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chapter 9
“Riel! What brings you here without any notice?”
Reina smiled brightly at the sudden visit from her second younger sister.
“I just wanted to see how everyone’s doing. And… I have something to say.”
“Come in quickly.”
When Bliss and Daisy spotted Uriel entering the mansion, their faces lit up as they ran to greet her.
“Riel!”
“Riel, unnie!”
“Have you all been well? Do you like the mansion?”
“Of course. Thanks to the Duke looking after us so meticulously, we’re living very comfortably. I feel a little guilty that we’re being taken care of so much.”
“Unnie, don’t say that. How can family call it a burden? Even Rey said the same thing. With both our parents gone, you sisters and Daisy are the only family we have left.”
It wasn’t a lie. Those were the very words Duke Baraota had said to Uriel’s sisters before her regression.
“I’m really grateful he said that. Anyway, first I should look around the house.”
“Mm. Oh, Sir Vicenti.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“I’ll just be indoors for a while, and I’d like to talk freely with my sisters. Why don’t you take a rest.”
“Understood.”
Uriella managed to dismiss her escort knight much more easily than she had expected, and headed upstairs with her sisters.
“So, I heard this mansion also originally belonged to the Duke?”
“Yes, that’s what they say. But more importantly, unnie, I need a favor.”
Her suddenly serious expression froze Reina and the others mid-step, tension spreading among them.
“Is something wrong?”
“Not like that. I just… need to slip away from my escort and go somewhere. I need your help.”
“You’re not planning to do something dangerous, are you?” Reina asked, worry lacing her voice.
“Of course not. Do I look like I’d do that? I just need to step out for a short while.”
“Still… suddenly asking us to help you ditch your escort and go somewhere is strange. Where are you going?”
“Can’t you just help me without asking questions?”
At Uriel’s words, Bliss let out an exasperated sigh.
“No, we need to know what’s going on to help you. Sneaking away from your escort means doing something without the Duke’s knowledge. You’ve barely been married, what could be so important?”
“It’s about Father.”
In an instant, the air around them froze solid.
Uriella had expected this, but she knew no other way.
“What about Father?”
“Reina and Riel, you two sure have strong stomachs. How can you even call that filthy man our father? He’s the one who sold off Daisy. And he kept you, Riel, because you were the prettiest of us—because he could sell you for a higher price.”
Bliss practically shouted in outrage.
“Did you forget? He used to beat us, but avoided hitting our faces or arms because he didn’t want to lower our market value. I still remember it as if it were yesterday.”
“Unnie, calm down a little.” Daisy hurried to soothe her.
“Yeah, if you keep this up, what if you collapse again like yesterday—” Reina stopped mid-sentence, glancing nervously at Uriel.
“Collapse? What do you mean? Unnie, did you faint? Are you sick?”
“It’s nothing. Her body’s just weak. If she gets too worked up, she faints. We’ve already had a doctor see her, so don’t worry.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You weren’t going to tell us where you were going either.” Bliss answered with a pout.
“I’m sorry.”
“Forget it. Don’t apologize over something like that. More importantly, explain what this is about.”
“It’s nothing huge. Just inheritance and property issues. I was trying to resolve them quietly. Rey already cleared Father’s gambling debts and found you sisters and Daisy, so I felt bad to bring this up again. I just wanted to settle it quietly on my own.”
“If it’s like that, you could’ve just told us.”
“I thought it might upset you all. Whenever Father comes up, we all overreact.”
Uriella couldn’t blame them—she had hidden things for the same reason.
“From now on, let’s not keep secrets from each other. Finding out later will only hurt more, okay?”
Reina’s words earned nods all around.
“So, you just need us to get you out of here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Just this once, we’ll help.”
With her sisters’ help, Uriel managed to sneak out of the mansion.
“My lady, over here!”
Near the mansion, Mardel waved from the coach he had summoned in advance.
“Mardel, don’t call me ‘my lady’ out here. People will find it strange. Call me Riel.”
“Huh? But how could I possibly call you by a nickname so casually?”
“It’s to hide my identity. Just think of it as acting. Besides, I’m the one permitting it, so it’s fine.”
“…All right.”
Mardel nodded, deciding it best not to address her by name unless necessary.
“Let’s go then, hurry.”
Inside the carriage, Uriel fidgeted nervously with her fingers.
Now the real beginning starts.
Before long, the carriage halted at a narrow alley.
“We’ve arrived. The carriage can’t go in here!” the coachman called.
Uriel rose from her seat.
“Wait, my lady—please use this.”
Mardel handed her a black cloth.
“What’s this?”
“Silver hair isn’t common among commoners. I thought it best to cover it. But…” He trailed off, uneasy.
“What? Does it mean something?”
“…It’s actually worn by widows in mourning after their husbands die. I’m sorry! Considering you’re newly married, this isn’t appropriate at all.”
He hurried to shove the cloth back into his bag.
“Don’t. Give it here. I don’t mind.”
Uriel wasn’t upset in the slightest. On the contrary, it felt almost like fate.
Rey died, and I was thrust back in time. I never even had the chance to mourn him properly.
Mardel, bewildered, handed the cloth back.
“Here.”
Uriel draped it over her head without a second thought. Though thin, it covered her striking silver hair well enough.
“All right, let’s go.”
The two carefully stepped down from the carriage.
“Doesn’t this place feel… eerie?”
Between the decaying houses stood trees that looked nearly dead, giving off a chilling atmosphere. Mardel swallowed nervously.
“Don’t worry.”
“Huh?”
“This place may look like this, but it’s actually very safe.”
Her words weren’t just for reassurance.
It’s made this way precisely so people won’t come here easily.
“Here it is. Let’s go in.”
“Eh? Here?”
The shabby shop was even worse than Mardel had expected. His voice trembled.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure we’re not lost? A shop wouldn’t be in a place like this.”
“We’re in the right place. I’m certain.”
Uriel knocked lightly on the door.
“I came to buy today’s tomato soup.”
“Come in.”
With that permission, the door creaked open. Uriella led Mardel carefully inside.
The old wooden floor groaned, startling Mardel into a halt.
“Well, what brings you here?”
An old woman appeared from what looked like the kitchen.
“I came for tomato soup, like I said.”
Uriel smiled as she spoke.
“It’s been a long time since someone asked for that. This way, please.”
Following the old woman, Uriella and Mardel descended the stairs into a basement.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had guests.”
A man wearing a mask that covered his eyes greeted them.
“Please, sit. I expect this will be a long conversation.”
“There’s someone I want you to find.”
Uriel went straight to the point as soon as she sat.
“In a hurry, I see. But if that’s what you’re here for, perhaps you’ve come to the wrong place?”
“No. This is the right place. The one I’m looking for is a mage.”
Even behind the mask, she could tell the man was startled.
“Well then, I’ve been caught off guard.”
“I don’t have much time.”
“Then you must know we only accept information as payment, yes? And the matter of a deposit?”
“Soon, the Imperial family will begin punishing anyone possessing magical artifacts. That should be sufficient as a deposit, don’t you think?”
“Indeed. Very generous. That’s precisely the information we needed.”
The man couldn’t hide his delight, his shoulders shaking in excitement.
Uriel hid a laugh.
Soren, you really haven’t changed at all.
She knew the face beneath that mask. Before her regression, they had been friends—though it had been an odd twist of fate that led them together.
Their first meeting had been when Soren helped her after she lost all her money to a pickpocket. By coincidence, they kept running into each other after that, until greetings turned to conversations, and conversations to friendship.
He was her first and last true friend.
He once told me he had to wear the mask because he couldn’t hide his emotions when working.
“Now, tell me about the person you’re looking for.”
“A man with green hair and green eyes. He should be about my age, and he’s a mage. Also… he’s the Emperor’s illegitimate son.”
“No wonder your deposit was so generous. If we succeed, how will you compensate us?”
“Don’t worry. I can pay any amount you want.”
“In that case, understood. Once we find information, where shall we send word?”
“To Duke Baraota’s residence, under the name Mardel.”
“Very well. Then please take care on your way back, client.”
Uriel stood and began to ascend the stairs—but then suddenly stopped, as if remembering something.
