Chapter 149: Diomedes’s Warning
With the old butler Oswald’s assistance, they quickly packed everything Yulia wanted to bring. This wasn’t just a trip to school; it was essentially a move. Before Oswald returned, Moriarty Manor was no longer safe. Therefore, at Eivass’s suggestion, Yulia brought along all her essential belongings.
However, unlike other young ladies of her status, Yulia didn’t pack an excessive amount of clothing or jewelry. The items that truly took up space were her toolkits and material cases. Eivass even advised her against bringing too many books, as the library at the Royal Law University was Avalon’s grandest. Even Professor Moriarty’s private collection couldn’t compare to the quality of the restricted section within the university’s library.
Yulia only brought a few highly specialized research books on alchemy and some study notes related to university-level knowledge. Fortunately, Yulia had meticulously organized her notes while studying. She easily found her self-study notes for university, covering her first three years. These notes, ten thick volumes stacked together, were taller than her calf.
To help Yulia with her “move,” Oswald accompanied her. After recovering her health, Yulia was visibly brimming with energy, or rather, restless excitement, much like a primary school student before a field trip. She chattered incessantly in the car. The difference was that Yulia’s chatter was quite substantial. She engaged Eivass in a discussion ranging from Extraordinary Profession and Ascension Ritual all the way to the Dream Realm, astrology, and tarot. She even regretted not bringing her telescope. Then, their conversation shifted to alchemy, the elixir of life, and plant breeding, before touching upon Avalon’s land policies and economic taxation. Only someone as learned as Eivass could keep up with Yulia’s topics.
She possessed almost no social experience; all her knowledge came from books and newspapers. But she had read extensively and had an excellent memory, making her almost like a search engine. Yulia could even recall the exact day Eivass first appeared in the newspaper and the content of that article. Eivass himself had forgotten what the report was about. He had mostly bluffed his way through that encounter, never expecting to be stopped by a reporter from the Glass Steps Herald.
The girl’s charm brought a rare smile to the old butler’s face, as ancient and weathered as an old tree. To pick up Eivass’s wheelchair, they first headed to the Inspection Department in the Red Queen District, which was close to the Royal Law University, on the same street. The wheelchair was delivered directly to Edward’s office. Eivass and Yulia waited in the car, chatting, while Lily accompanied Oswald to the Inspection Department.
This was Lily’s first time inside the Inspection Department. She had previously visited the Inspection Bureau in the White Queen District to retrieve a Grimoire. It had been late, but the bureau was still bustling. Supervisors in half-plate armor moved about, and people frequently went to the gryphon landing pad behind the bureau to depart on gryphons. Others pored over stacks of documents, calculating something, or called out to colleagues from afar to discuss matters Lily couldn’t comprehend. Before that visit, Lily’s impression of the Inspection Bureau was that they were “responsible for arresting people.” But then, she finally realized they were also responsible for tax collection, and tax issues seemed even more complicated than security matters. The Inspection Bureau gave the impression of being busy, with almost everyone either frowning deeply or looking stern faced. At the time, Lily had even worried about getting in someone’s way, constantly sticking to the sides. She looked so wronged, not at all like someone receiving an award, but more like a prisoner arrested by Haina, the Supervisor.
The atmosphere in the Inspection Department, however, was completely different. It generally gave off a feeling of “chilling gloom.” It was only half-past three in the afternoon, well before closing time, yet the spacious hallway was deserted. The floor, as clean as a mirror, reflected the shadows of the old butler and Lily, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. There was a faint sense of unease.
“…Mr. Oswald,” Lily said in a low voice, “Why is no one here? Aren’t they working?”
“If the Inspection Department were as busy as the Inspection Bureau, something serious would have happened,” the old butler replied calmly, hands behind his back and without looking back. “The Inspection Department’s work is to investigate the loyalty of knights and officials, whether they have moral failings, accepted bribes, or betrayed the Queen. It also involves monitoring spies from other countries… and infiltrating other countries to become spies. There are so many rooms here, and each might be conducting an investigation or interrogation, or be completely empty. For those merchants, an increase or decrease in the number of officials being investigated can become intelligence for their stock trading. The very fact of ‘whether someone is currently being investigated’ is a secret. For this reason, soundproofing runes are installed in all the rooms of the Inspection Department, so that when the doors are closed, you can only hear sounds by knocking.”
The old butler noticed that Eivass valued Lily greatly and was thus trying to impart some experience to her. Coincidentally, he was quite fond of this sensible and motivated human girl… at least, much more so than Haina. He stopped and pointed to a door. “This is Young Master Edward’s office. Do you remember?”
“I remember,” Lily replied with a nod. “I can come here to find Young Master Edward.”
“Yes,” Oswald replied simply. He knocked on the door, and the sounds within immediately became clear, as if a blocked ear had suddenly cleared. Lily clearly heard the sounds inside pause. It seemed there was more than one person present.
“Is there something urgent?” Edward’s indifferent voice inquired. “I’m handling some matters. There’s a chair by the door.” This implied that if it wasn’t urgent, he should wait outside.
“It’s me, Young Master Edward,” Oswald’s voice announced. A moment later, Edward opened the door. He looked quite serious, but his expression relaxed slightly upon seeing Oswald.
“Are you here to retrieve the wheelchair, Mr. Oswald?” Edward asked. Oswald nodded and looked into the room. In addition to Edward, there were two other people in his office. One was a mature and captivating red-haired woman in her thirties. The other was an elderly elf with a rare square-shaped face.
“I had some good news to share with you, but since you have guests, it’s not convenient,” Oswald said slowly. “Please remember to return home tonight.”
“I’ll try my best,” Edward nodded. He turned to the woman and instructed, “Go ahead and do it, Madame Red.”
“You always give me these thankless tasks, my dear Chief Inspector… There are no good people in the Lloyd Society,” Madame Red grumbled but didn’t refuse. “Fine, who told me to be a hard worker? But if I disappear mysteriously on the way back, you’d better remember me next year.”
“I remember you every year. Go ahead,” Edward said ruthlessly. As she brushed past Lily, Lily felt time seem to slow down. Her senses became acutely sharp, and she felt as though she had seen this person somewhere before.
…Red? Could it be… Lily thought of the lady from the Path of Love at the Ascension Ritual. Although Lily hadn’t met her during the ritual itself, she had listened to her and others converse for over an hour while waiting, disguised as a “grey robed person.” While her voice had changed slightly, the low, languid tone left a deep impression on Lily. As Lily looked at Madame Red, Madame Red simultaneously perceived Lily’s gaze. She paid it no mind, offering Lily a friendly smile.
This elderly elf… Lily also felt she had seen him somewhere before.
“Long time no see, Diomedes,” Oswald was the first to speak, offering a greeting.
“It has indeed been a long time,” the old elf, addressed as Diomedes, nodded to Oswald, a rare smile gracing his lips. “We haven’t seen each other in almost thirty years, have we?”
“Indeed. The last time we met was before the master adopted Young Master Edward, wasn’t it?” Oswald said with a touch of nostalgia. He smiled. “I’m planning a trip back to the Church. Is there anything you need me to relay, or any specialty I can bring back for you?”
“Can you leave your two charges behind?” Diomedes asked, raising an eyebrow. Edward looked over upon hearing this, frowning slightly with a worried expression. The old butler shook his head slightly at Edward, signaling that they would discuss it at home.
“If there’s anything, bring some Rose Gold Brew,” Diomedes chuckled. “I’m a bit homesick for the wine from my homeland.”
“It seems you have nothing else you need me to bring, old man. Just quietly die in a foreign land,” Oswald laughed. “I’m planning to see His Majesty the Pope.”
The elf with the square face retorted, “You too, old dying man… Just don’t talk badly about me.”
Even by human standards, these two looked at least seventy or eighty years old. In terms of elven lifespan, they had likely lived for four to five hundred years. Without using any Path Power for life extension, even elves, as a long-lived race, typically lived for five hundred years. Any longer lifespan would be considered a favorite of Amber.
Oswald then introduced Lily. “This is Diomedes, the guardian of the Dross Family. He and I are old friends. Before we were assigned to Avalon, we were part of the same contingent of Pope’s Guards. He’s the one who introduced you to the Moriarty Family.”
“…Ah, I still remember this young lady,” Diomedes said, his expression becoming somewhat serious upon seeing Lily. “We met about a decade ago.”
“Thank you, Mr. Diomedes,” Lily said with a sincere bow of gratitude. So, this was her benefactor! Without this old elf, it would have been difficult for her to enter the Moriarty Family and she would not have met Eivass again.
However, Diomedes’s expression towards Lily was complex. He remained silent for a long time, as if wanting to say something but hestitating. He merely sighed and said in a low voice, “Be careful during this period, child.” Hearing this, Oswald narrowed his eyes and gently patted Lily’s shoulder.
“I understand, old man,” the old butler said, narrowing his eyes.
