At the entrance of the abandoned castle, a dozen people were hanging like cocoons, captured in spiderwebs, moments away from being devoured. These had to be the missing residents of the fief. A corpse lay on the floor—the very same shriveled body that had been found at the crime scene. It was certain now: the disappearances were Erzebet’s doing. “Humans! It’s humans!” one of the residents cried out, spotting Simon. “H-Help us! Please untie us!!” “The spider monsters are trying to eat us!”