Raven frowned. This was a direct summons from the royal princess. He had to doubt the truth of the man’s claim. However, the crest of the royal family of Angelus upon the coach spoke most eloquently to the identity of the one who had called it. A crest colored in purple, said to be favored by the royal princess in particular. One would require substantial resolve to forge that crest. It made more sense to believe that this was genuine, and that Princess Eliza was already aware of Octavia’s movements and had sent someone to attend to her.
“Understood. Escort me, then. Raven, you needn’t come any further.”
“If you say so, I suppose...”
“Oh, right. Do you have anything I can write with?” It was the attendant — the man in the hood — who smoothly produced a fountain pen and a notepad. “Thanks,” said Octavia, leaving it at only a word. Then she wrote her address down on the notepad and handed it to Raven. “You said you wanted to see my grandmother’s mansion, didn’t you? This is my address. If you’d like, come visit me at a later date. I’d also like to thank you for today. At the moment, the mansion is far from any state in which I could invite anyone inside. Perhaps next month, though—some time around then.”
Octavia had heard that the mansion was cleaned and maintained once every few months, but that was all. It surely wouldn’t be in any condition to receive guests now. More importantly, Octavia knew not what state the tools there were in. It would be terrible if they did something nasty to Raven.
“You’ve really been a great help. It’s thanks to you that I was able to make it to the Royal Capital in one piece.” Come to think of it, she only knew Raven because she had been caught up in the scene of a robbery, but even then, he had been such a help that she felt apologetic. In the commotion aboard the train after the map had been stolen, the fact that she hadn’t fussed or fretted herself—and had instead managed to pass the rest of the journey quietly—was thanks to Raven’s consideration.
“Thanks again,” said Octavia, and held out her hand.
However, Raven did not take her hand, smiling faintly instead. “If you’d like to thank me, then I’d really like you to make me your assistant.”
After a beat, Octavia looked back at him quizzically. “Huh? Assistant? Why?”
“You’re going to be a detective, aren’t you? In that case, you need an assistant, as detectives always do.”
“W-Well. I mean, I haven’t actually advertised my services as a detective yet—”
“I’ll help you with that. So it’s settled. I am, after all, Detective Octavia’s very first fan.” Now Raven took Octavia’s outstretched hand and planted a small kiss on the back of it. Leaving Octavia dumbfounded, he kept smiling, his face quite like a con artist’s. “We shan’t lose to the Phantom Thief, Miss Detective.”
Octavia didn’t understand why he was bringing up the Phantom Thief at this juncture. All the same, with that, Raven turned on his heel and disappeared in the bustling crowd. Perplexed, Octavia muttered to herself, “Assistant?”
“That’s why I told you not to associate with a fellow like that. He’ll come barging in as soon as tomorrow, he will,” admonished Hat.
“S-Surely not. Why, he can’t possibly have the time to spare.”
“I assure you, he will. I’d even bet on it.”
“Lady Octavia, if you’ve concluded your business, then please come quickly. The princess can only take so much time for you,” said the attendant as dispassionately as before, hurrying her along.
“Right,” said Octavia, nodding.
The coach adorned with the royal house’s crest started to move at once.
The coach arrived, of all places, at the address Octavia had just written down for Raven. For a noblewoman’s townhouse, it was somewhat cozy; it was a two-story house. It was too large for a single woman to live in, but too plain for the daughter of an earl. As a matter of fact, the current Earl of Reine’s townhouse was a little closer to the royal castle, and that was a more opulent mansion. But somehow this place gave Octavia a sense of warmth, like the garden her grandmother had treasured so much.
“Princess Eliza is here?”
“She awaits you inside. It would seem that the previous earl entrusted her with the key.”
Now that he mentioned it, Octavia had completely forgotten about the key. “That’s a relief,” muttered Octavia, before entering the mansion.
Inside, it was a little dusty, and the only light was sunlight shining through the windows. It was still more than enough light for her to discover the woman sitting on a sofa by the large window at the end of the entrance corridor.
The woman’s light silver hair was tied up, and she wore a white dress that matched the color of her hair. Her smile seemed to draw the sunlight into itself. The wings that sprouted from her back were also white.
“Welcome to your new home.” The princess’s smile was gorgeous, but it held a hint of mischief. She was a princess of this kingdom and a descendant of angels.
“It’s been some time. It’s been about ten years, hasn’t it, Princess Eliza?”
“Please, call me Eliza, Your Majesty.”
Even if no one else was around, Octavia would be the one who got in trouble if anyone heard that she had addressed the princess without her title. But she also knew that if she responded to Eliza seriously, she would still receive her graciously.
Hat snorted. “She’s showing you respect. Accept it.”
“Even if you call it respect...” Eliza, like most, couldn’t hear Hat’s words. But she at least had to be aware that Hat could talk. Octavia shook her head. “I hesitate to address my elders without the proper titles.”
“Having lived for eight hundred years, I sometimes feel much happier being addressed without a title.” An elegant smile spilled across Eliza’s face. “Please, let us forget my age. Angels have no lifespan. As you know, even I, hatched from an earthly egg, am long-lived. After living this long, I wonder how much meaning age even holds.”
“I think that’s a very angelic viewpoint.”
“I suppose you’re right. Now, please, I’d like you to find our time together enjoyable. Consider this a request from your elder.” Eliza tilted her head as she pleaded with Octavia. It looked very cute, and it hardly seemed the mannerism of a woman over eight hundred years in age. Then again, perhaps this was because she had seen eight hundred years pass.
“Understood. I can’t refuse a request from someone to whom I owe my life. If not for you, the bloodline of the imperial throne of Ercadia would have perished long ago. My grandmother probably could not have walked free, and I wouldn’t have been born.”
Hat seemed discontented, but he made no objection. That was because he knew of the savage days when the inquisition had hunted those with imperial blood in their veins.
Eliza’s long eyelashes suddenly cast shadows over her eyes. “It’s also fair to point out that I couldn’t do any more than that. For eight hundred years, nothing. Even now, the imperial bloodline of Ercadia is like a candle in the wind,” she sighed.
“But I was born, so I’ve always wanted to thank you properly.” Octavia knelt without hesitation on the dusty floor, causing Eliza to fret.
“Your Majesty, such... I beg you, stop.”
Still, Hat said nothing. Therefore, this was probably right. The princess might have been a descendant of the angels who had betrayed the empire, but Octavia still owed her a debt. In the manner of a knight, Octavia took Eliza’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“I thank you for your courage and conduct.”
Eliza slowly pulled her hand back and clenched it in front of her chest. “My...my goodness. My heart is all aflutter.”
“I’m glad. I’ve always wanted to be your friend, if that were possible.”
As Octavia stood back up, Eliza laughed in amusement. “I would have never expected to hear such kind words from you, especially after my younger brother’s foolish behavior.”
“You’re talking about his withdrawal of courtship? That’s right. I guess I would have been your sister-in-law, if that had gone through. Still, I can’t say I feel any sense of loss.”
“I was shocked when my uncle brought up the matter of my younger brother’s engagement. For a moment, I thought you might have realized what I was up to, and I broke out in a cold sweat,” said Eliza. “But then I thought that this might’ve been another means to the same end, so I deliberately didn’t oppose it. My brother, who doesn’t have wings, is no different from a human. More and more of my brothers and sisters have turned out that way. This is proof that the power of the angels—of the queen—has diminished. That being the case, by mixing the blood of angels with the imperial bloodline, I considered whether I might not be able to set your family free, but it hasn’t gone according to plan.”
“I’m happy to hear that you gave me such consideration.” Octavia smiled, then sat down on the sofa next to Eliza. Then she got down to business. “My grandmother told me to accept your requests. That if I did so, you would also protect me. Protect my tools.”
“I hope that I can. I believe that we angels have been on the earth for too long. Our way of thinking has come to resemble the humans’, so that my uncle has become desirous of power and has started to vie for the throne. And the queen’s—my mother’s—way of thanking your people, who sealed away the mad god...” Eliza trailed off. “Already having lost your kingdom, you chose to recover the Demonic Heirlooms, cursed by that god. Not only did my mother choose not to help you, she has excitedly captured and jailed any members of your family that she could find. Just how many have passed away, only able to look up at the sky from within the castle...”
“Let’s put these difficult matters aside. That has all already passed. I want to repay you for protecting me, my mother, and my grandmother. Just think of me as a detective.”
Eliza narrowed her eyes at Octavia. When Octavia smiled slightly, Eliza smiled as well. “I suppose you’re right. There’s no helping what’s already long since past. Now, then, please allow me to make a request of you. There’s someone I’d like you to find.”
“Sounds like a job for a detective. Can I ask you for some details?”
“The one I’d like you to look for,” she said, “is this child.”