The moment the lady left, Helena seemed to deflate. She pouted and sighed. "Sometimes, I really hate my status."
Audrey gave her an understanding smile. "There's no helping it. Since we enjoy the privileges our status brings, we also have to obey the rules that come with it."
She drained her juice in a single, almost petulant gulp, then turned serious. "Glaint told you why I wanted to see you today, right?"
"Something about... maids going missing from the Third Prince's manor recently?"
Helena nodded emphatically. "Exactly! Eleven people have disappeared so far. More than half vanished into thin air overnight, while a few went home to visit their families and never came back. I suspect this has something to do with the mystical world."
"Why do you think that?"
"It all started when that woman moved into Red Rose Manor. That woman... the very first time I saw her, she made my skin crawl. She... is definitely not an ordinary person." As though something had occurred to her, fear crept into her eyes. "And my brother Edessak's infatuation with her is extremely abnormal. Audrey, he used to like you so much, and then suddenly..."
"Ahem, ahem."
Audrey hurriedly coughed to hide her embarrassment. "That's all in the past."
"Anyway, I'm worried she'll harm my brother Edessak. I hope you can help me."
"Hmm, but I think this is the sort of thing you should take to a private detective."
"Actually, I secretly hired one already. A somewhat well-known detective in Backlund, no less... Zreal Victor Lee. But he disappeared a while ago too."
Edward froze. That detective Zreal's name sounded awfully familiar-wasn't he the reason Ian had sought out Klein?
Princess Helena gritted her teeth. "I hope your knowledge of mysticism can help me find those missing maids, then