Chapter 11: Stand there!

House Fires had a rival: House Tempest. Their relationship was like oil and water, cats and dogs.

“Well, well… Seraphina.”

Campbell, with flowing golden waves and a fan concealing the lower half of their face, looked down at Seraphina with disdain in their crimson eyes.

“Campbell. Haven’t seen you since the academy.”
“Still sporting that red hair, I see. Still tormenting the commoners, I presume? Or have you graduated to bloodshed, Seraphina Fires?”

Campbell’s mocking tone hadn’t changed. Seraphina responded impassively.

“What’s it to you?” She crossed her arms and glared at Campbell.
“We’re friends, aren’t we? I’ve even given you a seat of honor.”

Friends? A seat of honor? This was a forced meeting, not a social call.

Seraphina frowned.

“Why did you call for me? And where’s Isabel?”
“Isabel?”

Campbell laughed.

“Calling a servant by his first name… Are you alright?”
“Answer my question.”
“Simple. You’re with the Black Hound. I need to investigate.”
“Investigate what?”
“You know why I’m keeping you here.”
“…”

Seraphina considered Campbell’s words. Why am I here? She arrived at a conclusion.

It was because of Isabel, the Black Hound.

He made the other nobles uncomfortable.

“You know what House Tempest specializes in.”

They were masters of investigation, renowned for their legal prowess.

If they were involved, it meant a formal investigation was underway.

“The other nobles requested it. An investigation into you and the Black Hound.”

As Seraphina suspected, the nobles were wary of the Black Hound and his knowledge of their secrets.

They suspected he was at the conference to blackmail them. They wanted him investigated, imprisoned, anything to neutralize him.

“So you’re investigating me? The esteemed Count of House Tempest?”

Seraphina smirked.

“Of course! House Tempest is far superior to House Fires.”
“And how is the investigation into Isabel going?”
“It’s progressing well. There’s always dirt to be found.”

Campbell was confident they would find something incriminating.

But they underestimated the Black Hound.

He was a ghost, leaving no trace of his activities.

“I look forward to seeing the results of your…thorough investigation.”
“Thank you for your…enthusiasm. I’ll be sure to do my best, especially for you.”
“Yes, do your best investigating Isavel.”

They would find nothing.

She trusted Isabel’s ability to cover his tracks.

But if they fabricated evidence…she would escape with him.

They had a prearranged meeting place for such a contingency. She relaxed, confident in their plan.

“Why the long face? Are you pretending to be happy? Don’t worry, you’ll be free once the investigation is complete. I’ll even treat you like a VIP until then. Just be a good girl and stay put.”

Seraphina rested her chin on her hand and smiled.

“How generous. Would you like some tea?”
“Why would I make you tea? There’s a kettle over there. Help yourself.”
“You said I was a VIP. Shouldn’t you treat me like one?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can make your own…”

Seraphina cut her off.

“You just called me a VIP. Are you changing your mind? Or is your memory as bad as ever? Still a goldfish, I see.”

Seraphina smiled sweetly, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

“W-who are you calling a goldfish?!”
“Will you pour me some tea, then, Goldie?”

Goldfish.

Campbell hated that nickname.

It was a constant reminder of her childhood and her academic struggles.

“Stop calling me that, Seraphina!”

Campbell glared at her.

“My, my, threatening a guest? How rude.”

Seraphina narrowed her eyes, crossed her legs, and said,

“Pour me some tea. I’m thirsty.”
“Just you wait. You won’t be so smug for long.”
“Smug? I’ll be sure to stay smug. By the way, have you gained weight?”

Campbell gasped and looked down at her stomach.

I’m not fat! I’m perfectly normal! She gritted her teeth.

“I haven’t gained any weight! I’m perfectly normal!”

Campbell crossed her arms and turned away. Seraphina smiled.

“Are you sure? You look like you’ve been indulging a bit too much. More like a pig than a goldfish…”
“Shut up! You villainess!”

Campbell shouted, her face red with anger. Seraphina covered her ears.

“So loud. Hurry up and pour me some tea.”
“You’re always like this! So infuriating!”
“Then release Isavel.”
“Just you wait! You won’t be smiling for long!”

The interrogation room in the basement reeked of mildew.

The blue-haired woman had brought me here for “a little chat,” which had turned into an hours-long interrogation.

“So…you’re saying you received no money from Marquis Infinity and you don’t know him?”
“I have no idea who he is.”

The woman frowned and sighed.

“…You’re a shady character.”
“Shady? You have no proof.”

She slammed her hand on the table, splitting it in two.

She’s strong… I felt a shiver run down my spine.

“Are you playing games with me?”
“Ha ha, I’m always open to games.”

She glared at me.

“Why are you with Countess Fires?”
“I told you, I’m her butler.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the Black Hound. You wouldn’t approach House Fires without a reason…would you?”

She was sharp.

It was true. I had a reason: to redeem Seraphina. It was my mission.

But that explanation wouldn’t fly here.

“…I needed the money.”
“Right… Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”

She stood up and walked towards a display case, returning with a three-pronged whip. She cracked it menacingly.

“Let’s start with a little…persuasion.”
“Violence won’t work. I’m an innocent civilian!”

My pleas fell on deaf ears.

“They all say that. ‘I’m innocent! I’m a good person!’ You’re no different.”
“You won’t get anything out of me.”

I had nothing to confess.

“Oh, really? We’ll see about that.”

She raised the whip.

“Are you into…S&M? Because I’m not a fan of being whipped.”
“Oh, is that so? Let’s see how long that attitude lasts. Shall we begin?”

Damn it! This wasn’t going as planned. But I had contingencies.

“Let’s see how long you can last.”

Just as she was about to bring the whip down, the door burst open.

“Rapid! We have a problem!”

A man rushed in, out of breath. The woman frowned, annoyed by the interruption.

“What is it?”
“Countess Fires…she’s escaped!”

Seraphina? Why? I was just as surprised as the woman.

“How did she escape?”
“I…I don’t know…”
“You interrupt my interrogation without a proper explanation?”
“I apologize!”

Seraphina must have realized what was happening.

The nobles were targeting me, the Black Hound, because they feared my knowledge of their secrets.

They had been uncomfortable with me, especially after Seraphina’s impressive performance at the conference, which had earned her the praise of the Duke, the chairman of the conference.

They wanted to discredit me, to find any excuse to get rid of me.

“My, my, I wonder why our mistress would run away?”
“You little…”

I smirked.

“We have to find her immediately!”
“…Fine.”

The woman threw the whip at me in frustration. I ducked.

“…We’ll continue this later.”

She followed the man out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

“Leaving me unattended? That’s a mistake.”

They had made two errors: leaving me alone and not posting a guard.

“…This is too easy.”

I activated the Invisibility Robe, a point shop item I had purchased for just such an occasion.

It would render me invisible for twenty minutes, more than enough time to escape.

I stood up and tried the doorknob.

“Locked, of course… But I have this.”

The Master Key, another point shop item. I inserted it into the lock and turned.

Click!

I opened the door and made my way up the stairs.

Once outside, I would head to the statue of Thermisia, our prearranged meeting point.

I emerged into the cool night air and took a deep breath, removing the Invisibility Robe.

“Time to go.”
“…Going somewhere?”
“…What?”

The blue-haired woman was still there.

I forced a smile.

She returned it with a fake smile of her own.

I turned and ran.

“Stop!──────!”

I ran as fast as I could.