him. And to top it off, serving a stew in a bowl the size of a washbasin—this is going to make me violently fat, Isaac grumbled internally as he pondered where in his single stomach he was supposed to shove that green juice the servant had brought.

Taking the glass from the servant, Isaac set it aside to drink later, but the servant, keeping his bright smile, spoke firmly.

“I was told to ensure you drink it all properly.”

“…….”

“From the rumors, I heard Prince Kyan was a truly terrifying figure, but in reality, he seems to be an incredibly caring person. I was so deeply moved that he looks after even the smallest details of his subordinates. To think he would even prepare snacks, saying you needed to build up your stamina.”

“Wait, did he actually say stamina?” Regardless, listening to the servant add to his praises, Isaac could only offer a vague, awkward smile.

Since arriving in Heilen, Isaac had been receiving a tremendous amount of ‘special consideration’. It was a consideration that felt like it would bring about a severe gastrointestinal disorder before it ever built up his stamina.

Yesterday evening, right as the sun was setting, the Prince had received a polite and formal greeting from the Chamberlain and all the staff of the villa as he was about to enter.

In the midst of that, Isaac arrived, kicking up dust and stumbling in behind him. Completely exhausted and battered, he practically crawled off his horse. While everyone looked at Isaac in confusion, Isaac had let out a faint smile, almost like a sigh of relief, upon seeing the Prince staring blankly at him. After desperately chasing after him, seeing him like that brought a sudden wave of gladness. The Prince’s brow had twitched very faintly before settling.

‘Excuse me……’

At that moment, the Chamberlain stepped forward and asked Isaac, and only then did Isaac straighten his posture and look at the people around him.

‘We are meeting for the first time. I hold the position of Prince Kyan’s escort guard. My name is Isaac.’

‘I see. It is a pleasure to meet you. You must have suffered greatly on your journey here. Welcome to Heilen. But what about the others…..?’

‘Ah, they will probably be quite late. Tonight, or perhaps tomorrow……’

While the Chamberlain and Isaac exchanged greetings, the Prince, who had been silently watching Isaac, turned his steps. As the Prince headed into the villa guided by the Chamberlain’s attendants, he gave a light gesture with his chin toward Isaac.

‘Give him something to eat. Something soft, since he cannot chew hard things properly.’

Isaac’s complexion must have looked exceptionally haggard and pale. While Isaac was greatly surprised that the Prince would show such delicate consideration for him, the Chamberlain nodded without a word of protest. As soon as Isaac was guided to his room, he was served a piping hot potage, soft white bread, thoroughly steamed fish, and even a glass of wine, eating his absolute fill. And that was his last memory of the day; his exhausted, battered body melted into the warm, delicious food, and sleep poured over him. After sleeping so deeply and satisfyingly, Isaac woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had in a long time, but……

“We are currently preparing your lunch with exceptionally nutritious and soft foods with the utmost care. Furthermore, if there is anything else you wish to eat, please let me know at any time.”

“…….”

Gulp. Forcing down another mouthful of the stew that still half-filled the massive bowl, Isaac swept a hand over his stomach. Just hearing the word ‘lunch’ made his stomach churn.

It had all started the moment he opened his eyes this morning to find a massive, three-tiered tray piled high with a lavish feast right in front of him. Isaac, completely bewildered, asked, ‘Am I eating breakfast with the others here?’, to which the servant smiled casually and replied, ‘No, this is for the escort guard to eat. Prince Kyan gave the order.’ When Isaac heard that, a suspicious and ominous premonition washed over him. Furthermore, it turned out that wasn’t even breakfast. It was food meant to ‘lightly fill the stomach’ before getting up to wash and prepare for the day’s duties. Later, he had to forcefully shove down the actual breakfast prepared in the dining hall until he was so full he could barely breathe. When he tried to leave some behind, the servant strongly insisted, ‘His Highness ordered us to make sure you eat every last bite……’ leaving him no choice.

Even a pig being raised for slaughter wouldn’t eat this much. No, more importantly, this isn’t how you build stamina……

Whether he knew Isaac was forcing the food down with tears in his eyes or not, the servant smiled warmly and praised the Prince.

“They say our Prince is the hero of a generation, and to think he looks after his subordinates so well; you must be very happy to have such a good master. Our Lord is also a generous and good master to his subordinates, but he does not look after us in such minute detail.”

“Ah, yes, he does give off a very virtuous and benevolent impression.”

“Yes, he is a good person. He is a bit ambitious, but he doesn’t treat his subordinates harshly.”

At the part about being ‘a bit ambitious’, the servant lowered his voice and sneaked a glance out the window. The window to the reception room wasn’t far away, though it wasn’t close enough to hear normal conversation.

Currently, the Lord of Heilen was visiting the villa to greet the Prince, bringing his daughter along. It wasn’t uncommon for a high-ranking noble to bring his family to greet a visiting dignitary in their territory, but the Lord had dressed his daughter up beautifully and was blatantly pushing her to the forefront. Anyone could see he had the position of Princess Consort in mind, yet the Lord acted completely bold, without a hint of hesitation.

It was true that while the title of Lord of Heilen wasn’t the highest, his bloodline was pure. However, it still felt slightly lacking for a Princess Consort, though not enough to be an absolute dealbreaker. Besides, if it caught the Prince’s fancy, even if he brought in a commoner woman from some remote mountain village, who would dare oppose him? The King and Queen would surely just say, ‘Do as you please,’ and leave him to it.

The reason the Prince remained unmarried until now was not because no one coveted the position of Princess Consort.

He was the Prince who would become the next King. There was no way talks of marriage hadn’t circulated among the ministers. As soon as the Prince returned from the borderlands, the greedy ministers had flocked to him, subtly bringing up the topic of marriage.

‘Do as you please.’

The Prince, who was widely rumored to have a cold and terrifying temperament, showed his annoyance at being bothered, but surprisingly agreed readily. The ministers, their eyes gleaming, busied themselves mentally calculating the prospects of their own daughters, nieces, and granddaughters.

‘Then, what kind of lady would please you?’

As the ministers asked, the Prince looked out the window with a bored expression before shifting his gaze to a young male servant standing by the door. The moment the servant, who had been standing quietly, made eye contact with the Prince, he hurriedly approached. ‘Suck it,’ as soon as the Prince spoke a single word, the boy servant unhesitatingly knelt at his feet, unfastened the Prince’s trousers, and buried his face in his crotch.

Although the main act was obscured by the table, there was no one in the palace who didn’t already know the Prince had such inclinations. However, the ministers simply shut their mouths and cleared their throats at the scene unfolding right in front of them, while the Prince looked at them with utter indifference, paying no mind to what was happening beneath him.

‘I don’t care what kind of woman she is. To me, the only difference is who will be doing this from now on. However, she must be as sturdy as possible, to last even a little longer. Wouldn’t it be a hassle to bring in a new Princess Consort every few months?’

In an instant, silence fell over the room. ‘Well, who are the candidates?’ the Prince asked again, but the ministers, with somber faces, couldn’t offer a single reply. Not only did they need a body sturdy enough to withstand the famously towering Prince, but having to endure that role exactly as it was would mean abandoning all dignity and decorum. No matter how coveted the position of Princess Consort or future Queen was, there was no noble virgin who would take that seat if it meant enduring such humiliation.

‘W-Well…… Naturally, women’s bodies are bound to weaken easily if exhausted. How about we limit her role to preserving your lineage, and you keep someone separate to attend to your… needs, as you do now……’

‘Why should I take a Consort who cannot fulfill her role?’

‘…….’

The ministers became as mute as if they had eaten honey. Staring at them, the Prince spoke.

‘Nevertheless, if anyone catches my eye who can properly weather it all, I might consider marriage then..….’

With that, the talks of the Prince’s marriage came to an end. Since then, someone would occasionally bring it up like an idle daydream, saying, ‘His Highness should take a Consort soon,’ but no one stepped forward to volunteer for the position. And rightfully so—what woman in the world would volunteer, saying she would strip off her undergarments and drop to her knees whenever a man wanted, regardless of time or place, whether people were watching or not?

Yet, despite all this, and there was no way such rumors hadn’t reached a neighborhood known for fast talk, seeing him bring his daughter to visit, the Lord of Heilen truly must have been deeply ambitious. His daughter also seemed to be exceptionally bold.

“Still, the Lord’s daughter is quite a beauty. She also fits the physical preferences Prince Kyan favors.”

As Isaac muttered, recalling the brilliantly beautiful daughter who had followed the Lord into the reception room, the servant looked pleased, saying, “Is that so?”

“There must truly be many beautiful women in Heilen. The Lord’s wife is a beauty, and his daughter is a beauty as well.”

“Haha, well, well. How could this rustic place compare to the capital? Of course, there are far more refined beauties in the capital. But, well, I traveled a bit in my youth, and I think our Heilen women are, on average, more beautiful than those in most other towns.”

Isaac couldn’t tell if the look on the servant’s face was one of pride or denial. But he didn’t really intend to argue. Perhaps because the land was fertile and the air was clear, the people were generally healthy and gentle, and practically speaking, if you looked closely, even those who weren’t conventional beauties often looked attractive at first glance.

The Lord’s wife, his daughter, and even the maid who accompanied the daughter were like that. If you analyzed her features one by one, it might be a bit ambiguous to call her a true beauty, but for some reason, the eye was drawn to her as if she were one.

“The young lady attending the Lord’s daughter was also pretty. Not exactly a classic beauty in face, but she had the aura of a beauty, I should say.”

“Ah, you must mean Elie. Elie is very popular.” The servant, nodding his head, gave Isaac a subtle look before suddenly lowering his voice.

“Well, human nature is what it is, so it’s not my place to judge, but you seem like a gentle person, Sir Escort, so I will tell you this for your own good. It would be best not to give your heart too seriously to Elie. There are currently four men dating her.”

“If you’re just looking for casual fun, it’s fine though,” the servant whispered. Hearing this, Isaac lost his words for a moment. Four men at the same time? She’s a girl of immense capability.

Just then, from the wooden door on the other side of the annex, a maid peeked her head out and called for the servant. The servant turned to leave, looking back at Isaac. Still wearing his beaming smile, he glanced pointedly back and forth between the green juice he had set down next to Isaac and Isaac himself.

Under that silent pressure, just as Isaac forced himself to grab the green juice to pour it into his stomach, the brightly smiling servant, holding his empty tray, left him with the words, “Lunch will be fully prepared in about an hour.”

With the terrifying premonition that all the food going into his stomach right now would likely travel right back up his throat, Isaac groaned, “Ugh,” and covered his mouth with one hand.

‘What do I do. I only have one sip of this stew left, but I absolutely cannot eat it. Even if I’m beaten to death, I can’t eat it.’

Isaac stared at the bowl in his hand with eyes full of agony before slowly looking around. Then, he subtly pushed aside the grass behind his butt, stealthily poured the rest of the stew into the dirt, and covered it back up with soil.

「Why did you stop eating the stew and bury it?」

「Did you leave it to eat it later?」

「Tsk, tsk, how much stew is that anyway that you’d save it for later? Why is our Manbang so poor?」

「Still, if you’re this frugal, you’ll make a good husband.」

「Haiya, we really need to get our Manbang married off before he gets any older.」

“……. Once I get rid of the three extra mouths I have to feed, wouldn’t my chances of getting married go up a bit?”

「Oho——What’s the point of marriage anyway? It’s the grave of life.」

「True, true, true. Try getting married, all your free days are gone for good. Why would you do such a thing?」

“…….”

Isaac turned a chilling gaze toward the voices coming from behind him. He had absolutely no memory of bringing them from the capital, yet the sight of the three cats lurking in the grass of Heilen wasn’t even surprising anymore. That silver cage they returned to the temple suddenly felt very coveted again.

“What did you little punks steal and eat, your lips are all greasy… If you get caught stealing food from the palace kitchens, you’re in big trouble, you punks.”

Looking at the three cats who were licking their lips in satisfaction over whatever they had just eaten, Isaac clicked his tongue. At the Blue Shadow Palace, people turned a blind eye because they were the cats Isaac raised, but it was different here. If these thieving cats sneaked into the palace kitchens and got beaten with a fire poker, what would they do……

「We didn’t steal it! They gave it to us to eat?」

“What? Why?”

「Because we’re pretty.」

「Because we’re beautiful.」

「Because we’re gorgeous.」

‘Which blind fool did that……’ Isaac looked at the three of them with suspicious eyes, and the three cats looked back at Isaac with equally suspicious eyes.

「But watching you since this morning, why is that handsome guy force-feeding you so hard?」

“Probably because I’m pretty, beautiful, and gorgeous.”

「……Where does Manbang hurt……?」

The three of them whispered to each other with genuinely concerned looks before extending a tail to tap Isaac’s forehead. Even before the tip of the tail could touch him, they quickly dodged out of the way; they truly were extraordinary monsters.

“If I eat well and build up my stamina, does my energy life force improve too?”

When Isaac grumbled and rubbed his jaw, the cats shook their heads. 「Probably not? It has nothing to do with it, probably?」

“Please tell that to our Prince, please.”

「We would if we could, but he’d have to understand our words for us to tell him.」

「What’s the point of a handsome face if he can’t even understand us. Tsk, tsk, being handsome is useless.」

‘It’s a good thing he can’t understand you. If he could understand what you guys say, your heads would be chopped off immediately for lese-majeste……’ Isaac clicked his tongue.

“You guys belong in the capital, why did you follow us all the way here?”

「We didn’t follow you? We were just planning on taking a nostalgia trip to Heilen after a long time?」

「Of course. We just came back to our old stomping grounds, and you guys just happened to follow us.」

The cats, who had been closely watching Isaac pack all night after the sudden decision to leave for Heilen, were fiercely insisting on their lie. When Isaac scoffed in disbelief, they glared at him, emphasizing, 「It’s the truth, you know?」.

「Heilen has good water, good air, and good energy, making it the perfect place for a vacation.」

「Even the air is full of vitality, it’s a great place.」

「Yes, yes. Places like this are good for humans, fairies, and magical beasts alike to live. That’s why many of our colleagues lived in Heilen since ancient times.」

「Back when there were many witches, we used to stay here for a long time too. Ah, I miss my fleeting youth.」

‘Yeah, yeah, keep blabbering,’ Isaac propped his chin on his hand and watched them before suddenly asking.

“When did you live here?”

「Let’s see?」

「It hasn’t been that long, maybe about three hundred years?」

「Only three hundred years? Hasn’t it been longer?」 The punks chattered with their heads together, and Isaac looked at them with eyes that had lost focus.

‘Just how old are these punks……’ But he decided not to ask. He really didn’t want to have to start using honorifics with them.

“You’re saying witches lived here that long ago?”

Isaac asked, and the three cats rolled their eyes at him as if to ask what kind of nonsense that was.

「This was a place where witches stayed even before humans set foot here. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, it was a place where only beasts and spirits roamed.」

「Especially the lake on the night of the New Moon, it was a great place where even the great Elder Witches would sometimes come to receive energy.」

「Heilen is one of the few places in the human world overflowing with pure energy. When humans started coming in with swords and spears to settle down, most of them moved over the mountains, but…」

「This is probably the only place where witches and spirits still remain to a fair extent even with humans settled here.」

「Though it’s incomparably murkier than before.」

「Though it’s incomparably cloudier than before.」

The voices of the chattering cats trailed off. Watching their ears droop, Isaac felt a pang of sympathy.

A yearned-for past. An old sanctuary they could not return to. While feeling sorry for them as they missed what now only existed in memories, Isaac also felt a sense of regret. How wonderful a place must it have been? If only he could have seen it too.

「Well, even so, it’s quite decent as it is. Hmph, hmph.」

Then, one of the cats perked its ears up again and said.

「Of course. It’s a land where you can gain vitality just by breathing.」

「It’s not like the old days, but places with this much good energy are rare.」

Hearing the cats chatter among themselves, seemingly arguing about when they had ever dropped their ears, Isaac realized that indeed, their fur seemed exceptionally glossy today. They seemed full of vitality.

It was a stark contrast to himself, who was panting heavily with a painfully full stomach. “I wish I could just suck in vitality from the air too, why can’t I……” Isaac muttered gloomily. The cats perked their noses up at him.

「That’s something low-level witches can’t do. You have to be around our level to suck the vitality dissolved in the air.」

Annoying. They were always annoying little punks in every situation, but the fact that they looked like they could eat themselves to death—yet all that eating did absolutely nothing to increase their energy, made them exceptionally more annoying today. If you can gain energy that easily, share some with me.

Isaac’s eyes must have looked incredibly dark and fierce. The punks, who had been proudly puffing out their chests, noticed Isaac’s glare and slowly backed away on their rumps. Then, purring as if offering their own brand of advice, they said:

「Manbang, if you’re that lacking in energy, why don’t you try getting some from humans?」

「The humans here are overflowing with vitality compared to other places, and they probably taste good too.」

「There’s no easier way to replenish your energy than sucking it from humans.」

“…………. And how exactly do I do that?”

This is why people shouldn’t be pushed into a corner.

Isaac had always known that witches could take life force from humans, but he had never once considered actually doing such a thing. However, lately, his body, mind, and even his stomach were so severely battered that he found himself subtly tempted. Wouldn’t just a tiny bit be okay? Just enough to gain a little energy without harming their health, shouldn’t that be fine?

「You don’t even know that? How can you not know that?」

「You just touch them and—slurp—suck it out. Touch them and sluuuurp.」

「It’s easier than breathing. Just like this, sluuuuurp.」

One of the cats reached out its front paw and placed it on Isaac’s hand.

The moment the punk said, 「Sluuuuurp,」 Isaac felt a bizarre sensation, as if the blood was draining wickedly out through the back of his hand. Startled, he shook his hand away. The cat withdrew its paw and licked its lips.

「This is how you do it. Easy, right?」

“……Huh? Uh, how do I do it?”

「What do you mean how? You just touch and suck. You try it.」

The cat offered its side arrogantly, as if doing him a special favor. Isaac hesitantly placed his hand on the cat’s side. The other two cats chimed in, 「Yeah, just like that, sluuuurp,」 「Sluuuurp.」

“…… Sluuuuurp.”

Isaac muttered and focused his mind on his palm. However, there was no different sensation. After staring blankly at the cat to see if it worked or not, the cat looked back at him quizzically.

「What are you doing? I said suck, sluuuurp?」

“…………. Sluuuuurp.”

「…….」

He tried concentrating again, but again, he felt nothing, and the cat’s eyes narrowed into triangles. Then, the three cats put their heads together and started whispering amongst themselves.

「What do we do? He can’t even eat what’s given to him?」

「I knew he was a bit dense, but to think he can’t even do something as simple as sucking vitality? This easy thing?」

「Why can’t he just suck it, sluuuurp? How much easier can we explain this?」

It was like hearing someone say, ‘Just swallow it down,’ and not knowing how. Seeing the three cats grumbling in frustration right in front of him, Isaac felt equally depressed. He thought he could do it if he just tried, but it seemed it wasn’t that easy.

「Should we tell him to talk to a succubus? They might be able to teach him. They’re experts at sucking life force from humans.」

「Yeah, they could probably teach him.」

「There are plenty of incubi in Heilen, so it shouldn’t be hard. I saw one wandering around earlier.」

Behind the three cats discussing this among themselves, Isaac nodded his head. Right, I should at least learn how to do it just in case.

“Until I catch that witch, I’m sorry, but if I could just get a little life force from others to replenish my own…”

As Isaac mumbled, the cats rolled their large, round eyes and looked at him.

「Huh? You wanted to get energy to see where Alikisha is?」

「You can’t do it with just a little bit. To get enough energy to see her, you’d probably have to suck the life force of three or four people completely dry.」

“……. If I suck them completely dry like that, what happens to the person?”

「They die.」

It was a very clean and concise answer, and Isaac fell silent.

“Can’t I just take a little bit from several people and gather it up?”

「Sucking life force doesn’t last that long, you know?」

「If you only take enough that it doesn’t harm the humans, by the time you gather enough to see Alikisha, the energy you took from the first person would have already digested and disappeared?」

“……, Then…….”

「It’s easiest to just sit in one spot and suck the life out of three or four people cleanly.」

“…….”

No. That wasn’t the way. No matter what, he didn’t want to throw away his humanity like that just yet.

“No……, I don’t think I need to talk to a succubus.”

Isaac, pinching his forehead and waving his hand, rubbed his heavy stomach, feeling like he was right back to square one. He had thought about utilizing the advantage of being born a half-witch for once, but it was a bust.

Isaac sighed. He had finally gained an eye that could see where the witch was, yet it was completely useless like this.

Where were those punks right now? That witch. And that mage. If their plan was to stay hidden until the Great New Moon passed, what would happen? What if they were continuing to harm people?

Isaac let out a thin groan. His heart suddenly felt incredibly heavy, but no sharp solution came to mind.

Whatever happened, he would have to try again on the New Moon. He didn’t find it particularly reliable, but since his physical condition would be at its best then, he might be able to see for a few seconds longer than before. If push came to shove, he would just have to brace himself to faint for a few days again. There wasn’t much time left now. He had to try whatever he could.