Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Reincarnated as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in a Count's Family
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"Head Butler Hasent."
"Yes, Young Master Eugene."
I hadn't called him particularly loudly, yet Hasent responded and approached. That meant he'd heard our entire conversation.
"Head Butler. Please... forget everything you just heard."
For now, I just wanted to seal his lips with words. I had no way to completely silence him right this instant.
"Understood."
Hasent replied calmly, as always. I wanted to trust him, but I had no real basis for it. Hasent wasn't my man. I needed to either slowly win him over or kill him off somewhere discreet.
'Neither one's easy.'
The original story never revealed what Hasent truly desired. Killing him? No way it would be easy against a former assassination unit master.
'Like with Kyle, I'll gift him a bugging device and transmitter, then monitor him until an opportunity arises.'
I headed toward the back of the cabin where Yuria was hiding. As expected, Hasent followed behind me.
"Young Master Eugene."
"Yes. Speak."
I stopped and turned to face Hasent. The old butler wore his usual inscrutable expression.
"Could you... spare some time for me later?"
It was a request for a private audience.
I was a bit surprised. I hadn't expected Hasent to bring it up himself. He always moved passively.
I couldn't guess the reason. Did he have something to gain from me? He wouldn't try anything insane like killing me. Blackmail for money? Hasent didn't strike me as the type to do something so foolish.
"Understood. I'll make time shortly."
I replied. Soon enough, I'd learn Hasent's intentions.
I quickened my pace again toward Yuria.
Behind the house. Yuria, who had been hiding amid the woodpile, bowed her head the moment she saw me.
"I am Yuria Grace."
"I am your master, Eugene Prukus."
I stated my name once more as I approached her.
Honestly, I was a little disappointed.
In the original story, Yuria was described as a stunning beauty. Perfect face, perfect figure—nothing lacking. Her large breasts were specifically mentioned.
'...I get it. That description was of Yuria from the latter half of the novel. About ten years from now? That's how long it would take. But... is this girl really going to turn into that knockout beauty described in the story?'
Current Yuria was taller than me. About a full head taller. She was older, so that made sense. Plus, I had the sickly setting, so my growth was stunted compared to others.
'Her bones are sticking out—she's skin and bones. She looks like she could starve to death any moment... but her eyes are alive.'
Her body was thinner than those malnourished models you see overseas in real life. She resembled an anorexia patient.
Even beggars in the cities probably weren't this bad off.
This made sense too. The village was dirt poor. Thinking back, her mother Nell Rinse's corpse had been extremely emaciated as well.
'Nell Rinse was a knight, so... she must have learned mana breathing techniques.'
If she'd properly mastered mana breathing, her internals wouldn't be in as dire straits as her appearance suggested.
'And her chest is a total flat plain—not even A-cup.'
Puberty seemed long past. Feeling skeptical about the original story, I approached her.
'Her skin is pale. So she didn't do field work. Pale enough that she probably never left the house.'
Few commoners had such pale skin. Even without coming-of-age rituals, kids in common households did chores, from housework to fieldwork.
'Aside from being too skinny, no signs of illness or injury.'
I reached out toward Yuria.
Yuria watched my hand but didn't flinch or dodge. She calmly accepted it without changing expression. I liked that she knew her place.
A handful of her dry, grayish hair fell onto my palm. I rubbed it between my fingers. Gray ash flaked off, revealing her true silvery-blue hair beneath.
She'd covered it in ash to hide her natural color.
'Silvery-blue hair and blue eyes. Hallmarks of the Helbrite direct line. It's definitely Yuria Grace.'
Of course, silvery-blue hair and blue eyes didn't guarantee Helbrite blood. This fantasy world was full of all hair colors—pink, purple, you name it.
In Pterus City alone, home to the Prukus estate, you'd find at least thirty with silvery-blue hair and blue eyes.
"Yuria."
"Yes, Master."
"Sorry, but stay hidden a bit longer."
"I'm used to it."
I briefly returned to reality and pulled a large black blanket and coat from my inventory, draping them over her.
I planned to thoroughly hide Yuria's existence from the Flune Knights. I wanted to do the same with Hasent, but no choice there.
"Stay here."
"Yes."
I turned to glance at Hasent. He was quietly watching me.
"Head Butler. About this matter..."
"Yes. I saw nothing."
"......"
If he cooperated, it was good for me. Though I couldn't fully trust him.
'The knights should be finishing up with the bandits by now. I should join the cleanup. Easier to manipulate things that way.'
I headed to the center of Artel Village with Hasent.
The twenty Flune Knights who had captured the entire Pufrek Bandit gang alive were all smoking cigarettes.
As I approached, Hent tossed his cigarette butt to the ground and spoke to me with a confident expression.
"As you wished, Young Master. All 32 bandits captured alive."
"Good work, Sir Emvis. No deaths or escapes?"
"What do you take us for? No escapes, no deaths by our hands. Though a few bandits were killed by villagers before we arrived."
I nodded as I listened.
"No injuries among the knights?"
My casual question made Hent's face stiffen.
"Young Master. That insults us. You think mere bandits could injure us?"
"...My apologies. Poor choice of words."
"No offense taken. It's been a while since real combat, so I overreacted."
"As apology, tonight's dinner will be Korean barbecue. A fun pork belly party."
Time to cash in some isekai nationalism coins.
"Korean barbecue...? Pork belly? What's that?"
"I explained Korea last time, didn't I? An ancient nation."
"Yes. I heard chicken and ramen are Korean foods."
"Korean pork belly won't lose to chicken or ramen. Look forward to it. You like meat, so you might prefer it over chicken."
Hent swallowed hard. Obvious what he was thinking. Recalling the taste of chicken and ramen.
"...Won't lose to chicken and ramen? Korea never disappoints."
"Mm. Korea has superior food culture. No wonder mukbangs blew up."
"Mukbang...? What's that?"
"A type of food culture."
I explained vaguely. No concept of broadcasting here, so impossible to convey fully.
Afterward, I inspected the captured bandits. Tightly bound with ropes, most had broken limbs, disarmed, wearing only simple clothes.
Among them, I eyed the red-haired man with both arms and legs broken. Gagged, missing his left ear. This was Pufrek.
Pufrek glared at me murderously, veins bulging in his eyes.
"Such rebellious eyes. I like it."
I grinned.
I wanted to show him what an eagle soccer kick was, but held back. Yuria would deal with him, not me.
"Young Master. Why not kill a few? They're doomed to execution anyway."
Hent suggested reasonably. They were caught red-handed. No one would complain if I executed them. Son of the lord, bandits scum.
"No. They invaded Prukus territory. Can't kill them simply."
"...You're surprisingly ruthless, Young Master."
"Is my decision wrong?"
"No. It's right. As direct heir of Prukus, no one will fault you."
"Music to my ears. All villagers dead?"
"9 women, 3 men. 12 survivors total. Probably meant to sell as slaves. Gathered them there."
I looked where Hent pointed.
Ragged commoners huddled there. No great beauties. Gaunt bodies—doubt they'd fetch much as slaves.
"What of them?"
"Leave them be. They'll manage."
I lost interest. No intention of taking them in. No reason to.
"Cremate the bodies separately. Tedious, but could the knights help?"
"Of course."
In this world, commoners cremated corpses. Rumors of monsters eating them aside, main reason: prevent undead. Immediate burning was tradition to protect the living.
"We'll gather and cremate them."
"...No. Sorry, but have families cremate their own. Basic respect for the dead, right?"
"Understood. They'll thank your mercy."
The knights began moving.
Of course, separate cremations had a purpose.
"Head Butler."
"Yes, Young Master. Shall I prepare a suitable corpse?"
Hasent grasped my unspoken intent.
I'd swap in a suitable body to fake Yuria's death. Survivors and knights as witnesses.
"...Please."
"Simple enough."
Village in chaos made slipping a body easy. Mutilate it, cover with cloth—unidentifiable.
Hasent quietly got to work.
I stepped back and watched.
Some knights guarded bandits. Villagers helped knights with cremations.
Soon, sobs echoed as smoke rose here and there.
Before cremating Nell Rinse and the Yuria stand-in, I asked the surrounding villagers.
"Anyone know this woman's name? She killed several bandits. Skilled swordswoman."
Villagers eyed each other warily. I frowned. Just a name—such a hard question?
As tension rose, a woman quickly answered.
"K-Kelia, I think. Milord."
"...You think?"
"Our village is... unique. No neighborly mingling, milord."
I understood.
Refugee village. Natural to distrust even neighbors.
Nell Rinse was wise. Kept her real name from villagers, didn't trust fellow outcasts easily.
How did Helbrite Duke find her trail?
I pondered briefly, then spoke.
"I see. Found a dead girl in the house. Her daughter?"
"Yes. Heard she had a leper daughter. Lara...? Something like that."
"Body's badly damaged. Anyone remember Lara's face?"
"Leper... Never saw her leave the house."
I nodded.
This world's leprosy wasn't medieval horror. Mage Tower sold cures. But pricey—beggars and poor couldn't afford.
Nell Rinse hid Yuria perfectly. Wise woman indeed.
'Convenient.'
Villagers knew nothing. Even under Helbrite torture, no info on Yuria.
As I cremated Nell Rinse's body, I glanced back. Where Yuria hid.
What was she thinking, watching her mother's cremation from afar?