The apartment Labos had taught me about was located in a narrow back alley off Sankche Street, with poor sunlight. However, it wasn’t as bad as I had first imagined.
The building was decent, and there was even a well in the apartment’s courtyard. Moreover, the children playing there, despite their worn-out clothes, were wearing shoes.
There were many children in the city of Londia who couldn’t even have shoes to wear.
“Excuse me, but is this Marian Baker’s residence?” I asked.
All the housewives who were busy doing laundry in the yard turned their gazes towards me in unison. Perhaps they didn’t find me suspicious, given that I was dressed in a guard’s uniform.
“If you’re looking for Marian’s room, it’s at the top of the stairs on the second floor.”
One of the housewives with a dark complexion kindly informed me. After expressing my gratitude and starting to make my way, I was called out from behind once again.
“Hey, are you a police officer?”
The uniforms of guards and police officers resemble each other so much that it’s difficult for the average citizen to distinguish between them.
Thinking about it, if it were a police officer inquiring, it could tarnish Marian’s reputation.
The same would be true even if it were a guard.
In the first place, the nature of the matter at hand seemed to involve assisting in an affair anyway.
“No, I was just asked to deliver something,” I replied with a nonchalant response, then ascended the stairs of the apartment.
As I knocked on the door, I suddenly realized the possibility that Marian might have a husband.
This could be what they call a double affair.
If Marian was absent, I had planned to slip the letter through the gap in the door and leave. However, if there was a husband, that plan would require reconsideration.
If her husband or another lover were to see the letter from Labos, it would surely lead to trouble.
Moreover, there was even the possibility that the person opening the door would be the husband himself. If a man were to emerge, I would have to come up with some excuse.
Looking at it this way, the price of 1000 gil didn’t seem too high considering the amount of trouble involved.
“Hello, who is it?”
A weary voice echoed as a woman opened the door, but her expression turned startled when she saw me. It must have been quite unexpected for an official to pay a visit.
She was dressed casually, with a thin garment thrown over her pajamas, and her chestnut hair was disheveled. It was evident that she had just been sleeping.
She appeared to be in her late twenties, with slightly widened eyes, but her facial features were undeniably attractive.
Moreover, there was a glimpse of a well-formed cleavage visible from her partially open neckline.
“Are you Marian Baker?” I asked.
“Yeah, but…”
Marian glanced behind me, her eyes shifting from side to side, as if confirming whether I was accompanied by others.
It was as if she wanted to make sure I wasn’t here with some comrades.
“I am Wolf, an official from Alban Prison. I have come with a letter from a prisoner named Labos, entrusted to you,” I explained.
“From Labos!?”
Marian snatched the offered letter from my hand and swiftly began reading it with sharp eyes.
“Goodness…” she muttered with a sigh, looking visibly inconvenienced.
Her reaction didn’t seem like that of a lover who had received words of affection.
I wasn’t sure if she would come for a visit, but as a guard, I thought it would be prudent to inform her of the visiting hours.
“The visiting hours are from the 5th hour of the Wind (around 10 AM) to the 1st hour of the Fire (around noon),” I informed her.
“Huh?” Marian responded with a puzzled expression to my words.
“That is, if you plan to visit Labos,” I clarified.
“Oh… the visiting hours, I see…”
From the looks of it, Marian probably wouldn’t come for a visit.
Even though I’m not well-versed in romance, I can somehow understand.
Labos’ love was bound to vanish like a fleeting dream.
As I was preparing to bid farewell and leave, Marian hesitantly posed a question.
“Um, what did Labos say about our relationship?”
“I heard he referred to you as his lover.”
“I see…”
To be precise, she would be considered his mistress, but from Marian’s behavior thus far, it just doesn’t seem to make sense.
Could it be a figment of Labos’ imagination?
“Is that not the case?”
“Well…”
Marian hesitated slightly, her voice faltering.
“He…he was just a customer of mine,” she said.
“A customer?”
“Well…I used to be in a tough financial situation and resorted to selling my body for money…but now, I’m just an ordinary serving maid,” she explained.
Finally, her words started to make sense to me.
So, in other words, Labos was a familiar client to her when she was a prostitute.
I’ve heard that many men mistake their favorite prostitutes or barmaids for lovers.
“So, you’re not his lover then?”
“No…although he did shower me with gifts.”
For the first time, Marian revealed a smile.
I see, I thought. She’s an intriguing woman with a peculiar allure. Even I, with my lack of experience, could easily become captivated by her.
It didn’t seem strange to me that Labos could have been deceived so easily.
Perhaps men are sad creatures prone to misunderstandings.
Without saying anything further, I bid my farewell and retraced my steps.
At that moment, I had no doubts or suspicions about Marian.
After delivering Labos’ letter, I decided to visit the Sullivan mansion, where I used to live. I wanted to know what had become of it.
There was even a faint hope that I might encounter some of my former colleagues.
However, the imposing iron gate at the front was tightly closed, making it seem impossible to enter. There was no sign of anyone inside the mansion, and the once well-maintained front yard was now overrun with desolate weeds.
Nevertheless, vibrant roses bloomed vividly, entwined along the hedges.
I cut three blossoming roses with my sword.
I intended to offer them as a souvenir to the Hero.
With their strong fragrance, perhaps even the air in the underground prison would improve slightly.
Although the mansion had already been seized, I doubted anyone would mind if I took the roses blooming by the hedge.
After all, it was now an uninhabited mansion, devoid of any occupants.
♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢
The day after Barton delivered the letter, Marian visited Labos at Alban Prison.
Although Labos was someone she definitely didn’t want to see, judging from the contents of the letter, he had threatened to expose their relationship to the public if she didn’t visit him.
She couldn’t avoid meeting him.
The demand was probably for money.
Being cautious in all matters, Marian applied for the visit under the false name of Emilia.
When she arrived at the prison, the waiting room was crowded with other visitors.
Soon, her name was called, and she was led into a small private room where Labos was waiting. Labos appeared noticeably thinner than before, but Marian felt no sympathy for him.
A guard, sitting at a slightly distant seat, was monitoring the visit, but he seemed to have no particular interest in their relationship, as he only cast a lewd glance at Marian’s chest.
“Hey, long time no see,”
Labos spoke in a relaxed tone, but his nonchalant demeanor only helped irritate Marian.
“What’s the meaning of this? Dragging me all the way here,” she responded.
“I needed money,” he replied.
That was exactly the answer Marian had anticipated.
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