Chapter 196: I'm Sorry

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༺ I'm Sorry ༻

"Hmm~ Hm~ ♪"

Roswyn sat in the carriage, humming a tune while applying makeup.

"...."

Meanwhile, the female employee sitting across from her appeared dazed as she rummaged through her purse with a frown on her face.

"I dare you to try smoking a cigarette here…"

In response, Roswyn, who was doing her makeup, firmly scolded the female employee.

"This thing, it's been enhanced with magic, so it is good for bo…"

"Even so, you're not allowed."

"It doesn't even produce smo…"

"Still no."

The female employee attempting to persuade her, eventually shot a disappointed glare, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes.

"Why are you acting like this lately? Is something bothering you?"

Roswyn, still fixing her makeup while looking in the hand mirror, glanced at the female employee and asked. The female employee answered her in a low voice.

"…There is something, but you don't need to worry about it."

"Alright, I see."

The female employee glared at Roswyn, who returned her attention to the mirror after nodding briefly.

"Oh, there it is."

"Huh?"

"Over there, I mean, the detective agency."

She pointed to a shabby building located in a nearby ordinary alley, not far from the back alley.

"Ha."

Seeing that, Roswyn let out a bitter laugh.

"Seeing it in person, it really makes me dumbfounded."

Then, she raised a clenched fist and spoke.

"Even if they are only bluffing, they should at least make it look somewhat decent. How could they promote such an old rundown building as a detective agency? How ridiculous."

"..."

"Is this the agency considered a competitor to my Information Guild these days? I won't acknowledge it. It must be a case of a clever scam. Besides, the owner's identity hasn't even been revealed…"

However, after ranting for a while, Roswyn eventually fell silent.

"That person… is that person the one I know?"

"…Is that Marchioness Bywalker?"

This was because Marchioness Bywalker, who wielded considerable influence in the empire's social circles, had just emerged from that shabby building.

"Wh-what?"

Roswyn stammered, momentarily stunned by the sight, her expression filled with bewilderment.

"Why is she there…?"

"She probably emerged from that place because she just assigned a request."

"I know that much too!"

Roswyn shouted at the female employee, who responded with a hollow stare.

"She was someone even our guild couldn't acquire as a client… Why is she coming out from there…?!"

"Well, compared to our guild…"

"…Choose your words wisely."

"No, it's nothing."

While the female employee appeared to be on the verge of continuing, Roswyn lost her temper and raised her voice.

"Wait, stop right there!"

"Pardon?"

"I'll pay you, so wait for me here!"

After saying that, Roswyn tried to get off the carriage confidently, but the employee grabbed her and asked.

"Where are you going?"

"To scout the competition."

With that, she headed toward the shabby building, all while being observed closely by the employee.

– Click

With a resigned expression, she bit the cigarette in her mouth, lit it, and muttered under her breath.

"…This is actually driving me crazy."

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"Mhm, hmmm, hmm!"

Roswyn cleared her throat after entering the shabby building.

"Is there anyone here?"

When she finally asked that question, the fox-eared counter attendant perked up.

"Hello there, human?"

Miho, who had been dozing off, woke up and initiated the conversation.

"What brings you here?"

"…How unusual. There is a fox beastkin here."

Roswyn, who had been looking at Miho with curiosity, cleared her throat and began to speak in an elegant tone.

"I'd like to speak directly with the detective, is that possible?"

Roswyn, who was wearing her usual undercover robe inside-out, asked. Upon hearing the question, Miho stared at her intently.

"It seems like you're a client that the eccentric human would like."

Miho stepped away from the counter as she muttered to herself. She then started to lead Roswyn and her female employee.

"Once you step inside …"

"Hello~! Nice to meet you!"

Roswyn entered the room without waiting for Miho to finish her explanation as they arrived in the reception room.

"Hello."

"…Tch."

However, when she saw the detective covering her face with a protective spell, Roswyn sat down disappointedly.

"…Lady Roswyn."

"…..!"

She immediately froze in place when the detective called her name.

"....."

And then, a brief silence ensued .

"Wh-what are you talking about…"

"First, please have a seat. If you keep standing like that, both you and I will be uncomfortable."

"...."

Roswyn hesitantly sat down, attempting to break the silence with an excuse, "I-I am Roswyn…"

"Are you feeling uneasy? Lately, I mean?"

"Huh?"

The detective observed her closely with narrowed eyes, "It seems like a man-related issue… Let me guess, is it jealousy or insecurity?"

"…W-what makes you say that?"

"But to feel such emotions for such a man… You are truly an interesting person."

"What the hell are you talking about!!"

The detective, in a nonchalant tone, began to explain to Roswyn, who had exclaimed in frustration.

"Dark circles have formed, and there are signs of nail biting. Your hair looks disheveled. Just by looking at these, it's evident that you've been emotionally distressed for a few days."

"So, what does that…!"

"So, how could this happen? Even though you can have whatever you want in terms of position and have fulfilled your 'lifelong wish' to become the Hero's comrade not long ago, you're still suffering so much. So, what was the reason?"

"…..What?"

As more sensitive information began to surface, Roswyn grew flustered while the detective continued her words, remaining unfazed.

"If we apply the process of elimination, the only problem that could induce such a reaction, irrespective of your position, and one even the Emperor couldn't resolve, is a matter of the heart: an 'issue of love.'"

"..."

"Am I wrong?"

"Y-you're wrong!"

When Roswyn exclaimed in frustration, the detective tapped the desk with her fingers for a moment.

"I knew it. It must be jealousy."

"W-what?"

"You're not in the relationship, given that there's no couple ring or anything, but if an affair has occurred… another girl must have stolen someone you have one-sided love for, right?"

"Nonsense! It's not one-sided…"

"Oh my, is it not? So, the person you had called dibs on was taken away, then?"

"I already said! It's not that!"

"Then… it seems like you pushed him away, but he hasn't returned. Am I right?"

Hearing that, Roswyn flinched for a moment.

"Subconsciously, you already considered him your own, thinking you had control over him. That's why you played with him as you wished. But suddenly, he didn't come back, and you must have felt quite bewildered, right?"

After hearing those words, Roswyn fell silent, and the detective cleared her throat for a moment before continuing her words coldly.

"However, what if, in reality, you never had him in the first place?"

"…What?"

"What if all of this has simply been a misunderstanding Or perhaps, you've completely blown your last chance?"

"Wha-what you mean…"

"What should you do…?"

"Who are you, really?"

Staring at the detective, a sense of dread crept over Roswyn, prompting her to question further.

"I'm a detective."

A very simple answer came back.

"…L-let's have a talk."

The tense standoff persisted for a while, but eventually, Roswyn decided to open up, her voice trembling as she attempted to clarify, "You seem to have misunderstood the situation here…"

"Oh, come to think of it… I think we have a reserved client, right?"

The detective suddenly clapped, her face lighting up with realization as she turned to Miho, who had been beside her all along, to ask a question.

"Miho, when did Lady Serena say she would arrive?"

After making a momentarily bewildered expression and clearing her throat, Miho finally responded.

"Ahem, i-it must have been about five minutes, human."

Roswyn's complexion paled upon hearing that.

"I-I-I-I should… be going now."

"Huh? It's okay, you were here first. If you need…"

"Oh, no, it's fine. I'll be on my way then."

Leaving behind the detective trying to hold her back, Roswyn left the room with cold sweat trickling down.

"...…"

The room fell into an awkward silence.

"Phew, that was so refreshing."

In such a situation, the detective mumbled with a relieved voice.

"So…"

The detective stared at the female employee who had been silently observing her without leaving.

"… What's your true identity?"

She then asked in a low voice.

"You're really smart… It would have been nice if she were at least half as clever as you…"

However, the female employee ignored her question.

– Swish…

As Serena, the detective, quietly began manipulating her Lunar Mana, the female employee muttered while waving her hand to her.

"To think you would try to use Lunar Mana on me, it makes me a little sad."

"...…"

Then, Serena and Miho silently collapsed onto the desk.

"I'm sorry, but… you must not discover my true identity right now, Serena."

The female employee intended to leave the room after confirming they had completely passed out.

"By the way, when will the Curse of Familial Subordination be lifted?"

She briefly glanced at Serena with a lingering expression.

"Did Sun apply an age restriction to the DLC… I thought she had lifted it…"

She muttered with a voice filled with curiosity.

"…When will she do it with him?"

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"We've arrived!~"

"Phew."

After silently leaving the detective agency and getting on the carriage, Roswyn let out a deep sigh upon hearing the coachman's announcement of their arrival at the destination.

"I… I got jealous?"

At last, she spoke with a chilly voice.

"D-don't make me laugh. Am I? Jealous because of Frey? That's absurd. It would never happen."

Despite the trembling in her voice, which didn't quite align with her cold demeanor, Roswyn still muttered to herself as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"What are you doing?! Quickly, hide!"

"Huff…"

Soon, Roswyn grabbed the arm of the female employee, who had finally managed to smoke, to exit the carriage and hurriedly hide behind the thicket.

"Ugh…"

Roswyn, briefly showing signs of unease due to her claustrophobia, quickly focused her gaze on the mansion's courtyard.

"What are you doing?"

"Let's see what Frey has prepared."

"Huh?"

"You're so clueless. Just lower your head a bit."

After saying so, Roswyn lowered the head of the female employee.

"…Huh?"

Soon her eyes widened.

"Frey…?"

Then, a while later, Roswyn's expression rapidly darkened.

"It's so soft and tender…"

"Hng… Hng…"

It was because Frey was patting the head of a red-haired girl.

"W-what is this?"

The girl was clinging to him with her face and chest buried in his embrace, shivering uncontrollably. According to Roswyn's information, she was 'Irina Philliard.'

She was undoubtedly one of the people who disliked Frey.

"....."

However, Irina was clearly seducing and tempting him as a woman.

"…What is this?"

Because of that, Roswyn looked so upset.

"E-even so, after all, Frey is…"

She then muttered something under her breath while forcing a smile.

"…Huh?"

Upon seeing the genuine bright smile on Frey's face, her gaze began to waver.

"...!"

After staring at them in a daze for a while, Roswyn suddenly gasped and lowered her body.

"…Again? Why are you doing that?"

"I-I almost made eye contact with that bitch."

"What?"

"Lulu. The girl with the Magic Eyes is looking this way. Although we are wearing a highest-grade protective robe to the point that she won't be able to see us, you never know."

After saying that, Roswyn hid her body for a while and cautiously raised her head to resume her observation.

"…..!"

Seeing the three people who had boarded the carriage, she opened her mouth in surprise.

"L-Lulu?"

"…Master."

Lulu was trying to climb onto Frey, who had a very bewildered expression, to take off his clothes.

"If it is like this, I…"

"How dare."

"…Ehikkk!"

For some reason, Lulu repeatedly shot sidelong glances at Frey, seemingly on the verge of saying something.

However, she suddenly stiffened and collapsed as Irina gave her a cold look and waved her hand.

"Ah."

But the scene appeared quite distorted to Roswyn, who was observing the situation from the thicket through the carriage window.

"Ah..."

Thus, Roswyn, who had a dazed expression for a moment, made a surprised sound.

– Ssk…

Without realizing it, she got up from her spot and slowly began to move.

– Step, Step.

One step, two steps.

As she got closer to the carriage, her expression grew increasingly dark.

"…L-Lord Frey?"

She hesitated for a moment before knocking on the carriage door.

"....."

Then, silence reigned.

– Clatter!

Finally, after a brief moment of commotion.

– Creak…

Someone slowly opened the carriage door.

"Hmm…?"

It revealed Frey, his cheeks flushed, and an innocent expression on his face. However, as he noticed Roswyn's presence, he stared at her in a moment of distraction.

"...Hmm."

After a brief glance at Lulu, who was trying to hastily put her clothes back on behind him, Roswyn shifted her perplexed gaze to Irina, whose distinctive ears protruded, and who stood beside Frey with an icy expression.

"…What brings you here?"

When Frey asked a question, she replied with a frown.

"Isn't this surprise event a bit overboard?"

"…What?"

"Alright, let's just say you've already won."

Ignoring Frey's puzzled expression, Roswyn took out some documents she had brought.

"I brought the requested materials. So, take this, and maybe you'll fe…"

However, before Roswyn could finish her sentence and let out a sigh, Frey cut her off with a somber expression, tilting his head.

"I'm sorry, Roswyn."

"Right now, I don't want to see you face to face."

"What?"

"And that won't change in the future."

As soon as he said that, Roswyn looked bewildered.

"It seems like…"

However, as Roswyn listened to the words coming from Frey's mouth, her expression turned vacant.

"…I can't like you anymore."

"....What?"

Bright sunlight bathed them in its warmth.

You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02