The beastman guards arrived at once and, under Yuel's orders, began dredging and searching the artificial lake.
Yuel remained at Rory's side, standing quietly beside her as they watched.
The guard team worked efficiently. In just over half an hour, the entire lake had been searched and cleared.
The captain of the guard approached them, holding a small, pitch-black fish in his hands.
"Lord Yuel, the number of fish in the lake has indeed decreased. However, we found no abnormalities, no traces of aberrant beasts. The only unusual thing was this little black fish—it looks like something took a bite out of it."
The scrawny fish was missing a piece of its tail fin, as if something had nipped it.
Perhaps whatever had attacked it found it too thin and ugly to bother finishing.
Yuel stepped forward and examined the fish himself. Aside from the missing chunk, there was nothing strange about it.
He instructed the captain to release it back into the lake.
