“Today, I’m scheduled to learn chess at Baron Kito’s mansion. Ah, before that, I’ll briefly stop by the market to eat some ice cream. If there’s a fountain pen store nearby, I might also take a look. If I have time left, I may drop by the library at the square to read a book. When it’s time for the appointment, I’ll go to the mansion to learn chess, and before six o’clock, I must…”

“Lize.”

At Isabel’s call, I stopped talking. Sitting on the sofa and reading a book leisurely, she slightly furrowed her brows. I thought the reason was because of the sunlight.

“There’s no need to speak in such detail.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m sure I told you yesterday as well.”

I was taken aback by Isabel’s resolute words. Somehow, I had an odd sense of déjà vu, and yesterday, I had also told Isabel my detailed daily schedule.

It was before heading to the Bakus mansion for violin lessons.

“Ah, that’s right.”

Realizing this, I smiled awkwardly.

“I wonder if it’ll be cold.”

Isabel closed the book she was reading and glanced at my outfit with both arms exposed.

“It’s a short distance anyway. I’ll be back before it gets dark…”

“Are you going with Yurik Penton?”

“No. I was going to stop by the duke’s household after visiting the Bakus mansion yesterday to ask him to go together, but I forgot. Roger wouldn’t let me go, you see.”

Isabel checked the time once and opened her mouth.

“All right, make sure to come back before the count returns.”

“…I’ll be back.”

Even if reporting my daily schedule was one thing, receiving her sendoff still felt awkward.

I hurriedly opened the front door and stepped into the garden when I sensed someone’s presence.

Looking up, I could see two women whispering in front of the main gate. Examining the women’s attire, they weren’t maids, nor were they aristocrats.

Although my outfit exposing both arms was thin, those women’s clothes were much more serious. Seeing the deeply cut neckline down to the chest, it felt cheap.

The whispering women belatedly noticed me and ran away. Even if I tried to catch them, they quickly disappeared down the hill.

“…What was that?”

I had an uneasy feeling.

I was able to encounter the two women again not long after.

It was in front of a coffee house famous for its delicious desserts. Despite being quite close to me, the two women didn’t notice my presence. Taking this opportunity, I carefully observed the two women.

“The price is quite expensive? Stiana.”

“Don’t worry. I told you I have a lot of money.”

Based on their way of speaking and intonation, as I initially thought, they weren’t aristocrats.

At most, they were in their mid-twenties, and their faces were all pretty. Among them, what caught my eye was a pure beauty with brown hair and silvery eyes.

That woman was called Stiana.

“Is it really okay?”

“If it’s not enough, the count said he’d give more.”

At the mention of the count, I perked up my ears even more. That count was likely referring to my father.

Considering they were standing in front of the Marsen mansion earlier, and there were about five count households in this area, including the Marsen family.

How could they know my father?

I hoped they would talk more about the count, but the women soon turned their attention to the menu. Not only the cakes but also the names of the drinks and alcohol seemed unfamiliar, so they expressed their dissatisfaction to each other.

‘Come to think of it, they look alike.’

I stared intently at Stiana. She resembled the red-haired woman who had claimed to be my birth mother and caused a commotion at the Marsen mansion before leaving.

“How about we order the most expensive one?”

“…You really have a lot of money, Stiana.”

“From what I saw, the count has completely fallen for me. Who knows, I might even become the countess.”

I stared intently at that woman named Stiana.

As a result, Stiana, who noticed my presence, turned her head. As our eyes met, Stiana’s face, which had been showing composure, gradually turned pale.

“Stiana?”

As if realizing who I was, Stiana grabbed her acquaintance’s hand and left the vicinity of the coffee house. She was already suspicious, but running away made her even more suspicious.

“Wait a moment!”

I immediately chased after the women. I called out to the women, even making a sound, but they didn’t stop and disappeared into an alleyway.

The alleyway was deeper than I thought.

The deeper I went, the more unfamiliar and rugged the path became. It was scary as the sunlight couldn’t reach. Moreover, the path was complicated, so I couldn’t even guess where the swift-footed women had gone.

I stopped and looked around. A foul smell and an eerie atmosphere. Was there such a place in Hosha Village?

It’s not a good place to stay for long. I need to get out to a crowded area before seeing an unpleasant sight.

Assessing the situation, I quickly turned the corner of the alleyway and bumped into someone.

“…!”

The person I bumped into was a man who was heavily drunk. The man, looking down at me with a reddened face, tore his mouth open in a creepy manner. Behind that man, several men with bloodshot eyes were lying on the ground.

“This is not a place for little children to come.”

“…”

“Especially a girl wearing such pretty and neat clothes.”

Instinctively trying to run away, the man’s rough hand grabbed my hair.

“Ah!”

“Don’t worry. I’m too scared to sell or hand over a noble young lady. I have no interest in young children either.”

“Then let me go!”

“But it’s a different story if it’s the things you have, young lady. Hand over all your money and the clothes you’re wearing. Then I’ll quietly send you back.”

Really unlucky.

“Hurry up, young lady!”

I can give up the money, but I can’t take off my clothes.

If I were to walk through this alleyway in my underwear and encounter another man, it would be a big problem. The man holding my head might even strip me naked and sell me off somewhere.

As I hesitated, the man pulled my hair even harder. I can’t just take it like this, so I flailed my arms, and the man’s grip loosened. The pain in my head also subsided.

‘What, what’s going on?’

Turning around, the man who had grabbed my head was lying on the ground. Instead, a frightening-looking man was standing in front.

“Tsk, extorting a young child.”

He kicked the fallen man with his foot a few times and then turned his gaze to me. Our eyes met.

He appeared to be in his late thirties. He had a long scar on one eye, and his hair was all tangled as if it hadn’t been cut for a long time.

That man overwhelmed me with his presence alone.

“It seems the day has already dawned. When I get drunk, my memory always cuts off, oh…”

He glanced at me with disinterested eyes and looked around.

I have to run away. But unlike earlier, my feet wouldn’t move.

“Little miss, do you happen to know what time it is now?”

He smiled at me with a grin.

“Huh? Miss.”

“…Ah, it’s probably just past noon.”

He widened his eyes as if he didn’t expect me to actually answer. I was also wondering why I personally informed him of the time.

This man was more threatening and scary than the fallen man. He was definitely not any less, if not more.

“This is surprising.”

“…”

“Anyway, thank you, little miss. Thanks to you, I know I’ll be showered with nagging if I don’t return quickly. As a token of gratitude, I’ll escort you until you get out of this alleyway.”

No need.

“It’s okay.”

As I hesitated, the man pushed my back.

“Hurry. If you stay here, you’ll only lose your eyes, miss.”

“…I, I can go by myself.”

“Don’t refuse. This alleyway is quite deep and complicated. There are also many strange fellows.”

The man kicked the arm of the man lying on the ground a few times and grinned.

“Even this guy here is considered relatively normal here. If you run into another guy, not only your clothes but not a single strand of your hair will be left, miss.”

Then what about you…? This question nearly escaped my throat, but I held it back. First, I had to get out of here.

It seemed the others who were sleeping had also woken up, as they were all staring at me. If the man in front of me disappeared, they looked like they would do something to me.

As I moved, the man moved along with me. The man didn’t tie me up or grab my arm.

“Little miss, what brings you to this alleyway? Did you come looking for your dad?”

“…I took the wrong path.”

“That can’t be. As I said, the path here is deep and complicated, so only those who know come here.”

Lying didn’t work with the man. I thought about telling another lie, but I was afraid it would only provoke the man’s temper.

“I followed someone and ended up here.”

“Who?”

The man was very curious.

“…A woman.”

“The women living here all have something fishy about them.”

You’re the fishiest, I swallowed those words again. If I spoke carelessly, I might not make it out alive.

“It’s best not to come here in the future. Little miss.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what relation those women have with you, but it’s better to forget about it if possible.”

“Yes.”

“And turn left here. Miss.”

The man pointed in a direction.

He’s not an easy opponent. I’ve been waiting for a chance to escape, but the man never gave me a single opening. Unlike constantly asking me questions, the man’s gaze was firmly holding onto my back.

“Uhm, mister, why are you here?”

So I took the initiative to ask a question. It may be reckless, but to divert the man’s gaze, I need to draw his attention somewhere.

“Me? There’s a big gambling den here. Ah, is this a secret?”

“…”

“Little miss, you’ll keep it a secret, right?”

He’s saying nonsense to me. When I didn’t answer, the man laughed out loud.

“It’s better to keep your mouth shut. If you carelessly move your mouth, only you will suffer, miss.”

This time, there’s a high possibility that the man’s words are true. A gambling den deep in the back alleys of a big village like Hosha…

Most people living in this village were aristocrats. Even if there were commoners, they were of a relatively wealthy class. In other words, there’s a high probability that renowned families are heavily involved here.

Then could father also be connected to this alleyway?

“What are you thinking about? Little miss.”

This man is also likely a much more dangerous person than I thought. I need to escape quickly, but a bright light shone in my field of vision.

“We’re already here?”

“…It’s the marketplace.”

Straight ahead was the marketplace. The Hosha Village marketplace that I knew well.

“Do you know the way from here?”

Did the man really escort me? Unable to believe it, I blinked my eyes.

“Lize!”

From a distance, I heard Yurik’s voice. Turning my head, Yurik approached me and grabbed my arm.

“Yu, Yurik. How did you…”

“Lize, who is that person.”

Noticing the man in front, Yurik became wary.

“Hello, handsome young master? I’ll leave the young lady’s escort to you now.”

“Pardon?”

“Little miss, goodbye then.”

The man gave a brief farewell and leisurely disappeared.