Chapter 47

"Good work, Nonna."

"I'm not tired. I just entered the guard building for the first time in a long time, but it hasn't changed at all."

"Come to think of it, this is where we came on the day we first met, right?"

"Yeah."

On the first day I came to Ashbury, bringing Nonna here for protection feels like it was just recently, yet it also feels like it was a long time ago. It's been more than six years since then.

"Do you know what happened to the injured woman?"

"She was taken to another room right away, so I don't know."

"Given her injuries, she must have gone for treatment."

As we got off the carriage on the way back, Nonna said with a wry smile, "Riding a carriage for such a short distance is a waste, isn't it?"

I found it touching that Nonna had started to smile wryly.

When we opened the door to our house, Jeffrey greeted us.

"Welcome back. Did you go to the ranch today?"

"Yes. I invited Lady Yorana to the ranch, but..."

"But? Did something happen?"

I told Jeffrey about the incident in front of the bookstore. I tell him everything because I don't want to hide anything from him. After hearing my story, Jeffrey looked worried.

"Nonna was useful again, I see. But Nonna is in a bit of a dangerous period right now. She's gained confidence in her skills after subduing men in combat twice. She might be caught off guard at an unexpected moment. We need to be careful."

"You're right."

At that moment, Nonna came in.

"Mom, can I go to Mr. Clark's house? I have a book to borrow."

"By carriage."

"I can walk there."

Despite saying that, Nonna left by carriage. As soon as her carriage left, another carriage arrived. I thought it might be a guest for Jeffrey, but he looked puzzled as he looked out the window.

The person who got out of the carriage was Mike.

"I'm sorry to drop by unannounced. It's an emergency."

"Victoria?"

"Yes. The woman Nonna helped today is one of our people. We are very grateful for your help."

"Mike, you're telling me this specifically because there's a reason, right?"

"Yes... Do you know that the Saint Floren Festival is coming up soon in this country?"

"Yes, the city gets very lively. What about it?"

"The injured woman was supposed to be the body double for Princess Delphine at the Saint Floren Festival. There are still two months until the festival, so we thought her injuries would heal by then. However, it has been discovered that one of her eyes, which was hit, is now almost completely blind, and it's unclear whether it will recover by the day of the festival..."

"Wait a minute."

Jeffrey suddenly interrupted.

"Jeff, Mike is in the middle of his story."

"Mike is trying to put you on the spot. If Princess Delphine needs a body double, it means she's in a dangerous situation. It's strange to put an outsider like you in such a position."

"Lord Asher, can you hear me out?"

"That's not the point. Are you saying the country sent us to Shen for situations like this? We've worked hard while staying in Shen to avoid such situations."

"Jeff, please calm down."

"Anna, do you want to take this on?"

If I say I'll take it, Jeff won't oppose me. Even if he's deeply against it, he'll allow it. That's why I can't accept this with incomplete information.

I wanted to know why Mike was relying on me, an outsider, and the reason for the woman's severe injuries.

"I'd rather hear the whole story. The woman I helped today seemed to be hit without resistance. I want to know what the Ashbury organization made her do and what caused her to be treated like that. I can decide whether to decline after hearing that. Or, Mike, will I be unable to decline once I hear about her injuries?"

"I can't give you her name, but I can tell you the general situation."

"Please tell me. I want to know why a professional like her suffered such severe injuries."

Jeffrey didn't say anything. I knew he was angry with Mike and didn't want me involved.

But I couldn't just ignore it. Jeffrey seemed to have decided to let me handle the conversation, so it was just Mike and me talking.

"Our country's special task force is currently short of women. It's not that there aren't enough women in the unit, but rather that various circumstances have coincided. Among them, this woman is an excellent member. During a certain mission, an old friend from her hometown happened to get a job there."

"Oh, I see..."

"The old friend didn't know the situation and called out her real name in front of the employer, saying, 'I heard you got married, but you're working here?' After that, she was suspected of lying about her name."

"Their hometown is far away, right?"

"Yes. The hometowns of the two women and the place they were working are at opposite ends of the country. Normally, such a coincidence would be unlikely."

Mike was unusually sweating slightly on his forehead.

"She was suspected while on an undercover mission and was supposed to escape with her employer to the capital. However, her old friend was a personal maid to the employer, so she couldn't leave her behind and had to take her along. They were almost caught by the people chasing them, and she was injured protecting her old friend."

"She let her emotions get the better of her, which is a big mistake for someone in a special task force."

"Yes. She had never done such a thing before."

I also let my emotions get the better of me.

If I let my emotions get the better of me in this job, I end up carrying burdens I don't need to. Once I carry them, I put myself in a difficult position. It means I'm not suited for this job at my core.

"Anna, what's wrong?"

"I'm thinking. Can you wait a little longer?"

"Sure. Take as much time as you need."

Mike was listening to our conversation with a tense expression, just like me.

A woman who easily lets her emotions get the better of her was severely injured. There's no one to replace her, which is why they're asking an outsider like me. What should I do?

Various memories from the past flooded my mind.

A junior who died on her first job because she didn't have a good leader.

A superior who hid the death of my family to prioritize using me.

Me, who saved Nonna on the first day of my free life.

Lady Yorana, Lord Bernard, Lord Edward, and Jeffrey, who accepted me.

"Mike, can I meet the woman with the severe injuries? I want to talk to her. I want to decide whether to take on this job after talking to her."

"Yes, it's possible to meet her."

Jeffrey showed a slightly fearful expression, which I had never seen before.

"Anna, do you want to take it on?"

"Jeff, you and Nonna are the most important things in my life. That won't change. But I want to hear her story. It's not that I want to help the country's special task force, but I want to help her. If I decline this and something happens to Princess Delphine... The woman who was injured and couldn't serve as a body double will undoubtedly carry a lifelong emotional scar. She will blame herself for the rest of her life. I know this for sure. I think I can prevent that."

"Anna..."

"I can't just ignore someone else's misfortune because I'm safe and happy. I want to meet her first and see if taking on this job, even if it worries you and Nonna, is worth it."

"Alright."

Hope lit up Mike's face. Jeffrey, however, glared at Mike as he continued.

"But if you're going to meet her, it should be now. It won't mean anything if you meet her after she's been told about your resolve. You should meet her without any information."

"You're right. I agree."

"Understood. Let's go see her now."

The three of us headed to where she was.