The Backlund Department Store was one of the largest in the entire Loen Kingdom. Two floors of this establishment were not open to the general public, reserved exclusively for nobles and the wealthy.
After all, no matter how noble the aristocrats or how rich the tycoons, everyone had shopping needs...
On Sunday afternoon, Audrey Hall had invited several close friends to visit the department store.
When they bid farewell and Audrey returned to her carriage with her maid, Annie, and her dog Susie... the golden retriever suddenly grew uneasy.
This couldn't be blamed on Susie's slow reaction, however, since the faint scent of perfume lingering in the carriage had somewhat dulled her keen sense of smell. When she first boarded, she hadn't noticed anything unusual. Only after lying down on the carpet did she detect a strange scent in the carriage.
Audrey immediately noticed Susie's unease and asked, "Susie, what's wrong?"
"Woof!"
Audrey also observed that several small areas of the carpet were slightly wrinkled, something that hadn't been there when they had left the carriage earlier.
With a composed smile, Audrey said, "Annie, I've decided to go back and buy that mirror we saw earlier. Let's go take another look."
Just as she was about to rise and exit the carriage, the hidden panel beneath them abruptly opened, and Odis rolled out, swiftly drawing his gun and pointing it at the two humans and the dog before him.
Facing him was indeed the golden-haired, emerald-eyed, extraordinarily beautiful and elegantly poised 'Miss Justice' herself.
Internally, he marveled: 'She really is stunning beyond measure...'
Annie gasped, about to scream, but Odis aimed the gun at her and commanded, "Don't make a sound."
Then he glanced at Susie, saying, "You either."
Susie looked at the revolver and obediently nodded repeatedly, as if she might even raise her paws in surrender.
"I have no intention of harming you. I'm merely evading... an opponent," Odis said with a faint smile.
Yes, Chipman could indeed be called a worthy opponent.
Outside, clamoring voices grew louder. It seemed Chipman and his men were searching carriage by carriage.
Odis slowly slid onto the carpet, keeping his gun trained on the trio.
Annie was trembling with fear, and Susie shivered uncontrollably. Only Audrey remained composed, even smiling as she studied the intruder.
As a 'Telepathist', she had already sensed that Odis bore no ill intent. Moreover, she was deeply intrigued by his motives and the opponent he was fleeing from.
This noble lady, who had always fantasized about grand adventures, was experiencing something thrilling for the first time.
Someone outside shouted, "This is the Earl's carriage! How dare you search it?"
Chipman and his men indeed hesitated. The organization he belonged to was established by the aristocracy. Their very purpose was to serve and entertain nobles.
Besides, in Backlund, even Beyonders dared not provoke the nobility lightly...
The carriage slowly pulled away from the department store's parking area, with Chipman's group only able to watch from a distance.
It was only then that Annie seemed to snap out of her daze. She considered lunging for the door, willing to take a bullet if it meant alerting the guards outside that their mistress was in danger.
But Audrey stopped her with a firm grip, saying, "Don't act rashly, Annie."
She knew that if Annie truly tried to escape, the situation would escalate disastrously.
Odis rose slowly and settled into the seat opposite them, "Your mistress is quite right. You'd be unconscious before your hand even touched the door."
Annie took a deep breath, then grumbled, "Jessie must have been slacking off again, failing to notice someone sneaking into the carriage. And those department store guards, how could they miss this?"
Jessie was the carriage's coachman.
Audrey thought to herself: 'Because the man before us is a Beyonder. You can't expect ordinary people to detect a Beyonder's movements.'
Odis joked, "I can turn invisible. They couldn't see me." Then he added, "There's no need to panic. Once we're a few streets away, I'll leave."
Curious, Audrey asked, "Why are they after you?"
"They want me to join their organization," Odis answered truthfully, "But I refused."
Audrey seemed to understand, "A secret organization?"
"Not particularly secret," Odis replied, "If you use your family's connections to inquire about Unit 155 King's Avenue, you'll learn about them."
Audrey recalled that Unit 155 King's Avenue was a fighting arena. Her brother, Alfred, who was currently in the Southern Continent, had once attended matches there.
She pressed further, "They even threatened you with weapons?"
Odis glanced down at his chest, where the damage from Eden's knives was visible, and smiled, "Sharp observation."
Though the knight's attire had blocked the blades, there were still signs of wear.
Audrey found his tone, gaze, and demeanor oddly familiar. She'd felt this way since the beginning. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't place where she might have encountered someone like him before.
Taking a deep breath, Audrey seized this 'Extraordinary encounter' to ask another question, "Why are you wearing a mask?"
Odis smiled, "To protect you."
Audrey immediately understood and nodded slowly.
Annie, however, was confused, "Protect us?"
"Indeed," Odis said, "In situations like this, it means I don't have to silence you permanently."
Annie gasped, then blurted, "Do you know who this is? This is the Hou–"
"That's enough, Annie!" Audrey cut her off sharply. She knew that invoking her father's name wouldn't intimidate this intruder. Annie's outburst would only reveal more than necessary.
Odis praised again, "Truly a calm and rational young lady." He paused, then added, "If I'm not mistaken, the crest on this carriage belongs to the Hall family."
Odis didn't actually recognize noble crests, but he did know Audrey's father was Earl Hall.
With a smile, he continued, "I've long heard that Earl Hall's daughter is exceptionally beautiful, hailed as 'the most dazzling gem of Backlund'. Seeing you today, I realize such praise is an understatement."
"Thank you," Audrey replied gracefully, "I won't tell anyone about your presence here. But in return, may I know your name?"
"Lelouch." It was a fabricated identity anyway. If nobles came looking for trouble, he could simply discard this persona.
"Very well, Mr. Lelouch," Audrey said with a smile.
Odis then turned to Annie, who quickly added, "I won't tell anyone either."
"I believe you," Odis said lightly, "But if any nobles come after me because of this, I'll slip into the Earl's mansion unnoticed and take your ears and nose while you sleep."
He stood and said, "Goodbye, ladies."
With that, Odis holstered his gun and leaped out of the carriage.
Audrey hurried to the window and watched as 'Mr. Lelouch' swiftly entered a church bearing the 'Sacred Emblem of Steam and Machinery'...