Chapter 858
Chapter 858
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 858
Chapter Title: Thesis Audit (6)
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With the audit event unfolding right before Gehenna's grandest celebration, the harvest festival.
While everyone else was lost in the lingering buzz of the little festival,
Risennu couldn't join in.
Unlike the central city hall's tortoise-paced bureaucracy, a compensation payment notice had arrived at the crack of dawn, leaving her eyes wide in disbelief.
Unable to sleep properly, tossing and turning, Risennu stared bug-eyed at the number on the notice.
No matter how many times she rubbed her eyes and looked again, the amount stayed the same.
"O-oh... F-fifty thousand pounds..."
And this was already after they'd haggled it down.
"Ahh..."
Risennu collapsed to the floor like a thatched hut caught in a typhoon.
This couldn't be happening.
"Th-they said it was half of what 100 spectators would cost..."
It was impossible to pin down an exact rate or market price, but house calls generally didn't exceed 200 gold coins.
So Risennu had figured the compensation would come out to around 10,000 pounds at most.
"C-could it be... sent to the wrong person?"
As if a mistake could happen in an audit overseen by the Head Librarian herself—but unless it was a clerical error on paper, there was no explaining this sum.
Such thoughts crossed her mind.
"Someone's playing a prank...!"
But as she frantically flipped through the notice's pages, Risennu could only sink deeper into despair.
The "gifts" she'd received during her house calls far exceeded the typical average.
The notice detailed the calculation process and results down to the letter, and the final page bore Metis Gremory's own scrawled signature.
This wasn't some petty prank to torment her—it was an ironclad official document.
"......"
After that, her mind felt half unhinged.
The moment she got the notice, she sent a copy to Baron Dmer as he'd requested, in case he wanted it passed on.
The reply was short.
[Come to my mansion now, Risennu.]
With her witch hat pulled low, she trudged endlessly toward Baron Dmer's estate, myriad thoughts swirling in her head.
"Is this my fault...?"
"Why does this only happen to me...?"
"It's okay. The Baron said she'd handle everything."
But her heart wasn't at ease.
Would Baron Dmer really fork over such a massive compensation, way bigger than expected?
The sum was staggering enough, but what gnawed at her most was that she'd abandoned her questions midway.
And given up her right to two rounds of objections, too.
The atmosphere in the room had made it impossible for her to speak up.
There was nothing she could've done to change it anyway.
Still, she'd lost her fighting spirit and tucked tail.
What if Baron Dmer said, "You gave up someone else's money that easily? Fine, I'll cover half. The rest is on you"?
If that happened, Risennu's life was over.
She'd spend it all paying off debt, never achieving a single worthwhile study, wasting a century and bringing shame to her ancestors.
Lost in these thoughts as she walked along Ars Magna Town's main avenue,
the Jemernai Magical Tool Shop suddenly caught her eye.
It looked like a five-story building from outside, but spatial distortion magic made the interior vaster than any major mall in the mortal world.
Its monthly sales alone could surpass most witches' lifetime fortunes.
"What if..."
Baron Dmer and Countess Albreo could hardly be called friendly, even as a white lie.
They subtly sparred and checked each other at salon gatherings.
What if she went to Countess Albreo first, before things hit rock bottom?
She could confess that Baron Dmer had orchestrated the whole thing and beg forgiveness.
To the obscenely wealthy Jemernai Countess, ten thousand gold was pocket change...
She might even use Risennu to politically strike at Baron Dmer—or, going further, recruit her as a spy.
It was already the worst-case scenario.
Shouldn't she at least flail around a bit?
Risennu halted for a moment, then shook her head firmly.
"...I can't do that..."
Even if she'd been dragged into this mess against her will, Baron Dmer was still a good witch.
'That necklace is really pretty, isn't it?'
'B-Baron Dmer.'
'Hehe, no need to be so tense. New face—first time today?'
'Yes... Ah! I'm Risennu Erbat.'
'Risennu, before entering high society, you need a proper debut. You're still rough around the edges, so let me help.'
'Yes...!'
'And Risennu, don't grip your glass like a baseball bat—everyone will stare. Hold it lightly with graceful, airy motions. Oh, and ostrich feathers on hats are out of fashion now.'
Back when Risennu had just become a witch.
At the Red Roof Salon, where she felt awkward and out of place, Baron Dmer had kindly approached her.
She'd patiently taught her the finer points of social graces and etiquette, where Risennu fell short.
'Hmm, I can help with that much.'
And when business failure had her drowning in drink and debt, she'd gladly cleared Risennu's tab.
Without her, Risennu would've been begging on the streets outside Gehenna long ago.
As a young witch, she'd even harbored a crush on the baron.
Of course, she'd realized their differences and given up long ago.
These memories brought tears to her eyes.
"I've been so ungrateful..."
After all that help, she'd resented being dragged into the research audit.
Even contemplated betrayal.
Risennu hated her own shallowness.
Maybe this was punishment for her ingratitude.
2.
In Baron Dmer's dimly lit study.
She sat cradling a glass of dawn twilight, exhaling long drags from her cigarette.
Her beauty was tinged with melancholy.
"I'm sorry. I ruined everything."
"......"
Risennu apologized plainly and bowed her head.
Then she said what she'd prepared.
"I'll take responsibility for half the compensation. No matter how long it takes, I'll pay it back bit by bit."
Saying it herself made her heart chill as ice.
But there was relief in having spoken the necessary words.
"Risennu."
Baron Dmer stood.
Her voice carried a soft chuckle.
-Clack, clack
As she approached, Risennu's shoulders trembled like aspen leaves.
She was ready to take a slap across the cheek.
"Ow!"
A tremendous shock—no, a flick to the forehead.
Lifting her gaze with effort, she saw Baron Dmer.
Arms crossed, wearing a wry smile like she couldn't scold her.
"Why so scared?"
There was no blame in that smile.
"Baron... Dmer..."
"I heard about the research audit secondhand. It was completely my misjudgment. What do you have to apologize for, Risennu? I prepared all the materials."
"......"
"Who could've guessed a male witch was a real genius? Blinded by jealousy, I rushed it. If I'd properly reviewed the house call precedents, I'd have known it wasn't simple plagiarism. It's just paying a premium for fool's gold."
"......"
"Sigh, thinking of Countess Albreo acting all stiff for the next few months gives me a headache. Anyway, why are you still standing? Sit comfortably."
Baron Dmer sighed dramatically and guided Risennu to the sofa.
"You had a rough time too, Risennu."
Risennu felt her eyes grow hot.
Just moments ago, she'd been agonizing over betraying Baron Dmer.
The baron's demeanor showed effort to calm her fidgeting.
"B-but... the compensation's 50,000 pounds..."
"I know, I checked. It stings. But I said I'd take responsibility. I was planning to buy a yacht soon... Guess I'll scrap that."
Risennu burst into sobs and clung to Baron Dmer's chest.
"It'll blow over after a few noisy months anyway. I'll work on restoring your reputation too. I even went and apologized to Countess Albreo personally."
"A-are you sure that's okay...? Sniff..."
"Wasn't intentional, but they got something out of it. They won't make a big fuss. Might grumble a bit."
Baron Dmer stroked Risennu's hair and dabbed her tears with a handkerchief, without a hint of displeasure.
She didn't mention handing over the cherished bracelet she'd babied to appease the haughty Countess Albreo.
"So, shall us loners share a drink and hear about the audit details? I'm curious too. After shelling out 400 billion for tuition, that's fair, right?"
"Yes, Baron."
Baron Dmer poured amber brandy into Risennu's glass too.
Gazing at Risennu holding the pretty pumpkin-hued drink, she remarked casually.
"Risennu, you're holding your glass properly now."
Risennu blinked wide in surprise for a moment, then smiled for the first time.
People flocked to Baron Dmer not just for her baronial status.
She might make wrong calls swept by emotion, but she never cut off underlings like lizard tails.
That was the pride and duty distinguishing Gehenna nobles from officials or exiles.
3.
Four days after the audit.
Everything was going smoothly.
Siu had accepted Risennu's apology and pocketed a tidy sum for once.
He'd handed the donation Lurye was supposed to pay to his great mother-in-law, and aside from Odil and Odet—who he was still pondering gifts for—he'd showered generous presents on his lovers.
The Soul Witch 'Gretel Nephthys', who would aid Siu's healing, was steadily progressing through immigration and set to arrive soon.
Sua Branch Chief would also enter Gehenna shortly at his master's request to help Siu.
In this moment of unwavering belief that his rose-tinted days would continue,
as always, the worst crisis arrived to shatter the dreamlike routine.
"Assistant..."
The twins were there.
The small gift boxes in their hands rolled pitifully on the wet ground in the cold rain.
Likely from the shocking scene they'd just witnessed.
Seeing their revered master passionately kissing her beloved.
"Odil... Odet..."
Deneb's cheeks, which had been locked in a heated kiss with Siu moments ago, stiffened.
She looked no different from a mother caught committing incest by her children.
In truth, it wasn't much different.
Blood aside, master and apprentice witch were mother and daughter.
"Assistant, really, how could you..."
"Little master... We're so disappointed..."
Tears from the expressionless Odil and Odet mingled with the raindrops.
The twins turned their backs coldly, vanishing beyond reach, leaving Siu and Deneb in the downpour.
Siu of the love chamber and his little mother-in-law.
A tale riddled with horrific misunderstandings and cruel misconceptions
was only just beginning.