Julian's old aide opened the carriage door. He was worried Julian would show up with a displeased expression again, but instead, he seemed happier than when he'd entered.
“So, your marriage has come to fruition.”
Julian asked with his eyes slightly wide open.
“Just half. By the way, how did you know?”
The aide smiled faintly at the bewildered question. A smile appeared on Julian's usually impenetrable face. It was a tiny thing, but the aide, who had been by his side for so many years, could sense it.
“Congratulations. But who is young Lady the Count of Winsley?”
Julian couldn't answer his aide's question right away.
What kind of person is Layla? Courageous? Reckless? Unpredictable? Someone who loves her family? Or someone who doesn't care about her family? It was impossible to say with absolute certainty which one.
“She is a peculiar woman.”
So, he has no choice but to answer that way. It's hard to find out much in one meeting, but his first impression wasn't bad.
“She wasn’t afraid at all, even after seeing my arm.”
Even the aide, who rarely shows emotion, was surprised by those words.
“She is a brave woman.”
“Is she brave? She grabs someone’s arm and doesn’t even know shame.”
Julian strode into the carriage, grumbling. No, he pretended to grumble. Judging by his softened face, he didn't seem all that displeased.
“Yes, I see.”
The aide smiled broadly. It was nice to see the master's bright face after so long.
“Why are you laughing like that? I don’t like it.”
“Why did I laugh like that?”
"Now..."
Julian touched the corner of his mouth, then sighed. The waving hand suggested he no longer wanted to deal with him. The aide quietly climbed into the carriage. With two knocks on the wall near the driver's seat, the carriage began to move. The driver, too, seemed to be in a good mood, as the carriage moved smoothly.
"Invitation!"
I received the invitation from Anna and held it up in a flash.
“Are you that good?”
"Yes!"
It wasn't just any party; it was an invitation to a party hosted by the Marchioness of Ariant. In my past life, I loved having fun, so I often attended social gatherings.
But that was a story from a previous life. Now, I had to join the party to get information.
The timing was even better because I had to announce that I would become the Grand Duchess of Dukezan.
“Anna, I don’t have time to get a new dress made, and is there a dress I haven’t tried on?”
“Oh, that’s a lot. Are you asking something so obvious?”
Well, actually, it was nice to be able to attend the party since it had been a while.
In the past, married life with Kaiser meant focusing solely on my role as hostess. Attending every social gathering was essential for social interaction and Kaiser's business. There was no room for fun.
But things are different now. Before I got married, I was just excited about the various social gatherings I'd enjoy.
Anna asked cautiously, looking at me like that.
“But, Miss, the Madam won’t let you go to the party.”
Anna was right.
In my past life, I didn't receive this party invitation. Apparently, word had already spread that I was engaged to Julian. My family still opposed it, but even a rumor could change the future. This invitation was the result.
People must have been pestering the Marquis of Ariant to confirm the truth of the rumors that the Grand Duke and I might be getting married. They must have invited me to meet them.
My family knew this was a fact, so there was no way they'd let me go. If I were there, people would accept my marriage to Julian as a done deal.
Julian seemed willing to wait quite a while for my family to sort things out.
But I couldn't wait that long, so I went directly to Dukezan's place and tried to persuade him again. Perhaps it was only natural that my father issued a curfew for me.
At this rate, it would be faster to die of some unknown illness than to marry Julian.
I had to change my family's minds somehow. Even extreme measures were fine. And this party seemed like it might be the answer.
I played the role of a girl excited about the party, bragging about the invitation even during dinner. Everyone could guess why I'd received the invitation, so everyone looked bitter.
“I wish you hadn’t gone to that party.”
My mother spoke as carefully as possible. It was clear she didn't want me to get hurt.
I put down the dishes with a sullen expression.
“I know I disappointed you this time.”
My family's faces instantly turned pale as I, who had been beaming just moments before, slumped my shoulders and refused to even look at my food. They seemed to have forgotten I was a knight, even a knight.
"I'll reconsider marrying His Highness the Duke of Dukezan. I'll tell everyone at the party that rumors and facts don't match. So... can I go?"
I raised my head slightly and looked at my parents with pitiful eyes. Ruin and Adam tried to block me, so I looked at them with pity in return.
“I heard that the chocolate fountain at the party hosted by the Marchioness of Ariant was so large and fragrant...”
As I mumbled, my family let out a sigh mixed with laughter. "Yes. We're halfway there!"
It was a bit bitter to act in front of such a family, but it had to be done.
As soon as permission was granted, I stood up and kissed my father's rough cheek. I hugged my mother and faithfully played the role of the naive daughter. My innocent family finally let their guard down and listened to my excited story.
I needed to make my family let their guard down, especially tonight, because I had planned to sneak out of the room.
As the night deepened, Anna, who was on the other side of the door, seemed to be beginning to doze off.
I tied the curtains tightly to the bed, knotted as I could. I pulled them hard several times, but they wouldn't budge.
I'm a little worried, but I can't go out the door, so there's nothing I can do.
I gently opened the window and flung the curtains outside. I checked the curtains for strength one last time and looked down. Fortunately, the room was on the second floor, so it wasn't too dangerous. I held on to the knot and carefully descended, one step at a time.
“Huh, huh. This is harder than I thought.”
As I struggled to take my first steps, the low grass tickled my ankles. Catching my breath, I looked into the distance, and the sight of the moon rising high in the sky made me sigh.
Going down was already so hard, so I was worried about going up. But I had to get out, even if I was caught going in and got in trouble.
I covered myself with a black robe and escaped the mansion under the cover of darkness.
As I recall, the hole in the wall hadn't been repaired until then. I'd occasionally jump over it, pretending to be a young girl.
In other words, this was the first time I'd truly escaped from the mansion. My heart pounded, as if my mind had grown younger, even though my body had grown younger.
“Wake up. There’s so much to do.”
I was worried that my mind was already starting to loosen up after so long since I returned.
I only had one year left. I couldn't waste any time.
As I came out of the wall, the carriage I had secretly hired without my family's knowledge was waiting for me.
“Are you Young Lady Winsley?”
“Yes, please go to the alley at 8 Raph.”
It was a rather shabby place, definitely not a place a noble lady would go.
Of course, in my previous life, I had no reason to go there before marriage. But that wasn't the case after marriage.
To be precise, right after the entire family was executed.
The hired coachman looked puzzled, but he safely drove through the night and parked the carriage at the alley at number 8.
I told him to wait and gave him another silver coin.
“If you wait quietly, I’ll give you two more silver coins. Understood?”
It would have been awkward to have to turn around or reveal my location to others. The coachman, with a quick wit, smiled broadly and bowed.
The alley at number 8 was home to many poor people. The bar located there was no different.
I pulled my robe even tighter over my head and entered the bar. No matter how much I wore the robe, the drunks kept glancing at me, as if they knew I was a woman.
I brushed past the unpleasant gaze and spoke to the clerk, pouring me a beer.
“Please give me a cup of coffee.”
Then the clerk put the beer glass down and asked casually.
“This is a bar. We don’t sell coffee.”
“I’m so sleepy. Can I have a cup of strong coffee that will wake me up?”
The clerk looked down at me with a suspicious gaze. It wasn't a look of surprise, as if someone were looking for coffee in a pub. It was more of a wary gaze. But then the clerk walked inside and called out loudly to someone.
“Karen! Here’s some coffee!”
Then, a woman wearing heavy makeup and an apron emerged from inside. She smelled like food, as if she had been preparing snacks.
“Follow me.”
Karen gestured. I followed her down an inner passageway and into a slightly darker area.
Of course, I wasn't going there to be treated to coffee.
This was the hideout of the "Owl Information Merchant." "Coffee" meant information, and "eye-poppingly strong coffee" was the code word for meeting the Owl Information Merchant. The old me would never have known.
But after losing my entire family, I searched all over for information, and that's how I found this place.
The Second Prince's involvement in the treason incident was also discovered through the owl information exchange. Perhaps, if I had had more time in my past life, I could have acquired more information.
Karen led me to a door with a blank sign. It was striking that, for an information center, it offered no information.
“Is this the place?”
When I asked, Karen gave a curt nod. Even though this was my second time here, I felt a pang of nervousness clenching my chest. Perhaps it was because I felt I had to do well this time.
“A young guest has arrived.”
As I entered, a smiling man sat there. His face was covered by a mask, but his bright brown hair and refreshing aura were difficult to conceal.
The man looked at me with a bright smile, then reached out and pointed to a chair.
“Please take a seat. Would you like something to eat?”
“I already told you I wanted coffee.”
At my words, the man burst into laughter.
“You are an honored guest, so we should treat you well. Isn’t that right?”
This time, I scoffed. This information center wasn't a place anyone could find, so it would usually have a lot of noble customers. So, the owner, while appearing casual, would maintain a certain politeness.
I'd seen this man's bare face in a past life. The handsome face revealed when the mask was removed was something I couldn't forget.
“Nice to meet you. Are you the owner of this place?”
“That’s right. Who are you?”
"I am Layla Winsley, the eldest daughter of the Count of Winsley. Please take good care of me."
At my words, the owner of the information store opened his eyes wide and then burst into laughter. His laughter was as clear and innocent as the clear, crisp weather.
“Normally, people don’t like to reveal their identity, but Lady Winsley is very cheerful.”
I laughed at his words, too.
I took off my hood completely. It was a stark contrast to my masked opponent.
“I came here to buy information.”
At my words, the man once again looked surprised. Even with his mask on, his expression was so vivid. I felt like I knew his true nature.
I thought of another person wearing a mask, but he seemed to be the complete opposite of that person.
The owner of the information store leaned forward, resting his chin on his arm. I could clearly feel the eyes behind the mask observing me. He was imitating a rascal, but his gaze was cold. He must be examining every word I said carefully.
“I treasure this information quite a bit and have no intention of selling it.”
“But you’ll sell it?”
The information dealer's expression was a very curious one at my words. If I handed over the information I had, he'd definitely sell it. But, with the situation so critical, I couldn't help but feel my fingers tremble. I clenched my fists and stared at him with aplomb.
“I have two questions.”
“Ask me.”
“First, why does Young Lady want to buy the store I cherish?”
"Of course, it's to monopolize the information obtained by the Owl Information Agency. I don't want the information to leak out."
“You are a greedy girl.”
The owner of the information desk didn't seem offended. He tilted his head, his fine hair falling in a flurry with the action.
"Second, what will you buy here? I'm not interested in money."
I already knew this. Even in my past life, he wasn't interested in money. I'd learned this information through repeated attempts, so there was no need to try again. I decided to tell him the answer right away.
I answered with a smile.
“I will exchange information about your sister, Ari Eriant’s whereabouts.”
“So, your marriage has come to fruition.”
Julian asked with his eyes slightly wide open.
“Just half. By the way, how did you know?”
The aide smiled faintly at the bewildered question. A smile appeared on Julian's usually impenetrable face. It was a tiny thing, but the aide, who had been by his side for so many years, could sense it.
“Congratulations. But who is young Lady the Count of Winsley?”
Julian couldn't answer his aide's question right away.
What kind of person is Layla? Courageous? Reckless? Unpredictable? Someone who loves her family? Or someone who doesn't care about her family? It was impossible to say with absolute certainty which one.
“She is a peculiar woman.”
So, he has no choice but to answer that way. It's hard to find out much in one meeting, but his first impression wasn't bad.
“She wasn’t afraid at all, even after seeing my arm.”
Even the aide, who rarely shows emotion, was surprised by those words.
“She is a brave woman.”
“Is she brave? She grabs someone’s arm and doesn’t even know shame.”
Julian strode into the carriage, grumbling. No, he pretended to grumble. Judging by his softened face, he didn't seem all that displeased.
“Yes, I see.”
The aide smiled broadly. It was nice to see the master's bright face after so long.
“Why are you laughing like that? I don’t like it.”
“Why did I laugh like that?”
"Now..."
Julian touched the corner of his mouth, then sighed. The waving hand suggested he no longer wanted to deal with him. The aide quietly climbed into the carriage. With two knocks on the wall near the driver's seat, the carriage began to move. The driver, too, seemed to be in a good mood, as the carriage moved smoothly.
***
"Invitation!"
I received the invitation from Anna and held it up in a flash.
“Are you that good?”
"Yes!"
It wasn't just any party; it was an invitation to a party hosted by the Marchioness of Ariant. In my past life, I loved having fun, so I often attended social gatherings.
But that was a story from a previous life. Now, I had to join the party to get information.
The timing was even better because I had to announce that I would become the Grand Duchess of Dukezan.
“Anna, I don’t have time to get a new dress made, and is there a dress I haven’t tried on?”
“Oh, that’s a lot. Are you asking something so obvious?”
Well, actually, it was nice to be able to attend the party since it had been a while.
In the past, married life with Kaiser meant focusing solely on my role as hostess. Attending every social gathering was essential for social interaction and Kaiser's business. There was no room for fun.
But things are different now. Before I got married, I was just excited about the various social gatherings I'd enjoy.
Anna asked cautiously, looking at me like that.
“But, Miss, the Madam won’t let you go to the party.”
Anna was right.
In my past life, I didn't receive this party invitation. Apparently, word had already spread that I was engaged to Julian. My family still opposed it, but even a rumor could change the future. This invitation was the result.
People must have been pestering the Marquis of Ariant to confirm the truth of the rumors that the Grand Duke and I might be getting married. They must have invited me to meet them.
My family knew this was a fact, so there was no way they'd let me go. If I were there, people would accept my marriage to Julian as a done deal.
Julian seemed willing to wait quite a while for my family to sort things out.
But I couldn't wait that long, so I went directly to Dukezan's place and tried to persuade him again. Perhaps it was only natural that my father issued a curfew for me.
At this rate, it would be faster to die of some unknown illness than to marry Julian.
I had to change my family's minds somehow. Even extreme measures were fine. And this party seemed like it might be the answer.
I played the role of a girl excited about the party, bragging about the invitation even during dinner. Everyone could guess why I'd received the invitation, so everyone looked bitter.
“I wish you hadn’t gone to that party.”
My mother spoke as carefully as possible. It was clear she didn't want me to get hurt.
I put down the dishes with a sullen expression.
“I know I disappointed you this time.”
My family's faces instantly turned pale as I, who had been beaming just moments before, slumped my shoulders and refused to even look at my food. They seemed to have forgotten I was a knight, even a knight.
"I'll reconsider marrying His Highness the Duke of Dukezan. I'll tell everyone at the party that rumors and facts don't match. So... can I go?"
I raised my head slightly and looked at my parents with pitiful eyes. Ruin and Adam tried to block me, so I looked at them with pity in return.
“I heard that the chocolate fountain at the party hosted by the Marchioness of Ariant was so large and fragrant...”
As I mumbled, my family let out a sigh mixed with laughter. "Yes. We're halfway there!"
It was a bit bitter to act in front of such a family, but it had to be done.
As soon as permission was granted, I stood up and kissed my father's rough cheek. I hugged my mother and faithfully played the role of the naive daughter. My innocent family finally let their guard down and listened to my excited story.
I needed to make my family let their guard down, especially tonight, because I had planned to sneak out of the room.
***
As the night deepened, Anna, who was on the other side of the door, seemed to be beginning to doze off.
I tied the curtains tightly to the bed, knotted as I could. I pulled them hard several times, but they wouldn't budge.
I'm a little worried, but I can't go out the door, so there's nothing I can do.
I gently opened the window and flung the curtains outside. I checked the curtains for strength one last time and looked down. Fortunately, the room was on the second floor, so it wasn't too dangerous. I held on to the knot and carefully descended, one step at a time.
“Huh, huh. This is harder than I thought.”
As I struggled to take my first steps, the low grass tickled my ankles. Catching my breath, I looked into the distance, and the sight of the moon rising high in the sky made me sigh.
Going down was already so hard, so I was worried about going up. But I had to get out, even if I was caught going in and got in trouble.
I covered myself with a black robe and escaped the mansion under the cover of darkness.
As I recall, the hole in the wall hadn't been repaired until then. I'd occasionally jump over it, pretending to be a young girl.
In other words, this was the first time I'd truly escaped from the mansion. My heart pounded, as if my mind had grown younger, even though my body had grown younger.
“Wake up. There’s so much to do.”
I was worried that my mind was already starting to loosen up after so long since I returned.
I only had one year left. I couldn't waste any time.
As I came out of the wall, the carriage I had secretly hired without my family's knowledge was waiting for me.
“Are you Young Lady Winsley?”
“Yes, please go to the alley at 8 Raph.”
It was a rather shabby place, definitely not a place a noble lady would go.
Of course, in my previous life, I had no reason to go there before marriage. But that wasn't the case after marriage.
To be precise, right after the entire family was executed.
The hired coachman looked puzzled, but he safely drove through the night and parked the carriage at the alley at number 8.
I told him to wait and gave him another silver coin.
“If you wait quietly, I’ll give you two more silver coins. Understood?”
It would have been awkward to have to turn around or reveal my location to others. The coachman, with a quick wit, smiled broadly and bowed.
The alley at number 8 was home to many poor people. The bar located there was no different.
I pulled my robe even tighter over my head and entered the bar. No matter how much I wore the robe, the drunks kept glancing at me, as if they knew I was a woman.
I brushed past the unpleasant gaze and spoke to the clerk, pouring me a beer.
“Please give me a cup of coffee.”
Then the clerk put the beer glass down and asked casually.
“This is a bar. We don’t sell coffee.”
“I’m so sleepy. Can I have a cup of strong coffee that will wake me up?”
The clerk looked down at me with a suspicious gaze. It wasn't a look of surprise, as if someone were looking for coffee in a pub. It was more of a wary gaze. But then the clerk walked inside and called out loudly to someone.
“Karen! Here’s some coffee!”
Then, a woman wearing heavy makeup and an apron emerged from inside. She smelled like food, as if she had been preparing snacks.
“Follow me.”
Karen gestured. I followed her down an inner passageway and into a slightly darker area.
Of course, I wasn't going there to be treated to coffee.
This was the hideout of the "Owl Information Merchant." "Coffee" meant information, and "eye-poppingly strong coffee" was the code word for meeting the Owl Information Merchant. The old me would never have known.
But after losing my entire family, I searched all over for information, and that's how I found this place.
The Second Prince's involvement in the treason incident was also discovered through the owl information exchange. Perhaps, if I had had more time in my past life, I could have acquired more information.
Karen led me to a door with a blank sign. It was striking that, for an information center, it offered no information.
“Is this the place?”
When I asked, Karen gave a curt nod. Even though this was my second time here, I felt a pang of nervousness clenching my chest. Perhaps it was because I felt I had to do well this time.
“A young guest has arrived.”
As I entered, a smiling man sat there. His face was covered by a mask, but his bright brown hair and refreshing aura were difficult to conceal.
The man looked at me with a bright smile, then reached out and pointed to a chair.
“Please take a seat. Would you like something to eat?”
“I already told you I wanted coffee.”
At my words, the man burst into laughter.
“You are an honored guest, so we should treat you well. Isn’t that right?”
This time, I scoffed. This information center wasn't a place anyone could find, so it would usually have a lot of noble customers. So, the owner, while appearing casual, would maintain a certain politeness.
I'd seen this man's bare face in a past life. The handsome face revealed when the mask was removed was something I couldn't forget.
“Nice to meet you. Are you the owner of this place?”
“That’s right. Who are you?”
"I am Layla Winsley, the eldest daughter of the Count of Winsley. Please take good care of me."
At my words, the owner of the information store opened his eyes wide and then burst into laughter. His laughter was as clear and innocent as the clear, crisp weather.
“Normally, people don’t like to reveal their identity, but Lady Winsley is very cheerful.”
I laughed at his words, too.
I took off my hood completely. It was a stark contrast to my masked opponent.
“I came here to buy information.”
At my words, the man once again looked surprised. Even with his mask on, his expression was so vivid. I felt like I knew his true nature.
I thought of another person wearing a mask, but he seemed to be the complete opposite of that person.
The owner of the information store leaned forward, resting his chin on his arm. I could clearly feel the eyes behind the mask observing me. He was imitating a rascal, but his gaze was cold. He must be examining every word I said carefully.
“I treasure this information quite a bit and have no intention of selling it.”
“But you’ll sell it?”
The information dealer's expression was a very curious one at my words. If I handed over the information I had, he'd definitely sell it. But, with the situation so critical, I couldn't help but feel my fingers tremble. I clenched my fists and stared at him with aplomb.
“I have two questions.”
“Ask me.”
“First, why does Young Lady want to buy the store I cherish?”
"Of course, it's to monopolize the information obtained by the Owl Information Agency. I don't want the information to leak out."
“You are a greedy girl.”
The owner of the information desk didn't seem offended. He tilted his head, his fine hair falling in a flurry with the action.
"Second, what will you buy here? I'm not interested in money."
I already knew this. Even in my past life, he wasn't interested in money. I'd learned this information through repeated attempts, so there was no need to try again. I decided to tell him the answer right away.
I answered with a smile.
“I will exchange information about your sister, Ari Eriant’s whereabouts.”
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