At night, the rain finally stopped.
Everyone had been playing the Queen's Game in the mansion all afternoon, and by this time they were all a little tired. Paran suggested that the housekeeper no longer need to prepare the dinner and just send everyone's meals directly to everyone's room.
Hesta stood in front of the window, pretending to look at the night view of the park, but she didn't look at anything, she was just calming down.
"Eureka." Paran's voice came from behind.
Hesta turned around and saw Paran standing next to Gray, waving to him.
In view of Palan's much cooperation in the afternoon, Hesta's impression of her changed slightly.
"What's wrong."
"I have to go out. It's raining outside and it's dark. Are you free to see me off?"
"Where to go?" Hesta asked approaching.
"Go to Mr. Gray's mansion. He just said he wanted to give me a gift. I'll go get it and come back."
"Are you just getting something?" Hesta said softly, "Then I will go alone——"
"That's not possible," Palan showed that meaningful smile again, "I have to go there myself."
"……Fine."
The three of them walked to the door when the night wind came towards them. Paran crossed his arms and shivered. Before she could speak, Gray realized something was wrong. He said, "You guys go back to the hall and wait." I went back to the housekeeper to ask for a coat to keep out the cold.
However, Paran did not do as she was told. She stood in the wind with no one around, and her expression suddenly became relaxed.
"Jane, do you really not recognize who that person is?"
Hesta turned around slowly, "...What did you call me?"
Under the dim street lights, every gust of wind was moist and cool. Paran smiled calmly, not showing any signs of being disturbed by the cold wind.
Paran walked up to Hesta again, "Did you get too immersed in the revenge plan of your loved ones, so you completely forgot about your old friends?"
"Miss Palan!"
Before Hestad recovered from the shock, he heard Gray's voice. His footsteps passed through the entrance hall, and the whole person appeared in Hestad's field of vision again.
Gray's wing-patterned leather shoes made a clear sound when he stepped on the water-filled marble. A black cloak was draped on his left arm, and he approached quickly.
"Miss Palan, I asked the housekeeper to get a cloak. Although it is a bit old, you should wear it first."
"Ah, you are so considerate!"
Although Gray still wore the mask as before, Hesta looked at him and slowly opened his eyes.
It was as if a gap suddenly opened in a dark iron room, and the memories of the past surged down like a river of light. Not only the pair of blue eyes that impressed Hesta when they first met, but also Gray's height, shoulder width, and hair roots. The clear faults everywhere... all clearly point to a figure deep in Hesta's mind——
Pierre Roger.
Hesta suddenly became unsteady on her feet, and a burst of sudden ecstasy almost made her ears ring.
Gray rushed forward and held Hesta's shoulders, but the next moment, he felt his arm being firmly grasped by Hesta.
Hesta's strength was so great that Gray couldn't resist it. He spoke with difficulty: "...Eureka?"
Hesta suddenly let go of Roger's hand and took half a step back as if he was electrocuted.
"Are you okay?" Roger asked with gentle concern.
"...Fortunately, I'm fine," Hesta said a little incoherently, "...it's too boring in the mansion, and I've been using my brain all afternoon, so I'll just...please forgive me."
"I don't think I can stay any longer, and I have long wanted to go out for a walk." Roger said softly, "If Miss Eureka has nothing else to do in the evening, why not just go to the humble house with Miss Palan?"
Hesta stared into Roger's eyes and tried her best to suppress the surge in her heart: "Is this okay? It's so late... I won't disturb your rest, right?"
"How come? I was able to stay in Tan Yi for a short time this time, but I got to know you two successively. I think this must be some kind of fate."
"Yes, it must be some kind of special fate," Paran's eyes narrowed, "Eureka, do you feel this way?"
Hesta put her hand on her heart and said every word with utmost sincerity: "Not only yes, but also...very strong."
Roger laughed out loud. He shyly averted the eyes of the two ladies and walked forward to clear the way.
Hesta followed closely, but after taking only two steps, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, and the warm wind quickly turned into a white mist on the winter night. Hesta turned around and stretched out his hand to Paran on the steps. Paran raised his eyebrows lightly and put his right hand on Hesta's palm with a playful expression.
The two walked side by side on the path after the rain.
"So who are you, Ms. Palan?"
"Is this question important?"
"Of course it's important," Hesta said softly, "Are you my enemy or my friend?"
"This question really made me a little sad. A kind old man said that you might need help, so he asked me to come and lend a hand."
"I don't think I told the old man anything about Roger."
"Does this need to be said clearly?" Paran laughed, "Although she didn't tell me, I still sell this favor to you...will you accept it?"
Hesta laughed and did not answer directly, "We have indeed met before, haven't we?"
"Who knows?" Paran looked forward, "I guess not?"
"Then Ms. Palan is free tomorrow."
"Yes, of course." Paran held the fan in his left hand and quickly swung the fan to cover half of his face, leaving only a pair of eyes. "These days, as long as you need it, I always have a lot of time."
…
The Viscount's mansion.
Endai had just changed the night shift with Susie. She yawned profusely and returned to the hall to find Zoe sitting on the sofa by the window.
Endai stepped forward to say hello, and the two of them gave each other a skilled high-five.
"Why are you here alone?" Endai asked.
"I came to change Theresa's shift, but she is missing now." Zoe replied, "I just asked Victoria, and she asked me to wait here, and Theresa will reply to me in a while. of."
Endai nodded. She fell on the sofa and rubbed her eyes sleepily, "...Have you ever played the Queen's Game, Zoe."
"No." Zoe answered simply, "I don't like to play this kind of game."
"Huh? I remember that you really like mystery stories——"
Zoe made a cross gesture with her arms with a serious expression, "That game of yours is not called reasoning."
"Okay..." Endai smiled, "But it's really interesting. If you are here in the afternoon, it will be special-"
Before Endai finished speaking, her expression suddenly became stiff.
"What's wrong?"
"There's something, it's so hot..." Endai reached under her waist and quickly pulled out a book from the cracks of the sofa - "Selected Short Stories of Ernest".
Endai's eyes lit up: "Oh, this book..."
Zoe came over, "What is it?"
"It's just a book. I haven't read it, but I've heard recommendations before...it seems like the author is quite famous."
Endai flipped through it with her hands. She remembered that when she was at the Duke's Palace the day before yesterday, Villefort said that he had a collection of books in the study on the second floor that he did not intend to donate, including some works by Ernest. Endai was tempted to borrow the book and read it, but she forgot about it after she got up from sleep. She didn't expect to come across it in the manor of Viscount Tanglar.
Opening the title page, Endai and Zoe saw a line of elegant cursive characters at the same time:
Presented to Vicomte Claude Danglars
Thank you for your helping hand in times of crisis
Aaron von Wilfort
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