Grace: Heroine or Villainess

"Honestly master… I'm just glad she doesn't remember how I treated her when we were kids, or I would have ended up dead long ago." Daniel said fearfully as they got down the cart. 

"Oh… you think so, I think she still remembers everything very clearly." Hira said as he smiled at the cart driver. 

The cart driver's face turned pale for a moment before he composed himself and looked in another direction.

"My… My lord… May I go and park the cart." He asked Daniel while keeping his head down. 

"Yes, go ahead." Daniel gave his permission. 

The cart driver hurriedly moved the cart after taking a quick glance to Hira who was not paying attention at him anymore.

"Hah…" he sighed.

'Maybe I was overthinking' saying that to himself the cart driver led the cart to the parking area of the Baron's castle.

…

"Welcome my lords… Lady Grace is on her way, please wait here."

A maid led Hira and Daniel in a hall and served them tea. 

Hira was enjoying his tea when Grace started walking down the floor.

"Gulp…" Hira gulped the tea as his eyes fell on Grace.

Yesterday, a lot of things were going on his head so he did not notice it. 

But after having a good 'stress relief' session with Rose. Hira was feeling much better now. He was calmer and could think clearly. 

That's why when his eyes fell on Grace, he couldn't help but be dazed for a moment.

To say that Grace was beautiful would be an understatement at so many levels. 

The noble attire she was wearing added another charm to her beauty. 

As her smooth hair flowed in the air while she walked down the stairs, he could not help but gulp. 

"It's nice seeing you again, Mr. Hira" 

While Hira was dazed, Grace had already appeared in front of him.

"Ye… Yes… nice to see you too, Miss Grace."

Hira felt his face burning. Where was the cool and sturdy Master Hira from yesterday. 

Somehow, Grace also felt a lot better seeing his reaction. She had always been calm and collected while others were stuttering in front of her. 

But yesterday, it was all going off the script, there was this young man who was talking to her in all calm and composed manner, while her heart was jumping up and down a hill all the time.

Today seeing, how this young man could not keep himself calm as well, she was feeling so much better in her heart. 

But she did not show any of that on her face. 

Instead, she looked at the head maid of the palace. 

The head maid understood the meaning of her look and took her leave after giving them a slight bow. 

Then Grace looked at Hira. 

Hira, who had gained his composure by now, said while smiling. 

"Get lost Daniel." 

"…"

"Sure master. I will take my leave now."

"…!"

Grace still could not comprehend how much Daniel has changed. 

But today, she was prepared already. Without showing any reaction at how Hira and Daniel treated each other, she sat herself down on a sofa on the opposite side of Hira's seat. 

"So, Mr. Hira… you said you would like my help in order to save the civilians." 

Yes… it was him who needed her help, not the other way around. She had the upper hand. Not that she did not want to save the civilians, in fact she had been doing all she could to keep the them safe, but that doesn't mean she would let it show and ruin her chances of getting one on Hira, or at least understand him better. 

She had already done a good background check on Hira; He was just a commoner living in the outskirts of the town till a few months ago. He works in a small magic shop that had been going through a lot of trouble until very recently. But somehow, all the shops troubles suddenly disappeared in a week, her 'brother' also played a hand in it, while the troublemaker himself, accepted his crimes that too when victory was already in his hands. She did not have to rack her brains too much to understand that this young man was behind the sudden turnaround of that shop. Not to mention she already knows that he has become the shop owner's partner now. 

If Hira could know what she was thinking right now, he might have been scared shitless. This lass in front of him pretty much knew everything about him.

But what she could not understand, no matter how much she racked her brain was. How did a commoner suddenly become so mysterious all of a sudden? What kind of opportunity might he have encountered to have such an influence on people? She wanted to know more about Hira, that is the reason she had invited him to the Baron's castle.

'Eh… Etto… are you not just making an excuse for the mistake you made in front of this man yesterday.'

Suddenly, Grace heard a voice in her head. 

Her cheeks felt like burning a little.

'You… you don't understand my tactics, you have much to learn.' She replied in her head. 

'… Mm' The voice accepted what Grace said. 

While all this was going in her head, only a few seconds have passed. In those seconds, Hira took a good sip of his tea before replying.

"Ah… about that… actually I needed your help till yesterday, but now I have made some changes in the plan, so your help would be unnecessary." Hira replied. 

"…" Misty didn't say anything for a second. Because a voice appeared in her head again.

'Umm… it looks like… you don't have the upper hand anymore.' The voice said timidly. 

Grace felt as if her face was burning.

'Why… Why are you so talkative today. Let me handle the situation first, Th… This is all under my calculation. You just don't understand. Hmph.' Grace replied in her head again. 

If someone ever saw Grace talking like that in real life, they would get a stunning shock. Grace was always like her name suggested, Graceful and elegant, she would never talk in such childish manner in front of anyone. 

But alas, nobody would be able to see her talk like that in real life. Why? Because that's how Grace talks with her 'friends', or in this case let's say that's how she talks with her 'friend' as the voice in her head was the only friend she had ever had. 

'Giggle…' The voice did not say anything but just giggled at Grace's antiques. 

'Hmph…' Grace was annoyed. 

"So… if you are not here for my help, may I know why you are here?" She asked directly to Hira, although she asked it gracefully, her annoyance could still be felt in her words. 

"…" Hira was also a bit stunned, but he just smiled before taking another sip of his tea. 

"You see miss Grace… since early in the morning, I have been thinking something. You said the Baron hit the bucket one year ago. I also understand that, while others think that Baron is still alive and in command. It's you who has been running the territory from behind the shadows. Now I have a very simple question and I came here only to get the answer from you."

Hira put his teacup on the table before looking directly in Grace's eyes.

"If the baron died one year ago, why has there been four instances of human trafficking in this territory in the past year?"