CH 168

“It’s not that I wasn’t earnest, but it was a little exaggerated… Ugh… Anyway, it wasn’t true. Please, pretend that you didn’t hear it. I plead,” she said in desperation. It seemed that she did not care about other things at all because of what she said while she was drunk.

‘Maybe she thinks she saw things because she was drunk. I guess I won’t have to mention it anyway.’

Tilting her head, Azriel answered, “You didn’t say anything strange at all. And like I said, I don’t plan on having such a relationship with Charles.”

Lexina’s expression turned mysterious. She asked calmly with some redness still on her face, “Come to think of it, did Charles make a love confession to you?”

This time, Azriel’s face turned red. She hesitantly answered, “Yes.”

“And you refused it because you don’t have time for such?” Lexina asked.

“Yes…” Azriel replied.

“And you said His Majesty accepted it?” Lexina said.

“Yes, we decided to remain friends,” Azriel said.

“Hmm, friends? With His Majesty?” the lady asked with her eyes narrowed.

Azriel hastily explained, “I-I helped His Majesty when he was still the crown prince. I met him again not long ago, and…”

“The young genius wizard,” Lexina said.

“Excuse me?” Azriel asked.

“I heard about it from Sir Palaios. That person was you,” Lexina said.

“Oh, yes.”

Lexina gazed at her and smiled slightly. “I see. To be honest, I am very delighted.”

“A-about what?” Azriel asked.

“Just because. Well, I’ll be rooting for you, Miss Esthera,” Lexina said.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Azriel said.

“You don’t have to know. No, please stay that way. He should experience it, too, being in my shoes.” Lexina chuckled and lifted her teacup. Murmuring with a stern face, she seemed very delighted. Putting down her teacup, Lexina had turned back into the orderly and elegant lady in no time. “I heard that you wanted to join the investigation, Miss Esthera.”

“Yes. Oh, Sir Ash gave this to me,” Azriel said as she put down the little key she received from Ash von Madriol on the table.

Seeing the key with a topaz on it, Lexina nodded. “Please keep it. It’s a key that can open the door on the warehouse floor of the Topaz Guild.”

“Door on the warehouse floor?” Azriel repeated.

“The investigation headquarters is under it. How much did you hear? Since there’s only you and me here, you can speak freely,” Lexina said.

“He only said that because Talasin was suspected to be behind it, the investigation headquarters was established outside the royal castle and that everything is being kept on the down-low,” Azriel said.

“Is that all?” Lexina asked.

“He also said that the emperor doesn’t seem to be involved in this… He said he would tell me about the details later,” Azriel answered.

“Do you know what the missing people have in common?” Lexina asked again.

“They are people with unnamable mana. Some are unaware of their nature, and others are those who only found out recently,” Azriel described.

“You know quite a lot. It’ll speed up the conversation, then. If His Majesty informed you that much…” Lexina tapped the table with her fingertip a few times. When she was done thinking, she opened her mouth. “First, there are two big branches of what we’re doing: tracking and prevention.”

“Tracking must be investigating what has already happened, and… is prevention about protecting people with unnamable mana?” Azriel asked.

“You think fast. Forgive me, but it’ll be difficult for you to participate in the former. We need to keep it classified,” Lexina said.

“Of course. I’m not even a citizen of Aucandor,” Azriel said.

“Oh, is that so? I thought you looked like you were from the north. If it doesn’t bother you, can I ask where your hometown is?” Lexina asked with her eyes wide.

Azriel candidly explained, “I am from a village called Solam, which used to be near the Canine Mountains. You probably don’t know it well. The village is already gone.”

“I’ve never heard of a place called Solam for certain, but… if it’s near the Canine Mountains, isn’t it where Talasin conquered years ago?” Lexina asked.

“You are right,” Azriel replied.