When the plot-skips players into the game world

With the help of Mr. Oswald, the old butler, they quickly packed up everything Yulia wanted to take with her.

This time, it wasn't just for going to school; essentially, it was moving—Moriarty Manor clearly wouldn't be safe until Oswald returned. So, at Aiwass's persuasion, Yulia took everything she wanted to bring along with her.

But unlike other young ladies of her status, Yulia didn't pack too many clothes or jewelry.

What really took up space were her toolkits and material boxes. Even the books—Aiwass didn't let her take many, as the library inside Royal Law University was the largest in Avalon. Even Professor Moriarty's private collection couldn't compare to the quality of the forbidden section in the university library.

Yulia only brought a few books on advanced alchemy research and some reading notes related to university knowledge.

Luckily, Yulia had organized her studies by category. She easily found the notes she had taken when self-studying at university—from freshman to junior year, she brought them all, a thick stack of ten books taller than her own shins.

To help Yulia "move", Oswald also came along with her.

After regaining her health, Yulia visibly brimmed with energy, or rather, she was too excited to sit still—just like a primary school student before a spring outing, chattering incessantly in the car.

The only difference was that Yulia's chatter was quite substantial—she and Aiwass talked everything from the planning and promotion ceremonies of extraordinary professions to the Dream Realm, astrology, Tarot, and she regretted not bringing her astronomical telescope. Then, they moved on from alchemy to the Elixir of Life and plant breeding, as well as Avalon's land policies and economic taxation.

It was only because Aiwass was erudite enough to keep up with Yulia's topics.

She had virtually no social experience—her entire knowledge came from books and newspapers. But she read enough and had a good memory, almost becoming a search engine.

Yulia could even remember which day Aiwass first appeared in the newspapers, and what those articles were about—Aiwass himself had forgotten what that report said. Anyway, he had mostly bluffed throughout it... because he never expected to be stopped by a journalist from the Glass Staircase Daily.

The girl's adorableness brought a rare smile to the ancient-looking face of the old butler.

To get Aiwass's wheelchair, they first headed to the Supervisory Court in the Red Queen District. It's very close to the Royal Law University, on the same street.

They placed the wheelchair directly in Edward's office. While Aiwass and Yulia chatted in the car, Lily accompanied Oswald to the Supervisory Court.

This was Lily's first time entering the Supervisory Court.

When she had gone to fetch the Codex Book before, she had been to the Supervisory Bureau in the White Queen District. It was already night time then, but the bureau was still bustling—Inspectors in half-armor walked back and forth, occasionally heading to the Gryphon Terrace behind the Supervisory Bureau, taking off on Gryphons.

Others were flipping through heaps of documents, calculating something, or calling out to their colleagues from a distance, only to discuss matters Lily couldn't understand at all.

Before that, Lily's impression of the Supervisory Bureau was that it was "responsible for arresting people". But it was then she realized that they were also responsible for tax collection—even tax matters seemed more challenging than security affairs. The impression the bureau gave was one of busyness... almost everyone was either frowning or looking solemn.

At the time, Lily even worried she'd be in someone's way and always stuck to the side. She looked so dejected, not at all like a reward recipient, but more like a criminal arrested by Inspector Hayna.

But the atmosphere of the Supervisory Court was completely different from that of the Supervisory Bureau.

Overall, it felt "grim".

It was only half-past three in the afternoon, far from closing time. Yet the spacious corridor was deserted.

Their shadows reflected on the mirror-like clean floor, and their footsteps echoed down the hallway, carrying a faint sense of horror.

"...Mr. Oswald."

Lily said in a soft voice, "Why is there no one here? Haven't they started work yet?"

"If the Supervisory Court were as busy as the Supervisory Bureau, that would be a big problem."

The old butler, with his hands behind his back and without turning his head, calmly said, "The work that the Supervisory Court is responsible for includes examining whether the Knights and officials are loyal, if they are morally deficient, whether they have accepted bribes, or have betrayed the Queen. It also involves monitoring foreign spies... and infiltrating other countries to become spies.

"There are so many rooms here; each one could be conducting examinations, interrogations, or they could all be empty. For those businessmen, the number of officials being examined increasing or decreasing can become intelligence for their stock trades. The very fact of 'whether someone is being examined' is a secret.

"That is also why every room in the Supervisory Court is equipped with soundproofing runes. When the doors are closed, only a knock on the door would allow sound to be heard."

The old butler, seeing that Aiwass valued Lily greatly, was making an effort to pass on some experience to her. It just so happened that he was quite fond of this sensible and ambitious human girl... she was at least much better than Hayna.

He stopped in his tracks, pointed at a door and said, "This is Mr. Edward's office, remember this?"

"I remember."

Lily nodded and answered, "I can come here to find Mr. Edward."

"Correct."

Mr. Oswald simply replied.

He knocked on the door, and immediately there was a connection—like an ear that had been blocked suddenly cleared, and Lily could clearly hear a pause in the voices inside the room. It seemed there was more than one person.

"Is it urgent?"

Edward's indifferent voice arose, "I am dealing with some matters. There are chairs at the door."

Implicitly, if it wasn't urgent, then wait outside.

"It's me, Mr. Edward."

Mr. Oswald's voice emerged.

After a while, Edward opened the door.

He looked quite serious, but he relaxed a bit upon seeing Mr. Oswald.

"Are you here for the wheelchair, Mr. Oswald?"

Edward inquired.

Mr. Oswald nodded his head and looked into the room. Inside Mr. Edward's office, aside from him, there were two other people.

One was a red-haired woman in her thirties, still mature and captivating.

The other was an elderly Elf with a rare square face.

"I had some good news to tell you, but it seems inconvenient now as you have guests."

Oswald spoke slowly, "Remember to return home tonight."

"I'll try my best."

Edward nodded.

He turned to the woman and instructed, "Go handle it, Lady Red."

"You always leave this kind of offensive work to me, dear Chief Inspector... There aren't any good people in the Lohar Society."

Lady Red complained, yet she didn't refuse, "Fine, it seems I'm destined for the hard labor. But if I mysteriously disappear on my way back, you'd better remember me next year."

"I remember you every year, go on and handle it," Edward said mercilessly.

As she passed by Lily, Lily suddenly felt as if time had slowed down.

Her perception became exceedingly sharp—she always felt as if she had seen this person somewhere before.

...Red?

Could it be...

Lily thought of the Lady of the Path of Love at the ascension ceremony. Though Lily had not met her during the ceremony, she had listened to her and others talk for more than an hour in the waiting room while cloaked in a "Grey Robe."

Although the voice had changed slightly, that deep and languid tone had left a strong impression on Lily.

When Lily looked at Lady Red, Lady Red also perceived Lily's gaze.

But she paid it no mind and simply smiled kindly at Lily.

And this elderly elf...

Lily also felt as if she had seen him somewhere before.

"It's been a long time, Diomedes."

In the end, it was Oswald who first spoke, greeting him.

"Indeed, it has been a long while."

The old elf known as Diomedes nodded at Oswald and rarely smiled, "It must have been almost thirty years, hasn't it?"

"Indeed. The last time we met was before the old man adopted young master Edward," Oswald reminisced with a smile.

He said with a smile, "I plan to return to the Holy Nation. Do you need me to convey a few words for you, or bring back some specialty?"

"Can you leave those two at your home?"

Diomedes raised an eyebrow and retorted.

Edward also looked over upon hearing this and frowned slightly, his face showing concern.

The old butler shook his head slightly at Edward, signaling to talk when they got home.

"If you have to say something, just bring some rose gold brew."

Diomedes chuckled, "I'm feeling a bit homesick for the wine from our homeland."

"It seems you really have no messages for me to carry, old man. Just die quietly in a foreign land," Oswald joked with a smile: "I plan to meet His Holiness the Pope."

The square-faced elf hit back, "You're the same, near death old man... Just don't speak ill of me."

Even by human standards, both men had aged to at least the appearance of their seventies or eighties. By elven lifespans, they must have lived for four or five hundred years already.

Without using any Path powers to extend life, even for the Longevity Species of elves, the average lifespan is about five hundred years.

A lifespan any longer than that would make them Amber's folk.

Oswald then introduced her to Lily, "This is Diomedes, the Guardian of the Drost Family, an old friend of mine. We were both part of the same batch selected as Papal Guards before being dispatched to Avalon.

"It was he who introduced you to the Moriarty Family."

"...Ah, I remember this young lady."

Seeing Lily, Diomedes's expression turned serious, "We've met once, over a decade ago."

"Thank you, Mr. Diomedes," Lily said, bowing sincerely in gratitude.

—So, this person was her benefactor!

Without this elderly elf, it would have been difficult for her to join the Moriarty Family and she wouldn't have met Aiwass again.

But Diomedes's expression when looking at Lily was somewhat complex.

He remained silent for a long while, seeming to want to speak but hesitating.

He just sighed and said in a low voice, "Be careful these days, child."

Hearing this, Oswald narrowed his eyes slightly and gently patted Lily's shoulder.

"I understand, old man," the Butler said, squinting.