Cleanup - 3
“Ninya and Sasha have already left for Muller.”
“Already? That was fast.”
“There’s a lot to prepare. Even if the contract was handled through an agent, the person who will actually become the owner needs to check many things in person.”
“I see.”
“Hehe. They’re going to have a tough time.”
Beatrice spoke in a playful tone, and I let out a small chuckle. She had a point. There were limits to what could be conveyed through words or documents alone.
I drank the tea Beatrice had prepared.
The familiar sweet aroma filled my nose as I looked ahead. Beatrice, still radiating her mature beauty, sat before me with perfect posture, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
“You could have gone with them.”
“Hehe. You shouldn’t indulge the girls’ whining too much. They need to experience things for themselves, sometimes even fail, before they can become proper adults.”
She was a woman with strong maternal instincts, but she knew when to be firm. I nodded at Beatrice’s words.
“Still, the situation has changed now, hasn’t it?”
Aidan, who had been governing Muller, was preparing to return to Franz at my father’s command. Unless something unexpected happened, I would depart after he arrived.
“Hahaha. A city without its occupying force.”
“That part does worry me a little…”
Of course, we weren’t withdrawing every single soldier, but it was understandable to feel uneasy about security. We had prepared for the worst, though. Hans, the knight commander, along with a few elite knights, would remain stationed at Muller Castle. I could trust him.
Come to think of it… Hans. It made me think of the adventurer Hans. That name must be pretty common.
“I wonder if public order will hold up.”
“It should be fine if it’s my daughters. Besides…”
Beatrice’s slender fingertips slowly trailed down from her chin. They glided along her thin, graceful, seductive neckline. Her fingers continued their descent over flawless, snow-white skin until they reached the space between her ample breasts, where a jewel sparkled.
Her lowered finger gently touched the necklace with a soft clink.
It was a necklace adorned with a blue gem. A Magic Stone infused with my magic power.
“I trust in this sacred item that carries Lord Leoric’s grace.”
“Haha.”
I had infused the necklace with my magic as a precaution. While the power would gradually fade over time, the solar magic stored within the Magic Stone seemed to last far longer than ordinary magic due to its unique properties. Even setting that aside, the immense power contained in a top-grade Magic Stone would be a tremendous help in escaping truly dangerous situations.
“I can’t offer direct help, but if things get really dangerous, I’ll step in. You don’t need to worry too much.”
“Of course. Managing a brothel is crucial to the city’s public order and safety. If anything, I’m more worried that you’ll spoil my daughters too much.”
“Even if I wanted to, Chloe probably wouldn’t let me.”
“Hehe. I can trust her completely.”
A brief silence fell between us. I smiled at the concern in Beatrice’s eyes.
“It might not be my place to say this, but… are you alright, my lord?”
“Yes. I’m fine. I’m still in good health.”
In this city, few people had as many connections as she did. While nobles rarely visited, she frequently interacted with guests, knights, and those handling internal affairs. Not only that, many merchants came to the famous Red Flower Garden of Franz. Naturally, she was in a position to hear all kinds of rumors.
The fact that she was bringing this up meant…
“Has the rumor already spread elsewhere?”
“For now, it’s only within Franz. And even then, only a very small number of people know… but others may start noticing soon.”
A bitter smile crossed my face. If an adventurer or knight-level individual exhausted themselves running at full speed, it wouldn’t be strange for the lords of other territories to learn of this. At the earliest, it would probably reach them within this month.
“Beatrice. What will you do?”
“Me?”
Beatrice trailed off at my question. I was asking because I knew she was the owner of the garden. I would never force her, but I truly hoped she would come with me.
“I am truly honored by your consideration, Lord Leoric.”
Beatrice rose carefully from her seat. If I had to pick the woman who held the deepest and strongest faith in me, it would be her. Her feelings bordered on religious devotion.
However—
“I am the mistress of this garden. There are still many delicate flowers that need my touch.”
I looked at Beatrice’s face. When I saw her eyes, I couldn’t say anything.
“Please take care of my children, Lord Leoric.”
As Beatrice bowed deeply, I gave a small nod.
“How should we handle the luggage?”
“I’ve also prepared extra tea leaves, just in case.”
Her eyes sparkled. Was she a puppy? Charlotte pushed her head forward as if begging for praise, and I gently stroked her hair. If it wasn’t an illusion, I could have sworn I saw a tail wagging furiously behind her like it had a motor attached.
Neria watched the scene with a wry smile.
Listening to the two of them…
“Luggage? Does that mean you’re planning to come with me?”
“Of course!”
“Don’t tell me… you were thinking of abandoning us?”
The way her eyes welled up with tears as if she’d received a terrible shock made me shake my head. Of course I had intended to take them. I just didn’t want to force them.
“What about your family?”
Beatrice’s daughters had gone to Muller. It wouldn’t be a permanent farewell, but they might not have many chances to meet for a long time. That was why I had made the suggestion. She had no other family besides those two. I thought it might be better for her to come along rather than stay here alone.
Besides, if she stayed by my side, I wouldn’t have to worry much about the back-alley problems.
“We’re fine!”
“We’ve already received permission, of course.”
The two maids spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“In fact, they were the ones worrying, asking if it was okay for us to follow and whether we’d be a burden.”
“Seriously. Of course we didn’t mention that we usually serve you, Lord Leoric, but convincing them was harder than making them believe it.”
Well… there were security concerns too. Speaking about internal castle affairs outside was generally forbidden. That said, it wasn’t strictly enforced, and checking every instance was difficult. We didn’t go out of our way to investigate, but if someone was caught, they would certainly be punished.
“You will take us with you, right?”
“We’ve packed everything! We even got Lady Lena’s permission!”
Oh? Lena? That Lena actually gave permission?
Neria I could understand, but even Charlotte? At my surprised expression, Charlotte’s cheeks puffed up. It was so adorable that I poked them with my finger.
“Wow. Charlotte, you’re amazing.”
I clapped, impressed that she had read my mind so accurately.
She knew me well after taking care of me for so long.
“Waaah! Neria! Lord Leoric is teasing me!”
“Really. He only teases you because you keep acting like a child.”
I patted Charlotte’s back as she pretended to cry in Neria’s arms. The fact that even Neria was saying that meant they really had received Lena’s approval.
“We really did get permission. We’ve been so busy training under Lady Lena lately.”
Neria, who had been patting her back, spoke with conviction. It was true that I hadn’t seen them much recently. Of course, when they were working or out and about, it was natural not to see them, but even inside the castle, they used to stay near me most of the time. It had felt strange when they suddenly disappeared except when I needed them.
“You were training under Lena?”
“Yes! Under Lady Lena’s strict guidance, we trained so that we could be worthy maids of Franz no matter where we go!”
Charlotte proudly puffed out her modest chest as she spoke. Neria added as if to supplement her words.
“Until a dedicated personal maid is found, it seems we will continue to serve you, Lord Leoric. Lady Lena said that until a minimum level of safety is secured, we must stay by your side and look after you.”
“Hmm.”
Well, most assassination attempts wouldn’t work on me anyway. And after obtaining solar magic, poison probably wouldn’t affect me either. I hadn’t tested it yet, but I had a strong feeling that my resistance and recovery against toxins would be fine thanks to the solar magic.
Still, there were times when I let my guard down, so this was probably to cover those vulnerabilities.
“Lady Chloe will be there too, but she has her own duties, so she said it would be difficult for her to stay by your side all the time…”
“That makes sense.”
Anyway, having the two of them come along was reassuring. In a way, aside from Chloe, the people who had taken care of me the most were Lena and these two.
I stood up and walked over to them.
“Ah…”
“Lord Leoric…!”
I placed my hands on both of their heads. I gently stroked their soft hair.
“Thank you.”
“Hehehe. Just leave everything to us.”
“We’ll take care of you for the rest of your life!”
Watching the two of them smile brightly with their hands clasped over their hearts, I smiled as well. Between their hair, I caught a glimpse of blue gem earrings on their ears. With those, they should be safe no matter what happened.
The wet nurse’s children, the twins, came to see me. What were they expecting?
“You two are definitely coming with me.”
“Eh?! That’s it?”
“Lord Leoric? Leoriiiiic!”
Then good luck. Train hard.