Chapter 62
It was lunchtime on a scorching afternoon.
She deeply regretted not summoning Ser to the counseling office earlier.
To make matters worse, she had come out during lunchtime, when the streets were crowded with people, making the oppressive heat even more unbearable.
Despite her efforts to avoid the crowds, she eventually collided with someone.
“I’m sorry.”
The items the person was holding fell to the ground. Since they landed near her feet, she picked them up and handed them back to the man.
“Thank you.”
She nodded in response to his gratitude and walked past him.
When she arrived at the meeting spot, Ser was already there, intently reviewing some documents with a serious expression. Upon noticing her, he put the papers down.
“Is there a problem?”
“There’s been a report about an increase in bandit activity recently.”
“Bandits?”
“Yes. Just recently, a carriage traveling from the Marquisate of Arturito to the capital was attacked by bandits. It seems they were targeting the rice.”
“That’s a big issue. Shouldn’t security be reinforced?”
“Yes. The merchant guild has already hired mercenaries, so I don’t think you need to worry too much.”
“Well, that’s a relief. As long as we receive the rice on time, it’s fine.”
She nodded, satisfied as long as no harm came to her.
“And since there’s been a sudden rise in theft, we should ensure the shop is securely locked.”
“Theft?”
That struck her as odd. With the welfare programs for commoners being actively implemented, theft should have been one of the crimes decreasing the most.
“But, Madam, you’re not wearing your ring today.”
Ser glanced at her hand as he spoke. Confused, she looked down at her hand, only to realize her finger felt strangely bare. The ring she had worn every day since receiving it was missing.
“Oh…”
I was certain I had worn it when I left. Where could it have gone?
But she couldn’t recall removing it, leaving her stunned.
“Did you perhaps bump into someone on your way here?”
“I did bump into someone… Could it have been a pickpocket?”
When Ser nodded, she felt disheartened. She was both shocked and embarrassed to have fallen victim to such a basic trick.
“Is there any way to find it?”
“We should report it to the security force first.”
After all, it was her wedding ring. Ignoring its loss didn’t sit well with her.
In the end, she decided to visit the security force to search for the lost ring.
***
Upon entering the security force headquarters, located in the heart of the central district, a man blocked her path at the entrance.
“What brings you here… Oh! Aren’t you the Duchess of Astrea?”
The weary-looking man greeted her in a familiar tone. Still unaccustomed to the title, she responded with an awkward smile.
“What brings you here, Madame?”
“I’m here to report a stolen item.”
“Ah, street pickpockets have been rampant lately.”
“I heard there’s been an increase in theft recently.”
“Yes, for some reason, theft has suddenly risen recently. Until just a short while ago, the Imperial Welfare Department was providing cash and jobs for commoners, which gave us a brief respite.”
The soldier sighed deeply, reminiscing about the previous week when things were quieter.
In contrast, she looked serious. If there had been a sudden increase in theft, there must have been a reason.
The most likely explanation was embezzlement.
It couldn’t have been Sevji, so it had to be someone at the intermediary level within the Welfare Department siphoning off funds meant for the commoners…
“So, what was stolen?”
“I lost my wedding ring.”
“Oh no! Your wedding ring?”
The man exclaimed in shock, his voice so loud that all the soldiers nearby turned to look.
“Your voice is too loud.”
“My apologies. Please wait a moment while I retrieve the necessary forms.”
As the soldier disappeared inside, another soldier approached her cautiously.
“Madame, you must be deeply upset about losing your wedding ring. Those pickpockets… By the way, the Knight Commander is here. Shall I call him for you?”
“What?”
She was utterly taken aback by the sudden mention of his name. Wanting to resolve the matter quietly, she quickly shook her head.
“I don’t want to bother someone busy. I think it’s better if I come back another time.”
Just as she was about to leave hastily, leaving the soldier behind, she heard a familiar voice.
“Shaterian?”
She instinctively sighed at the presence drawing near.
It was obvious why Eched was at the security force. The 1st Imperial Knight Order was assisting with the capital’s security.
“What brings you here?”
Eched seemed genuinely pleased to see her. Despite having seen her that very morning, he acted as though it had been ages since their last meeting.
In contrast, she felt uneasy about facing Eched. Though she had done nothing wrong, her conscience pricked her.
“Well… I lost something.”
She wriggled her fingers, which she had hidden behind her back, and avoided his gaze, staring at her toes instead.
“What was it?”
“Madame! Here’s the form you need to fill out. However, high-value items like wedding rings are often difficult to recover.”
Timing never seemed to work in her favor.
The loud soldier returned with the form, announcing the truth for all to hear.
There was no point in hiding it now.
She sighed and nodded.
“Sorry. I lost my wedding ring.”
She showed Eched her hand, now bare without the ring. She felt strangely guilty for not being able to keep track of something so precious.
But Eched’s expression remained as composed as ever.
“There’s no need to apologize. It’s not your fault it was stolen.”
While that was true, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.
“Do you think we can find it?”
“We’ll find it soon.”
His tone was unusually confident.
“Have you already located the pickpockets’ hideout?”
“No.”
“…Then what?”
“Rather, losing the ring has given us a way to catch the pickpocket gang.”
“What?”
Eched, without further explanation, removed the ring from his left hand and placed it on his palm.
“What are you going to do with that?”
“Wedding rings often use a gemstone called Mnemeite, also known as the memory stone. Even when split into two, it retains a property that tries to reunite the pieces. So, if you have one ring, it will guide you to the other.”
“Really? That’s fascinating.”
When he clenched and opened his palm, a small light began to emanate from the ring. It started to move as if being pulled by an invisible force.
She watched the ring’s function with amazement.
“But, Eched, why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
If the ring had such a function, Eched could have easily found her wherever she went—even after a divorce.
Eched, who had been silent for a while, suddenly looked up.
“…I’m heading out to catch the pickpocket gang right now.”
‘Oh, really?’
Eched hurriedly called over a nearby soldier. His attempt to change the subject was so blatant that she couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.
‘He’s adorable, isn’t he?’
Adorable?
The sudden surge of emotion made her lips stiffen.
While she had developed romantic feelings for Eched, expressing them was still extremely awkward for her.
She needed time to prepare herself emotionally. Honestly, she felt like she’d need a lifetime to do so.
Expressing affection toward Eched was something that made her stomach churn just thinking about it.
Feeling a bit queasy, she rubbed her chest and looked around the now-busy security force office. Imperial knights and soldiers were preparing to apprehend the criminals.
“Will you return to the ducal residence first?”
“Hmm… No. I’ll wait here, and if it takes too long, I’ll head back.”
She decided to pass the time reviewing the documents Ser had given her.
Eched seemed oddly happy at her decision to wait.
Seeing him both pleased and excited… Was my ability to read Eched’s emotions deteriorating lately?
“Come back quickly.”
“Of course.”
He shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly.
Eched checked the sword at his waist one last time before leaving the security force office, with others following him out.
“Madame, please have a seat here and wait. Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, please.”
While she sat in one corner, a considerable number of people came and went through the security force entrance. Sitting close to the reception desk, she unintentionally overheard several conversations.
Since it was the security force, most of the conversations revolved around incidents and accidents. It felt like an expanded version of the grievance counseling office.
Still, she thought eavesdropping was impolite, so she kept her eyes fixed on the documents, though she couldn’t block out the sounds entirely.
“What brings you here?”
“I lost something on the street.”
“Please write your name and the lost item here.”
Including her, this was already the fifth pickpocket victim to visit.
She glanced up and saw a man filling out the form. With striking red hair and the attire of a traveler, he looked very familiar.
Sensing her gaze, the man looked up, and their eyes met. Recognizing him, she smiled faintly.
“Did you get pickpocketed?”
Masetike responded with an awkward laugh, both embarrassed and glad to see her. After completing the form and handing it to the soldier, he approached her.
“What brings the Duchess of Astrea here?”
Masetike grinned playfully. Ignoring his teasing tone, she gathered her documents.
“I’m waiting for my husband.”
She played the role of a demure wife. Masetike, caught off guard, was the one who ended up flustered.
See? Why provoke when you can’t win?
Pretending not to notice his awkward smile, she changed the subject.
“So, what did you lose?”
“A pendant. It contained a portrait of my family.”
His eyes were filled with longing and sorrow. Masetike raised his hand to his neck, only to remember the pendant was no longer there, and lowered it again.
The visible grief caught her off guard.
Even someone as private as Masetike, after two years of working together, had a few things revealed about him, including his family relationships.
She recalled the rare moments when he received letters from his distant family and smiled with joy.
The sorrow etched on his face now was a stark contrast to those memories.
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