CHAPTER 413: CHAPTER 351: NIGHT RAID (PART 2)

"Hmm."

After responding blandly, Leonard scrutinized his secretary, a bit suspicious as he said,

"Where did you go? It was just a simple task, so why did it take you so long?"

"The person on duty over there fell asleep, couldn’t wake him no matter what, so it took a bit longer. I also got startled by a stray cat on the way, sorry..."

After vaguely answering a couple of times, "Mark" walked back to his desk with heavy steps, continuing to review the documents he hadn’t finished.

Leonard, having returned to his desk, looked at the whitening sky and suddenly felt a sore waist and back. He couldn’t help but yawn and then waved his hand wearily, saying,

"Stop it, let’s call it a day. I need to rest.

Tomorrow afternoon, we need to meet with the president of the Royal Capital Commerce Association to discuss imposing an additional monopoly tax on some major companies led by Charl Department Store. You should rest in the ear room, too, so you won’t mess things up tomorrow!"

"Okay."

Hearing Leonard’s words, the secretary stood up, following him closely out of the office and into the slightly dimly lit corridor.

As the two walked one after another into the corridor, under the indifferent gaze of the portraits on both sides, their shadows stretched longer by the light from behind. "Mark’s" footsteps drew ever closer, his shadow gradually overshadowing Leonard’s head, nearly engulfing him entirely.

"By the way, how’s that woman at Treasure Flower Manor?"

Seemingly unaccustomed to the chattering secretary’s silence along the way, Leonard uncomfortably took the initiative to speak,

"Does she still live in the garden?"

"..."

Upon hearing Leonard’s inquiry, "Mark’s" shadow paused slightly and no longer continued to stretch but instead subtly hummed,

"Yes, she’s still living in the small wooden house in the corner of the garden with your daughter."

Your daughter...

"Shut up! Don’t mention that monster! She’s not my daughter either!"

Leonard’s body suddenly froze upon hearing that. He stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and said angrily,

"Damn it! I clearly drowned that monster long ago! But she... Mark!!! How dare you? How dare you mention this in front of me?!!"

"Sorry! Marquis, I’m sorry! I misspoke!"

Frightened awake by Leonard’s sudden fury, the secretary, realizing he had misspoken, quickly slapped himself hard, snapping out of his incoherent, half-asleep state, shaking like a leaf,

"I... I just... I might’ve been too tired... Marquis... I... I..."

"Enough, shut your mouth!"

After glaring at his secretary with disgust, Leonard, while considering finding an excuse to get rid of him the next day, said with cold, harsh eyes,

"Considering you stayed up late with me and your mind isn’t very clear, we’ll let it go this time. But if I hear you mention a word about it again, don’t blame me!"

"I... I remember, Marquis, I remember!"

Letting out an angry huff, Leonard, who had opened up the topic, simply continued,

"When I sent you to clean up the manor, did she see it? Did she say anything if she did?"

"She... probably saw it."

After a slight flicker of his eyes, "Mark" replied,

"But she didn’t say anything, nor did she interfere. She just picked up the Bauhinia Family crest from the trash pile in front of the main building."

"I see... heh."

Leonard chuckled with a hint of disdain,

"After that incident years ago, I actually saw her twice more. At that time, the way that woman looked at me was as if she were looking at a dead man, making me worry for quite a while.

But now... heh, it seems the Purification Bureau’s restraints on her are stronger than I thought. She didn’t even dare stand up to stop it, the last Bao Hua... that’s all."

"The Purification Bureau? What kind of place is that?"

"It’s... a mysterious department under the police bureau."

After glancing at his secretary, who wore a face full of curiosity, Leonard was somewhat annoyed at himself for mentioning this dangerous organization but, upon thinking it over, still explained with a slight apprehension in his gaze,

"They have some unusual abilities, capable of doing things that ordinary people can’t, handling cases that are particularly peculiar. But the entry requirements are extremely stringent, and most people haven’t even heard of them, or if they do, they forget soon after.

I was able to know about their existence because that woman was chosen by them. So, they also put something called Word Spirit on me, which prevents that woman from approaching, thus preserving my memory of it."

"There’s actually such a mysterious organization..."

With eyes full of shock, the secretary replied, "Leonard, since the woman from Treasure Flower Manor could join that Purification Bureau, she must have unusual abilities as well, right?"

"Yeah."

Unable to resist glancing back at his somewhat strange secretary, Leonard thought that even if he knew now, he’d inexplicably forget this memory tomorrow anyway. Additionally, having bottled it up for so many years, he did want to find someone to talk to a bit, so he replied,

"Though not exactly clear, I guess her ability is probably to bring people back to life!"

"Back to life?"

"Yes, back to life! She might even desecrate the souls of the dead!"

Leonard nodded, then continued walking forward, fearfully narrating,

"Back then, I... oh... the monster child you mentioned earlier, she was absolutely dead back then. Yet that crazy woman kept buying children’s clothes.

When I sensed something was wrong, I thought she’d gone mad. But my people sent there actually saw a little girl within the garden’s bounds! I even looked with binoculars myself, and the child’s eyebrows and eyes were just like... just like that monster child from before!

*Mark! Can you imagine how scared I was back then?*

Damn it! If not for this opportunity being truly rare, and the orders of the Minister of Finance and the Queen being hard to disobey, *I would never have approached that damn manor by even a step!*"

"Hmm, I should be able to imagine it. Even if I can’t imagine it now, I should be able to see it soon."

???

"What the hell are you babbling about?"

Hearing his secretary’s bizarre response, Leonard couldn’t help but turn back suddenly, with eyes full of anger, shouting loudly,

"Damn it! Mark! Today, you really... how are you here?!"

"I came to see you."

A crisp, pleasant child’s voice, carrying a hint of cheer, replied,

"I wanted to see what kind of person would drown me back then, and also..."

Replacing the dream Mark, little Ellie appeared before Leonard. She smiled and then, under Leonard’s utterly horrified gaze, innocently asked,

"Where’s my body? Where did you throw my body? Can you tell me, please?"

"Ahhhh!!!"

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