One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 74

According to the information they extracted from the perfume suppliers, there were about twenty people currently guarding the premises.

The trade lord’s office was at the very top of the building, so it was crucial that they move quickly and quietly without drawing attention.

That’s why, before coming here, they had interrogated multiple delivery agents to filter out conflicting accounts and map out a safe infiltration route.

Aileen was tense, even more so than she had been during any of her time with the Sel Order. She had never attempted anything like this.

If it were just a straightforward fight, that would’ve been easier. But now, every step had to be calculated. Every move had to count. Only now did she truly understand just how skilled information guild members were.

Carlisle, leading the way, silently opened the door and slipped inside. The building, blanketed in the quiet of night, was dimly lit by a few scattered lamps.

Aileen sharpened her senses, her gaze fixed on his back.

Though cloaked entirely in black like an assassin, his broad shoulders and graceful movements were still unmistakable. Each step looked as weightless as if he were walking on clouds, a presence seemingly immune to obstacles.

And somehow, just trailing behind him brought her a strange sense of security.

“Wait.”

Carlisle raised a hand slightly, and Aileen halted.

He hadn’t explicitly told her to keep her distance. But earlier—when they’d planned the infiltration—he had seemed uneasy when she stood too close, hesitating without saying a word.

So Aileen had decided to keep her distance, of her own accord.

She wasn’t even hurt anymore. Maybe she’d just gotten used to it.

It was Carlisle, instead, who felt a quiet ache. She adjusted herself for him—unasked, uncomplaining. That consideration soothed him, yet it carved into him all the same.

But he couldn’t afford to waver. So he buried the feeling beneath another layer of stone-cold composure.

“Clean up, then follow.”

His tone was void of warmth as he stepped forward again.

With a single efficient gesture, he cut down two patrolling guards who had just stepped into view. They dropped without a sound. Aileen, who’d barely had time to react, simply observed their bodies for a moment before continuing on with soft, muted steps.

It had been ages since she’d gone on a mission with Carlisle. And even from behind, he seemed far more formidable than she remembered. Silently, she promised herself she’d have to train harder.

“Don’t you think the boss is in a weird mood today?”

“He gets like that sometimes. Said something about today’s fortune being off.”

“He doesn’t even seem like the superstitious type, though. Whatever, he’s strange.”

“Yeah, and we’re the ones suffering for it. He told us to be extra thorough on patrol.”

“Let’s just get it over with.”

Just before they turned the corner, Aileen heard voices approaching—guards talking casually among themselves.

According to the intel, there weren’t supposed to be any patrols here. They must’ve increased the rounds because of that so-called ‘bad omen.’

As the footsteps grew closer, Aileen quietly drew a dagger from her belt.

“So tired I could—huh?”

Carlisle’s figure had already moved far ahead. His arm moved in a diagonal slash—and the first two guards collapsed instantly.

“Wh—”

The third one, walking at a short distance behind the other two, never finished his sentence. Aileen’s dagger struck him with perfect accuracy.

“There was no need for you to step in,” Carlisle said coolly, glancing over the cleared scene.

Aileen’s brow furrowed.

She had heard three sets of footsteps, though only two voices. She had taken out the third guard in case he tried to cry out while Carlisle was busy. But now it felt like she was being scolded.

What? Was she not supposed to help?

“I simply did what I could. I’m part of this mission too.”

Her voice came out sharper than she expected, laced with ice.

A cold silence followed.

“No need to waste your strength unnecessarily,” Carlisle replied curtly, turning his back before she could respond.

She didn’t have time to parse his meaning. All she could do was keep moving.

The same scene played out again and again. After her first successful assist, Carlisle never gave her another chance to step in.

Which meant Aileen mostly fell into a role of guarding his back. Though the scattered guards made it a bit cumbersome, the situation never turned dangerous. Still, the tension was sky-high as she swept each corridor for threats.

“Here.”

Carlisle’s voice was calm and precise as he motioned with his eyes. Any irritation Aileen had felt earlier had already dissolved into pure focus. She nodded firmly.

He kicked open the door without hesitation.

“What the—?!”

The man inside stood up in a burst of annoyance.

Carlisle didn’t give him a chance to speak or resist. He crossed the room in an instant, gagged the man with a cloth, and bound his limbs tightly.

Then he jerked his chin toward Aileen, signaling her forward.

Apparently for security reasons, the trade master had no bodyguards. That made subduing him laughably easy—no more difficult than breathing.

“Don’t even think about dying.”

The merchant guild master froze at Carlisle’s cold, low murmur, his desperate struggling coming to an abrupt halt.

“Biting your tongue or swallowing poison—best to abandon those thoughts. It won’t work anyway, and you’ll only end up making it harder on yourself.”

With that flat, chilling tone, Carlisle concluded his threat. He removed the cloth stuffed in the man’s mouth and shoved something else in.

“You should be able to speak now, at least well enough. So start talking.”

“……”

“Tell me who’s behind this.”

This one was the real leader—unlike the fumbling perfume carrier or the handler from Primère’s workshop. This man was the upper echelon, someone who knew the structure.

He wouldn’t meet with his superiors directly unless absolutely necessary, fearing exposure. Without a confession or solid evidence, tracking down the mastermind was nearly impossible.

And unfortunately, people at this level were usually tight-lipped.

Like this man, right now.

Carlisle stared silently at the man who refused to speak, then slammed him down to the floor.

“Looks like I’ll have to search for myself. Then I’ll ask again.”

They’d expected this much from the beginning. Aileen began searching the opposite side of the room while Carlisle conducted his own investigation.

She was rummaging through an unremarkable set of drawers when—

“Aileen!”

Carlisle’s urgent voice, something she hadn’t heard in a long time, pierced through her.

Thud!

Before she could even turn around, the situation had already ended.

The massive frame of the guild master lay sprawled on the floor, two sharp daggers scattered beside him.

Though bound head to toe, the man had managed to press something with his body. A hidden mechanism in the wall had triggered, launching concealed weapons directly toward Aileen.

“Are you hurt?”

Carlisle strode over in an instant, reaching out as if to grab her by the arms.

But his hands stopped just short. There was still a gap between them. Aileen glanced at the space, then looked at Carlisle.

Those deep, dark blue eyes, which had always remained as still as stone since long before their engagement ended, were now trembling—like a sea caught in a raging storm.

What on earth did that mean? Some form of respect for a severed relationship? If so, it felt too excessive.

Aileen cut off the question that had begun to form in her mind and brought him back to the present.

“Thanks to you, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Only after her curt words did Carlisle regain his composure and straighten up.

“This won’t do. Who knows what other traps are hidden? I’ll handle the rest from here—go on ahead.”

When he saw the dagger flying toward Aileen, Carlisle had felt his heart stop.

He knew she was strong. But that didn’t mean he wanted to leave her in a place brimming with danger. Especially when this type of mission was her first.

As her superior, it was only right to worry about the safety of a subordinate new to such assignments. If there had been more personnel, it might’ve been different—but right now, it was just the two of them.

Carlisle found it impossible to focus, his eyes constantly drifting to her. What if she fell into danger while he wasn’t looking? The anxiety gnawed at him. It was better to send her somewhere safe and take care of the rest himself.

“Is it because I’m useless?”

Aileen’s question, tinged with a bruised sense of pride, caught him off guard. Given the circumstances, it was understandable that she might misunderstand.

“There’s nothing more to gain here.”

Even if something did turn up, he had no intention of keeping her in harm’s way.

Aileen quietly studied him. The tempest in his eyes had vanished, returning to their usual calm.

She turned away from Carlisle and forcefully kicked the unconscious guild master.

His plump body lifted slightly, then hit the floor with a loud thud. The nerve of him, attempting a sneak attack. Thanks to Carlisle’s swift action, she hadn’t been rattled, but venting a little still felt good.

“What about the perfume workshop?”

“We’ll meet there in two hours.”

“…Understood.”

It was a clear declaration: Carlisle intended to handle everything here on his own.

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