Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Everyone Has Flaws #2
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We were planning to capture Dvora and head straight back.
But Lady Cheperi offered to accompany us as thanks, promising a family heirloom.
"Our estate is nearby, so it'll only take half a day by carriage."
"Then let's hurry!"
Lady Cheperi was the humblest and kindest noblewoman I'd ever met.
Of course, there was a reason for her kindness.
First, we were the ones who saved her life.
Second, because Hermit was the daughter of the prestigious Pilgrim House.
"Hermit, you were a noble lady?"
On the way to their Stormhill Manor in Lady Cheperi's carriage.
I cautiously asked Hermit, who was sitting next to me.
"The Pilgrim House is right, but we're not nobles."
"If you talk like that's so complicated, I won't understand!"
A noble house, but not nobles?
Does that mean servants?
Hermit frowned.
She whipped her head toward the window and grumbled curtly.
"I'm not a blood daughter."
Aha! So she's adopted.
I came from an orphanage, so I knew a bit about adoptions.
'Damn, I wish a noble had adopted me too!'
Even at the orphanage, the sly weasel-like kids got picked by good parents early and shipped off.
So all the orphans tried hard to look cute to the adults.
I did too.
But every time someone came to adopt kids, mysteriously their coin pouches went missing, and all the suspicion in the world poured down on my shoulders.
—Yor, give back the money quick!
—Hurry!
It was so unfair.
Suspicious glares aimed at me first without any evidence.
Even now, years later, it left a deep scar on my heart.
'How the hell did they know?'
'I disposed of the evidence so carefully.'
Lady Cheperi chuckled softly from the seat in front of us.
"To be adopted into the Pilgrim House, famed for their sages. That only piques my interest more."
"Sages? Smart people?"
"Yes. The Pilgrim House has long been renowned as a magical bloodline that wields secret arts, fire, and telekinesis all at once. Versatile mages like that are rare."
"Ooh!"
My trainee buddy the rat said that any mage with attack spells was impressive in their own right.
And this house had three such attack spells.
No wonder they were revered as sages for their supreme skill as mages.
Hermit even handled fire, ice, lightning, telekinesis—you name it.
That's why she's from such an amazing noble family.
Or maybe she became their adopted daughter because she's that amazing?
'I gotta stay on good terms with Hermit from now on!'
Lady Cheperi looked worried.
"I have an adopted daughter too. The thieves sent her to Cunning Town... I wonder if she's still alive...."
Tears welled up.
She'd been so strong about her own misfortune, but she couldn't hold back her worry for her daughter.
"Madam, your daughter is probably still alive."
"...Do you really think so?"
"If she's from a noble family, her ransom will be high, so they won't kill her."
"That would be a relief, but...."
And so we arrived at Stormhill Manor.
Rumble, crash—!
The mansion built atop a stormy hill looked awfully impressive.
"Our Cheperi House once had a mage bloodline too. That perpetually storm-wracked mansion is proof."
Lady Cheperi smiled bitterly.
Meanwhile, Hermit—who'd looked gloomy the whole carriage ride—brightened up.
"Is it true this place gets storms all year round?"
"Yes, it's a mansion enchanted by our ancestors. The previous head was a powerful storm-summoning mage."
Whoa, a storm-summoning mage—!
A mansion with rain all year thanks to magic—!
Just hearing about it made my chest swell with grandeur.
Too bad I couldn't stuff that mansion into my pocket.
"Of course, that magic engraving and bloodline have faded now."
That's when someone came running out of the mansion barefoot.
"Madam! You're back! I've been waiting!"
A corset cinched tight around her waist.
A dress that looked incredibly uncomfortable to move in.
She looked just like the picture of a 'noble lady' in my head.
Her hair was nearly platinum blonde, but her face was smeared with rain-smeared makeup like a panda.
"When I heard you and Lady Ellie had been captured by those vile thieves, I, Windia, couldn't eat a bite for three days...!"
The woman sobbed into Lady Cheperi's arms.
If Lady Cheperi was in her mid-to-late thirties, this woman looked early twenties.
Her belly was bulging too.
Pregnant?
"Windia, these are the benefactors who saved my life. And this young lady here is from the Pilgrim House."
"The Pilgrims... the court archmages—?"
I caught a flicker of fear and tension in Windia's eyes.
Maybe it was just my imagination.
"This is Windia. She's my distant cousin and our lord's second wife."
My head nearly exploded at that moment.
'Second wife?'
'Is that even possible!'
I could barely manage one girlfriend.
To have two wives—what kind of legendary man was he?
'If I become a noble, can I do that too!'
My dream is a happy family with a pretty, kind woman.
If that includes two wives?
It'd be twice as happy for sure!
"Then, let's go see our lord."
I was dying to know what kind of man kept two women like that.
Lady Cheperi introduced us to the family head.
He was an extremely old man.
"This is Lord Gail Cheperi. Since early this year, he's been bedridden with some unknown illness. Please be understanding—"
He looks dead.
Honestly, that's what he seemed like.
Eyes closed, a total vegetable.
"...Illness?"
Hermit leaned in toward Gail Cheperi, suddenly interested.
Lady Cheperi and Lady Windia's gazes turned to Hermit.
Twinkle twinkle—.
Eyes gleaming with various emotions.
Step—.
Hermit took a step back.
"I have no idea what's wrong even after looking."
"Yes, most healers say the same. They can't find the cause. He was so healthy, and then he suddenly collapsed. It's so worrying."
I see.
Everyone's got their complicated circumstances.
Crash, whoosh—.
Rain pounded the mansion.
I was starting to get bored.
"Uh, madam, about that heirloom...?"
"Oh, this way please."
Lady Cheperi led us to what looked like a drawing room.
Creak—.
She opened an intricately plated chest and took something out.
"It's a cloak imbued with the [Blessing of the Wind]. An item our ancestor cherished."
Ooh! A magic item!
I took the navy cloak and draped it over my shoulders.
It was short, only reaching my waist, but it felt good.
Swoosh—.
Like having a cool portable fan at my waist.
「Storm Cloak: A garment imbued with the power of wind」
「[Blessing of the Wind]: Nullifies ranged attacks such as arrows with a certain probability.」
The effect was great too.
Blocks arrows with a certain probability?
'The Erdar guys had a lot of archers.'
'This'll be handy against them.'
Lady Cheperi pulled one more item from the chest.
A pitch-black tree branch.
What could that be?
Hermit lit up with joy.
"This is a thunderwood branch! It's so black!"
「Lightning Branch: A tree branch struck by lightning multiple times.」
「<Overcharge>: Increases the power of lightning magic.」
Both Hermit and I got great rewards.
Lady Windia, however, grumbled like she was dissatisfied.
"Madam, couldn't you just give them a bit of money? Why give away our family heirlooms like that?"
"Better than letting them gather dust in that chest for centuries. We won't use staves like that anyway."
"What if my son wants it? He might grow up to be a great mage!"
Tsk—Windia clicked her tongue.
Come to think of it, she said the Cheperi mage bloodline was fading.
But Lady Windia seemed to believe the child in her belly would be an amazing mage.
'They won't ask for the stuff back, right? Suddenly this seat feels uncomfortable.'
Let's leave first thing tomorrow morning.
With that thought, we headed to our assigned guest rooms.
Crash, rumble—!
Lying in my private room, the thunder roared.
Sleep wouldn't come.
'The bed's too soft; it's actually uncomfortable.'
Truth be told, something was nagging at me.
That chest from earlier.
'Might be better stuff in there?'
I'll just go peek inside.
With that in mind, I quietly slipped out of my room.
"The rain's really pouring, patter patter."
"What a depressing mansion."
"......"
I sneaked past the guards on night watch and reached the drawing room.
Naturally, the door was shut.
'Heh, time to pick it.'
Just as I pulled out my thief tools.
I noticed a sound from beyond the drawing room.
Press—.
I pressed my ear to the door, and the sound grew clearer.
Ugh ugh—like someone groaning in pain.
Thud thud—something being hit too.
Was someone getting beaten inside?
Should I help—? I seriously considered it for a moment.
Then the ragged breathing quieted.
And murmurs of conversation drifted out.
—Enough, explain why that bitch didn't die.
—The bandits said they'd handle it if we turned a blind eye to the abandoned mine work!
...
Something worrisome caught my ear.
I focused harder.
—Windia, the blessed ones came to rescue her; we had no choice.
—Just stay quiet for now. You've been too reckless.
—But Ellie's been sold to Cunning Town; she won't come back.
—Stay quiet? That woman's squandering the inheritance my son deserves!
—We need to get rid of her quick. Poison again this time?
Poison again?
Lord Cheperi suddenly came to mind.
They called it an 'illness,' but maybe it was 'poison.'
Just as I thought it might be overthinking, more was added.
—Even so, two people falling ill would look suspicious.
—Better to use the blessed ones.
—There's a thief, right? The thief went nuts over the heirlooms and killed the first wife and the lord—how about that?
A chill ran down my spine.
'No wonder I kept eyeing that chest.'
'If I'd just slept honestly, I'd be framed.'
Foiling the plot in advance.
Talk about good luck.
I headed to the lord's room.
The lord still had his eyes closed, so I whispered in his ear.
"Your second wife teamed up with some guy to poison you, my lord. She even tried to sell your first wife to bandits to kill her."
Snap—.
The lord's eyes flew open.
Shocking truths can wake even a vegetable.
"My lord, I'll handle it somehow, so if you agree, just blink once—."
"...Poison, huh. So that's how it was."
The lord sighed and sat up.
I wasn't kidding; I banged my head on the ceiling in shock.
"...Ow, damn! You could move this whole time?"
I was seriously startled!