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Chapter 16
Liv’s bakery occupied the first floor, while the second floor was a spacious home where her family lived.
Scarlett stepped into Liv’s cozy room, which faced her own workshop window, and gave Liv a sidelong glance.
“Honestly, ask someone else. Who keeps prying into someone’s divorce like that? This neighborhood is weird.”
“Who dragged you into this neighborhood? You came here on your own, so don’t blame anyone else.”
Liv pulled a chair from the window and made Scarlett sit, placing a basket of bread in the center of the table. Then she began brewing coffee using a filter. Despite Liv’s childish curiosity, the main reason Scarlett kept coming here was this—Liv made exceptionally good coffee.
As soon as Scarlett let out a small, happy sigh after her first sip, Liv immediately began firing questions.
“Do nobles really do arranged marriages? You’re the only noble in Seventh Street.”
“Madam Parady from the jewelry shop is a noble too.”
“She’s too scary to count. Anyway, arranged marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Wow… fascinating.”
In Salantier, aside from a few nobles and major wealthy families, free love was considered normal.
Liv continued,
“By the way, isn’t the Crimson family rich? Why are you so poor?”
“Poor? I even have my own shop.”
“It’s rented. I bet a family like the Crimsons would own at least five or six buildings, even for kids.”
“I wonder. Before I even learned anything about money, my uncle took everything.”
“So that’s why you’re broke. Every family has money problems, I guess.”
Fortunately, Liv accepted Scarlett’s casual tone without further suspicion.
Relieved, Scarlett bit into a cherry Danish. Seeing that she had started eating, Liv figured she wouldn’t dodge the topic anymore and asked what she’d been waiting to ask.
“So, why did your ex-husband come?”
“Well… it’s complicated. He arrested a criminal and needed my testimony or something.”
“A criminal? What kind?”
“I can’t really say. It’s probably confidential.”
“What do you mean, ‘probably confidential’?”
Liv clicked her tongue, but her eyes were sparkling with curiosity.
“I’m getting more and more curious. I was even going to eat this while you complained about your ex-husband with me.”
“There’s not much to complain about.”
“Then why did you even divorce him?”
“Good question.”
As Scarlett reached for another pecan Danish, Liv smacked the back of her hand.
“I can’t believe I’m wasting good snacks on you. Did your ex do something you can’t even talk about?”
“Hmm.”
Scarlett, distracted by the warm pastry, hesitated before listing Victor’s flaws.
“If I had to name a flaw… he doesn’t smile much. I don’t think I ever saw him smile properly in two years. He doesn’t cry either, and in bed…”
She stopped mid-sentence.
Liv quickly cut a Danish in half and shoved it toward her.
“In bed what?”
“Nothing… he didn’t seem to like it much. Maybe it’s my problem?”
“You’ll figure that out when you meet other men.”
Liv laughed as if she had been waiting to say that, and Scarlett sighed.
“Anyway. Don’t ever talk about my ex-husband outside. Got it?”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
Scarlett didn’t want to say more. She had already accidentally revealed too much about Victor Dempelt.
Instead, she took another bite of Danish.
The maple syrup filling was so good she finished it quickly without realizing it.
“From the beginning… he was always the same person. That’s what started to hurt more and more.”
Just then, voices rose outside. Liv went to the balcony and quickly came back inside.
“Sc—Scarlett. There’s a navy carriage outside your shop.”
“What?”
Scarlett rushed to the balcony, looked down—and froze.
“I-I have to go! Thanks for the Danish!”
She ran out immediately and hurried toward her shop.
When she arrived at the clock shop, Victor was standing outside with his subordinates and Blight, his secretary, peering inside.
“Why are you here?”
Scarlett asked in shock first.
Victor tilted his chin toward the shop.
“To buy a clock.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? The main branch is on Third Street—go there! I’m not famous yet, so jewelers don’t give me their best stock. I don’t even have high-end clocks—”
Before she could finish, Victor walked straight inside.
Lieutenant Evan followed, raising an empty wrist toward Scarlett.
“Then I’ll buy one. I have money, and I’d rather wear a good watch than care about rank.”
“Lieutenant Ray!”
Scarlett protested, but Pallin—who had once been assigned to watch her—slipped in after them as well.
Once everyone entered, Blight smiled pleasantly.
“Actually, everyone was curious about the Madam’s watch shop. Since we’re here, I’ll also have a drink with Mr. Andrei.”
He went inside and greeted Andrei cheerfully, even giving him a light hug.
Evan pointed at a panel displaying “Sapphire Naval Watch” and asked something, while Andrei explained the estimated completion date and added his name to a reservation list.
Meanwhile, Pallin purchased a finely crafted silver pocket watch Scarlett had designed herself.
All of them were from noble families, so money wasn’t an issue.
Soon after, they came back out together with Andrei.
“I’ll leave work two hours early today,” Andrei said. “I’m going to join the navy officers for drinks.”
“You used to complain I don’t let you work!”
“You’re legally required to give employees at least one day off a month. I just couldn’t take it because there was no replacement. That’s what you call a bad boss, right?”
At his cold tone, Scarlett flinched and shoved him out the door.
The navy officers left in a group.
In the end, only Victor remained.
“…Why did you even come here?”
Scarlett sighed.
Instead of answering, Victor asked,
“The workshop is on the second floor?”
“Yes.”
He moved toward the stairs.
Scarlett quickly grabbed his arm.
“Andrei isn’t even allowed in there.”
Victor calmly took a naval warrant from his inner pocket and unfolded it.
It was official authorization from the police requesting naval assistance, complete with emergency investigative powers.
Scarlett understood in her mind that he had full legal authority to search her workshop—but it didn’t feel real.
When she hesitated, Victor said,
“If you won’t open it, I can break the door.”
“I’ll open it.”
She reluctantly took the key from a small pouch at her waist. The wooden door opened.
The staircase was narrow and smelled of wood.
At the top was Scarlett’s workshop, which felt larger than the first floor because it contained almost no furniture. A semi-transparent curtain divided a small sleeping area with a bed and wardrobe.
Victor struck a match and lit the gas lamp.
Flames flared, revealing a glass display filled with springs, gears, and metal molds.
He tossed the still-burning match into the hearth and pointed at a wall safe.
Scarlett opened it reluctantly. Inside were silver and gold ingots used for cutting gears.
Scarlett watched Victor examining her room carefully.
“What do you want to know? An investigation needs a purpose.”
“Tram repair is illegal. You know that. So what am I investigating?”
Scarlett hesitated, then answered boldly,
“I did go to fix it, but it wasn’t actually broken. It was working fine. I was just exaggerating.”
Victor looked at her.
“That day, I let it go. Don’t make excuses.”
A chill ran down Scarlett’s neck, but she replied calmly.
“If you let it go, why are you still searching my place?”
“You said you did repair tram systems?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you learn the skills?”
Victor pulled a chair under the gas lamp and forced Scarlett to sit.
“What are you—”
She raised her arms to shield her eyes from the light. Victor’s voice turned interrogative.
“I looked into it. You are a Crimson, but from age twelve you worked as a servant.”
“You had to investigate that much?”
“Yes. You always lied to me. You said you were raised like a proper noble girl. Though your behavior already made that obvious.”
“….”
“A maid who worked in the house supposedly self-taught Crimson engineering. Something even the family’s own children cannot do. And clockmaking is one thing—but tram engineers from the previous generation, including the Crimson heads, all died in accidents. So how do you remember anything from before age twelve?”
If she said she suddenly remembered everything, he would likely think she was insane.
So Scarlett answered calmly,
“I found tram blueprints by chance recently. So I taught myself.”
“Where are the blueprints?”
“I memorized them and burned them.”
“You memorized them? That’s illegal.”
“….”
Scarlett fell silent.
Victor continued calmly, as if interrogating her.
“And clockmaking?”
At that moment, Scarlett had no prepared answer.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again with a sigh.
Each time she failed to answer, Victor’s expression grew darker and more unsettled.
