Kyle Leonard pulled Park Noah abruptly, placing her on the farthest seat away from the door. “I’ll give you half an hour to think. I need answers by three o’clock,” he said, checking the watch on his wrist, and approached the door.

“Uh, where are you going?” Park Noah asked.

“I have something to take care of. While I’m gone, cover your face with your cloak and don’t show your face to anyone.”

Kyle Leonard left, shutting the door tightly behind his back. He stood before the door for a moment, glancing at his right. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth curled into a mischievous smirk.

Slowly, he walked toward the right direction, and Park Noah hastily arose from her seat, lowering the window. Then, she said to the child in red suspenders, “Mu, take the lock out of the bag.”

Muell slithered down from his seat and poked his head under the couch, pulling the suitcase. With his short fingers he unfastened the lock swiftly and opened it wide.

The suitcase was large enough for two children of Muell’s size to fit inside comfortably. Packed inside were magical items left in the witch’s home. Muell, who stood beside her master as she packed, immediately found the lock.

“Lock!” He handed it to Park Noah, sporting a look of triumph.

‘“Thanks,” She patted his head. 

The lock was a magical item that was designed to contort into any size or length, and there was only one way to unlock it: by the fingerprint of its creator, Eleonnora Asil.

Park Noah stretched the lock, tying the handle of the door to the iron pole next to it. As soon as the lock clunked, a faint scream was heard and a vibration was felt. It seemed that the cry belonged to the woman who visited their cabin earlier.

“He was right… It was real.” Park Noah listened intently, cautious for a sound of gunshot. But only eerie silence came after the woman’s scream.  She became lost in thought, clutching Muell on her lap. 

The only secret she kept from Kyle Leonard was about the novel she read; she felt it was absurd and insignificant, and refused to tell him. However, the fact that someone was already on her tail in less than three hours she departed Sorrent tells her otherwise.

Well, I really have to tell him everything.

Ten minutes later, Park Noah heard muffled voices approaching the room. She crept toward the door and pressed her ear against the metal surface.

“Let go, let go! Ugh …!”

“If you won’t rebel, I’ll treat you nicely. But if you make a noise, I’ll stuff your mouth. “

Suddenly, the door jolted. Suspicious, Park Noah asked the person outside, “What’s my name?”

“Park Noah.”

“Oh… Well, pass.” She unclasped the lock and it shrunk to its original length. Muell, who was clinging to her waist, threw the lock back into the suitcase, which immediately snapped close. 

“It’s only been 10 minutes. You told me you were giving me half an hour to think.” Park Noah muttered, taking a few steps backward.

“Indeed. You have 30 minutes to gather your thoughts. I’ll spend the remaining 20 minutes interrogating her.” Kyle Leonard clutched the woman with the bright blue handkerchief tied on her head. His cold eyes glared at the struggling woman and forced her to kneel on the floor. Her arms were bent towards her back, handcuffed. 

Watching the investigator manhandle the woman, Park Noah felt a little bit apologetic, until Kyle Leonard dropped something in front of her. What fell before the woman was a knife. Its handle was carved with an intricate pattern and its blade was especially narrow, perfect to cut even the thickest steak precisely.

Kyle Leonard took a small device from the pocket of his uniform and placed it on the seat. “Whose order did you receive?”

The reels of the tape recorder began to turn. Park Noah pursed her lips, watching Kyle Leonard interrogate the woman. As the woman was adamant to remain silent, Kyle Leonard crouched in front of her, lifting her chin when she refused to look at him directly.

“Do you belong to Yulem?”

Park Noah pondered; she knew about Yulem. It is an organization belonging in the underworld that was employed by one of the villains in the novel who pursued after dragons. Transmigrating into the body of a criminal, Park Noah understood their nature — a group of criminals who possess no moral and obey no law. Their only master is money. Her heart pounded. 

“I don’t know anything!” The woman cried desperately.