Chapter 18

What if you suddenly dropped into a forest at the far end of a continent you’ve never even been to? How would you survive?

This is the story of Ellie Greenfield, a descendant of witches who fell unexpectedly into the Emerald Kingdom in the novel I’ll Save the Prince!.

One day, Ellie accidentally disturbed the roots of the World Tree and was thrown into a strange forest she’d never seen before—the Grand Agno Forest of the Emerald Kingdom.

The problem was, her home was the Duchy of Tittrin.

On the Morato continent, the Duchy of Tittrin and the Emerald Kingdom were located diagonally opposite, at each extreme end of the land. They were physically very far apart.

In the end, Ellie decided to make potions to sell in order to find her way home.

Along the way, she met many people, blossomed her magical talents, and became a mage—that was the original story.

“She was so busy having a romance with the crown prince until the very end in the novel.”

Ellie had nothing and no way to prove her identity, but the reason she survived safely?

It was all thanks to connections.

She was lucky to meet only trustworthy people.

For example, the Luden Trading Company, who recognized the heroine’s talent and boldly invested in her.

“Here we are, miss.”

It was a miracle made possible because there were private detectives living in District 7 of Centra, far from the busy city center.

And Diana needed such a miracle too.

“The first floor of this building is the Orlando Detective Agency.”

“Thank you.”

Diana got off the carriage holding a box of cookies in both hands.

[Orlando Private Detective Agency]

We find anything.

&

Help with collecting various evidence.

Consultations welcome.

When you hear “private detective,” you might imagine a Sherlock Holmes-like genius detective, but in reality, it’s closer to an informant who walks the fine line between legal and illegal.

A private investigator who obtains necessary information by any means.

Among them, Orlando was special.

He was a person with a guaranteed good character who would readily help an unknown young lady he first met in a dangerous, threat-filled novel.

A trustworthy supporting character who would take on any job for money but still knew how to keep his conscience?

‘He’s a national treasure.’

She must not miss this opportunity. Diana grabbed the door knocker on the door with force.

“Is anyone there?”

She called out loudly enough to be heard inside.

“Is anyone here?”

She expected someone to come out soon, but contrary to expectations, there was no sign of life.

‘Maybe they’re out?’

Feeling embarrassed, Diana knocked again a couple of times. Still, silence.

“If it’s Mr. Orlando, he hasn’t come back yet…”

That was when a small voice spoke up behind her, crawling like a whisper.

When she turned around, two or three scruffy-looking children were looking up at her.

“Hello.”

“Oh, hello.”

Polite kids.

“Pretty lady, are you looking for Mr. Orlando?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Diana nodded at the tallest child.

“I came looking for Mr. Orlando. Is he not in the office today?”

The child who looked like the leader nodded vigorously, as if encouraged by Diana’s friendly question.

“Mr. Orlando went to Mrs. Delma’s place!”

“Mrs. Delma owns the fish shop! On Guache Street, No. 3!”

“She has a black cat! The cat ran away recently, and she asked Mr. Orlando to find it!”

Suddenly, a flood of information about Mrs. Delma, whom Diana didn’t even know, poured out.

Diana forced a smile and nodded along.

“Is that so? Thanks for telling me. Do you know when Mr. Orlando will come back?”

“Well, um…”

“I do know, but…”

As if by agreement, the children fell silent and glanced at the box of cookies Diana was holding.

Then Diana realized why they had spoken to her.

‘That was the goal.’

In the original story, Orlando liked sweets and always ate cookies when he said he needed to think hard.

So Diana had brought the cookies as a bribe, and it seemed the children had noticed.

Well, she did bring three boxes, so it was bound to catch their eyes.

“If you tell me when he’s coming back, I’ll give you these cookies.”

“Really?!”

“At 1 o’clock! He said he’ll come after lunch!”

“He stopped by the post office! It’s true!”

The children got excited and started talking loudly.

Diana took out her pocket watch. It looked like she’d have to wait here for at least 30 minutes.

“So he’ll be back at 1?”

“Yes!”

“Alright. Come here.”

As soon as she gave permission, the children hurried up the stairs one after another.

Diana sat on the stairs to meet the children at eye level.

Up close, all the children’s faces were streaked with dirt and grime.

‘Do these kids not have proper guardians?’

The children reached for the cookie box as soon as it was opened.

But they took only one each, watching Diana carefully, showing signs of having been scolded in many places.

“Thank you!”

“We’ll eat well, pretty lady!”

“Wow. Almond cookies! Look! They’re bigger than my palm!”

“There’s raspberry too! It smells amazing!”

The children stuffed cookies into their mouths, afraid someone might take them away.

One child hesitated for a moment, then broke a cookie in half and put it in his pocket.

“Are you going to take it home?”

“To, to give to my younger sibling…”

“Then take one more.”

At Diana’s urging, the child took another cookie cautiously.

“Is it tasty?”

“Yes! I’ve never had anything this delicious before! But can I really have more?”

The child who just finished a cookie hurriedly said,

“We don’t have money. Don’t ask us to pay later!”

“Don’t worry. I’m not thinking that.”

“But… Mr. Orlando said there’s no such thing as a free lunch…”

Our detective sure taught them well.

Diana answered the child who looked like they wanted to eat more but was holding back.

“That’s right, nothing’s free in this world. So how about this— I won’t charge you for the cookies. But for a week, will you guys clean up the trash around the detective agency?”

“Trash?”

“That’s not hard… but why?”

“I’m going to come here often from today. It’d be nice if the street was clean. How about counting that as the cookie payment?”

The children exchanged glances and then nodded enthusiastically.

“Okay! We’ll do it!”

“We’ll clean the trash!”

“So it’s a promise with you, miss?”

“Yes!”

After answering quickly, the children finally relaxed and reached for the remaining cookies.

As two children held a cookie in each hand and pretended their eyes popped out in surprise, suddenly—

“Can I have one of those cookies too?”

A shadow suddenly appeared, blocking the sunlight above Diana’s head.

Slow and calm, as if still half asleep, the voice spoke.

A man with dark purple hair and yellow eyes gave off a strange atmosphere.

He looked the same age as Diana or maybe a year or two younger but was definitely not a boy.

“Uh…”

“Am I not allowed?”

“Ah, no… Please have one. Here.”

“Thanks.”

When she gave permission without thinking, the man took a jam cookie and plopped down next to Diana.

‘Who is this? I’ve never seen him before.’

Surprised to suddenly be sitting next to an unfamiliar man on the stairs, Diana was flustered.

His free way of speaking and appearance made him look like an untamed stray cat.

‘He doesn’t seem like a detective office worker. There was no one like him in the original story.’

His neat and handsome features made him look likable.

But maybe because of that, his blurry, vacant gaze stood out even more.

What is he looking at with those unfocused eyes?

‘There’s nothing there.’

On his right eye, a deep scar slanted across his face.

The more Diana observed his appearance carefully, the more puzzled she became.

‘Who is he really? If he has such a distinctive scar, I should know him.’

Diana desperately tried to recall the original story.

Regardless, the man leisurely chewed the cookie like a camel chewing hay.

In the end, the speed at which the cookie went into his disguise was faster than discovering his identity.