Ch 9.2

The Tranquil Pavilion now stood without its true leader.

In Mesphine’s absence, the burden of command had fallen squarely onto Tevu’s shoulders.

She stared down at the ledger spread across the desk as if it were an enemy spell circle waiting to explode. Slowly, she scratched the back of her head, scales rasping faintly beneath her fingers.

“I don’t think I understand any of this,” she admitted bluntly.

Beside her, Aisha let out a quiet sigh. She leaned closer, tail flicking once as she pointed at the columns with practiced ease. “It’s just basic arithmetic. These columns record our income—room fees, courtesan services, special bookings. And these here”—her finger shifted—“are the expenses. Repairs, potions, healer fees, food, wages. In the end, everything must balance.”

Tevu followed her finger for a few seconds.

Then her eyes glazed over.

Numbers swam. Columns blurred. The neat lines of ink felt less like writing and more like some cursed sigil meant to rot her brain from the inside.

“I’d rather deal with rough clients than this sorcery of numbers,” Tevu muttered darkly. “At least fists make sense.”

Aisha allowed herself a thin smile. “If that’s the case… I can take over the accounts for now. If you’ll allow it.”

Tevu turned, eye narrowing as she studied Aisha in silence. For a moment, the room felt heavy. Aisha’s ears twitched under the scrutiny, but she held her ground.

“I won’t make the same mistakes again,” Aisha said quietly. “You have my word.”

Tevu exhaled through her nose, the tension draining from her shoulders. “Fine. Do it. I’ll handle patrols and keep the girls in line.”

Relief flickered across Aisha’s face as she nodded. “Understood.”

With that, Tevu pushed herself away from the desk, the chair scraping against the floor. She cast one last look at the ledger—an enemy she was more than happy to abandon—before turning toward the door.

“I’ll be making the rounds,” she said, already halfway out.

The muscle-headed Tevu began her patrol through the Pavilion. Though officially a courtesan, she lacked the popularity of the others, which left her with plenty of free time—time she spent either training her body or ensuring order within the guild. The servants respected her deeply. Wherever she passed, heads bowed. Tevu merely nodded in return and continued on her way.

As she turned down one of the side hallways, a peculiar figure caught her attention.

The person was wrapped head to toe in a thick tunic, with gloves covering both hands. A long scrub brush dangled from one hand, a bucket from the other. The clothes were smeared with dark brown and black stains, and a cloth mask covered most of the face. As the figure walked, nearby servants scattered instinctively, fleeing as if avoiding a curse.

Tevu didn’t react at first. The uniform was unmistakable, a septic duty member.

Only those assigned to clean the waste chambers wore that outfit. It took an iron stomach and an even stronger nose to survive the task. As the figure drew closer, the air itself seemed to rot. A foul stench rolled through the hallway, sharp and oppressive.

Tevu pinched her nose instantly.

“Hey, human runt,” she called out. “What are you doing here?”

The girl pulled the cloth away from her face, revealing two clear blue eyes. Despite the filth clinging to her clothes, she smiled brightly.

“Oh, Miss Tevu, good evening,” she said cheerfully. “I’m just returning from cleaning the tank. There were some strong opponents and tricky corners, but with my lord’s guidance, the chamber has been purified.” She paused, then added politely, “By the way, my name is Chloe.”

Tevu stared at her, nose still pinched tight.
How the hell is she smiling after coming out of that?

“You know,” Tevu muttered, “you seriously creep me out, little Chloe.”

Chloe blinked. “Huh? Why?”

Tevu shook her head. “Never mind. Don’t use the main hallway after septic duty. Use the back corridors and wash yourself first. You stink, and I don’t want customers complaining about being assaulted by your smell.”

Chloe glanced down at herself and nodded immediately. “Understood. I’ll head to the bathhouse right away.”

“Good. Move along,” Tevu said, already turning away.

“Miss Tevu?” Chloe called again.

Tevu stopped and looked back, still holding her nose. “What now?”

Chloe hesitated, eyes flickering with worry. “Um… is there any chance I could meet Mr Ben? Just once. I only want to see how he’s doing.”

Tevu’s expression hardened instantly.

“So you can try breaking him out again?” she said flatly. “Forget it. You’re not getting his location from me. Focus on your work. Maybe—maybe—we’ll think about it in the future. Now get moving before you spoil the entire Pavilion.”

Chloe’s shoulders slumped. Tevu had seen right through her.
That was exactly what she’d planned.

If she could just find the dungeon in this massive place, she might still help him. But even after days of work, the Pavilion’s lower levels remained a mystery to her.

Without another word, Chloe turned and shuffled toward the bathhouse, shoulders hunched, clutching her bucket as the stench followed her down the hall.

Tevu continued marching onward.

The Pavilion was alive with motion. Servants hurried past carrying trays of steaming food and pitchers of liquor, others balancing folded clothes against their hips. Each bowed quickly when they noticed her, then scurried on, eager not to draw attention.

Just when...

“Stop! Please~let me go!”

The cry tore through the hallway.

Tevu halted mid-step. Her eyes sharpened, and in the next heartbeat, she was already moving, boots striking the floor hard as she turned toward the sound.