Inside Councilman Macht's residence on Böklund Street.
"Mom, I'm really not sick."
"You don't need to find me any more doctors."
"I'm just-I've just been a little tired lately. I want to rest."
Liana Macht stood outside her daughter Hazel's bedroom, listening to the irritable voice within, and sighed helplessly.
A week. It had been almost an entire week.
Ever since coming home that day, her daughter had shut herself in her room all day long, barely eating or drinking. She had even stopped attending the Girls' School.
At first, Liana had thought her daughter was ill and invited several well-regarded doctors in Backlund to examine her. Without exception, however, her daughter had refused to let them in, insisting that she wasn't sick.
"My dear girl, what on earth happened? Why won't you tell us?" Liana's face was clouded with worry, her heart aching with helplessness. "Could something have happened at school?"
She couldn't understand why her daughter, who had always been confident, proud, and even somewhat haughty, had suddenly become like this.
"Could she be-possessed?"
As a member of high society, Mrs. Macht had heard a few rumors about supernatural powers.
"Should I ask His Excellency the Bishop to take a look?" Just as Liana was fretting over her daughter's condition, a maid hurried over to report:
"Madam, you have a visitor."
"A visitor?" Liana was puzzled. She remembered having no visits scheduled for today.
"Who is it?"
"A young gentleman, madam. He says he's a friend of the young lady."
A young gentleman? A friend of Hazel's?!
Liana's eyes widened in disbelief. Her daughter actually had a male friend?!
Meanwhile, inside the bedroom.
"What am I supposed to do?!"
Hazel buried her head deep in her soft pillow and let out a sob.
Tears of anxiety spilled from