Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Lilibel Family's Villainous Young Lady
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The effect of rotating through third company commanders was tremendous.
One might wonder about using superhumans capable of slicing buildings like tofu for surveys, but they were undoubtedly performing admirably.
Here, Rex's system abilities shone overwhelmingly.
Normally, after on-site investigations, reports take time to reach headquarters.
This isn't a procedural issue but a physical distance problem— no matter how hard you try, time is inevitably consumed.
Once the report arrives, it's cross-checked against headquarters' data to verify authenticity, additional investigations are requested if needed,
those are conducted, sent back...
This process naturally takes time.
Depending on the distance, it wouldn't be unusual for a single territory to take a full month.
This is also why nations in this world still maintain feudalism over centralization.
But Rex's abilities were free from this constraint.
Reports came in real-time from the field, and verifying them was instantaneous, so investigating a single territory didn't require much time.
Soon, after six months of surveys across the kingdom's southern territories, Duke prepared for full-scale inspections.
First, since plainclothes knights operated in pairs by rule, Duke immediately selected a partner.
"Platoon Leader Jane."
"Yees~? And who might that be?"
"It's Hell from the intelligence agency. Someone there wishes to meet you."
"I can guess who... Yeah, yeah. Top secret, right? I'll come along obediently."
The elf knight, in the midst of sparring with other knights on the training grounds, responded with a lighthearted attitude.
Her demeanor drew wry smiles from the First Company's drill hall knights.
The Yormungand Knight Order was originally a solemn and intimidating group.
From the captain to the company commanders, they were all serious types, their influence strong,
and there was a sense of responsibility in representing the faceless Rex.
But the biggest reason was that the founding members were test subjects.
Though Duke had sublimated their wounds through enlightenment, souls that had once died struggled to regain their liveliness easily.
In that atmosphere, Jane played the role of mood maker for the Honor Guard.
Most knights, upon joining, were too busy watching their seniors to avoid their influence.
But Jane had the guts to speak casually even to Duke, the empire's second-in-command and an inviolable figure in the knight order.
There was no way she'd be swept up by the unit's vibe.
If anything, she led it.
As a result, the knight order's discipline didn't slacken, but it had softened somewhat.
The most noticeable improvement was that company commanders could now joke with each other.
"Thank you, Platoon Leader Jane. I'm even trying jokes myself. As a reward, I'll join you for overtime tonight."
"That's a joke too, right, Company Commander Hedonius? Overtime?"
"Heh heh. In enlightened rule, the most important thing is whipping the higher-ups."
"Gyaak..."
Anyway, this was why she could maintain such a light attitude in an Honor Guard known for strictness.
"Alright, let's go! Gotta wrap this up quick and get back to sparring."
Her bright vibe made even the shadow knight who came to fetch her flustered—it was hard to believe she was from that rigid Honor Guard.
Jane whistled as she followed the shadow knight's lead.
They soon arrived at an interview room in the intelligence agency's headquarters.
The knight escorted her to the door and vanished into the shadows.
"It's amazing every time."
She muttered to herself and grasped the doorknob.
"Now, I wonder who's waiting inside~"
When she opened the door, her eyes widened like full moons.
Reflected in her emerald eyes, an old butler elegantly bowed.
"It's been a while, miss."
The old butler she thought she'd never see again greeted her with a kindly smile.
"Whoa! Wah! What happened? Wasn't that the end of it?"
"Back then, I had to return to my original role. And now, I'm on a new mission."
"That one?"
"Shh. Even in an interview room, mind your words."
Duke, disguised as Dominic, sent her the mission details via his system ability.
Confirming the contents through the firefly spirit, she nodded and replied.
Once investigations wrapped up, what awaited was...?
More work.
With all the reforms needed in the early days of the nation, even the Honor Guard was being loaned out to other departments.
If plainclothes as a butler became impossible later, he could create another identity.
Duke had plenty of leeway, with many graves' worth of identities still available.
Watching Jane's beaming smile, Dominic returned a warm one of his own.
This was why he'd chosen her as his partner.
Other knights wouldn't play along with Duke's acting.
Even First Company Commander Hedonius, with his butler-young master concept, was oddly cautious around Dominic.
But not Jane.
If anything, she was like Duke in that regard.
Once she started a role, she immersed herself fully.
Beyond immersion, she even enjoyed it.
Even now, before the mission began, her eyes sparkled as she devised her persona.
"This time, I wanna be a young lady! A bratty elf noble lady!"
"Excellent choice."
See?
Didn't they click perfectly?
To Duke, a bratty elf young lady was an outstanding pick for undercover work.
Elves drew attention wherever they went.
For one to visit somewhere for investigation, you'd need all sorts of excuses or tedious backstories.
But not a bratty elf young lady.
Combine elf prejudice and villainess malice, and she could poke around anywhere without plot holes.
And add the old butler concept desperately reining in said young lady, forcing them into every nook!
'No synergy like this.'
Duke's mood lifted even before the mission started.
Choosing Jane was the right call.
Meanwhile, Jane was in a great mood too.
'So much better without that gloomy helmet.'
Gazing at the old man's kindly face warmed a corner of her heart.
Of course, as someone with normal tastes, it wasn't romantic fluttering.
It was just that Duke in his cold helmet felt so different from the nameless swordsman she knew.
Second-in-command Duke had an air of distance, hard to approach casually.
She could manage some casual speech, but not full-on spoiling.
But Butler Dominic accepted all her whims.
Even knowing it was acting, it mirrored the old swordsman's actions, making it ambiguously real.
That's why she preferred Dominic over Duke.
Even knowing it was a shell, the memories shared only between this butler and her gave an indescribable sense of superiority.
'Sometimes, this isn't so bad.'
With that thought, she picked out a luxurious dress fit for a vain young lady.
"Is this garbage what you call cuisine?! Summon the chef at once!"
In a peaceful southern territory famed for its golden barley fields, a bun-haired young lady was causing a scene in a restaurant.
In a sparkling low-cut dress, she screamed "spoiled noble out for fun" to anyone watching.
The customers frowned at her antics but none dared stop her.
"Summon him now! Otherwise, I'll take this as an insult to the Lilibel family!"
It had been a week since she started rampaging through the territory.
At first, when she name-dropped Lilibel, people scoffed and reported her to the guards.
'What, a fake noble or some nouveau riche.'
But soon after being dragged to the guard post, she was released—with the lord's official apology.
Rumors said Lilibel was a powerful marquis family ruling the north, and she was their pampered seventh son and only daughter's princess.
The lord had even inquired directly to the capital, confirming the family existed.
"Her family has officials in the Ministry of Justice."
Dirty connections.
The world felt a bit more equal, but not fully.
A mere baron lord couldn't touch her just because of status alone.
Well, not just status.
"Aren't you afraid of His Majesty and the law?!"
"Has this girl broken any law?"
"Well, the disturbance at the clothing store..."
"They lied about the fabric and the price—I merely protested justly. If you're so wronged, petition His Majesty to judge right and wrong."
She wielded the law like armor.
She knew Providence King's decrees inside out, shoving them in her favor.
But she wasn't always right—her methods were extreme.
Even if legally justified, there's a way to do things.
Openly causing scenes in public draws frowns.
Especially repeating it everywhere, every day.
The law said she was right, but impressions were another matter.
Above all, her words to the guards called to mediate ruined her image.
"Daring to arrest me when I've broken no law? This is racial discrimination! The Lilibel family is being targeted for being elves!"
Out came the invincible racial discrimination shield—no retort possible.
Racial discrimination had been strictly forbidden since Providence's dynasty began.
Abolishing slavery brought harsh standards against it, and she used it as her shield.
"No, miss. His Lordship just sent us to escort you..."
"So you were taking me to the orchard? Telling an elf to pick fruit, is that it?"
Ah, damn.
The guard swallowed "fruit-picker" mentally and placated her.
(For reference, synonyms for fruit-picker include pointy-ears and elf scum; for dark elves, it's cotton.)
"Not at all—our territory is famous next to barley for its fruit. The liquor from them is to die for."
While smoothly soothing her, the guard prayed inwardly.
'Please, come quick...'
His prayer reached the heavens—an old butler rushed into the restaurant.
"Miss! What on earth are you doing here!?"
"Oh? Dominic. I just loved the food so much, I wanted to tip the chef."
She placed a silver coin by the half-eaten plate with a faint smile.
Butler Dominic sighed at the Lilibel miss.
"Miss, that won't fly. Let's return to the inn."
"Tch. Dominic's my butler—why don't you ever take my side?"
"Because Master instructed me not to."
From that brief exchange, people grasped one fact.
Ah, the marquis tried to raise her right, but she turned out bratty anyway.
Poor marquis.
And extending sympathy to the old butler caring for the villainess in his stead.
That sole voice of conscience for the manners-ruining girl was the pillar letting people endure.
As always, the butler scolded her gently as they left the restaurant.
Back at the inn, the Lilibel young lady flopped onto the bed.
"Ugh, exhausting. Why do young ladies talk like that?"
The daytime rudeness masked in refinement vanished, replaced by a casual elf girl.
Dominic couldn't answer her question.
"I don't know the origins either."
"It's been around since the empire days?"
"Yes. But no one knows who started it or how it trended."
"I see..."
She kicked off her shoes and lay back on the bed.
"Dominic. Massage my feet."
"Certainly, miss."
Dominic neatly arranged her shoes and removed her stockings.
They reached her knees, risking an awkward scene, but neither minded.
Soon, Dominic began massaging her bare feet.
"Ouch. Hurts."
"Shall I go lighter?"
"No. The good kind of hurt. You know what I mean?"
"I'll continue like this."
Knead, press.
The massage continued, utterly devoid of ulterior motives.
Their conversation flowed under Jane's lead.
"Reminds me of the old days. When I whined about sore feet."
"I did massage them then."
"Back when it was a campsite, not fancy inns. Wasn't I annoying?"
"Honestly, it was fun."
"Really? Even now?"
"Even now."
Dominic's words held layers.
The travels being fun, sharing memories being fun, or their role-play meshing well being fun.
Jane took the answer as she pleased.
"Good. Anyway, how's my acting?"
"Splendid. You're sustaining it longer each day too."
"This speech is draining. You just polite-talk; I lose energy every word."
"I know."
"So. Get the intel?"
"Yes."
Dominic wiped her soles with a warm cloth as he spoke.
"Seems runaway heroes are hiding in this territory. Hunting slaves."