Chapter 4: Beware the Sudden Fiancée

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Beware the Sudden Fiancée

 

I arrived at the police station to find a crowd gathered outside the building, preventing me from entering.

“Has something happened?”

These steps were usually swarming with reporters whenever the police announced a new case, but the men, clad in their flat caps, didn’t seem like they were there for a scoop. It wasn’t that they seemed unenthusiastic, but rather, it was as if they were all holding their breath in extreme anticipation.

“Those men don’t have cameras or notepads, so I don’t suppose they’re reporters. Maybe get-out-of-jail-free cards are going on sale today. Not that I give a hoot about that kind of thing.” Grumbling to himself, Leeds moved his hands up to rest on his slender hips.

His oversized coat wrapped around his legs, emphasizing their impressive length. As always, he stood out in a crowd, and would have done so even without his favorite bright-colored shawl around his neck.

“If only they could put out that many bounties instead.”

I approached the officer who was directing the crowd, explained our business at the precinct, and was allowed to enter the station.

There was a large stage set up in the middle of the entrance hall in front of a packed audience. The men in the front row wore headbands and festive shirts, and they held up police batons painted in bright colors.

I’ve seen things like this in my past life…

My heels clacked against the floor as I proceeded. At the end of the rope barricade, I reached the counter and spoke to the woman at the window.

“I’m here to collect a bounty.”

“We’ve been waiting to hear from you, Miss Liddell. My apologies for the crowd today. We have an event going on, you see.”

The woman working the counter was a female officer I’d interacted with before. She seemed half apologetic and half bewildered about the ordeal, which implied that she was not on the same page as the rest of the officers.

“The police are holding an event? How unusual.”

“I suppose you could say we’re trying something new to—”

Her words were suddenly drowned out by a chorus of cheers.

I turned to look at the stage, where I laid eyes upon a pretty girl with light-orange pigtails. She was waving her hands and beaming at the crowd. Her two-piece suit’s pleated skirt came to her knees, and her collar and sleeves resembled a reworked police uniform.

Logically, it would have been unthinkable for a woman to expose her legs in this time period, but perhaps because this was an otome game, no one would bat an eye as long as she was dressed cutely.

“Hi, everyone! Thank you all sooo much for coming to see me today!” The girl’s skirt twirled around her legs as she did a little spin. “My name is Tierra Lockholmes, the girl detective. I’m here to protect the public order of London!”

The girl—Tierra—winked and struck a pose, prompting a ground-rattling roar from all the men. The sight made me gasp in realization.

“Of course!”

I had seen this before on a TV show in my previous life. This scene looked exactly like that Sunday night news special about idols, particularly the shot of the fans cheering for their favorite underground idol as she greeted them from the stage.

“…‘Protect the public order’… Pfft!” Leeds covered his mouth and turned away from me, but unable to contain his snickering, he burst into a loud belly laugh. “Goodness gracious, it sounds like a riot’s going on in here! What a silly event they’re holding! These officers put zoo animals to shame!”

“Leeds, be quiet. That’s rude,” I chastised him.

But instead of siding with me, the female officer responded to Leeds, saying, “You’re exactly right. I wish I could tell them to keep the noise down, but that girl is the police chief’s daughter, so there’s not much I can do about it. This ‘public order rally’ was organized out of the blue too.”

“It must be hard to work with this going on…”

“I need your help to keep London safe, okay?” Tierra called out to the crowd with a voice as sweet as honey. “After this, you’ll be able to take a picture with me. One picture is half a guinea, and for a whole guinea, I’ll even autograph it for you! Now, who’s first?”

Tierra occasionally sprinkled information about her photograph sessions into what was supposed to be a rally to promote public order. It was a rather obvious money grab.

One guinea was the salary for nearly a week of work for the average employee in these times, which meant an autographed photo with Tierra cost seven days’ worth of their hard-earned money all at once.

If I didn’t have memories of my past life, I might have found the whole thing extremely pointless.

But to be honest, when I got completely addicted to Evil Alice’s Lover, I also stocked up on key chains, wall scrolls, and all kinds of merch. Even when I purchased the fan books and character song CDs, I always bought the more expensive limited editions just because they came with bonus content.

“It’s not about the money. It’s about supporting your bias whenever the opportunity comes. I know exactly how they feel…!”

“Miss Alice? Why are you holding your fists up like that?”

Seeing me swing into “past-life mode” seemed to alarm Leeds.

“N-Never mind. May I please collect my compensation?”

“Of course. Right this way.”

The officer led me to a separate room. As we walked down the hall, I spotted a man with his back against the wall who was peering through a pair of opera glasses. His face was hidden, but I could instantly identify him from his eccentric outfit.

I honestly didn’t want to see him, so I tried to turn and navigate around him, but my skirt got caught under my feet. Before I could hit the ground, someone grabbed hold of me.

“Are you all right, Alice?”

“Yes, thank you… What brings you to the police station, Dark?”

“I’m here to see this brand-new kind of event!”

With a bit of cheer in his voice, Dark lifted me back upright.

He was wearing a blue frock coat embroidered with cage-like stripes. It was lined with a large number of buttons, which helped to give him a regal look. His hat was the same color of blue, and above the brim rested a decorative pair of handcuffs and jail bars. It appeared to be a custom-made police-themed outfit.

“I didn’t think you’d be so taken by an underground idol.”

“I’m not familiar with this ‘underground idol’ you speak of… But I assure you, you’re the only one I’m taken by.”

“As smooth a talker as ever. And I suppose it’s just a coincidence that you came here with those opera glasses?”

When I pointed that out, he placed the glasses on the brim of his hat.

“I meant every word. However, today’s rally is a rather important test. You see, last month, there was an increase in theft cases. I decided to look into it and found that Miss Tierra had been working the desk here at the police station during that same month. It turned out that men were falling for her, going out and committing crimes, then coming to the station just so they could turn themselves in to her.”

“So in the end, the girl was the cause of the crimes.”

“Correct. That’s why I came up with the idea of harnessing this girl’s tremendous charm and using it to promote public order. If she takes the side of justice, won’t her fans follow in her footsteps?”

Dark appeared to be the one behind this whole affair.

“Wait. Do you and Miss Tierra know each other?”

“I’ve been familiar with her for some time now.”

“Tierra” is not a character who appears in Evil Alice’s Lover.

All I could conclude was that she must have been intended to be a new character in the game’s expansion pack. There were many nameless characters throughout the game that would interact with you, but if Tierra’s backstory was that she knew Dark and had the unique qualities of an idol character, there was no way she was meant to be insignificant to the plot.

A common trope of otome games is to introduce a girl of the same age as the heroine. She’s either cast as the heroine’s best friend or as her rival. But if she was the best friend type, there was no way she wouldn’t appear in the main game.

Which meant that…

Those damn developers! They snuck in a rival character to get in Alice’s way!

I stamped my foot on the ground. I was busy enough with the Sleeping Beauty cases and not triggering death flags. I had no time to worry about some silly romantic-comedy trope!

Stepping away from Dark, I applauded him softly. “Congratulations on the success of your campaign, Lord Knightley. I came here today to claim a bounty, so if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way.”

“Is it for the Tower of London arson? Wait, I need to talk to you about—”

Dark reached out to stop me as I turned away, but his arm froze in the air.

I saw pale fingers wrapped around his wrist.

“Lord Knightley? What’s wrong?”　

It was none other than Tierra who had stopped Dark. Up close, I saw her large eyes were wet with tears, and even I couldn’t help but instinctively feel protective of her.

“You promised me you wouldn’t take your eyes off me onstage…”

With a pouty expression, she aimed her puppy-dog eyes up at Dark. Watching her flutter her long, curled eyelashes at him, I came to a realization.

This girl definitely wants to get with Dark…!

Her demeanor and mannerisms were all but perfect. She was a master of her craft, and I was no match for the likes of it.

“Look at her puffing her cheeks up like a squirrel… Pfft, ahahaha!”

Leeds! Shut up!

Her face seemed to have sent him into a laughing fit. I jabbed him with my elbow to quiet him down.

Dark gracefully unwrapped Tierra’s fingers from his arm. “I was watching you, Miss Lockholmes. You brought those men together wonderfully.”

“I did, didn’t I? I knew you’d be here for me, so I gave it my very best.”

Tierra saw no problem with latching onto Dark’s arm once again. She was definitely pressing her chest against him too. He seemed a bit bothered by it but didn’t try to force her away.

What’s with you? Just shake her off…

Tierra’s voice only got louder when I looked away in annoyance.

“My lord, who’s the girl with the red hair?”

“This is Miss Alice Liddell. She single-handedly revived the Liddell family and currently acts as its head.”

“Oh, you’re the one Lord Knightley is always talking about… It’s so nice to meet you, Miss Liddell.”

Tierra separated from Dark and stuck her hand out toward me. It was unusual to be greeted with a handshake among members of high society, as the custom was to cross one’s legs and curtsy.

“My name is Tierra Lockholmes. I’ve been a dear friend of Lord Knightley’s for a long time now.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Without a thought, I put my hand forward to shake hers. To my shock, I received a scream in return.

“KYAAAH! You’re hurting me!”

“Huh?”

I stood there with my mouth hanging open as she tore her hand away from mine. Hearing her scream, policemen ducked their heads into the hall, and she loudly offered an explanation.

“Miss Liddell just squeezed my hand as hard as she could! I thought my bones might break. You want to hurt me just because Lord Knightley is fond of me, don’t you?!”

“I didn’t squeeze your hand. I don’t know how I could have hurt you.”

I tried to defend myself, but I could still feel suspicious gazes burrowing into me.

No one’s going to believe me, even if I accuse her of lying…

“I’m sure Miss Alice wouldn’t try to hurt you.” Dark spoke up just as I was about to start over.

I looked up, surprised. Dark’s gaze was fixed on me. He was smiling like I was the brightest star in the night sky.

“She always treats everyone equally and respectfully. That’s the kind of woman she is.”

His praise made my heart skip a beat.

Tierra looked at me with disdain as I felt my face turn red.

♥♥♥

AFTER collecting my bounty, I drifted back home to the Liddell manor. I felt like I was walking on clouds. Dark believed me over Tierra, and that made me very happy.

I slept soundly, without any nightmares to disturb me, and awoke the next morning.

My early morning tea cast off any remaining fatigue in my body. I then changed out of my pajamas, went down for breakfast, and picked up a newspaper on the side of the table.

Nobles must always keep up with current events. Some families even fall into ruin if they can’t change with the times. In a kingdom with a low literacy rate, those who are able to obtain knowledge and information are at an advantage.

Jack had woken up early to iron the newspaper. The ink was dry and my hands stayed clean as I read.

The front-page story was about the recently passed laws that aimed to improve the lives of the growing number of factory workers in the kingdom. The second page told of a shipwreck that happened on the river Thames. Finally, the third page had an article about yesterday’s public order rally, along with the Sleeping Beauty cases. Tierra was mentioned in one paragraph:

As the daughter of the chief of police, Miss Lockholmes has previously participated in investigations, though her detective skills have yet to prove of value to the force.

It sounded just like the “Lord Knightley” I knew from Evil Alice’s Lover.

Dark was a character who always acted like a detective, but he was prone to reaching ridiculous conclusions based on misinterpreting the clues. When he showed up at a crime scene, he was more of a disturbance than anything else.

Maybe Tierra Lockholmes is supposed to take over the role of the clueless detective.

Tierra might have been added as a support character to show that Dark had become capable, now that he was also a love interest…

I was deep in thought over all this when I felt the newspaper slide out of my hands. Leeds stole it from me with a feigned yawn and a stretch.

“What’s got your attention there, my lady? …Oh, it’s an article about that silly rally from yesterday.”

“Silly?”

“Rally?”

Dum and Dee, who were eating scones on opposite sides of the table, leaned forward in excitement at the introduction of this new topic. I was explaining to them the rally we saw when I noticed Leeds shudder next to me.

“…What is this? ‘Miss Tierra is expected to announce her engagement to Lord Knightley in the coming days.’”

“Engagement…?”

“Take a look at this,” said Leeds as he handed me the newspaper. The tail end of the article about Tierra’s event made a reference to her engagement with Dark.

“I see. You’re right…”

“That dog of an earl! He proposed to Miss Alice even though he had a fiancée on the side! Just what does he think of our lady?! I’ll never forgive him!”

Leeds angrily crumpled up the newspaper. I could only watch him in a daze. This information was important for me to take in, and yet it just didn’t feel real.

“Calm your temper, Leeds. I knew that Dark had no real intention of marrying me, so if anything, this is good news. Perhaps he’ll even be the one to call off our race to solve the Sleeping Beauty cases.”

“My lady…”

Leeds’s eyes wavered as he looked down at me. I didn’t understand what had him so disturbed. I continued on without so much as a breath.

“I never wanted to marry Dark in the first place. If I did, what would happen to the Liddell family? In fact, I’m glad I found out about his fiancée. Now that I know, I… I…”

My vision grew blurrier with each word.

It felt like my tears were choosing to fall on their own.

My nose started to sting, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I leaned into Leeds’s side. He gently placed his hand on my head as I buried my face in his sweater.

“My lady… If only there was something I could do.”

I just shook my head silently as tears continued to fall.

Of all the situations I imagined in this life, I didn’t see myself crying in front of someone so soon.

♥♥♥

AFTER my tears at the breakfast table, I decided I needed to spend the remainder of the day resting.

The twins had already seen everything, and when Jack came in to bring out the next pot of tea, Leeds kept his explanation just vague enough.

“There are times when women have to get through hardships all on their own. If you want to do something for her, then let her be alone today.”

Once I was back in my bedroom, I changed into my nightgown and crawled into bed.

I simply stared ahead at the balcony before me, as I had nothing else to do.

Birds soared through the clear blue sky. Roses were just beginning to bloom from the ivy that curled around the iron railing. The tips of the buds were already showing traces of color. Soon they would be full and vibrant.

The outside world brimmed with life while I remained in my room, feeling like a prisoner trapped in a cage.

Even the air in the room seemed hazy. Perhaps it was because my breathing had gone shallow from the earlier shock, or maybe the air was still heavy from the tragic night of three years earlier, when the house was stained with blood from floor to ceiling.

Dark probably has no idea that my red hair and eyes can look so dim.

A charming, upbeat girl like Tierra suited a bright, glowing man like Dark.

“I already knew that. So why did I even get my hopes up…?”

I slipped out of bed and walked out onto the balcony. London, where the game is set, is located at a higher latitude than Sapporo, Japan. That meant going outside at the beginning of spring in pajamas would definitely end with me catching a cold.

The wind was chilly against my skin, but it was just what I needed to cool my head.

As I clutched the railing and took a few deep breaths, I heard a voice calling me from the garden. I looked down and spotted Jack. He was sweeping up the flower petals within the maze of shrubbery.

I felt too awkward to face him, so I turned away, only to be met with more shouts.

“Don’t run! I won’t ask what happened, but can I at least bring you some warm black tea later?”

“Black tea?”

“I’ll just pour you a cup. You don’t have to speak to me, and I’ll leave right after that.”

Jack seemed to be worried about me while also trying not to push me past my limits. He was acting nonchalant, but it was still such a kind gesture, it warmed my heart. I turned to smile at him.

“That sounds lovely. It’s funny, I was just thinking how much I’d like a cup of your black tea.”

“I’ll make it right away!”

Jack rushed out of the garden and into the house.

It usually took him fifteen minutes to brush the dirt off his shoes, wash his hands, pump water from the well, and put the kettle on until it reached a boil. Then he always warmed up the teacup, measured out the tea leaves, poured in the water, and waited for it to steep over the next five minutes.

But Jack was efficient, so I knew he would also spend that time taking out snacks and preparing the serving cart. It should be twenty minutes before he reached my room.

I spent that time at my writing desk, sorting out a stack of mail.

One letter came from a church in the county of Cornwall. Unlike most nobles, the Liddells didn’t control any land themselves, but we did have bases throughout the kingdom that helped us pursue criminals.

This church was one such base. We paid them for their help every year in the form of a charitable donation.

The letter read: Please enjoy some homemade goods from the children in our care. We will be sending you Easter biscuits and Cornish rock cakes, a traditional sweet from our county.

I was happy to receive both treats. Baked goods topped with English toffee sauce were a favorite of mine.

“If these sweets have arrived, perhaps I can have them with my tea.”

I went downstairs and poked my head into the kitchen, but froze when I heard an angry yell from Jack.

“How could they send these to Miss Alice?!”

“Calm down, Jack. Those kids would never pull a cruel prank like this!”

“What’s wrong, you two?”

Jack looked like he would erupt into flames at any moment. As I entered, Bear’s large body shrunk a little in surprise. With synchronized motions, the pair quickly tried to hide the wooden crate sitting on the counter.

“Isn’t that the package from the church?”

I leaned forward to peer into the box and was met with a terrible sight.

The wrapping paper had been torn to shreds and the baked goods inside were thoroughly smashed. That state alone could have been explained by a shipping mishap, but the entire package was stained red with some kind of liquid. There was no mistake—this was done intentionally.

The box looked like the scene of a massacre, but upon closer inspection, it didn’t have the distinctive metallic smell to it.

“It…isn’t blood. It looks like red ink.”

I examined the lid and found an extra set of holes where nails had once been hammered in.

“Someone opened this box before us. They removed the nails, tampered with the contents, sealed the lid again, and sent it off to our estate. Is this the invoice?”

I lifted the paper attached to the lid and read the message.

Stay away from Lord Knightley if you value your life!

“Again with that earl? He’s a bloody pain…”

“The earl? What earl?”

Jack was irritated and Bear was just confused. I looked closer at the brief message.

The text itself had been printed onto the card, and each letter a was slightly broken.

I can imagine many young women would want to threaten me since I’m close to Dark, but the timing of this is certainly suspicious…

One girl in particular came to mind, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I needed to wait until I found solid evidence before sounding the alarms.

“It’s too bad we won’t have any sweets, but I’d still like to have some tea. Jack?”

“Y-Yeah… I’ll make it now.”

Jack forced down his anger so he could get started on my request. I watched him scoop tea leaves, and Bear offered me some of his freshly baked muffins. The sweet scent of vanilla in the air lightened my mood like a color suffusing a white rose. Even though I’d just received a threat, I felt neither fear nor anxiety, thanks to these two men.

In fact, I was all too happy to be given a new case to focus on.

Never mind all those tears—this is the life that truly suits me. Isn’t that right, “Alice”?

♥♥♥

“I certainly can’t think of anyone who would want to threaten you. If I knew of such a foul creature, I wouldn’t hesitate to expose them to the world.”

“You really wouldn’t, would you…?”

Dark sipped his tea while I stared at him and rested my chin in my hands.

We were currently in a tearoom in Oxford Circus. It was known as a place even women could enter freely. The sedate interior was decorated in ivory white.

Dark agreed to meet me there when I contacted him. I had much to ask about the threat I received, so Leeds was also there as a chaperone to watch over us from a distance.

I had asked him to come dressed in a more conservative outfit, and indeed, he was wearing a black frock coat with dark embroidery this time. He looked plain enough at first glance…except for the top hat with giant deer antlers sticking out of it like a hunting trophy on his head.

I bet he wants me to comment on it. I won’t give him the satisfaction!

I swallowed the complaints I was desperate to make. A group of commoner girls nearby were gazing at Dark, completely spellbound. I pitied them a bit. They had no idea he was a complete weirdo behind that beautiful exterior.

Dark was busy staring at the letter. He never gave the girls a single glance, and my pity only increased.

“It’s quite intriguing. We could have done a handwriting analysis on the sample, but since it was printed onto the card, we won’t be able to track down the sender. I don’t think it would be worth the effort to check with every printing company either. They must have thought this through. Alice, I’m sure you’re scared to have this culprit on the loose. Just say the word and I will be by your side.”

“I’m quite fine, thank you. I’m no stranger to receiving threats.”

I meant it as a casual comment, but Dark looked at me curiously.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I receive harassing letters almost every day, all from young women who are less than fond of me. Some letters have razor blades inside, and others claim to be curses to bring about my death… I’ve even been shipped live snakes before.”

Even I was shocked to see the box filled with coiled snakes. I’d heard in my previous life that those white snakes were actually a good omen, so I kindly said my thanks and set them loose in the nearby woods.

Dark didn’t seem to care for reptiles. He shuddered and rubbed his arms. “What a fright, just thinking about it… And what do the Liddells do with such letters?”

“We usually return them to the sender, though it takes a lot of restraint not to pursue it any further. These young women typically get someone in their families to do it for them, so even without an address, it’s easy to tell where they came from. And when we can’t tell, we search for clues to find them.”

I thought back to the crushed batch of cookies.

They were made with love by the children who lived at that church. Destroying them to get back at a romantic rival was going much too far. I wouldn’t be satisfied until I tracked down the sender and received a proper apology.

“That reminds me. There was an article about you in the newspaper.”

I set my teacup down on the table and opened the wrinkled newspaper. I drew his attention to page three, which displayed the article about the public order rally.

“It says you’ll be announcing your engagement to Miss Tierra soon. I’m surprised to hear you’re marrying a commoner, but you have my congratulations. I wish you two happiness.”

“Wait a moment, Alice.” Dark set the letter down on top of the newspaper and clasped my hand. “You’ve got it all wrong. Miss Tierra and I aren’t getting married.”

“Are you saying the reporter made a mistake?”

“I don’t mean to put all the blame on him, but his fact-checking skills appear a bit lacking. His only source was a rumor started by Miss Tierra’s father. I assume he was getting a bit ahead of himself after he purchased his life peerage. When the reporters came to confirm it with me, I denied the rumor.”

In this game, there are two kinds of nobility a person can obtain. The Liddell and Knightley families hold titles that can be passed down to future generations, called “hereditary peerage,” while certain commoners can be rewarded for their good deeds with what is known as “life peerage.”

Life peerage can also be purchased with money in the game, which means a commoner could spend their whole life saving up for a title. It was a way to present an image of success to the world. Some life peers even tried to marry their way into families of hereditary peerage.

According to what I was hearing, the wealthy and single Dark had become a target for Tierra’s parents.

“How unfortunate for you. But I wouldn’t make as foolish a mistake as that reporter. Your words alone aren’t enough for me to believe you.”

“I wouldn’t lie to you. You’re the one who has my heart…”

Dark took my hand and gently pressed his lips to my fingers as if we were lovers. Then came a chorus of shrieks from the girls who had been watching us. Embarrassed, I tugged my hand away.

“Y-Your heart doesn’t belong to me. It’s yours! You should place more value on your own heart.”

“Hahaha. How like you to turn me down so bluntly.”

Dark raised his hands in resignation and flashed a smile at the nearby girls. He’d clearly noticed their stares and utilized me to ward off their unwanted attention.

This man is prepared for everything…

I angrily reached out to fold the newspaper back up when I spotted something curious.

With the invoice and article now side by side, I was able to compare the two texts with each other.

“The death threat and the article both have the same cracked letter…”

Both passages had been produced with a printing press—a machine that allowed the writer to arrange sentences into a fixed molding. That mold could create large batches of identical text in a short amount of time.

Each press belonged to a specific print shop. If the letter a was chipped in both texts, it meant the death threat and the newspaper were printed at the same location.

“This newspaper lists the address of their printer. Now I’ll be able to track down who wrote this threat!”

“Wait, Alice.”

As I stood to leave, Dark stuck out his cane to block my exit.

“You expect to just show up and receive the culprit’s name from the employees? They’d be admitting their culpability in the same crime.”

“I’m quite certain I can get it out of them. After all, it’s the only clue I have in this case.”

“If it’s a clue you want, then I have something of a hunch we could look into.”

“You do?!”

I sat there shocked while Dark took his time to finish his cup of black tea.

“…By the way, Alice. Would you be opposed to taking a walk around town with me?”

“Is this really the right time? I want to hear about this hunch of yours.”

“I’d gladly explain it, but only if you spend a bit of time with me first. I can’t just give away my information for free. Wouldn’t you do the same in my shoes?”

“~~!”

Dark grinned at me. I felt like my head was going to explode from anger.

He was using this hunch about the death threat as a way to get me on a date. I needed to keep my cool and not let him fluster me.

Forcing away the urge to slap him right upside the head, I brushed my hair off my shoulder.

“I suppose I could accompany you on a walk, but I’ll expect to hear about your hunch in return!”

“Of course. Shall we head out?”

Dark stood up and began to escort me toward the door. I glanced over at Leeds, who was still sitting some distance away. He stuck out his index finger and dragged it across his neck.

I know how you feel, but just bear with it a bit longer.

Whether or not my feelings managed to reach him, Leeds reluctantly left his chair and followed us.

♥♥♥

WE departed from Oxford Circus and headed for Holywell Street.

Dark and I stood in a damp, dim alley, tucked behind a stack of wine barrels. A drunk man was sprawled out on the ground not too far from us. I didn’t get the impression that it was a particularly safe area.

“Why are we here?”

“Shh. There, look.”

I followed Dark’s finger with my eyes, and my gaze landed upon a short person entering a bookstore across the street. She was dressed in an old baggy sweater, and though her hair was tucked neatly under a large hat, I could spot the familiar color of a few strands that fell down her back.

Tierra Lockholmes?

Less than three minutes after entering the shop, she emerged again, holding a paper bag in her arms. Once Tierra jogged past the alley where we were hiding, I shot Dark a demanding look.

“There’s no need to glare at me. We’ll go in and see for ourselves.”

He led me into the bookstore. The interior was dimly lit and filled with old editions of magazines I’d never seen before. Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, the manual for working-class families, was spread out on display.

“Wait here for a moment.”

Dark had me stand by the door while he went to the front counter. The shopkeeper was an older man who was smoking a cigarette as he manned his post.

“Good evening, sir. Do you have any special products I could take a look at?”

“Special products? What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean. A friend of mine said I could find them here…but maybe he was wrong?”

He hung his head in feigned disappointment. The shopkeeper glanced at Dark’s cane. It was a fine piece of work, with the head carved into the shape of a white horse with sapphire beads for eyes. The cane was also a clear display of Dark’s social status.

After a few seconds of inspection, the shopkeeper asked, “You mean…Marianne?”

A woman’s name?

I leaned in to listen, curious as to who they were talking about.

“That’s it! That was her name. I heard she’s quite a beauty.”

“Oh, there’s no doubt about it. But I just had a customer in here who bought out all the back issues, so I’m completely sold out. Sorry about that, but I can’t help you, so please be off now.”

It sounded like the magazines he wanted were sold out. Even though we could have gone to another shop to look for them, Dark stood firmly in front of the counter, even as the shopkeeper shooed him away.

“Don’t be so cold. I’m willing to pay whatever you want, so name your price.”

As Dark began to negotiate, I opened up a nearby book to hide behind while I watched them nervously.

Didn’t he just say he’s out of stock? You’re just bothering him now, Dark!

I was considering how to get him to leave when the shopkeeper broke into a smile and began to stroke his mustache.

“And here I thought you were just another naïve kid from a rich family. Looks like you’ve actually got a proper head on your shoulders.”

He reached under the counter and brought out a stack of magazines.

So he’s not sold out?!

I was shocked, but Dark and the shopkeeper continued on as if the magazines had been right there the whole time.

“Marianne’s only in these three editions.”

“I’ll take one of each, and no receipt, please.”

“Obviously! Now be sure you’re alone when you read these, and if anyone asks, you didn’t get them here.”

“Don’t worry about that. My lips are sealed.”

Dark placed a hefty pile of silver coins into the shopkeeper’s hand.

Cradling the paper bag just like Tierra, he exited the shop with me and flagged down a carriage on the street. I sat down on the hard seat and turned to Dark, who was sitting beside me with his legs crossed.

“What was all the secrecy about? They were just magazines. And who’s Marianne?”

“…I don’t really want to show you this, but…”

Dark removed a magazine from the paper bag. There was a large image of a woman printed on the cover.

The model’s curves were very accentuated, and she bore a seductive expression on her face. Her body was clad in an almost entirely transparent dress, with her chest just about exposed through the fabric.

I felt the blood drain from my face in the realization that I was very nearly looking at something obscene.

“C-C-C-Could this be…”

“Indeed. It’s an adult magazine for men.”

“How could that bookshop sell these?! Aren’t they illegal?!”

“You’re right. The production and sale of these magazines are illegal. But this company makes them because there’s such a high demand. Holywell Street is famous for the underground bookstores that sell these ‘treasures.’ Even noblemen like myself have heard of them.”

“If they’re so famous, why haven’t they been exposed yet?” I asked.

“Because they’re allowed to operate. The current chief of police has a bit of an appetite for bribery, so both the producers and distributors are paying him off. Now, let’s find our Marianne…”

Dark calmly flipped through the pages. I covered my face with my hands but continued to glance over, only to be met with the sight of even more bare skin.

How are you reading that right now?! I can’t believe this!

“Before you start to think even less of me, I should tell you that men of my age don’t have a problem with this kind of thing.”

“Did you just read my mind again?!”

“I didn’t need to. I could tell either way. Look, this is her.”

I was still in shock as Dark held up the magazine for me to view.

He had landed on a two-page spread of a beautiful girl posing in a seductive manner.

“That’s Tierra Lockholmes…”

Dark opened up the next two magazines. Again, there were images of her smiling provocatively, wearing skimpy tops, and hiking up her skirt.

However, Tierra’s name was clearly listed as “Marianne.”

“She goes by ‘Marianne’ as her alias?”

“It’s more like her stage name. Miss Tierra’s been modeling for cash in these illegal magazines. Ever since she earned some fame with her public order rally, she’s most likely been buying them up to hide the evidence. But when she asked for all the copies, I assume the shopkeeper took advantage of her naivety and set some aside to sell to other customers.”

“So both father and daughter are caught up in crime. How long have you known about this?”

“Since before I met her… Oh, here it is. See these letters?”

Dark pointed at what appeared to be an interview with Marianne. Each letter a on the page was cracked, exactly like the death threat and the newspaper.

“This magazine is made by the same printing company that handles the newspaper. Since they also employ these models for their illegal productions, I’m sure they wouldn’t go to the police over an order for a death threat.”

“This links Tierra to that threat… Dark, this is incredible!” Excited, I gave my compliments to the earl. “May I borrow this magazine?”

He promptly closed it shut and whisked the magazine away from my hand. “Once again, this is an illegal men’s magazine. I think it’d be a bit much for you.”

“There’s no need to worry. As a woman, I won’t be offended by drawings of the same sex.”

“I wonder about that…”

In response to my protests, Dark opened one of the magazines and held it up for me.

“By the way, here’s another page of Marianne’s.”

It was filled with drawings of naked female figures. She was bound with chains and handcuffs in some of them, while others had her clad in only a single apron. She even wore fake animal ears in some poses.

How unthinkable! How obscene! How disgusting! My head was reeling and I cried out in shock.

“Gyaaaaah!”

“I thought as much. I’ll be holding on to these, Alice.”

“All right! I understand! Just close that magazine and seal it away where I can never see it again!”

“Of course…”

He smirked as he wrapped the magazines back up in the paper bag and set them on the seat. I didn’t particularly want to be anywhere near that package, so I exited the carriage in a hurry as soon as we arrived at the Liddell estate.

Dark leaned out of the carriage to face me.

“I’ll hold on to these magazines for you, so just send for me if you need them. All right?”

With that deal settled, the carriage pulled away. Now that I was alone, I let my body sink to the ground.

“H-How horrifying…”

Seeing how exhausted I was when I returned, Jack and the others couldn’t help but look at me with worry on their faces.

♥♥♥

“THAT Miss Liddell is simply awful. When she asked for a handshake, she grabbed me and wrenched my hand with all her might. It was so painful, I screamed right there on the spot!”

Tierra was borrowing a duchess’s drawing-room to host a tea party. She captivated her audience with sweetly spun tales about her encounter with Alice a few days earlier.

Young ladies were gathered to discuss the thrilling love triangle between Lord Knightley, whom they so admired, the beautiful Miss Tierra, whose life was going so well lately, and the young head of the Liddell family, who always seemed to be a topic of conversation.

“Why on earth would Miss Liddell attack you, Miss Tierra?”

“I suspect she was jealous to see me with my fiancé.”

“You mean Lord Knightley, yes? I read about you two in the newspaper.”

“That’s right. We hadn’t even made the formal announcement, yet he still thought to embrace me in front of everyone at the police station… I was so embarrassed that we were found out in such a manner.”

Tierra covered her face with her feathery pink fan. Without it, she would be making it all too obvious that she wasn’t actually ashamed whatsoever. She was too busy basking in the jealousy of the other girls in the room and couldn’t seem to get the smirk off her face.

Go ahead and envy me. I’ll still be the one marrying an earl in the end!

In her head, Tierra was already the proud wife of Lord Knightley, laughing maniacally at all the other girls. She would live with him in a lavish castle, have dozens of servants to wait on her, and purchase all the expensive dresses and accessories that she wanted. What wasn’t there to laugh about?

On top of that, her future husband was beautiful beyond words, and a famous earl with a hereditary peerage at that. He was a true gentleman who remained humble despite all this. Lord Knightley was the ultimate package.

It’s the perfect plan to secure the future I deserve. Now, if only I could get rid of that girl…

Tierra believed she could seduce Lord Knightley just as easily as any other man—that a single enticing glance would surely have him in the palm of her hand. But all that changed on the day of the public order rally.

As soon as she laid eyes on Alice and the earl, even from a distance, she could see the tenderness in his gaze as he looked at her. His eyes were fixed on Alice and his lips formed a natural smile that made him look so content.

He’s never looked at me that way before…

Tierra had witnessed something “special” between the two of them. Instinctively, she knew she would have to tear them apart, no matter what means that might entail.

She immediately ordered the death threat from a printing shop she’d worked with before, seduced the postal worker in charge of deliveries, and tampered with the box from the church.

But threatening Alice wasn’t enough—Tierra needed to be sure she could never show her face in high society again.

“I started to receive these letters recently. The sender is clearly jealous of Lord Knightley’s love for me.”

Tierra laid out a number of the death threats she’d created herself. The other girls picked them up, their faces twisting in suspicion as they read.

“These are just dreadful. You don’t think Miss Liddell sent them, do you?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I can’t think of anyone else it could be…”

She let her words trail off intentionally. From there, it took less than ten seconds for the girls to become even more suspicious of Alice, just as Tierra intended.

“I’m frightened of what might happen once Lord Knightley and I are together. That girl is capable of anything!”

The entire drawing-room was captivated by what was actually her impressive acting, but at that moment, the large door on the south wall creaked open.

“I’ve heard enough.”

There stood Alice in one of her jet-black dresses, holding a dark, lacy folding fan in one hand. Beside her stood a thin man with a bright shawl around his neck.

“What an interesting fantasy you’ve whipped up, Miss Lockholmes.”

“M-Miss Liddell…!”

The group of women immediately cleared a path for her, the blood draining from their faces. Tierra shouted out for the policeman that was standing guard in the next room.

“Only my friends are allowed to attend today. Take her away!”

“Yes, ma’am. Please be on your way.”

The officer crossed his bulky arms and blocked Alice from proceeding. He would likely have to physically remove her if she refused, but Alice continued to stand there, smirking at Tierra.

“We’ll leave once we clear up this misunderstanding. Leeds?”

“Yes, my lady. Hey there, mister. Can I have a second?”

Leeds waved and approached the officer. He leaned his tall body over to whisper into the man’s ear.

“I place you under my command. We are legitimate guests here.”

The man’s posture immediately changed. His shoulders slumped forward and his arms dangled loosely. Ignoring the murmurs from Tierra and the ladies, he repeated Leeds’s words back with hollow eyes.

“I am under your command…”

“Wh-What are you on about?! Get ahold of yourself!”

He showed no reaction to Tierra’s cries.

“You will wait outside until we leave.”

The officer followed Leeds’s orders, turned, and left the room, his body swaying from side to side with each step. When the door closed behind him, Leeds stuck his tongue out playfully in that direction.

The same rose-shaped stigma that Jack possessed was visible on Leeds’s tongue. It was his power as a stigmata, known as “Liar’s Tongue,” which he was able to use in this state.

Liar’s Tongue was a way of controlling a person’s thoughts and actions by whispering into their ear. It was a temporary but powerful means of avoiding confrontation.

“There. It looks like we have some time to chat, Miss Tierra.”

Alice, now free to stay in the drawing-room, held her dress above her feet and took confident steps straight toward Tierra.

“I overheard certain falsehoods that you shared about me, so please allow me to make some corrections. When I first met Miss Tierra the other day…”

I—Alice—began to speak. The room, which was styled entirely in rococo furniture, fell to a hush all at once.

“She was the one who reached out to me for a handshake. When I complied, Miss Tierra cried out loudly, as if to accuse me of squeezing her hand intentionally.”

“Well, it was very painful, so I couldn’t help but scream. Are you implying I should be silent, even in the face of such horrid treatment? How cruel of you…”

Tierra sniffled as she spoke, removing a handkerchief from within her dress and dabbing at her eyes, although I couldn’t see any actual tears.

“Miss Liddell, I’m certain you’re in love with Lord Knightley. That’s why you resent me for my engagement to him and sent me those death threats!”

She pointed to the floor, where dozens of the same message I’d received were scattered all about. The text of each letter was exactly the same, and my guess was that she’d wanted to skimp on the printing bill.

If she’d just printed my name, I wouldn’t have the upper hand in this situation.

I held out my left hand. Leeds placed one of the letters from the floor into my palm.

“Now this is certainly funny. I received the exact same threat that you did, but mine is covered in red ink to look like blood.”

I removed the letter from my bag and held it up with my other hand.

Tierra’s charming face twitched involuntarily when she saw them together.

“Printing presses are so convenient, being able to mass-produce letters identical in appearance and text like this. However... Miss Tierra, yours are in much better condition than mine. It’s almost as if you’ve kept them hidden away in a drawer until today, waiting for the chance to show them off.”

“That’s not true!”

I was clearly on the right track. Tierra snatched her letter out of my hand and stamped down on it with her foot.

“Mine were dirty too! Just take a look for yourself!”

“All I can see are the scuff marks you just created…”

“Are you blind?! Look closer!”

She dropped to the floor, scooped up more of the letters, and threw them right at my face.

“Miss Liddell, that’s enough excuses out of you. I know you’re jealous of Lord Knightley’s love for me, but this is taking it too far!”

“And how exactly does Lord Knightley love you?”

“He listens intently to each and every word I say, and he even grabs hold of me when he sees me stumble!”

“That’s it?”

I couldn’t hold back a chuckle upon hearing her reasoning. Tierra didn’t seem to understand why I was laughing at her, but as the other girls in the room began to speak up, I watched her face turn pale.

“Um… When I met His Lordship, he seemed like the kind of man to listen intently to anyone, no matter the topic…”

“Indeed. I once wounded my foot due to a broken heel, and Lord Knightley brought out a chair for me to sit in. He even arranged for me to see a doctor, and my father was so grateful.”

“The earl is famous for his kindness and chivalry. Even I remember when—”

One by one, the girls revealed similar experiences. Dark treated everyone with compassion, so there was no lack of stories. I listened to them exchange their anecdotes and looked at Tierra with pity.

“It sounds like all the ladies here have been treated kindly by Lord Knightley. Miss Tierra, is it possible you misinterpreted his compassion as romantic feelings for you? Is that why you decided to refer to yourself as his fiancée?”

“Of course not! My father told me he would arrange for our engagement!”

“So, it hasn’t happened yet? Lord Knightley never agreed, but your father still let the papers run the story. Aristocrats aren’t supposed to be responsible for these kinds of scandals…”

“It’s not a scandal! I’m his fiancée!”

My words seemed to set her off. Tierra closed her fan and squeezed it until her knuckles went white.

“I’m cuter than any of the girls in this room! If he has to marry someone, he’s better off with a cute commoner than some ugly noblewoman!”

The girls in the room had been calm until that moment.

What a fool…

These were women of high enough status that a life peer couldn’t touch them. Upon this revelation of Tierra’s feelings of superiority, they would not sit quietly and take it from her.

“Miss Tierra, you’re quite confident in your looks, but you don’t appear very savvy when it comes to picking your fights. I’ll make you an offer: if you admit to your mistakes, including sending me the death threat and looking down on these noblewomen, I’m willing to put all of this behind us.”

“You really think you’re in charge, don’t you?! I know that you lived as an orphan on the streets after your family was killed. Who’d want to take orders from such a disgusting girl like you?!”

“Disgusting? Did you just say I’m disgusting? …Hehehe.”

I broke into a smile. Joy was welling up in me from the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t see my own face, but I’m sure it must have been twisted into its most evil grin yet.

Tierra trembled like she’d seen the devil when she looked at me.

“M-My father is the chief of police. He can make anything happen, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

She clearly had no intention of backing off. With no other choice left, I turned toward the door.

“I see. Could you please step inside now?”

The door creaked open once more at my request.

Standing there in the hall was Dark, wearing a navy-blue cloak.

“Good day, my fair ladies. Pardon my intrusion.”

The young women cried out in excitement upon seeing their beloved earl, but Tierra just stood there, the blood draining from her face.

“Lord Knightley, why are you…”

“I’d be happy to explain, so please have a seat, Miss Tierra. Lord Knightley is on his way to meet with a judge. He’s going to report your father.”

“Report him…?”

Dark lifted his hat and bowed toward the perplexed Tierra.

“I’ve been looking into the monetary rewards being distributed as bounties, you see. Your father, the chief of police, has been swindling a portion of these funds away from their rightful recipients. I’ve been visiting the police station over and over to dig up proof of his crimes.”

He reached under his cloak and retrieved a bundle of documents, then spread them out before us like a paper fan.

There were copies of sales slips, receipts under the chief’s name, and documents that outlined the bounties. Together, they were clear proof of embezzlement.

“He was quite flagrant in his actions—be it accepting bribes or manipulating the media. I had the help of an officer who was forced to participate in this whole scheme, so it was easy to gather the evidence.”

“You can show me whatever you want…but I don’t believe my father was embezzling money. Why were you looking into it in the first place?”

“Why? You really don’t know?”

Dark’s direct response caused Tierra to freeze. It was clear she never expected the target of her manipulation to call her out for being ignorant.

“The money for these bounties comes from us nobles, and I personally take on the duty of writing up the reports about them. I record who receives the money and in what amounts.”

Because of this role of Dark’s, the other aristocrats knew about the compensation the Liddell family received for solving crimes. We had never once been banned from collecting bounties, which meant they probably didn’t have a clue about the methods we used in our work.

“It would be a disgrace to all noblemen if your father purchased his peerage with embezzled funds, so I decided to look into it myself. Unfortunately, my suspicions proved correct.”

“I…didn’t know about any of this…”

Tierra wore a confused look on her face, but it was still a bad excuse. Any girl born to a family of nobility, no matter how high in rank, is taught to be well versed in manners, letter writing, and even instructing the servants. It’s necessary to memorize the family tree as well. Work and relationship updates are shared frequently, and if you don’t memorize these hierarchies, it’s all too easy to end up insulting someone.

But Tierra seemed like she didn’t have a clue about the moral imperative nobles had to be good and do good. I suspected she had been much more focused on living a life of luxury.

“Miss Tierra, we aristocrats face many more struggles than you seem to be imagining. We’re the ones responsible for protecting the people’s way of life, but there’s no one in charge of protecting ours. Our authority is necessary to prevent senseless attempts at power grabs. Miss Tierra, you understand how that could lead to endless wars, yes?”

I explained slowly, as if I were describing the situation to the Tweedles.

“We must live and behave in ways that honor our titles so that the people believe we are worthy of them. But it’s no easy burden to bear. We take on debts for the sake of our territory, sometimes even to the point of our families going bankrupt.”

“A noble’s title may seem like a shield,” Dark said, “but in fact, it is a cage. Therefore, it’s an unspoken agreement that we must not act in ways that violate the trust of the common man. Do you understand now?” He smiled at Tierra, whose eyes were starting to look glassy.

Oh, she’s about to cry.

Tierra indeed began to shed tears right then and there.

“It’s possible my father did the bad things you said he did…but does that mean even I deserve to be punished for being his daughter? I only had those threats printed to secure my own future. I just desperately wanted to find my happiness! Don’t you all know what that feels like?!”

“……”

The girls didn’t look at Tierra, even as she addressed them. It was like she had ceased to exist.

Tierra exploded, shattering the mask she’d worn before us once and for all.

“Why won’t you look at me?! You may have rich parents, but your hearts are cold as ice! If I lose everything and have to live on the streets, it’ll be your fault!”

“I have a feeling it won’t come to that.”

Dark and I exchanged glances. He handed me one of those magazines.

I didn’t even want to touch the foul thing, but I couldn’t show her so much as a moment of hesitation.

“After all, you’re a very talented model, Miss Tierra!”

With a deep breath, I held open the magazine, and a wave of shrieks rippled through the room. The girls here had very sheltered upbringings, so I could excuse their exaggerated reactions.

Of course they’re disgusted. But girls this age are also very curious creatures.

Just as I’d hoped, the girls quieted down and began to peer at the magazine from behind their hands. They examined the model closely and saw her strong resemblance to Tierra.

“That face… Miss Tierra, is this you?”

“O-Of course not. Look at her name. That’s not me!”

“But…”

Dark approached the bewildered girls and began to explain. “I did a bit of investigating and found that ‘Marianne’ is the pseudonym of one Miss Lockholmes,” he said it bluntly for all to hear.

Dark whisked the magazine from my grasp, to my relief. I was itching to wash away the feeling of holding that magazine in my hands.

Like bees to a hive, the girls surrounded Tierra and berated her.

“So the daughter of the chief of police is posing for illegal magazines. Just what are the police doing over there?”

“They’re probably all bought off, if even the chief is involved in embezzlement.”

“I need to warn Father. I wouldn’t want him dirtying our family name by associating with any kind of criminal.”

Tierra just stood there, taking all the scornful looks and words of criticism.

“…My father was accepted by his fellow noblemen after he purchased his peerage, but I needed money to be accepted by the ladies my age. They’d just look down on me if I didn’t wear expensive dresses and accessories, right? That’s why I had to model for these magazines…”

She approached Dark and stared up at him with her signature puppy-dog eyes.

“I took the modeling work and sent Miss Liddell the death threat all because of my love for you, my lord. Don’t you understand…?”

Her voice was dripping with honey. I imagined it was enough to hook just about any man, but still, Dark took a step away from her and smiled calmly.

“I’m sorry, but no, I don’t understand.”

“Wh-Why not…?”

“Because a person’s innocence is a million times more valuable than any fancy dress or accessory. I know of a woman who lived in poverty in the East End, but even then, she never sullied her noble status. What I think is more beautiful than anything is to live with a sincere heart—just like her.”

He turned toward me with a gentle smile. I felt a tender ache well up in my chest.

Tierra, now rejected by Dark, bit her lip and glared at me.

“Like I said, nobles must be trustworthy in all actions. As an earl, I can’t associate with a woman who models for an illegal magazine…”

“And how the hell are you trustworthy?!”

Tierra struck Dark across the face with her fan.

“You think you can talk to me like that, even with your past?! I know all about it. You’re the last man these women should be adoring…!”

Dark’s face, still turned to one side in response to the slap, went cold. The kindness in his mouth and eyes was gone. I could sense a merciless rage within him, like a sharp icicle ready to fall, or the breeze of the ocean from beneath a cliff. I’d never seen anything like it before.

“Miss Tierra, this is bad!”

Just then, a chubby police officer ran into the room holding a newspaper.

“The paper says the chief was embezzling money. The station’s swarmed with journalists!”

“How do the newspapers already know?! Lord Knightley said he hadn’t seen the judge—”

It was then that Tierra noticed me chuckling to myself.

“What the hell have you done, Alice Liddell?!”

“Nothing at all. Perhaps they heard Dark and me discussing his crimes when we were visiting their office?”

One day earlier, Dark and I had gone to the newspaper office together.

We were there to confront the writers about the false information that Dark and Tierra were engaged. The president of the company even came out to make a personal apology.

We then discussed our intent to report the chief’s embezzling, and the article was already as good as written by that point.

“We didn’t breathe a word of your illegal modeling. If you decide to live righteously starting today, I believe a quiet, happy life will still be within your reach.”

“I don’t want a quiet life!”

Tierra yanked the officer’s blade out of its sheath and dashed straight toward me. Luckily enough, she was a slow fighter, and I was able to dodge her just by turning to the side. The sharp tip of the sword pierced the air where I had stood.

The other women screamed and nearly trampled each other trying to get out of the room.

“All of this is your fault!”

She swung the blade at my face, but I didn’t need to dodge it this time, as the weapon had been caught and wrapped in a metal chain.

“If you lay a finger on Miss Alice, I’ll tear your pretty little face to bits. Got it?”

It was Leeds who was blocking her attack. He’d used the chain belt around his waist as a rope to rip the blade from her hands. Finally defeated, Tierra sank to the floor.

“I sure hope that’s the last of all this fuss…”

I let out a deep sigh and hung my head, only to notice that the shadows around my legs were darker than usual.

As I tried to figure out what was going on, I watched the shadows take the form of a rose crest on the ground.

Oh no! The rose stigma?!

The same mark as the one on Leeds’s tongue and Jack’s hands was now growing around me and spreading toward Tierra. The dark, glistening crest started to make its way around her body.

Her face went pale as she began to sink into the ground, little by little, like she was caught in quicksand.

“Help me! I swear I’ll never do it again, so please forgive me!”

Tierra wailed as she was swallowed all the way up to her head. Once she was no longer visible, the stigma shrunk smaller and smaller until it was gone.

The floor and furniture hadn’t changed an inch, but Tierra alone had vanished from the room.

I stood there, dumbfounded, when Leeds let out a whistle of admiration.

“Wowie, I’ve never seen your stigma before, my lady. Who knew it packed such a punch?”

“Y-Yes. I hide it because it’s very powerful…”

That was all I could say.

Dark’s gaze from across the room stung my skin.

Please don’t notice…

I closed my eyes and prayed. It was my most important secret. No one could ever find out.

Later on, I would learn that Tierra had been teleported to the river Thames.

A passing ferry managed to save her before she drowned, but Tierra never regained consciousness and became known as the next Sleeping Beauty.

As many times as I’d played Evil Alice’s Lover in my past life, this was a development that was brand-new to me.