Chapter 211. The Meeting of Rogues

“What do we have here?” Arthur muttered, watching Meredith’s teahouse silently from a rooftop. Sneaking into her sanctuary had been so easy it almost felt intentional, as if she wanted him there. Dressed in black to blend into the shadows, he crept across the roof tiles toward Meredith’s teahouse to get a clearer view of what was happening below.

Meredith stood in front of her teahouse at noon, wearing an emerald-green quimona dress embroidered with gold strips and lines that formed flowery patterns across her chest, waist, and thighs. Her face was expressionless, covered in just enough makeup to conceal her unease. Four maids stood at her sides, their expressions equally blank. They knew nothing of Meredith’s visitors—hence their calmness compared to her.

Folding her hands against her stomach, Meredith forced a polite smile as five masked figures entered her garden. They wore black cloaks, and their masks were carved to resemble beasts that did not exist in this world.<