Simone and Louis left the mansion and headed to Hertin village.
Hertin Village. It was more of a hideout for informants and hunters than a village, but on the outside, it looked like a poor village.
There was also a small, but small market and a restaurant where people could get their meals.
'Well, it's not that delicious, though.'
This was the closest place to the mansion, so I had no choice.
“This town is really... Not change.”
As Louis muttered and stared blankly into the entrance of Hertin Village, Simone glanced at the back of his head in bewilderment.
Naturally, it remains unchanged.
Illeston's territory is currently not even able to properly collect taxes, and all it can do is maintain the appearance of the mansion and the family without even paying for the restoration of outdated facilities.
At a time like this, support from the Empire was needed to restore the village, but unfortunately, the Illestons were cursed and shunned by the royal family, so even that was not easy.
The royal family abandoned the Illeston family and even the territory they managed, thinking that it was tainted by a curse.
Louis also seemed to know this, as he simply looked at the barren and suspicious village, making an indescribably complex expression on his face.
He had not seen the current Duke of Illeston for long, but he was not incapable of restoring his lands.
Nevertheless, the reason why this place is still like this, or rather, is losing its village appearance more and more.
He can only think of one.
'It has come to this point because the royal family did not pay attention.'
Simone glanced at his face and then walked away.
"It’s a long-awaited outing, but I don’t have time to relax today, so let’s hurry up and eat.”
"...All right."
Louis nodded as if he had made up his mind and followed Simone.
Simone led Louis to the restaurant where she had previously had a simple meal with Anna and the knights.
The two ordered food and looked at the unremarkable scenery.
Everyone's mind was complicated with their own worries.
"Ha..."
Simone let out a deep sigh.
The missing employees, this situation with no clues. Unlike usual, there is not a single thing that can be pointed out.
'Can I really solve this situation?'
What happens if she don't resolve it? Will the employees stop coming back?
The faces of the servants she had worked with until now flashed through Simone's mind.
Kaylee, who always spoke rudely, and the attendants who would gather in the room and ask what curse she was going to lift today, even if they were cleaning, as soon as she opened the instructions.
At first, the guards in front of the room pretended not to know and just watched, but at some point, they started to approach me and say, “Good morning,” “Enjoy your meal,” and “Are you going for a walk?”
The chef, who was always tired but warm, and the young escort knights who came here with her.
Will she never be able to see them again?
Simone clenched her fists.
'I absolutely have to find them.'
She has to find out what happened and put it back the way it was.
“The food is here.”
Then the restaurant owner approached the table with a tray of food and the two stopped their thoughts.
Simone, who was picking up her fork intending to go back quickly, suddenly felt something strange and raised her head.
“What’s going on?”
The restaurant owner was smiling slyly.
“You’re back again, Miss?”
"Yes?"
Why are you suddenly speaking informally?
While Simone was looking dumbfounded, Louis changed his expression and blocked the owner's path with his arm.
“Do you have any business with this person? If not, then do what you have to do.”
“I have nothing to do. I’m just watching because it’s interesting.”
“If you have nothing to do, please go.”
Despite Louis's firm refusal, the owner just smiled curiously and looked at Simone.
“You came from the lord’s mansion, young lady?”
Both Simone and Louis stiffened at the owner's words.
How did you know?
For a moment, Simone was very confused but soon realized that the owner of this restaurant was also an informant for the underworld.
“There’s no need to answer yes or no. Everyone in this town knows that the Young Lady lives in that mansion.”
“Are you investigating my background? Why?"
“Why me?” Simone asked warily. The owner laughed as if he was asking an obvious question.
“We have information on all the nobles coming into this village. I don’t know when they will become my customers or whether my customers will want them.”
“What a useless thing you did.”
Simone got up with a displeased expression.
“I’m not important enough to have information.”
"Oh yeah? Well, it doesn't matter anyway. We need to have both important and unimportant information. That’s our job.”
He turned his gaze to Louis, grinning playfully.
“Why is such a precious person doing this here?”
Boom!
Louis hit the table loudly and jumped up.
“What kind of informant would go around spouting other people’s information so carelessly?”
Louis looked at him with threatening eyes. But the owner was one step ahead. He just smiled and said slyly, as if nothing had happened.
“You want to go? Can I wrap it for you?”
“It’s done. Let's go. There are many restaurants.”
“Oh, you’re feeling bad? Anyway, eat and go. This is the only fake restaurant in this town that doesn’t play around with its food. I’ll keep it a secret.”
In other words, all the restaurants in this town were places set up by informants to make contact with customers.
There was no restaurant here where they could eat safely.
"Ha."
Simone had no choice but to sit down. This informant had probably come to check if the information he had researched about Simone and Louis was correct, but by reacting to it, he had come to acknowledge thrm.
The only good thing is that the owner still doesn't know Simone's true identity.
Louis... It seemed like his identity had been revealed.
“Sit down. There’s no time to find another restaurant right now. We need to eat quickly and go back in to start over.”
Louis gritted his teeth and reluctantly sat back down. The owner laughed heartily and turned around without bothering the two of them any further.
"Ah. For a moment."
Simone called him and stopped him.
The owner looked back at her, waving his eyebrows helplessly.
“What is it, Miss?”
“I’m asking because I think you already know everything, but have any of our mansion’s servants come to this village?”
The owner grinned, showing his teeth.
“If I tell you, will you pay for the information? The more desperate you are, the more expensive it is?”
Louis shook his head, frowning, and motioned for the owner to come over.
“Yes. Let’s find out for ourselves without asking him. Let’s finish eating quickly and get up.”
The owner chuckled as he returned to the counter, saying, "What's so funny?"
“There were a lot of guys running around today, who seemed to be running errands. I don’t know where they belong, but I saw them all running around like crazy.”
It was just as much information as the cost of food for two people.
The two people who were trying to eat while ignoring the host raised their heads and made eye contact.
A large number of people, of unknown affiliation, were running around frantically, running errands.
Those who ran errands naturally meant employees, and if even the informant did not know their affiliation, there was a high possibility that they were people from the secretive Illeston Mansion.
“After we finish eating, I think we should take a look around the town.”
Louis nodded at Simone's words.
“This village is dangerous, so I will escort you. Let’s find someone.”
Only then did the two begin to eat.
Light conversations took place between the two people eating.
At first, the conversation was only about the usual things, such as where to start in the village, but after the plan was made, the conversation turned to other things that had been avoided because the usual stories about curses were the only things they talked about.
“HiaHighness the Duke of Illeston, now that the curse is slowly being lifted, does he have any plans to re-enter politics?”
Louis asked in a voice so low that the owner could not hear.
The corner of Simone's mouth quirked up.
“Wouldn’t it be quicker to ask Grand Duke Illeston about that? I won’t have to discuss that with him.”
“I know. I was just asking because I thought you might know something. There’s something about the atmosphere in a mansion.”
Simone thought for a moment as she put the food in her mouth, then shook her head.
“There is no such atmosphere at all. Until recently, there was an atmosphere of cooperation and focus on lifting the curse, and now they are focusing on Prince Jace's recovery... But if he wants to return to politics, will that be possible?”
“...Yes?”
Simone took another bite of food as Louis asked what she meant.
“If a family that has lived quietly for 300 years enters politics just because the curse has been lifted, who will accept it?”
Simone looked at Louis suggestively.
“I don’t know if the royal family is actively seeking a return. It’s not really like that, is it? Right now, the family doesn’t even have time to engage in external activities.”
“Yes... I guess.”
“More than that.”
Simone shifted her gaze and asked, looking at the insignificant scenery.
“Is everything okay, Wren?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Anything. Is everything okay?”
Louis was silent. Simone put down her fork as if she didn't notice.
In fact, at first, she tried to pretend that she didn't know that he was the Crown Prince until the end.
But things were a little different now. If he wanted it, she was willing to give him at least a hint or a clue.
At least now she doesn't want to see Louis suffering and sad because of the royal family's affairs.
'Of course, if you keep it a secret until the end, I'll pretend not to know.'
Louis was silent. He seemed to be contemplating whether or not to speak.
But he never spoke.
“No problem.”
Now is not the time to talk. The priority now is to find those who have disappeared.
He'll do his own work later. When Simone and the Illeston family have some free time.
Louis, who was about to turn his gaze back to the food as he spoke bitterly, stopped and turned his head sharply to look at the village again.
“...Uh? That person.”
Hearing his startled voice, Simone also followed him and shifted her gaze. Then, without even realizing it, she got up.
“That woman!”
"Yes? I didn’t see it wrong, right?”
Tell me what to do!
Simone left the store and suddenly started running toward the direction her gaze was directed to. Louis also ran after her, no, he ran faster than her.
Another building is visible from the restaurant, with a figure loitering around it, looking around frantically.
It was Ruth.
“There’s no need to answer yes or no. Everyone in this town knows that the Young Lady lives in that mansion.”
“Are you investigating my background? Why?"
“Why me?” Simone asked warily. The owner laughed as if he was asking an obvious question.
“We have information on all the nobles coming into this village. I don’t know when they will become my customers or whether my customers will want them.”
“What a useless thing you did.”
Simone got up with a displeased expression.
“I’m not important enough to have information.”
"Oh yeah? Well, it doesn't matter anyway. We need to have both important and unimportant information. That’s our job.”
He turned his gaze to Louis, grinning playfully.
“Why is such a precious person doing this here?”
Boom!
Louis hit the table loudly and jumped up.
“What kind of informant would go around spouting other people’s information so carelessly?”
Louis looked at him with threatening eyes. But the owner was one step ahead. He just smiled and said slyly, as if nothing had happened.
“You want to go? Can I wrap it for you?”
“It’s done. Let's go. There are many restaurants.”
“Oh, you’re feeling bad? Anyway, eat and go. This is the only fake restaurant in this town that doesn’t play around with its food. I’ll keep it a secret.”
In other words, all the restaurants in this town were places set up by informants to make contact with customers.
There was no restaurant here where they could eat safely.
"Ha."
Simone had no choice but to sit down. This informant had probably come to check if the information he had researched about Simone and Louis was correct, but by reacting to it, he had come to acknowledge thrm.
The only good thing is that the owner still doesn't know Simone's true identity.
Louis... It seemed like his identity had been revealed.
“Sit down. There’s no time to find another restaurant right now. We need to eat quickly and go back in to start over.”
Louis gritted his teeth and reluctantly sat back down. The owner laughed heartily and turned around without bothering the two of them any further.
"Ah. For a moment."
Simone called him and stopped him.
The owner looked back at her, waving his eyebrows helplessly.
“What is it, Miss?”
“I’m asking because I think you already know everything, but have any of our mansion’s servants come to this village?”
The owner grinned, showing his teeth.
“If I tell you, will you pay for the information? The more desperate you are, the more expensive it is?”
Louis shook his head, frowning, and motioned for the owner to come over.
“Yes. Let’s find out for ourselves without asking him. Let’s finish eating quickly and get up.”
The owner chuckled as he returned to the counter, saying, "What's so funny?"
“There were a lot of guys running around today, who seemed to be running errands. I don’t know where they belong, but I saw them all running around like crazy.”
It was just as much information as the cost of food for two people.
The two people who were trying to eat while ignoring the host raised their heads and made eye contact.
A large number of people, of unknown affiliation, were running around frantically, running errands.
Those who ran errands naturally meant employees, and if even the informant did not know their affiliation, there was a high possibility that they were people from the secretive Illeston Mansion.
“After we finish eating, I think we should take a look around the town.”
Louis nodded at Simone's words.
“This village is dangerous, so I will escort you. Let’s find someone.”
Only then did the two begin to eat.
***
Light conversations took place between the two people eating.
At first, the conversation was only about the usual things, such as where to start in the village, but after the plan was made, the conversation turned to other things that had been avoided because the usual stories about curses were the only things they talked about.
“HiaHighness the Duke of Illeston, now that the curse is slowly being lifted, does he have any plans to re-enter politics?”
Louis asked in a voice so low that the owner could not hear.
The corner of Simone's mouth quirked up.
“Wouldn’t it be quicker to ask Grand Duke Illeston about that? I won’t have to discuss that with him.”
“I know. I was just asking because I thought you might know something. There’s something about the atmosphere in a mansion.”
Simone thought for a moment as she put the food in her mouth, then shook her head.
“There is no such atmosphere at all. Until recently, there was an atmosphere of cooperation and focus on lifting the curse, and now they are focusing on Prince Jace's recovery... But if he wants to return to politics, will that be possible?”
“...Yes?”
Simone took another bite of food as Louis asked what she meant.
“If a family that has lived quietly for 300 years enters politics just because the curse has been lifted, who will accept it?”
Simone looked at Louis suggestively.
“I don’t know if the royal family is actively seeking a return. It’s not really like that, is it? Right now, the family doesn’t even have time to engage in external activities.”
“Yes... I guess.”
“More than that.”
Simone shifted her gaze and asked, looking at the insignificant scenery.
“Is everything okay, Wren?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Anything. Is everything okay?”
Louis was silent. Simone put down her fork as if she didn't notice.
In fact, at first, she tried to pretend that she didn't know that he was the Crown Prince until the end.
But things were a little different now. If he wanted it, she was willing to give him at least a hint or a clue.
At least now she doesn't want to see Louis suffering and sad because of the royal family's affairs.
'Of course, if you keep it a secret until the end, I'll pretend not to know.'
Louis was silent. He seemed to be contemplating whether or not to speak.
But he never spoke.
“No problem.”
Now is not the time to talk. The priority now is to find those who have disappeared.
He'll do his own work later. When Simone and the Illeston family have some free time.
Louis, who was about to turn his gaze back to the food as he spoke bitterly, stopped and turned his head sharply to look at the village again.
“...Uh? That person.”
Hearing his startled voice, Simone also followed him and shifted her gaze. Then, without even realizing it, she got up.
“That woman!”
"Yes? I didn’t see it wrong, right?”
Tell me what to do!
Simone left the store and suddenly started running toward the direction her gaze was directed to. Louis also ran after her, no, he ran faster than her.
Another building is visible from the restaurant, with a figure loitering around it, looking around frantically.
It was Ruth.
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