Previously
Emma provides Ash with specific rural regions—Ensurf, Schroeder, and Turner—to investigate for human trafficking patterns based on her past experiences. Ash dispatches Louis to these areas and interviews the parents of the missing children, confirming that the victims were taken from poor neighborhoods far from the river.
By then, Ash understood what Rosaline was getting at.
Ash let out a hollow laugh at her response, unsure whether it was genuine humility or a pretense of it.
It had been a short period, but he had worked as a detective for two years and had solved quite a few major cases during that time.
Yet, in this case, he felt as though he were relying entirely on Rosaline’s advice.
‘Not that it feels bad, though.’
He looked at Rosaline, the smile remaining on his face.
Her laughing face was so audaciously, coyly beautiful.
While Louis stood there with his mouth agape, stunned by Rosaline’s insights, Ash quickly jotted the details down in his notebook.
She stood up lightly, as if she had only just finished her business, and left the office.
Louis, who had been staring blankly at her retreating figure, let out a breathy exclamation.
Ash, who likewise couldn't take his eyes off Rosaline’s straight back and red hair, muttered under his breath.
‘Whew. Did I meddle for no reason?’
I questioned myself several times on the way back from the police station.
Out of a desire to save the children, I had used a single handkerchief as an excuse to meet Ash and offer various suggestions, but I worried that I might have been interfering with the investigation instead.
However, those worries vanished completely three days later. The child disappearance case made the front page of the newspapers and began to receive massive attention.
‘Child Disappearance Case Suspected to Involve Human Trafficking Ring’
‘Royal Family Infuriated by Child Abductions: Orders Eradication of Human Trafficking’
‘Boatmen Who Aided Kidnappers Caught by Police’
‘Full Investigation of Unregistered Warehouses at Timber River Mouth… Serving as Bases for Trafficking Ring?’
The case was covered in the newspapers every day.
Ash, who had seemed to be struggling with just one assistant, was now receiving extensive support and mobilizing the entire police force to comb through Herona.
And about a week later, the headline I had hoped for so much appeared in print.
‘Exclusive! Missing Children Found’
I waited patiently until Count Brow finished reading the paper, and as soon as he disappeared, I flipped it open to find the news that three of the seven missing children had been safely rescued.
While I was naturally overjoyed that the kidnapped children had been safely returned to their parents' arms, the fact that the fate of the remaining four was unknown weighed heavily on my heart—especially the high probability that the criminal organization, cornered by the police pursuit, had already killed them.
That was a resentment I had harbored within me since childhood.
I never asked to be born; I was simply pulled out into the world one day, so why did people point fingers at me? How could my childhood, spent being treated like a slave just because I had nowhere to lean, ever be compensated?
The buried memories of those days kept resurfacing, causing me distress for a while, so I decided to visit the temple.
It wasn't that I believed in a god. No such thing existed in this world.
But for the selfish reason of wanting my own mind to be at peace, I went and offered flowers at the temple's Hall of Flowers. I hoped it would provide even a small amount of comfort to the souls of the dead children.
I returned feeling hollow, but to my surprise, a guest was waiting for me in the manor’s drawing room. It was Ash MacCallan, whom I seemed to be meeting frequently lately.
I tried to have tea served, but he declined. He said he had to return immediately after delivering a brief message.
I jumped up instinctively. I finally understood why people used the phrase ‘jumping for joy.’
As I had expected, it seemed the traffickers had intended to kill all the remaining children. But thanks to the police being one step faster, they were narrowly rescued from an abandoned warehouse.
In truth, I wanted to pour out every harsh curse word I knew, but since I was wearing the mask of Rosaline Tesis, I barely managed to restrain myself.
Ash let out a short chuckle as if he found my reaction amusing, but he soon pulled back his smile and spoke.
A chill ran down my spine at those words.
It was bittersweet that this resolve was limited to Herona. How could the people in the provinces live with such sorrow?
But since everything starts in the capital and spreads across the country, perhaps one day these horrific crimes will disappear from the provinces as well.
As I was thinking that, it seemed Ash wasn't finished speaking.
The way his words trailed off as if he were hesitating made me feel uneasy for some reason.
A shrill voice escaped me involuntarily.
Do you have any idea who you’re asking for advice? I’m the biggest liar in all of Herona! Well, I suppose he’s doing this because he doesn't know that.
He seemed genuinely impressed. I can roughly guess what level he’s been viewing me at.
“Actually, I am quite interested in a different sense, but I promise you won't have any reason to be offended, Ms. Rosaline.”
That last answer was quite unsettling.
Seeking my opinion might really just be an excuse. His real goal might be to keep an eye on me. But I couldn't think of a particular reason to refuse.
I also thought that perhaps this was a punishment arranged by the souls of the children who had been trapped in cages, for the sake of my atonement.
I tried spouting that obnoxious nonsense with the brightest smile I could muster, but instead of frowning, Ash nodded with an expression as if he had realized something.
He seemed to mutter something for a moment, but I couldn't hear it properly. Well, it probably wasn't anything important.
In any case, he left after saying he would try his best to contact me in advance if he had a reason to visit next time.