TLYWK Chapter 10 (Part 3)

The nonsensical exchange was a coded conversation. The man stood leisurely and walked toward a staircase leading to the second floor. Lily followed, glancing at Mentor on the way.

He was seated at a table with another man. Could that be the friend connected to the organization? Curiosity bubbled, but she set it aside for now.

Mentor had a connection to a proper information network and hadn’t mentioned it once? She felt wronged.

If she’d known about a direct path to this place, she wouldn’t have wasted money on the initial informant. Such a shame—it wasn’t even her money but Beatrice’s.

The man guided her to a room and disappeared. The room contained only two sofas and a table, devoid of carpets, bookshelves, or even a single piece of paper. It was purely functional.

Soon, footsteps echoed beyond the closed wooden door—two sets. Why were two people entering?

Lily hid behind the door momentarily. When the door opened, she furrowed her brows at the familiar faces.

“Lily.”

One of them was, of course, Mentor.

“What’s this? You said you weren’t involved with this place.”

“Well, I’m not entirely uninvolved.”

The other man was the one Mentor had been seated with downstairs. With striking red hair, he casually took a seat on one sofa and motioned for Lily to sit across from him. Mentor leaned against the wall, leaving Lily as the only one standing.

“The staff told me a customer might be trying to buy information about Paralett,” the red-haired man said.

“They’re perceptive,” Lily replied.

“You don’t survive in this business without sharp instincts.”

“True. So why bring Mentor here?”

“I thought he might be relevant.”

“What makes you think that?”

Lily removed her hood. There was no point in hiding her face anymore.

The red-haired man chuckled. He had a surprisingly pleasant demeanor for someone dealing in secretive and dangerous information.

“You and your fellow maids once entrusted Mentor with someone’s care.”

“Mentor has a loose tongue, I see.”

“I only helped because of his connection to that someone,” the man said with a faintly bitter smile.

Lily hesitated. Though the maids had shared many personal stories, they hadn’t delved deeply into Mentor’s past. She glanced at Mentor, who raised an eyebrow at her gaze.

“The records show you’ve been investigating Viscount Paralett.”

“You’re quick.”

“It’s my job. You want to dig deeper into Paralett, don’t you?”

“Yes, and the cost doesn’t matter.”

“There’s no need for payment. I have a proposal instead.”

Lily frowned slightly.

“What’s the proposal?”

“I know you and the other maids are serving someone.”

“And?”

“I assume your master killed the Count and is now targeting Paralett?”

Lily said nothing, though the man’s certainty was evident in his eyes. He was no ordinary informant—she could tell she couldn’t afford to show any weakness.

“Your master works for Duke Calrex, doesn’t he?”

What?

“Whatever methods they used, everything seems to be happening under the Duke’s influence. Did he hire a dark sorcerer?”

The man speculated that Beatrice’s master had taken action to eliminate the Count’s crimes. Lily, however, responded not with an answer but with laughter.

“Pfft.”

Caught off guard, the man looked confused as Lily burst into full-blown laughter.

“Ha-ha-ha!”

She laughed so heartily she had to clutch her stomach, collapsing onto the sofa. After several seconds, she wiped her tears, fixed her disheveled hair, and composed herself.

“Sorry, it was just too funny.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Yes.”

Lily’s smile widened.

“From start to finish, you’re not even close.”

Despite his confidence, the man’s assumptions were thoroughly off. Still, Lily considered his proposal, wondering if Beatrice might benefit from having an informant on her side.

“I’ll speak to my master,” she said finally.

“Fair enough. I didn’t think you’d decide on your own.”

As she rose to leave, Lily grabbed the man’s collar.

“But give me the information on Paralett first.”

The man sighed, clearly worn out by Lily’s unrelenting demands.

* * *

Lily returned to Beatrice immediately after receiving information about Viscount Paralett.

The details included his business dealings, residence, and even the locations he used for his illegal activities. Considering the information had been given freely, Lily had expected it to lack substance, but it was surprisingly comprehensive.

After completing her report, Lily carefully relayed Todd’s proposal: he wanted to meet Beatrice in person to discuss matters. Beatrice listened quietly and nodded without hesitation.

She was already familiar with Todd’s information network—it wasn’t new to her. She had known about it in her previous life.

Whenever Lily was tasked with gathering information, whether quickly or slowly, she would always end up contacting this organization. It was likely someone connected to it was near her.

Though the organization wasn’t yet large enough to deal with high-ranking nobles, it would grow to that level in a few years. Todd himself was inherently capable—he was even a magician.

Of course, no one was aware of that yet. Meeting him early and establishing control wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially since what she needed was more information.

“Set up a meeting immediately,” Beatrice instructed.

“When should I schedule it?”

“Tomorrow. As soon as possible. Let him choose the location.”

Lily didn’t hesitate. After bowing to Beatrice, she entered the small adjoining room next to her lady’s quarters and pulled out the item Todd had given her.

It was a magical tool provided alongside Paralett’s information. Todd had instructed her to use it to convey messages.

The item was a plain copper brooch, neither particularly cheap nor expensive in appearance. Lily tapped it three times with her fingernail.

“Todd,” she called his name, and a response came almost immediately.

―You called sooner than I expected.

“My lady wishes to meet you sooner than expected as well.”

―“Efficient and to the point—I like it. When shall we meet?”

“Tomorrow. Immediately.”

―That’s quite immediate.

“She also said you may choose the location. It’s a mercy from her.”

―How gracious. Let’s meet at… Rosayu Street…

There was a brief pause.

―…At Café Dalia.

Lily’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Café Dalia was where she had recently purchased sandwiches.

* * *

The next day, Beatrice and Lily departed the estate earlier than the meeting time Todd had suggested. After informing the coachman of their destination, Lily joined Beatrice in the carriage.

Beatrice sat calmly, as though she already knew their destination, asking no questions.

When they arrived at the café, it was devoid of customers despite it being a weekday afternoon—clearly, this café had ties to the information network.

The employee who had previously informed Lily about Walbaret greeted them with the same polite demeanor and led them to a table.

“You’re early,” Todd said as he and Mentor appeared as soon as the two women sat down. Clearly, they had been watching all along.

Lily scowled at their sudden appearance, but Beatrice showed no reaction, her expression unreadable, as if she had expected this.

Todd was smiling, but beneath his expression was a hint of unease.

The tall, slender woman seated with Lily exuded the air of a noble. Her black hair and golden eyes were striking, and Todd could immediately identify her, even without needing to. The carriage they had arrived in bore the prominent crest of the Ember Ducal Family.

Todd and Mentor sat across from the two women. Mentor’s expression was stiff, and Todd’s furrowed brows betrayed his thoughts.

“Lily, is this your master?” Todd asked.

“Yes,” Lily replied confidently.

“Lily, I’m not in the mood for jokes,” Mentor interjected with frustration, his tone sharp.

Lily’s expression immediately darkened, but Todd raised a hand to mediate.

“So, Miss Lily, you’re saying your master is the Duke’s daughter?”

“Yes,” Lily replied again, her voice firm.

Todd turned his gaze to Beatrice. She had been staring into the air, but now her golden eyes met his. Her beauty was undeniable, but there was something strangely hollow about her demeanor.

Todd had some information about Beatrice Ember—an outcast within her family who had recently gained the Duchess’s favor. She had also been present at the Count’s estate when the Count was killed.

“My name is Todd, Lady Beatrice. Before we proceed with negotiations, may I ask you a few questions?”

“Go ahead.”

Her tone was as dry as her expression.

“Did you kill the Count?”

“Yes.”

“Did you employ a dark magician?”

“No.”

“Do you use dark magic yourself?”

“No.”

Todd’s brows knit further.

“Then how did you kill the Count?”

“With my bare hands.”

As Todd and Beatrice continued their question-and-answer session, Mentor let out a short laugh. Meanwhile, Todd turned to Lily, who wore an expression of pride and satisfaction.

Todd struggled to make sense of the absurd situation.

“Lady Beatrice, are you saying that without using dark magic or hiring a magician, you personally killed the Count with your bare hands?”

“Is that difficult to understand?”

Beatrice tilted her head, her face devoid of sarcasm or mockery—she genuinely seemed to wonder why he found it hard to believe. Todd’s head ached from the absurdity.

Unable to contain himself, Mentor slammed the table and stood.

“Lily, I get that you’re trying to protect your master, but—”

“She is my master, Mentor. Watch your mouth,” Lily snapped, her expression equally harsh.

Todd didn’t intervene this time. He was frustrated, too. If Beatrice had claimed she’d hired someone to kill the Count, Todd might have begrudgingly believed she was Lily’s master. But the notion that she had done it herself, with no aid, was absurd.

He assumed she was testing them, trying to gauge their worth.

“Believe me or don’t—I don’t care,” Beatrice said, cutting through the tension.

She leaned back in her chair, withdrawing her hand from the table where she had been tapping her fingers.

“You’ll understand eventually, and I’m not obligated to convince you.”

Her calm and measured tone carried a peculiar weight, quieting even Mentor. There was an air of danger about her, an unsettling power that made even Todd hesitate.

“I’ve shown you the truth. It’s only fair you do the same.”

Her words, though simple, carried the implication of a veiled threat.

Todd considered her carefully. She had come to the meeting without guards, seemingly unafraid of the danger. That confidence unnerved him.

“Fine. Whether you’re the culprit or not, you’ve moved personally as a Lady of the Ducal House, so let’s proceed. But I have a condition.”

Todd’s sharp smile returned as he leaned forward slightly.

“I see you’re planning to use an oath spell,” Beatrice said, cutting him off.

Her words left both Lily and Mentor stunned. An oath spell—a deadly magic binding both parties to their promises—was rare and dangerous.

Todd’s face grew unreadable, as if evaluating her intentions.

“Let’s get it over with. I dislike wasting time,” Beatrice added.

“…As you wish,” Todd said after a long sigh.

Activating the spell, Todd said, “What I want is for you to destroy Viscount Paralett and retrieve a specific item in his possession.”

“If I do this, you will become my eyes and ears,” Beatrice replied.

The spell took effect almost instantly, red light seeping into their wrists as the magic was sealed.

Once it was done, Beatrice pulled her hand back and rested it on her lap, indifferent.

“Now, I have no need for further explanation,” she said.

“Pardon?” Todd asked, confused.

“You don’t even know what the item is or how it looks, do you? You just know it’s vital.”

Todd’s lips parted, but he couldn’t refute her. Beatrice continued, her tone dismissive.

“I’ll retrieve it. Don’t waste my time with unnecessary details.”

Her words carried an unspoken warning. Todd exchanged a glance with Mentor, who seemed equally unsettled by the interaction.

Though Beatrice appeared delicate, her presence was unnervingly commanding. Todd decided to trust his instincts, which had never failed him before, and nodded silently.

As they parted ways, Todd reflected on the item he sought. He didn’t know what it looked like, but he suspected it was hidden in an old mansion on the outskirts of the capital, where Paralett often conducted shady activities.

This mansion also housed a secret underground prison where his captives were kept. According to his sources, Paralett would visit the mansion this Friday to manage his accounts personally.

It would be the perfect opportunity to take him down in one decisive blow.