Chapter 18: Operation (2)

"Why did you call me, father"-Scarlett

I ask my father, I sat down properly this time while I cross my legs.

"Your latest project, why did I hear that Lady Diana Regan Shawn joined your project without me knowing?"-Father

Father looks into my eyes before looking at his desk, he grabs the top half of one of the piles of documents on his desk while asking me.

"I thought she would be good, you're not against it, are you, father?"-Scarlett

I gave my father an answer while giving him a question, resting my chin on the back of my fingers while my elbow rest on my other hand.

"…No"-Father

It took a moment before my father responded.

We both look at each other, our red jewelry eyes stare before I close my eyes for a moment then gave him a satisfied smile while looking at the side.

"That's good"-Scarlett

I clap my hand.

My father looks at me for seconds, hesitating to ask me a question. He then looks at his desk and began to work on his documents.

Since there's nothing to talk about, I stood up from the couch. I was about to open the door when I heard my father speak.

"You…did you counter any assassin lately? last month?"-Father

My father asks. I look back to look into his face, I saw his face full of worry.

"Hmmm, no"-Scarlett

I hummed as I ponder for a moment while putting my hand on my chin before answering.

"Is that so…that's good"-Father

When father heard my answer, he let out a sigh, looking relieved.

"…"-Scarlett

I open the door, as I was about to close it, I took another look at my father.

"Isn't it too late for you to do that?"-Scarlett

I ask my father; I look into his eyes deeply with a sly smile on my face.

His eyes widened was the last thing I saw before closing the door.

"Seriously, really too late"-Scarlett

I mutter to myself that only I can hear.

At this moment I don't know what face I'm making but if I guess it, I think I'm smiling, cheerfully smiling like a freak.

"Oh, Scarlett, you're done talking to your father?"-Hazel

I heard my mother's footsteps approaching as well as her voice.

She asks when she saw me standing at the front of Father's office.

"Yes, are you done talking to Alex, Mother?"-Scarlett

I answer my mother then asked her, I tilted my head while giving her a gentle smile.

"It's done, are you staying here?"-Hazel

My mother let out her gentle smile, she asks as she carefully grabbed my hand.

"Look how skinny you are, you should come to eat with us, like a family"-Hazel

My mother holds her hand as she slightly scolds me, she looks into my face and suggests that I should eat here while giving a motherly worried look on her face.

Like a mother she is.

"No, I can't Mother, I have a guest at my manor"-Scarlett

I denied my mother's suggestion, giving her a proper and believable reason.

"Oh? Who's your guest? Is it her?"-Hazel

When my mother heard my reason, she immediately asks who while also guessing who it is.

Without my mother telling her name, I immediately knew who she was talking about.

"You know about her mother?"-Scarlett

I ask, tilting my head, giving a confused look while also smiling.

"Of course! I'm your mother, I know all about your friends"-Hazel

My mother spoke, smiling at me.

"Is that so but my guest is Lady Diana Regan Shawn, mother"-Scarlett

I informed my mother about Diana staying at my manor, I look into her eyes and smiled.

Her eyes widen before frowning within a matter of seconds.

"Lady Diana? Scarlett, don't you know that she—"-Hazel

Before my mother could finish her sentence, I interrupted my mother with a gentle smile.

"It's okay mother"-Scarlett

I assured my mother before running, gazing towards her as I wave my hand.

My mother's eyes widen, she shouted for my name.

"Scarlett!! That's a window!"-Hazel

Ignoring my mother's voice, I look forward and keep running until jumping on an open window.

My father's office is located on the sixth floor thus the fall took some time for me to fall.

As I wait for my body to nearly reach the ground, I face my back to the ground while staring at the clear blue sky as I spread my arms.

"Ah…a crow with a…paper on its feet.."-Scarlett

I let out a mutter as I watch a crow fly in the sky, my eyes immediately widen when I realized the meaning of the crow.

I perfectly landed with my left hand on the ground, with both of my feet perfectly landing on the ground.

"AAAhhh!!"-Maid

The maid screams when she was startled by me falling and landing perfectly.

"Sorry for that"-Scarlett

I apologetically smile at the maid before running in the crow's direction.

I could still see the crow as I run toward the royal gates, when I pass the royal gates, the crow disappears in thin air.

"…."-Scarlett

I stare at the sky, wondering where it went.

'Surely it didn't disappear in thin air…right' I thought to myself.

"Is everything alright, Your Highness?"-Knight

The knight who is guarding the gate walk towards me and asks in concern.

I look toward the knight and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay!"-Scarlett

After giving him a reassuring smile, I cheerfully smile as I walk away heading toward the carriage.

"Are you going to your manor, Your Highness?"-Coachman

The coachman notices me and asks.

"Yep"-Scarlett

I nodded my head as I spoke to the coachman, I open the carriage door and comfortably sat down on the seat.

I close my eyes as I waited for the carriage to start moving.

'Where did the crow go…surely, it's that child messaging bird, who's she's messaging and where did it go' I thought to myself, trying to solve the mystery of the crow.

I open my eyes and stare at my hand.

'Weird…why can't I read her though…' I narrowed my eyes, clenching my hand before looking outside the window.

"The weather is going to change"-Scarlett

I mutter to myself, looking at the sky outside the window. I lean my head on top of the seat, staring at the hood of the ceiling with my lips twitch upwards.

[Hmm mmhhh]

I began to hum in a joyful mood as I patiently wait to arrive at my manor.

---

"Welcome back, Princess"-Julie

Julie greeted me when she saw me closing the door after I enter.

"Where's lady Diana?" -Scarlett

I nodded in response to Julie's greeting and ask where Diana is.

"I believe she's in her room, Princess"-Julie

Julie stops what she's doing and ponders for a second before answering.

"Thanks"-Scarlett

I said my thanks to Julie with a smile on my face before walking out, heading toward Diana's room.

[knock][knock]

I knock on the door, patiently waiting for Diana to have her permission for me to come in.

"Who's there?"-Diana

Diana asks. I could hear papers rustling inside the room as well as Diana's writing movement.

"It's me Lady Diana"-Scarlett

I spoke to let Diana recognize me.

After I spoke, I heard footsteps running in this direction inside Diana's room.

[Creak]

Diana slowly opens the door, when she saw me, she immediately opens the door wide enough for 3 people to enter at the same time.

"Princess, your back"-Diana

Diana greeted me and smiled, letting me in her room and offering me a seat.

"Yep, I'm back"-Scarlett

I smile back at Diana and sat down comfortably while grabbing a piece of the document on the floor.

"Did Anne give this to you?"-Scarlett

I ask Diana as I read the content.

Impressive, Diana can solve the mystery of money increasing on the orphanage with only that document.

'As expected of Sae Academy's 2nd best academic student' I thought to myself as I let out a satisfied smile.

"Yeah, Princess, Anne said that you order her to give it to me"-Diana

Diana answered my question, tilting her head as she spoke.

"She's right and this is amazing Lady Diana, you solve this over four hours? Some people might solve this for 2 days or more"-Scarlett

I compliment Diana in a sweet voice from her work while giving her the biggest smile.

"Thank you, Princess"-Diana

Diana thanks me with a sweet smile on her face, gently grabbing the document in my hand.

"Are you ready to have your reputation rise, Lady Diana?"-Scarlett

I ask Diana, grabbing another document and taking a look.

'Hmm, just one problem here' I thought to myself, I look around and saw a pen on the table. I stood up and walked toward it.

"Yes, I am Princess but I have one question…"-Diana

Diana answered my question and hesitantly ask me a question.

"What is it?"-Scarlett

I ask with a calm smile, I look into Diana's face as I sat back down, crossing my leg with my hand on my knees while holding the document.

"Why…do you go this far to save me Princess?"-Diana

Diana hesitantly asks with a doubtful look on her face, although it was well hidden, I can still see it.

"I just want to save you, although my answer isn't the one, you're looking for"-Scarlett

I answer Diana's question without hesitation, giving her a reassuring smile.

I still saw some doubts on her face. I stood up from the chair and pat her head, although the gap wasn't that big, I slightly look down and smile.

"I just don't want you to go in the wrong direction"-Scarlett

I added to my sentence to reassure her, cheerfully smiling as I pat her head.

"Thank you…Princess"-Diana

Diana thanks me from the bottom of her heart in a low voice, lowering her head.

"You're Welcome, Lady Diana"-Scarlett

I patted Diana's head again as I gently spoke.

We stay at this formation for a minute before I let my hand go out of her head and grab a document, giving it to her with a smile on my face.

"We should focus on the document Lady Diana; we still have some things to dig up~"-Scarlett

I cheerfully spoke to Diana, leading her to the chair, letting her sit before giving her the document.

"You did a great job accounting the cash flow of the orphanage from the royal court however you miss the cash flow from the lord of Calidib town outside the capital"-Scarlett

I praise Diana for her work and point out what part she did wrong gently, I sat down and show the document while pointing at the name of the Calidib.

"I see, thank you Princess"-Diana

Diana immediately understands what I was talking about and immediately take notes in her mind.

I smile at her in response before I saw Diana focusing on the document.

'Duke…the future is going to be fun~' I thought to myself as I stare at Diana, covering my mouth that has been arching upward with my hand.

---

I open my eyes and another day has passed.

"Haa"-Scarlett

I let out a short smile as soon as I woke up, standing up from my bed before smiling.

[Knock][Knock]

A knock on the door echoed in my quiet room, the sound stops after knocking a second time.

"Come in Anne"-Scarlett

I gave my permission to Anne to come in. I sat on the edge of the bed, yawning as I see her enter.

"Geez, you have very big dark circles under your eyes Anne"-Scarlett

I let out a shocked look when I saw Anne walking toward me, holding a bucket of warm water and a towel with a dark circle under her eyes.

"Whose fault do you think it is, Princess?"-Anne

Anne glared at me as she gently places the bucket of water on my desk and neatly place down the folded towel on my desk.

"Eh? But isn't that my order?"-Scarlett

I ask Anne looking even more "shock", I titled my head with an innocent look on my face.

"…"-Anne

Anne stares at me in silence as I also stare at her with a wide grin on my face.

"Anyway Princess, aside from the useless information that I got, the head goes out often with one child from the orphanage and bring back two or more children"-Anne

Anne shared the information that she got yesterday night from strolling around and asking some people.

"Hmm, based on the documentation that I got from that kid, aside from the Calidib town, there's also another town that has a connection to the orphanage"-Scarlett

I stated as I cross my arm and place one hand on my chin.

"However, some of them have unknown towns"-Scarlett

I added to my sentence, I stood up from my bed and walk straight to my desk to wash my face.

Just after I splash some warm water on my face, I heard a crow's noise coming in this direction.

I unhurriedly grab the soft towel and gently wipe my face before raising my arm, letting the crow who just entered my room land on my arm.

I place down my towel on my desk where Anne immediately fixes it, I look at the crow and saw a piece of paper on its foot.

"Does she need something? Is it urgent?"-Scarlett

I mutter to myself as I observe the crow before taking the paper and gently placing it down on my desk, patting its head before looking at the content.

"Is it from the kid of the orphanage, Princess?"-Anne

When Anne saw the crow on my arm, she asks me a question.

"You know her?"-Scarlett

I ask Anne, still petting the crow while holding the paper.

"Yes, her name is kyle I believe. I saw her at night in the tavern"-Anne

Anne answered my question and said Kyle's name and the place where Anne saw her.

"She said that she's there to pick up her drunk father which is absolutely a lie since she's an orphan"-Anne

Anne added, slightly frowning before turning back into a calm face.

"She's quite mysterious, isn't she?"-Scarlett

---

"Huh, she really didn't lie"-Scarlett

I mutter to myself when I pick up the new document on my desk.

The paper said that there was a document that I needed in my office. I doubt the content of the paper since I can't see if this is true or not unlike before.

Hence, I hesitantly went to my office without expectation. On the way to my office, I happen to bump into Diana who is looking for me.

"Good morning, Lady Diana! You seem happy today"-Scarlett

I immediately greeted Diana in a cheerful tone with a sweet smile on my face.

"Good morning, Princess, I'm just happy since today will be the day"-Diana

Diana greeted me back and spoke with a gentle tone in her voice as she smiles.

"Do you need me? It's too early for you to be in my office"-Scarlett

I ask Diana as I open the door. I take a scan of my office and didn't see anything new, not even a new place one piece of paper on my desk that I didn't know who put it.

On the very corner of my office, I saw a hidden stack of the document on the floor.

"Yes Princess, I'm here because of the document that you said that I needed to solve"-Diana

Diana replied, she also took a quick scan of my office before sitting down on the couch.

While Julie and Anne look at each other, nodded and decided to bring our breakfast here since we'll be busy before lunch.

"Did you solve it, Lady Diana?"-Scarlett

In response to her word, I ask Diana as I went over the hidden stack of documents.

'How on earth did that child, Kyle, enter my office' I thought to myself as I went over my window, giving it a slight nudge to check if it was locked.

"Huh, she really didn't lie"-Scarlett

I mutter to myself, crouching down as I pick up the document before looking at Diana and letting out a smile.

.