"This is okay, if you tell me what you want, let's have a big fight tonight. How do you feel?"
"Great."
In response to the quick and concise answer, the man smiled, showing his black teeth, and then closed his eyes.
"Let's see, where should I start talking? I guess I should start talking about when Eric first appeared here. At first, he was just a typical orphaned boy who was taken in by a merchant."
"Enemy type?"
"He is a dirty orphan who grew up underfed, but he has a fair face. That guy liked the little boy. If you get tired of carrying it next to you, change it again and again. He was one of those guys."
"..."
It was obvious how the insignificant orphan would be treated if he had gray hair.
Living in a slum, I have seen children with fair faces crying as they were dragged away by their fathers and mothers, and sometimes by debt collectors.
Eric was also a boy who was dragged along like that.
"I've developed a bad habit again. I thought I was going to abandon my child for no reason, but guess what? I mean, I stayed by his side for quite a long time. At some point, he even started taking on top-level work. I don't know how on earth they roasted and boiled the merchant."
"I guess he had good skills."
"The ability was also great. That guy expanded his business without any consideration. He didn't hesitate to do things that others were reluctant to do, took risks, pushed himself like a crazy person, and eventually succeeded."
"..."
"And then one day, he became the owner of the merchant."
The expression on the man's face as he shook his head was mysterious.
"No matter how good he is, does it make sense to hand over the entire top management to a child who is not my blood?"
The question raised in a subdued voice had already been heard from the mouths of nobles.
They also had no evidence whatsoever, but they all said it was suspicious.
"After he started helping at the top, familiar faces started disappearing one by one. Not only the relatives who were close to the owner of the merchant, but even my trusted associates all disappeared one by one and were replaced by new faces."
"And your son went missing too."
"I was talking until my son went missing. They say this father is strange? They said it was all because of the drugs that I didn't recognize my son, kept talking nonsense, and only looked for Eric."
"Drug?"
In response to my question, the man scratched his head and nodded.
"Not to mention, do you know how he received the title of nobleman?"
When I shook my head, he blurted out something like he knew that would happen.
"That guy, he supplies all kinds of things to the nobles. Whatever they need. Most of them are prohibited by imperial law. It's highly addictive. Things that make people sick."
"..."
"Not only high-alcohol moonshine but also things like auction houses where money is exchanged. I told you so. He's a guy who will do anything to make money."
So, the top is just a smokescreen.
That's why his person is planted in the mercenary guild. He was different from the gangsters who simply took over the back alleys and extorted money. This one is more organized, deeper, and more dangerous.
The only thing I have a question about is...
I wonder why on earth a man like that is targeting me.
"Have you ever heard that he has ties to Count Brium?"
"Huh? Count Brium? Who is that?"
The grumbling man shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, everyone knows that he wants to move up to a higher position than he is now. To do that, he even paid quite a bit of bribe."
The man who was muttering and looking up tilted his head towards me and immediately opened his eyes.
"Huh?"
He tilted his head as if he couldn't figure out what was going on and looked at me here and there.
"No. Where has the cutie from a while ago gone and this beautiful woman...!"
I quickly smoothed my hair at his exclamation.
I felt the hair, which had been so stiff and tangled that I couldn't even put my fingers through it until a moment ago, being gently swept between my fingers.
I touched my dark auburn hair, and before I knew it, I touched my hand, which had returned to white skin.
The man's mouth was open as if it were about to tear open as he looked down at me.
"What a windfall this is, huh?"
"Windy."
I looked at the strong hand reaching out towards me and called out to Windy.
The wind quickly blocked my path and pushed the man away.
I gave cold instructions as I looked at the man who had been pushed away without knowing what was going on.
"Hold your mouth shut and leave Daniel a little farther away than where you left him earlier."
"Eup, eup!"
The man, who was floating with his mouth shut, added quickly.
"Ah, if possible, I will throw away the things he has on his way and bring them back."
The mace hanging from his waist looked quite useful.
No matter what his skills were, there was no way that a mercenary for a living would have purchased just any equipment.
I may not be able to use a weapon with this body, but it would be better to have at least one for emergencies.
In the dark of dawn, a man with his mouth shut struggled in the air and disappeared.
I hid myself deep in a shady alley and looked around for sympathy.
Even in the early morning, people were seen busily going in and out of the guild. The vice guild leader I saw earlier was also urgently heading somewhere.
'It took only a moment for Eric to hear that a suspicious woman had come into the guild and asked about Hugh's whereabouts.'
Then Eric will know too. Isabella realized that his favor was not so pure.
"What a great human being."
I almost made a real mistake. He was kind, polite, and a decent human being.
I even sympathized with his situation. Because the sight of the nobles mocking him reminded me of the contempt and disgust I had received.
I was lost in thought as I looked up at the sky which was slowly starting to brighten.
Since it is not yet very bright, it may be possible to use the spirit to cross the castle gate.
"But what after that?"
Hugh, the only person who knew about my situation, was held in their hands.
I don't think he'd be quick to say anything, but if Eric was sure I had run away, there was no reason to keep Hugh alive.
'Will he try to protect me even in the face of death?'
I'm not even the real Isabella.
Cooung.
It was then. A massive mace was placed heavily in front of me as I was lost in thought.
The clothes the man was wearing fluttered down and settled on top of me.
[The owner threw the man away and took the goods.]
"..."
You really brought 'everything' you had with you.
When I thought of the man who had been abandoned on a high tree without even a single piece of clothing on, I trembled.
"Good job."
Windy's eyes were filled with pride at the light-hearted attack, and he straightened his chest feathers with his beak.
[Suspicious men are wandering near the castle gate. There were many men holding swords.]
I guess so. The first thing the country would have done to chase away those who were running away would have been to block the castle gates.
Just like dealing with a rat in a poison, you are probably thinking of blocking the escape route and slowly tightening it.
I lifted the clothes aside, picked up the mace, and muttered softly.
"You looked at the wrong person."
Eric probably thinks that the person he is dealing with is a young lady who was raised as precious as a flower in a greenhouse.
But I was not Isabella.
You should know that if a rat in a poison is cornered, it will bite a person. That's pretty painful too.
"Windy."
[Speak, master.]
"I have something I need you to find."
***
Isabella did not appear until the moment the ballroom leader dismissed the ball and the last noble in attendance left the door.
Sigh.
Cold water was sprinkled on the face of the person who guided her.
The attendant was trembling and shook his head repeatedly.
"I do not know. I led her into the room and saw her sitting on the sofa next to the table. It's true! Please believe-!"
The men who were holding the attendant's arms exchanged glances at the desperate cry.
Then he opened his mouth to Eric, who was sitting in front of him and looking at the user.
"I looked into this person, but there was no contact with anyone. It appears to be true that it has nothing to do with the woman's whereabouts."
"How about we investigate the nobles who attended the ball?"
Eric glanced at the opinion of another person standing nearby, looked at him, and then shook his head.
"No. There's no need for that. The people there were people I knew well. These are people who have no great sense of duty and are reluctant to create troublesome work. There's no way she's going to pretend to be with me for her sake."
Even though they mocked him with their mouths and despised him with their eyes, most of them were in debt to him.
They laugh and ridicule Eric because they don't want to admit that he is 'superior' to them, but even if they do, they are foolish people who will fall apart the moment he takes his hands off them.
Two series are out now! If you like mystery, horror, and historical genre, you can check it out!
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