Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1153

Agnes had to leave temporarily. Before she left, she arranged for Jarvis to have a place to stay. She simply told the manager that Jarvis was a friend of hers. The room was situated two floors above the grand banquet hall. With Jarvis's skills, slipping unnoticed from there down to the balcony of the banquet hall was an easy feat.

During her days back at the Capital, aside from keeping in touch with Jarvis, Agnes was also investigating the Obsidian Order. Interestingly, Agnes discovered that a minor leader of the Obsidian Order turned out to be Mono, a thug who had once been hired by Beatrice Pritchard to harm Agnes in an alleyway years ago. Mono had been terrified at the sight of the phoenix-eye bodhi seed bracelet that Reggie had given to Agnes, which led him to confess to the police. But wasn't Mono associated with Albert’s Arms back then? How did he end up with the Obsidian Order?

After observing for a couple of days, Agnes noticed that Mono was a frequent visitor to Eden Nights, a place now managed by Naylor and Karla. Karla, a close friend of Phenix, was young and had been entrusted by Phenix to manage Eden Nights without ever having to entertain the guests herself. Now, with troubles brewing, she had taken on Phenix's burdens as well. Having stayed at Eden Nights before, Agnes was quite familiar with Karla. Agnes asked Karla to get someone to intoxicate Mono.

When Mono was drunkenly vulnerable, Agnes took the risk and entered his private room. Though inebriated, Mono's memory of Agnes and the deep-seated fear he had of her made him almost kneel and slap himself upon seeing her. He stammered, “Miss Septima, I could forget everything in my life but never you. What brings you to my humble presence?”

Agnes replied, “This used to be Phenix’s territory. I just came to look around and didn’t expect to run into an old friend. Naturally, I had to come and see you.” Mono, fearing a reckoning for past deeds, quickly said, “Miss Septima, I wronged you back then. If I had known you were Miss Septima, I wouldn’t have dared to lay a finger on you. I even went to the police and scarred my own face as penance. See, this scar is a constant reminder of my offense against you. Please, forgive me.” He even turned his face to show Agnes the scar running from his mouth to the back of his ear.

Agnes, seeing the scar, said, “Mono, why the fear? I'm from Albert’s Arms, and you're with the Obsidian Order now. They don't seem to care much for Albert’s Arms, do they? Dropping to your knees like this, aren’t you afraid of losing face in front of your boss?”

Mono, trying to maintain a smile despite the alcohol fumes, said, “Miss Septima, let's not joke among ourselves. Everyone knows that the Obsidian Order is filled with Albert’s Arms people. You, being Miss Septima of Albert’s Arms, not even the highest powers dare offend you.”

Agnes frowned, her mind racing. She asked, “You're saying the Obsidian Order has people from Albert’s Arms?” Realizing he might have spilled a secret in his drunken state, Mono slapped his forehead, “Miss Septima, with your esteemed status, surely no one would dare to mistreat you.”