Safe House (3)
“Whoa, it’s super dark and deep down here… Feels like ghosts might pop out any second.”
Lydia timidly grabbed the sleeve of Aren, who was leading the way down. She was a little scared. For a simple country girl like her, this was her first time in a space like this. The scariest places she’d ever been were maybe an abandoned cave no one visited or a rundown old house.
In that sense, this secret space leading to a basement felt mysteriously eerie.
A mansion where traitors lived in the past, but a hidden space no one knows about…
And as we head down to the basement, the traitors who’ve turned into dullahans plot once more to overthrow the Empire—
“Eek! I-It’s scary…!”
“Haha, were you frightened?”
“Y-Yeah…”
“I see.”
Aren chuckled softly. He wanted to pat her head, but unfortunately, now wasn’t the time. He’d do it later once they were down. Anyway.
“By the way, what’s Veronica thinking? You’ve been awfully quiet since we came in.”
“……”
Indeed. Veronica had been silent ever since they entered the secret passage.
“…I had something to think about.”
“What?”
“Just… what you said earlier. You called this mansion the traitors’ house, but no one actually knows the truth behind it.”
“Ah, that.”
No house rumored to be haunted ever actually has ghosts. Aren figured this mansion was the same. A traitor’s mansion lived in by traitors. The real estate agent didn’t know the details, and neither did Veronica.
Even if her standing within the Adel Adler ducal family wasn’t great, she was still the sole ducal lady and had received a full education. Yet even she didn’t know of this traitor’s mansion? Someone who knew Empire history inside and out?
“I think it’s just baseless rumors that snowballed over time into that shape.”
“…Yeah, probably.”
“In that sense, this mansion might actually have ghosts living in it.”
“…Huh?”
“Eek?! What’s that supposed to mean, Aren?!”
Lydia jumped in surprise. Even Veronica flinched.
“Whoa, I’m not saying there are actually ghosts—it’s just a play on words. Thanks to the traitor mansion rumor, we snagged this prime property for a ridiculously low price, right?”
“…True.”
The mansion’s price had been dirt cheap. Absurdly so, considering its size, facilities, and exterior.
“So, the traitor mansion rumor is basically a house-price fairy.”
“…Huh?”
“We bought it cheap, so it’s great. That makes the rumor a house-price fairy.”
“…Lame.”
“Sigh…”
Veronica grimaced in disgust while Lydia let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t even meant it as a joke, but their reactions made him feel oddly hurt. This wouldn’t do. He might have to corner them later for a special dad-joke marathon, reciting a hundred of them.
“U-Um, Aren…”
Then, Lydia’s hesitant voice slipped into his ear.
“…How far down does this go?”
“Huh?”
“We’ve… been going down forever. Just how deep does it go…?”
…
“Oh.”
“……”
“Whaa? Who’s that…”
The being with mysterious blue hair and blue eyes woke from her slumber at the sudden presence of people.
“Who could it beee…”
It had been over a hundred years since she’d secretly lived in this mansion. She’d even watched emperors come and go in the Empire. Now, she focused her senses on the human presences drawing closer.
“One guy and two girls…”
The special thing? The guy was extremely handsome.
That human is totalllyyy my tyyype…
She’d never spared a glance at human men before, but this one made her eyebrows twitch.
…Actually, her heart was pounding.
Anyway.
…Don’t comeee…
They couldn’t come this far. This was her home.
Guess I have to chase them out againnn…
Farewell, handsome human. Maybe we’ll meet again someday.
…Probably nooot…
Regrettably.
She gathered her power. To drive Aren’s group out of the mansion.
But.
“…Huh?”
No matter how much power she mustered, Aren’s group didn’t budge. Neither suggestion nor spatial manipulation worked. Nothing.
This was clearly her domain.
“Whyy isn’t this working…?”
Th-This can’t happen?
“Wha…? They’re, they’re coming in? For real?”
She bolted upright. Aren’s group had started descending the secret passage.
If this continued, it was all over. Her lifelong home, her nest, would be gone…!
“Waaah…!”
That absolutely couldn’t happen…!
She poured all her strength into altering the space. To keep them from reaching her underground lair.
To make them loop the same area endlessly.
But.
“How…!”
Aren tore the space itself apart. Something no one had done in over a hundred years, done casually as he approached her nest.
And then.
“…Waaah…”
“….?”
“What’s that?”
“A f-fairy?”
Aren’s group entered the basement and locked eyes with her.
Convinced they were looping the same space, Aren immediately spread his mana. As expected, some magical force was at work.
To break the situation, his chosen method was…
“Veronica, Lydia. Brace for impact.”
To forcibly rip the space apart.
In Aren’s view, it was a looping structure where end connected to end.
…Truth be told, the fact that he could rip it regardless mattered more.
Aren immediately unleashed a slash at the empty air. The stairs lit up instantly, followed by a massive roar—
“Kyaaah! I-It’s not gonna collapse, is it, Aren!?”
“You…!”
The mana backlash swept over them belatedly. Ordinary people would’ve been shredded.
But who were they? Veronica and Lydia were mages beyond a certain level. More than capable of protecting themselves. Plus, Aren added a barrier.
“Haha. Don’t worry. I don’t let the women in my life get hurt.”
“…Who’s a woman of yours?”
“Eek… That really startled me.”
Anyway, it meant they’d successfully torn the space.
Finally, the basement entrance appeared before them—
“…Waaah…”
And they spotted a girl making a strange noise.
A mysterious girl with blue hair and blue eyes. Her skin was pale, as if she’d never seen sunlight.
And Aren didn’t know, but that was partly true. She rarely went aboveground, wary of humans.
She’d spent nearly her whole life in this basement.
…But that wasn’t important now.
The girl floated in the air, as if ready to flee at any moment.
“….?”
“What’s that?”
“A f-fairy?”
Fairy, fairy… The girl flinched.
“Wh-Who are yooou?”
“The homeowner.”
“…Huh?”
“I’m the homeowner.”
Aren, the success story of class mobility who now fully owned this mansion. A landlord at last.
“And who might you be, squatting in my house without permission…?”
Aren’s eyes scanned the basement. He’d imagined a prison-like space with bars, but it was a girly room.
…No one mentioned tenants, though. Was this a scam contract?
“I-I was here first…”
“Is that so.”
“Yeah!”
“Too bad. The owner of this mansion is now me.”
“…Liar.”
Unfortunately, not a lie.
Aren shoved a contract in her face. The land deed and other documents from just moments ago, when he’d fully purchased the mansion.
The girl broke into a cold sweat as she read it. Knowing human language, she couldn’t misunderstand what it meant.
“…R-Really?”
“Yes. I’m the owner of this mansion.”
So, let me ask.
“Who are you?”
I don’t recall accepting tenants like you.
Suddenly, spears of fire materialized in the air, aimed at her throat. Any funny business, and they’d impale her, causing serious injury.
Her pupils trembled finely.
And then.
“T-Take me…?”
The girl squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
“?”
“??”
“Pardon?”
…
“What was that just now?”
“T-Take me…!”
He’d been chosen.
….Was this that moment? Becoming a landlord and picking up an illegal squatter.