Chapter 3.5

“She fainted over a single bug? How sheltered is she?”  

“She may seem bold, but she’s the only daughter of an Earl’s household. Of course, she was raised delicately.”  

“You talk like you know exactly how she was raised.”  

“… How would I know?”  

“Obviously, you wouldn’t. It was just a joke.”  

Kazen shrugged and gestured toward the second floor.  

“Why don’t we lay her down upstairs? There’s an empty room—the one Head Commander Rosier used to use.”  

“She’ll probably freak out again when she wakes up, but we don’t have much choice.”  

Rowen sighed and carefully lifted Ariana. Despite her fiery personality and sharp tongue, she felt surprisingly light in his arms.  

‘Are all women this light?’  

Rowen tilted his head in curiosity as he looked down at Ariana. Her pale complexion made her appear even more delicate. As he continued to stare, Kazen tapped his shoulder.  

“What are you doing? Standing there like an idiot.”  

“Nothing.”  

Snapping out of his thoughts, Rowen shook his head and carried Ariana upstairs.

***

After laying Ariana down on the second floor, the two men returned to the living room on the first floor. Now that an outsider had entered the headquarters of the Unnamed Knight Order, it was impossible to let the situation slide. Kazen scratched his head in frustration.  

“We should report this to His Majesty. We’ve gone ahead and rented out the headquarters he provided us without permission.”  

“He’ll be absolutely baffled.”  

First, they called themselves an “investigation office” and took on requests like “tracking cheating husbands.” Then, they rented out the secret organization’s headquarters. The supposed covert base was now bustling because of one woman.  

Kazen slyly tried to shift the responsibility onto Rowen.  

“You should be the one to report it. You’re the commander, after all.”  

“Ah, so I’m only treated like the commander when it’s inconvenient?”  

“You complain even when you’re treated as the commander. Would you prefer I call you ‘Young Master’ instead?”  

Kazen smirked mischievously, teasing Rowen.  

Rowen was the second Young Master of Crosell Principality, a nation with minimal interaction with the Empire. The Grand Duke had sent Rowen to the Emperor’s court to demonstrate his willingness to build relations with the Empire, and Hector had assigned him to the Unnamed Knight Order. Rowen started as an ordinary member, earning recognition for his achievements. When the previous commander, Rosier, retired a few months ago, Rowen was appointed as his successor.  

“Why bring up the Young Master thing now?”  

“It’s not like it’s a bad thing. If I were a Young Master, I’d brag about it everywhere.”  

“Would you really?”  

Rowen gave a sly smile and tapped Kazen’s shoulder.  

“Go report it.”  

“What?”  

“Go see His Majesty. That’s an order from your commander.”

***

When Ariana opened her eyes, she flinched at the unfamiliar surroundings. Realizing she was in the investigation office, she quickly sat up.  

‘Ugh. How embarrassing.’  

Now fully conscious, she was mortified at having fainted over a mere bug.  

‘But cockroa… that bug is just unbearable.’  

Fearing its reappearance, Ariana hunched her shoulders and cautiously made her way downstairs. Kazen was nowhere to be seen. Rowen sat alone on the sofa, reading a newspaper. The investigation office’s focus on gathering information was evident from the pile of newspapers and newsletters stacked on the table. Ariana quietly sat across from him and picked up a newsletter.  

“You’re awake.”  

“I caused trouble. I’m sorry.”  

Ariana apologized sincerely. She believed that while avoiding inconveniencing others was ideal, the next best thing was offering a heartfelt apology when she failed to do so.  

“If you’re sorry, why don’t you explain why you want to rent this place?”  

“I’ve already told you. I need space for my business.”  

“What kind of business?”  

Rowen’s probing question made Ariana fold the newsletter she was reading and look at him suspiciously.  

“I’ve noticed before—you seem very interested in my business.”  

“A Countess running a business is intriguing to anyone. Besides, since you plan to operate out of my investigation office, I have the right to ask what kind of business you’re preparing.”  

Fair enough. That level of curiosity was reasonable for a landlord.  

“… I’m planning to sell goods to the Lynette Republic. People there prefer traditional Empire items.”  

“The Republic?”  

“Yes. Didn’t you notice at the Sotherin Auction House? Two-thirds of the attendees were from the Republic.”  

“The Republic, huh…”  

Rowen folded the newspaper he was reading and looked at Ariana.  

“How do you plan to establish a sales route?”  

“I’m not aiming for mass sales, so I’ll rely on connections. I have a friend studying in the Lynette Republic who’s close to wealthy people there.”  

That friend was also the one who sent Ariana newsletters published in the Republic.  

“When I told her I was marrying that bastard husband of mine, she opposed it. She even offered to ask her parents for money to lend me instead.”  

Of course, Ariana had declined. It was an absurd offer—borrowing a fortune wasn’t feasible, even if her friend’s family was wealthy.  

“She was so against the marriage that she said she’d rather lend me money. Now, she’s thrilled to help when I told her I want to divorce and make money.”  

“Divorce?”  

Rowen, who had been quietly listening, reacted to the mention of divorce. Ariana tilted her head in confusion.  

“Yes, divorce. Is something wrong with that?”  

“So, you’re planning to divorce your husband?”  

“Yes. That’s why I’m trying to pay off the debt he covered for me. He was allowed into the Earl’s household in exchange for settling that debt. To kick him out, I need to repay it.”  

Rowen frowned, surprised by her words.  

“I thought you weren’t considering divorce.”  

“You know my situation, don’t you? You even investigated my husband. That bastard cheated on me with my milk sister and even had a child with her. How could I not consider divorce?”  

“… I thought you were enduring it, trying to make things work.”  

“What? Endure it? Why would I?”  

Ariana shuddered as if the mere thought disgusted her.  

“The marriage contract makes it difficult for me to initiate divorce proceedings. My husband has to request it first for me to settle with just the repayment of the debt.”  

“So, the reason you hired us to investigate your husband was…”

“Of course, I planned to dig up dirt on him and use it to blackmail him. Like, ‘If you don’t file for divorce, I’ll expose this.’” 

Rowen, wearing a peculiar expression, brushed his fingers against his lips.  

“…So, divorce is already in the works, huh?”  

“That’s the plan, thanks to the dirt you found on my husband.” 

Ariana sighed deeply, as if the situation was exhausting.  

“Speaking of which, is there any progress on the investigation? He reeks of suspicion, so there must be something shady about him.”  

“We’re working hard on it. It’s at the top of our list.”  

Coincidentally, the Emperor’s investigation order and Ariana’s request overlapped in their objectives. Thus, placing the investigation of Earl Astaroth at the top of the list wasn’t exactly a lie.  

“That’s a relief to hear.”  

The fainting spell over a mere bug had delayed her more than she expected. While her conversation with Rowen had flowed smoothly and was somewhat enjoyable, she couldn’t afford to waste more time. There was simply too much to do. With a groan, Ariana rose from her seat.  

“I’ll head out now. Tomorrow or the day after, someone I send will come to claim the promised room.”  

“Understood.”  

Rowen also stood, seemingly intending to see her off. Assuming it was just a polite gesture, Ariana gave him a slight nod before stepping out of the investigation office. However, Rowen naturally trailed behind her.  

“Why are you following me?”  

“I’ll escort you until you leave this alley. As I’ve mentioned before, you stand out too much here.”  

“I came alone today and nothing happened…”  

“That kind of complacency invites trouble.”  

“You’ve already been paid for your services. You don’t need to worry about your client’s life anymore.”  

“Rent. That’s my concern now.”  

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”  

The new reason was so convincing that Ariana raised her hands in surrender.

***

As soon as Ariana returned home, Madame Green barged into her room as if she had been waiting for her.  

“My dear, where have you been since early morning? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”  

“Why were you looking for me?”  

“Why else? It’s the social season, and we need to discuss which parties you’ll attend. You can’t possibly go to all of them.”  

Madame Green clicked her tongue at Ariana, as if pitying her.  

“This is something we should’ve discussed at least two weeks ago. Since you’ve been so lazy, I had to step in.”  

Though her tone suggested annoyance, it was clear she was enjoying herself. With an air of superiority, Madame Green handed Ariana a list of parties and their hosts.  

“I’ve organized everything. Just send letters to the ones marked with circles, stating that Flory and I will attend on your behalf. You can handle the rest.”  

Deciding which parties to attend during the social season was traditionally the responsibility of the lady of the house. Madame Green’s actions were tantamount to declaring, ‘I’m the true mistress of the Astaroth household, not you.’