Just like Nicole said.

When Ronald and his three companions entered the mansion and went up to the third floor under the guidance of the investigator, the princess of [Greed] was indeed ready, sitting in the office waiting.

Entering the room, Ronald quickly glanced around.

Catherine hadn't stayed here for long, and the office was almost devoid of decorations except for simple tables and chairs. But the maid standing beside her was evidently quite diligent, already having cleaned the place thoroughly.

As for Catherine herself.

Ronald appeared somewhat suddenly, and since their relationship was not that official, Catherine simply didn't bother to put on makeup and was only draped in a cold-weather coat, drawing a worried glance from the maid beside her.

"Ronald, you've arrived."

As the host, Catherine greeted him first, her eyes naturally sweeping over the two young women behind Ronald. Costate's appearance was, of course, within the princess's expectations.

But the other one...

Recalling the experience at the Floating Mountain at sea, Catherine's gaze instantly became serious: 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"And isn't this Miss Katrina?"

"Who would have thought, after parting at Barrier Mountain, we'd meet here again. It seems a lot has happened to you both."

Katrina naturally responded:

"Ronald and I are now traveling together, striving toward a common goal as close friends. Hey, Ronald, don't you think I'm right?"

While explaining her reason for appearing, Katrina proactively reached out to embrace Ronald's neck, showing they were like good buddies.

Only Ronald heard Katrina quietly say:

"This explanation is quite better than some 'mysterious Caster,' isn't it?"

"..."

Catherine could see that Katrina didn't want to elaborate further, so she didn't press the issue.

She invited the three to sit down and turned to the maid:

"Nana, tea, make it hot."

The maid nodded, bringing over the tea and chanted:

"Seventh volume, page three hundred and thirty, first section."

A bright and warm flame ignited in the maid's hand, quickly heating the tea to the right temperature, before pouring it into cups for both hosts and guests.

Catherine sipped some hot tea to warm herself and then reopened the conversation:

"Ronald, you came here so late, you must have urgent matters to attend to, right?"

Ronald nodded in acknowledgment and then began explaining his situation:

"A few hours ago, we had already gone south."

"However, when entering the territory of [Nine Commandments Encounter], we ran into some issues, and now it seems we need a proper identity to get in..."

Under the light of the oil lamp, Ronald recounted the situation he had encountered.

Catherine took small sips of tea, listening to this information, which led her into deep contemplation. Given her status and perspective, many aspects naturally came to her mind.

Ronald waited politely for a few minutes.

Watching as Catherine was about to finish her tea, he finally spoke:

"Also, Catherine, where are Heloise and Il right now? If you haven't split up, they should be nearby, right? And what about Patricia?"

"Them," Catherine was stirred from her thoughts but didn't immediately answer. Instead, she moved her gaze to the two young women behind Ronald, "Ronald, although it's not right for me to say this, it's better for you to be attentive."

"As a gentleman, don't easily let down so many people's intentions."

Upon hearing such advice,

Ronald was momentarily at a loss for words.

He inwardly self-reflected without any presumptuous ideas in mind. Yet, after experiencing so much, his interpersonal relationships did become somewhat problematic — that's the fact.

Luckily, Catherine didn't prolong Ronald's awkwardness.

She turned and had the maid pour herself water, then explained to Ronald:

"Regrettably, they're not here right now."

"Just like your companion Miss Costate, Ronald, your female companions have impressively strong mobility. Almost the afternoon after Costate left, they bid farewell here."

Ronald inevitably furrowed his brow and immediately asked:

"Didn't they leave any message before departing?"

"I know very little." Catherine said with regret, nodding, "But Patricia did hint that Heloise seemed to have learned about your situation from the fairy tale Sealer, thus she planned to do something, likely against the remnants of [Nine Commandments Encounter]."

At this point, the princess's expression became somewhat complex.

She briefly pondered for a few seconds before continuing:

"Unfortunately, as for Miss Alya, she seemed unwilling to disclose her whereabouts to us, so that's all I know."

After hearing the response, Ronald was momentarily unsure of what to say.

Of course, he hoped to see them here.

But Heloise and others were indeed real people, not NPCs in games sticking to one place with little change. Moreover, considering their personalities, it was indeed impossible for them to stay in one place under such circumstances.

Catherine recognized the importance of this news.

Therefore, after explaining it, she didn't speak further, instead leaving enough time for Ronald to ponder by himself.

"..."

"Thank you, knowing this is enough."

After a long while, Ronald exhaled, accepting reality.

Perhaps this is a piece of good news.

From a safety standpoint, with Il by Heloise's side, he certainly needn't worry. And thinking from a different angle — on this perilous southern continent, not sticking with him, the trouble magnet, seems perfectly fine.

Having sorted out his mindset, Ronald adjusted his posture, shifting his tone back to business:

"Now back to what I was saying, about the identity issue."

"Catherine, I need an identity that gives me grounds to enter the other's territory. You should be able to help, right?"

Catherine's face immediately revealed a satisfied smile:

"You've made the most correct choice."

However, afterward, this princess also entered into negotiation mode. As such, she concealed personal feelings behind a mask, speaking with equal seriousness:

"Ronald, you should also know my recent actions."

"Helping you create this identity is no problem, but besides that, could you do me a small favor?"

Ronald naturally knew Catherine's intentions, so he prepared to refuse tactfully:

"We're both here to deal with [Nine Commandments Encounter], and shouldn't delay too long, so..."

At this moment, Catherine directly interrupted Ronald:

"What if this 'small favor' was meant to help you create a more fitting identity, and won't waste time either?"

Ronald attentively watched Catherine's eyes.

The silence lingered for a few minutes before he spoke again:

"Tell me, what would you like me to do?"