Not long after Simone returned to the mansion, Anna came into the room carrying refreshments.
“The village is still the same.”
“Even if I need something, I’ll never go to that village? I was so nervous every time I went shopping when I was the youngest.”
The servants chatted quietly next to Simone. Simone asked.
“If you don’t buy what you need in that town, where can you buy it?”
“You can either ask your family back home or order it from a city far away.”
“Aren’t things expensive in the city?”
The servants smiled inexplicably at Simone's words.
“It’s expensive. But since we don’t leave the house very often, we don’t have much to spend money on.”
“And if you work at the Grand Duchy, you get paid much more than anywhere else.”
“Simone, did anything happen in that village?”
“I heard nobles get looted and fight about it!”
“Nothing like that happened in particular. Because I took the escort knights with me.”
Kaylee, who was listening to the conversation between Simone and the servants, frowned and grumbled.
“Why are you playing?”
“Yes, yes?”
“Why are you playing around secretly? Aren’t you working?”
“Ha, I do!”
The servants who had been chatting next to Simone quickly dispersed and began to do their own work.
Simone put down the teacup she was holding, looking at Kaylee who was pouting.
“Kaylee.”
"Why?"
“Sit down for a moment.”
“I have work to do-”
“Sit down.”
Kaylee, wincing at Simone's serious look, awkwardly sat down on the chair across from her.
“What is it?”
“Not just Kaylee, everyone else, come sit here.”
"Yes?"
“What’s wrong?”
The servants, including Anna and Kaylee, gathered around Simone again.
There was a reason why Simone left the servants who were chatting and abandoning their work.
The servants who had gathered again looked at Simone's expression, which seemed a little depressed and focused on her words with serious expressions on their faces.
Crack-tap-
Without saying a word, Simone sorted out the thin paper she had bought in the village today and handed out ten sheets to each of the servants.
“...What's this?"
Kaylee, who suddenly took the paper, frowned and asked.
Simone answered.
“The minimum means to protect you all?”
“What do you mean, that?”
“From now on, we will make amulets.”
“... A charm?"
The servants murmured. What kind of talisman came out of nowhere? Simone quieted them and pointed to the paper.
“Everyone, please cut this paper into rectangles of a certain size. Since there are a lot of you, you can just cut them and place them on this table while you work.”
“Why are we doing this?”
Kaylee put down the paper as if she was dumbfounded.
“This is not our job. Simone, take care of your own affairs.”
“Isn’t it my job?”
"...I beg your pardon?"
Simone, like Kaylee, threw the paper on the table.
“Kaylee, stop complaining and cooperate.”
After the disguised rat incident, she got scared and was uncharacteristically polite for a while, but returned to normal when she went out to town.
She guessed she couldn't help her original nature.
“I’m making this because I don’t want people like Anna to be swept away by the curse again.”
Simone is going to waste her magic power to make it for everyone in the mansion who she's grown attached to before she knows it.
Of course, there is a reason to make it in advance to handle mana in an urgent situation without thinking too much, but if she was going to use it alone, she wouldn't have bought such a large amount of paper.
“To protect...”
Kaylee hesitated and picked up the paper again. She remembers seeing Anna fainting, unable to overcome the pain, with both of her fingers crushed.
If that's what it takes to prevent that from happening.
“Well, I will do it.”
Simone smiled contentedly.
“Okay then, let’s begin! First, let’s make something to give to the Archduke.”
***
That evening.
The head of the house, Kelle, approached Grand Duke Illeston, who had finished his duties early and was looking out the window blankly.
“Master, what should we do for dinner?”
“I’m done.”
“Sir, you must not skip meals every day. As the head of the Illeston family, you must take care of your health.”
Illeston smiled slightly at Kelle's worried advice.
“I’m fine. Have you prepared the Grand Duchess’ meal?”
"Of course."
“...Is Florier eating well?”
“She always leaves more than half, but she says it’s okay because she eats so much.”
Grand Duke Illeston's sigh became deeper. Kelle looked at Archduke Illeston with pity.
It's been a while since Grand Duke Illeston lost his smile and sighed.
The bright, playful, yet righteous image of the young Archduke Illeston is no longer visible in him, now well over 30.
What is the Grand Duke thinking as he looks at the stars shining brightly outside the window?
What about his first love, Grand Duchess Florier, who lost her mind at some point? What about his situation where he has to bring a necromancer into the mansion to break the curse?
No matter what you think, it will not be a happy thought.
When Kelle bowed his head in frustration and for some reason, Archduke Ileston asked quietly.
“Is there any news from the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“I received a call from Wren...”
“Are you saying there is no progress?”
Kelle's expression was not good, but Grand Duke Illeston was relaxed.
He didn't expect any progress. The last time he saw him, he said he couldn't find it in the village so he would search the sea.
It's easier said than done, but how does he find that little gem in the vast ocean?
Since the jewel called Saint's Desire is something that comes from legends, he wasn't sure if it actually existed, and even if it did exist, it would be difficult to find.
The search alone will take a long time, and even if they give up midway, it will be inevitable.
Kelle answered, shaking his head.
“They say they found it...”
“... They found it?”
That? A Saint’s Desire? That legendary treasure?
Kelle spoke carefully to Grand Duke Illeston, who asked in disbelief.
“I’m not sure if it’s a Saint’s jewel, but they say they found a jewel that looks like it in the sea.”
“... However? There were such achievements, so why didn’t you report it to me?”
“It is said that the adventurer guild, including Wren, headed to the wizard Orkan to confirm whether the jewel was the wish of the legendary saint.”
“Orkan is someone you know well. I heard he’s currently on a trip?”
“They said he was related to Wren. Through him, once it became clear that the jewel was the Saint's Desire, he would give you a report.”
One of the butler's jobs is to convey confirmed information to the owner. How can you be sure whether the gem is a legendary gem or a children's toy?
Grand Duke Illeston nodded.
“Then whatever the result, he will be contacted soon.”
"That is... They say it will be a little late.”
Archduke Illeston, who was about to look up at the night sky again, looked at Kelle with a frown.
“Why?”
“Well, on the way to the wizard Orkan, the jewel was stolen by a person of considerable skill...”
“Such a fool! Isn’t Wren the best among swordsmen? Who stole the jewel from someone like that?”
“They say they use the same swordsmanship. It is said that he defeated a group of adventurers in one go and ran away with only the jewels. They say Wren and his group are chasing it, so they should be able to get it back soon.”
“...Nothing is going right.”
In an urgent situation.
Florier and his son Jace also lost their original selves as each day passed.
In a situation where every moment is a critical moment, even the search for the Saint's Desires is not working properly.
It seemed as if everything in the world was weighing down the Illeston family with a curse.
It was around this time that Kelle bowed his head out of shame and the room fell into silence again.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Grand Duke, this is Simone.”
A young voice coming from beyond the door. Grand Duke Illeston felt his body and mind growing more tired and motioned for Kelle to open the door.
The door to the study opened and Simone came in. Grand Duke Illeston frowned, got up, and headed to the sofa.
“What are you doing this evening? I guess there hasn’t been any news about that jewel yet?”
“I came because I have something to give you.”
"To me?"
Grand Duke Illeston's gaze turned to the paper Simone was holding in both hands.
“What is that?”
“I will give it to you. It’s a talisman I made myself.”
Simone put the amulet down on the table. A total of twenty sheets. She had quite a hard time because the mana was not injected as expected, but she managed to bring only successful works that had the desired effect.
"Talisman? Do you know how to make amulets?”
"No. This is my first time making it, but I thought I might need it for this mansion.”
Grand Duke Illeston picked up an amulet.
“...Is this the mana of death?”
An ominous energy can be felt at the fingertips as soon as the hand touches it. It was the same feeling as when he first felt Simone's power. Simone nodded her head.
“Yes, I condensed my mana into a thin piece of paper and absorbed it. Keep it on your person.”
“This ominous thing?”
Simone nodded without smiling.
“It will be the minimum preventive measure that can protect people from ghosts.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment