Chapter 153 - A Nameless Feeling

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Ash responded.

“Introduce Azriel Esthera to the owner of Topaz. She will lend a hand to us from now on.”

Ash von Madriol did not raise a question even at his master’s sudden decision. He nodded slightly. Charles went back to Azriel and said. “Sir Ash will guide you. You can hear about what kind of help we need from you and the situations of the investigation from the person you’ll meet.”

“Thank you, Charles.”

“I told you, it’s me who should be thankful,” he smiled widely as he said. Then he lowered his body and held Azriel’s hand. He kissed her hand goodbye according to etiquette and said softly. “I’ll meet you soon. I’ll come to you this time.”

Charles casually left among masks. Soon after that, a person with a wolf mask approached her and said. “Ash von Madriol at your service, Miss Esthera.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Ash,” Azriel greeted.

“The person I’ll be introducing to you is my little sister. Her name is Lexina von Madriol,” he explained.

It was as she expected. Azriel nodded and Ash went on. “She must be in one of the garden houses. She left a moment ago, saying that she needs fresh air. I will escort—”

Suddenly, there was a commotion on one side of the room. It seemed that two men in masks were scuffling and one had punched the other. A servant, who was trying to stop them, was pushed down on the floor. Ash frowned and looked at them. A servant approached him quickly and reported something.

“Shouldn’t you go?” Azriel asked.

As it was a ball hosted by the family of Madriol, Azriel figured that Ash would need to take action if there was an accident. As if what she had guessed was right, Ash clicked his tongue and said. “No, my Lord’s order is my priori—”

“You dog!”

“Aghhh!”

One of the men who was causing the commotion drew a sword. People around them screamed. Ash cussed in spite of himself. “That lunatic…!”

“Please go ahead, Sir Ash. If you tell me the location of the garden house, I’ll find it myself,” Azriel said.

“I shouldn’t—,”

“Young master! I think you should come,” another servant ran to Ash, interrupting him, and rushed him. Ash gnawed his teeth and asked. “Where’s my big brother?”

“Lord went to the garden with his partner, but I can’t find—”

“Darn it. Okay. Go and stop them for now,” Ash ordered as he complained and looked back at Azriel. “Forgive me, it’s a shame.”

“No, that is fine. Where is the garden house that she’s in?”

“If you head out to the direction of 11 o’clock and enter the maze in the garden, you’ll meet a fountain with a statue of goddess holding a jar. Turn to the right from there and go straight, then there will be a garden house with rose vines. Would you be really okay if I don’t escort you there?”

“It’s alright. I can find my way,” she said.

“Give this to my sister when you find her. She will understand,” Ash handed her a little key. It was a key with a head decorated with a topaz smaller than a little fingernail.

“Aargh!”

When a scream echoed loudly, the servant’s face turned pale and yelled, forgetting about the mask. “Young master!”

Ash quickly whispered ‘excuse me’ and ran to the scene of fighting, taking off his mask. Azriel looked at the direction of the fuss briefly and headed to the curtain in the direction of 11 o’clock with the key in her hand.