Night had fallen deep, and the lights had long since gone out in Baron Sauron's residence in northern Trier.
Charlotte avoided the front entrance, where someone might still pass by, and climbed over the wall into the backyard.
The arm struck by the bald Hunter still ached faintly. Her clothes were covered in dust and the black soot left by gunpowder explosions, but fortunately, there were no bloodstains. She could just about explain it away as having tripped while walking in the dark.
As for who would believe that a noble young lady had gone out in trousers and a coat at midnight and fallen into such a state, that was not her concern.
Father's probably asleep anyway. Once I've washed up and threatened the maid not to tell him, I can pretend nothing happened tomorrow... Charlotte softened her footsteps and entered the residence through the servants' side door. By the crimson moonlight filtering through the windows, she crossed the rear hall and followed the corridor into the ground-floor foyer.
She was about to head upstairs to her bedroom when a faint scrape came from beside the wall, and a small flame sprang up in the darkness.
Charlotte froze. Slowly turning her head, she watched the flame approach an oil lamp and light it.
Dim yellow light spread out, fully illuminating her dust-covered clothes, her slightly disheveled hair, and Raoul Sauron, who stood by the wall watching her without expression.
Her original plan for tonight had merely been to visit the Church of Saint Viève and pass the information she had received from Miss N that afternoon to the Purification-ers. At most, she would answer a few questions and earn a tiny bit of credit.
Who could have expected Donovan to immediately assign her to an operational team and send