CHAPTER 105
CHAPTER 105
The Missing Isolde
“Whoa, what is this?!”
[Fish stew. Rich in protein and calcium.]
The moving armor that was distributing the meals replied like that.
“No way, I hate this! This is just… unbearable!”
“Sniff… the Aka Coins are so expensive too….”
The students twisted their bodies in refusal.
However, they were too hungry. No matter how bad the taste, if they didn’t eat, they would lack the strength and mana needed for classes.
In the end, everyone forced the food down their throats.
If we don’t gather enough credits quickly and unlock the facilities, the students might start collapsing.
Thinking of the students with concern, Idnia finished her breakfast and intended to head toward the Wizard Ball club room with Marie.
But at the academy plaza, where servants gathered, someone called out to Idnia.
Her servant, Black Wolf, should have been away securing the spice seeds and seedlings she had requested…
“Lady Idnia. I have arrived.”
It was a man in a suit wearing a silver mask over his face.
Parinelli, the retainer of the Scarlet Pimpernel, had come.
Idnia had previously subdued Parinelli and ordered him to bring the funds needed to dispose of the golden cross.
Asking a fence to bring money first without handing over the goods was quite an unreasonable demand.
Yet, unexpectedly, he had arrived early… and astonishingly, it seemed he had taken over Black Wolf’s position as Idnia’s servant.
“How did you manage that?”
“There is only one servant permitted to attend the academy, but rotation is allowed. Otherwise, it would be unreasonable for a single servant to serve indefinitely without leave.”
“I know that, but…”
Idnia was confused. For Parinelli to act as her servant, Black Wolf would have had to approve it… had Black Wolf really acknowledged him?
Her question was soon resolved.
“I have brought a conditional escrow check.
Hand over the item, and the funds can be withdrawn.
It is from Medici Bank, so it is trustworthy.”
Medici Bank, owned by the house of Prince Lorenzo, had become the world’s leading bank by implementing such conditional escrow checks through magic.
Funds are deposited with the bank first, and only when both parties agree can the money be withdrawn after the check is issued.
Thanks to this system, Medici not only functioned as a bank but also as an international commercial court, gaining access to information on transactions worldwide.
In other words, Parinelli had fulfilled his promise to dispose of the golden cross, and because of that, Black Wolf had trusted him and transferred the servant role to him.
Escrow in a fantasy world… that’s an excellent system.
Without computers, collecting and organizing big data would be difficult, but even partial analysis could yield terrifyingly valuable information.
Idnia admired it as she examined the check.
She couldn’t tell if it was genuine, but it didn’t seem like something one would forge so easily.
“By the way, is it alright to wear that mask?
Isn’t that the Scarlet Pimpernel’s mask?”
“Oh, this has become quite a trend lately.
In fact, the Scarlet Pimpernel distributes them at near cost.
If you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
They sell masks meant to conceal one’s identity?
But thinking about it differently, vendors often sell masks at festivals.
A metallic-looking mask that shines might actually have demand if the price is low.
It would look stylish, and a full-face mask could also be practical…
Idnia unconsciously reached out her hand.
“May I try wearing it?”
“I anticipated that, so I brought a brand-new one.”
Parinelli had already brought a new mask just for Idnia.
When she tried it on…
So this is one of those… sun visors elderly women wear when jogging…
Like wearing cheap plastic sunglasses, she could still see everything outside.
It seemed to block glare, sunlight, and even ultraviolet rays.
But it was not made of plastic.
It’s made from thinly spread tree resin… something like celluloid. It wouldn’t hold up in the rain, though.
Idnia realized the mask was not metal but tree resin and was impressed.
It must have been made from a special tree sap not found on Earth.
As expected of a fantasy world. Earth’s knowledge of flora and fauna alone has its limits. I need to broaden my perspective.
She asked, intrigued,
“Can things like this be made cheaply? It would make excellent toys as well.”
“Yes, they can be made cheaply. It is the sap of silver trees that grow in the south. However, it weakens and tears when exposed to rain. I will include that as a gift as well—ah.”
At that moment, a moving armor approached Idnia and Parinelli.
It was the gatekeeper, Gibbles.
“Oh. Miss Idnia and your servant… you used to have that nomadic child before, didn’t you…”
“Ah, good day, Mr. Gibbles.”
“Would you mind removing your mask for a moment? There may be fugitives around.”
“What? A fugitive?”
Idnia reacted sharply in protest.
Of course, Parinelli was a member of the criminal organization Scarlet Pimpernel.
But asking someone she was speaking with to remove their mask on suspicion of being a criminal felt excessive.
It also reflected poorly on Idnia.
“Please calm down, miss. Mr. Gibbles. I will remove it.”
Parinelli took off his mask.
“Hmm? Oh? I recognize you.
Ah, yes. Aren’t you the son of that bankrupt shipowner family?!”
“Bankrupt shipowner family?”
“Well, yes. Your family was originally a promising gentry house, but a ship sank, and you couldn’t manage the debts…”
Parinelli had once been the eldest son of a wealthy gentry family, expected to graduate from the academy.
But fate is unpredictable.
A merchant ship struck by a sudden storm sank, and his family quickly fell into ruin.
“Well, well… what a pity. To think a graduate would return as a servant.
Is that why you’re wearing that mask? Out of embarrassment?”
Though Gibbles spoke that way, his expression was bright with satisfaction.
As the academy’s gatekeeper, he harbored quiet envy toward students of noble and intellectual backgrounds.
Seeing one of them fall and return as a servant pleased him immensely.
Ugh… seriously…
Idnia frowned upon sensing his true feelings.
She preferred to maintain a smooth relationship since it cost nothing, but while she could tolerate people acting against her, she could not easily tolerate them mistreating others.
“Mr. Gibbles. Perfect timing.
I should thank you. I truly appreciated the letter you delivered last time. At first, I wondered why you personally delivered it instead of another student, but it turns out it contained quite a sum of money. I assume that’s why you delivered it yourself?”
Idnia deliberately spoke loudly so others could hear.
Upon hearing this, Magram, who had been overseeing breakfast, snickered.
The academy staff, including Magram, were already well aware of Gibbles’s peculiar tendencies.
He harbored inferiority toward students and took pleasure in asserting dominance whenever he could, using his position to indulge in petty and unsavory behavior.
Unable to resist that habit, he had personally handled Idnia’s letter, revealing that he had delivered it himself.
While Idnia pretended ignorance, expressing gratitude for his “consideration” in personally delivering such a valuable letter, the other students began to suspect something.
Wait… does that mean he knows the contents of the letter? Does he open them?
Under the weight of everyone’s gazes, Gibbles coughed and stepped back.
“Well, it just happened that way… and, ah, it’s best not to send large sums through letters… ah, I’ve got work to do. Excuse me.”
Gibbles gave up on bothering Parinelli and withdrew.
She really is… something…
Parinelli inwardly admired Idnia, realizing she had intentionally provoked Gibbles just enough to protect him without antagonizing the man.
It was truly remarkable.
It would have been easy to lose her temper at Gibbles for his sake, yet she resolved the situation without being submissive or overly confrontational.
No wonder he, a retainer of the Scarlet Pimpernel, had lost to her.
Even so, her composure was striking.
“Mr. Gibbles hasn’t changed at all. Fufu.”
“Was he like that during your time as well? Ah, Parinelli, here is the item.”
Idnia handed over the golden cross to Parinelli.
He accepted it and nodded.
“Yes. I will continue to stay at Black Wolf’s residence for a while and visit you from there.
Is there anything you require?”
“Ah, will you be staying in the Black Cow village?”
“More precisely, at Black Wolf’s dwelling. He has set up a tent on the outskirts of the village.”
“That was arranged with Black Wolf as well?”
“Yes.”
“I see. Black Wolf must trust you greatly. Very well.”
Idnia accepted the arrangement, as Parinelli would not only handle the funds but also assist her going forward.
After all, she was the one who had proposed the deal, and the timing was convenient.
Now that funds had arrived, she could assign tasks more freely.
“I need salt. As raw material.”
“Salt? As raw material, you will need quite a large quantity.”
“Yes. Also mercury, and refined iron.”
“Mercury and refined iron… understood.”
“Sugar is probably not allowed to be imported? I suppose I will have to produce that myself. Ah, can you obtain sugarcane seedlings?”
“Sugarcane seedlings? Hmm. There are many people from the south, so it should be possible, but it may be difficult to grow them in this climate.”
Idnia listed the materials she needed.
Even though she had initially approached Parinelli for cooperation, the fact that she treated the retainer of the Scarlet Pimpernel as naturally as a long-serving servant impressed him once again as he took notes in his notebook.
“You should be careful. Recently, suspicious individuals have been approaching the Black Cow area nearby.”
“Suspicious individuals?”
Idnia wondered who the “suspicious individuals” were, given that this was being said by members of a criminal guild.
“They are a new organization that trades with demons.
Remarkably, they do not hesitate to challenge even the Scarlet Pimpernel. Recently, corpses have been turning up in Dunais at night.
It seems some of them have also entered the Black Cow area.”
“I see. Understood. Parinelli, you should be careful as well.”
Idnia expressed concern for Parinelli’s safety.
“Fufu. This is quite a large sum.”
With the Aka Coin exchange certificate from her father and the check Parinelli brought, Idnia now held a tremendous amount of money.
She had never held this much even during her time in Betelgeuse. Should she send some back home to support the household?
Parinelli is cooperative, but not someone I can fully trust. If I send money home, it will have to go through Black Wolf. Still, it’s good that I may be able to acquire necessary items while Black Wolf is away.
However… what is going on with this criminal organization colluding with demons appearing in Black Cow?
Puzzled, Idnia headed to the Wizard Ball club room.
But something felt off.
Rudolf approached her in a panic.
“Lady Idnia. Have you perhaps seen Isolde… ah, no, Miss Isolde?”
“What?”
Idnia was startled by Rudolf’s question.
Could it be that Isolde had disappeared?