Chapter 18
18
"Then, see you later."
"Yes, have a good day."
After saying goodbye to Chelsea, I hurriedly left the Ducal residence and went to a nearby carriage rental.
"Welcome!"
"I'd like to rent a carriage."
"Yes, where would you like to go?"
At the coachman's question, I smiled and replied.
"13th Street, Secret."
"Yes...?"
The coachman's expression stiffened at my words.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't go that far..."
"The fare is here."
Before the coachman could finish speaking, I handed him a pouch.
The coachman, taken aback, received the pouch and his eyes widened as he checked the contents.
It was full of silver coins.
It was some of the money left over from selling the mansion.
'It's a waste, but I can't help it.'
13th Street, Secret, is that dangerous of a place.
In short, it was hazard pay.
The coachman agonized, with the pouch of silver coins in front of him.
'I don't have time for this.'
There are plenty of carriage rentals besides this one.
I had no intention of waiting any longer for the coachman's agony, so I parted my lips.
"If you can't, then I guess it can't be helped."
As I reached for the pouch, the coachman's eyes widened.
"Ah, no. I'll take you! Please get in this carriage!"
The coachman, quickly stashing the pouch in his arms, opened the door of the carriage right next to him.
Having unintentionally engaged in a push-and-pull, I nodded slightly and got into the carriage.
"Please go as fast as possible."
"Yes!"
The coachman, quickly climbing into the driver's seat, immediately started the carriage.
I was lost in thought, watching the scenery outside quickly passing by.
'13th Street, Secret.'
I looked at the merchants outside the window, busily preparing to start their business.
If those people were the sunny side outside the shadows, then 13th Street, Secret, could be said to be the shady side inside the shadows.
'It's a place where all sorts of illegal and secret transactions take place.'
Smuggling, contracting, assassination, and so on...
The scale is so large that even the Empire can't do anything about it.
'A lawless zone, in other words.'
It often appeared in <Everyone Loves the Saintess> in connection with criminal activities, so I knew its nature better than anyone else.
'It's no wonder the coachman is reluctant.'
It's a place where incidents, accidents, and murders happen frequently, almost every day.
I never thought I would set foot in such a place.
'I have no choice.'
This is a matter of life and death.
I have to use everything I can.
I closed the curtains to block out the light and closed my eyes.
It will take quite some time to arrive.
'Vincent's class must have started by now.'
It's the first class after yesterday's commotion.
'I'm worried that Anna might try something again.'
"Let's trust Vincent for now."
I muttered lowly.
The carriage, leaving the sunny side, sped towards the shady side.
Anna watched Vincent's reaction.
Contrary to her expectation that he would be uncomfortable with her, as he seemed to have gotten closer to Livia yesterday, Vincent looked relaxed.
'That's even more annoying.'
It would be one thing if he was as nervous as he was during yesterday's class.
How could the atmosphere change so much in just one day?
'What on earth happened between him and that bitch Livia!'
As a result of Anna's observations so far, Vincent had very low confidence and self-esteem.
'He only knows how to talk big.'
In short, it was like a small animal getting scared and barking.
'Those kinds of people will wag their tails if you pretend to treat them well and subtly criticize them.'
Like yesterday.
Besides, even if he was the Young master of Mercedes, in Anna's eyes, he was just an easy-to-handle child.
Anna smiled and tilted her head towards Vincent.
"You did well. You're very smart. But Livia won't be satisfied with just this much..."
But at that moment.
"No."
Vincent, who had always been intimidated and avoided eye contact, met her eyes exactly.
Anna flinched at the sight of his unwavering, bright red eyes.
It was the first time Vincent had looked at her directly, and moreover,
'He's still a Mercedes!'
Just making eye contact made her feel strangely intimidated, so Anna leaned back slightly.
Then, she forced a smile and asked, pretending to be nonchalant.
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"Livia-sensei is not that kind of person."
"Yes, yes?"
Anna stammered at the completely unexpected reaction.
'This isn't it?'
Although it was frustrating, she had no choice but to admit that Vincent liked Livia.
But just because you like someone doesn't mean you can completely trust them.
Rather, because you like them, you constantly doubt and become impatient.
So she was going to subtly touch on that part to distance him from Livia...
'What is that expression!'
It was an expression full of conviction.
Anna had difficulty guessing what that conviction was about.
"Don't talk carelessly about Livia-sensei without knowing her well. Livia-sensei is not someone who looks down on or treats others carelessly."
"...You don't know Livia well? Does Young master know Livia well?"
"Livia-sensei is..."
Vincent smiled slightly, as if he was thinking of Livia.
Anna felt like her insides were turning upside down at the sight.
"Warm."
It was only three words, but the emotion contained within was by no means light.
And she realized that Vincent's trust in Livia was much thicker than she thought.
"...As long as Young master is the son of the Mercedes Ducal Family, everyone will be warm and kind to Young master. Livia is one of those people. You have to be able to distinguish that."
She had to break that.
Anna continued to speak with a forced soft expression and voice.
"My words may feel bitter to Young master, but the truth is always bitter. On the other hand, what captivates people is bound to be sweet. So-"
"I don't need it."
"...Yes?"
"I'll judge that. And I trust Livia-sensei."
And I don't trust you.
His straight, sparkling red eyes seemed to say that.
Anna's face turned as pale as someone cornered.
Soon, her eyes turned cold.
"Ugh..."
Just as Anna, with an indignant expression, was about to say something.
Ding-dong-
The sound of the noon bell, announcing noon, flowed in through the slightly opened window.
Hearing that sound, Anna regained her reason and suppressed her anger.
If the brat in front of her was an ordinary child, she would have expressed her boiling anger as it was.
However, the child in front of her was not an ordinary child, but the heir to the next-generation Mercedes Ducal Family.
'Let's be patient...'
Anna forced a smile.
"I see. Our Young master is so mature."
'I'll kick you out first when I become the Duchess.'
Anna gritted her teeth inwardly and vowed revenge.
Vincent, who had been quietly watching Anna, suddenly stood up from his seat and bowed to her.
"Goodbye, sensei."
It was a polite greeting, but Anna, who already disliked Vincent, ignored the greeting and left the room.
'I have to deal with that Livia first.'
Soon, Anna checked her arms and smiled as if she had never been anxious.
Then, she grabbed a passing maid.
"You there, come here for a moment."
At her overbearing tone, the maid checked that she was the only maid around and approached her.
"What's wrong?"
"Take this to Livia Plington's room."
What Anna took out of her arms and handed over was a small pouch.
The maid who received the pouch checked the contents.
It was a small amount of dried leaves.
"What is this?"
"Can't you tell by looking? It's tea leaves. Livia Plington quietly asked me to prepare a surprise gift for Young master, so don't tell anyone and put it in Livia's room. So that there are no unnecessary rumors."
"..."
"Aren't you going to answer?"
Anna's eyes flashed when the maid didn't answer in time.
'Anyway, I don't like this family, whether it's the kids or the maids.'
The maid nodded belatedly.
"I understand."
"Hmph."
Anna looked down on the maid and left the spot.
The maid looked at Anna's back, took the pouch, and turned her steps.
"We have arrived, sir."
I, who had been lost in thought, opened my eyes at the coachman's words that we had arrived.
I didn't even know we had arrived because the curtains were drawn.
"How long will you be?"
I got out of the carriage and pulled up my hood in response to the coachman's question.
"It won't take 30 minutes."
"Then I'll be waiting in this spot."
I nodded and looked at the street in front of me through the hood.
Butcher shops, grocery stores, weapon shops, and so on.
They all look like ordinary stores at first glance, but.
'The reality is never ordinary.'
Hoo.
I took a deep breath and pulled the hood down a little more before stepping into the alley.
I could feel the attention focused on me as I passed by.
Gazes that seemed to be sizing me up. Some had eyes like beasts hunting for prey.
I tried to ignore those gazes and went deeper inside.
'It was around here, roughly.'
At that moment, I stopped walking abruptly when I found a certain store.
The smallest and most dilapidated store among the stores on 13th Street, Secret.
I raised my head.
The dangling wooden sign read <Rune Antique Shop>.
'Found it!'
It seems I came to the right place, thankfully.
