As Philip Zeri yawned and shook out the side door, he saw Agnes walking along the shadows beneath the walls.

She hung her head, her steps were vain, and she looked preoccupied, far from being as radiant as she usually saw, and she could be overwhelmed with just a few looks.

Fili slowed down, a little undecided. He was not good at dealing with such a woman, and always kept away from the famous Countess Maurice, but last night's conversation with Walter made him not care...... He may have been overthinking, but if he was serious, Agnes was in the cave with an old Dorset tree when he died, though she claimed to have been unconscious and knew nothing before then.

No one doubted that she, a woman who was born into an aristocratic family, who had grown up spoiled by her parents, who had killed her husband for being too willful, but who had become even more self-conscious, had not cared to admit that she had hooked up with Rosa's father, a former pirate and now a moonshiner who had fled to Freeport Neo, and had helped him rescue her daughter, but she was not at all aware of the messy "inside story" and was not interested in it.

...... Is that really possible? She's the daughter of the Carlos family after all.

When the plague struck Stunbuch, it was she who decisively teleported her sister and nephews to Visa, which actually saved the lives of Moira and her children—and a few days later, the plague reached Lockburg.

There's no denying that she's a pretty well-informed person.

What about other than that?

The vague suspicion even made Fili feel a little frightened and uneasy. He shook his head. I didn't think it was a good idea to deal with such a terrible woman with the groggy mind that had been guarding outside Frederick's door all night.

But if he wanted to pretend not to see the lady who didn't seem to want to be noticed, and just leave on his own, it was a little too late—Agnes had already come out of the shadows. With a bright smile that made his scalp tingle, he greeted him warmly.

"Lord Paladin. She called him, "Did my little king's nephew sleep well last night?"

As usual, what she said to him always sounded normal, but it made people feel indescribably awkward, as if there was always a little sarcasm. But he could only bow slightly and reply, "It's good...... Madam. ”

"Oh. There's no need to be so respectful, sir. The Countess's cat-like blue eyes curled into a smile, "You know I don't care about that. ”

The paladin instinctively raised his vigilance. I can't even help but want to add some defense to myself...... But this is Lockburg, and he can't cast spells.

But Agnes didn't say anything more, just patted him affectionately on the arm as she walked past him. The fearless paladin stiffened, almost creepy for a moment—he didn't want to be one of her prey at all. Although she is indeed charming. But he really is. Or, I prefer a girl who is a little more shy and simple......

When she came back to her senses, Agnes's figure had disappeared into the deep corridor, but the scent of roses she left behind seemed to float in the air...... Filly shook his head in annoyance, thinking that he had better find a fountain and bury his head in it to sober up.

When Filly appeared in front of Scott with his drenched hair on his head, he just glanced at him lightly, without the slightest hint of surprise—until Filly held up a dark blue rose petal in front of him.

"Hey. No one ever told you that you have to send at least one flower to you...... And it's better not to give it to the same sex?" Nia panted, joking breathlessly as she played a wrestling game with Xiaobai.

“...... This is what Countess Maurice tucked into my armour!" Fili's face flushed slightly.

"'That' Countess Maurice?" Nia let go of the white panther and looked at him with bright eyes. With an excited look on his face, "Oh, knight, you're in luck!"

“...... Not a bad fart!" Fili burst into exasperation, "That's not what she meant!"

To be honest, there was a moment when the petals floated out of his armour and landed on the surface of the water in the rising sun, and he couldn't help but feel a little complacent...... But it soon dawned on him that the petals might not represent the usual 'that' meaning - though he wasn't quite sure what was pouring out of his heart at that moment was frustration or rejoicing.

"If I remember correctly, roses of this color...... It seems that only in the courtyard of Aaron Mansini's house. Nia leaned over with great interest, "Ah...... There is an inscription on it. ”

Scott took the petals. The strange dark blue of the night sky belonged to an extremely precious black rose, which Aaron Mancini had obtained from nowhere, and which could only bloom in the courtyard of his house. Not even the gardens of Lockburg have this variety...... It is said that it takes some magic to cultivate this rose.

There was indeed a symbol pinched out of the petals with a fingernail, a little crooked, but still clearly recognizable - it was the mark of Nesses.

"What does that mean, does the lady want to be a follower of Nesses?" Nia guessed irresponsibly.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be here. Fili shrugged.

"It's also possible to ask for help. Nia continued to use his imagination, "There is a good chance that this lady has some handle in Aaron Mansini's hand - that guy seems to be such a person - and is threatened with all sorts of threats because of it, and at last he can not bear it, and hopes that Scott will save her." ”

He stood on tiptoe and patted Fili on the shoulder with a sympathetic look on his face, reassuring him, "Actually, you're quite attractive, really." ”

The corners of Fili's mouth twitched: "...... Aren't you really some relative of that red-haired girl?"

"Tess Shepard?" Nia, looking very serious in thought, "hard to say. I remember that our family had one or two distant relatives in Stonebuch. ”

Fili thought he had better not get entangled with the little man.

"What do you think?" he asked Scott, "do you need me to speak privately with the Countess again? Aaron Mancini has always been a little suspicious...... But he was slippery like an eel, and it wasn't easy to catch his tail. ”

Scott silently twrung the petals between his fingers until the tiny symbol faded into obscurity.

"Be careful. He said, not objecting, "She'd do it that way, obviously not wanting to get involved, or at least not want to be discovered." Maybe you don't realize it yourself, but your every move in Lockburg is watched by a lot of people. ”

"What a joke. Filly straightened his chest, "I'm not so sluggish yet. ”

Scott smiled and turned to Nia, "Do me a favor?"

"Give money?"

“...... To give. ”

“...... Forget it, what's yours is mine anyway. Nia generously said, "What are you going to do?"

"How familiar are you with Aaron Mancini's house?"

"Say what. Nia replied solemnly, "I don't know it at all, and he won't invite me to be a guest!"

Under Scott's calm gaze, he quickly spread his hands and told the truth: "He's got a collection room—oh, it's not the big, stupid things he has in the yard, or the fakes in his drawing-room, none of which are inferior to Lockburg's...... And it seems like most of the things are best not to touch - you see, I'm a lot more careful than I used to. Then ......"

He pretended to hold up a finger mysteriously: "There is also a secret room under the wine barrels in the collection room...... A secret room that I can't even get into, and there's definitely something better hidden in it. Give me a little more time, maybe I'll find a way to get in......"

"Nope. Scott's tone couldn't be denied, "You can't go to that place again." ”

Nia glared at him indignantly, "...... I know I shouldn't tell you! It's not fair, you know, I really didn't touch anything!"

"Tell me where the collection is located. Scott was unmoved.

“...... Well, I'll draw it to you. ”

“...... You'd better just tell me. ”

In Nia's grunt of dissatisfaction, Fili couldn't help but yawn again.

The world is always in trouble...... But he at least had time to get a good night's sleep first.

Having not slept much for a few nights in a row, Agnes had a hard time staying awake...... But she could still hear what her father was saying.

It would be a good idea to let Frederick leave Lockburg - if only Moira could go with him.

She thought with a little regret, and only lazily replied when her father called her name a second time: "I'm listening...... I think I'd better stay, I've been feeling bad lately. ”

"Are you alright?" Moira immediately took it seriously, "Do you need a doctor or a priest?"

"Oh, I just need to lie down for a few days. Agnes smiled at her.

"You just need to stop running around in the middle of the night. Gard snorted.

Agnes was slightly startled - this fool wouldn't send someone to follow her secretly, would she, even if the stalker couldn't find anything important, she didn't really want to have any scandal with a short, slick middle-aged man like Aaron Mansini.

But when you think about it, it's impossible for this fool to send a fool not to be discovered by her.

"So be it. Walter looked at her and said nothing. There was something in his gaze that Agnes had failed to grasp, and she couldn't help but panic...... But she couldn't hold on to enough things, at least her father loved her anyway.

As soon as she got back to her room, she threw herself straight onto the bed, and a moment later she bounced up alertly, staring at her mirror.

On the mirror, someone drew a cute and weird skeleton, grinning at her...... Then fade away.

Agnes cursed in a low voice of despair - she couldn't sleep at all. (To be continued......)