The Head of the Reign, the hero Duke, Alusu Reign.
Month 5th, day 20, year XXX. Morning.
Alusu’s Office.

*Scribble* * Scribble*
In this room, I can only hear the scribbling sound of the quill against the paperwork and Grandfather clock made its bickering noises, I regret not doing my paperwork before this day, it only made me suffer from a huge loss.

By means of that, I wasn’t able to send off Steph properly. I just hope that she will accept my apology, I hope she took the carriage that I had offered. I hope everything in her trip will be alright. Am I too worrywart? 

No, I am simply doing my best to recover what I had lost. Seeing her face was similar to her mother’s, and out of all the children, she’s the only pitiful one.

Hopeless, miserable, and lifeless that was Steph. As a Father, it hurts my human side and pride. Looking at the other siblings, they are able to live freely.

In any case, I must properly guide Steph back and help her by any means. This time I don’t care if it hurts both of my reputation as a Duke and as a Hero. I’m not going to be like my pastself anymore. 

I know that there’s no advantage to gain, but I want to see her smile again. I want to see how she smiles and how similar would it look if it was her mother. Even though she had that terrifying side of hers and a determination to kill without hesitation nor guilt. And in the first place, I’m the reason why I made her that. Because of me, she does not know the value of life, but if she did. I am sure that she will hold it properly.

*knock* *knock*

“I ask permission to enter, my liege” A familiar voice that I haven’t heard for many days.

After the knock, a voice followed. I didn’t stop my movements and simply answered.

“Come in”

When I give my consent, they entered the room and stop before the table and sofa that was made for guests. A man with a huge build and had equipped a full body armor stood after them, he removed his iron helm and a face of a middle aged man casted. He is Rica’s (maid) brother, Toa and a former vice-captain of Rachael’s team.

He saluted, putting his fist to his heart and said.

“Captain Toa reporting in. Every patrol is green however” He turns around and look at a frail man -Mike, the librarian of the town “This man named Mike has some few suspicious activities as of late”

hmm? A guy like him? I continued to write because I was uninterested. Now that he mentioned his rank, Rachael was the one that said she wanted to serve under my wing and Toa became the leader

“Mike has brought many things that had already exceeded his income. We investigated the seller and told us about this mithril coin” He said while taking something out from his pocket.

I glance at it and see a plain mithril coin. No, it wasn’t any normal mithril coin, it’s mana was very dense that it emits a majestic greenish glow. Is this mithril made from the depths of a dungeon and bask under its mana for hundreds of years?

I had unconsciously stop my hands without knowing when it happened, and I was already interest at the mithril coin.

“Not only that” He continued as he took a pouch and drop the content of it at the table “It numbered a total of 10 mithril coins” He said with a difficult expression on his face.

10!? Mike is supposed to be a commoner but how does he have money equal to the Marquess itself!? No, it doesn’t matter how but who? Who was it that gave him this treasure so easily? Was his son, Arthur? No, it’s nearly impossible for him to acquire this coin through his tradings.

Even if he came to the dungeon, it’s nearly impossible to the other floors without fighting. Was it Nervae? Why would she? Doesn’t she have a poor family to feed?

“I assume someone gave this to you, since commoners almost have no chance of obtaining these coins” I couldn’t help but ask.

I put down the quill back to its ink and folded my arms. I stared at them as I await his answer. Her highness Cristabel would be an excellent answer, but why did she give a mithril coin instead of a gold coin? What did she exchange for it? Was it books? I rarely see her using public libraries.

He steps forward with a confident face, it seems he has an answer to my question.

“I don’t know who she is, but a few days ago, 16th day precisely. A lady, which I don’t know her name came to your library” He said.

“A lady” I blurted it out unintentionally.

“Yes, I didn’t see her face completely because it was covered with a full body black robe. But I was able to take a glimpse” His eyes strayed here and there, his confidence are running away from him.

“She have a silver hair, deep red pupils and face pale as snow. She also has an attendant with her, this attendant have a yellow hair and a light blue eyes, I think she’s around 18 or 20 years old” He said.

What? Silver hair? I didn’t receive any reports of a lady with a silver hair came to my town, nor receive a report from the trading corp about the silver haired lady. The only thing I could think of is Steph, the information exactly fits her appearance. Furthermore, Steph also came out at that day.

“For now, I called her ‘the pale lady’” He added.

I closed my eyes and ponder. Steoh said she went to the library didn’t she? I’m becoming for confused. Why did she give a treasure so easily? No, it might be because she does not know the value of money. No, in the first place, how did she obtain such treasure? She doesn’t even have a key for our treasure vault. Was it Rachael’s money? That’s impossible.

She didn’t receive any mithril coins but only hundreds of gold coins. I need an answer to my questions. Thinking hard for questions that Mike could give me an answer and at least ease my confusion. When I stumbled on a question that Mike could give, I opened my eyes and said.

“What did she do in your library? I am sure that lady didn’t give that coin without exchange”

He shuddered and went pale, “She said to keep everything in secret, however I didn’t see her do anything in the first place.”

I don’t understand it, I can’t understand it at all! I can’t comprehend Steph’s intention. No, for now I will assume that it is not Steph and I will find this lady. 

Why? Of course, just to prove its not Steph, because I will never believe it was Steph.

“For now, we’ll exchange these mithril coins for gold coins and set a patrol search for this lady” Saying so, the soldiers saluted and yelled.

“Ha!”

Afterwards they left the room except for Captain Toa. It seems that he has other reports to me, huh? Now that I think of it, what happened to those guys?

“Regarding to bandits, we were able to set them free from Milady Stephany’s frozen magic. However, they had already died. And Milady Stephany will be awarded 10 gold coins for the subjugation of the bandits” He said with slightly pale complexion appeared on his face.

The reason why he didn’t leave was to report me this information huh? Well, the only ones who knew Steph’s existence had numbered only to a small amount that it can be counted by fingers. One of them is Toa.

“I see” I uttered and resumed my writing.

“Also” He continued, this time he was relaxed “I’m surprised that Captain Rachael was here, and I thank you for that. Although, it might seem not much to you, but I’m in love with Rachael.” And the very last, his expression went serious.

I shuddered  unconsciously. If I do remember, Toa is a Sadistic… What will happen to Rachael I wonder. 

“To how I beat her up, to how sweet her moan, to how everything she does was pleasurable. I want to taste it again!”

“Can you go back to your post if you are done reporting?” I said nonchalantly.

This guy is bad news! I have to do something so he won’t meet Steph and Rachael, it’ll be very bad if he angers Steph. Additionally, I can’t give Rachael because she’s the only one that can understand Steph!

He came back to his senses and said.

“I apologize for my rude behaviour! The other report is that Daniel is currently at the town and registering as a hunter. That is all I have to report!” He saluted and left the room with an ‘excuse me’

Daniel registering as a hunter? Right, his already 15 years old. I continued to write my paperwork, the room was at peace and calm. I let out a big sigh, I need a tea to calm myself.

I reach my hand to a bell that was underneath my desk. However, before I could pull it, I heard Freya’s scream which made me shudder in fear and stood up from my hair and storm out of the room to search where she is.

“Help!” She screamed again.

This time I was able to pin her location and head there in a desperate manner. Coincidentally, I countered some soldiers that were not under Toa’s command, so I made them under my command.

When I was about to arrive, I saw the figure of Merry that was breathing heavily, and by just looking at her clothes, it seems that she came here as well. So I ask the situation.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, I just heard Freya’s scream which made me worry and led me here”

As I thought, I didn’t give another response and entered Steph’s room. Wait, this was Steph’s room!? I was too busy searching for Freya’s scream that I didn’t know that it was here, but still nothing changes at all. I looked around and saw a door.

A new door appeared beside the bathroom and it was wide open. I couldn’t see anything because it was too dark. I didn’t questioned it and entered the room.

The room was dark, very dark that you can’t see the walls. However, the only light providing the room was ----