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Chapter 18
As Chandler had said, a single vine was indeed bent at a slightly different angle from the others.
It was almost impressive that someone had even noticed it. Chandler offered a genuine expression of admiration.
“You really found it.”
Aol scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Chandler, pretending to carefully inspect the vine, quickly ran calculations through his mind.
Could he truly conclude that this trace was left by Rosalyn?
And if it really was an intruder targeting Deus, what would happen then?
After some thought, Chandler made his decision.
If she truly was the legendary figure they suspected, she would find a way to slip through any encirclement.
“Begin a quiet search. We cannot confirm who the intruder is or how many there are, so avoid drawing attention.”
“Yes, sir.”
Aol hurried off to relay the order. Chandler slowly examined the vine.
The irregular bend remained suspiciously obvious—but the more he looked, the stranger it felt.
“It doesn’t make sense for this to be caused by someone jumping down and stepping on it…”
Chandler lightly jumped in place. After landing, he stared at his own feet, then looked back at the vine.
“This angle… wouldn’t happen. This looks more like something stepped on while climbing up…”
At that moment, a chilling presence slid down his spine.
Chandler immediately gripped his sword and turned around—
But there was nothing he could do.
“Correct. It was stepped on while going up.”
A figure stood there, completely swallowed by the darkness.
A person dressed head to toe in black, as if darkness itself had taken human form.
Eyes of deep green shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
Chandler swallowed hard.
This was his first direct encounter with the rumored Rosalyn.
“You’re pretty sharp. You must be someone important. Your outfit is more elaborate.”
Rosalyn remained calm even with Chandler ready to draw his blade at any moment.
Chandler kept his guard up.
“What are your intentions?”
“To call out someone important. I set this up.”
Her voice carried a faint smile.
She had deliberately left the trace.
And that meant she had entered the ducal estate without anyone noticing.
That realization alone was chilling.
“How hard you come down on your subordinates. The guards here are actually quite good compared to most places. I’ll take the credit for being too skilled.”
Rosalyn waved her hands cheerfully, as if this were all perfectly normal.
Chandler blinked, momentarily speechless.
Between her fingers, a white envelope suddenly appeared—like a magic trick.
Before he could react, it flew toward him.
“This is…”
“Give it to the Duke. A reply would be nice too.”
It was the same letter.
Chandler bit the inside of his cheek.
But he couldn’t simply comply. The letter was nothing more than a pretext to reach Deus.
“If I refuse? I could just arrest you right here.”
He tried to sound threatening.
A bluff—to force her to go to Deus herself.
“You won’t.”
But she had already seen through him.
“What?”
“If you were going to, you would’ve drawn your sword already. You’re already acting on your Duke’s orders, aren’t you?”
Chandler’s mind went blank for a moment.
Was she really that perceptive?
“Tell him the owner of the freshwater pearl has sent a letter. He’ll understand.”
Another cryptic statement.
Chandler quickly reassessed the situation.
If he only took the letter and left, Deus might see it as incompetence—or worse.
“Fine. You’re right. I was ordered. So why don’t you come with me directly?”
At that moment, Rosalyn’s playful expression sharpened.
“Why would I?”
“I’m just following orders.”
“Your Duke told you to bring me?”
Chandler nodded stiffly, ignoring her crude phrasing.
Rosalyn flicked the envelope lightly, thinking.
Please… just say you’ll go…
Chandler prayed internally.
Finally, the envelope vanished from her hand again.
“Hm. So he doesn’t trust his own subordinates. I wonder how important the person he wants to meet is.”
Chandler nearly snapped back—but held himself back.
No need to worsen suspicion.
“Will you help me?”
Though vague, Chandler understood immediately.
She wanted assistance getting into the office.
To create a distraction.
But there was no better option.
“Tch. Useless.”
Seeing his hesitation, Rosalyn clicked her tongue and stepped back.
“I’ll handle it myself. Just pretend you didn’t see me, old knight.”
And then—
She vanished.
In an instant.
Chandler rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
It felt like he had seen a ghost.
Now he understood why Emma spoke of her with such admiration.
* * *
“Miss Emma, I think you can stop wiping now. You’ve been at it for a while.”
“I have to clean up everything I spilled.”
Emma smiled brightly, holding her stained apron.
Deus gave a weak smile in response—but it quickly faded.
He sat on the sofa in the office, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
He’s going to bite his nails at this rate…
Emma glanced at him sideways.
There was still no confirmation of an intruder—or whether it was her.
And yet he was shaking like this from mere possibility alone.
It was beyond her understanding.
“Ah, Miss Emma! How do I look? Do I look strange?”
Startled, Emma turned around—only to barely keep her expression steady.
“You’re fine, Your Grace.”
“No. ‘Fine’ isn’t enough. What’s the biggest problem? My face? My hair?”
“…Everything is perfectly fine. No—beautiful. Perfect, Your Grace.”
Emma forced a smile and gave two thumbs up—both covered in ink.
If anything, the only person who looked questionable here was clearly herself.
Meanwhile, Deus was still drowning in anxiety.
“If it really is her… I can’t just exchange letters forever. I need to do something…”
“What exactly, Your Grace?”
Emma’s eyes sharpened instantly.
Deus leaned back slightly, sensing incoming scolding.
“Well… I still need to think about it.”
“No, you don’t.”
Emma cut him off firmly.
“You keep doing something every time, and things always go wrong. Just let it unfold naturally. Talk to her when you’re a bit closer.”
“Closer…?”
Deus repeated the word.
Would that ever happen?
Even when they spent a month together before, they could hardly be called close.
If it didn’t happen then, how could it happen now?
He shook his head.
“It won’t happen.”
Emma frowned at his defeatism.
“If she doesn’t come, then drag her here if you have to!”
“……”
“Do you think fruit just falls into your mouth while you sit and watch?”
Her sharp words struck him awake.
Deus suddenly slapped his own cheek hard.
A sharp crack echoed.
Emma flinched.
Too hard.
His pale face quickly flushed red.
“…That was not the kind of motivation I meant.”
Emma glanced away awkwardly.
“Miss Emma. Find the intruder. Before the knights do.”
There were people who never changed.
And there were people who changed completely after one push.
Deus was the latter.
Emma wiped her hands on her apron.
“As you command, Your Grace.”
She turned toward the door.
But someone else had arrived first.
Knock knock.
A simple knock froze both of them.
Slowly, the door opened.
In the empty hallway beyond—
Only one person stood there.
The one Deus had been waiting for…
Rosalyn.
