Episode 29

“The whole plan is… meaningless now,” Raymond muttered as he snapped his ropes with ease. The idea of getting captured to gather information was a complete bust.

“Plans change. Flexibility is key,” Rosanna replied.

“Do you have an alternative?”

“Let’s string them up by the ceiling beams. Trust me, they’ll spill everything eventually.”

Raymond shot her a blank stare.

“Got a problem?”

“Fine. I’ll do as you say.”

There wasn’t much choice. Rosanna had already taken care of the remaining gang members, leaving them unconscious.

Raymond grabbed a bundle of ropes and began tying the men up, hoisting them one by one onto the ceiling beams.

“You’re surprisingly skilled at this. Done this before?”

“Winner of a knot-tying contest.”

“That’s a real thing?”

“…….”

Rosanna watched him as he tidied up the mess. She couldn’t tell if he was joking or dead serious. What was clear, though, was that his sense of humor left much to be desired.

“They mentioned their crew would return at sunset. We should search the storage sheds before then. Confirm what they’re smuggling and use it as leverage.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to make them talk with some persuasion?”

“You and your violence. That only creates more problems in the aftermath. It’s better to avoid unnecessary commotion.”

“Fair. I need to stay under the radar anyway.”

Drawing attention or causing rumors wasn’t an option. Rosanna had no intention of giving the council any excuse to scrutinize her.

Raymond gestured toward the exit and led the way outside, with Rosanna following. Several storage sheds came into view.

“I’ll check this side; you take the other. I want to finish up and collapse in my hotel bed.”

“Let’s share findings as we go. It’ll be quicker that way.”

“Look for red tea leaves. What about you?”

“As I mentioned, I’m looking for white powder, like flour.”

“Alright. Let’s wrap this up before sundown.”

Rosanna started with the closest shed. Methodically searching through its contents, she finally stumbled upon the burlap sacks she had seen earlier. As soon as she grabbed a handful of their contents, a nauseatingly strong odor hit her.

“What is this?!”

She coughed, shaking her hand to rid herself of the smell, scattering tea leaves across the floor.

“…Different.”

This wasn’t what she was looking for. The tea leaves she sought didn’t have such an overpowering scent.

Feeling a twinge of disappointment, she heard Raymond enter the shed.

“I heard you yell. Did you find it?”

“No. Nothing useful for me. You?”

“This confirms that the contraband sent to my shop came from here.”

Raymond lowered his gaze to the floor, then walked over to one of the burlap sacks and grabbed a handful of tea leaves.

“These are ingredients for hallucinogens. Both this and the white powder contain psychoactive properties. This isn’t just about avoiding customs duties—they’re smuggling banned substances to sell.”

“So they’re worse than I thought,” Rosanna growled, grinding her teeth. The thought of wasting her time infuriated her.

“I have an idea. When those bastards return, we catch them all and tie them up,” she said, a grin spreading across her face.

“And then?”

“We hand them over to the guards. I saw bounty posters on the wall in town. Isn’t it better to get some cash out of it than just vent your anger? You can’t even hit them properly anyway. One wrong move, and you’d kill them outright.”

“I was planning to let the law handle them. I have no interest in becoming a murderer or attracting unnecessary attention.”

Raymond smirked slightly. “Didn’t think you’d be interested in a bounty. You’re already wealthy.”

“I don’t need loose change. You can keep it.”

“Then why bother?”

“Because taking away their freedom feels satisfying. By sending the smugglers to prison, they lose everything—their money, their smuggling, and they’re left to rot, waiting for death. They wasted my time, so I’ll take everything from them in return.”

“You realize you’re smiling wickedly right now?”

“Right back at you.”

Rosanna and Raymond headed toward the smugglers’ hideout, their purposeful stride making them look like a duo of villains if anyone had seen them from behind.

—

During an early dinner before evening prayers, a piece of news spread quickly, creating a buzz in the seminary dining hall.

Kyle, who would have usually ignored the chatter and continued eating, found himself listening intently, his hands paused mid-meal.

The topic was the sudden departure of one of their peers. The reason? Likely marriage.

“He’s leaving so close to graduation? Feels a bit abrupt.”

“Must be some personal matter. He met with Bishop Johann before quietly packing up and leaving.”

“My brother mentioned something in a letter—his family’s rushing to arrange a wedding.”

“Ah, makes sense. That can only mean one thing: a pregnancy.”

Kyle recalled the student who had once asked him to take his place at the séance. He wasn’t the most devout, but he had been a cheerful, kind-hearted person. Kyle didn’t want to see him branded with the stigma of disgrace just because he was prioritizing his family and future.

Kyle was grateful to him. It was through that request that he had crossed paths with Rosanna, if only briefly, and glimpsed her world.

A world divided by invisible lines—those who were noble and those who were not. It was only because of her interest that Kyle had even dared to stand on that boundary. He couldn’t cross it, but he had become something of a liminal figure.

It was clear what that meant. His position in her life depended entirely on Rosanna’s whims. If she let go, that was the end. Yet he was foolish enough to believe they could be equals. A normal relationship between them was impossible.

“Kyle!”

A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts.

“You were daydreaming again. You’ve been so out of it lately.”

“No… I was just wondering what he plans to do now that he’s leaving the clergy. He’s the second son, so he can’t inherit a title.”

Laughter surrounded Kyle.

“You’re so naïve. Why are you worrying about a marquess’ second son? His life’s already sorted.”

“Apparently, his bride’s dowry is enormous. His family’s even giving him a small estate. His older brother agreed since they’re on good terms.”

“I see. That’s good for him.”

In this place, everyone lived as equals, making it easy to forget how much one’s birth determined their future.

“If he leaves this path, he won’t lose anything. It’s not the same for us.”

“Exactly. Now, eat your food, Kyle.”

For Kyle, this was his only path. Without theology, he was left with nothing—nothing at all.

A sense of inadequacy crept over him, filling his mind with doubts about his worthiness to stand beside anyone. Even if he became part of the gentry as a priest, what did it matter? His place in life was nearly predetermined at birth. Straying from it was a futile pursuit, one he’d been taught to abandon.

While his friend’s marriage was happy news, it forced Kyle to confront his own reality. The blow hit harder than expected, stirring unease within him.

He lowered his gaze to the unappealing smoked herring on his plate. Somehow, it reminded him of himself—plain and unremarkable. Still, he dutifully finished his meal.

“I’ll head out first.”

“Going to pray? Evening prayers are soon. You should rest instead.”

“Don’t overdo it, Kyle. You don’t look well.”

“I’m just going for a quick walk. Thanks.”

Were they right? Did he really look that bad? Lately, even after a full night’s sleep, he felt drained. His skin felt rougher, too, though he couldn’t recall waking in the middle of the night. He did have dreams, but their content eluded him.

Walking along the corridor toward the garden, Kyle paused. The sunset streaming through the large windows cast a golden light at his feet.

The shadows seemed more vivid, almost tangible. He found himself thinking of someone he couldn’t be with, imagining her presence beside him as if she might suddenly appear.

* * *

Outside, the noise grew louder.

Rosanna squinted against the sunlight spilling through the cracks in the ceiling. Moving into the shadows, she found herself pressed closer to Raymond.

“They’ve arrived,” he said.

“I know. What’s that in your hand?”

“A rifle. There was a box of them in the shed. Seems they’re trafficking firearms too.”

“Why are you loading it?”

“Because we’re going to need it.”

They exchanged skeptical looks.

“Why would you need a gun to deal with humans?” Rosanna asked.

“We need it for appearances. You’re handing them over to the guards, right? If we claim to have taken down an entire smuggling ring, they’ll need convincing. The weapons will make it more believable.”

“Ugh, such a hassle… I’ve never used a gun before.”

“I’ll handle it. Let’s wrap this up.”

“Fine, but I’m taking the lead. Don’t complain later if I hog all the fun.”

Raymond nodded, adjusting his grip on the rifle. “I’m not much help in a fight anyway. I don’t have much experience.”

Rosanna grinned. “I’ll make sure it’s not over too quickly.”

“Just don’t overdo it.”

At that moment, the wooden building’s door creaked open. The smugglers entered, their chatter abruptly stopping when they saw their comrades bound and hanging from the ceiling.

“What the… What happened here? Did someone attack us?”

Some rushed to untie their comrades, others drew their guns, while a few scanned the room cautiously.

Hidden behind the wooden crates, Rosanna signaled with her hand. Raymond nodded in understanding.

Rosanna launched herself into the air, graceful and silent. She landed on a ceiling beam, her presence unnoticed until the last moment.

“What the—who’s that?”

“Where did she come from?”

The gang blinked in confusion, staring at the woman who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Rosanna smirked.

“You all look so dumb. Mind closing your mouths?”