Episode 73

Just a few days ago, the only difference when I met her again was the shadowy man by her side.

The man also spotted Jenna and, with a frustrated tone, muttered, “That little rat’s running off with someone else’s money again!”

“Is that the man you mentioned before?” I asked.

“Yes, but I heard recently that they might not actually be working together.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re always seen together, so I thought they were close. But someone said they saw that man threatening the girl recently.”

Threatening…?

“Well, it could be something like that. A boss.”

“A boss?”

“Not friends, but a boss and subordinate. There are people who use a bit of power to extort money from thieves. It’s quite common.”

Then the man’s wife, who was standing nearby, shook her head.

“No, that’s not it. I heard they’re in a romantic relationship.”

“A romantic relationship…?”

What could that even mean?

“The lady next door saw them being all touchy-feely in a secluded alley.”

Who exactly is this man who seems to shift between a boss and a lover?

From what I gathered, he seemed to have a deep connection with Jenna, yet there wasn’t a single mention of him in the original story.

I frowned as I watched Jenna and the mysterious man disappear into the distance like fading dots.

Soon, we parted ways with the couple and started walking back to Robert’s residence.

Eve, still navigating the confusing maze-like alleys with ease, guided us along the way.

‘She’s such a valuable asset.’

She had been assisting me throughout my time in the south, and now, I couldn’t imagine being without her.

Maybe I should mention it to Ludwig later?

After all, he had once casually suggested that I could bring Eve on as a personal assistant when he saw how smoothly we worked together.

As I was thinking about this, Eve raised her hand to tidy her hair, which had been tousled by the wind.

At that moment, I noticed a silver ring on her fourth finger.

“Huh?”

I’d seen that ring before. Just this morning, in fact.

My eyes widened as I looked at the ring on Eve’s finger, and she, feeling my gaze, slowly glanced at her own hand before flinching in surprise.

Her startled expression, however, quickly vanished, and she effortlessly put on a casual demeanor as she explained.

“It’s a friendship ring.”

But the bright flush creeping up her ears betrayed her.

“A friendship ring? With Raven? So, does that mean all the informants wear matching rings?”

“N-No, it’s not like that… Uh, I mean….”

Eve smoothly slipped the ring off her finger and tucked it into her pocket.

She probably kept it hidden during official engagements.

But today, since we came to the East District earlier than planned, she must have rushed and forgotten to hide it.

So… it’s a matching ring with Raven.

‘I almost came between a couple.’

Thank goodness I realized in time before doing something disastrous.

I patted the flustered Eve reassuringly.

“It’s all right. I won’t tell anyone.”

Eve’s face flushed a deep red, and she looked at me with a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude.

“So, no one else knows about this?”

“N-No, no one does…” she stammered.

How they managed to keep a secret relationship in Queensbury, surrounded by some of the sharpest informants in the empire, was beyond impressive.

It seemed that keeping their relationship under wraps might have been her choice, given that Raven wore his ring openly while Eve hid hers.

She must be the type who likes to keep her personal and professional lives strictly separate.

“Don’t worry, think of me as just a pebble on the roadside that overheard you. I’m just a talking pebble.”

“A… pebble?”

“I’ll keep your secret safe, so don’t worry.”

I gave her a harmless smile, and Eve gradually started to calm down.

After regaining her composure, she spoke, her voice steadier but still tinged with a hint of embarrassment from the earlier incident.

“Yes, n-no one knows….”

How could she even think of maintaining a secret relationship in Queensbury?

With some of the empire’s top informants keeping a sharp eye on their colleagues, it was a wonder they hadn’t been caught yet.

While Raven openly wore his ring, Eve kept hers hidden, suggesting that the secrecy was likely her decision.

Maybe she was the type to keep her personal and professional lives strictly separate.

“Don’t cry, okay? Think of it as being caught by a pebble on the roadside. I’m just a talking pebble.”

“A… pebble?”

“I’ll keep your secret until the end, so don’t worry.”

I tried to give her the most innocent smile I could muster, and Eve gradually calmed down.

She collected herself, her embarrassment from earlier fading, and spoke in a steadier voice.

“Thank you, Miss. It’s as if we’re in the same boat now. I’ll serve you faithfully for the rest of my life.”

“Is it that serious…?”

“Yes. I’m deeply touched by how you’ve so warmly kept my secret.”

What exactly moved her so much about that?

“You even went so far as to call yourself a pebble….”

That… that’s what did it?

Either way, it seemed like I had managed to secure a skilled ally like Eve.

‘Did I just stumble upon an unexpected windfall?’

“You two suit each other well. I’ll be cheering for you.”

“You’re the first person to ever say that, Lady Sierra.”

Well, of course, since no one else knew….

A secret romance between two informants—it was thrilling in its own way.

As I pondered this while we walked, Eve suddenly yanked me aside with surprising force.

“Huh?”

Was she going to eliminate me for discovering her secret…?

…Or so I thought, but then two figures suddenly burst out of a narrow alley.

Eve’s quick reaction saved me from colliding with them by a hair’s breadth.

But that wasn’t the real issue.

‘Why are they here?’

The two people who had been running in the opposite direction just moments ago—Jenna and the unknown man.

“You’re the one from before….”

Jenna began, seeming to recognize me, but before she could say more, the man beside her grabbed her shoulder.

“I told you not to speak with strangers here.”

I turned my gaze to him at his low voice.

The man was shrouded in a black cloak, with a scarf wrapped around his face, covering everything but his eyes.

It was as if he were trying to hide from a wanted poster—his entire body concealed except for his eyes.

‘Red eyes….’

Pure crimson eyes gleamed with an intensity that reminded me of a creature of darkness.

Jenna clammed up immediately at his words, and I stepped closer to her, speaking up.

“Excuse me. Do you need help?”

Was she being threatened by this so-called boss or whatever he was?

At that moment—

Boom! Crash!

A massive explosion sounded from behind us.

Eve instinctively shielded me, rolling us into a nearby alley just before the flames could reach us.

“W-What was that?”

I widened my eyes and looked toward the source of the explosion. A pile of bricks had crumbled, and flames were licking through the debris and street garbage.

Had a bomb gone off? And what about Jenna…?

I turned back to where Jenna and the man had just been, but they had already vanished.

“Are you all right, Miss?”

Eve helped me up as I awkwardly tried to regain my footing.

The explosion had been far enough that we weren’t seriously hurt, but we could have easily gotten burned.

Thankfully, thanks to Eve, I didn’t even have a scratch.

Eve quickly stamped out the small embers left by the explosion with her foot.

And after examining the site of the explosion, she spoke with certainty.

“It’s magic.”

“Magic?”

“Do you see the charred lines on this broken brick?”

Eve pointed to a barely recognizable brick, where blackened traces formed a distinct line.

“It’s the remnants of a magic circle. Someone set up a spell here. They must have inscribed the circle beforehand and then activated it with a trigger word.”

But who would do such a thing, and why set it off now?

“There have been reports of a few extremists opposing the recent merger reforms between the West and East Districts. We’ll need to look into it further, but this might be their doing.”

I’d heard about that. Even now, there were protests against the reforms in certain parts of the West District.

But the truly influential people remained quiet, watching for the right time, while those out in the streets protesting were more of a mixed crowd without real sway.

I hadn’t paid much attention to them because of this….

But Ludwig and I were currently unwelcome guests in the West District.

Could this be a warning to leave the south?

‘Or….’

Just before the explosion, I thought I heard a faint voice, so quiet that it could have been my imagination.

I couldn’t make out what it said, but I was sure the man with Jenna had muttered something in a low tone.

And then, in the confusion, they disappeared before I could react.

‘Who is he, really?’

According to the original story, I should meet Jenna again soon.

But if things follow the original storyline, the man is unlikely to appear again.

Maybe he was truly unimportant, so much so that he wasn’t even mentioned, or perhaps Jenna deliberately kept him a secret. It was impossible to know for sure.

Brushing the dust from my clothes, I resumed walking with Eve.

Yet, for some reason, the image of the man’s red eyes lingered in my mind, refusing to fade.

TL/N: Okay guys so I made a few mistakes in the past chapters, there is a names Eve/Eveline here. So her name is actually Ibis that is typically what Eve should be. I made a mistake in old chaps and I completely forgot which one of them was it in so please forgive me… my mistake was to use Eve instead of Eveline.. I have a similar novel with same name and the same nickname so it tl like this so i change it Im sorry but if you guys see Eve/Eveline/Ibis They all are the same person