“Thank you for your hard work, but I have to run an errand for Miss Adel quickly.”

Tanya smiled bashfully at the palace guards who were protecting Marvel Palace.

“Where to at this hour?”

It was quite late at night.

“There’s something Miss left at the mansion that she needs urgently. It’s a woman’s item, so I can’t go into further detail.”

As Tanya bashfully bowed her head, the guards didn’t press any further.

She was Adel’s cherished maid, so they were quite cautious. Instead, they gestured with their eyes to the woman behind Tanya. The woman had pulled her hood deep over her face, so it was almost impossible to see her features.

“Going together?”

“Yes, the night is dangerous, so Miss told me to accompany her.”

Since it was under Adel’s orders, everyone obediently nodded their heads.

“Take care on your way.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Tanya greeted them and left Marvel Palace with the hooded woman.

In front of Marvel Palace, a carriage was already waiting.

“Whew, we managed to get out safely.”

Only after climbing into the carriage did Tanya breathe a sigh of relief and smile.

“You did well, Tanya.”

The woman who took off her hood was Adel.

She had secretly left Marvel Palace after confirming that Christine and Zimmer had gone out together.

There was someone she had to meet.

(This is a time separator.)

The carriage carrying the two entered the streets of Greenhill.

During the day, the place buzzed with bustling shops and welldressed people, but as night deepened, it was lively with brightly lit taverns and people enjoying themselves.

The carriage crossed through there and entered a narrower and rowdier alley. Drunken patrons vomiting here and there and women with heavy makeup soliciting customers were visible.

This place was Hellvalley’s back alley.

It was where the most secret and illegal activities in Greenhill took place.

The sight through the window made Tanya fretful and woeful.

“I don’t know what it is, but why not just tell the Earl? Or ask for help from Chancellor Baron. How can you trust a doctor who works in a place like this…”

Adel had asked Tanya to find a doctor in Hellvalley. Of course, she didn’t mention that it was to remove the mark left by Stone.

“Don’t worry too much, Tanya. I just need to ask something.”

Adel comforted Tanya with a smile.

In Calraim, women with tattoos were usually one of two things.

Either a slave with an owner or a prostitute.

So, a doctor dealing with prostitutes in Hellvalley would probably overlook Adel’s mark on her back.

The carriage stopped in front of a shabby tavern attached to a general store.

After telling Tanya to stay in the carriage, Adel went down alone. First, she took off the engagement ring from her finger. Wearing a conspicuous ring in such a place might be dangerous.

Inside the dimly lit general store, only the floor was barely visible. Thanks to that, although several people were coming in and out, their faces were hidden. Most seemed to be there for secret business like Adel.

“What brings you here?”

Without even looking back, the man behind the counter, who was polishing some antique porcelain, asked as Adel approached.

“I heard there’s a doctor here, so I came.”

Adel spoke as naturally as possible, trying not to seem nervous.

But did her voice sound unnatural?

Adjusting his sliding glasses, the store owner looked at Adel. Her face was vague in the dim light, but her upright posture seemed to tell him a lot.

“By the sound of it, you seem like a lady from a noble house. What are you doing looking for a doctor in a place like this?”

“I have reasons I can’t speak of, so I’ve come here.”

Adel then placed a gold coin on the counter.

The store owner chuckled satisfactorily.

“Go through the door on the right.”

There were three doors behind the counter where he stood.
Opening the door on the right, a wooden staircase leading to the second floor appeared. Every step up the stairs creaked, which was annoying, but what was more irritating was the faint sound of groaning. Sweat formed on Adel’s hands out of tension.

Did I come in vain?

She had told Tanya that if she didn’t return in 30 minutes, to inform Christine. She hoped that the worstcase scenario wouldn’t happen.

Upon reaching the second floor, the first door had the sign of a clinic on it.

Creak.

As she opened the wornout door, blue curtains were drawn inside, and behind the curtains, a brief glimpse of a man with a bulky figure was seen. His gloves were all bloodstained. It seemed like he was in the middle of surgery.

“You mustn’t come in so carelessly!”

A nurse wearing a bloodstained apron yelled at Adel.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in the middle of surgery.”

A startled Adel was about to hurry out when the doctor’s voice was heard.

“It’s over now, just sit down somewhere. You clean up the rest.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“So, what brings you here?”

The doctor took off his bloodstained gloves, tossing them into the trash, and came out from behind the curtain.

Upon seeing Adel, he let out a short groan with a surprised ‘Ah!’