Chapter 754: Night Raid (Part 2)

"Mm."

After responding flatly, Renard studied his secretary, suspiciously asking:

"Where did you go? It was just a simple order—why did it take so long?"

"The guard on duty was asleep and wouldn't wake up no matter how much I called, so it took longer. And I got startled by a stray cat on the way. Sorry…"

After giving a vague reply, "Mark" trudged back to his desk and resumed reviewing the unfinished files.

Back at his desk, Renard glanced at the pale dawn sky and suddenly felt a sharp ache in his lower back and shoulders; he couldn't help yawning, then waved wearily:

"Stop working. That's enough for today—I'm resting."

"Tomorrow afternoon, we're meeting the president of the Wangdu Chamber of Commerce to discuss imposing an additional monopoly tax on those big companies, led by Charles Department Store. You should also lie down in the side room for a bit—don't be late tomorrow!"

"Understood."

Hearing Renard's words, the secretary rose and followed closely behind him as they left the office and entered the dimly lit corridor.

As the two walked one after the other down the corridor, under the cold gaze of the portraits lining the walls, their shadows stretched longer behind them by the light—until the secretary "Mark's" shadow crept closer, gradually overshadowing Renard's head, nearly engulfing him whole.

"By the way, how's that woman from Baohua Estate?"

Unaccustomed to his talkative secretary's silence along the way, Renard awkwardly broke it:

"Is she still living in the garden?"

"… "

At Renard's question, "Mark's" shadow paused slightly, stopped elongating, and softly murmured:

"Yes, she's still living in a small wooden cabin in one corner of the garden, with your daughter."

Your daughter…

"Shut up! Don't mention that monster! She's not my daughter!"

Renard froze mid-step, turned sharply, eyes blazing with anger:

"Damn it! I drowned that monster myself long ago! But she… MARK!!! How dare you? How dare you bring her up in front of me?!!"

"Sorry! My Lord Marquis! Sorry! I spoke out of turn!"

Startled awake by Renard's sudden rage, the secretary, realizing his mistake, slapped himself hard, snapping out of his dazed, half-asleep state, trembling like a leaf:

"I… I just… I must've been too tired… My Lord Marquis… I… I…"

"Enough! Shut your mouth!"

Scowling with disgust at his secretary, Renard, already planning to find an excuse to dismiss him tomorrow, coldly warned:

"I'll let this slide because you've stayed up late helping me and your mind's foggy—but if you utter another word about her, don't blame me."

"I… I remember, My Lord Marquis! I remember!"

Snorting irritably, Renard, now that the topic was open, pressed on:

"I ordered you to clear out the estate—did she see it? Did she say anything?"

"She… probably saw it."

After a flicker in his gaze, "Mark" replied:

"But she said nothing, didn't interfere—she just picked up the Baohua family crest from the trash pile in front of the main house." "I see… Hmph."

Renard sneered with contempt:

"After that incident, I actually saw her twice more. Back then, her gaze at me was like looking at a dead man—I was terrified for months."

"But now… hah. It seems the Cleanup Bureau's hold on her is stronger than I thought. She won't even step forward to stop us. The last of the Baohua… that's all."

"Cleanup Bureau? What's that?"

"It's… a secret division under the Police Force."

Glancing back at his curious secretary, Renard regretted his careless slip—mentioning that dangerous organization—but after a moment's thought, he explained, his eyes tinged with wariness:

"They possess unusual abilities, capable of things ordinary people can't do. They handle special cases. Their recruitment criteria are extreme; most people have never even heard of them, and those who do quickly forget."

"I only know they exist because that woman was chosen by them—they placed a Word-Spell on me to prevent her from approaching me, which is why I still retain this memory."

"So there's a truly miraculous organization…"

The secretary sighed in awe, then worriedly asked:

"My Lord Renard, if that woman from Baohua Estate joined the Cleanup Bureau, doesn't that mean she has some extraordinary ability?"

"Mm."

Unable to resist turning back to glance at his odd secretary, Renard reasoned: even if he learned this now, he'd forget it tomorrow. And after years of silence, he truly needed someone to listen. So he answered:

"I don't know the details, but I suspect her ability is resurrection."

"Resurrection?"

"Yes! Resurrection! She might desecrate the souls of the dead!"

Renard nodded, continuing forward as he spoke, voice thick with dread:

"Back then, I clearly… well, that child you mentioned earlier—she was definitely dead. But that madwoman kept buying children's clothes."

"When I noticed something was wrong, I thought she'd gone insane. But the men I sent to investigate actually saw a little girl within the garden! I even saw her myself through a telescope—her features were identical to… identical to that monster child!"

MARK! Can you imagine how terrified I was?

Damn it! If this opportunity hadn't been so rare, and if the Minister of Finance and the Queen hadn't ordered me to act, I'd never have set foot near that damned estate!"

"Mm, I think I can imagine. And even if I can't imagine it now, I'll see it soon enough."

???

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Hearing his secretary's strange reply, Renard whirled around, furious:

"Damn it! MARK! What the hell is going on today? You… how are you here?!"

"I came to see you."

A clear, melodious child's voice answered cheerfully:

"I wanted to see what the man who drowned me looked like—and…"

The little girl who replaced the dream-Mark smiled before Renard's horrified eyes, her gaze innocent as she asked:

"Where's my body? Where did you throw my body? Tell me, please?"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

(End of Chapter)