ATPL 46

Judy figured that the strange mask must be a new hobby of hers.

‘I guess she’s completely given up on acting demure?’

With that thought, Judy scanned the girl’s neck. The key necklace wasn’t there.

Well, that was no surprise. She must feel the heat, too. She hadn’t worn the key when she left, either—but there’s no way she came here without it.

It was better that her luggage looked plain. The key had to be hidden in there…

“Anais currently has no memory of the past year.”

What’s with this girl?

Judy nearly shouted out loud when she heard that. If not for the habit she’d long mastered, pretending to bow and scrape before the girl, she probably would have.

Barely calming herself, Judy began to think. Maybe this was a chance.

The jewelry box that the girl couldn’t remember.

It was the perfect opportunity to steal it and never get caught.

Judy’s thoughts were spinning. She had nearly mentioned the jewels when the girl asked about last year, but managed to change the subject in time.

When Judy said, “How would someone ignorant like me know about jewels?” the girl had nodded and replied, “That’s true.”

But how to open that safe…

Just in case, she had rummaged through the luggage the moment the girl left her room but of course, the key wasn’t there. She hadn’t really expected to find it.

So, how do you open the safe and retrieve the jewelry box?

Judy’s mind was consumed by thoughts of the safe and the jewelry box.

First, open the safe, grab the jewelry box, and make a run for it.

But how?

Only the Fleur couple and the girl knew the combination, but like most safes, it had a weakness.

She could try smashing the wall where the safe was embedded.

But Judy couldn’t do that alone. Even if she managed to take only the jewelry box, there were still problems.

She’d never left Langs. What if bandits attacked her? Should she hire a guard?

But Judy just the caretaker’s daughter, had never hired anyone in her life.

That’s when something caught her eye…

“The young lady doesn’t seem to eat much, so you eat plenty.”

It was that good-for-nothing knight who had brushed her cheek.

Either way, the fact that one of the men that arrogant girl paraded around had taken an interest in her well, it wasn’t unpleasant.

In fact, it was welcome.

He was someone who wouldn’t leak information to her parents in Langs. Someone she could possibly run away with.

Whether a knight could be the kind of person to run away with was debatable.

But Judy was sure of one thing: this guy wasn’t really a knight.

The knights who sometimes accompanied the Fleur couple to the villa were always sharp and disciplined.

But Abel? He was lazy. Unhurried.

Judy trusted her instincts when it came to reading people.

This man was a layabout—never done an honest day’s work in his life. She could tell just by touching his hand.

There were barely any calluses. A little rough where he gripped his sword, maybe—but otherwise, smooth and clean.

Somehow, a big, strong ruffian with a handsome face had managed to become the noble lady’s guard knight.

“Ha. Do I look like that to you?”

“Don’t you?”

“No, but… you’re surprisingly spot on.”

Abel gave her a smile, eyes curving.

That girl really has no taste in men.

Lying on the grass, Judy looked at his face and scoffed at Anais’s choices.

Out of the three men Anais had brought with her, this one seemed the most useful.

He didn’t have the delicate beauty of the others, but the fierce look in his smile made him seem suited to being a woman’s husband.

“So you haven’t been the young lady’s guard knight for long, right?”

“Guard knight? It’s not even been a week.”

Let’s see. One day, two days, three days… He counted on his fingers and chuckled.

“I’ve known that girl for four days now.”

“…That’s it?”

It sounded absurd—but also reassuring. He probably wasn’t that attached to her yet.

“Hey, how much did the young lady promise to pay you?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious…”

Abel looked at Judy, then shrugged.

“Specifically?”

“She’s a noble lady, so I figured she’s paying you well, right?”

“Good grief. I’m not getting even an ant’s nostrils’ worth.”

That made Judy uneasy. If he was the type to betray her for money, he might kill her and disappear.

So she casually tossed in a lie.

“Say, do you know the young lady lost her memory of the past year?”

“I know.”

“Well, actually…”

Judy leaned in and whispered into his ear.

The engagement ring from Lord Cesar, the one who arrived yesterday, is inside that jewelry box, but it seems the young lady has forgotten about it.

I just want her to be happy. She was surprised, but I think she’d be pleased to see it again…

“What are you trying to say?”

“If she’s lost her memory, she’s probably forgotten how to open the safe too. So if we open it and bring it to her together, maybe she’ll reward us properly. Don’t you think?”

“…And how am I supposed to open someone else’s safe?”

“Well… by breaking it open.”

“Hey. The repair costs would be pricier than any reward.”

Despite his words, a glint of interest appeared in his eyes.

His purple gaze swept over Judy with a smirk. She shrugged.

“Even if not the young lady, Lord Cesar would be pleased, right? He’s very generous. He gave me gold coins just like that!”

“…Ah, really?”

“So I thought, maybe we could just bring it to Lord Cesar…”

“But you said the young lady earlier.”

“Well, Abel, since you mentioned the repair costs might be high…”

The hastily made-up lie had no consistency. But even so, the man seemed to have taken the bait.

“Really? So when do we open it? Now?”

“Later this afternoon. I’ll ask the young lady if she wants to go for a walk. Once she’s out, we’ll do it quickly.”

That afternoon, the Baldwin couple would also be gone. They were heading out with the gardener couple to tend to the fields far from the mansion. The caretakers’ salary wasn’t enough to feed everyone all year, after all.

The Baldwins were diligent, frugal people. How someone like Judy came from such a family, even she didn’t know.

“But if it’s something that’d make the young lady happy, why do it in secret?”

“Well, you know… women. They like surprise parties?”

Even Judy thought her explanation sounded suspicious.

But the man laughed through his nose and said, “I guess so. I like surprise parties too.”

What an idiot. At this rate, I could just dump him and leave once I have the jewelry box.

The safe was embedded in the wall. Opening it would take some effort. After he broke open the iron door with a pickaxe or something, she’d hand him water for his trouble.

And then smash his head while he drank.

Judy smiled sweetly. He was strong and good-looking, kind of a waste, but trusting a thug like him would be too risky.

Better to enjoy the view while she had it.

Thinking that, she rested her cheek against Abelard’s chest. It was broad and firm.

Judy’s plan to end the Brosuhart Empire’s lineage would ultimately fail.

Of course, Judy had no idea that her little scheme might’ve been something terrifying enough to do exactly that.

There were just a few problems.

“Where’s the pickaxe?”

“Pickaxe?”

Abel looked at her, baffled.

“Why would we need that?”

“To break the safe…”

“All noble safes are basically the same. And this one’s cheap. I was thinking I’d just stick my sword in the gap and twist.”

Abel crossed his arms and stared at the safe in the master couple’s study. Judy stared in disbelief.

“It’s still made of iron. I don’t think a sword could—”

“Ah, but this sword is made of Brosuhart steel.”

The reason Brosuhart had conquered the continent wasn’t anything grand. Their swords, refined using a unique smelting technique, were several times stronger than ordinary steel.

Abel touched the safe and gave a low whistle.

“But honestly, we won’t even need Brosuhart steel. Hands will do.”

“Hands? How could you possibly—”

Judy was about to ask when it happened.

Abel reached out and twisted the round lock on the front of the safe.

Click, click, click.

A sound Judy never expected echoed through the room.