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Chapter 12
Martini busily moved around, tidying up the chaotic reception room.
Even after two full days of diligently picking up shattered vase pieces and fragments of a mobile, more shards kept appearing from somewhere, making it seem like the cleaning would never end.
“Master.”
His voice cracked, filled with exhaustion. Rosalyn, who had been sitting slumped on the sofa in a daze, looked at him with empty eyes.
“Can I ask you something?”
Rosalyn gave no real reaction. Martini let out a small sigh. Just yesterday, she had been causing chaos as if she were going to turn the world upside down.
Still, if he had to choose, her being quiet like this was better. Yes, definitely better.
“I mean, it’s good that you don’t use violence recklessly and all… but why don’t you ever touch women or children?”
It was something he had been curious about for a while. Why were those two categories exceptions?
At first, he thought she had some kind of noble belief. But the more he looked at Rosalyn, the more she seemed completely unlike someone with lofty missions or rigid principles.
So why was she so strict about this rule?
“…It feels gross.”
After a long pause, Rosalyn finally spoke in a dry voice. Martini blinked blankly.
His mind struggled to connect the question and the answer.
“Gross…? What is?”
“Just. Gross. Like my dreams are weird, bad things keep happening for no reason. It just feels gross.”
Rosalyn frowned slightly, as if recalling something from the past. The more he listened, the more absurd it sounded. Such an unverified reason.
“If anyone heard that, they’d think you were seeing ghosts or something.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Ghosts don’t exist.”
Rosalyn scoffed in response. Annoyed, Martini raised his voice.
“Why not? If there’s magic, there could be ghosts too!”
“If anything, you’d just call that necromancy using dark magic.”
“That still counts as summoning something, so it exists in a way.”
“That’s not a ghost. It’s just mana scraps.”
Rosalyn replied indifferently, making Martini pout.
“I thought you had some hidden agenda or something.”
“What agenda? I’m probably the simplest person alive.”
“That part I agree with.”
Martini nodded without thinking—then froze under Rosalyn’s sharp glare.
“Th-then… you always spare women and children?”
“Ever since I decided to, yeah. Mostly.”
“So if someone just looks like they fit those conditions, you spare them all?”
Martini’s questioning became more and more detailed. Rosalyn stared at him like he was ridiculous.
“Why are you so curious about this?”
“It’s obvious. It’s a lucky condition for escaping the Master’s pursuit.”
“You’re not included in that category, so don’t worry.”
Martini continued muttering in disappointment. Rosalyn, exhausted by his endless self-talk, finally raised her voice while shuddering.
“Ugh, seriously! If I feel like they shouldn’t be touched, I spare them! Happy now?”
“Wow, so you’re basically the reaper. Deciding who goes and who stays. If you’re on your radar, you live, and if not, you die.”
“If you keep talking like that, you might end up completely off my radar.”
“Whoa. So I’m still on your radar, Master?”
Martini clasped his hands together, oddly moved by something completely strange. Rosalyn leaned back into the sofa, clutching the back of her neck. Talking to an idiot made her feel like she was becoming one too.
“So that’s why you spared me!”
Martini shouted proudly. Rosalyn, who had almost corrected him—“I didn’t spare you, I just kept you alive”—closed her mouth instead.
No matter what she said, he would interpret it however he wanted. She didn’t want the hassle.
Rosalyn closed her eyes. It was easier if she just didn’t look.
“Master, are you going to deliver another reply?”
Martini, oblivious to her mood, continued firing questions.
“At this rate, constantly jumping over the Cervellion estate walls will get you caught sooner or later. Isn’t it dangerous?”
“So now you’re acting like I’m going to keep doing that damn request?”
Rosalyn finally opened her eyes and responded irritably.
“You always say money is innocent. That it’s people who are guilty.”
Martini shrugged, throwing her own words back at her. Caught off guard, Rosalyn bit her lip.
Technically, she had already started the job, so she should see it through until she got paid.
Besides, 10 gold just to deliver a letter was pretty good money.
“Maybe we should find another way to enter the Duke’s estate regularly?”
It was a sharp observation. Rosalyn thought for a moment, organizing her thoughts. After a brief pause, she shook her head.
“The Duke must have anticipated something. That place was strangely empty when I went.”
“What? Empty?”
Martini’s eyes widened in shock.
“How can a ducal estate be empty?”
“There were only a handful of knights wandering around. No servants either. They said it was vacation, but who knows? They might’ve timed it that way on purpose.”
“Wow… they’re serious about this too.”
Martini expressed genuine admiration. Rosalyn shook her head, annoyed.
“Whatever. If they want the letter delivered, they’ll set something up again. Either send everyone on vacation again or clear out the guards.”
“But… what if they don’t do anything?”
Martini’s voice turned worried. Rosalyn scoffed.
“They will.”
“How can you be so sure, Master?”
“There’s a feeling.”
Rosalyn lightly stretched her body, brushing it off.
“Wait, what is it? Tell me! Master!”
Martini’s insistence continued, but Rosalyn no longer heard him. Her mind had already drifted into old memories.
The Deus she knew was the type of person who planned even when eating a single piece of bread. There was no way someone like that would assign a job like this without preparation.
It was a confidence based on experience.
Rosalyn rotated her stiff neck.
Crack, crack. A chilling sound echoed.
But what was even more chilling were her sharp eyes.
“This won’t work. I’m going out.”
“Right now? Where are you suddenly going?”
“I feel like I need to hit something to feel better.”
Rosalyn stretched her arms. Martini stared helplessly at the reception room, which looked like it had been hit by a storm.
At this point, it would be faster to count what wasn’t broken. And even after all that destruction, she still wanted to go break more things.
“You’re really amazing, Master.”
“Tell me something new.”
Even though he knew it wasn’t a compliment, Rosalyn answered casually. Martini sighed at her shamelessness.
Rosalyn swiftly tied up her hair. Her vibrant red hair disappeared beneath a black hood in an instant.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Me? I’m going too?”
“So I go alone like this? Looking suspicious?”
“If I go with you, wouldn’t that be even more suspicious?”
“Just say you’re my escort.”
It was a ridiculous statement. But Rosalyn meant it seriously.
Martini realized she had already crossed the point where persuasion was possible. All he could do now was obey.
“I’ll get ready.”
Martini replied with a sigh.
Rosalyn waved her hand carelessly.
At this point, she figured she might as well vent her frustration and also handle the request by visiting Dobak.
Rosalyn and Martini always kept a close eye on noble affairs. Even small pieces of information turned into money.
So they already knew that Bertha’s fiancé had a problem, and that Bertha would be arriving around this time.
At first, she thought a simple scare would be enough to keep him away from the gambling den. That was before she learned he had gotten involved with the “Night Bluebird.”
“Agh… I can’t even undo this now…”
Rosalyn muttered darkly, tilting her neck. Crack, crack. The sound was ominous—but more ominous were her sharp eyes.
She recalled Dobak’s loan contract again.
Bertha’s name and signature clearly listed as guarantor.
No solution came easily. If Dobak repaid the money immediately, it would be solved—but that kind of money wasn’t easy to find. If he had it, he wouldn’t have borrowed in the first place.
Just then, Martini reappeared after finishing his disguise. He didn’t look much different. He hadn’t even covered his face.
“You still haven’t disguised yourself?”
At the question, Martini froze mid-step. His large eyes shook violently.
If left alone like that, he might roll away.
Rosalyn sighed and waved him over.
“Forget it. Let’s just go.”
“Then… I guess so?”
Martini relaxed his stiff posture and smiled lightly. Somehow, it looked irritating.
Rosalyn clicked her tongue and moved.
Soon, they could do whatever they wanted anyway. For now, she had to endure.
“Master, where are we going again?”
A very late question.
Rosalyn glanced at him as if he were hopeless.
“To catch Dobak.”
“Last time you told me not to go because I couldn’t be recognized!”
Martini shouted in frustration. Rosalyn ignored him and kept walking.
When Martini stood frozen, she turned back and cracked her wrist.
Crack.
A silent threat.
Martini’s mouth twitched.
“Fine, I’m coming! You’re really unfair, Master!”
There was nothing he could do. He had to follow the strong.
Pouting, Martini trailed after Rosalyn.
