Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: The Cook's True Identity
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I'd always wanted to say that someday. I just never thought I'd get to use it here.
—What perfectly cringeworthy, narcissistic bluster. Even I, the Lord of Darkness, wouldn't say something like that...
It seemed my posturing had gotten on his nerves, as Alkheim's gruff voice echoed in my mind.
—What are you talking about? You don't even have a body to get goosebumps.
—It's a figure of speech, you ignoramus.
—Yeah, can't hear you.
*Tap.*
I tapped Calipe at my waist and casually looked at Deinox.
Alk's thoughts flew wildly into my head, but I ignored them completely.
My skill of letting things go in one ear and out the other had reached its peak.
While my focus was momentarily broken by my conversation with Alkheim, Deinox staggered to his feet.
Then, with a face full of discontent, he left the secret chamber.
“That... that insolence...!”
Outraged by his disrespectful behavior to the very end, the White Elder moved to follow Deinox.
But he was forced to stop almost immediately.
Because I had raised my right hand slightly, halting his actions.
“That's enough.”
“But, Young Lord! If we don't establish discipline now, he may continue to overstep his bounds.”
“No matter how overwhelming the difference in our skills, it takes time for someone to accept it. I can earn his acknowledgment slowly.”
“...”
The Black and White Twin Elders stared at me, speechless and with moved expressions.
Their reaction was understandable.
After all, I, who had only been interested in wine and women, was now showing the qualities of a true leader.
Just then, the Black Elder, wearing a pleased smile, interjected.
“How about we share a meal to catch up? It's dinnertime, after all.”
“Sounds good.”
“As luck would have it, we recently hired an exceptional cook. She's a beauty, and her culinary skills are out of this world. She's become the main attraction at the tavern Liberta manages.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
At the Black Elder's introduction, I gave a meaningful smile.
*‘Food from a beautiful cook?’*
What a perk of the trade.
Swallowing hard, I followed the Black and White Twin Elders.
* * *
“Hmm... I feel like I'm forgetting something important.”
Having arrived at a private room on the second floor of the Tomb of Swords, I was lost in thought.
Come to think of it, I had completely forgotten my original purpose for infiltrating Liberta.
It was likely due to the joy of meeting survivors from Riverune.
*‘Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now.’*
This organization was practically a branch of Riverune anyway.
If I wanted, I could get any internal information I needed.
The important thing was the beautiful cook's fo—
No, catching up with the Black and White Twin Elders.
The conversation we'd had just to confirm each other's whereabouts wasn't enough to bridge the gap of twenty years.
We would probably have to talk for a long time.
“Young Lord, what's the internal situation at Rantzverger?”
“Just as you'd expect. They've seized the southern part of the Four-Part Autonomous Region and are thriving.”
“Hah! What a bitter reality.”
“By the way, what about Felton? Some guys called the Shadow Knights have shown up in Ilecre, too.”
“Their expansion is incredibly fast. These days, they're even starting to eye Reilhash.”
“Well, it's about time those bastards made their move.”
The ambitions of the Felton clan were already a well-known fact.
Having stockpiled their strength for nearly twenty years, it was time for them to unleash it somewhere.
The target was more likely to be Reilhash than the mighty Empire.
*Knock, knock.*
“Your food is here.”
Just then, someone opened the door to the private room and entered.
I instinctively knew it was the rumored beautiful cook.
Though she wore loose white robes, I could instantly see the curves hidden beneath.
What should I call this?
*‘The intuition of a rake, honed over decades?’*
Something like that, anyway.
Just as the Black and White Twin Elders had said, the cook was indeed a beauty.
“Haha! What do you think? Quite the sight, isn't she?”
The White Elder gestured toward the cook and the lavishly decorated food, letting out a hearty laugh.
But what was this nagging feeling?
A familiar face and familiar food.
*‘Right. This is... the very taste! The smell from my childhood.’*
Looking back and forth between the delicious-looking food and the cook's face, I murmured with a dazed expression.
“Nanny, what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Young Master, why are you here?”
The cook's true identity was none other than my nanny and personal informant, Abigail.
I told her to investigate the Tomb of Swords, but I never imagined she'd infiltrate this deep.
“Do you two know each other?”
As I stared at Abigail in disbelief, the White Elder asked with a puzzled look.
“Well, you see...”
I explained the whole story.
As a direct descendant of Rantzverger, my movements weren't exactly free.
I had to steadily build up accomplishments to even participate in the selection for Acting Head.
“You could say she's my hands and feet, searching for survivors. Very expensive hands and feet, mind you.”
“But I bring back information worth the cost, don't I?”
When I pointed out her exorbitant operational costs, Abigail shrugged confidently.
In truth, very little of the gold I provided went into her own pocket.
Since she worked alone, it was much better to just buy information that would otherwise require a lot of time and manpower.
Most of her operational funds were likely spent at local information guilds.
Then, the White Elder's low voice suddenly reached my ears.
“Does that mean the cook knows our true identities?”
Seeing as all other sounds were completely blocked, he must have cast a temporary Silence spell around us.
It was completely different from a sound transmission art, but the effect was very similar.
“Abigail is fine. She communicates only with me, independent of Rantzverger.”
“So she finds survivors like us on the Young Master's behalf. Is that it?”
“That's right.”
Soon, the surrounding sounds returned, and I naturally continued the conversation.
It was about Abigail's next move.
“Anyway, there's no need to investigate Liberta anymore. Do you have any other leads?”
“I was planning to look into the Corint Kingdom next. Since it's near the Ties family's territory, Felton and Everfilt have less influence there.”
“You don't have anything concrete there yet, do you?”
“No, just fragmented pieces. I'd have to go there and investigate.”
“Then go to the Empire this time.”
“The Empire? So suddenly?”
“Yes.”
I took the opportunity to reveal that the second prince, Frantz, had used the Heaven-Severing Nine Harmony Sword.
The Riverune survivor who taught him must be under the protection of the Vertos Imperial Family.
As I finished explaining, Abigail's eyes lit up as she replied.
“The Imperial Family... Sounds interesting.”
“They seem to be doing well for themselves, so don't push yourself too hard.”
“Understood.”
“Anyway, I'll enjoy the meal. It's been a long time since I've had your cooking, Nanny.”
I savored the food she made and nodded.
At that, Abigail coolly tossed off her stuffy cook's uniform and hat.
But, just then.
The Black Elder, who had been listening silently, shot up from his seat and shouted.
“Wait!”
Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Abigail and I stared with wide eyes.
But the White Elder simply nodded deeply, as if he had expected this.
“What's wrong all of a sudden?”
“No, Young Lord, what are *you* doing?”
“What did I do?”
“You're trying to poach our tavern's ace, aren't you? And her employment contract isn't even up yet!”
“Eh...?”
The Black Elder's sudden outburst left me with a look of utter disbelief.
The reason he won't let Abigail go is because of her cooking skills?
Not because he's pissed that she's a spy who infiltrated them to dig up information?
“But she's my informant!”
“We can find you a new informant. But we can't give up our cook.”
“Someone of an average level can't just walk into the Imperial Palace.”
“Then do it after her contract is up.”
“Wow! Are you serious? You Twin Elders are terrifying.”
“Ahem! No matter what you say, I won't give in. Thanks to her, we've secured over a hundred regular customers.”
“Wait, a hundred regulars...?”
I tilted my head as I bickered with the Black Elder over Abigail.
If her sales are that high, wouldn't it be better to just find another informant?
As I was thinking that, she tapped my shoulder and spoke.
“You know my operational expenses continue even if I stay at the Tomb of Swords, right? Since it's a dual mission, I'll just take 10,000 geld.”
Shaking my head, I immediately looked at the Black Elder.
“I can't afford her. You can have her.”
“On second thought, it might be better to just let her go. Haha!”
At Abigail's bold demand, the Black Elder threw his hands up in surrender.
Watching them, I let out a small smile.
*‘That's my nanny for you. Good sense.’*
She must have thrown out that unreasonable demand to resolve the stalemate.
I winked at Abigail.
“So, you're off to the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes, but you still have to give me the 10,000 geld for expenses.”
“How did it suddenly turn into this?”
“Do you think it's easy to become a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Palace? I need a proper noble status.”
“...I've made a mistake. I think it's better if you go to Corint.”
“Don't try to get clever, Young Master. I don't have a foundation there either, so it'll cost about the same.”
At Abigail's gentle retort, I let out a deep sigh.
*‘My hard-earned money!’*
Even if it was money I got from robbing the founding emperor's tomb and swindling the merchants of Foben.
Looking at it this way, I felt like a heinous criminal.
I'm just an innocent direct descendant of the Rantzverger Assassination Guild, a special-grade assass—
Ahem! That sounds even more terrifying.
In any case, I had no choice but to tearfully pay the enormous sum for her expenses.
“It'll probably take about a week to get started. I should at least hand over my duties before I leave.”
“Oh! Thank you for your consideration.”
“Don't mention it. I may have infiltrated under a false identity, but I truly enjoyed my time here. Everyone at Liberta treated me so well, I almost decided to stay for good.”
“Hahaha!”
Abigail exchanged pleasantries and farewells with the Black and White Twin Elders.
Wait, what is this situation?
An infiltrating spy and the leaders of the organization are chatting amicably.
Resting my chin on my hand, I watched them and realized something.
*‘I can't help... but smile?’*
Here, with precious people from my current and past lives gathered in one place.
It was a scene so happy it could bring tears to my eyes.
I savored the joy filling my heart and blinked rapidly.
Because tears were welling up and blurring my vision.
Then, another one of my original objectives that I had forgotten came to mind.
“Ah! By any chance, has a beastkin come here recently?”
“Why are you suddenly looking for a beastkin?”
“A friend who helped me out said they were looking for someone in Liberta. They use so many aliases that a name is meaningless... but they said she has impressive rabbit ears.”
“Hmm! This is the first we've heard of it.”
I brought up the story of Nic's enemy, but the Black and White Twin Elders seemed to have no idea.
It seemed the fox-man's tracking had gone wrong.
Even monkeys fall from trees, after all.
But then, Abigail cautiously raised her right hand and spoke.
“Young Master? I think I know who that beastkin is.”
“How would you know, Nanny?”
“Because... it's me.”
What did I just hear?