Bailonz Street 13

Despite Jonathan’s talk of shooting up someone else’s house, he’s still my kind, gentle brother – just as I remember him. The same caring, sweet little brother from my memories.

Just as I started to feel reassured, a slight uneasiness suddenly crept in.

What would happen if I revealed my true identity to him? To explain why that king was targeting me and what he wanted, I’d have to confess that I’m a 21st century person occupying Jane Osmond’s body, and that his real sister had disappeared.

With my mind tangled in these complex thoughts, I mechanically followed the butler’s lead. I was so lost in thought that I wouldn’t have noticed if we’d veered off course. Now I deeply understood Liam’s feelings from last year.

When I finally lifted my head, I found myself right in front of Lucita’s reception room. The door was slightly ajar, with the warm glow of the fireplace flickering through the gap. The butler spoke up.

“Master, your guest has arrived.”

Lucita was lounging on the sofa, savoring a glass of whiskey. I could see expensive Louis XIV-style furniture, on which she had propped up her feet. An air of ennui hung heavily about her.

Only when our eyes met did Lucita break into a bright smile. She sprang up from her seat and exclaimed:

“Miss Jane!”

She’s a woman so beautiful it seems almost impossible. Her lush golden hair still cascaded down in alluring waves. This time, however, instead of her usual risqué dress, she wore a black velvet empire waist gown. The black lace gloves covering up to her elbows were particularly striking.

She still exuded that image of… a powerful figure ruling the back alleys. But I suppose familiarity breeds comfort – after seeing her a few times, I was getting used to it.

I greeted her naturally:

“Lucita, it’s been a while.”

We clasped hands and exchanged a light handshake. Lucita responded casually:

“I was a bit hurt that you never sought me out after the last job. I was ready to lend a hand whenever you were in a crisis.”

“You were away from London at the time, weren’t you? But I’m here now, so cut me some slack.”

“Hmm. Although you’ve brought along some goldfish poop. Still, it’s good to see your face.”

Goldfish poop.

I cleared my throat at that crude expression.

Following Lucita’s gaze, I saw Plurititas making himself comfortable in an armchair as if he owned the place. Good grief, this old man is really pushing it now.

I quickly shot him a look. What are you doing? Why are you acting like that? Is this your house?

Plurititas grinned slyly. His eyes curved like a fox’s, looking quite devious. That ominous smile made me hesitate. Regardless, the old man picked up the glass Lucita had set down, sniffed it, and raised an eyebrow.

“Since when did you start drinking?”

His tone was quite familiar. Do they know each other? No sooner had I wondered this than Lucita’s sharp retort shot out:

“Since your shell was still soft.”

Lucita’s expressions are… always so peculiar. Wouldn’t most people say ‘skin’? Shell? It sounds like something attached to an insect or crustacean.

Plurititas seemed unfazed by her barbed words. He just smiled leisurely.

“Haha.”

Then he took a swig of Lucita’s whiskey!

He’d done it. I thought it odd that Plurititas had been so quiet on our way here. He hadn’t pushed himself forward or spoken unnecessarily, making me think, ah, perhaps this gentleman has finally grasped the gravity of the situation. But to snatch someone else’s glass and down it….

“Ack, are you crazy?!”

That was me shouting, and

“Damn brat, how dare you taste my drink!”

That thunderous outburst came from Lucita’s mouth.

Brat? Plurititas, a brat?

As I was reeling from shock, Plurititas didn’t seem particularly bothered by the label. Rather, he smacked his lips and replied:

“Someone was calling me ‘old man’ earlier, but being called a brat makes me feel giddy and young again.”

“You should have died old.”

“Having a tenacious life force is one of my few prides.”

The atmosphere quickly turned sour as these two strong personalities clashed.

Lucita was the first to turn away. There was no way to retrieve the whiskey that had already gone down someone else’s throat, and even if she could… well. Did Lucita consider it contaminated now? In any case, it seemed she was trying to let go of the issue that was now out of her hands.

Lucita quickly brought out a new glass. Then she took a deep breath. It looked like she was trying to suppress a sigh boiling up from within.

Suddenly, I started feeling terribly sorry for Lucita. I should have left Plurititas behind. It’s my fault for growing oddly attached after meeting him a few times. I should have let him rot in the mansion forever with his precious collection.

“Would you like a drink?” Lucita asked in a calm voice.

Liam and I shook our heads almost simultaneously.

“How about the brown-haired young man over there?”

“I abstain while on duty.”

“How stiff…”

Looking disinterested, Lucita turned back and rang a bell. I guess she’s going to offer something other than alcohol. Then she gestured to us.

Does she mean for us to sit? While I was hesitating, Liam naturally took a seat. I sat down next to Liam, opposite Plurititas. Jonathan politely declined to sit and stood a step behind Plurititas. He seemed determined to continue his guard duty even here. I muttered with a slightly exasperated look:

“Jonathan, that’s overprotective.”

“I’m just working as much as I’m paid for.”

“Just how much are you getting paid to act like that?”

Jonathan just smiled with his mouth shut.

Suddenly I felt my hair stand on end. It’s scary. Just how many pounds is he getting to act like this? But once I hear the amount, I have a feeling I’ll never be able to call it ‘overprotective’ again, so I just sighed. Then I raised my hand to point at Jonathan. I needed to introduce my brother to Lucita, who was watching us with great interest.

“I’m sorry for the late introduction, Lucita. This is my brother. As you know, it’s chaos out there… I brought him along as we were hurriedly seeking refuge.”

“Yes, any family of yours is always welcome. We have plenty of rooms, after all.”

Her lace-gloved fingers extended to point at Plurititas.

“Should I give a room to that thing too?”

“Uh. Um. For now…”

“I’d like to put him in the barn.”

Plurititas replied with a smug face:

“I’m a bit picky about beds. And lighting. Oh, and I’d like a fireplace too. I need temperature control, you see.”

If only he could keep his mouth shut, he’d be quite a nice person(?).

I flinched at the murderous intent suddenly emanating from Lucita, and pressed myself against the sofa. Her cheeks were gleaming like opals, and her pupils had elongated like a snake’s. Lucita pointed to the door with her finger.

“The butler will show you the way. Get out now.”

I nodded vigorously at Plurititas. Inwardly, I was screaming. Just go, please go!

Did Plurititas read my mind? In the end, he left the reception room with Jonathan, wearing an expression of deep disappointment (which was clearly an act).

Simultaneously, the three of us heaved a deep sigh. One Plurititas had drained the energy of three people. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s lived so long that his tongue has grown poisonous, or if he was born with a cursed mouth.

Only then did the air in the reception room become peaceful. And at that very moment, the answer to Lucita’s true identity flashed through my mind. I exclaimed:

“Lucita! You’re a snake!”

Massaging her throbbing temples, Lucita muttered:

“Yes, Miss Jane. A snake.”

“No wonder your pupils…”

Her expression turned very sullen. Surprise? No? With an expression difficult to describe, Lucita stared at me blankly.

“This is the first time I’ve received such a mild reaction. I’m not sure how to respond.”

“I’ve been through too much to be surprised anymore.”

I groaned and leaned heavily on Liam’s shoulder. Liam put his arm around me, comforting me. Part of me wanted to bury my face in my hands and wail out all my grievances. With a sense of despair, I opened my mouth:

“Did you hear it too, Lucita?”

Although I didn’t specify what exactly, both Lucita and I knew what I meant.

“It rang throughout London, how could I not hear it? You’re probably the most famous person in London right now, Miss Jane.”

I smiled with a gloomy face.