Rose arrived at the hospital when the sun went down. There were many responsibilities to take care of before going there. From ‘cleaning up’ the Dollmaker’s base, looking for him, and a lot of other things in the raid's aftermath. Securing and archiving artifacts was one burdensome responsibility of her. There were few among her staff capable of handling artifacts, so for the most part, she couldn‘t relegate the task. Not to mention that if she found one deemed dangerous, she had to arrange for its containment and storage. If she could help it, she didn‘t want to go to the hospital. But coming there wasn‘t a simple visit but a business that required her personal attendance, else she would have sent the maids or Pris or the staff to check on Iris.

”How’s she?”

”She’ll survive.” Ernst Schmidt, one of her biggest clients, answered beside her

Rose took a deep breath. The mission from Arthur, from the Long Table, was to prevent the ritual completion, and she did just that. Her secondary objective, however, was to capture the Dollmaker alive and save all the women the Dollmaker captured, both she failed spectacularly. That was her mission as a mage and member-in-training of the Long Table. This time, it was her job as the head of the Arcturus Company to take responsibility.

“I-” Her hands sweating. This was the first time the company failed a contract - a big one at that - since she took over leadership. "I’d understand it if you want-”

“Don‘t say it. I know what you’re going to say, Arcturus, but I’m not here for that.” Schmidt interrupted her nervous speech. “You promised me you’ll keep my daughters alive, and you delivered. In fact, I’m thinking to extend the contract for a few more years, without involving Iris. It’s been a … pleasure doing business with you.”

“...”

Rose didn’t know what to say. She never imagined returning with good news on her hand. It didn’t feel right. She failed yet she rewarded.

”About your daughter-”

Schmidt snapped. ”I think you don’t understand the situation here, Arcturus. She’s safe here in this hospital. I have men guard her twenty-four-seven. You don’t have any business with her anymore! Just keep my other daughter safe and away from Rein Constantine.” He raised his palm and touched the glass window. ”This one … is still alive, I’ll find some use of her.” He turned his face towards Rose. ”You can leave now, lady Arcturus.” His words sent chills all over Rose’s body. IFrigid, cold and dark. He wasn‘t the same man she made contract with years ago.

But like he said. This was no longer her business. Iris Schmidt was safe and alive and was now under the care of her family. She was no longer her concern, as much as her heart said otherwise.

”Then I’ll take my leave.” Rose took one more look at the unconscious woman on the other side of the window.

Iris made her think about Rein Constantine. That night in the sewer, carrying Iris unconscious body was a foreign man, one Rose knew nothing about. The pungent smell and the shadowy figure on his shoulder were nowhere to be found. And from that moment, Rose didn’t feel disgusted or repulsed by him. Only sadness and sympathy. The Rein Constantine she knew of, the one she monitored for a decade, was no more.

“Pris, I’m ho-” Rose stopped herself. Right, Pris wasn’t home. The punishment she promised Pris had to be delivered. She could delay it even further by arguing the Dollmaker wasn’t caught yet, but it only delayed the inevitable. And with a report coming earlier that the Korean Black Axe was sending assassin her way, Rose found a perfect task for Pris.

She threw herself on the sofa, body sprawling without grace or manners. The maids were out cleaning the Dollmaker’s base and Arthur somewhere else preparing for the meeting with the underground bosses and politicians. There was no worry.

No.

Rose woke up from her sleeping position. Someone, no, something was moving inside the house.

She raised her hand, preparing for anything.

The walls trembled, and the furniture moved. Before she understands what happened, one section of the wall opened and revealed a stair downward.

”Wha-” The movement stopped. Rose waited and waited before inching closer to the new stair. It wasn’t far, going only one level down.

Pris told her once about this. Her late father loved puzzle and mysteries so much that when he became the head of Arcturus family, he renovated the manor to include multiple secret rooms and corridors and doors. Rose always thought of it as mere rumors, for neither Pris nor the maids ever proved such places existed.

Was this one such room she wondered? How many more were there? And why does it open now?

When her parents died, a lot of artifacts They had were lost and never been recovered since. Many, she thought, were stolen by the vultures and ’friends’ of her family. But with the existence of secret rooms, there was a possibility that her parents hid it there. Was this the room they used to hide it?

Rose’s imagination went wild. Her heart beating with anticipation and excitement. She knew so little about her parent’s death. Without considering any danger, Rose ran down the stair.

What she saw there was a small circular study frozen in time. How many years had it been since the last person entered it, yet everything stayed in pristine condition. Dust barely covered the table or the lone chair sitting inside the room. Paintings of unknown vistas, and some of her father and mother covered the walls. There were wine bottles lining the side rack. But what caught her attention was a simple red book sitting on the study table.

When she was little, she saw her father writing on this book in his free time.

She put her hand on it and read her father’s handwriting on the cover. ‘My Beautiful Red Rose’

So many emotions were running around in her heart. With shaking hand she opened it.

‘To my beautiful Red Rose. If you read this writing of mine, it means I have died. Killed in a cold-blooded conspiracy.’