Chapter 23

"......"

Riko, who had been skeptical, slowly extended her hand and slightly opened the entrance of the bundle.

Inside, a blue powder was immediately visible.

Strangely, it was self-luminous and had a peculiar appearance...

Salvashion.

It is also known as the fairy's tears, a universal antidote.

"What is this?"

Riko's voice sharpened as she immediately recognized it.

"This is what you need, right!"

In the original story, it was something that Riko's father would give her only after learning of her dire situation a few years later...

It was the only way to heal her poor little sister.

"......"

Tension filled the air.

Riko burst into a sharp laugh.

"You've only ever stepped on others' toes, but this is the first time someone has stepped on mine."

"......"

"What's your intention? How did you find out about my background? Answer me."

"Oh, Dad, you don't know anything...?"

Riko's sudden change in attitude made me fear.

He then took something out from inside his clothes.

It was a dagger.

"Ah!"

I quickly crouched in the corner of the sofa.

"Let's talk! Talk! I'll handle Cheshire myself, so you don't have to help me if you don't want to..."

"......"

However, Riko, contrary to my thoughts, took off the glove she was wearing and made a long cut on her palm with the dagger.

Then she took a handful of Salvashion.

"Huh."

The moment the blue powder adhered to the thick blood that flowed, the wound healed instantly.

Riko stiffened.

'Aha. You were trying to see if I brought a fake, weren't you?'

So suspicious.

I cautiously said,

"Take it. It's all Riko's..."

"......"

"Ahem. Then I'll be on my way."

"Do you know what this is and tried to steal it?"

"Me?"

"It's monopolized by the royal family. Even if you had a fortune, you couldn't get it. Your family might receive it as a special favor, but if it leaks out carelessly, you won't be able to avoid punishment."

Well, it's all common knowledge.

I pretended to be surprised and said,

"Really? Then, as long as Riko is careful not to get caught, it should be fine, right?"

"......"

"Then, I'll really be on my way."

"Wait."

At that moment, Riko suddenly raised her hand and took off her mask.

'......?'

Gray hair and ash-colored eyes.

A small scar running vertically across the left side of her lip.

When the young boy with a mysterious appearance, as if he had lost his color, revealed his face, I was startled.

"Wait, just a moment!"

I hastily covered my eyes with my small palms and fumbled.

"You don't have to show your face!"

Riko, who digs up the dirty secrets of the nobility, had to keep her identity hidden.

With so many enemies, if her face were known, it would only be a matter of time before she was stabbed.

In the original story, Riko didn't show her face to her father until at least five years after they met... when she had completely trusted him.

But to show her face to a suspicious kid on their first meeting?

"Look at me."

"No, no. I mean, are you planning to kill me without anyone knowing?"

If she revealed her face so easily, there was a possibility.

I clenched my teeth and cautiously lowered my hand from my eyes.

Fortunately, he looked gentle.

'Hmm, as expected, a character with a significant role is handsome.'

For a moment, I idly thought, then shook my head vigorously.

"I never break my rules in a deal. I must give you something in return for what I received."

Riko placed the mask she had taken off on the table.

"Today, you bought this from me."

...Showing her face to me.

It was her 'weakness.'

* * *

Riko, after taking the antidote, finally stroked her sleeping sister's head with a relaxed expression for the first time in years.

"One dose of the antidote isn't enough, is it? You'll need more... Ahem, just trust me! We're friends, after all!"

The child, confidently tapping her chest with her small hand, made Riko chuckle.

"You're not like yourself, Riko. What are you thinking? Showing your face?"

At the voice from behind, Riko turned around.

Marina, the red-haired waitress at <Riko's Restaurant> and the information agent of the guild <Red Cat>, was there.

"Who was the one who infiltrated the Rubenstein mansion?"

"...The J sisters."

"Pass the information about the Onyx Marquis and his illegitimate child to Enoch Rubenstein."

"Riko! Are you serious?"

"Yep."

Riko, who had risen, pushed past Marina and lifted the curtain of the semi-basement window.

"You know how desperate I was for Salvashion."

"I know. But you should be cautious. This person knows who you are, the state of your sister Annie, and even the meticulousness of sending his daughter. The Duke must have some ulterior motive!"

"Maybe. We all know that the Duke cherishes his daughter like his own life. But did he send her here alone?"

"......"

"There's no way. The girl's story is likely true. She really came here on her own. The Duke has no idea."

"How could a seven-year-old do that?"

"I don't know either. She won't talk. But whatever secret or ulterior motive she has, it's not important to me."

Riko added, looking at Marina.

"Even if that little lady were a demon, I would have gladly sold my soul. Showing my face was a small price to pay."

"I know you're desperate, Riko. But why did you give her your weakness when she didn't even ask for it?"

"Think about her request. It was just to pass the Onyx Marquis's secret to her father. Someone else could have done that. Why did she come to me specifically?"

"......"

"There's only one reason. She wanted to... give me the medicine."

It was certainly true. Marina, speechless, bit her lip.

Riko, looking out the window again, muttered.

"I'll give her a chance."

Riko was waiting.

The reason she ran an information guild and collected the weaknesses of the nobility.

It was because, if someone appeared to shine a light on this rotten cesspool...

She wanted to lend her strength.

"Maybe... that person has already appeared."

The hero she had been desperately waiting for.

* * *

'Finding Riko was really a good decision.'

I thought while drawing a crooked picture on the paper like any other seven-year-old.

"I have planted our guild's spies in all the noble families. I'll contact the guild member in the Onyx Marquis's family, so you can communicate and proceed with the work."

Riko provided perfect after-sales service after the deal.

She even suggested a plan to help me easily find Cheshire.

It was the guild member planted in the Onyx Marquis's family who would assist me.

"But, Riko, I can somehow get to the Onyx Marquis's house... How do I find out who your guild member is once I get there?"

"Hmm, how to find out... I'll have our guild member in the Rubenstein mansion contact you when you return home."

"What, what? There's a spy in our house too?"

"...? Isn't that obvious? How else would I know the situation of a girl who has only been in the city for four days?"

"Wow."

I shivered, recalling my conversation with Riko.

She was indeed a scary person...

Anyway, since I was in the same boat as Riko, I needed to meet the guild member hiding in our family as soon as possible.

'Probably one of the servants. It would be convenient to make them my personal attendant to keep in touch with Riko.'

I sighed, scribbling on the paper with crayons.

'Sigh, I've already gotten close to Jetti and Jun...'

Unfortunately, I would have to ask for a change in my personal attendant once I found Riko's guild member.

"Oh, our lady is such a good artist."

Jetti, who had been lying on the bed next to me, sat down.

"Is this a jellyfish? Have you seen a jellyfish before, our lady?"

"This is my dad..."

"Huh? R-really? Oh! Now that I look again, it's definitely the Duke! Definitely!"

Jetti, embarrassed, laughed awkwardly.

At that moment, Jun came over from the opposite side and grabbed the crayon.

"Hehe, can I draw too, lady?"

"Sure."

Jun started drawing with an excited expression.

'She's a person.'

With her brown hair reaching her waist and a maid's uniform...

'A maid?'

The raised corners of her eyes and the mole on her cheek, she had drawn the features quite well.

"Wow, sister, you draw so well. Who is it?"

"It's my friend. Her name is Richel."

"She's my friend too. Richel works as a maid."

Jetti, who had heard this, stroked my head and added,

"At the Onyx Marquis's house."

"......!"

I was suddenly startled.

'What, what? Out of the blue, a friend? And she works at the Onyx Marquis's house?'

I carefully examined Jun's drawing again.

A brown-haired maid with a mole on her cheek, working at the Onyx Marquis's house.

At this point, it was clear what this meant.

The guild member Riko had planted in the Onyx Marquis's house was her.

'Wow...'

I opened my mouth wide and looked at Jetti and Jun in turn.

They were smiling with innocent faces.

'So, it was you two?'