I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 199: Bitter Sweet

The Baroness is sipping her piping hot Earl Grey.

She’s sitting in the back garden patio of her favorite hotel in Solarys, The Royale. It is her preferred place to stay whenever she travels. The Royale hotel chain is well known throughout Altheon.

The Baroness has tried to get her hands on the company’s shares more than once, but without success. No one seems to know who actually owns the chain. Rumor has it that it belongs to a powerful family from Aurenvale. Some even whisper that it is owned by the royal family of Aurenvale itself.

Considering that she belongs to one of the royal families of Altheon, Baroness Voss greatly enjoys associating herself with the most powerful royal family on the world.

"Here is your opera cake, Your Ladyship," a staff member says as he places the dessert beside her tea.

The Baroness smiles. "Thank you very much."

"Enjoy, Your Ladyship."

The staff leaves. The Baroness reaches for her dessert fork, cuts the cake into a neat bite, and places it in her mouth.

She leans back in her chair, savoring the balance of sweetness and bitterness, her thoughts drifting back to her meeting with Chief Alicia Lutherford.

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"Please, Your Ladyship, have a seat."

"And I apologize in advance. I only have black coffee here, and no snacks," Chief Lutherford says as she clears a chair of clutter for her guest.

"Thank you, Alicia. And you do not mind if I call you Alicia, do you?" the Baroness asks gently. "Alexander was a very dear friend of mine. I still cannot believe he is gone."

Chief Lutherford smiles faintly. "Thank you, Your Ladyship," she says as she sits down.

"May I ask how he died?" the Baroness continues. "You said it was in a dungeon. Was he clearing it for the city? On duty?"

Chief Lutherford sighs softly. "Yes. He died in a dungeon. He was clearing it for the city, as part of his job."

It is clear she is reluctant to say more, and the Baroness does not press.

Instead, she reaches out and takes Chief Lutherford’s hands.

"You are still mourning," she says sincerely. "And that is perfectly understandable. But please, do not mourn too long. You must move forward. I am certain your brother would want that for you."

The Baroness had liked Alexander Lutherford. He was one of the few people who was never intimidated by her status. He treated her like a normal human being.

When she was with him, she did not need to perform. She did not need to be careful. Alexander accepted her exactly as she was, flaws included.

And yet, she had not spoken to him for almost a year.

Because of something stupid.

She had been offended when Alexander rejected her advances. Pride wounded, she withdrew like a turtle retreating into its shell. She was convinced he would be the one to reach out first.

He never did.

Now, regret is all she has left.

The Baroness and Chief Lutherford continue chatting lightly until Chief Lutherford finally asks, "Your Ladyship, may I know what brings you here today? I understand you wished to see my brother, but was it only a social call?"

She adds carefully, "I apologize if I sound too straightforward, but I have only been in this position for a few months and have not fully settled yet. If there is nothing urgent, I will need to return to my duties."

The Baroness smiles. "I appreciate your straightforwardness. Just like Alexander."

"And no," she continues. "It was not only a social visit. I heard about the explosion at a dungeon site yesterday and wished to inquire further."

"To satisfy Your Ladyship’s curiosity?" Chief Lutherford asks plainly.

"Oh, I like you very much, Alicia," the Baroness replies with a smile. "Yes, I am curious. Because there is always more than what is reported. And I also wish to know if there is any way I can help."

Chief Lutherford falls silent for a moment, carefully weighing her response, before asking, "What would Your Ladyship like to know?"

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The Baroness smiles as she recalls that conversation.

Alicia Lutherford is very much like her brother: bold, sharp, straightforward, and intolerant of dishonesty.

The Baroness believes she gained a new ally that day.

She was particularly intrigued to learn that it was not the Solarys DEU that cleared the dungeon, but a team called Rhaenas.

She is certain it is Arthur’s team.

How does she know?

The name.

Rhaenas is a word from a dead magical language. It means warrior.

And from Lucien’s information, Maeve is a member of Arthur’s team.

Maeve must have told Arthur about rhaenas.

Which raises another question.

Did Maeve also tell Arthur about the Custodians?

Had she broken her oath for an outsider?

And if she did, was she forced? Or did she do so with her teacher’s permission?

Interesting.

"Arthur and Maeve were there with four others," the Baroness murmurs to herself. "Are they the rest of the team?"

She takes another bite of her opera cake before reaching for her phone.

"Lucien," she says smoothly, "I have some interesting news for you."

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Lucien ends the call, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

"Got you now, Vitari."

He immediately sends a message to the Arcanus, requesting a conference call. The responses come instantly.

"What is it, Lucien?" Paul Harrington asks.

Lucien leans back. "I just got off the phone with Stella. She told me something very interesting."

"Oh?" Richard Halvorsen leans forward. "Do tell."

"There is another dungeon-clearing team with a magus in it," Lucien says deliberately. "Aside from Ethan’s."

Nathaniel Moore speaks up calmly. "Jonathan’s apprentice’s team. Collins."

"Yes," Lucien replies. "And the team is called Rhaenas."

He stops speaking and waits.

The reaction is immediate.

"What?"

"Rhaenas? That means warrior, doesn’t it?"

"Maeve told them that?"

"What else has she told them?"

"Does Jonathan know?"

"Was he aware?"

Lucien raises a hand, playing the mediator. "Friends. Colleagues."

Silence falls.

"We can use this," Lucien continues smoothly. "We can question Jonathan’s oath. Demand a formal hearing. He has been very proud of his apprentice."

"And now," he adds, voice sharpening, "both he and his apprentice have betrayed us."