Episode 33

“Wait here.”

“But my lady.”

This was after I had changed clothes. When I tried to leave Marie in the store, she was horrified.

“No matter what, it’s dangerous for you to go alone!”

“I told you I’m going somewhere dangerous. I’m already prepared for that, so don’t worry.”

“What if something happens to you…”

“If you come with me, I’ll have to worry about you.”

Saying this, I tied my long, ashy hair tightly.

My dull, thin hair, which I had never liked, blended into the servant’s outfit once it was properly pinned up. It became even less noticeable when I donned a women’s bonnet that was lying around the store.

Just in case, I also put on a pair of tinted glasses from the store’s corner, leaving another silver coin for it.

“Who would recognize me with this disguise?”

“My lady…”

“But you’re different.”

I pointed at Marie, who was wearing the silk dress I had given her in exchange for her maid’s outfit.

“If you come with me wearing that dress, someone will surely target you. Anyone can see you’re a noble lady.”

“No way! It’s just a bit fancy…”

“Marie, don’t underestimate yourself.”

I playfully tapped her face. I could see her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Besides, we have no escort right now. I don’t want to take you to such a place.”

“If we go back now and borrow Lady Aria’s escort…”

“We can’t let anyone know what we’re up to.”

When I cut her off, Marie looked on the verge of tears.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. Stay here for me.”

“But…”

“I promise I’ll come back. I swear.”

At my firm words, Marie finally nodded.

* * *

I walked diligently to the meeting place specified in the document.

No one spoke to me, an ordinary maid in appearance. Even when I entered a slightly shady alley, it was the same.

‘…The meeting place is likely where the Oracle is.’

I walked carefully, not in a hurry. As I went deeper, I saw an alley that was dark even in broad daylight.

I wasn’t particularly afraid.

‘I know places darker and mustier than this.’

Compared to those places, this was quite bright.

After walking a bit more, I entered Realm Street, a rundown and nondescript slum even in the capital.

“This is it.”

I looked at a tall, narrow building wedged between two alleys.

‘It seems too small to be a guild.’

But I couldn’t just pass by. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“……”

Someone made a clicking sound from inside.

A slit appeared in the seemingly solid door. Soon, a small opening at eye level revealed itself.

Only the eyes of the person on the other side were visible.

“Password?”

“Summer’s Rose.”

“Who sent you?”

“Silver Lion.”

Silver Lion was the codename given to Duke Reinhardt by the Oracle. This was also noted in the document.

The door soon opened.

‘Hmm.’

The inside was much larger than it seemed from the outside.

From the outside, it looked squashed between the buildings, but once inside, it turned out the adjacent buildings were all connected.

A spiral staircase stood prominently in the center of the lobby.

“Silver Lion, huh.”

The one who opened the door was a large man.

“What’s the Duke’s household up to now?”

The big man grumbled, eyeing me suspiciously. Instead of answering, I narrowed my eyes and replied.

“Are you asking a servant of the Duke’s household to explain its affairs to a mere doorman of an information guild?”

“……”

The man muttered something under his breath but didn’t ask further, gesturing for me to go up.

The deeper I went, the more peculiar the scent became. When I finally reached the innermost room, the scent was more distinct.

It was a mix of herbal and floral scents…

‘Huff.’

I momentarily held my breath.

Soon after, someone came out from inside, holding a candle that emitted a peculiar scent.

“Well, clever, aren’t you?”

That someone blew out the candle.

I stared intently at the shadow cast in the room. Soon, that someone slowly walked into the light.

A handsome man with striking red eyes and red hair appeared.

The robe he was wearing was almost like a bathrobe. The red silk robe fluttered around him, and it seemed like he was naked underneath.

A languid voice followed.

“You’re different from the servant who came last time.”

“He couldn’t come because he’s sick.”

“…It seems the Duke decided to send someone smarter this time?”

The man tilted his head as he spoke.

“Usually, people don’t even know what this scent is.”

“……”

“Do you have memories of similar torture or interrogation?”

Indeed, it was a candle that served a similar purpose to a truth serum.

‘Of course, I’ve experienced it countless times.’

The man twisted his lips at my reaction.

“Really? Haha. What a rare sight.”

“How dare you try to use such a thing on someone from the Duke’s household. You’ve got some nerve.”

“If someone from the Duke’s household has experience with such things, it means they might be a criminal.”

The man smiled with his eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be the one worried?”

“Do you think the Duke hired me without knowing?”

The man listened to my words and laughed, casually adjusting the tie of his robe.

“It’s impolite to be in such attire, but wasn’t it you who showed up unannounced?”

“Are you questioning Duke Reinhardt’s decision?”

The man stood still for a moment, then laughed.

“I momentarily forgot the arrogance of your kind.”

The next moment, a rather intense pressure filled the air. If I were an ordinary maid, I might have been frightened into collapse just from the atmosphere.

‘But I’ve been through too much for that.’

I was familiar with this level of intimidation from the underground prison. The man’s eyes gleamed as he continued speaking.

“High-ranking nobles are truly annoying. Even their servants act like nobles themselves.”

“……”

“At least you look noble. You’ve got some guts.”

“Guts?”

“The last servant who came immediately tucked his tail between his legs.”

Even though he was a servant, he was a representative of the Duke. The fact that this man could speak like this suggested his position in the Oracle was not low.

‘He must have enough confidence to treat the Duke’s representative this way.’

The man spoke as if granting a favor.

“Considering your guts, I’ll treat you properly if you wish.”

He whispered, his slightly open robe revealing his bare chest.

“……”

The chest was covered with someone’s blood at a glance.

It didn’t seem like it was his blood.

“Hoo.”

The man seemed even more interested when I didn’t look away. Seeing that I stood still and silent, the man shrugged.

“So, what brings you from the Duke’s household?”

“There was a defect in the item from the last transaction.”

I replied calmly. According to the document, there had indeed been some transaction between the Duke’s household and the Oracle.

‘I need to find out what they traded.’

There was a moment of silence, followed by explosive laughter.

“Ha, ha ha! Hahaha!”

The man bent over with laughter, even slapping the nearby table.

Then, he abruptly stopped.

“A defect?”

The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly.

“A defect.”

The man straightened up, his eyes glinting.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard there was a defect in our items. It must be that your side didn’t use it properly.”

The man stepped closer to me. I braced myself to not back down.

“If you really wanted something effective, you should have gone to the assassin’s guild. Don’t you agree?”

“……”

“If your foolish noble lady hadn’t taken the poison, it would have been fine.”

I swallowed hard.

‘So the trade was that poison.’

The one intended for Chris. Or rather, that was supposed to be.

Good. I had identified the source of the poison. This was a significant discovery.

‘But I can’t do much with just this.’

I still lacked evidence. If the Oracle and the Duke’s household denied the documents, that would be the end. The documents didn’t even have the Duke’s seal.

‘Reporting this now would leave many loopholes.’

Unless I could persuade the Oracle to side with me, this information was meaningless.

Thud.

At that moment, the man suddenly grabbed my chin and lifted it.

I met his eyes directly.

“Hmm.”

His peculiar red eyes glinted in the weak light from the ceiling.

“Come to think of it.”

He lightly touched my loose hair.

“Doesn’t the noble lady have the same hair color as you?”

“Enough.”

I suppressed my pounding heart and coldly brushed his hand away. That was the end of my patience.

“How dare you. What do you think you’re doing?”

The man smiled meaningfully.

“‘How dare you’? Interesting. You’ve been acting like a noble lady even though you’re just a maid.”

“Remember, even as a maid, I’m from the Duke’s household.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think someone like you can treat someone from the Duke’s household however you want? I am here on behalf of His Grace the Duke. Behave properly.”

As I spoke firmly, the man burst into laughter again.

“Ha ha, ahahaha!”

He laughed as if he couldn’t help it.

“Hahaha… This is what makes it interesting. That’s what I should be saying.”

“……”

“How do you think the guild master will react if a mere maid messes up the deal? Is the Duke okay with this?”