Uncollected Trade Taxes, Bribing Officials, Smuggling (1)

Reading the letter in my office, I set it carefully down on the desk.

There was nothing of real importance in it. As usual, she simply passed along her own news and asked after mine. The line about visiting if she had the time was almost certainly a formality, the kind of thing a friend you haven't seen in a while says when they suggest getting a meal sometime. It meant no more than a simple greeting.

If someone asked whether that disappointed me—honestly, I wouldn't know how to answer. I had never shared the sweet, cozy memories that ordinary lovers kept. The bad ones outnumbered the rest: the broken engagement, the fact that I had, with my own hands…

So this was enough. Wanting anything more would have been greed, plain and simple.

I slipped Lidia's letter into a drawer, then took a blank sheet from another. Having received a letter, the proper thing was to reply. I took up a quill and began to write.

I only set the pen down long after dusk had settled over the world. It was already quite late. Sending it could wait until tomorrow. It wasn't urgent, so it hardly mattered.

Who would have guessed, though, that Lidia herself would come to collect the reply in person?

At least, I had no idea until lunch the following day. When the butler announced a guest and I went out to the entrance hall, Lidia was standing there. Spotting me, she gave a little wave.

"I'm here!"

"Why…?"

"I wrote in the letter that I was coming."

"Well, yes, but…"

Who in the world would have expected that to be literal? Even the most mystical fortune-teller out there wouldn't have seen this one coming.

"Anyway, come in."

"So this is where you live. Compared to the main estate, it's incredibly plain."

Lidia looked around with open curiosity. The way she took everything in made me feel oddly exposed, as if she were peering into my private thoughts. She wasn't wrong—the mansion was remarkably spare. There were none of the paintings or ornaments one expected in a noble residence.

"That's Father's taste. I actually prefer it empty."

"You've got good sense, then. I like things plain like this too."

"Not plain—clean."

"Same difference."

A retort rose to the tip of my tongue, but I managed to swallow it. Conversation with her always felt like this: she set the current, and before long you were caught in it with no way out.

After that I showed her through the house—from the reception room past the study—until we came to a stop outside my bedroom door. Lidia pointed at the firmly shut door.

"What's in here?"

"My room."

"I want to see this one too."

"Why would you want to look at someone else's room?"

"Are we strangers?! Cain, don't tell me you…"

"No. Absolutely not."

The firmness in my voice surprised even me. The memory of being cast off by her once had risen unbidden. Of course, she had no idea that had ever happened.

Lidia studied my face, then smiled.

"I know. I know you'd never be like that. If that was an awkward thing to say, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. I overreacted."

"That's a relief, then."

And with that, the moment passed. As if nothing had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠happened, we opened the door and stepped inside.

"So this is your room. It looks different from the one at the main house."

"You only remember it from when we were kids, anyway."

"Well, true. A grown woman shouldn't just walk into a man's room."

"Then why are you—"

"Which is why I'm leaving now."

Lidia turned on her heel and walked straight out. Whether there had been any meaning to it or it was pure mischief, I couldn't tell. I stared blankly after her, then belatedly followed.

We met again in the study. There was a reception room, of course, but we were far too close for that to feel right—and it had been her own request.

Sip—

Lidia took a light taste of her tea, set the cup down, and spoke.

"I saw the posters up in the streets. You did a splendid job catching Marquis Geneva's corruption, didn't you?"

"No need to make it sound so grand. I just did what needed doing."

"Look at you, already every inch the inspector. I'm proud of you."

"Proud? I'm not a chi—"

I couldn't finish. Genuine warmth showed on Lidia's face. It wasn't the usual teasing. Had she truly been worried about me? And if so—had she asked me to kill her that day out of concern for my future as well?

I wiped the thought from my mind at once. It was nothing more than a feeling inventing guesses. Besides, with no way to know the truth of that day, there was no reason to keep turning it over.

Lidia sipped her tea again and said,

"Cain, why did you become an inspector?"

"Because I decided it was the path I had to take."

"I see. Honestly, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'm still curious what you saw that changed you so much."

"Lidia, I—"

"I don't want an answer. Even if I knew, I don't think it would mean much."

That was a relief. I had nothing I could say on that point. Even if I told her the truth, there was no guarantee she would believe me.

After that, ordinary small talk filled the time: how dull each day in the mansion could be, some noble falling for a commoner and marrying them—the kind of things friends said when they got together.

I don't know how long we talked. By the time the world outside the window had turned red, I was standing in the entrance hall to see her off.

"I should get going. If I stay too late, our dear inspector will get tired."

"I don't mind."

"Even if you say that, I'm still heading home~"

Lidia smiled as she teased me. But only for a moment. Her expression turned serious as she went on.

"Something seems to be going on in Casian County."

"All right. I'll look into it."

"Mm. If you need help, tell me anytime."

"I will."

With that, Lidia climbed into the carriage. It rolled forward, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished from sight.

Count Casian, though…

The name was in my memories as well—or rather, written in Lidia's diary. The traitors had once stepped in and erased him without a trace; this time, it seemed I would have to take that role myself.

After the holiday spent with Lidia, I reported to the Inspectorate as a matter of course. The moment I stepped into the 1st Division office, Division Chief Albert, who had arrived ahead of me, spoke as if he had been waiting.

"You've become quite the celebrity in no time."

"Yes, so it would seem."

I had felt the stares on my way in. No doubt the posters someone had plastered all over the streets of the Imperial Capital were to blame. Anyone who knew my face and saw those posters wouldn't have been able to help looking.

The attention wasn't exactly welcome, but I couldn't say I disliked it either. More precisely, I felt nothing about it at all. Born the second son of House Lichtenhaus, I had already lived under countless eyes. Most of that attention had ended in disappointment, of course.

Anyway, better to drop the subject. There was no need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to trade small talk with my superior.

"Chief, I intend to investigate Count Casian."

"Count Casian—you mean the border count of the south?"

"Yes."

Casian County lay against the Empire's southern frontier. With the sea at its edge, it was famous both as a hub of trade and as a destination for travelers. If corruption had taken root there, it would almost certainly involve the military or trade—waiving taxes on goods in exchange for bribes, that sort of thing.

"I don't know much about that quarter myself. Did you pick up information somewhere?"

"Nothing precise, but according to the Eslend duke's daughter, something is amiss."

"Well, she would be in a position to know."

Just north of Casian County sprawled a vast territory—the domain of House Eslend, the family Lidia belonged to. So it was hardly strange that she would know about affairs in Casian County. Especially her.

Yes. That was how I had to think of it. The last thing I wanted was for Lidia to fall in with the traitors again.

"Very well. Permission granted."

"Thank you."

"But you'd best be careful. After what happened before, it seems you've earned the ill ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠will of the other divisions."

I took that to mean the inspectors who had been covering for Marquis Geneva were after me. Fair enough—from their perspective I was practically the enemy.

I had become the pillar of the 1st Division that was supposed to have crumbled on its own, and I had turned a client who paid them fortunes into dew on the executioner's block.

But that was exactly—

"Just what I wanted."

"Then I'll leave the rest to you. If you need help, speak up anytime."

"Understood."

I gathered my things at once and left the 1st Division office.