“So that woman… wants to end things as if nothing happened with the man.”

A silence fell over the office. Walter Asner and Andy Spencer stared blankly at Sidney with dazed expressions.

Breaking the suffocating silence, Walter opened his mouth.

“So… Sidney, the woman you know wants to kick out the man she spent the night with because she doesn’t like him?”

It wasn’t exactly wrong, but Walter’s words were strangely irritating. It wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking, and “kicking out” wasn’t the right expression either.

It was simply a process of erasing the fictional character Marien.

“That… man must have been really unsatisfactory.”

“Yeah. As a fellow man, I feel so sorry for him.”

Walter clutched his chest dramatically, strongly agreeing with Andy Spencer’s words.

What are you talking about? If anything, the problem was that he was too good. Unable to hold back any longer, Sidney carefully added:

“I heard he wasn’t that unsatisfactory…”

The two men shook their heads simultaneously as if that couldn’t be possible.

“No way.”

“Yes, that’s not possible.”

As silence fell again, Walter Asner snapped his fingers as if he had realized something.

“Ah! That woman must be extremely attractive.”

“As expected, Lord Asner. Since she’s probably popular… that man might not have been satisfied.”

“Sidney, you know such a pretty woman? Well… I guess you could. Is that woman like, super beautiful? Is her body, I mean, her aura captivating?”

“What does that matter?”

“It’s super important!”

Walter poked her side as if urging her to speak. Even Andy Spencer nodded with an awkward smile.

“Well, how should I put it…”

Sidney recalled herself as seen in the mirror.

Though not cute and lovable… her appearance wasn’t that bad.

But compared to the refined features of her family members…

“Just average.”

“She must be an incredible beauty. That’s why the man is clingy, asking to marry her after just one look.”

Strange. Why would Andy Spencer assert that so confidently?

“Right. That’s not easy to do.”

“He must have fallen in love at first sight.”

“Exactly! Or he was completely drunk.”

What’s with this. Even Walter Asner was seriously agreeing with Andy’s opinion. Yet the two men were making quite accurate deductions.

“If not that… then that night was… so good he can’t forget it…”

“At that level, he’d cling on for dear life.”

“Right? I think I would too.”

Bang! Unable to listen any longer, Sidney slammed her fist on the desk. Then, looking at Walter and Andy with startled rabbit eyes, she opened her mouth.

“Just tell me… what words would make a man’s feelings for a woman disappear completely.”

The two men who had been blinking their eyes blushed and cleared their throats awkwardly. When their eyes met hers, they averted their gazes and grumbled.

“Hmm!”

“Why are you asking that?”

“Well, it’s obvious that’s something a man would never want to hear…”

“Right. Hmm.”

Are they asking why she doesn’t know, being a man herself? Ah, I made a mistake. Sidney hid her flustered expression and made up a suitable excuse.

“I’m gathering objective and general opinions from men.”

Only then did the two men nod as if understanding and gave their answers. Upon hearing them, Sidney couldn’t help but scrunch up her face.

Because he was terrible, because he couldn’t satisfy her… she doesn’t want to meet him again.

Crazy, how could you say such things! Not only was it untrue, but if it hurt Logan’s pride as a man… she’d have to listen to that effort talk again.

Walter lowered his voice with a worried face.

“But, it’s better not to say such things. It could be an unforgettable wound for that man.”

“That’s right. Rather… it would be a hundred times better to say you have to leave far away.”

“Lord Spencer, what if they happen to meet by chance after saying that?”

“Ah.”

A trip, that would be better.

“There’s no chance of meeting again. Anyway, this conversation ends here.”

Sidney ended the conversation right there. As she ostentatiously shuffled through some documents, Walter and Andy resumed their work as well.

The office became quiet again. So quiet that only the ticking of the clock and the scratching of pen on paper could be heard.

But before long, Walter casually spoke up.

“By the way… Sidney, can’t you introduce that woman to me? I can really do well.”

“Uh, no.”

“Wow, you’re really disappointing.”

Just as Walter was about to emphasize their 6-year friendship, there was a knock at the door. Sidney swatted away Walter’s hand and said:

“Come in.”

A royal guard entered with a polite bow. He approached Walter and handed over an address.

“Lord Asner, we’ve found the clothing shop.”

It was information obtained after three days.

With the scraping sound of chairs, Sidney, Walter and Andy all stood up at once. The three hurriedly put on their coats and followed the guard out.

Sidney’s group arrived at the bustling area of Marcel’s 5th district, following the royal guard Timothy.

The snow that had fallen overnight had melted into muddy water under people’s footsteps, splashing here and there as people walked.

Seeing the mud-splattered pants of a gentleman walking ahead, Sidney lowered her gaze. Her and her colleagues’ black boots were in a similar state.

“What’s wrong?”

“I feel like the captain will nag if he sees our shoes.”

“Ah, the captain is a bit overly meticulous.”

You’re trying hard to put it nicely. Sidney smiled wryly at Andy Spencer’s awkward smile. Walter, walking in front, turned around with a snicker.

“Just clean them properly before entering the office.”

“Ah, today the captain will be going straight home from the palace.”

“Really? What on earth is going on that it’s so hard to see the captain’s face?”

Walter asked Andy as he walked backwards.

“I’m not sure about that either… Anyway, he instructed us to go home on our own, saying he was going to see Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

“That’s unusual. He’s someone who doesn’t go even when called.”

“Walter, just watch where you’re walking.”

“Yes, yes.”

Walter gave a playful salute and turned around. Judging by his shoulder dance, he seemed excited at the thought of going home like this.

Agatha R. de Asnel.

Born as Logan’s younger sister, she was destined to marry Crown Prince Edward from birth.

The Agatha that Sidney saw was elegant and graceful, as if born to become empress.

But in front of her brother Logan, that Agatha transformed into a brat… and no one could stop her.

There were widespread rumors that even her husband, Crown Prince Edward, could only laugh helplessly at her stubbornness.

Logan had been extremely avoiding his sister Agatha, who must have been quite bothersome. For him to voluntarily go see his sister…

Is he really going to proceed with it? Sidney bit her lower lip, recalling Logan telling her to take on the police corruption case.

“Lord Asner, it’s here.”

Royal guard Timothy pointed to a three-story brick building painted black.

Sidney’s eyes scanned the letters on the purple signboard and the number attached to the building’s exterior wall.

“La Cena Boutique… 52 Carnil Avenue.”

A cold wind blew, ruffling her husky voice and coat tails. Beside her, Andy Spencer tilted his head.

“It’s unusual for a clothing store name. ‘Cena’ means dinner.”

“Yeah. Since ‘adenia’ also means ‘a gathering of people about to have dinner’… it could be a secret organization’s hideout.”

“Lady Warden, by secret organization, do you mean ‘Casablanca’?”

Sidney chuckled and patted Andy Spencer’s shoulder, who had become serious.

“I’m joking. But if we focus on ‘gathering’… it roughly matches the word written on that black business card. It’s also the same Adenia.”

“…I hope it’s related.”

Casablanca.

It seems Andy Spencer also associated it with that word, presumed to be a secret gathering of nobles. Sidney pushed Andy’s back lightly as she took a breath.

“I wish it was… but they’re not open today.”

Sidney clicked her tongue regretfully, looking at the sign hanging on the glass door covered with purple curtains that read ‘Closed every Wednesday’.

“Sidney, come this way.”

Walter waved his hand in front of a door at the edge of the building. Stepping inside, they saw a long corridor built along the wall.

Thump thump, the wooden floor creaked in sync with the footsteps of the four people walking down the narrow corridor.

Sidney’s eyes, walking at the very back, rested on the end of the corridor.

There should be stairs at the end of the two doors.

That’s how it should be to efficiently use the first floor in such a long rectangular building.

Sidney carefully examined the corridor while picturing the building’s structure in her mind. Her gaze stopped at a candlestick hanging on the wall.

Unlike the gas lamps that have become common these days, a candle was burning inside a hazy glass. But the shape of the candlestick, with vines seemingly entwined around the glass, felt somehow familiar.

I’ve seen it somewhere. As she racked her memory, she raised her head. A faint smile brushed Sidney’s lips as she stared at the excessively high ceiling.

“The ceiling is too high. That candlestick too… It seems this building was used for purposes related to a temple.”

“Then they might have painted it black to hide the murals.”

Sidney frowned at Walter’s words pointing to the ceiling.

Though not particularly devout, she didn’t like the fact that someone had painted over murals that might have been created with soul.

“Buildings constructed by temples need to be reported to the authorities for other uses… There should be records.”

As Andy finished speaking, Walter let out a long whistle.

“Lord Spencer, I’m curious… Did you memorize all those thick law books?”

“I didn’t particularly memorize them, but I remember most of it.”

“As expected… befitting the heir of the family that created the Imperial Code.”

Near the end of the Great Emperor Claude’s conquest, the Spencer Count family compiled the ‘Aslan Imperial Law’.

This code contained contents that guaranteed minimum rights that humans should enjoy while acknowledging the class system.

In particular, it included content recognizing the nobles and people of conquered kingdoms as Asnel Imperial citizens, not as second-class citizens or slaves, which greatly helped stabilize the Asnel Empire.

Thus, the Great Emperor Claude bestowed upon the Spencer Count family the title of ‘Shield of Asnel’.

“Lord Asner, that tone is unpleasant.”

“My tone is originally like this, just as your eyes are.”

“Are you getting revenge?”

The childish confrontation between the glib Walter Asner and the agitated Andy Spencer ended with one word from Sidney.

“Let’s go.”

As they went up to the second floor, purple double doors reminiscent of an entrance were wide open.

Beyond those doors… with splendid lighting, luxurious interior decorations, and even soft music added… it looked as if a high-end boutique from Marcel had been transplanted there.

A blonde woman tilting her teacup stood up with a welcoming face when she saw Sidney’s group.

“Oh my, such handsome knights coming here… It was worth the wait. I’m Lisa, who used to work with Marien at the Ciel Lost Strip Bar.”

Her drawling tone and nasal voice strangely combined to remind one of a siren’s song that bewitches sailors.

However, her excessively heavy makeup and clothing that emphasized her voluptuous figure were slightly overwhelming.