Days of the wintertime were short, and as a result, the sun had already set.
Rosetta, who had just finished an early dinner with Alicia, retrieved something tucked away in her pocket.
She had received it from Diana and had promptly forgotten about it until now.
What Rosetta held in her hand was a small glass bottle, as small as a finger. Inside the transparent and angular bottle, a sparkling green liquid swirled.
Rosetta sat on the edge of her bed, examining the tiny bottle from different angles. The bottle and its contents, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, emitted a slightly ominous gleam.
Shwaa—
A rush of cold air swept into the room.
Thump.
And it was followed by the sound of a closing window.
It was a familiar process, and Rosetta lowered the hand holding the bottle and raised her head.
In her line of sight was Cassion, who had just entered the room with a sprinkling of snow on his shoulders. His hand, wiping his hair, moved leisurely.
Unknowingly, it had become a natural, familiar sight.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
Their exchanged greetings were brief, but the looks passing between them were filled with a peculiar desire.
As Cassion approached with unhurried steps, his gaze suddenly focused on the bottle in Rosetta’s hand, or more precisely, the potentially dangerous liquid within.
“What’s that?”
When Cassion inquired, Rosetta just shrugged and leaned back against the bed.
A playful smile played on her lips, signifying her intention to remain silent.
Her long fingers discreetly concealed the small bottle.
Cassion’s gaze remained fixed on the hand concealing the bottle.
She then raised a single extended index finger, which slowly blocked the front of her slowly smiling lips.
“Secret.”
The smile on her face was as dangerous as the green liquid that had been bubbling inside the bottle.
The man’s footsteps paused briefly.
He wanted to ask more, but he quickly shook his head, giving up.
This woman was always so secretive, but at the same time, she was always so trustworthy.
“…Ha, well. You always have your reasons.”
Rosetta blinked her eyes in response to his words.
Drrrk, tak.
Slowly, she extended her hand and hid the bottle in the bedside table drawer.
It might have been too conspicuous to say she was hiding it, but in any case…
“Why don’t you come closer? There aren’t many days left for you in this house…”
Wouldn’t every minute and every second be precious?
Cassion had to swallow hard in the face of such an overt temptation.
However, his eyes then blazed with fire, as red as they always did.
And soon, two red features touched and interlocked with each other.
* * *
“So, you’ve already delivered the item that Her Ladyship requested?”
“Yes. I asked Diana right after it was made since it was a bit tight for me to deliver it personally.”
That had happened about a week ago, so the item should have reached its owner by now.
“Hmm, I see.”
Blanca twirled an empty cigarette holder and tilted her head thoughtfully. Behind the veil, a subtle sense of curiosity surfaced.
‘What on earth is she going to do with something so dangerous…?’
Really. Was she planning on killing someone?
It was the poison that Rosetta specifically asked Logan to make. It was also a decisively lethal poison that could bring someone to the threshold of life and death with just a few drops.
Originally, Logan wouldn’t be assigned to make life-threatening poisons during deals, but…
Rosetta had specifically requested for him to make it and even made a personal request.
Blanca trusted Rosetta to use it wisely.
Still, it’s inevitable to be curious.
What was she planning to do with it?
When was she going to use it?
And, on whom?
However, Blanca soon dismissed her thoughts with a casual gesture.
It was amateurish to obsess over what the client didn’t explicitly reveal.
Besides, she had plenty of work to do right now.
She was the guildmaster of the secret guild and a businesswoman who led several establishments.
A cafe, a bookstore, a hotel.
Now was the peak season for everything.
Starting from the year-end, to the ‘coming-of-age celebration held in place of a New Year’s celebration in the empire. It was a highly profitable period for business owners.
So, here at the Larrington Hotel, preparations had to be rushed.
In a way, they might even be a bit late now, considering that next week was the last day of December.
“Ah, the statue over there, we’re going to replace it, so take it to the warehouse. Don’t forget to order the flowers in advance.”
Each time Blanca, her face hidden by a wide-brim hat and veil, gestured and shouted instructions, the employees busily moved, bowing deeply as they worked.
Behind her, Logan followed quietly, diligently jotting down notes.
He was recording everything Blanca said.
Occasionally, there were some stupid people who didn’t know how to do their jobs and claimed they hadn’t heard it, trying to avoid admitting their mistakes.
Logan’s job was to deal with those miscreants, checking that all the work must be done.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, evening had arrived without them noticing.
“Oh, I was almost late to my appointment.”
Blanca checked the time on a clock in the lobby and clicked her tongue.
“It’s still quite some time until the agreed-upon time.”
Logan added, but Blanca shook her head.
“Someone I’ve been so desperately courting is coming, I can’t receive them looking like this.”
This time, Logan shook his head as Blanca continued speaking in an exaggerated voice, as if she was an actress performing in a play.
“Oh my, how bland.”
With a brief mutter, Blanca turned her body and walked briskly.
After changing her clothes and tidying her hair, time had once again passed swiftly.
Blanca hurried through the secret passage to the fifth floor.
Logan silently followed behind her.
The fifth floor of the hotel.
This was the suite floor of the Larrington Hotel—the place where the most esteemed guests were received.
At the same time, it was also the place where she and the person she was meeting had their first encounter.
Creak.
Blanca opened the framed painting, which served as a door, and upon entering the room, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
The sight of the woman sitting comfortably on the sofa with her legs crossed brought back memories of their first meeting half a year ago.
In just that half of a year, so many things had changed.
But there was something remarkably consistent about her.
Rosetta, with her long, mysterious silvery hair cascading down, half-lidded golden eyes, and a half-smile, spoke as she gestured around.
“I always feel like I’m waiting here.”
Amidst all the changes, Blanca couldn’t help but be amused by the consistency of Rosetta’s demeanor.
In any case, she was truly an intriguing person.
* * *
Rosetta was not alone in the room. Beside her sat Cassion, and across from her was Diana.
The gazes of both pairs of eyes turned towards Blanca and Logan as Rosetta finished speaking.
Being the focus of their attention made the two of them feel the owner of the establishment had arrived late compared to the guests.
Well, that was true to some extent…
The appointed time was six o’clock, and now it was just one minute shy. Blanca gave the clock an obvious side glance.
“Time is gold, of course. I acknowledge that it’s wise to use it fully,” she said with a sly smile.
After her remark, Blanca took a seat on the couch, and Logan followed suit, occupying the empty space next to Diana.
Rosetta shrugged and leaned against the backrest.
“Well, I must be foolish then.”
Her gaze turned towards the bottle of liquor that Blanca had brought along.
“Oh, this? Shouldn’t there be some alcohol for a farewell party?”
As Blanca mentioned, today’s gathering was indeed a farewell party.
Whose farewell, you ask?
It was Maxwell’s.
Starting from today, Maxwell was returning to being Cassion.
Rosetta had informed her father and her brother a few days ago that she intended to grant Maxwell an extended leave.
They had agreed without any suspicion.
Well, no matter what Rosetta said, they would probably have granted it, but still.
Anyway.
Today’s outing was under the pretext of taking Maxwell out.
She had told them that they would stay overnight at the hotel and return tomorrow. There was no need to worry about them returning home.
Rosetta reached out and took a small glass in her hand. The ice cubes clinked as they slid into the glass.
“Thanks to this, I guess I can have a drink.”
Tomorrow, only Diana and Rosetta would return home. Cassion would stay here until the end of the year, when the coming-of-age celebration would arrive.
Except for staying at her side, this was the safest hiding place.
As Rosetta continued her thoughts, Blanca jingled the bottle and filled the empty glass with a smile.
Rosetta watched it silently for a moment and then spoke absentmindedly.
“Seeing alcohol at a farewell party… Have you held many farewell parties?”
“Well, have I held many? Oh, I guess I did drink quite a bit at my husband’s funeral. That was sort of like a farewell party, wasn’t it?”
“……”
Silence momentarily descended in an instant, perhaps due to the solemnity of the topic.
In that quiet moment and the slightly melancholic atmosphere, Rosetta shrugged again.
Ah, good grief.
This was why people needed to be careful with their words.
Suddenly, memories of the day when Rosetta first met Blanca and the awkwardness that followed after asking about her ring came to her mind.
‘It seems like maybe this place and I don’t quite mesh well.’
Rosetta was the first to empty her glass.
Days of the wintertime were short, and as a result, the sun had already set.
Rosetta, who had just finished an early dinner with Alicia, retrieved something tucked away in her pocket.
She had received it from Diana and had promptly forgotten about it until now.
What Rosetta held in her hand was a small glass bottle, as small as a finger. Inside the transparent and angular bottle, a sparkling green liquid swirled.
Rosetta sat on the edge of her bed, examining the tiny bottle from different angles. The bottle and its contents, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, emitted a slightly ominous gleam.
Shwaa—
A rush of cold air swept into the room.
Thump.
And it was followed by the sound of a closing window.
It was a familiar process, and Rosetta lowered the hand holding the bottle and raised her head.
In her line of sight was Cassion, who had just entered the room with a sprinkling of snow on his shoulders. His hand, wiping his hair, moved leisurely.
Unknowingly, it had become a natural, familiar sight.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
Their exchanged greetings were brief, but the looks passing between them were filled with a peculiar desire.
As Cassion approached with unhurried steps, his gaze suddenly focused on the bottle in Rosetta’s hand, or more precisely, the potentially dangerous liquid within.
“What’s that?”
When Cassion inquired, Rosetta just shrugged and leaned back against the bed.
A playful smile played on her lips, signifying her intention to remain silent.
Her long fingers discreetly concealed the small bottle.
Cassion’s gaze remained fixed on the hand concealing the bottle.
She then raised a single extended index finger, which slowly blocked the front of her slowly smiling lips.
“Secret.”
The smile on her face was as dangerous as the green liquid that had been bubbling inside the bottle.
The man’s footsteps paused briefly.
He wanted to ask more, but he quickly shook his head, giving up.
This woman was always so secretive, but at the same time, she was always so trustworthy.
“…Ha, well. You always have your reasons.”
Rosetta blinked her eyes in response to his words.
Drrrk, tak.
Slowly, she extended her hand and hid the bottle in the bedside table drawer.
It might have been too conspicuous to say she was hiding it, but in any case…
“Why don’t you come closer? There aren’t many days left for you in this house…”
Wouldn’t every minute and every second be precious?
Cassion had to swallow hard in the face of such an overt temptation.
However, his eyes then blazed with fire, as red as they always did.
And soon, two red features touched and interlocked with each other.
* * *
“So, you’ve already delivered the item that Her Ladyship requested?”
“Yes. I asked Diana right after it was made since it was a bit tight for me to deliver it personally.”
That had happened about a week ago, so the item should have reached its owner by now.
“Hmm, I see.”
Blanca twirled an empty cigarette holder and tilted her head thoughtfully. Behind the veil, a subtle sense of curiosity surfaced.
‘What on earth is she going to do with something so dangerous…?’
Really. Was she planning on killing someone?
It was the poison that Rosetta specifically asked Logan to make. It was also a decisively lethal poison that could bring someone to the threshold of life and death with just a few drops.
Originally, Logan wouldn’t be assigned to make life-threatening poisons during deals, but…
Rosetta had specifically requested for him to make it and even made a personal request.
Blanca trusted Rosetta to use it wisely.
Still, it’s inevitable to be curious.
What was she planning to do with it?
When was she going to use it?
And, on whom?
However, Blanca soon dismissed her thoughts with a casual gesture.
It was amateurish to obsess over what the client didn’t explicitly reveal.
Besides, she had plenty of work to do right now.
She was the guildmaster of the secret guild and a businesswoman who led several establishments.
A cafe, a bookstore, a hotel.
Now was the peak season for everything.
Starting from the year-end, to the ‘coming-of-age celebration held in place of a New Year’s celebration in the empire. It was a highly profitable period for business owners.
So, here at the Larrington Hotel, preparations had to be rushed.
In a way, they might even be a bit late now, considering that next week was the last day of December.
“Ah, the statue over there, we’re going to replace it, so take it to the warehouse. Don’t forget to order the flowers in advance.”
Each time Blanca, her face hidden by a wide-brim hat and veil, gestured and shouted instructions, the employees busily moved, bowing deeply as they worked.
Behind her, Logan followed quietly, diligently jotting down notes.
He was recording everything Blanca said.
Occasionally, there were some stupid people who didn’t know how to do their jobs and claimed they hadn’t heard it, trying to avoid admitting their mistakes.
Logan’s job was to deal with those miscreants, checking that all the work must be done.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, evening had arrived without them noticing.
“Oh, I was almost late to my appointment.”
Blanca checked the time on a clock in the lobby and clicked her tongue.
“It’s still quite some time until the agreed-upon time.”
Logan added, but Blanca shook her head.
“Someone I’ve been so desperately courting is coming, I can’t receive them looking like this.”
This time, Logan shook his head as Blanca continued speaking in an exaggerated voice, as if she was an actress performing in a play.
“Oh my, how bland.”
With a brief mutter, Blanca turned her body and walked briskly.
After changing her clothes and tidying her hair, time had once again passed swiftly.
Blanca hurried through the secret passage to the fifth floor.
Logan silently followed behind her.
The fifth floor of the hotel.
This was the suite floor of the Larrington Hotel—the place where the most esteemed guests were received.
At the same time, it was also the place where she and the person she was meeting had their first encounter.
Creak.
Blanca opened the framed painting, which served as a door, and upon entering the room, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
The sight of the woman sitting comfortably on the sofa with her legs crossed brought back memories of their first meeting half a year ago.
In just that half of a year, so many things had changed.
But there was something remarkably consistent about her.
Rosetta, with her long, mysterious silvery hair cascading down, half-lidded golden eyes, and a half-smile, spoke as she gestured around.
“I always feel like I’m waiting here.”
Amidst all the changes, Blanca couldn’t help but be amused by the consistency of Rosetta’s demeanor.
In any case, she was truly an intriguing person.
* * *
Rosetta was not alone in the room. Beside her sat Cassion, and across from her was Diana.
The gazes of both pairs of eyes turned towards Blanca and Logan as Rosetta finished speaking.
Being the focus of their attention made the two of them feel the owner of the establishment had arrived late compared to the guests.
Well, that was true to some extent…
The appointed time was six o’clock, and now it was just one minute shy. Blanca gave the clock an obvious side glance.
“Time is gold, of course. I acknowledge that it’s wise to use it fully,” she said with a sly smile.
After her remark, Blanca took a seat on the couch, and Logan followed suit, occupying the empty space next to Diana.
Rosetta shrugged and leaned against the backrest.
“Well, I must be foolish then.”
Her gaze turned towards the bottle of liquor that Blanca had brought along.
“Oh, this? Shouldn’t there be some alcohol for a farewell party?”
As Blanca mentioned, today’s gathering was indeed a farewell party.
Whose farewell, you ask?
It was Maxwell’s.
Starting from today, Maxwell was returning to being Cassion.
Rosetta had informed her father and her brother a few days ago that she intended to grant Maxwell an extended leave.
They had agreed without any suspicion.
Well, no matter what Rosetta said, they would probably have granted it, but still.
Anyway.
Today’s outing was under the pretext of taking Maxwell out.
She had told them that they would stay overnight at the hotel and return tomorrow. There was no need to worry about them returning home.
Rosetta reached out and took a small glass in her hand. The ice cubes clinked as they slid into the glass.
“Thanks to this, I guess I can have a drink.”
Tomorrow, only Diana and Rosetta would return home. Cassion would stay here until the end of the year, when the coming-of-age celebration would arrive.
Except for staying at her side, this was the safest hiding place.
As Rosetta continued her thoughts, Blanca jingled the bottle and filled the empty glass with a smile.
Rosetta watched it silently for a moment and then spoke absentmindedly.
“Seeing alcohol at a farewell party… Have you held many farewell parties?”
“Well, have I held many? Oh, I guess I did drink quite a bit at my husband’s funeral. That was sort of like a farewell party, wasn’t it?”
“……”
Silence momentarily descended in an instant, perhaps due to the solemnity of the topic.
In that quiet moment and the slightly melancholic atmosphere, Rosetta shrugged again.
Ah, good grief.
This was why people needed to be careful with their words.
Suddenly, memories of the day when Rosetta first met Blanca and the awkwardness that followed after asking about her ring came to her mind.
‘It seems like maybe this place and I don’t quite mesh well.’
Rosetta was the first to empty her glass.
