Chapter 49
“Hmm, is this the place?”
The address written on the business card pointed to a basement level.
Not exactly a location that a businessman would proudly display as his base of operations.
Still, since this was the profession that clung to rumors of self-employment, I decided it was worth checking out.
But because I hadn’t forgotten that there were people watching me, I needed to approach with extra caution.
“Hold on.”
Whether I liked Edin or not, if I could make use of something, I would.
I carefully packed the magic tools he’d sent me—
a communication device to send messages,
a brooch with a defense stone to ensure temporary safety from threats,
and a pendant with a concealing stone to mask our presence.
“All right. Let’s go.”
No matter how outstanding Berry’s grades at the magic academy were, we never knew where danger might come from.
If it came to it, I might have to protect Berry myself. So thorough preparation was best.
Replaying once more in my mind how strange these movements seemed, Berry and I got into the carriage.
I couldn’t help but think—
if only this man turned out to be nothing more than an unpleasant nuisance.
A laughably naïve hope.
After about thirty minutes, the carriage stopped in front of a building near the river.
We had arrived at our destination.
I took Berry’s hand, and we stood before the building.
It was old, ordinary, with apartments from the second to the fifth floors. Nothing unusual.
I searched for the back entrance and started descending into the basement.
Boxes piled high along the stairs, the air damp and oppressive—
the kind of place your instincts told you to avoid.
There’s no way someone doing honest business would set up here. Would such a person really have stormed into the shop demanding a refund for a dress?
I quickly shook off my thoughts and focused.
We finally reached the basement.
Sensing someone standing in the middle of the corridor, I instantly pulled Berry behind me.
“Shh.”
A man standing there like a guard at a gate—
might as well be announcing his shady intentions out loud.
Thankfully, he was facing the other way and hadn’t seen us.
I crept closer, intending to push him from behind.
But just then, I stepped on a crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor.
“Rustle.”
The fated sound betrayed us.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of sand-laden wind roared through the corridor.
I grabbed Berry and spun around, shielding her.
We tumbled onto the stairs, the impact sending pain shooting through my joints.
Then—warmth spread across my back.
“Lady Daphne, are you all right? I’ve cast a defensive spell for now!”
Berry’s urgent voice snapped me back from the pain and panic.
“Ha… of course. It’s you, Jenna. You planned to ambush us just when everyone thought you were dead…”
Berry had been investigating ever since she’d heard from Jake that one of the shop’s employees was a descendant of Radipal.
I pushed the shaken Berry behind me and looked at the figure approaching.
“…!”
But Berry’s guess was wrong.
It wasn’t Jenna.
The man before us was Cheld, the businessman who had demanded a refund for his daughter’s wedding dress.
Just as I had suspected.
He sneered down at Berry.
“Jenna? Don’t know her. Did you come looking for an old friend?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The only ones who use magic with evil intent are Radipal’s disciples! And this is—”
Berry glanced nervously at me and stopped mid-sentence.
He burst into raucous laughter, loud enough to hurt our ears.
“What, throwing accusations without certainty? Is that what your teacher taught you? To be clueless and careless?”
He tilted his head like a man ready for a fight.
Then turned his gaze to me.
“You’ve got a pretty face. Must’ve been hard living like us ‘commoners.’ Yet you still cling to some sense of duty, huh? Dragging yourself here just to appease a troublemaker. And that shabby magician at your side—what, supposed to protect you? You’re so careless it almost put me at ease.”
Of course I cared about my shop’s reputation.
But no matter how furious I felt, I held my tongue and waited.
Seeing my silence as dull, he stepped closer.
He pressed his finger against my forehead with a sly grin.
Berry’s defensive magic shattered instantly.
For a moment, despair welled up. But I grit my teeth and glared at him.
As his brow furrowed in amusement, I shoved him with all my strength.
The blue glow sparking at his fingertip fizzled out.
“Ha. You’ve learned a bit of awareness, I see. But how far do you think that will take you? You’re… a low-ranking noble. No power, no backing.”
“…”
“Daphne Alzerp, sorry, but I’ll have to deal with you—”
That was our chance.
Berry and I rushed him together.
Berry cast a sleep spell in an instant, while I grabbed him with one hand and chopped the side of his neck with the other.
I’m pretty sure I once saw someone knocked out like this…!
Sure enough, with our combined assault, he collapsed unconscious without a sound.
“…Haa.”
At least our unspoken plan had worked.
“Cheld Pylon… If you refunded the dress, what was your daughter supposed to wear to her wedding?”
Bad men deserved punishment. Still, we quickly dragged him into a shadowy corner.
We rifled through his clothes in a hurry, certain there was more to this than met the eye.
“Lady Daphne, I think I found something.”
Berry whispered softly.
In the dim light, I could just make out something strange—a folded slip of paper tucked into his tie pin.
Why hide a tie pin inside his jacket instead of on his tie? And what’s this paper?
I was just about to examine it further when footsteps echoed from the opposite direction.
We stilled our breathing and edged toward the stairs.
“…Why such an obsession over one woman, not even Ri—”
“…Anyway, I wonder if he did his part well. She should come crawling right in today. Claims he’s serious about this, doesn’t he?”
The way they spoke made it clear—
the person they were targeting was me.
We had to escape. Staying here meant death.
Still, I got a clue. Whoever’s hunting me so viciously, it’s either Leodid or Radipal!
We crept up the stairs step by step.
But their footsteps drew closer.
My heart pounded, but I forced myself to stay calm.
Berry finally reached the door.
She fumbled for the knob, then froze.
“It’s locked.”
Her whisper was faint, desperate—and enough to give us away.
“There they are! Catch them!”
Berry trembled violently.
No choice. If we couldn’t open it, we’d break through.
Ignoring the pain in my shoulder from earlier, I slammed into the door.
Berry, teary-eyed, squeezed her eyes shut and chanted something.
I knew instinctively—if they caught us, we wouldn’t survive.
“I’ve got it! I think I know how to open it now!”
The knob rattled.
Then, at last—fresh, cool air rushed in.
She’d unlocked it.
“There! The stairs!”
We bolted out, running like mad.
We sprinted toward where the carriage was waiting.
Damn it. Changing into high heels for this outing—my ankle’s probably ruined.
But we didn’t stop.
Finally, we melted into the crowd, hidden at last.
“Lady Daphne, are you all right?!”
My legs were surely done for, but that wasn’t important.
“Don’t worry, Berry. With this many people around, they won’t dare pursue us openly. They can’t harm us here.”
“That’s not the problem—your leg…!”
It didn’t matter. Some medicine and expensive ointment would heal it.
I gently stopped Berry, who was panicking and on the verge of tears.
Because suddenly—something important came to mind.
