100CIM - Chapter 7

“They said she is still not moving from her room today.”

"Today?"

“Yes, Master.”

Grand Duke Illeston frowned.

Butler Kelle also continued his report with a disapproving look on his face.

“According to Anna, the maid who is taking care of the girl, she seems to be eating every meal, but other than that, she does not call the maids or leave her room.”

"Right."

Grand Duke Illeston answered briefly and continued his duties. Even though he was from an abandoned family, he had a lot of things to deal with as he was a Grand Duke.

The butler of the house, Kelle, was rather impatient with the seemingly relaxed appearance of the Grand Duke Illeston.

“Master, I have something to say to you out of concern...”

Kelle was truly worried.

It has already been three days since Simone stayed at this mansion.

Meanwhile, Simone did nothing other than eat.

There was no action to walk around the mansion, prepare to break the curse, or even investigate the strange tree.

Isn't it strange?

Breaking the curse that had shackled the mansion for 300 years without any preparation?

In Kelle's eyes, it seemed like nothing more than a bid to kill time.

She lied to stay here to relieve her travel fatigue, eat a sumptuous meal, get enough rest, and then run away.

In fact, he heard from Anna all the time that Simone never thought about getting out of bed except when it was time to eat.

Black hair and blood-red eyes. Of course, she looks like a necromancer and clearly has the strength to get through that monster tree.

But is there really the power to break the curse?

Kelle remembers what Simone looked like when she first appeared at the mansion.

Her clothes were smelly and tattered, she had no manners, her speech was light, and her face was full of greed.

She was not someone Kelle could trust and entrust with this important task.

It's good if what she says is true that the curse can be broken, but what if not? And what if it's a lie?

Also, what if the owner of the Grand Duchy has vain expectations?

Kelle was worried that Grand Duke Illeston would be disappointed and hurt again.

“Is Simone really capable of lifting the curse? I am so worried. I wonder if we just causing trouble by bringing in an outsider...”

Grand Duke Illeston nodded his head at the old butler's concerns but answered calmly.

“Soon we will find out if what she says is true. I plan to wait until then.”

If what Simone said is true, he might have wasted his opportunity due to vain suspicion.

“That’s true, but... I'm worried that she might just fill her stomach and run away. The same goes for making the people in the mansion go to bed early. I can’t let go of my doubts.”

“Then leave the doubt to yourself, Kelle.”

"Yes?"

“I will wait and see.”

“...I understand, Master. Let's strengthen surveillance on Simone. There has been no sign of her being ready to lift the curse in the past few days, so we must prepare for her escape.”

“I understand.”

***

Time passed and already 6 days had passed. One day before the day Simone promised.

Simone, who had been living like a rat, eating nothing but food in the mansion, finally left the room.

This was because it was the first time the Grand Duke had called since Simone had stayed at the mansion.

Simon followed Anna's lead out to the room, but then stopped and looked around.

"Was surveillance always this strict?"

The entrance of the room, the hallway across from it, and the garden beyond. It seems as if all the guards in the mansion had been gathered and stationed around Simone's room.

Anna looked away, embarrassed at Simone's muttering.

"It wasn't like that originally..."

As Simone showed no signs of taking action to break the curse, they became increasingly wary.

What, is that so?

Simone nodded to Anna, indicating that she did not need to tell her, and headed to the Grand Duke Illeston's study.

"You came."

"It's been a while, Your Highness."

The Grand Duke of Illeston stared at the smiling Simone. Then he said indifferently.

"You look pretty good."

"Thanks."

As Simone looked quite satisfied, Kelle, who was standing behind the Grand Duke of Illeston,  looked even more displeased.

In just one week, Simone's complexion improved dramatically.

Although her body was thin, her emaciation had disappeared and her skin had finally begun to glow.

The Grand Duke, as promised, provided Simone with good food and lodging, and even had Anna provide her with clothes to wear.

Thanks to that, at first glance, Simone now looked like a daughter of a noble family.

She literally looked like she was really well-rested.

"But what does that look like?"

The Grand Duke Illeston's gaze turned to Simone's head. The black hair and blood-colored eyes that seemed to never catch any light were gone, replaced by the normal brown hair and eyes.

Simone smiled.

“It’s a magic dye. I borrowed some magic dye that the Grand Duke doesn’t use.”

After all, money is good.

Magical hair dyes that are so expensive that ordinary people can't even dream of them are being sold everywhere here.

It seemed that Prince Illeston was using it to travel around the village while hiding his identity.

This magic dye is unique in that it can dye any part of the body. It could be used on skin, eyes, hair, and even fingernails and toenails.

Simone stopped by the study with her eyes and hair dyed with this.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to the prosecutor? It’s a bit difficult to reveal that you’re a necromancer.”

If the prosecutor even informs the empire of Simone's existence, she is finished.

"Do whatever you feel like."

Grand Duke Illeston finally put down the pen he was holding and stood up.

“Then I’d like to hear what you’ve been up to.”

“Please sit there quietly.”

Kelle pointed to the sofa, where Simone sat and Grand Duke Illeston sat across from her.

“It’s a much nicer study when you see it during the day.”

Grand Duke Illeston stared at Simone as she looked around the study.

It was also his first time seeing Simone in broad daylight, and now that he saw her, she looked much younger than when he first saw her.

'Did she say she's seventeen this year?'

Seventeen may not be considered young, but she was still at an age where she was under the protection of her parents.

If she were a noblewoman, she would be preparing for her debutante.

But Simone said she had no parents or a place to stay.

'Is that because she is a necromancer?'

Grand Duke Illeston stopped thinking and asked.

“I heard you were confined to your room for a week. What did you do?”

Instead of answering his question, Simone told Prince Illeston what he most wanted to know.

“The curse will be lifted as planned. Are you ready for what I asked you to do?”

“..."

She spoke softly, but surprisingly, she didn't like to talk about herself.

Regardless, it was information that he didn't need to worry about as long as the curse was lifted.

Prince Illeston spoke to Kelle without further inquiry.

“Bring him.”

“Yes, Master.”

Kelle left the study and brought in an unfamiliar person.

A person whose appearance is completely invisible, wrapped in a dark and dirty cloak.

The greatsword on his waist and the bandages on his hands gave off a quite impressive and threatening atmosphere.

"Hello."

Judging by the voice greeting, it was a man. He bowed his head politely and went to the Grand Duke's side.

“Let me introduce you. He's the skilled swordsman you asked for.”

The man wearing a cloak bowed his head once again as he was introduced by the Grand Duke.

"Hello. This is Wren from the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“Oh, hello-”

Well, wait a minute... Wren?

“...Wren?"

“Yes, I’m Wren.”

Wren?

The moment she heard the name, Simone's complexion turned pale.

She almost got agitated. Grand Duke Illeston, who did not notice her change, spoke.

“They say he is the most skilled swordsman in the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Simone's expression became even more determined.

I guess that’s true, right?

A member of the Adventurer's Guild, he is the most skilled swordsman who uses the pseudonym 'Wren'.

And now, the clear blue eyes visible through the cloak she has discovered.

As Simone glanced at the man intently, the man took off his cloak and showed his face. The man's blonde hair was fully exposed.

'Oh really.'

If it's a face like that, is it certain?

Look at the visual full of all kinds of rhetoric. How carefully did the author describe it to make a person look so delicate? 

Just by looking at his face, you can tell that he is an extraordinary person.

Even the client seemed to be wary, but his eyes, which could not hide his unique nature, looked at Simone impassively.

“Today, I have been able to carry out the client’s orders.”

In addition, unlike his rough handling of the sword, he speaks softly, kindly, and with proper courtesy.

This is certain.

The setting is that his face has not yet been revealed in the book, and the Illeston family in particular was isolated, so no one seems to have noticed, but only Simone, who read the original work, knows.

That swordsman is the main character in “When I Opened My Eyes, I Was Hiding My Power” who pretends to be an adventurer for a purpose.

It was the Crown Prince Louis Dean Vian, a colleague of the protagonist Abel.

The royal family of the Ruan Empire does not reveal the Prince until the Crown Prince is confirmed to avoid all kinds of assassination threats.

However, although the current Crown Prince of the Ruan Empire had already been installed as Louis a long time ago, his existence had not been announced for unknown reasons.

Before his existence becomes known to the world, he wanders the world hiding his identity to solve the 'unknown reason' and joins the protagonist's group.

In the beginning, he goes on adventures as Abel's companion, and in the latter half, when he has achieved his own goal, instead of going on adventures, he mainly plays the role of helping the protagonist when he needs material or power.

It was precisely around this time that Simone met Abel while traveling here and there on adventures and they became together, so the timing was perfect.

'That kind of person is involved with me here?'

At that moment, descriptions of her own end flashed through Simone's mind.

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