A brown-haired girl in a yellow dress? Ah...
At Leroys question, the sales clerk seemed to think of something, her expression suggesting recognition.
The clerk, who had been glancing around, intently looked at the girl standing behind Leroy for a moment.
She seemed taken aback, perhaps by the sight of Leroys unkempt-looking companions who clearly did not match him.
The clerk quickly brought a smile to her face and said,
I did see a little girl who looked similar earlier. Whats the matter?
I want to know when she came here, and when she left, and where she went.
Well, I cant say for certain. Would you mind waiting inside? I can call the staff member who attended to her.
Leroy didnt want to waste time, but he had to admit he had no other leads.
Reluctantly, he followed the employee into the reception room.
Sitting beside him, the girl seemed completely at ease. Leroy felt a slight sense of unease.
Even though he deliberately ignored her and kept moving, her undeterred spirit was evident.
He began to worry if she would continue to follow him even when he returned to the mansion.
It was a time when Leroy was troubled by two girls, his fiance, and this sudden attachment.
Soon, another clerk who served refreshments took a discreet glance at Leroys group, not including his usual companions, and asked,
Whats your relationship with the young lady who came with you?
We have no relationship.
Oh my.
Upon Leroys honest response, the clerk looked surprised.
However, she quickly took it as a joke and naturally began her sales pitch.
Hmm, while youre waiting, would the young lady like to try something on?
Leroy, about to refuse outright, hesitated for a moment.
Could it be that she wanted to sell something in exchange for information?
In this place filled entirely with womens dresses, he couldnt buy anything for himself, so he thought he might have to loosen his purse strings for the girl.
Being the child of a wealthy family, money was not an issue for him.
...Please prepare a few suitable outfits. Ill buy them.
Considering the girls background and her active nature, Leroy pondered for a moment and then added,
Preferably, something comfortable for her to move in.
Understood.
The clerk responded with a gentle smile. The woman closely examined the girls appearance for a moment, and soon with a kind demeanor, knelt down in front of her.
She looked the girl in the eye and suggested,
To try on the clothes, you might need to... um... freshen up a bit first. Young lady, would you come with me?
The girl, seemingly shy, did not respond to the womans words. Instead, she looked back at Leroy, as if seeking his permission.
Leroy gave a brief nod.
Go on.
To where?
Instead of replying to the girl, Leroy turned his attention to the clerk.
Conversations were meaningful when held with someone you could communicate with.
Please take her.
With the permission granted by Leroy, the clerk promptly reached out and took the girl into her arms.
He had been worried about the girl showing aggression as she did earlier, but to his surprise, she willingly went with the woman.
However, as they moved further away, her eyes remained fixed on Leroy.
Because of this, Leroy felt an odd sense of guilt, as if he had pawned the girl off.
Ive fed her, clothed her, and even thought of getting her cleaned up. What more should I be concerned about?
With these thoughts, Leroy tried to smile.
After the girl and the clerk left, it wasnt long before another employee appeared in the reception room.
He introduced himself, saying he had attended to Viviana and enthusiastically recounted their conversation in a genial manner.
Ah, you mean the young lady with brown hair in a yellow dress? Yes, I clearly remember attending to her. She looked quite young and came alone, which made her memorable.
How long did she stay here?
Well, not very long from what I recall. She tried on a few outfits, but she seemed unsatisfied and left with a displeased expression.
So, she didnt buy anything?
When Leroy asked as if he found it strange, the employee glanced at him for cues, and then seemed to ponder deeply.
Hmm, lets see... I was attending to another customer and might have missed some details in between.
His memory seemed unreliable at best.
Above all, Leroy doubted whether the young lady the man mentioned was really Viviana.
Viviana had a penchant for dresses and jewelry, and she shamelessly spent others money as if it were her own.
In other words, even if she didnt like the clothes, it was highly likely that she would have bought plenty under the name of the Dukes family.
After a brief contemplation, Leroy nodded and said,
...Understood. The friend I came with decided to try on a few outfits. Please prepare the bill for those first. I need to get going.
Arent you leaving with your companion?
She wasnt exactly my companion to begin with.
Oh.
To Leroys response, the clerk smiled with an oddly satisfied expression. He politely asked Leroy to wait a moment before promptly exiting the reception room.
Just when he thought he had found a clue, Leroy felt like he was back to square one.
Overwhelmed by sudden fatigue, Leroy sighed and approached the window.
He was trying to gauge where he might have to search for Viviana next.
However, he froze as he looked out.
To his disbelief, he saw the very girl who shouldve been changing clothes in the next room being dragged away by a suspicious-looking man.
Leroy slowly closed his eyes and reopened them.
Perhaps due to his exhaustion, he had mistaken what he saw.
Or, by sheer coincidence, a girl resembling the one he was looking for happened to be passing by.
After all, why would the girl, who had just held the clerks hand and disappeared, suddenly be taken away by a stranger?
Shit.
Feeling the urgency, Leroy, cursing under his breath, immediately kicked open the reception room door.
The face of the man who seemed particularly pleased with the idea of leaving the girl behind flashed in his mind.
Though unsure of the situation, Leroy knew he had to intervene in this daylight child abduction.
Otherwise, he had an eerie and very real hunch that the last glimpse of the girls red eyes would haunt his nights indefinitely.
***
Heuser Groth was a former mercenary.
From the age of fifteen to the verge of middle age, wherever brute strength was needed, he roamed and earned his keep.
Thanks to his aptitude with the blade, he always got good pay. But one day, yearning to settle down, he realized he hardly had any money left in his pockets.
Like many mercenaries, hed squandered his fortune on alcohol, women, and gambling, letting his earnings trickle away as if they were soaked by a light drizzle.
In a bout of lifes disillusionment and another drink, Heuser received a suspicious offer from an acquaintance.
The pay is good, but the jobs not so nice. Its a long-term commitment. You in?
If the pays good, its a good job. Dont joke around.
Chortling, he readily accepted, thinking it would be similar to the jobs hed done before.
That was, accepting someones commission to fight, torture, or perhaps keep an eye on someone.
But once he started, the job was genuinely distasteful.
There was no guilt when he brandished his sword against burly, hairy men.
Both sides were in similar predicaments, getting paid for their work, and given the nature of their profession, always being ready for the threat of death. So he never lost sleep over taking someone down.
But what about a job that wasnt about killing, but rather nurturing?
Heusers assignment was a little girl, still with the downy fuzz of infancy.
She seemed to be just learning to walk, yet he was to teach her to wield a sword. It was an absurd request.
Moreover, the client locked him and the girl in a dimly lit building on the outskirts of the city, insisting that the child should never be allowed outside.
Feeling overwhelmingly uneasy, he yearned to back out, but it was a futile wish.
Heuser had taken an oath of secrecy, staking his life. If he abandoned the job on a whim, hed pay the same price.
So, he resigned himself to dedicate his life to this daunting task, albeit reluctantly.
A brown-haired girl in a yellow dress? Ah...
At Leroys question, the sales clerk seemed to think of something, her expression suggesting recognition.
The clerk, who had been glancing around, intently looked at the girl standing behind Leroy for a moment.
She seemed taken aback, perhaps by the sight of Leroys unkempt-looking companions who clearly did not match him.
The clerk quickly brought a smile to her face and said,
I did see a little girl who looked similar earlier. Whats the matter?
I want to know when she came here, and when she left, and where she went.
Well, I cant say for certain. Would you mind waiting inside? I can call the staff member who attended to her.
Leroy didnt want to waste time, but he had to admit he had no other leads.
Reluctantly, he followed the employee into the reception room.
Sitting beside him, the girl seemed completely at ease. Leroy felt a slight sense of unease.
Even though he deliberately ignored her and kept moving, her undeterred spirit was evident.
He began to worry if she would continue to follow him even when he returned to the mansion.
It was a time when Leroy was troubled by two girls, his fiance, and this sudden attachment.
Soon, another clerk who served refreshments took a discreet glance at Leroys group, not including his usual companions, and asked,
Whats your relationship with the young lady who came with you?
We have no relationship.
Oh my.
Upon Leroys honest response, the clerk looked surprised.
However, she quickly took it as a joke and naturally began her sales pitch.
Hmm, while youre waiting, would the young lady like to try something on?
Leroy, about to refuse outright, hesitated for a moment.
Could it be that she wanted to sell something in exchange for information?
In this place filled entirely with womens dresses, he couldnt buy anything for himself, so he thought he might have to loosen his purse strings for the girl.
Being the child of a wealthy family, money was not an issue for him.
...Please prepare a few suitable outfits. Ill buy them.
Considering the girls background and her active nature, Leroy pondered for a moment and then added,
Preferably, something comfortable for her to move in.
Understood.
The clerk responded with a gentle smile. The woman closely examined the girls appearance for a moment, and soon with a kind demeanor, knelt down in front of her.
She looked the girl in the eye and suggested,
To try on the clothes, you might need to... um... freshen up a bit first. Young lady, would you come with me?
The girl, seemingly shy, did not respond to the womans words. Instead, she looked back at Leroy, as if seeking his permission.
Leroy gave a brief nod.
Go on.
To where?
Instead of replying to the girl, Leroy turned his attention to the clerk.
Conversations were meaningful when held with someone you could communicate with.
Please take her.
With the permission granted by Leroy, the clerk promptly reached out and took the girl into her arms.
He had been worried about the girl showing aggression as she did earlier, but to his surprise, she willingly went with the woman.
However, as they moved further away, her eyes remained fixed on Leroy.
Because of this, Leroy felt an odd sense of guilt, as if he had pawned the girl off.
Ive fed her, clothed her, and even thought of getting her cleaned up. What more should I be concerned about?
With these thoughts, Leroy tried to smile.
After the girl and the clerk left, it wasnt long before another employee appeared in the reception room.
He introduced himself, saying he had attended to Viviana and enthusiastically recounted their conversation in a genial manner.
Ah, you mean the young lady with brown hair in a yellow dress? Yes, I clearly remember attending to her. She looked quite young and came alone, which made her memorable.
How long did she stay here?
Well, not very long from what I recall. She tried on a few outfits, but she seemed unsatisfied and left with a displeased expression.
So, she didnt buy anything?
When Leroy asked as if he found it strange, the employee glanced at him for cues, and then seemed to ponder deeply.
Hmm, lets see... I was attending to another customer and might have missed some details in between.
His memory seemed unreliable at best.
Above all, Leroy doubted whether the young lady the man mentioned was really Viviana.
Viviana had a penchant for dresses and jewelry, and she shamelessly spent others money as if it were her own.
In other words, even if she didnt like the clothes, it was highly likely that she would have bought plenty under the name of the Dukes family.
After a brief contemplation, Leroy nodded and said,
...Understood. The friend I came with decided to try on a few outfits. Please prepare the bill for those first. I need to get going.
Arent you leaving with your companion?
She wasnt exactly my companion to begin with.
Oh.
To Leroys response, the clerk smiled with an oddly satisfied expression. He politely asked Leroy to wait a moment before promptly exiting the reception room.
Just when he thought he had found a clue, Leroy felt like he was back to square one.
Overwhelmed by sudden fatigue, Leroy sighed and approached the window.
He was trying to gauge where he might have to search for Viviana next.
However, he froze as he looked out.
To his disbelief, he saw the very girl who shouldve been changing clothes in the next room being dragged away by a suspicious-looking man.
Leroy slowly closed his eyes and reopened them.
Perhaps due to his exhaustion, he had mistaken what he saw.
Or, by sheer coincidence, a girl resembling the one he was looking for happened to be passing by.
After all, why would the girl, who had just held the clerks hand and disappeared, suddenly be taken away by a stranger?
Shit.
Feeling the urgency, Leroy, cursing under his breath, immediately kicked open the reception room door.
The face of the man who seemed particularly pleased with the idea of leaving the girl behind flashed in his mind.
Though unsure of the situation, Leroy knew he had to intervene in this daylight child abduction.
Otherwise, he had an eerie and very real hunch that the last glimpse of the girls red eyes would haunt his nights indefinitely.
***
Heuser Groth was a former mercenary.
From the age of fifteen to the verge of middle age, wherever brute strength was needed, he roamed and earned his keep.
Thanks to his aptitude with the blade, he always got good pay. But one day, yearning to settle down, he realized he hardly had any money left in his pockets.
Like many mercenaries, hed squandered his fortune on alcohol, women, and gambling, letting his earnings trickle away as if they were soaked by a light drizzle.
In a bout of lifes disillusionment and another drink, Heuser received a suspicious offer from an acquaintance.
The pay is good, but the jobs not so nice. Its a long-term commitment. You in?
If the pays good, its a good job. Dont joke around.
Chortling, he readily accepted, thinking it would be similar to the jobs hed done before.
That was, accepting someones commission to fight, torture, or perhaps keep an eye on someone.
But once he started, the job was genuinely distasteful.
There was no guilt when he brandished his sword against burly, hairy men.
Both sides were in similar predicaments, getting paid for their work, and given the nature of their profession, always being ready for the threat of death. So he never lost sleep over taking someone down.
But what about a job that wasnt about killing, but rather nurturing?
Heusers assignment was a little girl, still with the downy fuzz of infancy.
She seemed to be just learning to walk, yet he was to teach her to wield a sword. It was an absurd request.
Moreover, the client locked him and the girl in a dimly lit building on the outskirts of the city, insisting that the child should never be allowed outside.
Feeling overwhelmingly uneasy, he yearned to back out, but it was a futile wish.
Heuser had taken an oath of secrecy, staking his life. If he abandoned the job on a whim, hed pay the same price.
So, he resigned himself to dedicate his life to this daunting task, albeit reluctantly.
