CH 18

“See you later, then.”

“Yes, have a good day.”

After saying goodbye to Chelsea, Livia hurried out of the ducal residence and stopped at a nearby carriage rental shop.

“Welcome!”

“I’d like to rent a carriage.”

“Yes, and where would you like to go?”

Livia smiled in response to the coachman’s question.

“Secrete 13th Street.”

“To……?”

The coachman’s expression stiffened at her words.

“I’m sorry, miss, but we don’t go that far ….”

“Here’s your compensation.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Livia handed him a pouch.

The coachman took the pouch, looked inside, and his eyes widened.

It was filled with silver coins. It was part of the money that was left over from the sale of the mansion.

A pity, but she couldn’t help it. Secrete 13th Street was a dangerous place.

In short, it was risk-pay. 

The coachman agonized over the silver pouch in front of him.

‘I don’t have time for this,’ Livia thought impatiently. 

This was not the only place to rent a carriage.

Not willing to wait any longer for the coachman’s anguish, she parted her lips.

“Well, if it is not possible, so be it.”

Livia reached to retrieve her pouch and the coachman’s eyes widened.

“Oh, no, I’ll take you up there, in this carriage.”

The coachman quickly stuffed the pouch into his pocket and opened the door of the next carriage.

After a quick nod to him, Livia climbed into the carriage.

“Please go as fast as you can.”

“Yes!”

The coachman quickly climbed into the driver’s seat and immediately set the carriage off.

Livia stared at the rapidly passing scenery outside, lost in thought.

‘Secrete 13th Street.’

She looked out the window at the merchants busily preparing for business.

If those people were the sunny side outside the shadows, then Secrete 13th Street could be called the dark side within the shadows.

Where all sorts of illegal and clandestine dealings take place.

Trafficking, blackmail, assassinations, etc…..

It was so big that even the Empire couldn’t do anything about it.

A lawless place.

Livia was familiar with the general structure of it, as it was often portrayed as the criminal world in <Everyone Loves the Saint>.

‘It’s no wonder the coachman was reluctant.’

It was a place where incidents, accidents, and murders took place every day and with high frequency.

She never thought she’d set foot in such a place.

But she could do it.

This was a matter of life and death. She would take what she could get.

Drawing the curtains to block out the light, Livia closed her eyes.

It would be a while before they arrived. Livia’s thoughts began to wander.

‘Vincent’s class should have started by now.’

It would be his first class after all the commotion yesterday.

‘I wonder if Anna will try to play tricks on him again.’

“Let’s trust Vincent for now.”

Livia muttered to herself.

The wagon, which had left the warm light of the sun, ran quickly towards the dark.

***

Anna looked at Vincent’s expression.

Contrary to expectations that he would be uncomfortable given that he was closer to Livia yesterday, Vincent seemed relaxed.

He wasn’t as nervous as he was in class yesterday.

How could the atmosphere change like this in one day?

‘What the hell happened with that bitch, Livia?!’

From what Anna had seen so far, Vincent’s confidence and self-esteem had suffered greatly.

‘All he knows how to do is shout.’

In short, he was like a small animal kicking and screaming around the house.

‘You just have to pretend to be nice to those sorts of things and they just wag their tails.’

Besides, even if he was supposed to be the young master of Mercedes, in Anna’s eyes, he was just a child – easy to be dealt with.

Anna smiled and tilted her head toward Vincent.

“Well done, you’re very clever, but that’s not enough to satisfy Livia in the slightest….”

But then.

“No.”

Vincent, who had always been shy and avoided eye contact, met her gaze directly.

Anna was stunned by the unwavering intensity in his eyes. It was the first time Vincent had ever looked her in the eye.

‘He looks like a member of Mercedes!’

Just making eye contact sent a chill down her spine, and she pulled her head back slightly.

Then she smiled and asked, trying to act nonchalant.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Tutor Pellington, she’s not that kind of person.”

“Huh, huh?”

Anna stuttered, completely shocked at the unexpected words coming out of his mouth.

‘She’s not like that?’

As much as she was pissed about it, she had to admit that Vincent liked Livia. But liking someone doesn’t mean you can trust them completely.

Rather, liking makes you constantly suspicious and impatient.

So, she thought she’d manipulate that part of him and keep him away from Livia. ….

‘What the hell is that look?’

It was a look of conviction. It was hard for Anna to tell what it was about.

“You don’t know Tutor Pellington, so don’t make assumptions about her. She’s not the kind of person to belittle or disrespect others.”

” ……You say I don’t know Livia, then what do you know about Livia?”

“Tutor Pellington is …..”

A small smile appeared on Vincent’s face, as if he was remembering Livia.

Seeing that, Anna felt like her stomach was about to turn.

“Warm.”

It was only one simple word, but the emotion in it was not to be taken lightly.

And then she realized. Vincent’s trust in Livia was much deeper than she had recognized.

“…. As long as you are the son of His Excellency, the Duke of Mercedes, everyone is warm and friendly to you. Livia is one of those people. You have to be able to discern that.”

She must destroy that trust.

Anna continued, trying to keep her expression and voice soft.

“I know my words may seem bitter to you, Master, and the truth is bitter, but the truth is inevitable. On the other hand, things that dazzle people are bound to be sweet. So–”

“No need.”

…What? 

“I’m the judge of that, and I trust Tutor Pellington.”

And you don’t.

The bright red eyes seemed to say so.

Anna’s face paled like a trapped person.

Then her eyes grew cold.

“Sh…….”

Anna looked furious and was about to say something.

Dong. Dong.

It arrived.

The sound of the bell announcing noon rushed in through the slightly open window. Hearing the sound, Anna regained her senses and tried to suppress her anger. If the child in front of her was an ordinary child, she would have expressed her boiling anger.

However, the child in front of her was not an ordinary child, but the next successor to the Duke of Mercedez.

‘Be patient.’

Anna forced a smile.

“I see. How very grown-up of you, young master.”

‘If I become the Duchess, I will kick you out first.’

Anna gritted her teeth and vowed revenge.

Vincent, who was staring at her, suddenly stood up from his seat. and bowed to her.

“Farewell. Tutor.”

It was a polite greeting, but Anna, already disliking Vincent, shrugged it off and stormed out of the room.

‘As expected, I have to deal with Livia first.’

Anna checked the contents of the bundle in her arms and grinned as if she’d never been nervous before.

Then she grabbed a passing maid.

“Hey, come here for a minute.”

Her tone was demanding, and when the maid realized she was the only one around, she walked over.

“What can I do for you?”

“Here, take this to Livia Pellington’s room.”

Anna pulled a small pouch from her bosom and handed it over. The maid took the pouch and examined its contents.

It was a small amount of dried grass.

“What is this?”

“You wouldn’t know it by looking at it. It’s tea leaves. Livia Pellington asked me to prepare them for her as a surprise for the Master, so don’t tell anyone and put them in Livia’s room. I don’t want any unnecessary rumors.”

“…” 

“Aren’t you going to answer me?”

When the maid did not answer in time, Anna’s eyes lit up furiously.

‘Anyway, I don’t like this household, either the kid or the maid.’

Belatedly, the maid nodded her head.

“All right.”

“Hmph.”

Anna glared at the maid and walked away.

The maid looked at Anna’s back, then grabbed the pouch and turned on her heel.

***

“We’ve arrived, miss.”

Lost in thought, Livia was awakened by the coachman’s announcement that they had arrived.

The curtains were drawn, so she didn’t even realize it.

“How long will it take?”

“It shouldn’t take more than half an hour.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for you here.”

Livia nodded and looked through the hood at the street in front of her.

Butchers, grocery stores, weapon stores, and so on.

All seemingly ordinary stores.

……But this one was anything but ordinary.

Whew.

Taking a deep breath, Livia pulled her hood down a little deeper and stepped into the alley.

As she passed, Livia felt eyes focus on her.

Eyes that seemed to be sizing her up. Some of them had the look of an animal stalking its prey.

She tried to ignore those gazes and went deep into the alley.

Wasn’t it roughly around here?

At that moment, Livia spotted a shop and stopped dead in her tracks.

The smallest and shabbiest of all the shops on Secrete 13th Street.

Livia raised her head.

The tattered wooden sign read <Rune Antiques>.

‘Found it!’

Luckily, she must have come to the right place.

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