Simone put down the papers. Rather than basic information like a resume without qualifications, the information she received from an informant in the village seemed much more useful.
“His wife died young?”
“Viscount Lawton said that his wife passed away early due to illness. He said that was why he came to the village this time. He's seeking a wife for a noble family who needs money.”
"And?"
“...And?"
Simone made a gesture as if asking him to say more.
“No way, that’s not all the information we exchanged for 300 times the unit price.”
“...Is that so?”
Louis was tired of Simone's sly appearance, but he told her all the information he had heard from the informant.
“There wasn’t much information about Viscount Lawton. From the informant’s perspective, information about him is not valuable information.”
Although they achieved great wealth through trade, it was not enough to be checked by other merchants.
His status as a nobleman is barely above his name.
Who would want to pay a lot of money to know information about a nobleman who was a humble merchant who quietly made a fortune by keeping an eye on the caravans and nobles?
Since it wouldn't make money, the informants naturally didn't know much about him.
Nevertheless, there was something in their words that Simone would be very interested in.
“It’s believe it or not.”
“...Believe it or not? Aren’t informants only dealing with certain information?”
Louis shook his head resolutely.
“There is no certain information about Viscount Lawton other than that he is a libertine. I threatened to release more than just that, so they released everything, even just rumors.”
As expected, they knew that blades were scary.
In case anyone thought he was a friend of the warrior Abel with a bad temper, he fiddled with the sword at his waist and spoke like a local gangster.
Simone guessed he threatened him like that.
“This is a rumor about Viscount Lawton’s illegitimate son.”
“...Tell me.”
He brought her something really interesting.
When Simone showed interest, Louis grinned and began to tell the information he had heard from the informant.
“Informants say that Viscount Lawton often visited hunters in this village to seek ‘gifts’ to deliver to business partners.”
“If it’s a gift, is it illegal, a drug or something?”
“Maybe so. But that’s not the point.”
Simone nodded as if asking him to continue speaking.
“They say there was a woman who came with Viscount Lawton every time he came to town.”
"Hmm."
“About two years. She said that the Viscountess passed away early and she accompanied him right after that, but she stopped coming one day.”
Louis continued his explanation.
He said she did not look like a noble lady at all.
If she was an aristocratic daughter, there was no way the informant would have recognized her face, and although she always wore expensive accessories and clothes that seemed to have been given to her by the Viscount, the woman herself seemed to look awkward in her attire.
Since informants were unable to determine the woman's identity, they assumed that she was the Viscount's servant.
“They say she was a very thin girl, but one day she started to look like she was getting bloated. Until 'the Lady and Viscount Lawton accompanied' it is the truth; the rest is the informant’s guess.”
The informant noticed that the woman who always accompanied him was getting a little bloated, and since they still continued to accompany each other, he thought that she would soon become the next Viscountess.
They were not orthodox nobles who valued lineage, but it was quite common for those who became nobles through the same route as Viscounts to marry commoners.
However, sometime after that, the Viscount began to visit the village alone and was soon accompanied by another woman.
It is said that this story is only about 3 years old.
Simone, who had heard the story up to this point, frowned.
“Are you saying he abandoned her?”
Louis nodded.
“I can’t be sure, but my informant guessed that.”
Louis finished speaking and muttered angrily.
“After that, I did some research on my own, but there was no news of Viscount Lawton having had any children in recent years. His legitimate children, his daughter, and son, have already reached adulthood and are receiving training to become a monk or succeed him.”
“Then the child...”
“Either the informant’s guess was wrong, or... The end for illegitimate children and their mothers who are not recognized by their families is usually death.”
Simone, who was listening to the story as seriously as Louis, nodded calmly and asked.
“How does Wren hear it?”
Louis said without even thinking.
“That is quite credible. It’s not that uncommon.”
Simone silently turned her head and motioned for Kaylee to come closer.
At this level, she doesn’t need to listen anymore.
Simone said to Kaylee who came closer.
“Get a strong, long rope and display it in the room I stayed in yesterday. Very visible.”
"... Yes?"
"What... What are you talking about?”
Kaylee and Louis looked at Simone in bewilderment.
A rope?
"No way."
Are you planning to kidnap the Viscount?
Simone waved her hand at the two people's suspicious looks.
“Oh, it’s not like that. I was just wondering if I might have something to write about.”
“Why do you need to write?”
Louis asked, intent on stopping Simone.
Anna was behind Kaylee again, covering her mouth in fear with both hands.
It has not yet been confirmed whether what the informant said is true, and even if it were true, why should Simone get her hands dirty? Moreover, not in her own home, but in someone else's mansion.
Of course, there are stories that necromancers don't hesitate to torture and kill, but kidnapping... This is going to be a big problem.
Kaylee, as a servant of the Illeston family, and Louis, as the Crown Prince, widened his eyes as a sign that kidnapping and murder were unacceptable and should never be tolerated.
It was Simone who was rather embarrassed by this.
“What do these people think of me?”
From what perspective. She is seen as a necromancer with a powerful mana of death.
Simone said with a sigh as Louis, Kaylee, and even Anna did not dispel their suspicions.
“It’s just for holding on. I will only use it in unavoidable situations.”
She plans to meet the Viscount once and think about it. If he acts slyly at that time, she plans to knock him out and lock him in the underground room.
Seo Hyeon-Jeong lives as Simone and lives a daily life of seeing all kinds of strange things, but her humanity has not yet been worn away.
“If you don’t mind leaving the ghost alone, keep your eyes wide open like that.”
As Simone spoke bluntly, Kaylee still seemed to hesitate, but eventually reluctantly nodded and left the room.
And after a while, Simone, who had gathered her thoughts, got up and left the room.
First, thry must invite Viscount Lawton to this mansion. To do this, they need the cooperation of the owner of this mansion.
Louis and Anna followed her as she headed toward Illestone's study.
***
Grand Duke Illeston glanced at the old butler's hand pouring tea.
“The Grand Duchess?”
“I heard she finished lunch.”
This morning, Florier finally woke up.
There were no injuries, but she was unconscious for a long time, so the employees, including Grand Duke Illeston and Kelle, were in an uproar.
Kelle's hand, which calmly pours tea as always, was shaking this morning and made the mistake of spilling the tea.
“Does the Grand Duchess know that Jace’s curse has been lifted?”
At Illeston’s question, Kelle’s eyes became even darker.
“Yes, she asked as soon as she regained consciousness, so I told her about Simone’s existence.”
Even though everything is back to normal, Kelle's expression is dark because he is sad and regretful for the past days when he had forgotten Jace's existence and unintentionally hurt his Master.
He was also disturbed by the sight of the Grand Duchess, who was very heartbroken over losing her reason and driving her son to death.
“...Have she said anything about Simone?”
How does Florier feel about breaking the taboo and hiring a necromancer to lift Jace's curse?
Kelle shook his head.
“She said briefly that she understood, and headed straight to Young Master’s room.”
After speaking, Kelle hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth again.
“I haven’t told Simone the news yet. Shall I tell the child the news from the Grand Duchess?”
Grand Duke Illeston nodded.
“Just tell her. The child was saved, so please tell her even if she is not curious.”
Knock knock.
At that time, someone knocked on the study door.
At that sound, Grand Duke Illeston let out a sigh-like laugh without realizing it.
“Open the door.”
In this mansion, there is only one person who will suddenly knock on the study door and come in.
Kelle opened the door with a completely fed-up look on his face, and sure enough, Simone burst into the study without hesitation, accompanied by Wren and Anna.
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