Taemi spat what was in his mouth into the tin trash can and glared at her, breathing heavily.

Whenever Taemi made such a stubborn expression, Charlotte vaguely thought of her father.

She couldn’t stop remembering how he had been very fond of Taemi, who was the youngest in the party.

“Get along well with our Lottie.”

Taemi was a quiet boy who would smile shyly and blush whenever her father said such things.

However, after the party members were wiped out, Taemi, who returned carrying only part of her father’s corpse on his back through the pouring rain, changed his personality completely after that.

He made no attempt to find another party, and had no fixed home to stay in.

He lived as a voluntary loner and wanderer. But he was always around Charlotte.

Sometimes, Charlotte would think that perhaps Taemi loved her father like his own parent, just as her father had cherished Taemi like a child.

“Think of her as your younger sister. Understand, Taemi?”

“Yes, boss.”

He’s still keeping that promise. Charlotte thought. But that didn’t mean she could like him.

She didn’t want to treat him kindly or affectionately either.

Thinking of him reminded her of her father’s last appearance – or should she say part of her father – covered in blood, and the moment the sound of rain began to ring in her ears, the iron door in Charlotte’s mind closed with an icy sound.

Taemi, who had been glaring at Charlotte for a while, put something down on the counter with a thud.

It was a crumpled piece of paper. Even at a glance, it was obvious that it was of the lowest quality.

“What’s this?”

When Charlotte asked in an intentionally crooked voice, Taemi looked down at her once more with blazing eyes and said,

“What do you mean, what? What else could it be but work? Stop meddling in useless things and do something that makes money! That way I won’t have to starve either!”

Then, without saying goodbye, Taemi stormed out of the shop.

Charlotte’s eyes widened as she unfolded the paper he left behind and checked its contents.

Clutching the paper, she quickly came out from behind the counter.

“You damn bastard, hey, Taemi! You there…!”

As Charlotte pulled open the door and tried to dash out onto the street, she tripped over the shadow of a person who suddenly appeared.

The moment the heel of her worn, slanted shoe slid across the smooth floor, Charlotte’s body, tilting forward, bumped into something solid.

“Ah!”

Crying out, Charlotte instinctively grabbed onto that solid something to avoid slipping.

As she finally regained her balance and the startling moment passed, a heavy and luxurious perfume scent wafted over her.

It was a fragrance reminiscent of polished leather, unblemished gold coins, and clean grass.

Matiel, who was holding and supporting Charlotte, lowered his gaze and said,

“I have quite a lot to say about this situation, but since I’m busy, I’ll have to skip it for now.”

Hearing his voice, Charlotte startled as if just coming to her senses and stepped back hurriedly.

In doing so, she nearly fell backwards with a loud noise after catching on a small stool, but fortunately, this time she was able to keep her balance.

“Skip it forever.”

Charlotte cut off his words sharply and slumped her shoulders with a tired expression.

Then, brushing back the hair that had fallen over her forehead, she went back behind the counter.

“What is it this time?”

Matiel, who had been persistently following her movements with his gaze, lightly swung his cane and said,

“Somehow you never welcome me.”

Charlotte’s expression was calm, but her eyes were saying this:

‘What obvious nonsense are you talking about? Are you an idiot?’ Matiel, of course, understood the meaning of that gaze, but pretended not to notice and leaned his body slightly, resting on his cane.

“Inspector Moller came by, didn’t he?”

Charlotte whipped her head around.

“Came by? What do you mean came by? I’ve gone back and forth to the police station several times on my own feet.”

“Is that so? Hmm.”

Is that so? How ridiculous. Charlotte thought.

Judging by his tone, it seemed that Moller hadn’t dared to order even the Duke of Elinak to come and go to the police station.

She knew it wasn’t Matiel’s fault, but she couldn’t help feeling slightly annoyed.

Charlotte casually placed the paper Taemi had left on top of the messily piled prescriptions and various documents as she spoke.

“What is it this time? I’m busy.”

“You always say you’re busy.”

“Because I’m always busy.”

After saying that, she quickly placed several tincture bottles and a flat case on the counter, moving so fast that even Matiel’s persistent eyes could barely follow.

There was medicine she had to make today.

As Charlotte opened the lids of the tincture bottles one by one, Matiel just stood there staring at her, and…

“If you’re free, why don’t you prepare the licorice over there?”

Charlotte said with a jerk of her chin. Turning her head, she saw a basket full of licorice sticks.

It was unlikely that Matiel knew how to prepare licorice, but even if he did, it would take several hours given the amount.

After staring at the licorice sticks for a while, Matiel spoke to Charlotte, who was gently shaking the tincture bottles.

“Unfortunately, I have urgent matters to attend to.”

“Then don’t just stand there blankly, go do your work, Your Grace.”

“It’s a matter that requires your company, so I can’t go alone.”

Charlotte, who had put down the glass bottle with a thud, looked up at Matiel.

“No.”

“Why don’t you listen to what it is before refusing?”

Charlotte shook her head. As if she had no interest in Matiel whatsoever, she put the used tincture bottles back on the shelf and said,

“Whatever it is, I don’t want to. I’m not going to… get involved unnecessarily in things that are no longer my business. Absolutely not. I’m not the type to live at a loss.”

“It’s not something that would cause you a loss, so I’m saying…”

Matiel’s words were faintly cut off by the sound of a ringing bell.

Charlotte, as if her grumpy attitude from just moments ago had disappeared, greeted the customer with a bright smile.

“Welcome. What are you looking for?”

The person who entered the shop was a man.

He looked quite old, and although he was well-dressed, he wasn’t wearing a hat, revealing his light gray hair.

Charlotte asked,

“What can I get you? Are you looking for a headache remedy? Or peppermint? Sleep aids are over here, and if you’re suffering from neuralgia, I have an excellent ointment with remarkable penetration.”

At that moment, Matiel abruptly cut into Charlotte’s words.

“I understand you don’t want to go together. But this isn’t something you can refuse or accept.”

Charlotte glared at Matiel with bulging eyes, barely containing her rising anger. Then, mouthing the words ‘be quiet’, she turned back to the customer.

However, unexpectedly, he was staring intently not at Charlotte, the shop owner, but at Matiel. Anticipating the old man’s intention, Charlotte said,

“This gentleman is about to leave. He’s found everything he wants.”

Matiel’s eyebrows raised slightly. Then the man spoke.

“Duke of Elinak, you shouldn’t delay any longer.”

Charlotte momentarily parted her lips in confusion, wondering what the man was talking about.

Matiel shrugged his shoulders, glanced at Charlotte once, then quickly turned his gaze to the man.

“I know that, but what can I do when the lady is unwilling?”

What on earth are they talking about? Charlotte thought. And who is this man?

While she was in confusion, the man approached the counter and took out something flat from his pocket and held it out.

Charlotte recognized it as the business card typically carried by royal officials just by seeing the rounded edges and the shiny brass surface.

“I am Beth Ale, who serves His Majesty King Lyuen closely. Miss Berrett, His Majesty the King wishes to meet you.”

Although her mind was still unclear, Charlotte unconsciously received his business card.

The name engraved in intricate intaglio and his title – probably just a formality – caught her eye.

When she silently returned the card, Beth also quietly took it back.

For a moment, Charlotte felt a strange sensation at her fingertips. Something like an inexplicable sense of déjà vu…

“Pardon me, Mr. Ale. But I don’t think His Majesty the King would have any reason to seek someone like me.”

“That is for His Majesty to decide.”

Beth Ale’s attitude was very polite and courteous, but to Charlotte, there was an underlying stubbornness and forcefulness that was hard to break.

She looked at Matiel with an expression demanding an explanation, but he was lost in his own thoughts, looking elsewhere.

* * *

Three hours before Matiel saved Charlotte from falling by embracing her.

After Inspector Moller left, he headed straight to the royal palace without even changing his clothes.

This would probably be the last time he met the inspector.

So far, Moller had visited his house several times and, just as he had done with Charlotte, had pried into numerous things.

It was welcome that a tax-paid public official was carrying out his assigned duties faithfully and honestly.

Nevertheless, Matiel was starting to get irritated every time he saw Moller’s face.

Upon arriving at the royal palace, Matiel went to find her in the king’s private reception room without anyone telling him.

King Lyuen, who had been sitting quietly with a slightly worried expression, smiled gently upon seeing Matiel.

“I was just waiting for you, Duke of Elinak.”

“I apologize for being late, Your Majesty.”

King Lyuen shook his head and gestured towards the sofa.

“Never mind that, please sit down. You met Inspector Moller again, didn’t you? There are many rumors about how he works. Actually, I thought you would arrive about two hours later.”