Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Incident Investigation Record (2)
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I happened to get a chance to wield a sword, so I stretched my body refreshingly and left the scene.
Everett seemed a bit surprised, but fortunately, she wasn't seriously hurt. If she's nodding like a fool when I apologize for breaking her sword, she's still within the normal range.
She mentioned Hooksclo, and sure enough, she's strong. With that living sword tip, a little effort and she could take down a mid-level monster like a Deathworm all by herself.
Anyway, in a refreshed mood, I headed to the Luhillen Viscount Family's mansion.
Come to think of it, did Darling go to school today? I kind of want to sneak in while she's out.
Screeech!
"Hm?"
But as I got off the carriage, there was already a guest. A portly man in a somewhat stained white royal uniform with red epaulets.
He was talking to Bill and sighing heavily. Even from a distance, I could hear their conversation.
— "So why exactly can't I meet Viscount Luhillen?"
— "I'm sorry, but the Viscount hasn't left her chambers for a week now."
— "Listen, head butler. I'm starting to suspect this whole situation is a charade by Roshiar and Luhillen. What special delicacy did both family heads eat to go into seclusion together so amicably? Pufferfish?"
— "What are you talking about..."
What the heck. Is something going on?
As I peeked from behind the man who lit a cigarette and grimaced, Bill brightened up and bowed toward me.
"Oh, Lord Louis! You've finally arrived!"
"?"
"We've been waiting. Please come inside. You should go see the Viscount."
"No, I'm here to order materials for canteen repairs..."
"We'll handle that just fine. Come on, quickly!"
"Hey! Why are you letting that guy in...!"
Ignoring the shout from the nameless man, I entered the mansion. Bill led me, as expected, to Darling's bedroom.
Unlike the other ornate rooms, her private quarters were dark even from the short corridor leading to it.
The deepest part of the mansion, exuding a rather gloomy atmosphere despite it being daytime.
I lightly knocked on the door and entered.
"Phew... Clean up and Liv properly."
It's always a messy sight no matter when I see it. It wasn't like this before.
When I met the previous Luhillen family head to buy the land, Darling, whom I first saw in that much smaller mansion's drawing room, wasn't the blunt and prickly girl she is now.
Actually, I was the prickly one back then. With the holy sword and shield the Holy Kingdom was desperately hunting buried in that land, I couldn't leave for a moment.
"Get up, Viscount. I'm here."
I widened my steps to avoid the clutter and approached what I assumed was the blanket she was huddled under. Isn't that my shirt tossed in the corner?
As I got closer, a small foot sticking out from under the blanket came into view. When I poked it with my finger, it quickly withdrew.
"...What is it, canteen owner."
"Beats me. The butler dragged me here."
"Shop. No business, so leave."
"Alright?"
Quick resolution. But as I really started to leave, a white arm shot out from the blanket and grabbed my ankle.
What's her problem anyway.
"...Didn't you say you wouldn't leave Pharenchia."
"That was for normal times."
"If you're going to vanish whenever the mood strikes, why not just sell the canteen and Liv here."
"Too messy."
"If I clean up, will you come?"
"Who knows. Better odds than leaving it like this."
"Merchants don't gamble."
"Then leave it as is."
"..."
I squatted down next to the blanket and continued the conversation. The hand gripping my ankle soon moved to my palm.
Apparently, she was extremely worried about me leaving for the North Sea.
After suddenly losing her parents to a monster raid, Darling Tokarev de Luhillen had wrapped herself in a sharp, authoritative image like a hedgehog with raised spines.
Was it just her personality? Her business acumen, ability to read market flows, and the aloof, cold rationality emanating from the stiff atmosphere above always secured profits in deals.
Though not cut out for great magical achievements, thanks to Darling's outstanding talent, the Luhillen Viscount Family stood tall like this.
'Well, even so...'
In reality, she holes up like this just because I was away briefly.
Has it been seven years already? With my usual temperament, I'd either beat her straight or coldly push away her clinginess that annoys me sometimes.
But the reason I couldn't was, as always, deep regret.
"How's the western forest?"
"...They're searching from the lowlands swept away with the soil. Need to wrap that up before the grass grows back."
"Then you should get out quickly."
"I was going to rise soon even without your nagging!"
Still haven't found them, huh.
"If it's tough..."
"No thought of giving up. Just like you won't leave the canteen, I won't leave the forest. And..."
The small hand clutching me trembled faintly.
"I'll catch that bastard who dared lose my late father's remains and make him pay...!"
"..."
Like on Earth, this world also treated funerals and the emotions of the bereaved toward the dead with gravity. Perhaps even more so after ending the long war.
"I see..."
I don't regret wiping out the monster horde that reached this hill where the mansion stands.
But back then, I should have been more cautious. Even if a demon statue worshiping the Demon King was found in a nearby village, I shouldn't have let my blood boil like that.
I held Darling's hand, closed my eyes, and said.
"You'll find them for sure."
The loyal butler was still keeping silent for his master's sake.
Just a few years after subjugating the Demon King, I was mad back then.
"Ha, really. Impossible to figure out."
For some reason, all the parties involved were keeping silent, making the investigation drag on. And the deeper he dug, the more confusing emotions piled up.
"Why on earth let the canteen owner in?"
Grilling the butler revealed that the one who bypassed him was Pharenchia Academy's canteen owner.
But that only made it more incomprehensible. Personal friendship with Viscount Luhillen? A merchant pursuing practical gains shooing away a royal investigator to let in the neighborhood shopkeep?
Was the world mad or was he?
Running around busily on this long trip, but like this, promotion was out of reach.
'No choice. Head to the academy first.'
Gellerhurt headed to Pharenchia Academy to meet Adella Sylvestra de Roshiar, the clue from an old Edenberry fisherman.
Circumstantially, she was likely the key figure in this incident.
While walking through the grounds after passing the main gate, Gellerhurt spotted a familiar face. Everett from the Hooksclo Knights was swinging her sword while muttering endlessly.
"Hey, Everett! Long time no see!"
Gellerhurt approached first with a friendly greeting. They'd crossed swords a few times back in the Raviere Mountains.
Everett Windgard's swordsmanship was renowned for its beautiful yet swift style befitting a three-sword style, making her a tricky opponent. Busy with the investigation, but he still wanted to see her sword again if possible.
"I, I..."
"Everett...?"
But up close, her condition seemed off.
"What have I been honing my sword for all this time... Not even a single moment, not one second could I read it. A mere... canteen, canteen owner who hasn't held a sword in ages..."
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Gellerhurt...?"
Tears welled in her vacant eyes. Everett thrust out her snapped-in-half sword and lamented to her old comrade.
"Gellerhurt. I've hit a wall. I looked up to Whitelett Captain's sword as the most beautiful, like a mountain I'd one day climb, but it wasn't true."
"What the hell are you talking about!?"
"The sword isn't beauty! It's terror!! No form or stance... Not above, but from the endless abyss, under black hair staring this way... Kiiiyaaang!!!"
Good grief. Gellerhurt couldn't continue at the sight of his completely unhinged old comrade.
Everett kept ranting incomprehensibly: something horrific under the canteen, hallucinogens in the bread sold there, maybe she herself was a doppelganger.
What on earth had done this to her.
He finally escaped Everett and arrived at the academy center. There stood a half-demolished wooden building that could pass for under demolition.
As he tried to pass by, the Roshiar lady he'd been seeking entered his view.
Adella Sylvestra de Roshiar.
Second daughter of Roshiar, once famed in high society as the flower of the North Sea.
Gellerhurt calmed his trembling heart and approached her.
Even her blue-haired back was shiveringly beautiful, but he needed final confirmation.
"Lady Adella?"
"Yesh?"
When she finally turned, Gellerhurt felt relieved at last.
"What are you doing?"
"Killin' ants."
Adella was killing ants with a glass shard fallen from the canteen window.
Truly fortunate. He'd found the right one. His head nodded involuntarily.
Anecdotes about Adella Sylvestra were known even in Thessalon; no one was unaware of her true nature.
Pouring tea on a gifted vase's flowers during teatime because they looked wilted.
Borrowing a treasured magic book from another family and returning it saliva-soaked.
Singing magic songs, burning Viscount Krenhood's balding head severely enough to get half-expelled to Pharenchia Academy.
Her infamous escapades, mixed with rumors and scandals, all rang true without exception.
If the Snow Duke complained about frustration with her little sister's antics smashing the lord's castle, he'd believe it outright.
Anyway, as a witness, she was hardly reliable, but Gellerhurt had no choice but to hear her out.
"Do you know anything about the recent conflict between Roshiar and Luhillen families?"
Adella seemed to ponder his question deeply.
Of course, one hand kept stabbing the sand ants relentlessly.
"Hmm... Yeah, that."
After hesitating, Adella spoke.
"Here's what happened..."
After hearing her story, Gellerhurt packed up that day and returned to the capital.
"So. Due to both families' non-cooperation, insufficient evidence, and low recidivism risk, you're closing the case?"
The Inspector General's chief took the documents and asked again. Gellerhurt nodded.
"Yes. Doesn't seem like a matter for further royal intervention."
"You're sure? If Luhillen really declares war on Roshiar, it blows up."
"Don't know the reason, but neither side has will to fight anymore. Just confirm proper compensation discussions follow."
With the approval stamp thud! on suspending further investigation, Gellerhurt left his superior's office at ease.
He missed promotion, but didn't regret the decision.
Transcribing what the only major figure he met—the girl—told him verbatim could get him not just passed over, but dismissed.
Lighting a cigarette, Gellerhurt recalled Adella Sylvestra's words and chuckled alone.
— "We met when he caught me stealing bread..."
— "Even scolded the bad guys for me."
— "Then when I was going to a ball, my heart started pounding!"
— "It was so scary, but Teacher saved me from even worse guys! Who's Teacher? The building owner. The one and only canteen at the academy."
— "Sister used magic but it was useless. Yes, talking about the Snow Duke."
— "So we kissed and even spent the first night... We're getting married soon!"
— "This'll be in the paper, right? Want a photo?"
"Haha, what nonsense... Must've read some romance novel."
Even a fairy tale prince on a white horse has more plausibility. The academy canteen owner defeating the North Sea ruler and saving the family's precious jewel? Like a hack erotic novel by a second-rate author.
Fighting one of the five great dukes barehanded for such a girl... If true by some miracle, he's a madman.
Back in his office, Gellerhurt recorded the activity report for His Majesty separately. Formal script filled the blank parchment.
On the final page, he summarized his conclusions neatly.