Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: S2. Grudge Wished Upon the Stars -2
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[Good morning!]
Niore, who had been about to hoist her whiteboard upon spotting Bennett in the corridor, froze at the sight of his hollow-eyed face.
The detective's gaze swept over Bennett's entire form in an instant. Her conclusion: he'd pulled an all-nighter keeping watch for danger. Niore wiped the board clean with her skirt hem and scribbled a new message before holding it up.
[Should we have set night watches...?]
Bennett waved it off in denial. Neither the saintess nor Niore could be relied on. In the end, he'd have to handle it himself anyway.
"No, it's fine. Did you sleep well?"
[Yes. I slept great! Though the saintess was groaning like she was having nightmares...]
"I figured someone who struts around in that getup would have thick skin. Guess she's picky about her sleeping arrangements..."
It was an unexpected side of her. The saintess acted like she didn't care about prying eyes, so Bennett had imagined her sprawled out, snoring away. As he mulled it over, Niore asked after him this time.
[Anything unusual happen last night?]
"Something did. I could use your help, actually."
Bennett beckoned her to follow. Clutching her whiteboard to her chest, Niore hurried after him in quick little steps. Their destination was a shabby, rundown room in the farthest corner of the mansion's second floor.
Bennett turned the doorknob first, shouldering the door open cautiously, as if an attacker might be lurking inside. But the room was empty.
There had to be a reason for his wariness. Niore focused, scanning the interior. It looked long unused, thick dust blanketing everything, along with all sorts of clutter.
Metal buckets rolled about, tool sets lay scattered. It must have been used as a storage room.
In one corner, just big enough for a person to lie down, the dust had been swept away—Bennett's doing, judging by the traces. Had he slept here?
[You slept here? There are plenty of other rooms...]
"It's a strategic spot to brace for any surprise attacks. More importantly, about what happened last night."
Bennett forced open the stiff window with a grunt. Screeech. An unpleasant noise accompanied a cascade of dust from the frame.
Beyond the window lay the mansion's backyard in full view. Red anemones bloomed modestly in a small garden, and a hillside path wound down to the city below.
It seemed peaceful at a glance, but Niore's eyes caught ominous traces: pressed footprints, cigarette butts scorched at the tips, signs of someone lingering in one spot for a long time.
Niore mouthed the word. Surveillance?
"Yeah, some unknown figures were watching the mansion."
Bennett leaned an arm on the windowsill, gazing out at the backyard as he began recounting the previous night's events.
#1: Suspicious Movement in the Dead of Night
Late at night. When the world had passed dull, dark blue into pitch-black oblivion. Bennett lay unable to sleep.
He knew goodwill in this world was as rare as happiness.
What was old man Abraham's true aim? If it was pure kindness, fine—but if not, what scheme was he plotting? Lying on the floor, body resting but mind honed sharp with vigilance.
Tap tap.
Bennett heard it. A tiny sound. One audible only in utter silence, where even a swallow could be heard...
He rose carefully, peering cautiously beyond the window where it came from. Shadows of people below. Two of them.
They just stood there, watching the mansion. Doing nothing but watching. Not even bothering to hide, puffing away on cigarettes.
Bennett ran through hypotheses: loan sharks, debt collectors, thieves, police... But clues were scarce, and it was too dark for visual details.
Would Niore have fared better?
Unable to identify the lurkers, he spied on them from the shadows. He waited. Through the night, with only occasional rustles breaking the quiet. As dawn broke, the watchers descended the hill and vanished.
Confirming their retreat, Bennett finally relaxed his shoulders. Tension released, fatigue hit hard. But with lingering unease and the sun already up, a full rest wasn't in the cards.
He figured he'd tough it out with a fatigue-recovery spell from the saintess.
"......"
Niore observed calmly, then pointed to scratches on the lower windowsill.
[Rope, I think.]
"Rope?"
[Yeah. Tied something heavy to the end... like filling that bucket with water. Then lowered it down. To climb up on.]
"Not high enough to need rope... Right, most people here can't use mana."
But that detail alone wasn't special. No reason for Abraham to use rope over stairs, and without someone inside lowering it, outsiders couldn't climb anyway.
[And... the tap-tap sound?]
"Yeah."
[Was it this?]
Tap tap.
Niore tapped the glass with her fingernail. Similar sound. Bennett snapped his fingers in admiration.
"That's the one. How'd you know?"
[Well, there was a scratch here.]
Niore tilted her head up, pointing to a spot on the glass. A dent, like from something sharp and hard, glinting faintly. Bennett only spotted it after tilting his own head.
[Something I want to check. Help me out? Hold my waist.]
"Your waist?"
Niore perched on the sill, leaning her upper body backward.
Bennett reached to encircle her waist... then realized her unique build would lead to unnecessary contact, so he grabbed her collar safely instead.
"......"
Niore's expression soured.
Only briefly. With her torso out the window, she inspected the outer wall. Cracks and chips everywhere. Like multiple hooks embedded. No reason for human hooks here.
So, a monster came to mind. One with claws tough enough to pierce brick easily, probably wings too.
Flap flap.
She flapped her hand for him to pull. Bennett yanked her in by the collar. Niore straightened her clothes and wrote her conclusion on the board.
[Gargoyle or wyvern type. Hanging upside down, waiting above the window like this.]
"Wild gargoyles on the prowl? That explains Abraham letting in outsiders. An old body can't handle monsters alone."
If they were powerless civilians, the mere existence of such unseen horrors would terrify them...
But as academy students from a fantasy world, Bennett and Niore just sighed in relief, treating it as no big deal. Violence, combat, monsters were everyday to them.
Thus, they misjudged the danger of the coming events.
The appearance of what shouldn't be was a clear harbinger. Like a spark in the mountains swelling into a forest-devouring inferno. The darkness encroaching on reality signaled a far greater descent.
"Let's head back."
[Yes. Gonna catch the gargoyle?]
"We should negotiate that properly first, right? Not doing free charity. If he wants it exterminated, Abraham pays up."
[But... he's been so kind...]
"Then catch it yourself... No, don't go alone no matter what. Bring me and the saintess."
Bennett advised the already starry-eyed Niore on justice and returned to the hall.
"Where'd you guys disappear to?"
"You're up."
Saintess Tara covered her mouth with one hand, yawning luxuriously. She'd found a fresh dress in Isaac's closet after rummaging through it last night.
A bit small, but compared to her customized saintess robes that screamed "mugged," the exposure was worlds apart. Seeing her in normal clothes felt like looking at someone else, so Bennett added,
"You look way better dressed modestly."
"...Mind your own business what others wear!"
"Even when it's a compliment..."
"Whatever. Let's go. The homeowner grandpa made breakfast—said to come down."
Sniff sniff. At her words, Niore cautiously sniffed the air. Fried eggs, bacon, warmed bread. The scent of a basic breakfast. She scampered downstairs following the aroma, Tara trailed her, and Bennett brought up the rear.
On the long wooden table in the first-floor living room sat meals for their number. Abraham spotted descending Tara and froze for a split second before smiling kindly and approaching amiably.
"Sleep well? Should've had more beds..."
"No, Professor Abraham, thanks to you, I slept great."
The old man's eyes crinkled, pure joy sparkling in them. It'd been over a year since a breakfast with his daughter, and never this peaceful.
"Glad to hear. Whipped up breakfast... Hope it suits you."
"Looks delicious!"
Harmony all around.
"......"
Flowers might as well bloom between Saintess Tara and Abraham. They'd known each other less than a day— wasn't this overly chummy? Bennett sampled bits cautiously, wary of poison in the food.
Niore joined the warm vibe too, expressing herself with double thumbs-up since she couldn't speak. Was she carefree despite the worries? No tingling on the tongue meant no fast-acting poison, at least.
Bennett shadowboxing glumly alone must've looked like a shy, tight-lipped youth to Abraham, who asked worriedly,
"You look pale. Bacon not to your taste? I can add pepper if it's too bland."
"...No. This is fine."
"You seem burdened. If it's no proper place to stay, worry not. Feel free to remain longer. House is too big for one old man."
"......"
Like Alexon, perhaps. No, too soon to judge. Bennett organized his thoughts. Walking scanner Niore was optimistic, but she'd flag weird, dangerous signs.
Trusting her ability meant trusting Abraham too. Maintaining friendly ties seemed wise. So, Bennett broached a deal.
"Seems gargoyles lurking nearby."
"...You believe that nonsense too? Occult stuff?"
"...???"
What was that look?
Abraham's expression was peculiar: sadness, discomfort, concern. Regardless, the key point—he saw Bennett as some deluded believer. As if monsters couldn't possibly exist.
The report said mana was handled by few, magic scorned. He'd thought existence known but socially taboo.
Did they not even know about mana-derived things...?
Saintess Tara read the vibe and decided instantly. Cut losses. She threw up a diversion: "Yeah, occult? Bennett's into weird stuff. Last time it was magic swords or whatever. But don't mind—he's a good... good? Kid."
"No intent to judge beliefs, but distinguish reality from fantasy. For your sake, don't take it harsh."
"Yes..."
Instantly labeled delusional, Bennett bowed his head. The report and local details diverged greatly. To blend without suspicion... knowledge was key.
And the low-risk way to gain it naturally? Staying at Abraham's. Decision made, Bennett said,
"I'd like to impose longer, sir. Will pay properly later..."
"No need. Your company alone delights me. Silence in this oversized house feels like floating alone in space. I hate that."
"Then we'll stay a while, Professor Abraham!"
At Bennett's "let's stay" signal, Tara beamed and chimed in. Thus, the trio ended up staying at Abraham's house.