Then, he grumbled while messing up his hair.
“It’s such a shame. You’re the perfect fit. What on earth is Enrique thinking?”
I thought for sure I could finally get rid of this tiresome situation this time!
“Why would you let this golden opportunity slip through your hands?”
Albert muttered under his breath several times.
He glanced at the closed door with eyes full of lingering regret, then roughly clicked his tongue. It was a very rude gesture.
Soon, he turned sharply, as if a cold wind had blown, and hurried towards the stairs, tapping his heels on the floor.
Thud, thud! Thud! Thud!
It was a loud and noisy sound that would disturb the innkeeper’s nerves as she prepared to finish the soup in the kitchen on the first floor.
The innkeeper, holding a spoon stained with roux in her hand, opened the curtain and peered out, her face illuminated.
“Hey! Mr. Albert! If our shop’s floorboards end up breaking because of you, are you going to take responsibility? Can’t you walk around quietly?!”
Albert, who had just begun to ascend the stairs, didn’t even glance in her direction. He only waved his hand carelessly and raised his voice.
“I’ll compensate! Just send me the bill!”
“Ugh! It’s always about money with you!”
The innkeeper’s voice followed Albert’s back up the stairs, but not even his footsteps could be heard. Eventually, she had no choice but to lower the ladle she had raised so high.
Her nerves, which had been on edge at the mere mention of compensation by Albert, had significantly softened.
“Well… if it’s about money.”
With a much more generous tone, the innkeeper murmured to herself, then began to hmm softly as she returned to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Albert, who had quickly ascended to the third floor, didn’t even bother to request permission before forcefully opening the door to Enrique’s room.
“Enrique! I apologize for the intrusion!”
Enrique furrowed his brows at the sudden intrusion. However, he didn’t seem surprised, as if he had expected Albert’s visit.
Sitting down on a chair, crossing his long legs, Albert grumbled.
“Enrique, where on earth did you sell your manners?”
“Isn’t now the time to find out about that?”
Albert grumbled with an impolite attitude.
“Hmm.”
Like someone who could sense that nagging was about to start, Enrique furrowed his brow and pressed his temples as if to ward off a headache.
In some ways, dealing with Albert seemed much more exhausting and draining than dealing with the innkeeper.
“Isn’t this a bit too much?”
Sure enough, Albert’s nagging began.
“Even though I know you probably wouldn’t listen, should I at least say something?”
“Quiet down, Albert.”
He hinted for him to be quiet, but Albert showed no signs of backing down or easing off.
In the end, it was Enrique who stepped back. He uncrossed his arms and gestured towards the door.
“If you’re going to continue, at least close the door.”
“What’s the point? It’s just the two of us here anyway!”
While grumbling with his mouth, Albert dutifully obeyed Enrique’s command.
It was a form of obedience deeply ingrained in him.
He closed the door quietly and stood before Enrique again.
Meanwhile, Enrique was prepared to listen to Albert’s nagging.
Sitting back lazily in his chair, legs crossed, he made a slight gesture as if to say, “Go ahead, start.”
Albert opened his mouth with a stubborn expression.
“Why did you refuse?”
“There was a reason.”
“That’s not enough. You need to tell me what that reason is.”
Albert added, almost as a warning.
“I just hope it’s a reason that makes sense.”
For a while, Enrique remained silent, but Albert patiently waited for him to speak.
Finally, Enrique’s lips, which had been tightly sealed, relaxed.
“That woman, she’s wanted by the authorities.”
“What? Wanted?”
Albert’s facial expression become surprised as if he had heard the most absurd story in his life.
He managed to force his lips shut after almost opening them wide, then asked with a squeezed-out voice.
“Is that true?”
Enrique nodded with a stern expression.
“For now. But there’s a considerable bounty on her head.”
“Huh… She didn’t seem like that at all.”
Albert muttered with a furrowed brow.
Of course, he knew that appearances could be deceiving, especially when it came to criminals.
But both he and Enrique had encountered their fair share of unsavory characters due to their line of work.
So, he had a knack for distinguishing those kinds of people from ordinary folks.
Yet, the brief encounter with Yoojin had genuinely felt different. She didn’t seem like one of those criminal types at all. If anything, her inherent goodness was palpable.
“Well… if that’s true… Huh. She didn’t seem like that at all.”
Albert scratched his temple awkwardly with his fingertips, muttering the same thing again.
“So? What’s the charge?”
“Kidnapping,” Enrique’s brow furrowed so much that his eyebrows almost touched.
“Well, that’s… quite unexpected,” Albert’s expression showed his confusion as he listened to Enrique’s explanation.
“I don’t think she’s really committed any crimes, though.”
“Really?”
Albert looked even more puzzled as Enrique’s explanation continued.
“If she hasn’t committed any crimes, then why is she wanted?”
“Well, they’re probably just trying to find her.”
“But that seems like a rather drastic measure.”
“I agree.”
Enrique nodded subtly as if implying agreement.
After a moment, Albert spoke tentatively, wearing a disappointed expression.
“But if she hasn’t committed a crime, isn’t it still right to report her? She could be a dangerous person, after all.”
Enrique lifted his buried face and looked at Albert with a pitiful expression.
“I hope you’re not being serious.”
“Why, why not? I don’t think I said anything wrong…”
Albert’s voice trailed off as he glanced nervously.
Enrique, showing signs of fatigue, pressed his temples and replied.
“And then what? What happens next after reporting her? Do we have to go to the authorities and give a statement? Should I do it? Or would you? Or do you think there’s some clever plan I don’t know about?”
“Oh…”
Albert faltered, his thoughts hadn’t reached that far.
Enrique continued in a low voice, calmly addressing the other potential issues.
“Let’s say she was hired. But what if someone recognizes her later and reports her? Then we would inevitably be implicated.”
Albert clicked his tongue.
“We’d be stuck in a situation where we can’t do anything.”
“Exactly. We don’t need the reward, but if we refuse to claim it, it might look suspicious. And if we claim it to avoid suspicion, we’ll have to provide personal information.”
“Oh, that’s…”
Albert trailed off, realizing the complications of the situation.
Albert nodded, tapping his fingers together.
“She’s a woman who could cause a lot of trouble in many ways if things get complicated. So, do we have any choice but to let her go?”
Both men’s goal was to leave this country as quietly as possible. However, hiring Eugenia would introduce variables and could lead to considerable difficulties at times.
Albert nodded his head as if he had fully understood why Enrique had to make such a decision and let go of this golden opportunity.
However, another curiosity sparked in his mind. He hinted subtly as he continued.
“But, you mentioned earlier that Eugenia’s crime is kidnapping, right?”
“Hmm.”
Albert spoke seriously as if he were embodying a detective, cautious and sharp.
“In that case, could Eugenia’s twin siblings, whom she mentioned, be the children who were kidnapped?”
“…”
Enrique didn’t respond immediately.
After a moment, his lips parted, and a subdued voice flowed out.
“It’s possible. Or it might not be.”
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Gon. Next post will be released on May, 16.
If you like my work please support Gon on Coffee.
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