“When they got off at Lake Revan, a man who looked like a servant gave me a tip. He said he would tip me five times the carriage fare and asked me to do something.”
“What? Five times? This guy, there was a reason you said you'd buy me drinks today.”
“Haha. Judging from her unusual spending habits, she must really be a noble. What on earth did she ask for that she gave you that much money?”
The coachman's voice became quieter.
“It’s obvious. They told me not to tell anyone that I drove them to Revan today. They just wanted me to forget about it.”
“Huh! Now I get it. A journey like an escape in the middle of the night, a noblewoman with a maidservant, a man who also looks like a maid... It’s obvious at first glance that it’s a secret affair or an elopement.”
“Huh? I thought you were involved in some kind of crime?”
“It’s the love between a noble lady of high status and a man of low status. It’s obvious. They went all the way to the countryside to have a secret meeting. It might even be an affair.”
“Ha, has this guy been reading any of the popular novels that have been flowing in from Vicentine lately? Have you been stealing your wife’s reading material and reading it in your spare time?”
“When you hear it, it makes sense. We haven’t been in business for a day or two, and we’ve met all sorts of people for over ten years. Who else would have as much insight as we do?”
“That could really be true. Oh, this is a bit strange! I definitely had a feeling, but I never thought of something like love between a man and a woman. Now that I hear it, I nod my head, hehe.”
“But what if I tell you? If I received that much money, I should have erased it from my memory. What if I tell you?”
“If you don’t trust them, who can you trust? That crazy guy picked up such strange guests – where are you going to go and who are you going to spread the word about?”
“That’s true. Then let’s buy each of you another drink.”
The coachman readily agreed and waved his hand to the serving woman. The man sitting alone behind them stuffed the rest of his buttered bread into his mouth and stood up. Then he looked back at the coachmen as if he was thinking deeply about something and left the teahouse.
At the same time, Olivia was responding to the questioning of the inspector who had come to the costume shop. She was finishing up her work alone to take another day off when the inspector took out his ID and asked her to inquire about someone who had been wanted.
“So, Miss Olivia Bernard knows nothing about Madame M.”
“Yes, yes... I’ve never... really, not even once met her, or seen her from afar, because the owner of the costume shop, Mrs. Madeline Schultz, always takes requests and delivers items.
“Can you swear? You must answer correctly. You must keep in mind that false statements are also punishable.”
“Yes, I swear it! It’s true.”
Olivia shrugged her shoulders. She clasped her hands together as if she were claiming her innocence, which was almost pitiful. Since her fiancé had a criminal record for fraud, she had developed a habit of stiffening up in front of public authorities.
“If Madame M. is really involved in something bad, it would be better to investigate Mrs. Schultz rather than me...”
“Because if we’re not careful, there’s a risk that the fact that the Metropolitan Police Department is keeping an eye on Madame M could leak out. As Miss Bernard just said, if Mrs. Madeleine Schultz is really close to Madame M, there’s a chance she could tip them off. That’s why I came here to ask Miss Bernard, who is more trustworthy.”
"Ah..."
A look of relief spread across Olivia's eyes.
“Anyway, I understand. Madame M is active within the Citadel and recently informed me that she will be taking a month-long vacation and will not be able to accept any work during that time... Just confirming these two facts is enough of an achievement. As you know, you must not tell this story to Mrs. Schultz or anyone else.”
The inspector stood up and added slowly and for emphasis.
“Maybe Mrs. Schultz will be investigated as an accomplice. Even if that happens, Miss Bernard will be rewarded for her cooperation in the investigation. Don’t worry, I will also help you find a new job at another clothing store.”
“Oh my, really? That much... Don’t worry. I won’t tell.”
Olivia saw the inspector out the door with a brighter face and returned to the store. She was a typical country girl who had come to the capital to find work. She had no way of knowing that the inspector's elaborately forged ID was fake. She just tilted her head in confusion.
“Oh my. Madam M... What kind of investigation is she under? She’s such a mysterious figure whose identity is unknown. Wait, if Madeline is involved, it would be best to keep my distance from now on. I don’t want to get swept up in it for no reason and end up with a stray spark.”
Olivia put off her work and made a new cup of tea, her mind busy thinking about how to prepare for the next situation.
The Emperor's fingers twitched and trembled. The sticky blood clung to his cold body, and it seemed as if it had become a part of his body that would soon become a corpse.
How tenacious is human life? He was still breathing. It seemed like all the blood had drained from his body, but he was still conscious.
But that was only for a moment, as he realized that he didn't have much time left. So he tried to concentrate all his remaining strength on his right finger. There was still sticky blood on his finger.
He applied all his strength to his index finger. The blood barely managed to draw six letters. The Emperor blinked his blood-soaked eyes. But it was a failure. He scratched the first two letters with his fingernails, so nothing was written. He tried to fill in the first letters with his strength again, but he was out of breath.
His eyes slowly closed. Who would have expected that he would die such a miserable death in a foreign land? And from a guy he had never expected to see. He tried his best to uncover the identity of the culprit, but God was never on his side.
Several days passed without being able to relax in peace. The days were getting shorter and the sun was slowly setting.
Angie was heading across Lake Revan to Grandma Catherine's house. The wind was chilly, but not too cold. It was definitely warmer than the capital city, the Citadel. The usually quiet lake and square would really get busy as the sun went down. Aunt Line had told her this morning that the night market, which was held every other Friday, would be held tonight.
The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the bag in one hand. As soon as she got home, she was planning to put it on the stove and boil some soup. Then, her grandmother would be able to eat it warm after she woke up from her nap.
On the other side of the bridge, beyond the window of a house, Angie saw the back of a woman holding a child and soothing her. Her footsteps slowed down on their own and her nose started to tingle. Noah came to mind.
Noah, how are you? Just wait a little longer, it'll only be a week. This year, you'll have to spend your birthday without Mom, but it'll be over soon, so our baby...
It was Noah's third birthday a few days later, and she felt even more affectionate. She had been able to exchange letters with her family in the capital once every week. It was thanks to Uncle Pier, the younger brother of Aunt Line, who took care of Grandma Catherine, that he had to make a short round trip to the capital. He personally delivered Angie's letter to Bryn and received a reply.
"Bryn. Uncle Anton, who brought me here, as you may have heard from Marian, I am in Revan right now. I was going to stop by Grandma Catherine on the way to Lorsha to just say hello, but she was sick at the time. It's not serious, just a cold, but I plan to go to Lorsha once she gets better... (omitted)"
Before she knew it, a week had passed. Grandma Catherine had gotten a lot better, but she still had a cough, so Angie couldn't go to Lorsha. She thought it would be better to stay here for the rest of the week and then go back to the Citadel.
Bryn's letter came to mind and her eyes became wet. Noah was eating and sleeping well as usual. He cried for his mother for the first two days, but Martin and Bryn seemed to have comforted him well. Her worries had subsided somewhat, but as each day passed, her longing grew stronger.
She just hoped that nothing would happen. Only after a week, when everything went as expected, would she feel relieved. If the entire delegation, including the Duke of Blackwell, left for Trieste and nothing happened...
Maybe it was Kyle who had been acting from the beginning. He might have concluded that she resembled Angie, or even if he had recognized her, he might have let it slide. As time went by, the latter possibility became more and more likely. Yes. That was much more believable. He might have already forgotten her. He might have become sincere to Leticia during their three-year marriage.
One side of her chest trembled. Angie gathered her thoughts and hurried her steps before the tingling thrill turned into a dull pain. The small farmhouse and the surrounding houses, with autumn flowers and fallen leaves slowly fading away, all looked like a painting.
“What? Five times? This guy, there was a reason you said you'd buy me drinks today.”
“Haha. Judging from her unusual spending habits, she must really be a noble. What on earth did she ask for that she gave you that much money?”
The coachman's voice became quieter.
“It’s obvious. They told me not to tell anyone that I drove them to Revan today. They just wanted me to forget about it.”
“Huh! Now I get it. A journey like an escape in the middle of the night, a noblewoman with a maidservant, a man who also looks like a maid... It’s obvious at first glance that it’s a secret affair or an elopement.”
“Huh? I thought you were involved in some kind of crime?”
“It’s the love between a noble lady of high status and a man of low status. It’s obvious. They went all the way to the countryside to have a secret meeting. It might even be an affair.”
“Ha, has this guy been reading any of the popular novels that have been flowing in from Vicentine lately? Have you been stealing your wife’s reading material and reading it in your spare time?”
“When you hear it, it makes sense. We haven’t been in business for a day or two, and we’ve met all sorts of people for over ten years. Who else would have as much insight as we do?”
“That could really be true. Oh, this is a bit strange! I definitely had a feeling, but I never thought of something like love between a man and a woman. Now that I hear it, I nod my head, hehe.”
“But what if I tell you? If I received that much money, I should have erased it from my memory. What if I tell you?”
“If you don’t trust them, who can you trust? That crazy guy picked up such strange guests – where are you going to go and who are you going to spread the word about?”
“That’s true. Then let’s buy each of you another drink.”
The coachman readily agreed and waved his hand to the serving woman. The man sitting alone behind them stuffed the rest of his buttered bread into his mouth and stood up. Then he looked back at the coachmen as if he was thinking deeply about something and left the teahouse.
At the same time, Olivia was responding to the questioning of the inspector who had come to the costume shop. She was finishing up her work alone to take another day off when the inspector took out his ID and asked her to inquire about someone who had been wanted.
“So, Miss Olivia Bernard knows nothing about Madame M.”
“Yes, yes... I’ve never... really, not even once met her, or seen her from afar, because the owner of the costume shop, Mrs. Madeline Schultz, always takes requests and delivers items.
“Can you swear? You must answer correctly. You must keep in mind that false statements are also punishable.”
“Yes, I swear it! It’s true.”
Olivia shrugged her shoulders. She clasped her hands together as if she were claiming her innocence, which was almost pitiful. Since her fiancé had a criminal record for fraud, she had developed a habit of stiffening up in front of public authorities.
“If Madame M. is really involved in something bad, it would be better to investigate Mrs. Schultz rather than me...”
“Because if we’re not careful, there’s a risk that the fact that the Metropolitan Police Department is keeping an eye on Madame M could leak out. As Miss Bernard just said, if Mrs. Madeleine Schultz is really close to Madame M, there’s a chance she could tip them off. That’s why I came here to ask Miss Bernard, who is more trustworthy.”
"Ah..."
A look of relief spread across Olivia's eyes.
“Anyway, I understand. Madame M is active within the Citadel and recently informed me that she will be taking a month-long vacation and will not be able to accept any work during that time... Just confirming these two facts is enough of an achievement. As you know, you must not tell this story to Mrs. Schultz or anyone else.”
The inspector stood up and added slowly and for emphasis.
“Maybe Mrs. Schultz will be investigated as an accomplice. Even if that happens, Miss Bernard will be rewarded for her cooperation in the investigation. Don’t worry, I will also help you find a new job at another clothing store.”
“Oh my, really? That much... Don’t worry. I won’t tell.”
Olivia saw the inspector out the door with a brighter face and returned to the store. She was a typical country girl who had come to the capital to find work. She had no way of knowing that the inspector's elaborately forged ID was fake. She just tilted her head in confusion.
“Oh my. Madam M... What kind of investigation is she under? She’s such a mysterious figure whose identity is unknown. Wait, if Madeline is involved, it would be best to keep my distance from now on. I don’t want to get swept up in it for no reason and end up with a stray spark.”
Olivia put off her work and made a new cup of tea, her mind busy thinking about how to prepare for the next situation.
***
The Emperor's fingers twitched and trembled. The sticky blood clung to his cold body, and it seemed as if it had become a part of his body that would soon become a corpse.
How tenacious is human life? He was still breathing. It seemed like all the blood had drained from his body, but he was still conscious.
But that was only for a moment, as he realized that he didn't have much time left. So he tried to concentrate all his remaining strength on his right finger. There was still sticky blood on his finger.
He applied all his strength to his index finger. The blood barely managed to draw six letters. The Emperor blinked his blood-soaked eyes. But it was a failure. He scratched the first two letters with his fingernails, so nothing was written. He tried to fill in the first letters with his strength again, but he was out of breath.
His eyes slowly closed. Who would have expected that he would die such a miserable death in a foreign land? And from a guy he had never expected to see. He tried his best to uncover the identity of the culprit, but God was never on his side.
***
Several days passed without being able to relax in peace. The days were getting shorter and the sun was slowly setting.
Angie was heading across Lake Revan to Grandma Catherine's house. The wind was chilly, but not too cold. It was definitely warmer than the capital city, the Citadel. The usually quiet lake and square would really get busy as the sun went down. Aunt Line had told her this morning that the night market, which was held every other Friday, would be held tonight.
The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the bag in one hand. As soon as she got home, she was planning to put it on the stove and boil some soup. Then, her grandmother would be able to eat it warm after she woke up from her nap.
On the other side of the bridge, beyond the window of a house, Angie saw the back of a woman holding a child and soothing her. Her footsteps slowed down on their own and her nose started to tingle. Noah came to mind.
Noah, how are you? Just wait a little longer, it'll only be a week. This year, you'll have to spend your birthday without Mom, but it'll be over soon, so our baby...
It was Noah's third birthday a few days later, and she felt even more affectionate. She had been able to exchange letters with her family in the capital once every week. It was thanks to Uncle Pier, the younger brother of Aunt Line, who took care of Grandma Catherine, that he had to make a short round trip to the capital. He personally delivered Angie's letter to Bryn and received a reply.
"Bryn. Uncle Anton, who brought me here, as you may have heard from Marian, I am in Revan right now. I was going to stop by Grandma Catherine on the way to Lorsha to just say hello, but she was sick at the time. It's not serious, just a cold, but I plan to go to Lorsha once she gets better... (omitted)"
Before she knew it, a week had passed. Grandma Catherine had gotten a lot better, but she still had a cough, so Angie couldn't go to Lorsha. She thought it would be better to stay here for the rest of the week and then go back to the Citadel.
Bryn's letter came to mind and her eyes became wet. Noah was eating and sleeping well as usual. He cried for his mother for the first two days, but Martin and Bryn seemed to have comforted him well. Her worries had subsided somewhat, but as each day passed, her longing grew stronger.
She just hoped that nothing would happen. Only after a week, when everything went as expected, would she feel relieved. If the entire delegation, including the Duke of Blackwell, left for Trieste and nothing happened...
Maybe it was Kyle who had been acting from the beginning. He might have concluded that she resembled Angie, or even if he had recognized her, he might have let it slide. As time went by, the latter possibility became more and more likely. Yes. That was much more believable. He might have already forgotten her. He might have become sincere to Leticia during their three-year marriage.
One side of her chest trembled. Angie gathered her thoughts and hurried her steps before the tingling thrill turned into a dull pain. The small farmhouse and the surrounding houses, with autumn flowers and fallen leaves slowly fading away, all looked like a painting.
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