After the tavern door was shut, the Monak Family’s men worked under the old butler’s direction, methodically taking apart the Might Armor worn by the search officer. That thing was worth a lot of money. If they could sell it on the black market, it’d be enough to keep everyone fed for a little while.

Pace was still sitting by the wooden table, drinking one glass after another. Perlis stood by the window, gazing out at the heavy rain as if lost in memory.

Pace watched the girl from the Federation. If she really was the Blade of Babel, what business could she have with Ivar, who was also a Blade of Babel? Couldn’t she settle things through the Federation government? What had driven her to come all the way to this city, whose weather was unbelievably awful, all by herself?

As Pace mulled it over, Vance suddenly came over and sat down beside him.

“Big bro, I’ve got an idea.”

“Hm? What idea?”

Pace turned to look at his younger brother. Vance had a sly look on his face. It didn’t seem like he was up to anything good.

“I was thinking... maybe we could use her to take back Monak Manor,” Vance whispered in Pace’s ear, keeping one eye on Perlis. “You saw it yourself. That search officer was no match for her...”

Take back... the manor? Something suddenly caught fire in Pace’s heart.

“Are you sure this won’t...?”

“It’ll be fine. Tell her Ivar’s staying at the Monak Family’s mansion, and let her take it by force,” Vance whispered in Pace’s ear. “Once we’ve got the mansion back, we can make it through the winter.”

That was right. The cellar at Monak Manor would be full of food and supplies. With those, the Monak Family could hold out longer, and the men wouldn’t starve to death.

The chance for the Monak Family to get through this crisis was right in front of him.

The chance to take revenge on Venia Ilenfono was right in front of him.

Pace could almost see a snow eagle spreading its wings—the Monak Family crest.

Seeing Pace lost in thought, Vance waved a hand in front of his eyes.

“Hey, hey? What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you actually want to help this Federation girl. We can just tell her Ivar fled to the Iron Fortress and let her go there to get herself killed.”

“But...”

Pace was torn. He had no interest in the Federation’s infighting. The world had suffered under the Academy for long enough, and from Pace’s point of view, both Perlis and Ivar were enemies. As a member of the Tibetan People, he should’ve been glad to see them fight each other.

“Federation people all deserve to die.” That was what they liked to say.

But when Pace looked at Perlis’s small figure, for a moment he saw a familiar shadow.

Pace shook his head and gritted his teeth. Perlis wasn’t his little sister. His sister was dead, and Venia was to blame for all of it.

He would take back the mansion and get his revenge on Venia.

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Pace made up his mind and stood. “I’ll handle her. Get the toughest guys we’ve got.”

“Got it, big bro.” Vance patted Pace on the shoulder and nodded. “For the family.” (In Dibithe.)

“For the family.” (In Dibithe.)

After Vance left, Pace called out to the small figure by the window:

“Hey, Little Princess. I need to talk to you.”

Perlis glanced at Pace, then slowly walked over. Pace swallowed. Lying had never been his thing, but a stronger motive was driving him. He had to give it everything he had—even if that meant becoming a liar.

So when Perlis stood in front of him, he said the words he’d been turning over in his mind for a long time:

“I know where Ivar Saikepasi is.”

“Really?” Perlis looked up at Pace, who was a head taller than her. “Where is he?”

“After Venia took my family’s mansion, Ivar started living there. At the Monak Mansion,” Pace said. His heart was racing, but he did his best to keep his voice steady. “If you want to settle things with him, we can go together. We’ll each get what we want.”

“Hmm...”

Perlis thought for a moment. Then a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. It looked out of place on her cute face, and made Pace a little nervous.

“Are you sure he’s there...? You’re not just trying to use me, are you?”

“Uh...”

Pace swallowed again. His heart kept pounding faster.

“I swear I’m not lying to you. If I am, may my tavern go out of business!”

“...Huh...?”

Perlis glanced around the shabby tavern and sighed helplessly.

“That makes me feel like you’re going to trick me...”

“Trust me! I’d do anything for my family’s honor. Why would I lie to you about something that benefits us both?”

Pace shouted, trying to let his anger over his family’s humiliation drown out the guilt of lying.

“Ivar is my enemy, and so is Venia. For my family... I have to get revenge, no matter what. So please, believe me! Come with me and take back Monak Manor!”

Ah... Pace really hated lying. But the chance to restore his family was right in front of him. He had to do it.

The girl in front of him was from the Federation. There was no need to feel guilty about deceiving someone from the Federation!

Perlis stared at Pace with her blood-red eyes for a long while before letting out a quiet sigh.

“All right. I believe you.”

Perlis’s tone was calm, and she didn’t seem to doubt him anymore. Pace felt as if a weight had lifted from his chest and let out a sigh of relief. He looked around. The search officer’s powered armor had nearly been dismantled, and the clock had passed midnight. The night was growing late.

It was already this late... Sleepiness washed over Pace, and he yawned. He looked at the girl in front of him, who seemed not to know what being tired meant, and asked:

“It’s the middle of the night. Why don’t you sleep here for now? It’s not like it’ll be easy to find somewhere else.”

Pace pointed to the bedroom behind the tavern. There were more than ten beds inside. Perlis took one look and turned him down.

“No.”

“Huh? So you’re not going to sleep?” Pace stared at Perlis in surprise.

“Your place...” Perlis looked around at the ceiling and frowned at the cobwebs overhead. “It stinks.”

“What stinks?” Pace was about to lose it. He couldn’t smell anything at all.

“It’s coming from that bedroom. Are you growing heather in there?” Perlis covered her nose. “Ugh... I didn’t notice before, but how could anyone come to a tavern like this?”

“Little Princess... give me a break.” Pace held his head. He hadn’t expected her to be so pampered—just like a real princess.

“Stop calling me Little Princess. It feels like you’re making fun of me... I have a name...” Perlis gave Pace a displeased little punch in the chest. “I’m Perlis Hafu’erjiade. Just call me Perlis.”

“All right, Perlis.” Pace sighed helplessly. “Where are you planning to stay?”

“I saw a big, brand-new hotel over there when I came in. Can I stay there?”

Perlis pointed out the window. Pace looked up and saw a building shaped like the tip of a trident where she was pointing.

“You can, but I think that’s a luxury hotel for the Yi Telan caravan. Are you sure you can afford it?”

“Hmm... well...”

Perlis stroked her chin and gave the question a serious thought. Then she looked up at Pace with her big eyes.

“No.”

“Pfft. Uh... just in case you didn’t know, you have to pay to stay at a hotel.” Pace held his head. He’d lost count of how many times he’d done that today.

“Yeah, I know.” Perlis held out a hand to Pace. “Thanks.”

“Huh? Thanks for what?”

Pace and Perlis stared at each other for a long moment before he finally got it.

“Wait! I don’t have money to put you up at a hotel!” Pace took two steps back, waving both hands frantically. “You saw it yourself—business at my tavern’s getting worse and worse. If I keep spending money like this...”

......

In a room at the Saint Gier Hotel, Perlis finished bathing and slowly walked to the window. From up high, she looked down over Lodun. The ancient city still slept quietly beneath the moonlight and thin mist. Silence hung over clusters of timeworn buildings with elegant outlines. The old clock tower rose behind layer upon layer of mist, watching over this ancient yet charming capital of mist and rain like a night watchman.

In the end, Pace paid to put Perlis up at the hotel. He’d been very reluctant, but he’d still answered her trust with his actions. Perlis smiled faintly. That down-on-his-luck Young Master didn’t look very reliable, but he was actually a pretty good person.

She’d pay him back when she got the chance. She definitely would.

After changing into a white bathrobe, Perlis drew the curtains and switched on a small bedside lamp. Then she sat down at the desk. She placed her father’s diary on it and slowly opened it. The words on the title page came into view once more:

“To my daughter, Perlis Hafu’erjiade. I will always love you, my Little White Flower.”

Ever since The Recapture of Charon, Perlis had been afraid to open this diary. She was afraid she’d see Edward standing before her again, smiling as he reached out a hand to her. Since coming to Lodun, she’d done her best not to think about her father. She hid behind a mask, locking all her feelings away inside.

But now, Perlis had to face the truth. She wanted to know her father’s story. She wanted to know why Ivar, who had reached out to her in the icy rain, had killed her father. There was so much she wanted to know. She had to face it.

A sudden tightness gripped Perlis’s chest. She clutched at it and coughed a few times. Was it Lodun’s climate? Or was she anxious about what she was about to read?

Perlis took a deep breath, then turned the title page. Part of the beginning of the diary had been torn out, so she could only start reading from what remained:

“...April 12. The weather in the Federation is awful. Aleph keeps complaining that he wants to go back...”

...END...