DLRV 14

“Do you know what lies beyond the village if you keep going straight?”

“Gelburn.”

“So, you’ve memorized the map. But do you also realize how large a city it is? With such a sloppy dye job, it’ll be hard to hide your identity.”

“If I want a decent magic tool shop, I’d have to visit a major city anyway. Gelburn has been designated as an investment and research hub for magical technology, so it should have the best magic tools in the empire.”

Gelburn was a fairly significant city, established in collaboration with the Mage Tower to advance magical research.

In particular, one of its affiliated buildings—the Grand Library—held the largest collection of books in the empire.

If it was the Grand Library, I could probably dig up some kind of useful information. With that thought in mind, I nodded.

“You’ll be caught at the entrance before you even make it to the magic tool shop.”

“I’ll wait outside the city.”

“…What?”

At that moment, Xenon, who had been chewing on his meat, widened his eyes at me.

“You’ll go in first and buy the items.”

“Why me?”

“Because Gelburn sells magic tools for altering one’s appearance. If you pick out a suitable one for me, I can use it to enter the city without any trouble.”

“You can’t just order people around like this…”

“Of course, I’ll pay you for the trouble.”

At my words, Xenon fell silent. However, his expression remained disgruntled.

“Do you have an unlimited supply of money or something?”

“Given my situation, I at least need to have plenty of it.”

It wasn’t exactly infinite, but I did have a generous amount. The precious metals I had stored in my dimensional pocket had been collected since my time in Roam.

That alone was sufficient, but on top of that, I had the money given to me by the temple. I hadn’t counted the exact amount, but I was sure it was more than enough to fund my escape and settle down in some far-off foreign land.

At my confident declaration, Xenon muttered soullessly,

“Oh, great gods. Forgive this foolish servant who covets wealth.”

“The gods don’t listen to the prayers of non-believers. If you don’t want to do it, just say so. I’ll have to hire someone else.”

“And where exactly do you plan to hire someone in the middle of these mountains?”

His sarcastic retort left me momentarily speechless. Of course, if worst came to worst, I could try coaxing some animals into helping me… but I couldn’t exactly ask them to steal magic tools for me.

Hiring someone from a nearby village didn’t seem trustworthy, either.

“You’re right.”

I nodded in immediate agreement. Xenon, caught off guard by my easy acceptance, blinked in surprise.

As I gazed at him steadily, I softened my tone and continued.

“It’s hard to find someone who knows my identity but has no interest in me. That’s what makes you special to me. That’s why I want you to help me. When I bring up money, it’s only because that’s all I have to offer.”

I turned my head slightly, lowering my gaze. I could feel Xenon’s eyes still on me, but I pretended not to notice, keeping my expression somber as I concluded,

“If that hurt your feelings, I apologize.”

“Wh-what… If you suddenly get all honest like that, what am I supposed to do?”

「Heartless male. I shall apologize on his behalf. He is simply too cowardly.」

Hearing even Nesi weigh in after Xenon’s flustered reaction, I supposed my expression must have looked rather pitiful.

“It’s not like I said I wouldn’t do it! I’ve already been hired for a short-term job, so I can just think of this as an extension of that! You don’t have to say things like… like I’m special or whatever! Hmph!”

…If this were Roam or the imperial palace, this wouldn’t have worked at all.

I guess the rumors were true—Mages from the Tower spent so much time cooped up in research that they were completely clueless when it came to anything else.

“So, you’re saying you’ll buy the magic tools for me?”

“Y-yes. I’ll get them, so stop acting so down…”

“Good.”

Having successfully reached an agreement, I got up first. Xenon, who had been waving his hands in protest, froze and stared at me.

“Wait… Were you acting just now?”

“Acting? I was simply being honest about my circumstances.”

I replied with a blank expression, making Xenon’s jaw drop.

If he kept his mouth open that wide in the middle of the mountains, wouldn’t a bug fly in? As that idle thought crossed my mind, I turned away indifferently.

“It’s good that we settled things through conversation.”

“Why do I feel like I’ve been tricked?”

“What does it matter to me how you personally feel? Anyway, since we’re done eating, let’s clean up and head out.”

「A masterful shift in attitude. This male should learn from it.」

Nesi sighed and muttered. Unfortunately, I was the only one who could hear it.

Despite looking down on Xenon, Nesi still expressed concern for him in moments like these.

It would probably be hard to find another wolf like him.

…No, finding anyone who truly worried about me would be even harder.

I erased the thought as soon as it formed.

I never expected it anyway.

***

Like all noble ladies reaching adulthood, I, too, selected my knight around that time.

Becoming the knight of a Lady of Roam was every knight’s dream, so many volunteered. Each was highly skilled.

As those who admired me stood in line, my choice defied everyone’s expectations. I chose the only one among them who did not admire me.

He, Arin Tosun, my knight, had been a long time servant who had cared for me and my sister, Frizian, since childhood. Aside from my family, he was someone I considered quite close, and he had once volunteered to be my sister’s knight, only to be rejected.

With pure goodwill, I appointed him as my knight. Only after some time passed did I realize that he harbored unrequited love for my sister.

I found out when I accidentally came across an unsent love letter from Arin to my sister.

In the letter, he wrote that he wanted to be my sister’s knight and, after failing, dreamed of joining the direct order of knights serving my sister, who would become the head of the family.

He must have carried that undelivered letter with him, reflecting on his dream over and over again.

Even after becoming my knight, he remained unable to let go of his lingering feelings for her.

He, who could have been part of my sister’s order, ended up being chosen merely because he had volunteered out of formality.

Even so, he always performed his duties diligently. He often seemed to think of me as his younger sister.

Escorting me frequently led him to encounter my sister, which must have increased his job satisfaction.

Regardless of his personal feelings, he was an excellent escort knight. I entrusted him with my back, considered him my right-hand man, and occasionally relied on him for somewhat unofficial matters.

At first, he carried out everything without complaint. Even after Lilia appeared, he remained the same. He worried about me as I wasted away, supported me, and cared for me. How did it all end?

「M-My lady and I, in a secret rendezvous?!」

When someone spread a scandal, claiming he and I were having clandestine meetings. When my family, afraid the rumors might reach the imperial palace, interrogated us in a panic.

「There is someone else I hold in my heart!」

「Lies! There is a witness who saw you leaving the lady’s chambers late at night!」

Facing my sister Frizian’s cold expression, he desperately blurted out words to avoid being misunderstood by the woman he loved.

「That’s impossible! I-It must have been another man!」

「Another man?」

I trusted Arin and often summoned him at night.

I needed someone reliable to procure vile drugs for Lilia or to make contact with people from the underworld.

When I went to meet them myself, Arin volunteered to escort me. If I became short of breath along the way, he would even bring me medicine.

He was the knight who stayed by my side as I was dying. The only one who brought me medicine when I was sick. I sought my escort more than my servants.

I never realized he found it burdensome.

「I cannot speak carelessly of my master’s indiscretions. However… the lady is very lonely.」

The trust I placed in Arin was reduced to nothing more than the excessive attachment of a lonely master.

「It would be wise to abandon any thoughts of escaping with clumsy lies, Arin Tosun. Do you dare covet your master?」

Arin, hesitating and watching for cues, was frightened by my sister’s threat.

It was not just a matter of falling out of favor with the woman he loved—it was an issue that could get him completely expelled from House Roam.

「I delivered letters! To men!」

「What?」

「I’m sorry, I was given an order and couldn’t refuse. But I swear, I never entered the lady’s chambers!」

「Men?」

「Y-Yes! They were of low status, ones who could be easily silenced. Sometimes, I escorted her when she went to meet them directly. I can even tell you the locations.」

「Sir Arin! How could you say such a thing?!」

I turned pale and shouted, but no one listened to me.

Everyone already knew how often I had summoned him.

「Good heavens, the lady of Roam has done such disgraceful things!」

Looking back now, it seems that my sister Frizian had never intended to confirm whether the rumors were true.

She had already believed them. That day’s interrogation was merely to determine how much of the scandal could still be contained.

「I remember the faces of the men. I will abandon my duty as her escort and hunt them down immediately, erasing them from existence.」

Arin desperately said what my sister wanted to hear. That was how he saved himself.

By turning me into a Roam noblewoman who had debased herself.

A few days later, he came back with the heads of men I had never even met, claiming they were the ones who had been involved with me.

Since he was my closest aide, his words were taken as confirmation that the rumors were true.

I later found out.

The person who claimed to have seen a man leaving my chambers late at night was Lilia. Because Lilia possessed the power of foresight, once she spoke, the truth was already decided.

Even so, the one who created false evidence was Arin.

How could it not be laughable, Arin Tosun?

“To think you are now the captain of the Roam family’s search squad.”