A few days later, when Rudolph went to see Chief Claude, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

  "My God, Chief, have some self-restraint! Let me get you a mirror—you should see your face!"

  Rudolph found a mirror and placed it in front of Claude. The chief touched his sunken, darkened cheeks with a sorrowful expression.

  Rudolph complained, "Madam Jessica is too much. Can't she take it slow, like water trickling into a river?"

  With so much work at the police station that required Claude's signature, how could he function in this state?

  "It's not Jessica’s fault… No, actually, it is her fault," Claude said, eating oysters he had somehow procured. "How do I put this… It's complicated. You see, Rudolph, besides Jessica, I have other lovers. Lately, when I’ve met them, I noticed they’ve been using Venus Perfume."

  "Venus Perfume?"

  "You don’t know? Let me educate you. It’s a perfume created by the Silver Serpents that puts men into a trance. The moment a man smells it, he’ll see the woman before him as if she were a princess from a grand castle—beautiful beyond compare. He’ll be willing to give her everything—his love, his devotion, even his… fluids.

  "But here’s the awkward part," Claude rubbed his mustache furiously, "those women… they’ve been using Jessica’s Venus Perfume on me!

  "Venus Perfume at Level 1 works on me, but not that well. The real issue is that I have to pretend it's working! Because I know those perfumes came from Jessica.

  "So now, every few days, one of my lovers just happens to run into me. And every time, I have to pretend to be instantly overwhelmed, then… well, then comes another exhausting night. Rudolph, do you have any idea how tiring acting is?"

  Rudolph didn’t know whether acting was tiring, but he was definitely puzzled. "Why don’t you just pretend the perfume doesn’t work?"

  "Absolutely not! That would ruin Jessica’s reputation! If I act unaffected, that would mean her perfume is fake! That would ruin her business! Jessica just arrived in Lémontown, she hasn’t gained a firm foothold yet. I have to make sure she stays!"

  "Why?"

  "You don’t understand. You don’t understand! A mature woman like her is rare! I have to work hard for the sake of my future happiness!"

  Rudolph picked up the document Claude had just signed. Since he was standing, he could also see out the window.

  "Chief, unless my eyes deceive me, Madame Fanny is heading toward the station."

  "Damn it! Where can I hide?!"

  Rudolph shrugged and left.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  This situation had completely backfired on Claude. If the chief ever found out that Rudolph was the one who gave Jessica a list of wealthy ladies in Lémontown… well, hopefully, he wouldn’t take it too personally.

  When Rudolph went downstairs to hand some files to Karita, he noticed Mr. Mayo had arrived at the station once again.

  Karita nudged her chin toward him. "Rudolph, looks like you’re getting another call-out."

  Rudolph nearly collapsed. This was already the sixth time this month because of Mayo.

  He sat down beside him.

  "Mr. Mayo, from what I understand, you’re not the only one in Lémontown experiencing this… situation. But unlike you, they don’t seem so troubled by it."

  Mayo slumped. "Why not?"

  "Because most of them just treat it as a lucky encounter, a fleeting dream, a moment of favor from the goddess of love. When they wake up the next day, they might reminisce about the night before, but they move on—it doesn’t affect their lives."

  "That’s not love!"

  "Maybe not, but love isn’t everything in life."

  "Love may not be everything, but Miss Beth is everything to me!"

  "You win. I have nothing more to say," Rudolph sighed, then carefully tested the waters. "But what if the truth is harsh? What if Miss Beth doesn’t really love you?"

  "Impossible! Just like you said—you don’t know what perfect love is. You don’t understand what Beth and I have!"

  "Then why did she leave you?"

  Mayo froze, as if doused in cold water.

  Moments later, his resolve reignited. "That’s why I have to find her! She must be in danger!"

  Rudolph sighed. "Meet me at the police station entrance this evening."

  At dusk, Rudolph, Yvonne, and Mayo set off in a specific direction.

  Rudolph led them to a general store.

  "Boss, let me see your ledger."

  The store owner quickly handed over the account book.

  Rudolph flipped through it. "This person came in to sell something today?"

  The owner glanced at the name. "Oh, yeah. She sold me a chair this morning. Strange, really. She’s always selling furniture. I think that was her last piece—soon, I’ll have a whole set."

  Next, Yvonne took the lead.

  Mayo asked, puzzled, "Where are we going? Why are we heading this way?"

  They were going toward the slums—Lémontown’s southwest district.

  "I only heard this from my temporary cleaning lady… but she supposedly lives here."

  A leatherworker’s salary was actually quite decent, but Mayo had been too distracted to work lately, so his income had suffered.

  Soon, they arrived at a cluster of low, crowded wooden houses and waited quietly from a distance.

  Mayo, still confused, could only stand there, his face full of uncertainty.

  Before long, a plump woman in a baggy dress stepped out of one of the wooden houses.

  Her clothes were worn and shabby, but her eyes were bright with joy.

  Mayo was surprised. "Bella? My old cleaning lady? I haven’t seen her in six months!"

  The three followed her from afar.

  They watched as Bella walked toward the town center—toward Mayo’s house.

  No one paid her any special attention. She looked just like any other cleaner heading to her employer’s home.

  When she reached Mayo’s door, she let herself in without hesitation.

  "Wait… my keys! I only ever gave my house keys to Beth! Why does Bella have them?"

  As Bella disappeared inside, Rudolph handed Mayo a pair of nose plugs.

  "Go on, Mr. Mayo. Go see the woman you’ve been longing for."

  Mayo hesitated, a terrible feeling creeping up his spine.

  He stiffly lifted his hand and took the nose plugs.

  As they watched him stumble forward like a man sleepwalking, Rudolph murmured to Yvonne, "Let’s give him a few minutes…"

  Ten minutes later, they entered the house to complete Rudolph’s call-out report.

  Inside, they found Mayo and Bella holding each other, sobbing uncontrollably.

  Bella clung tightly to Mayo’s waist, while Mayo cupped Bella’s face, studying her features carefully.

  Rudolph took a deep breath. No trace of perfume in the air.

  "Bella! I finally understand! You are Beth! Beth is you!"

  The two, tears and snot streaming down their faces, kissed passionately.

  Rudolph had no words.

  Finally, he muttered, "Ugh, this damn love… Doesn’t it taste salty?"

  Then he shut the door and walked away.