The bright moon hung high, the lake waters rippled, and the clear surface reflected the moon and stars above.
The white-haired boy met the silent man's gaze.
Curiosity.
Others might have found that word absurd, thought it a glib excuse, or even found Ian terrifying for dissecting someone over such a reason.
But the old knight knew that it was a perfectly legitimate reason.
Especially for him—and for all Elevators who cultivated the power of "True Form" and "Bloodline"—being curious about the structure of one's own body could even count as a merit.
"I can understand the dissection." Nodding slightly, the elderly man continued, "But why here?"
"Why make such a mess of blood and flesh at home?"
Ian shook his head and grumbled, "Wouldn't that make it obvious to everyone that I killed him? Never mind needing water to wash my knives and hands—after making a mess like this, the bloody smell would be strong enough for the neighbors to catch."
Without pausing, the old man immediately asked another question. "Was it a spur-of-the-moment idea, or did you have a plan all along?"
Ian answered without hesitation, "A bit of both. The thought only came after I killed my uncle. Such a big lump of meat would be wasted if I threw it away, so I might as well study it."
By now, the old knight was quite satisfied.
Still, he raised a brow and posed his final question. "Even if Lake Forest is safe, aren't you afraid dissecting him like this would draw wild beasts?"
His tone carried a deeper meaning. "If I weren't here to drive the beasts away for you... what would you have done?"
"If anything came... it would eat this pile of scraps first."
Glancing sidelong at the mangled corpse, Ian turned back and