Nolan walked in first through the gates of the brothel, Diana behind him, a ledger held firmly in her arms. The Imperial soldiers followed in disciplined silence.
Nolan came to a halt in front of Halley.
Halley gave a small curtsy.
"How may we help you, sir?" she asked.
Her grip on her skirt tightened.
"Stand," Nolan said calmly.
"I am the Captain of the Imperial soldiers, the Duke of Zepher, and by Her Imperial Majesty's order, I am here for the arrest of Rosetta Smith, the current Madam of the Cerulean brothel."
Halley's eyes widened at his words, but before she could respond, the young girl behind her spoke up.
"You're here to arrest the Madam?" Ella's voice trembled with shock.
Nolan's gaze shifted to the fourteen year old.
"Yes," he answered. "She will be imprisoned for her crimes of cruelty."
Halley quickly shushed Ella and pulled her behind her.
"I am sorry for her, she is still young," she said apologetically.
"She merely voiced her curiosity about the present situation, so it is fine," Nolan replied. Then he snapped his fingers.
A guard stepped forward to seize Halley, but Diana raised her hand to stop him.
"Ruble, wait," Diana said before turning to Nolan.
"This is Halley. She is not like the Madam or the others in charge. Captain, I believe she is the one who helped with Lady Zarah's escape plan years ago."
Nolan looked at Halley.
"Is it true? Did you help Zarah?"
Halley's hands began to shake, her eyes widening as her focus blurred.
"You helped with the escape plan?" The Madam's voice cut through the air, cold as ice.
Ella, beside her, stared at Halley in shock before gripping her tightly.
Halley's head spun.
'No. No. No. No. No.'
Zarah and Iris had promised they would never reveal her name, so how did these Imperial soldiers know?
Or was it the young noble lady who told them?
But even Jia had promised to stay silent… and she hadn't broken it all these years.
Had Zarah and Iris really broken their promise?
But the lady had said it was only her suspicion.
Halley's gaze shifted toward the Madam as she stepped forward.
Two guards lunged to restrain her, but she slipped past them with ease, moving in a blur before appearing right beside Halley.
"Duke Zepher," Rosetta said with a mocking smile, "what a pleasure to meet you. Though I do wish it were under better circumstances than you being sent to arrest me."
Nolan's jaw tightened slightly.
"Are you resisting arrest, Rosetta?"
Rosetta only smiled.
Her hand shot out, seizing Halley by the throat. Halley gasped, choking on both shock and pain as she was yanked forward.
Rosetta pulled her close, positioning her as a shield, and drew a knife from her pocket.
"Here's the deal, dearest Duke," Rosetta said smoothly. "You let me go, and I let her go."
Her grip tightened.
"And if you don't…" she tilted the blade lightly against Halley's neck, "I will slit her throat. You may still arrest me, but I will make sure everyone knows how the great Duke of Zepher cared so little for the life of a mere brothel worker."
Halley's breath hitched as tears welled in her eyes.
Ella tried to reach for her, but Rosetta lashed out, kicking the younger girl harshly aside.
Rosetta yanked Halley closer, tightening her grip as the blade pressed into her skin.
Leaning in, she whispered coldly, "Either way, Halley, you will pay for that little stunt you pulled, helping with the escape plan six years ago. If I am arrested, I will kill you. And if I am not… be ready for your punishment."
The color drained from Halley's face.
Nolan's fingers curled into his palm.
He took a slow breath, then glanced at Diana, 'Can you do it?'
Diana gave the slightest nod in return.
Nolan turned back to Rosetta.
"Fine," he said. "I will let you go."
Rosetta's grip tightened instinctively.
That… was not what she had expected.
Nolan was not supposed to agree so easily.
Something was wrong.
Before the thought could fully form,
A sharp strike landed against the back of her head.
The knife slipped from Rosetta's hand. Her grip loosened instantly, and a guard rushed forward, pulling Halley away from her grasp.
Rosetta staggered, a groan escaping her as she turned her head.
Her eyes widened.
Diana stood behind her.
"How…?" Rosetta muttered, disoriented.
"That's not possible. I just saw you standing there—"
She turned sharply toward Nolan.
Diana was still there.
Standing exactly where she had been moments ago.
Then, before Rosetta's eyes, that figure flickered—
—and crumbled into dust.
"How… how is that possible…?" Rosetta stuttered.
Diana seized her arms, forcing them behind her back before snapping the handcuffs into place.
Under her breath, Diana murmured a spell, sealing the restraints so they could not be undone.
Nolan stepped forward, drawing his sword. Without hesitation, he drove the blade into Rosetta's foot so she can't run away or move easily.
Rosetta gritted her teeth, a sharp hiss escaping her.
"She's trained in magic," Nolan said with a faint smirk. "One of the best."
Rosetta let out a low chuckle.
"Arresting me? Is this truly how it ends?" She tilted her head back, laughter spilling out.
"We'll see who supplies the Imperial Court with Flower Maidens next year… hahaha, if I cannot survive in this brothel, then no one else will."
Nolan's brows furrowed. He grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look at him.
"What are you saying?"
Rosetta only laughed, her eyes gleaming. Then she slammed her foot down firmly against the ground beneath her.
"You are not the only ones capable of tricks, Duke."
In the very next moment,
Flames erupted.
Fire spread across the brothel in an instant, devouring curtains, walls, and wood alike. Screams filled the air as panic broke loose.
Rosetta smiled through the chaos.
She had always known that one day, she would be caught.
So she had prepared.
Long ago, she had paid a witch to craft a fire charm, one that would ignite the entire brothel should anything ever happen to her.