Arabella looked from left to right. She needs to find someone, that person is the only one who can help her. She even had to lie to the children that she'll sleep early, but she snuck out and went to the office of the lawyers, it's located between the Maguire's mansion and the town of Kue where they sell their products and the town where they belong.
It's just seven o'clock in the evening, and Scarlet and Blaine were already asleep when she went out. Those kids got a lot of sermons from her because the two children can't keep their mouths shut and kept on arguing with each other. Although she felt conflicted because it's already dark, a woman walking alone at night surely invites danger, but she can't postpone it any more, she had already decided this two days ago, but she can't leave the children arguing and making a mess in the house.
'This is my only chance, I should hurry and go back home after this'
She's glad that it's just a fifteen minutes walk, and it'll only be five minutes if she had used their horse or perhaps run, but the horse is too old to use. Arabella likes animals, although in her past life she didn't even dare to adopt one, because she's always busy at work, she won't be able to take care of it properly. Arabella can't even look at the dying horse, much use it to carry her even if it's just a few minutes.
In the end, she chose to walk for fifteen minutes.
'Running back home is kind of fun, I'll do that later and maybe I'll stop by the river'
The moment she arrived, her eyes quickly saw the building where the person she's looking for works, she just realized how shabby their building is, but when she walked inside, she can clearly feel the intelligence radiating from each person she sees.
Arabella tapped her foot on the ground while scanning the inside of the building where lawyers use as their office.
'Man with glasses...the man with green hair...the man with green eyes- oh! found him!'
She quickly walked towards the man who matched the description she had been repeating over and over again inside her head. Arabella slowed down her pace when she's already two meters away from him. The man is taller than she expected, his height must be six meters and above. The reason why she slowed down is that he's talking with his secretary. This man doesn't like someone interrupting him when he's talking with someone. She knew because she's the one who made him like that in this novel.
The moment his secretary walks away, this became Arabella's go signal to approach him. The green-eyed man was about to go back to his office when felt that someone was looking at him. The green-eyed man turned his gaze to where Arabella is standing. He saw a strange woman who's looking at him with...pity?
'What a strange woman, hope it's not another psycho noblewoman who wants to divorce her cheating husband'
"Good evening madam, I'm Ruel Crowe. How may I help you?" he asked politely which made Arabella flinched. Arabella heaved a deep sigh before she took a few steps to be near him.
'Hope she won't break down and cry in this place'
"Good evening, may I ask if this child is registered in the commoner's files?" Arabella asked.
The man's face looked so relieved when Arabella opened her mouth and asked him the purpose of her for coming here.
'This jerk's thoughts are leaking, how did he even become a lawyer?'
Arabella arched her eyebrows for a few seconds before she took out her quick sketch of a little girl with blonde hair and red eyes, these characteristics were the best to describe Scarlet.
"Oh her, do you intend to have her executed? I'm sure this girl had numerous criminal records. Also, I heard she's part of a syndicate who-"
"Woah Woah Woah! What!?" Arabella was so shocked that she wanted to grab his collar and slam him on the floor, but she just clenched her fists and glared at him.
'How can my harmless Scarlet be a criminal? and she's part of a syndicate? this man!'
"You don't know her? That girl is famous in Kue town for being 'The Child of a witch', numerous complaints had passed, but she's still wasn't executed because she was backed by some big syndicate so most of our lawyers gave up and return our customers' money."
"C-child of a witch?" Arabella stuttered
"Yes, obviously it's because of her red eyes, people connect red eyes to witches."
She suddenly turned quiet which made Ruel looked at her with confusion.
'Red eyes? so familiar'
"Tch, what ridiculous rumors, fixed this." the moment she handed the paper in her hands made Ruel shock, he looks at Arabella then to the document he's holding now.
"A-are you serious?" he asked, he thought the woman in front of her was just joking.
"Do you think I'm not? Don't worry I'll pay you, just process this quickly, I know you can do it, Mr. royalty."
When Ruel heard the last sentence, his gaze turned sharp. He quickly turns his back on her and said...
"You... come to my office now."
________________________________________________________________________________
"You know, stop following me and stop looking like a creep and go home, Mister."
After a few minutes of processing the papers, Arabella quickly snatched the documents from him and handed him a pouch which contains the payment for his work. Ruel was just about to ask her, but before he can even open his mouth, Arabella was already out of his office. He followed her immediately and ask her. But, Arabell just kept on walking quietly. But, after a few minutes, Ruel doesn't seem like he'll give up on following her, so Arabella decided to stop walking and talk to him.
'I shouldn't have said that I knew his origin. Tsk, what a bother'
"If you're bothered that I'll spread this information in this town, rest assured that I won't. I hate meddling with other people's business." Arabella said while looking at Ruel.
"How can I be sure about that? Not only you look suspicious, but you're also taking a criminal child under your wing. How can I believe you?" he asked with a glare.
"You're an intelligent person, Mr. Ruel. You can easily tell if I'm lying or not."
"I'm not some lie detector test to be able to know if you're lying or not. Just tell me, how did you know that I'm a royalty?" he asked with a scrutinizing gaze.
"You're not as intelligent I thought you were. *sigh*"
"WHAT?!" Ruel asked loudly.
"You easily told me that what I said was right, what if I was just bluffing? then you suddenly confirmed it like that? How did you even become a lawyer? Did you bribed the examiner?" Arabella was getting impatient. She knew it was her fault that she caught his attention. But, he won't process the documents quickly if she didn't do that, also she'll have to go through different departments to achieve her goal tonight.
Ruel quickly got distracted by her words, which made him forgot about the formal process and just proceeds to the final process, this is where he signed his signature onto the document and put a seal on it.
"You're right."
Arabella's eyes widened when she heard his answer.
"You bribed the examiner?"
"No, I can tell that you're not lying. That' why I'm asking you how did you know that?"
"It is your eyes Mister. Royalties' eyes are like precious jewels, unlike ordinary noble and commoners, our eyes don't shine like how the royalties' jewel-like eyes do. Quickly drink your potion if you want me to be the only one to notice." after saying that, she turned her back on him and continue walking.
'In a few minutes, I'll be home soon.'
"Y-you even know about the potion?" he asked with an astonished expression, he quickly fastened his pace to keep up with Arabella who suddenly frowned. She suddenly stopped walking and inhaled deeply.
"Do you smell that?" Arabella asked while sniffing the surroundings.
"Uh.. what do you mean? Other than tobacco I don't smell any-"
"Tobacco? how can the smell of tobacco- this smells familiar...this!"
Arabella lifted her skirt and quickly ran.
"W-what's happening!?"
After running for a few minutes, they already arrived at the Maguire's mansion with their paled faces.
'Blaine...Scarlet, please be safe.'
The shorter the distance gets, the more she felt uncomfortable and felt her heart beating wildly.
When she saw the opened front door, something inside her exploded. Ruel who was behind her flinched when something felt wrong with the woman in front of her.
'Is the night just chilly? or something ominous will happen?'
He quickly followed Arabella who's running towards the door at an incredible speed.
Ruel didn't know, that following this woman absentmindedly will lead him to the future he never thought will happen.