Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 24
“What was the matter?”
“Excuse me?” the guard blurted out, dumbfounded by Calskronin’s question.
“The lady who came here,” said master Calskronin. “I inquired about what was concerning her.”
The guard scratched his forehead, looking puzzled. Did he mention the visitor was a lady? He felt uncertain—maybe he did, maybe he didn’t.
Recollecting their words, the guard responded, “I’m not entirely sure. She was insistent on seeing you.”
The guard trailed off, embarrassed by what he was saying. Their eyes, slightly teary, added a touch of vulnerability to their already awkward voice. He was so distracted by her that he missed some basic things he should have checked. How pathetic did he seem to young master Calskronin at this moment? Despite the reproachful tone of master Calskronin, appearing cold and arrogant as if ignoring others, the guard really had no excuses.
However, the guard was surprised when he received an expected command.
“Please escort the lady to the guest room.”
“Huh, to the guest room?” the guard echoed, still taken aback.
Without a response, the master Calskronin turned his attention back to the ledger. Since he didn’t deny it, it was clear that he had heard correctly.
Having worried about speaking out of turn, the guard finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, sir.”
“Also, don’t forget the documents related to Trinity.”
The guard bowed deeply and answered aloud, “Understood.”
Upon hearing the response, the young master Calskronin closed the ledger and strode towards the guest room. The guard, watching his retreating figure, finally moved to carry out the command. However, they were stopped once again by Ortebaek.
“Captain, what’s wrong? I should hurry and fulfill the young master’s orders.”
Ortebaek glanced down the corridor where Kaiden had disappeared. “Is the lady pretty?” he asked.
The guard looked down the hallway as well and nodded.
“Yes, she is.” His cheeks flushed as he recalled what he’d seen. He murmured dreamily, “I’ve never seen such a beautiful lady before. Her skin is fair like snow, her eyes shine like jewels, and her hair is as radiant as sunlight. She’s simply radiant. Just looking at her is dazzling.”
While listening intently to the guard’s words, Ortebaek stroked his mustache. After a moment of contemplation, he whispered softly into the security guard’s ear, “Let’s treat her respectfully. Prepare some tea as well.”
This was the same Captain of the Guard who, until just a moment ago, had ordered her to be turned away. To confirm if the guard correctly understood the instructions, he asked hesitantly, “Tea?”
“Use the tea leaves in the right drawer of my desk. They are expensive tea leaves imported from Hicalerion.”
Though the guard felt flustered, he nodded. “Yes. Understood.”
“Oh, and I want you to get a cake from Madeleine’s bakery across the street from the headquarters to go with it.”
At the specific instructions, the guard scratched his head. “What about the Trinity documents?”
Ortebaek caught another passing guard who had a mountain of papers in his arms.
“Prepare the Trinity documents and deliver them to the young master,” ordered Ortebaek.
Although the guard carrying a pile of documents appeared tense, he promptly replied, “Yes, Captain.”
With a light gesture from Ortebaek, the instructed guards swiftly moved away.
After they left, Ortebaek approached the detention area. The thugs, cowering in fear, buried their heads between their knees.
Tapping the bars lightly with his hand, he warned, “Don’t cause any trouble. Just wait, and we’ll soon have Trinity in custody too.”
The thugs raised their heads abruptly.
“Oh!”
Shock and fear were evident in their eyes.
“Boss, you can’t do this to us.”
“That’s a death sentence.”
The delinquents sprang towards the iron bars like popping beans, hanging onto the metal grates. They pressed their faces against them in desperation.
One of them stretched an arm through the narrow gap in the bars, shaking it vigorously towards Ortebaek. “I’ll tell you everything—even where Cassel is.”
“We all did it because he told us to. Please don’t put Trinity in here.”
Ortebaek turned away from their pleas. He stroked his well-groomed brown mustache and muttered, “A pretty young lady, huh? Should I inform His Excellency, Duke Calskronin?”
After a moment’s consideration, Ortebaek tapped his foot quickly, as if deciding on something. Amidst the already bustling activity in the headquarters, things just seemed to have gotten even more exciting.
