Betty Already Knew Everything
Betty wore a mischievous expression, as if she'd known everything all along. I'd let my guard down completely. Seeing no reaction from her when she looked at my face, I'd assumed she hadn't seen Abigail's portrait yet. But thinking about it, Betty was the leader of pickpockets who managed a bunch of orphans. She'd have been darting through every corner of the city all day, lifting wallets from festival-goers. There was no way she hadn't spotted the portraits the artists were churning out in excitement.
I asked in an awkward voice, "You knew?"
"What a hilarious fake name. Ain Serus, really."
Betty doubled over, clutching her stomach and cackling. I couldn't tell if she found the name I'd thrown out—Ain—funny, or if there was another reason.
As I frowned, Betty added an explanation. "Serus is this old title that got sold off dirt cheap ages ago. It's hilarious that anyone's still throwing it around."
"...That's my maid's family name."
"Heh, your maid's got some rough luck."
I hadn't known. Grabbing Betty's shoulder, I pressed her urgently. "So Serus was originally a noble house? They sold the title because they were broke?"
"Uh, yeah. Pretty much."
Betty nodded, caught off guard by my intensity. I'd thought Annie's shadowed face came from dealing with Abigail's demands. But maybe it wasn't just that. Her parents were so incompetent they'd sold their noble title for cash, and they'd made their noble-born daughter work as a maid for over ten years. If things had improved, they'd have pulled her out of service. More likely, Annie's family had already crumbled beyond repair.
Frowning, I stared at Betty. "What are they doing now, the family that sold the title? The parents? The kids?"
"Whoa, whoa, if you want more than that, you'll have to pay up." Betty grinned and curled her fingers into a circle—money.
I released her shoulder and sat back down. My eyes drifted to the papers scattered across the table, scribbled with notes.
"You're no ordinary pickpocket, are you?"
"Aigoo, what an honor for the lady to notice."
Betty struck an exaggerated pose, playing up the flirtation. Her clumsy noble-style curtsy made me narrow my eyes. She knew I was a duke's daughter but never let it show. Even now, she wasn't intimidated in the slightest. She had guts, that was for sure—a real talent.
"Kids like us street rats only know how to steal or beg. But info just flows to us without trying. To the nobles, we're like we don't even exist."
Tunnels crisscrossing the whole city. Kids living in them. Adults would blab sensitive stuff in front of children, and the kids gathered it all up. This could be lucrative.
I eyed Betty slyly. "Can you spy on high nobles too?"
"High nobles? Who?"
I named the nobles on my mind. Betty mulled them over, then started rummaging through her scribbled papers.
"Not this one, not that... Ah, here it is."
She pulled out a sheet from near the bottom and smiled in satisfaction. But now the already messy pile was even more chaotic, papers spilling everywhere—even to the floor. I glanced at them with dismay.
"This was for the info guild, but hey, I could sell it to you special, milady."
"Let me see it."
"Ehehe, no can do!"
Thinking I'd snatch it, Betty dramatically hid the paper behind her back. It might not even be big info—or could be a scam. Still, I found myself trusting her more by the second. So I pulled my wallet from my bosom and said, "This is an advance. For helping me today too."
"...For real?"
I placed a gem gleaming with iridescent light in front of her. Betty's eyes widened impossibly further. The girl who'd brazenly demanded payment was speechless at the sum.
Already this much? Pfft.
I looked at her arrogantly. "And if you keep helping me, there'll be more. Gems this cheap are nothing."
With trembling hands, Betty picked it up. As a thief, she could tell real from fake at a glance. Besides, my gems had an aura all their own—stronger than most.
"Milady! I'll be your lackey for life!"
"Uh, sure, okay."
Excited, Betty grabbed my hand and shook it wildly. She'd lost all reason at the sight of the gem. I nodded awkwardly at her rolled-back eyes.
Who knew one stone could flip her attitude like this? Betty paid no mind to my fluster, just giggling over the gem in her palm.
I smirked at her glee. "If you need more for the job, just say so. I'll pay extra."
Betty gave me a strange look. "What if I lie and scam you out of a fortune?"
"What?"
I burst into rare, genuine laughter. Hearing worries about the Carpoem ducal house's finances? The duke would be mortified.
"Haha, don't worry. We could fill this room with these, and it wouldn't dent the coffers."
"...Knowing it and feeling it are different."
Betty's eyes grew even stickier with greed. She clearly saw me as some gem goddess. I rated this place's potential highly. These ant-den kids and Betty would outstrip any info guild someday. Better sponsor them before someone else did.
Humming to myself, I stood. Dawn hadn't broken, but it was time to head back to Ren.
"Gotta go."
"Why? Waiting for daylight?"
"My group's waiting."
I pulled my hood back on. As I prepared to leave, Betty asked curiously, "But you don't mind me talking casual to you?"
I lifted my hood slightly to meet her eyes. Her freckled face, same age as mine, was worlds apart from Abigail's soft one. A lowly slum-dweller crawling tunnels. The real Abigail would've recoiled in disgust, treated her like a bug.
Since possessing Abigail, I'd never relaxed around anyone. But meeting Betty today felt... freeing.
"What, after getting chased by the guards together?"
Betty snickered at my joke. She was quick on the uptake, always catching my drift.
"Then we'll keep it like this."
"Deal."
We clasped hands. No handshakes here, but slum folk confirmed bonds by gripping and tugging.
"Looking forward to it, moneybags."
Betty grinned, flashing teeth. Friendship wouldn't move her—money would. And I had money to burn.
We'd get along great.
"Use this to contact me."
Good thing I carried a small magic communicator. Meant for Ren, but Betty needed it more now. Who knew when we'd meet again?
"Ooh, something this fancy."
"Don't forget what I asked."
"Of course. No worries."
I followed Betty's guide back to the surface. The maze-like tunnels were impossible without the kids who knew them cold. Back at the spot where she'd rescued me, I raced to where I'd left Ren.
"Ren?"
No response to my whisper. Damn. I'd figured he'd wait here. Had he gone back to the mansion? No way he'd leave without me. Something must've happened.
I'd given the communicator to Betty. Finding Ren in this huge city? Needle in a haystack. No clue where he'd be searching for me.
No choice—head back to the market where Ian and the drunks had clashed. Might run into both there.
As I turned to go, I sensed someone approaching. A faint presence, undetectable to most.
Hand on my sword, I spun around.
"...You!"
I gaped in shock. He looked just as startled. Meeting those blue eyes, I slowly released the hilt.
"How is Your Highness here...?"
The crown prince, face twisted in confusion, lifted his hood slightly. His dazzling golden hair screamed royalty, just like mine did.
"And you, my lady—why are you in a place like this?"
"......"
"......"
We stared in mutual surprise. Come to think of it, I'd just told him to break off the engagement minutes ago. The air turned awkward.
Reluctantly, I spoke. "I was just heading back to the mansion."
"With the duke's permission?"
His gaze felt like a reprimand. As if he wasn't out alone, sneaking festival fun without escorts.
But rank mattered—I couldn't snap back honestly.
"...No."
He sighed openly. It irked me.
"Isn't this too reckless? No guards?"
"I had guards, but..."
No good excuse came. If this stickler tattled to the duke, I'd be in deep trouble. Stuck.
But wasn't he doing the exact same thing? Why chew me out alone? Feeling indignant, I flipped it on him instead of excuses.
"Ahem. And Your Highness is out here all by yourself."
"I'm fine."
I'm fine?
I'm fine??
I'm fiiiine??? What the hell is that—fart?
To the hypocritical crown prince who preached one rule for him and another for everyone else, I forced a smile and said,