Chapter 152
“Are you sure you really don’t need my help?”
Erika smiled, even though she knew things could go terribly wrong if they didn’t go according to plan. Nothing mattered to her except Veronica. Veronica was all she had left. As long as the proud Veronica remained, that was enough to make up for all that Erika had lost.
That’s why she had to find out what had happened to the current Veronica. Others might not understand, but for Erika, it was more important than her life. Lifelong missions, revenge, paying back debts of gratitude—none of that could compare.
Even if she achieved everything, it would be meaningless if Veronica wasn’t there.
“……Please wait a moment.”
The white-haired man adjusted his glasses slightly, then moved across the old wooden floor—which had screamed with every step before—without a sound, as if it were nothing.
Erika grabbed one of the chairs that was lying around, patted down the cushion, and plopped down into it. It had been a long time since she’d been in a place like this, and she was exhausted.
A marquisate located inside the capitol. A knight entered Yoseph’s office and stood at attention as he gave his report. As he spoke, he instinctively shut his eyes tight.
He knew all too well how dreadful repeated despair could be. It felt powerless and shameful to be the one to announce, for the dozen or so times, another fruitless search.
“……There was nothing.”
“I see. Good work.”
Yoseph answered mechanically. They had been investigating and searching all throughout the capital, centering on the inn room where the collapse had taken place, but nothing had come of it. As soon as the knight left, Yoseph clutched his head.
It was his fault. When Roina had said she would go there, he should have stopped her. He groaned in deep remorse. It felt like everything was his fault. An unfamiliar sense of guilt coursed through his exhausted body and into his mind. It was painful.
Two days had already passed. He felt like he was going to lose his mind from worry over what might have happened to Roina.
“Young Master, I’ve prepared a sandwich. You should eat something.”
At that moment, the butler who had been watching him gently tried to dissuade Yoseph and suggested he take a break. He was pushing himself too hard. While there was a slightly different reason today, the butler’s concern for him was sincere.
The butler, who had been with the current Marquis since he was a child, had also watched over the growth of Yoseph, the Marquis’s son and heir.
His affection for the Amasto Marquisate was part of it, but more than that, he simply found it pitiful that Yoseph, who was still at an age just before adulthood—even if a genius—was already suffering so much. And now there was also contact with the Revolutionary Army…
It had seemed impossible to ever cooperate with the Revolutionary Army, but it was entirely thanks to Yoseph’s efforts that such collaboration with the Council of Nobles had been achieved. The butler suppressed his urge to sigh and moved busily.
He personally brought over tea that cleared the head and helped with fatigue, along with some light refreshments, and set them in front of him.
Clink, rustle. A warm and clear scent of tea spread as a plate was set down within reach of Yoseph’s hand, holding small, bite-sized sandwiches and some fruit—simple finger foods.
‘Wait, rustle?’
Yoseph, about to refuse irritably as usual, noticed something odd and looked down at the plate. It wasn’t set down neatly as usual—it was slightly askew. The butler returned smoothly to his place without any change in expression.
He normally aligned the long plate perfectly parallel with the edge of the table, yet now he had left it slanted without adjusting it. This was definitely intentional.
“…Thank you for being mindful, butler. You’re always working so hard.”
He spoke slowly as he picked up a sandwich and lightly lifted the edge of the plate. Sure enough, there was a small folded note underneath. As he immediately unfolded it, a single pressed purple flower petal fell from inside.
{ Movement, unknown transaction occurred. Rose provided information to someone—based on that, it’s presumed the target had something taken. Planning to approach Rose’s transaction partner. Danger anticipated. – Hies }
It was a message from a Revolutionary Army informant. Yoseph tapped his index finger on the table where it rested.
There was no direct link yet, but the timing was suspicious. His instincts were telling him to follow this trail. He thought that perhaps a clue might be found in an unexpected place.
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