Chapter 4 – The Skill Of Making A Move (Part 12)

“In the end, you couldn’t find him.”

“Yes, I apologize.”

Simon Gillas extinguished the cigarette he was smoking in the ashtray. He stared blankly at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window before speaking.

“It’s certain that Edwin Duncan is hiding him.”

“Yes, we have confirmed that much.”

“…That’s the problem.”

His sharp gray eyes turned to his aide. Simon tapped the window frame with his fingers as if in thought, then continued.

“Can we trust ‘him’? Those connected to Moses are never trustworthy.”

“There’s nothing a desperate person can’t achieve.”

Simon recalled the man he met last night, Asiel Dunant. Especially the eyes gleaming with desire left a strong impression on his mind.

“Who would have thought someone who looks like a respectable scholar could harbor such intentions?”

Despite his aide’s words, Simon’s mustache twitched as if he was still dissatisfied.

“Anyway!”

He soon slammed his fist on the window frame in a fit of anger.

“If only Erich hadn’t given his heart to the wrong person! This mess wouldn’t have happened….”

His master, who rarely showed anger despite years in politics, was now infuriated. In such times, it was best to keep one’s mouth shut.

“…How did Yulia raise the child?”

Simon recalled his wife’s tear-filled carrot-colored eyes.

His wife, Yulia, who never had a day without tears. She couldn’t attach herself to a marriage forced upon her.

「Please don’t do this! It’s my fault. Please, just… don’t take Erich away! I’m sorry.」

Unlike himself.

Groaning, Simon clutched his throbbing head.

“Who will keep an eye on ‘him’?”

“I left people behind, so don’t worry.”

Simon nodded wearily at his aide’s straightforward answer.

He was exhausted.

Simon slumped back in his seat and said,

“Speed up the carriage.”

As soon as the order was given, the carriage picked up speed as if in response.

The carriage cut through the dark night, heading into an even deeper darkness.

***

‘This meeting is long overdue.’

Lorraine thought as she took a bite of a cracker.

“Alright, alright, let’s start today’s meeting.”

Olivia’s voice, which grabbed everyone’s attention with a clap, was lively. Victoria whispered as she tucked her bobbed hair behind her ear.

“Something’s definitely up with her.”

The response came from Diana.

“Indeed.”

Diana was fiddling with a cushion, trying to find the most comfortable position.

“Don’t you know anything? You’re the only one who’s seen them.”

As soon as Victoria finished speaking, both of them turned their gaze to Lorraine. Lorraine blinked and then mumbled in defense.

“…I was busy working too.”

Whatever Olivia and Erich talked about, Olivia had locked herself in her room for a long time after returning home. Even Deborah, who had been waiting to nag, asked Lorraine—

「Did something happen?」

—so much to that extent.

Lorraine frowned as she put down her teacup.

“…It’s sweet.”

The tea, heavily influenced by Olivia’s taste, was sweet enough to make her tongue tingle. Despite Lorraine’s grumbling, Olivia continued without a frown.

“Today’s agenda is… revealing Diana Wiig’s drug abuse…? Drug abuse? What is this….”

The first agenda item was something none of them expected. Both Olivia, who read the agenda, and Lorraine and Victoria, who were sharing biscuits, widened their eyes.

Diana pushed up her glasses with a calm face and muttered.

“…Should I really kill her?”

She seemed to know who sent it.

“Is it true?”

“…It’s not to the extent of abuse.”

Diana took off her glasses and rubbed her face a few times.

“Is this… by any chance, Barbara’s doing?”

Victoria seemed to have finally recognized the handwriting of her peer.

“Barbara is the only one who would write and send such a letter without hesitation, given her personality.”

Lorraine’s voice had a hint of amusement at the interesting situation. Of course, she soon received a sharp glare from Diana.

“So what medication did you get prescribed?”

‘Ugh, it’s sweet.’ 

Lorraine muttered as she put down her teacup.

“…….”

“If someone went so far as to send an anonymous letter, it must have been quite serious. I think it’s better to just come clean at this point.”

Lorraine continued, pointing her chin at the letter Victoria was holding.

“Barbara has to be quite the nutcase too.”

Victoria and Olivia nodded in agreement.

Barbara Lowell was the straightforward and honest physician for the Wiig family. She was also the only person, besides their mother Deborah, whom their father couldn’t handle.

「You need to cut down on wine.」

She might even surpass their mother.

At her first words, David had jumped in surprise as if struck by lightning and asked,

「…Cut down even more?」

Wine was David’s only joy, something even Deborah couldn’t stop him from enjoying. But Barbara was not Deborah.

「Yes, one glass a day.」

「B-But. Last time, you said two glasses were okay…!」

He was about to recite the prescription Barbara had given during the last checkup when she decisively cut him off.

「Two glasses are okay if you don’t overdo it.」

She continued with a smile, as if not giving him a chance.

「I’ve heard from the butler that you’ve been in your office every day lately.」

David had no choice but to cut down on wine.

Recalling his mother’s face as she told the story, Victoria shook her head with a look of disgust. Then she handed the paper she was holding to Olivia and muttered.

“She was a pain even back in the academy.”

At that moment, Olivia added nonchalantly.

“Birds of a feather flock together.”

“What?”

“Have you heard the saying, ‘Like father, like son’?”

The two looked ready to throw cushions at each other and bicker. Diana nudged Lorraine in the waist and said,

“You stop them.”

“Me…?”

‘Why… of all people…?’

Before Lorraine could protest, Diana frowned and signaled with her eyes.

‘Hurry.’ 

Under Diana’s pressure, Lorraine had no choice but to snap her fingers.

“Alright, alright, you two are going too far. Let’s come back now.”

“But! Olivia, this girl…!”

“Pretending to be good at studying… it was all for nothing.”

She shouldn’t have stirred things up.

Lorraine rubbed her temples and shook her head.

At that moment.

“Shut.”

“…….”

“Up.”

Finally, the atmosphere settled down after Diana intervened. Although it was like pouring cold water over the situation.

‘What a mess.’

Lorraine let out a small sigh.

***

Ha ha ha.

Laughter echoed from the busy library where books were being organized.

After the laughter subsided to some extent, Philip Lloyd wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and asked.

“So, she overturned everything?”

He took the book Lorraine handed him from the ladder and placed it in order. Lorraine nodded as she checked the spine of the next book to be shelved.

“Of course. She’s the eldest daughter, after all.”

“Seems like the hierarchy is well established. Seeing how they shut up as soon as the eldest sister said something.”

Lorraine shrugged as she handed over the last book.

“It lasted only five minutes, though.”

“But they fight cutely. My family’s fights were a real battleground.”

Philip sighed, recalling his childhood. Lorraine’s expression turned sour, as if she had eaten something bitter.

“…It’s not cute at all.”

‘Sisters can fight like dogs too.’

Despite Lorraine’s muttering, Philip continued his imagination from the ladder.

“Sisters… How cute would they be if they wore the same clothes….”

“They must have their own preferences too.”

“Daughters who smell like flowers are better than sons who smell like sweat…!”

“Still stuck in those stereotypes.”

‘Should I just let go of the ladder?’

Lorraine firmly doused Philip’s fantasies with cold water. After being repeatedly doused, Philip looked down at Lorraine from the ladder with a resentful face.

“At least let me talk….”

“Next stereotype, please.”

Although he was cut off before he could even start.

Philip smacked his lips. Then, as if something came to mind, he skillfully sat on the ladder and asked,

“Oh, by the way, was everything okay at the safe house?”

“What do you mean?”

Lorraine replied absentmindedly, looking over the books she had taken from another shelf.

“Well, you know….”

Philip, who had been speaking without hesitation until now, suddenly hesitated.

“What?”

“Well… I mean, you and… being alone with a man and a woman….”

Although his words were fragmented, Lorraine understood what he was trying to say.

“Philip.”

She called him in a flat tone. Her face was expressionless, without even a frown.

“Do you want to get tangled up in a defamation lawsuit?”

“…….”

‘Is it just my imagination, or am I remembering the times I got scolded by my wife?’

He naturally lowered his gaze and bit his lip.