The fox-eyed knight seemed genuinely shaken by my response, growing increasingly paranoid. That was when the four of them stopped hiding and decided to scare him outright.
"Can you hear me? I'm so happy—finally, someone to talk to."
"W-What?!"
Jacob went first, fully committing to the act of a ghost. The fox-eyed knight screamed and clamped his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound.
It didn't work.
The voice was coming from right beside his ears—no matter how tightly he covered them, he could still hear it.
"Turn back before it's too late. Don't make the people who love you sad."
"Every life is a gift from Fatelis. After death, you return to her embrace. But suicide is a grave sin—it rejects that gift. You'll be cast out and reborn as a monster in your next life. So don't do it. Live on. One day, you'll be grateful you chose not to end your life here."
"I hate~"
Grace, then Alice, then Ethefelis spoke one after another.
"Shut up! Stop talking! Just stop—! …Commoner, you really don't hear anyone talking…?"
The fox-eyed knight was on the verge of breaking down. His earlier arrogance was completely gone. He even tried to confirm it with me again—but there was no way I'd admit anything.
"I already told you—I don't hear anything."
"…Lixia, Shien—you can hear it, right…?"
Since I denied it, he turned to Lixia and the obsessed guy in the distance. But they really hadn't heard a thing.
"I've only heard Brother Laje and Mr. Karen this whole time."
"Same here."
Watching the fox-eyed knight's pitiful state, I couldn't help thinking—these four… once we're out of here, I'm definitely dealing with them. At this rate, even if he doesn't lose his mind, he'll walk away with serious trauma.
"H-How is that possible…? They're talking again! Come over here and listen!"
"No. Who knows what you'll try to do to Lixia?"
Even now, the fox-eyed knight refused to accept reality, trying to call them over. But the obsessed guy rejected him outright, suspecting ulterior motives.
Jacob continued his "ghost act."
"Don't waste your breath. They can't hear us. We only talk to people who do bad things. You detained someone without cause, hired others to do your dirty work, and now you're attempting murder…"
"He's trying to kill someone?!"
Jacob hadn't even finished before Alice cut in, sounding shocked.
…Why are you surprised? Wasn't that obvious?
"Didn't he just say he wanted to see Mr. Karen and Miss Ethe dead? Of course he's trying to kill them. We just stopped him."
"Oh… I see."
"C-Commoner… Karen! I know I was wrong! I won't do it again! Please, make them leave!"
He was so terrified he started begging me.
At this point, what else could I do?
Keep pretending, of course.
"Your hallucinations are getting worse. I already told you—I don't hear anyone else. Who exactly do you want me to chase away?"
"If you kneel and apologize to us sincerely, we might consider leaving."
Jacob, stop talking already.
I was this close to wrapping things up, and now he had to complicate things again. The fox-eyed knight actually started considering it.
After a few seconds, he suddenly shouted at me.
"K-Karen! I want to kneel and apologize—please let me go!"
He'd completely given in.
I played along, removing my hand and stepping back slowly, speaking with a hint of pity.
"What's wrong with you? Your mood swings are all over the place. It's honestly kind of sad. I'm just here to save Lixia. Lixia, kid, let's go."
"If they don't forgive you, we're not leaving."
…Jacob.
Seriously?
The fox-eyed knight immediately latched onto my leg.
"Wait! Please let me apologize! I'm sorry—I know I was wrong!"
I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet.
"I already told you—you don't need to apologize to me. We're even. And besides… I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."
He understood and immediately turned, dropping to his knees in front of Lixia.
"Lixia, I'm sorry! I lost my head—I didn't mean it! You'll forgive me, right?"
"Brother Laje… no—Laje. You destroyed our memories. I will never forgive you."
…Didn't expect that.
Lixia cut ties without hesitation—to protect herself from being hurt again.
But she was strong. She wouldn't break down. She'd move forward.
The more precious those memories were to her, the more decisive she became when they were shattered.
Maybe that's why I found her… admirable.
"W-What… Shien! Shien, you'll forgive me, right?!"
Denied by Lixia, the fox-eyed knight turned desperately to the obsessed guy.
Obsessed guy glanced at Lixia, then replied coldly,
"If you had stopped earlier, I might've forgiven you. But now… it's too late."
That was it.
No forgiveness from either of them.
His situation was completely hopeless.
And then—
The door slammed open.
"Don't move! Police! We received a report of trespassing and assault on the homeowner! You're surrounded—surrender now!"
…Police?!
I didn't even notice a group entering my detection range?
…Well, makes sense. I can only split my focus so much. Pretending not to hear Jacob and the others while dealing with the fox-eyed knight—I must've missed it.
"Young Master Laje, I'm here to save you!"
A woman in a maid uniform rushed in and ran straight to him, checking him anxiously.
"Nanny…"
So she was the one who raised him.
Then a burly officer, clearly the one in charge, called out,
"Hey, which one's the culprit?"
The nanny's gaze shifted from Laje to me—and she immediately pointed.
"Officer, it's him! I've never seen him before, and I heard Young Master Laje shouting the whole time—he must've attacked him!"
As expected of someone who raised the fox-eyed knight—looks like delusion really is contagious. Then the burly officer gave his orders to the others.
"Take him."
Two officers approached me, one already pulling out handcuffs.
Meanwhile, the nanny rushed to Lixia and Shien, fussing over them.
"Young master Infellet, Miss Ethe, are you alright? That criminal didn't hurt you, did he? You were so quiet—you must've been terrified."
She didn't even ask—just decided everything on her own.
Honestly, it looked more like Lixia and the obsessed guy were stunned by the sudden arrival of the police.
I waited until the cuffs clicked around my wrists before calmly speaking up.
"Hold on. I didn't do anything."
"That's what they all say. You can explain at the station."
…Fair point.
But I wasn't the criminal.
I pointed at the fox-eyed knight.
"I was called here by him. And I didn't hit him. Check his body—there isn't a single injury."
The officer nodded.
"Check him."
An officer stepped forward politely.
"Sir, excuse me—"
But the nanny slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch him! Noble's body isn't for commoners to handle!"
The officers hesitated.
In the end, they were still just commoners with a bit more authority. Against nobles, they were powerless.
Police maintained order.
Knights dealt with real threats.
As for why the police were called to a noble's residence instead of their personal knights—it's simply because it's easier to deal with things that way. Mobilizing the knight order is much more troublesome; it requires clear and confirmed evidence that I'm a dangerous individual.
Then again, it's also possible that the Turin residence doesn't have any knights of their own.
"Mr. Karen did nothing wrong—please let me explain!"