Scarlett asked: “If you suspected I was colluding with the Royal Police... why did you come to me?
You could have asked someone else.”
“I can't ask the Navy about this, and the Royal Family...”
Joseph looked at Scarlett, trying to read her character from her thin face.
After a moment, he said: “I know you repair the tram.”
“How did you know?”
“My older brother is a tram driver”
Scarlett paused.
Joseph quickly added: “My brother didn’t tell me on purpose.
I only saw you when I visited his workplace.”
“My brother is very grateful to you.
He said that he respects you even though you are thirty years younger than him.
Anyway, I was surprised that Mr.
Hiram was here, but I came to you with relative confidence.”
Joseph took a deep breath and continued: “I’ll tell you why I can only rely on you.”
He took out a notebook from his pocket and handed it to her: “This is a list of the names of people from the royal family and the Senate who are believed to be colluding with Festina.”
Scarlett looked at the notebook, and her eyes widened: “Crown Prince?”
“Yes”
“Why?”
"Actually, the Heir Prince is the one running the affairs of state now.
As for Crown Prince Yue Eren, he handles most of the diplomatic visits, right?"
“Yes”
“During those visits, he saw Festina's military strength, and was certain of Salantaire's defeat.”
“Crown Prince Yuli Eren was the one who prevented the tram repair by law.
And the members mentioned in the notebook are the ones who supported the law.”
“So, preventing tram repair was in Festina’s favour.”
“Yes, policies to suppress the development of Salantir technology, to make it easier for Festina to swallow it.”
Scarlett's hand holding the notebook began to shake.
“May you show this to me?”
“Yes.
First, because the members of the House of Representatives believe that you are deeply involved in this matter...”
“Because of the tram repair?”
Joseph wiped his sweat and said, “Well… in theory, it’s not because of false religious beliefs?
Your parents, Count Crimson and his wife…”
Scarlett raised her head: “My parents?”
“No, no, just a guess.”
“Any guess?”
Joseph swallowed hard at her sharp tone.
They needed Scarlet Crimson.
She was perhaps the best engineer in Salantir, and able to reach Victor Domfelt for information.
Joseph finally said, "For the past ten years, His Majesty has despised engineers for religious reasons.
He has adopted false beliefs.
So... it may be believed that the engineers who were killed in that period were killed because of His Majesty's beliefs."
Scarlett tightened her grip on the notebook until her veins were visible: “Are you saying that my parents might have been killed because of these religious beliefs?”
“Frankly, members of the House consider this almost a certainty.”
Scarlett's face distorted.
She couldn't accept this.
She gritted her teeth hard: “Are you saying that my parents died, and Isaac lived blind, just because of this?”
“Yes, that's true”
She tried to hold back her anger, but she felt nauseous.
She held the table with both hands.
Joseph continued: “And young people your age paid the price for these wrong choices.
Can I make up for that with an apology?”
Joseph's face was gloomy.
After a silence, he said: “Please, Miss Scarlett, find out if Commander Victor will join Festina.”
“And if so?”
“Salantir will have no hope.”
“So, are you going to look for a way to escape?”
Joseph laughed: “Who would accept someone as insignificant as me?
I will die here no matter what.
But if Commander Victor shares the House’s opinion, we can work together to save Salantaire.”
Scarlett felt a little comfort from his words.
I nodded wordlessly.
But she didn't trust Joseph Felix completely.
After their conversation stopped, Andrei returned.
Joseph got up and said embarrassedly: “Sorry, I prepared desserts and didn’t eat them.”
“I expected that, so I bought Divinish just for the manager.”
“Truly, your experience in the Royal Police is unforgettable.”
Joseph laughed awkwardly and looked at Scarlett and Andrei in disbelief.
“I said I left the Royal Constabulary,” Andrei said.
Joseph didn't understand how Hiram got here.
He left as confused as he came.
“If you two are finished, you should go back to work, manager,” Andrei said.
“Manager”
Scarlett was sitting as if she had lost her soul.
The short winter day was passing, and sunset covered the store.
In this scene, Scarlett seemed to make whoever saw her crave a drink.
Maybe Victor drank too much for that reason, Andrei thought.
He called her again: “Director.”
Scarlett finally raised her head: “You know, right?
I was in the Royal Police.”
“What?”
“The car accident that killed my parents”
Andrei answered calmly, holding the bag of bread: “I don’t know.
That happened before I joined the police.”
"It wasn't that long ago.
How old were you when you joined?"
“Sixteen years”
"Really?
So, you're only three years older than me?"
“Yes, the age is correct.”
Andrei continued: “If you are asking if the carriage accident was real, I don’t know.
I did not receive that information.”
“I want to know”
“I'll try to find out”
“Really?”
“But keep in mind that I might die while searching.”
“What?”
“I'm saying this so you don't feel guilty.
Anyway, even if I don't look, the Royal Police are already targeting me.”
“What do you mean?”
“After I left the police, there were two attempts to kill me.
I was expecting that.”
Scarlett's heart jumped: “Leaving the police is not a crime!”
“You saw how Joseph was wary of me.
I have disturbing information for the Royal Police.”
He continued, "Anyway, that's the way it is.
Don't be surprised if I die one day."
Scarlett shook her head vigorously: “No!”
"What?"
“Don't die!”
“It's not up to me.”
Andrei spoke calmly: “It will take time, but I will find the answers.
You don’t know, but I owe you.”
Scarlett wanted to ask him more, but she just nodded.