After Floria left for her honeymoon, I, enjoying the long-awaited freedom, sneaked into her chamber as the night deepened.

Her palace was eerily quiet now, with even the maids away on vacation.

I suspected the meticulous Floria probably took her jewels with her, but still wanted to search thoroughly, just in case. I moved nimbly, draped in a pre-prepared cloth.

Fortunately, Floria’s room was unlocked. This increased the likelihood that the jewels weren’t there. But I couldn’t give up without checking.

The room, devoid of its owner, was filled with silence. I headed straight to where her jewels were kept.

I searched the room quietly and thoroughly, but as expected, couldn’t find my heart.

“Damn, she took it after all.”

“What did?”

Startled by the sudden voice behind me, I almost screamed. Clapping a hand over my mouth, I turned to find Karl looking down at me.

“What are you doing here?”

“What about you?”

“I… I…”

What excuse could I make? As I pondered, Karl’s lips curled up at one corner.

“I followed someone sneaking in like a thief under cover.”

“A thief?”

“If sneaking into an empty room and rummaging through the jewel box isn’t thievery, what is?”

He’d been watching from the start? I hadn’t sensed him at all!

“I came looking for something I lost.”

“At this hour?”

“It just came to mind.”

“And undercover because?”

“It’s getting chilly with the setting sun. Must be the changing season.”

“Huh.”

Karl let out a sarcastic laugh.

“Still the same, aren’t you.”

Caught by him of all people! Worried he might drag me to the palace prison, I looked up at him anxiously. But Karl seemed not to press further.

Looking again, his face seemed more mischievous than serious. He was undoubtedly teasing me. Relieved yet annoyed, I thought, ‘Stop scaring people for fun.’

“What were you looking for?”

“Just a small accessory. But seems someone already took it, so I better leave.”

I hastily moved past him to the hallway, not wanting to blurt out anything unnecessary. But then, I stopped.

‘He wouldn’t tell Floria, would he?’

Just as she was lowering her guard, this could ruin everything. Determined to silence him by threat or persuasion, I turned, only to bump my forehead against something hard.

“Ah!”

I groaned involuntarily from the numbing shock, but large hands quickly covered my mouth and pulled me close. Startled, I struggled, but a familiar voice whispered in my ear.

“Shh. Stay quiet.”

‘What’s with this third-rate villain dialogue?’

Surely he wasn’t up to something weird?

I struggled more fiercely. Karl sighed, pulling me closer and hiding us behind a pillar. Soon, the corridor’s end grew noisy. Two palace guards, lanterns in hand, were approaching, chatting.

“Intruding into royal chambers could land you in the dungeon at least.”

Karl whispered low in my ear, his breath tickling me. I twitched, and he chuckled softly.

The guards drew nearer. Fearing discovery, I held my breath, crouching tightly. Karl embraced me, chin resting above my head, watching their movements.

“Strange, I thought I heard something.”

“See, I told you it was nothing.”

The guards lingered, my heart racing with the fear of being caught.

‘Please, just go, go.’
Only after what seemed like an eternity did the palace guards finally turn away. Their footsteps gradually faded, but Karl held onto me for a while longer. When I struggled as if to say ‘let me go,’ he whispered,

“They are still nearby.”

At his words, I froze as if under a spell. I felt his hands tighten around my waist. Suddenly, I became acutely aware of Karl’s solid chest against my face and bit my lip. The air seemed to flow languidly around us.

It was some time before Karl finally let me go. Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated his face, showing an expression I had never seen on him before.

Embarrassed by how closely we had been entwined, I couldn’t look him in the eyes and my gaze wandered aimlessly.

“Hmm, thanks for the help.”

“Don’t mention it. Now you owe me yet another favor. At this rate, I wonder if you’ll ever be able to repay me in your lifetime.”

“What?”

“Oh, right. I shouldn’t tell His Highness about tonight’s incident, should I? Better add that to your tab.”

Karl’s sly words dissolved the tension in the air.

“Yeah, keep adding. Put like a hundred on there! Now, goodbye!”

I turned sharply and strode away, but Karl followed beside me.

“Why are you following me?”

“It’s way past the time for maids to be wandering around. What would you say if we ran into a palace guard?”

“Well…”

At a loss for words, I stammered, and Karl nodded his head.

“Go ahead.”

Do you even know where my room is? Grumbling inwardly, I followed him. After a while, I looked at Karl strangely as he stopped precisely in front of my room.

“How did you know this is my room?”

As I stepped back, Karl chuckled softly.

“Did you forget I’m the owner of the Information Guild?”

“Ah… But what does that have to do with knowing my room?”

“We check the basic information of our clients when we receive a commission.”