The orange flame of the lamp swayed back and forth, illuminating the room.
The European-style interior was filled with the scent of books, herbs, and a hint of lamp oil.
There was a large window directly across from the door to the room, blocked by a thick curtain, and shelves lined the walls on both sides.
One row of shelves was packed full of neatly ordered books. The titles on their spines were written in the man’s mother tongue, which was foreign in this land.
The shelves on the other side were filled with dried flowers, bones of one kind or another, reptiles and similar creatures preserved in liquid…all sealed away in bottles. These were medicinal ingredients.
The man’s living space was typical of people in this profession.
While the items on display here would look like worthless, creepy garbage to a layperson, they were familiar tools of the trade to the man and his colleagues.
“What made you choose this area as a base of operations over the capital?”
The man posed this question to his boss, who was playfully twirling a quill pen behind the dark brown mahogany table in front of the window.
“You’d rather we were there?”
“…Not necessarily.”
“Right, of course. That rival of yours is over in the capital, no?”
“That man has nothing to do with it. He’s certainly not my ‘rival,’ either. I’ve always been better than him. With both the pen and the sword.”
“Heh-heh. I’ll leave it at that.”
The man’s boss shrugged as her glossy lips curved into a bewitching grin.
“As for your question, though, I chose this area based solely on my personal feelings, so I’m at a loss at how to answer you.”
His boss’s eyebrows were furrowed, but the smile on her face hadn’t faded. Her tone was at complete odds with her words, suggesting she wasn’t put out by the question at all.
“However, this city was the capital for a long, long time, and it is the most historically significant place in the country. The perfect location to look for what we’re after, is it not, Eugene?”
“Quite true.”
Eugene had assumed that was why his boss had chosen this location. He knew nothing about these so-called personal feelings of hers, and he didn’t particularly care to.
She must be plotting something… Or maybe she’s just trying to make me think as much.
He sighed inwardly.
The man didn’t have any complaints about the woman as a boss, since she didn’t micromanage him or give him unreasonable assignments. If anything, he was grateful for how easy she was to work under.
Her only flaw was her habit of phrasing things cryptically. How annoying it was for him to read between the lines—or to tell if he even needed to read between them at all.
Well, if she’s not sticking her nose into what I’m up to, I suppose it’s fine.
Eugene had his own way of thinking and doing things. With a superior as hands-off as his boss, he was able to do as he pleased.
“I will find it here in this land. I promise.”
“And I have high hopes. You’ve gathered a lot of information already, no?”
“Yes, I’ve finished investigating for the most part and have narrowed down the candidates. Everything’s coming together.”
There was no line he would not cross in pursuit of his goal. And he had no interest in bringing personal connections into the matter. Apparently, though, the same couldn’t be said of his boss.
Eugene steeled his gaze and nodded obediently. His boss’s smile widened.
At least I’ll be able to meet another person like me.
Though he was excited by the prospect, he was nervous, too. These conflicting emotions swirled inside Eugene’s chest.