The mont Ferdinand’s counterattack succeeded, Baron had already slipped out of the parlor.
In any case, while his objective hadn’t been fully accomplished, he had still gained sothing.
One hundred thousand Silver Coins and the deaths of over a dozen high-ranking mbers were both significant losses for the Iron Thorn Gang. Although it wasn’t the perfect outco Baron had envisioned, he had long since formulated other plans.
’When the ti cos...’
Soone tapped his shoulder. He started, instantly on alert, and turned his head to find it was the maid he had seen earlier in Miss Triss’s room.
The maid watched him quietly. Her gaze was tranquil, her pupils a pure black, like the sea on a moonless night.
It was a stark contrast to her face, which was so plain as to be completely uninteresting.
But Baron reacted to this face as if confronting a formidable foe. His hand crept to the grip of the gun at his waist, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Twice now, he had failed to notice how the woman had appeared so silently beside him!
In response to the standoffish expression on Baron’s face, the maid simply gave him a mysterious smile. She suddenly stepped forward, dodging the line of fire from his gun, and leaned in close to his ear.
"Baron Constantin, long ti no see."
Baron’s pupils contracted to pinpricks.
Just then, so people ca rushing over from a distance, lifting their skirts. It was Miss Triss, with her long dress and green hair, alongside her good friend Redios.
Redios had taken off her veil, and she was indeed a beauty worthy of the title "Preeminent Beauty of Fude City."
The two of them reached Baron’s side, laughing and teasing each other, chattering about sothing or other.
It was likely words of invitation or thanks, but Baron couldn’t hear them clearly—or rather, he didn’t want to.
The maid behind him had left the mont Miss Triss and her friend arrived. He wanted to make his excuses and slip away.
Just then, Brother Sorrowful, Zhan Jiale, arrived, and Baron gladly ceded the battlefield to him.
Brother Sorrowful said mournfully to Redios, "In the end, I have failed..."
...
While Brother Sorrowful continued trying to woo the ladies with his artistic flair and emo one-liners, Baron searched the City Lord’s Mansion for any trace of the maid who knew his real na.
But after searching everywhere, all he had to show for it were a few "sexual advances" from noblewon and young ladies and so "promises of profit" from wealthy rchants. He found no trace of the maid.
Along the way, he ran into the "debaucherous trio" with their arms slung around each other’s shoulders: Zod, Maguire, and the Blood Loss Knight, Morey, who was there despite not being invited.
At so point, those three had apparently beco thick as thieves.
When Maguire saw Baron, he first established a united front by expressing his outrage toward Ferdinand and the Iron Thorn Gang, as well as his dissatisfaction with how Fude City had handled things.
It was only when Baron asked what they were up to that he adopted an embarrassed, sheepish look.
"Morey said he’s taking to build up my courage..."
’Build up courage? For what, at a ti like this?’
Baron looked at Morey.
Morey, however, was quite nonchalant. "Maguire thinks it’s too embarrassing that he got drunk by a prostitute. He wants to help him get his dignity back?"
’Get his dignity back? Bro, have you forgotten your childhood sweetheart back in the village?’
Baron’s suspicious gaze made Maguire blush. Finally, Zod stepped in, clearing his throat and saying, "L, want to co with?"
Baron shook his head, refusing. He had to—no, he *had* to find the maid who seed to know his true identity.
He suspected this maid might be connected to the female reporter the Allen Family had ntioned.
If he could find her, perhaps he could learn the purpose behind her actions.
The trio walked off, and Baron continued his search of the City Lord’s Mansion.
On the way, Maguire’s mouth went dry with anticipation of what was to co.
Morey and Zod comforted him. "It’s always like this the first ti."
"Don’t worry, we’ll definitely help you rebuild your confidence."
Then, the three of them saw a person walking toward them in the distance. It was Brother Sorrowful, Zhan Jiale.
He was muttering things like:
"Another sleepless dawn. I don’t know whether to say good morning or good night."
"With my eyes, I’ve embraced your retreating back a thousand tis, but you’re never willing to turn and look at ."
"So, it turns out you can drift apart without even having a fight."
The four of them might have just passed each other by, but Morey suddenly clapped Brother Sorrowful, Zhan Jiale, on the shoulder.
"Hey kid, looks like you got dumped. Want to co blow off so steam with us?"
Zhan Jiale looked up at the older man before him. He was dressed as an Attendant, and half of his face was hidden by the long, wavy hair that fell across his forehead.
As if moved by so unseen force, he nodded.
Half an hour later, they stood at the entrance to a brothel.
Brother Sorrowful was taken aback. "This is..."
"A place where won make you happy," Morey said, patting his shoulder and wrapping an arm around a girl who had approached them. "Ti to pay up."
Brother Sorrowful shook his head. "I already have soone I like."
The girl in Morey’s arms chuckled. "I can tell."
"Because you can’t hide it when you like soone," Maguire said wistfully.
He thought of Ruth, back in his hotown.
"Which is why if you like two people, you have to be good at hiding it," Morey said, slapping the girl’s rear. "Get my little brother here soone who can hold her liquor. He’s here to win his honor back!"
...
Baron didn’t find the Maid. He had scoured the City Lord’s Mansion and its surroundings, even going so far as to question every single Maid in the residence.
He confird that the girl had never been a mber of the mansion’s staff to begin with.
The joy he’d felt from outwitting the Iron Thorn Gang and Ferdinand was shattered by this sudden, overwhelming sense of unease.
’Why does she know my nas on both the Outer and Inner Sides?’
’Why didn’t I sense her in the room earlier?’
From the vial of Werewolf Blood, to the person from years ago who was also nad "Baron Constantin," to the mysterious female reporter... and now, this maid who knew his true na.
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