A blaring bell was what forced Tistye to end her conversation with the raging chief of the ceremony and return to her room.

What happened?

When she opened the jewelry box, the earrings that bore the same color as Gaizel’s eyes were making noise.

“Tistye! It’s, it’s my Darling—!”

“Levi, calm down. What’s wrong?”

“I, I haven’t been able to feel his presence since yesterday… what do I do!?”

While calming the tearful Levi, Tistye gently picked up the earrings and held them in her hands.

Maybe Levi can discover where the tiara is…?

The earrings were made of the same jewel.

Although there was a limit to the distance, it seemed that they could track the other’s position. Only Tistye, Gaizel, and some other people seemed to be able to hear the voices of those jewels.

What should I do…? If the jewel ends sold to another country, we won’t make it in time…

Tistye was at loss for a moment, but she soon decided.

She wore the blue earrings on her ears and boarded a carriage to the Count Astel’s house. The surprised servants offered to accompany her, but Tistye politely declined due to them also having their duties to attend to

I don’t want rumors about me talking to my earrings to spread… I will become a nuisance to His Majesty…

On the chance that Gaizel or Van would go to the main residence, Tistye had left a note.

I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I have to hurry…

The carriage lightly ran down the street, crossed the irrigation canal running through the center, and reached the residence of Count Astel in a few minutes. By the time Tistye arrived, the knights had already completed their investigation and the street was empty.

She snuck into the garden, but the only thing she could see there was footprints from the knights.

The windowpane is clean… I don’t think there was a break in…

While hiding behind the gate, Tistye gently turned her attention to her ears. She was also careful not to be discovered by the craftsmen inside. She muttered softly.

“Levi, can you feel the sign of your Darling?”

“There is a trace of him! But… he doesn’t seem to be here right now. He’s being brought somewhere…”

“Can you track him?”

“Leave it to me!”

After asking the carriage to wait there, Tistye started following Levi’s lead.

Tistye regretted the fact that she had taken off alone. Given that she was about to approach a criminal, she should’ve brought a servant or two, or even Van, with her.

However, she didn’t have time to return to the royal palace. That was her only opportunity to recover the lost tiara.

If I can somehow pinpoint the exact location… afterwards, I can tell the knights about it…

Levi’s instructions were quick, Tistye ran through the entire city in a rush. While observing the surrounding landscape, which had changed, she exhaled.

She walked through the street where Count Astel’s home was to a relatively peaceful residential area-followed by a general place where the citizens lived. Thinking that she was heading to the black market and the slums, Tistye cautiously looked around her.

Eventually—

“He’s here!!!”

Levi exclaimed in joy.

Tistye, who raised her face while out of breath, suddenly opened her mouth.

“…In here, an ordinary house…?”

Tistye was led by Levi to an ordinary house. It was certainly a little bigger than the others, but it didn’t look like a place where bandits or an evil organization would reside.

She tried to see if anything had been done to its original inhabitants.

Then, suddenly, the front door opened. Tistye was astonished by the face of the man whom had just appeared.

…Orbit!?

Standing there was the man Tistye had seen at Elena’s house. The man whom was supposed to be her childhood friend. After checking the surroundings several times, he walked towards the main gate. Tistye hid in a hurry, but was still confused by his sudden appearance.

Is this Orbit’s house of? But why is the tiara…

Suddenly, as if to interrupt Tistye’s thoughts, Levi made a noise.

“Darling is with him!”

“Wait a minute, Levi, what do you mean?”

As if to support Levi’s bold claim, Orbit began to walk in a flustered manner. Tistye instinctively called out to him. She decided to hear to his explanation for the time being.

“E, excuse me…”

“—!?”

Suddenly, Orbit started running.

A strong voice flew into Tistye’s ears.

“Tistye, chase that guy!”

“O, okay!”

Tistye began to do as she was told.

Orbit began to increase his speed.

This is bad! Tistye shouted inwardly.

I should’ve practiced running more…!

Under the guidance of the hot-blooded coach Levi, Tistye worked hard to chase after Orbit.

However, perhaps due to the difference in physical strength and stride length, the distance between them gradually increased. As she passed through the residential area and returned to the main street, Tistye took a breath.

Is he returning to the workshop…?

Haven taken a carriage there before, the scenery had become familiar to her. However, her stamina had reached its limit. Tistye’s feet became wobbly as she squeezed out the word, “Wait…”

Then, Orbit, who looked back for a moment, looked confused for some reason. Their eyes met. Pleading, Tistye called to Orbit, “Please, wait… I want to talk to you—”

At that moment, Levi’s short mutter fell into the ears of Tistye.

At the same time, Tistye stumbled upon something. Her body was enveloped by a strange, floating, feeling.

Eh?

By the time she noticed, she was falling into the irrigation canal.

Unfortunately, Tistye couldn’t swim at all.

---

***T/N: Oh my goood. There’s a body of water happens to be nearby. Our heroine also happens to fall in there. I didn’t see that coming at all. Nooo waaaaaay.

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