She is not an investigator.

Amidst the endless fog all around, a beam of light suddenly pierced through.

The man frowned slightly as he looked at the broken mist.

Within that gap, a broken longsword was stuck, its edge spreading outwards and cutting through the mist.

The light began to grow stronger, and the gap began to widen until it was completely exposed.

The warhorse, clad in horse armor, lowered its head and nuzzled Igris's wounded hand. It then carried the exhausted Igris onto its back and turned to look at the fake knight.

The light grew brighter, and an ancient voice slowly drifted over from the light.

"A disgrace to the name of knight."

The knight strode to his warhorse, slowly raised his longsword, pointed it at the illusory undead and projections before him, and whispered a command.

"cut."

The Gods' Fools - The Gravedigger and the Violet: Chapter Twenty-Nine, The Curtain Falls

How did you get here?

The man looked at the knight, clearly not expecting his arena to be invaded.

However, he should have thought of that.

"When someone called his name."

Igris lay on horseback, looking at the man with a half-smile.

"No matter where he is, he will come to see you."

"Well... this is indeed a surprise."

The man shrugged and then turned around.

"But you did lose. Don't forget, this was a one-on-one fight."

"Yes, I lost. I was just too weak after all... I couldn't even protect the person most important to me."

Igris looked at the gap in the mist, at the sunlight shining on her face.

No one can be successful all the time, but there will always be someone who is willing to keep doing it.

Igris failed, and will she eventually be buried back in the soil?

Let's end it here.

The man snapped his fingers a few times, gave the knight who was also looking at him a deep look, and sneered.

"How long will your pursuit of those abandoned by the world continue?"

The knight sheathed his weapon, gently stroked his warhorse's mane, and whispered.

"Until the sun rises, until hope never fades."

"Hehe... I wish you all the best."

The mist began to dissipate, and everything around them began to rapidly melt away, turning into nothingness.

The sunlight shone on Igris's face again. The sun had risen, and Igris was still lying on her horse, looking at the knight beside her with some weakness.

"Thank you."

"It was just a small favor."

The knight nodded and turned to look at the manor behind him.

"Do you want to go in?"

"...If I could, I'd like to see her again."

The knight nodded, gently pulled on the reins of his warhorse, and slowly walked into the manor.

The courtyard was still as messy and overgrown with weeds as ever.

Igris slowly dismounted and walked unsteadily toward the interior of the manor, toward Mirabelle's bedroom.

Her door was closed, just like before; it was closed but not locked.

Igris gently placed her hand on the door and pushed it open.

The door, which should have been open to all, was blocked when it was halfway open.

As Igris tried to peer into the room, Mirabell's voice slowly drifted out.

"Is that Igris?"

Her voice sounded strange, muffled, and even somewhat indescribable.

"it's me."

"I think... I've found the book you were talking about."

Igris tried to push the door open again, but it remained motionless.

Mirabelle, open the door.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. You should know that I have difficulty walking."

Igris kicked the door, making a loud noise, but the door only opened a crack.

"Don't do this, Igris, listen to me, I want to talk to you again, okay..."

"Open the door! I need to see you!"

Igris kicked the door again, but it was blocked by something, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open it.

"Please... at least in the end, I want to leave you with a slightly better impression... please don't come in, okay?"

"What nonsense are you talking about...!"

Eyinger Qilius gritted his teeth and punched the door again, but it was to no avail. He could only lean against the door helplessly.

"I could have saved you..."

“It’s alright, Igris… It’s not your fault. I just… forgot for too long. Maybe it was this book… It gave me what I wanted… including a new life, but it’s all limited. This manor has become a curse, and I’ve unintentionally hurt too many people… I’m sorry, Igris, I can’t go with you anymore.”

"..."

"I'm so, so sorry. You're such a good person... If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. So please, Igris... live a good life, with my share of it..."

Mirabelle, tell me.

Igris took a deep breath and said thoughtfully.

"You have a place in those graves too, don't you?"

"...Yes, I...I was already dead, but one day, a flower grew on my grave. It was special...very different. It called my name and brought my consciousness and soul back to this world. Because of this flower, I was able to meet you...But, that flower withered. Its life is finite, and my curse is constantly wearing it down. Now it has reached its end, and I should leave too."

Mirabelle's voice began to tremble slightly, but she still forced herself to remain cheerful and speak in a cheerful tone, suppressing her grief.

“But this is probably the happiest thing for me, Igris… I’m so glad to have met you, I’m already very satisfied, this is good… this is good.”

"I want to see you."

"Don't do this..."

"Open the door, at least let me see what you look like in the end."

Mirabelle fell silent, and a faint sob came from behind the door.

Slowly, the wooden door separating Igris and Mirabell was also opened.

The various vines and thorns that filled the room made Igris frown.

She had already prepared herself mentally, but she was still shocked.

On that bed, Mirabell's figure had become withered and pale, surrounded by countless thorns and vines, with a few pale flowers hanging on her body, their petals constantly falling.

And where her heart was, an ancient book embedded in her skin was slightly open and swaying.

"This is how I am now... Igris, I don't want to..."

"It's ok."

Igorlis stepped over the thorns and vines, slowly approaching the temple where Igorlis was weeping, and under her tearful gaze, took her hand.

"...I could have saved you."

“No… Igris, it’s not your fault. I was already a dead man, because of… the curse of that surname, do you understand? Igris… at least you’re still alive, at least you can still have your own life…”

Igris remained silent, looking at the ancient book on her chest.

The book was tattered and covered in dust and dirt.

"That book..."

"Don't look at it, there will be no answers in it, it will only bring one disaster after another... and guys like me."

Mirabelle took a deep breath, forced herself to compose herself, and forced a not-so-pleasant smile.

"Take it with you and leave this place, Igris. That's all."

"...You are my only family."

"I see…"

"So, can I have a hug?"

Mirabell paused, looked at her thorn-covered body, and shook her head vigorously.

"I'll hurt you..."

"It's ok."

Igris embraced Mirabell tightly, letting the thorns pierce her flesh and skin, staining her white lining red.

"I won't mind."

The Gods' Fools—The Gravekeeper and the Violet: Chapter Thirty, Grave and New Life (The End)

In front of the cemetery.

Igris arrived at the door of the wooden house that still stood there and gently knocked on the door.

When no one answered, Igris pushed the door open herself.

Inside the cabin, Silas sat quietly on a bench, his eyes closed, motionless.