Charlot Meburg was utterly shocked, his expression one of disbelief as he excimed, "How is that possible? You're a graduate of the National Institute, not a public academy! At the very least, you should be a sed- or third-css Assistant Clerk. Even being a first-css Assistant Clerk wouldn’t be unreasonable. But a third-css Clerk? That’s absurd! How could you be relegated to such a low rank?"

  In the Empire's bureaucratic system, clerks were ranked from first to fifth css, with 49 levels in the first css and 45 levels in the fifth. It was sidered the bott of the civil service. Assigning such a position to public academy graduates was already a courtesy, but appointing a National Institute graduate to this role was a btant act of political sabotage.

  Sylvie Martin responded calmly, “It’s nothing. It’s because I’m a woman.”

  Charlot wisely shifted the subject. “What’s the weekly sary the detective offered you?” he asked.

  Vinnia Arsenault smiled and replied, “Eighty-five times, including aodations and two meals a day.”

  Charlot nodded slightly, thinking, “This pay is quite reaso’s on par with a first-css Assistant Clerk. sidering the included board and meals, the living ditions might even be slightly better than those of a neointed civil servant.”

  Vinnia Arsenault tinued, “Miss Sylvie is an exceptional talent. My Cat Detective Agency just happeo have a vacy. One of my assistants retly got married and had tn, so there ening.”

  Although the Fars Empire allowed women to work, traditional societal pressures remairong. Uhe husband’s family was in financial difficulty and he wife’s ine, women were often expected tn after marriage.

  Charlot uood and refrained from further persuasion. After all, she was his ex-fianow, and it wasn’t his peddle. Just as he was about to ask when she po move out, Sylvie spoke hesitantly, “I haven’t received my sary yet. Although I mao retrieve my belongings, they’re mostly just items, and I couldn’t recover much cash. My father’s remittance will take some time to arrive. Regarding the shopping expenses you covered yesterday... I’ll need a bit more time to pay you back.”

  Charlot smiled faintly and said, “There’s o be so formal with me.”

  The lively ex-fiancée quipped, “Miss Vinnia came along to help me move. I wonder, cousin, if you have some free time to assist?”

  Charlot smiled again and said, “Miss Vinnia, cousin Sylvie, why don’t we head bay house to chat? Standing out here oreet isn’t very appropriate.”

  He led the two dies to 58 Elysée Avenue, brought them into the drawing room, and poured three gsses of sparkling apple wine. Raising his own gss, he motioned for a toast and drank it in one go. Smiling, he remarked, “This sparkling apple wine is quite good. You two should give it a try.”

  Onside, Vinnia Arsenault looked around curiously. She took a sip of her wine and asked, “Does Mr. Meburg live here alone?”

  “Yes, I do,” Charlot replied.

  Vinnia didn’t pursue the topid instead asked, “I wonder, Mr. Meburg, what are your thoughts on women w?”

  Sylvie interjected with some irritation, “Even after I get married, I don’t io quit my job. If the other party ’t accept that, I simply won’t marry.”

  As a modern individual, Charlot naturally had no objes to women w. After a moment of thought, he answered, “I believe women should be like birds, free to choose the lives they wish to lead.”

  A crisp and familiar voice rang out from the doorway. “Mr. Meburg, is that really how you think? That’s wonderful!”

  Charlot nearly jumped out of his seat in surprise. He hadn’t expected Annie Bretago suddenly visit. Hurriedly, he said, “Miss Annie, please e in.”

  He introduced her to the two women, “This is Miss Annie Bretagne, a close friend of mine.”

  Annie Bretagne’s delicate face was filled with joy and delight. She had always worried about being forced to give up work after marriage and being fio dull aristocratic social circles. Charlot’s earlier statement had signifitly raised her opinion of him.

  Annie lightly tugged at her skirt and performed a ary dy’s curtsey.

  Sylvie returned a standard curtsey, while Vinnia offered a formal imperial greeting.

  Charlot braced himself as he introduced, “This is Miss Sylvie Martin, my cousin. And this is Miss Vinnia Arsenault, the head of the Cat Detective Agency! My cousin, a graduate of the National Institute, has just arrived in Strasb from the Behemoth Principality and is about to start w at the Cat Detective Agency.”

  Annie’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Miss Vinnia Arsenault? The renowned Cat Spirit Detective? I’ve heard so much about you and have always admired you. I even sidered applying to the Cat Detective Agency after graduating!”

  Notig Charlot’s fusion, she expined softly, “The Cat Detective Agency is the Empire’s only detective agency where 70% of the employees are women. Every female employee is trained in Cat Spirit Magic upon joining the agency.”

  “Miss Vinnia Arsenault is one of the Empire’s seve detectives, known as the Cat Spirit Detective. She’s a source of pride for all the women of the Fars Empire.”

  Annie offered Vinnia a formal courtly greeting. Uhe simple tug at the skirt for a ary dy’s curtsey, the courtly greeting involved several intricate and graceful movements.

  Vinnia smiled lightly and joked, “I just tend to indulge my free spirit a little too much. On behalf of the Cat Detective Agency, I wele you to apply after graduation, Miss Annie.”

  Having heard the name “Bretagne,” Vinnia immediately uood Annie’s noble lineage and knew she would never actually work as a detective. Her words were mere politeness.

  Aoo, was aware that her family would never allow her to bee a public-fag detective. Sighing inwardly, she quickly joihe three women in versation.

  As Annie learhat Sylvie was Charlot’s cousin, she subtly tried to glean information about him. Surprisingly, Sylvie spoke well of him on several occasions, which was a rare occurrence. Charlot, who had been sitting nervously, finally felt a small sense of relief.

  He mostly stayed quiet, occasionally serving as a temporary attendant, refilling gsses of sparkling apple wine for the dies.

  After about an hour, Charlot noticed that the three women were still engrossed in versation. He couldn’t help but interject, “Please excuse me for a moment. I’ll go purchase more sparkling wine and some pastries. The house is too pin, and I feel I haven’t prepared enough to properly host you.”

  Annie and Vinnia both called out in unison, “No need!”

  The two beautiful women exged a gnd shared a moment of mutual uanding.

  Vinnia smiled and said, “I’ll take care of it. My cats are much more effit.”

  She extended her slender right hand and formed a peculiar magic seal with her fingers. A soft, drawn-out meowing sound filled the air. Vinnia’s voice turned affeate as she anded, “Go to a nearby shop and bring bae sparkling wine and pastries.”

  With another long meow, the sound outside fell silent.

  Vinnia turned bad said, “I’ve sent my cats to hahe errand. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Mr. Meburg.”

  Charlot was thhly astonished. While he had ied some of his predecessor’s native memories, he had no real uanding of what Cat Spirit Magitailed.