Chapter 123 – The Lair of Aclo

If it was really the guildmaster of Hermes…

Then, it was highly likely the card bore a cipher, the kind of security measure you would expect from someone who had kept his identity hidden so thoroughly until now.

‘This must also be a kind of test.’

To see whether she was truly prepared to meet the master of the Empire’s greatest information guild.

Evelyn opened a desk drawer and retrieved a vial of decoding solution. She poured a small amount over the card, then held it carefully over the flame of a candle. As the heat touched the surface, the card began to discolor, faint lines blooming across it until words emerged from the blank expanse.

「 I have received your letter. Five days from now, at one o’clock in the afternoon, let us meet at the Lair of Aclo. I trust neither of us will have cause for disappointment. I look forward to seeing an exceptional work of art.
— From the Administrator of the Aclo Foundation 」

The ‘Lair of Aclo’ named on the card was the true seat of Hermes, and the ‘work of art’ it spoke of was information.

Finally, she would meet the guildmaster himself.

Evelyn exhaled slowly, relief loosening the tight coil in her chest.

There was no other information guild as trustworthy as this one. In the original story, Hermes had been the very embodiment of integrity, so immaculate that not even a speck of dust could be found upon them. They were the only intelligence network that couldn’t be counted among the underworld’s ranks.

With their headquarters veiled within the Aclo Foundation, they moved unseen through the very heart of the capital. The fact that their guildmaster responded to her letter wasn’t merely out of curiosity; it must have been out of desperation.

Drawn from her thoughts, Evelyn glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall.

“One o’clock in the afternoon, five days from now…”

Even though the meeting was set sooner than she had expected, that was no cause for complaint. She would just have to prepare thoroughly enough to win the guildmaster’s favor when the time came.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

The carriage of House Inevasel rolled toward the heart of the capital, more precisely, to Melphone, the sanctum of the Empire’s artists.

Melphone was a city that had shaped the Baltian Empire’s long history of art. From museums to galleries to the grand opera house, every thread of the Empire’s creative spirit was gathered here.

Gazing out through the carriage window, she caught sight of a building unlike its neighbors. Amidst the venerable architecture, this one stood as the newest structure in view, its design blending traditional forms with modern elements in a way that lent it a singular charm.

“My lady, we’ve arrived.”

At the coachman’s call through the sliding window, Evelyn took the hand of her escort knight and stepped down from the carriage.

‘So this is the Aclo Foundation.’

The entrance bustled with wealthy nobles, all eager to play the role of patrons to the arts. Watching the scene for a moment, Gideon spoke in a tone tinged with surprise.

“I never realized so many people had such an interest in art.”

As he said, there were those who gave generously out of a genuine love for beauty, their contributions forming the bridge that carried an artist’s work out into the world. However, among them were others who offered patronage only to sate their intellectual vanity.

“Well, not everyone is like that.”

Evelyn replied, tilting her head slightly before continuing forward. Once they passed into the Foundation’s main building, she glanced sidelong at her trusted aide.

“Wait here for me. I won’t be long.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After a brief survey of the surroundings, she made her way to the reception desk.

“How may I help you?”

Evelyn inclined her head politely and slipped the card she had brought into view. The attendant studied it closely, then gave a small nod and began to lead her onward.

To reach the Lair of Aclo, hidden beyond the main building, she first had to walk the length of a grand and splendid corridor. The corridor glittered with opulent works of art, their worth unmistakable, much like the private galleries of the highest noble houses.

‘Mother would have had her eye on these in an instant.’