The sun had long set by the time I returned to the inn. I estimated it was a little past 7 p.m.
Walking through the front entrance, I saw the girls had already started work, the tavern bustling with activity.
After a quick glance around, I headed upstairs, nodding to Bale, who was guarding the entrance on my way up.
"Well, looks like the brat returned. And all in one piece, no less."
The first thing I heard upon ascending the stairs was Dale's grating voice.
"Tell me, did the guys at the old tavern give you a hard time?"
The question was redundant—he probably already knew the answer.
"Not at all," I replied evenly. "Is the boss available? I want to report the results of the task."
"Hm…"
Dale eyed me suspiciously.
"He's inside. You can head in and report if you want."
He shrugged before leaning back over the railing, watching the lively tavern below.
Walking past him, I knocked on the door. A few seconds passed before a reply came from the other side.
"Come in."
With permission granted, I slowly opened the door and stepped into the office. David was still seated, sifting through documents and writing reports. It seemed he hadn't left the office at all today.
He briefly glanced up from his files, then pushed his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose. A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes.
"…So you've returned."
"Yes. I successfully delivered the envelope as instructed."
"Mhm…" David hummed, leaning back in his chair. He folded his arms, a thoughtful expression settling on his face.
"Did anything unusual happen while you were there?"
A flicker of understanding flashed across my eyes, but I quickly concealed it.
"No. After I arrived, I spoke with the butler briefly before handing him the envelope."
I lied, omitting my meeting with Derek.
"…Nothing else happened?" David asked, a rare note of curiosity in his voice.
"No. Once I confirmed the message was received, I was sent off and returned to the inn."
"Alright. If you have nothing else to report, get back to work." David flicked his wrist, dismissing me before returning to his paperwork.
Yet, even as he gestured for me to leave, I remained where I stood, carefully observing the room.
David frowned, noticing my hesitation. He looked up from his papers again, his gaze darkening.
"What are you still doing here?" His voice was sharper now, irritation creeping in.
Despite his growing impatience, I remained calm.
"Boss, I couldn't help but notice that the room is still a bit untidy. Did you manage to get someone else to clean the room this morning?"
David studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable.
"…Hmph. I had the other little brat clean it, but it seems she did a subpar job if even you think it's untidy."
Sorry, Nana…
I mentally apologized for throwing her under the bus, but it was necessary.
"If my presence doesn't bother you, boss, would you mind if I clean up now? I'll be sure not to disturb your work."
"Hm…" David regarded me coolly, his earlier irritation shifting into something more calculating. "And why do you suddenly want to clean the room?"
"I just thought it would be better to do it now than later," I answered, bowing politely.
David contemplated my request before snorting lightly.
"…Finish before the hour."
"Yes, boss."
Not wasting any time, I quickly left the office, retrieved the cleaning supplies from downstairs, and returned.
David had already immersed himself in his work. Doing my utmost to avoid disturbing him, I quietly began dusting the shelves and sweeping the floor.
Although I had thrown Nana under the bus, her cleaning wasn't actually as bad as I'd made it seem—there was barely anything left for me to do.
No, really, I'm sorry, Nana…
I continued wiping down the office, trying to ignore the guilt gnawing at me.
Glancing at David, I noted he wasn't paying attention to me, allowing me the opportunity to snoop around.
That's right—I went through all this trouble to convince David to let me clean just so I could inspect his office.
Ever since I learned about his connection to the Black Rose Guild and his likely betrayal, I figured I might as well take advantage of the situation.
But to act, I needed proof.
Although I knew David had been meeting with a senior officer, it wasn't enough to confirm his intentions. If I made a move based on assumptions and turned out to be wrong, I'd be the one putting my head on the chopping block.
Casually scanning the files on the shelves, I pretended to dust beneath them. David didn't know I could read yet—he'd even called me an illiterate fool the other day. Even if he caught me looking at documents, he wouldn't suspect a thing.
Performance reports, supply orders, sales records…
I flipped through stacks of papers but found nothing to confirm his betrayal.
Makes sense. David wouldn't keep something that dangerous in the open. Knowing him, he'd keep it somewhere much closer…
Finishing the shelves, I moved toward David's desk and began sweeping the floor beside him.
Glancing over his shoulder, I scanned the documents sprawled across his desk. They were mostly profit reports and budget drafts for the upcoming weeks.
Hm?
Among the messy pile of documents, one thing stood out—a high-quality envelope. The seal had been broken, but I could still make out the faint emblem of an open eye.
I quickly committed the image to memory before moving on.
Half an hour later, I completed my cleaning and hadn't uncovered any further evidence.
David cast a brief glance around the room, and upon noting that it was indeed cleaner than before, gave a satisfied nod.
"Hmph. Now that you're done, get downstairs and back to work."
"Yes, boss."
With a polite bow, I left the office and headed downstairs, passing a yawning Dale on my way down.
As I descended the stairs, I happened to run into Mana who called out to me.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Mana asked, watching me with a fierce glare as I reached the bottom.
"Wow, not even a greeting?" I took a step back, feigning surprise. "I thought we were closer than that."
Mana rolled her eyes, "Shut it. You've been missing all evening and I had to cover for your share of the work. The least you could do is explain yourself."
I shrugged, "I was running an errand for David. Nothing major."
Mana huffed, turning her head to the side, but I noticed the way her jaw tightened. "Nana told me that already. What did he make you do?"
"Just delivered an envelope to the Fish Market. That's all." I waved the cleaning supplies in my hands for emphasis. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to put these away. I'll come out and help once I'm done."
Mana didn't immediately move. Instead she continued to eye me with suspicion with that typical glare of hers. Her eyes scanned over my body once then twice, as if looking for any signs of damage.
Is she worried?
I couldn't help but ponder which inevitably led me to chuckle at the thought.
Mana's glare instantly shot back up to meet my eyes. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing." I shrugged once more as I prepared myself to just push past her.
"Hmph!" Luckily, Mana didn't continue to stand in my way as she took a step to the side, allowing me to walk past her.
"...Make sure to check up on Nana, too. She's been acting strange since you left."
I paused briefly before continuing my steps. "Will do..."
***
A few minutes later, I found Nana in the kitchen, her hands submerged in a basin of soapy water as she scrubbed dishes with mechanical precision. Her usual cheerful demeanor was absent, replaced by a blank expression that occasionally flickered with worry. Every now and then, she would pause, frown, or pace anxiously before returning to her task.
I felt my eyelid twitch slightly. I thought I told her not to worry...
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice me sneaking up behind her.
"Boo!"
"Kyaa!"
I grabbed her shoulder abruptly, and she jumped, nearly dropping the plate she was holding. Her wide eyes turned to me, and for a moment, she looked like a startled rabbit.
"Pfft—Hahaha!" I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.
Nana clutched her chest, her breathing uneven as she shot me a fierce glare. Her cheeks flushed red, and for a second, I was reminded of Mana. They really are sisters...
"Grrr!" Nana gritted her teeth, a low growl escaping her lips.
Uh oh.
Just as I braced myself for her inevitable outburst, she straightened her posture and took a deep breath.
"Phew..." She exhaled slowly, as if letting all her frustration escape with the air. "Hmph!"
She turned her head away, refusing to face me, her lips pouting in a way that was both childish and endearing.
I tilted my head, studying her. So, she's giving me the silent treatment, huh?
"I'm back," I said, trying to sound casual.
"Hmph!"
"I'm sorry if I scared you. You were just too defenseless, and I couldn't resist."
Nana didn't respond, but I noticed her brows furrow slightly. She was still pretending to ignore me, but her body language betrayed her.
Hm... If that's how you want to play it...
"Actually," I began, leaning against the counter, "I heard you've been spacing out all day."
Her ears perked up, and her body stiffened, as if resisting the urge to turn around.
"Mana said you've been like this since I left. I wonder why?" I continued, my tone teasing.
Her frown deepened, and I could see her cheeks reddening.
"Could it be that you were worried? But that can't be it, because I'm sure I told you not to worry when I left."
Her cheek twitched slightly, and I knew I'd hit the nail on the head.
"Since you weren't worried, then what could it be? Could it be that you missed—"
"Ahh! Enough!" Nana suddenly spun around, her face flushed as she started throwing light punches at my chest. "Stupid Kayle! Stupid Kayle! Stupid Kayle!"
I raised my arms to block her playful blows, trying to stifle my laughter. Her punches were more like gentle taps, and her exaggerated frustration only made her more adorable.
If only she knew I sold her out to David not too long ago.
Perhaps these punches would've been an actual threat...