Miao Miao began pacing Mr. Dont Knight's study on the second floor. She opened every shelf and drawer, but found nothing except some business documents and ledgers.
"If there were secrets, they wouldn't surely be written in a diary or on paper. Mysteries always remain hidden; they are never recorded on a page," Miao Miao sighed to herself.
It was already midnight. She blew out the candle.
Using her **'Wraith'** ability, Miao Miao instantly removed herself from the silence of West Borough. Her body turned into a misty form, flowing effortlessly through walls and shadows until she reached her familiar room at No. 13 Minsk Street.
"Now, I need some sleep," she whispered, falling onto the bed.
As the gentle morning sun pierced through the curtains, the characteristic dampness of Backlund seemed to dissipate slightly. By eight o'clock, a few birds could be heard chirping outside—a rare sight in this smoggy city. Miao Miao stretched and sat up.
After finishing breakfast, while she was looking at her designed gowns, Rosie asked with a worried face, "Miss Aria, how exactly are we going to attract customers?"
*So what if there's no internet? There are newspapers.* People in Backlund believed in newspapers as much as the Bible. She just needed to take a few pictures and place an advertisement in one of Backlund's dailies.
"Don't you worry. We just need to focus on our work, understand?" Miao Miao said encouragingly.
*The Quelaag Club... I don't even know Richie. And what time would she come to the club? They must have a specific time for visiting.*
She had only one option: spend the whole day at the Quelaag Club.
At 10:00 AM, she set off for the club. Miao Miao approached the marble-statued entrance of the elite club in Hillston Borough. She saw two men in black-and-white checkered uniforms that resembled police attire.
The uniformed doorman standing by the entrance measured her from head to toe. His eyes held a practiced caution—as if he verified countless unfamiliar faces every day.
"Member?" was the short question.
Without a moment's hesitation, Miao Miao replied calmly, "Aria Nightshade."
The doorman looked inside, caught someone's eye, and then opened the door.
She chose a corner table in the club's lounge—a spot from which the entrance was clearly visible. She had calculated that from here, no one entering would escape her notice, and Richie would be able to spot her instantly.
A cup of 'Intis-style' coffee sat before her, thin wisps of steam rising from it. She held a literary book in her hand, but it was merely for show; though her eyes were on the pages, her entire focus was fixed on the doorway.
Twelve o'clock struck.
As she repeatedly scanned the same page, boredom finally began to settle in. Eventually, she pulled a pencil and a sketchbook from her bag.
She began to draw the scene of the Quelaag Club spread out before her. Suddenly, it felt as though she was drawing on paper again after many years.
Half an hour passed. A hauntingly lifelike depiction of the club's somber hall had emerged on the pages of her sketchbook.
"Hello, I've been watching you sit here alone for quite a while. Are you waiting for someone?"
Miao Miao slowly turned her head. Standing before her was a young man, approximately in his mid-twenties. He had short, brown curly hair and a curious brightness in his eyes. He wore a fitted tweed coat with a gold chain watch dangling from his pocket—his entire attire exuding an air of nobility.
*Who is this? Is he an acquaintance of Aria?* Based on his questioning tone, it didn't seem like they had met before. Miao Miao felt a momentary void. She wasn't of this world; all she knew about the Knight family was that they were believers of the 'Earth Mother.' However, she had no choice but to present herself as Aria before this stranger.
Glancing at Miao Miao's sketch, the young man bowed slightly and extended a hand.
"Pardon me if I am intruding. I am Talim Dumont," he introduced himself with a gentle smile. "Forgive me, I've been observing you for a while... the work in your sketchbook is extraordinary!"
*Is this his nature? Striking up conversations with strangers?* **Talim Dumont**... he would die at the end of Volume Two. It was due to the curse of Triss's ring—Trissy, who was an avatar for the Primordial Demoness. From what she recalled, he didn't just like Trissy; he loved her. *To truly love someone and be willing to sacrifice... he would pay for it with his life, knowingly or unknowingly.The author always gives love a cruel twist in this novel.*
Bringing a warm smile to her face, Miao Miao said, "Thank you. I am Aria Nightshade."
*How does it feel when you know the cheerful man standing before you will be dead within two months?*
At that very moment, the club's main entrance opened with a soft sound. A young woman in a lavender Victorian gown rushed inside. Her brown hair had fallen messily over her shoulders in her haste, and her rounded face was flushed with excitement. Her large brown eyes scanned the room frantically, clearly searching for someone.
Suddenly, her gaze locked onto Miao Miao. Her face brightened instantly, as if all her anxiety had melted away in a second.
"Aria! Oh my god, you actually came!"
Richie approached the table with the gait of a refined noblewoman, her voice filled with pure joy and relief. A maid followed closely behind her.
Miao Miao stood up, a measured smile on her lips, while internally she quickly composed her demeanor.
*This is Richie… Aria's friend.*
Sensing the situation, Talim Dumont stepped back gracefully.
"It seems your long-awaited friend has arrived," Talim said with a polite bow. "Miss Aria Nightshade, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we meet again."
Miao Miao nodded respectfully toward Talim. Placing her hand over her chest, she drew the symbol of a tree with spreading branches—the sign of devotion for the followers of the **Church of the Earth Mother**.
She did this solely to reveal her identity as Aria. She certainly wouldn't be a believer in the deities of this fictional novel. To put it simply, this faith wasn't her own—it was just a part of the character she had to play.
Richie didn't wait to sit down before leaning in and grabbing Miao Miao's hands.
"You have no idea how worried I was! You suddenly vanished? I sent someone to your house several times to check—but no one was there!"
Miao Miao let a faint, sorrowful smile touch her lips and said, "Forgive me, Richie… it wasn't right of me to leave without telling you."
Then, subtly shifting her tone to something lighter, she added, "Actually… I've left that haunted house. I've moved to No. 13 Minsk Street."
Richie's eyes widened. "Haunted house?"
Miao Miao shrugged with a playful glint in her eyes. "Yes, exactly. I lived alone in that two-story house—strange noises at night, doors moving on their own… I thought, 'No more!' Besides, you won't see a soul on that street; if someone were murdered and hidden there, nobody would ever know. And I... well, I'm not ready to die just yet."
Though she spoke playfully, a cold truth lingered in her final words.
Richie replied with a mock-annoyed pout, "Oh, Aria! You always say such strange things! But Minsk Street? That's toward Cherwood Borough, isn't it? It's known as a very quiet and respectable area. But why move so far from West Borough so suddenly?"
*So, I am acting like Aria at least a little bit,* Miao Miao thought. *Moving to house No. 13... I had to do that because of the 'system.'* According to the novel, No. 13 was rented by Edessak Augustus's men to keep an eye on Klein.
Avoiding Richie's gaze, Miao Miao looked out the window at the gray fog of Backlund and spoke in a quiet, heavy voice,
"I don't know, Richie... sometimes it felt like the walls of that old house were swallowing me whole. Every night when I close my eyes, those sounds return. My parents' sudden passing, our beautiful family crumbling into dust before my eyes... that void haunts me."
Richie sighed and squeezed Miao Miao's hand. Miao Miao wondered, *Did I overact my part?*
"I'm just glad you've stepped out of that dark alley," Richie said sympathetically. "But No. 13... isn't that number a bit unlucky?"
Miao Miao gave a crooked smile. *Unlucky? When 'The Fool' himself is living next door, unlucky forces would think ten times before approaching!*
Aloud, she simply said, "Unlucky or not, it feels like heaven to me now. But since you mentioned it, you should come over one day to see if the house is truly haunted. But be careful—I might be lost in a new dress design by then."
Richie finally laughed. "Design? Have you returned to your old passion? Well, I'm truly relieved to see you back in civilization."
Miao Miao lightly pulled her sketchbook toward her, then pushed it toward Richie as if she had just remembered something. Richie Wills was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and a refined young woman; she certainly had excellent connections with noble ladies.
*This is my chance...* A sharp spark flickered in Miao Miao's eyes.
Richie looked at the page. The upper portion of the gown was fitted to highlight a slender waist, while the lower half cascaded down like a waterfall. But the most striking feature was the unique lacework near the shoulders and the neckline design, which added several layers of elegance to the throat. The sleeves were styled like a *Hanfu*, with a slit down the middle starting from the elbow.
"Aria… these sleeves!" Richie said, almost breathless. Then she added, "This slit below the elbow… it would create such a regal sway when you move your hands! Truly extraordinary."
Miao Miao explained calmly, "You're right, Richie. These wide sleeves give you a sense of mysterious depth, and this 'slit' will make your elegance even more unique. When the engagement ring is placed on your finger, these sleeves will turn every gesture of your hand into a living scene."
Richie traced her fingers over the sketch, whispering, "I'm certain no tailor shop in Backlund has seen a design like this. Wearing this, everyone will think I've sourced it from an Empress's private collection."
Miao Miao gave a subtle smile. She knew that to capture people's attention, one had to mix something 'unfamiliar' or 'different' into the familiar.
"So, is this the final choice?" Miao Miao asked.
"Absolutely final!" Richie was trembling with excitement. "I'm just wondering what Kanan's mother will think when she sees this dress. She's always obsessed with tradition, but no one can deny the nobility of this design."
Miao Miao carefully tucked the sketchbook into her bag. "Then I'll come by tomorrow afternoon. I'll bring samples of the best 'Intis Silk' and fine lace. And for that slit in the sleeves, I'm thinking of embedding small pearls so they shimmer with every movement."
Richie grabbed Miao Miao's hand emotionally. "Thank you, Aria! You don't know how important this was to me."
They finished their lunch and spent the afternoon at the Quelaag Club. Before leaving, Richie handed her an invitation.
Miao Miao stepped out of the Quelaag Club. She took a carriage and got off at Minsk Street, deciding to walk the rest of the way. As she passed No. 57 Minsk Street, she spotted Amon, currently disguised as Mrs. Willson , who was busy giving instructions to a garden maid.
So, he has hired a maid. I wonder if he has even taken a single sip of beer from those bottles, Miao Miao thought.
She carefully controlled her expression. She knew all too well that even the slightest hint of abnormal behavior in front of Amon was an open invitation to disaster.
"Good afternoon, Miss Aria," Mrs. Willson said in an amiable tone. As she spoke, she let out a small cough.
Miao Miao felt a wave of relief; the toxic substance in the bottles was clearly taking its toll.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Willson," Miao Miao replied with a polite wave. "You don't seem to be feeling very well. Please take care of yourself."
With that, Miao Miao bid her farewell and hurried toward her house. The further she stayed from Amon's parasitic presence, the better.
Miao Miao stepped inside after Rosie opened the door. After the biting cold outside and Amon's chilling presence, the warmth of her home felt incredibly comforting. However, her gaze immediately landed on a paper bag and a banquet invitation sitting on the living room table.
"Rosie," Miao Miao asked calmly, her eyes fixed on the bag. "When did these arrive? Who brought them?"
Rosie answered politely, "Mr. Moriarty dropped off the bag shortly after you left. And the invitation is from Miss Summer."
Miao Miao opened the packet. Her eyes darted across the pages of Roselle's Diary, but she couldn't find any substantial information.
Klein is truly cunning, she mused. He gave me nothing but Roselle's mundane daily entries. He hasn't shared a single thing regarding hidden secrets or history.