After lunch with Lady Beatrice, I was offered a seat beside her.
It wouldn't have been an issue if it were only Lady Beatrice, but she was accompanied by other nobles, her friends from lesser noble houses traveling together.
If they started talking, I had no way to join their conversation. I was just a poor girl, or rather, not even truly a girl.
I would have been seen as arrogant or rude if I didn't make an effort, so I did what little I could.
A lady in a white dress, her hat adorned with a white feather, her stark white hair framing porcelain skin, and piercing blue eyes, spoke, "The House of Fesca has renounced their youngest daughter. I heard she was involved in an inappropriate relationship with the knight of the Dacus House."
Another lady, with brunette hair and lime-colored eyes that hinted at youthful curiosity, leaned in, intrigued, and asked for more details.
She continued, "Knight has also been expelled from the house. Both he and his partner were asked to cut ties with their respective houses."
"So harsh... Who discovered them?" the brunette lady asked.
"It was the maid. She caught them in the act," she chuckled. "They were doing it in the stable."
Laughter and giggles echoed through the room as I silently cursed inwardly. How was I supposed to contribute to that? It's considered a crime to badmouth a noble.
Lady Beatrice would sometimes add her own spicy stories. I was the only one left, and I didn't have any.
I wanted to shrink away at that moment, but then Lady Beatrice turned to me, her melodious voice ringing in my ears once again.
"Do you have any exciting stories too?"
It wasn't mockery, just pure curiosity from someone who wanted to know the other side, one they were ignorant of.
I hesitated, glancing around at their piercing gazes, and, giving in to the pressure, I spoke.
"There's a story about an apple said to be poisonous. Once a betrayed prince ate it, but instead he was given another chance, he was reborn as a farmer's son and lived a quiet life and happy life..."
That was the tale etched on the walls of Damien's manor.
"Why would he eat a poisonous apple?" one of the ladies asked.
"He wanted to die. He wanted to give up." I spoke softly.
"Sounds like a sore loser," the stark white haired lady interjected.
I shook my head, indicating she wasn't entirely wrong.
Just then, Lady Beatrice's voice resonated, "So, by giving up, he was able to attain his desired life?"
"Something like that," I said timidly. I didn't really know the story's true objective or what it was trying to tell me. I just grasped what I could from Damien's memory.
"Interesting..." she murmured, her lips pursed.
The brunette lady began sharing her stories, and luckily now, I was no longer the center of attention.
The conversation carried on for hours. Tea was served in the meantime, accompanied by an array of snacks. I quietly munched on them and drank as much sweet tea as I could without appearing gluttonous.
The train was scheduled to reach the next town in about an hour. It would still be night, so I planned to hire a carriage to a cheap hotel, and the next day, I would send a telegram to Ash, he needed his closure.
The train pulled into the station, and the guards handed me my luggage. It wasn't heavy and didn't contain much, so I decided to carry it myself.
The steam from the locomotive filled the station with smoke, blending with the thick night fog. The river, running close to the station, added to the dense mist that enveloped everything at night.
As I stepped into the station, the fog blocked my vision. Barely able to see ahead, I stopped midway. Just then, the guards with lanterns emerged, moving in a straight line and lighting the way.
Now able to see, I stepped off the train. Lady Beatrice and her friends disembarked a while later. Meanwhile, the guards were conducting a security check with those already stationed there.
The security seemed tight, and everything appeared fine. I tried to bid farewell to everyone, including the attendant and the guards, but I only managed to say goodbye to Lady Beatrice and her friends. The attendant and the guards were too busy, so I decided not to disturb them.
Just as I was about to leave the station, Lady Beatrice called out to me from behind, her sweet and melodious voice echoing.
I turned around and waited as she approached. Standing right before me, she asked, "Do you want to work for me?"
HUH? I was baffled. Why would she want me to work for her? I couldn't figure out how things had led to this. Maybe she felt guilty for firing a bullet that narrowly missed me.
Before I could respond, she continued, "You don't have a job, right? So why not work for me?"
Didn't wanted to upset a noble. so, I quickly replied, "Yes, I would, but I have something to do right now. Can I contact you later?"
She seemed pleased with my response; obviously, I don't want to turn down such an offer.
She smiled and nodded. "You know the Joyous Hotel, right? I'll be there. Check in with Marie; she'll help you."
She paused before adding, "Marie is my attendant."
She might be a bit slow, I thought, but this was a life-changing opportunity. I could earn money and gain safety. Nobody would dare harm me directly if I were under a noble house; they'd need permission even to speak to me.
Completing my mission suddenly didn't seem so hard.
The only issue was how to retrieve the scroll if Jackie got caught. But that's something I'd let Mr. Meagirous decide when I meet him.
After discussing the type of job she was offering and her open schedule, I headed to a cheap motel. I booked it because of its close proximity to the Telegram office and its affordable price.
I just needed to get through the night, so I didn't care much about the motel's condition.
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the motel. A dusty, cheap sign read "Hubert Harris Motel."