Epherene, Arlos, and Rose, the prosecutor from Yuren, had walked down into the volcano’s cave. There, they took turns looking at Deculein—and then at the criminal standing beside him.0

“Hmm... it does appear to be a match, doesn’t it?” Rose muttered, her eyes moving between the man and the wanted poster.0

“Yes, that’s the puppet I created,” Arlos replied, nodding without even glancing at the wanted poster.0

“That’s a puppet?” Epherene said, her eyes blown wide in surprise.0

It doesn’t even look like a puppet! Epherene thought.0

“A puppet crafted by a professional in the field is something else entirely. It’s not one of those test mannequins they create out at the Mage Tower,” Arlos replied with a chuckle.0

“I have little doubt that you used more than a few illegal materials,” Deculein said as he approached.0

“Ahem, I was threatened into doing so,” Arlos replied, clearing her throat.0

“By the way, what are you doing here, Professor?” Epherene asked.0

“Epherene, the mana stone—what happened to it?” Deculein inquired, ignoring her question entirely. 0

“Sorry? Oh, that?” Epherene said, searching through her pocket before pulling out a single mana stone and placing it into Deculein’s hand. “Here. It’s not stable, but… this one reacted.”0

Deculein nodded, then tossed the mana stone over his shoulder, and with a dull thump, it fell onto the bed.0

“Possibility. That’s what it is, Carla,” Deculein said.0

From the bed tucked away at the cave’s end, someone twitched beneath the sheets.0

“C-Carla?!”0

“Did I just hear him say Carla?”0

The moment that name was spoken, Epherene and Rose’s eyes widened, the weight of it sinking in all at once.0

“That will be enough to create your heart,” Deculein added, turning to Carla.0

“… I wonder, cough,” Carla replied, coughing as she closed her fingers around the mana stone.0

“You have the...0