“Do you all remember what Tia said last time?”
I spoke, looking between Erne and Cain. They looked as if they did not understand what I was talking about.
“When the Followers asked how to find a safe house, Tia said, there are safe houses all over the empire, and you just have to choose one and move to it.”
Even before the rebellion, the Followers had been moving around the empire, causing chaos to expand their influence or raise funds.
They then set up hideouts throughout the empire, which they used to hide themself after the rebellion.
“So, Madam, are you saying that there is already a hideout prepared in the capital and that it is possible that Cliff Ackerman provided that hideout?”
“Yes. I believe that Mr. Cliff embezzled the Rhineland family fortune and used it to support the Followers.”
Cedric Rhineland amassed a great fortune thanks to the gold bug. Cliff, who was clever and smart, would have worked beside Cedric to handle the paperwork and occasionally embezzled the money.
Then, when all the members of the Rhineland family finally died, he must have swallowed up the property.
Since Erne was the only remaining heir, it would have been easy to falsify various documents.
He probably used the embezzled property for himself and also gave some of it to the Followers.
“He may not only have given them money but also provided them with a house that could be used as a hideout.”
Of course, this is just a guess, but it was worth a try since there was absolutely no idea where the priest was lying around.
We also recovered the Rhineland family's assets that Cliff had embezzled.
“The problem is, we don’t know where Cliff put the stolen money.”
If Cliff were alive, I would have tried to coax or threaten him, but he was already dead.
“Isn’t Cliff’s father alive?”
Erne opened his mouth as if a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“Cliff used me to escape from the clutches of the Followers.”
Cliff sent Erne a secret message saying he was being threatened by the Followers.
“When he handed over that note, Cliff must have known he was going to be imprisoned.”
Cliff, being a lawyer, could not have been unaware of this. He would have expected that even if his life was spared, he would also have his assets confiscated or the fines that would follow.
Even if they knew that, did they not prepare for it?
“His father is a lawyer. He has been the legal advisor to the Rhineland family for a long time.”
If his father, who was also a lawyer, was the one Cliff most trusted, he would have hidden the assets and documents that Cliff had embezzled.
“Where is the Ackermann family now?”
Beaufort Ackermann, Cliff's father, was staying in the Viscounty of Cornwall, a day's drive north of the capital, after his son's death.
Normally, it would have been difficult to plan a two-day round trip without any confirmation, but...
'I guess I should say it's fortunate that I have a lot of time since business is bad.'
Fortunately, it wasn't fortunate at all, but thanks to the priest's interference, I was able to relax quite a bit.
Of course, I was able to decide to go because there hadn't been any murders in the past few days.
'Where on earth is the priest lying down?'
If he died, that was good, but if he didn't, I had to find a priest before he could recover.
I and Erne left the store with Henry and Ryan and set off with only our simple luggage. They stopped by Smith's office before leaving the capital.
“Oh, I see the Countess of Rhineland has finally made up her mind.”
“Make up my mind?”
“Didn’t you come here to say that you’re going to change your line of work?”
As I shook my head, Smith let out a long, snorting sound. It seemed odd that I had come to his office on a day that wasn't interest-paying.
“Then why did you come? It’s not even the day to pay interest. No way.”
Smith's eyes, which were shiny with oil, became dim.
“Are you trying to borrow money again?”
“That’s nonsense.”
Erne answered quickly. Where did Erne Rhineland, who originally had no interest in money, go? These days, he is absolutely disgusted by debt. Especially usury.
“Don’t say anything like that, I’ll pay off the remaining money in no time.”
“Business isn’t going well, so, aren't you shouting too loudly, Sir Erne?”
Smith twirled his beard with his fingers.
“For Sir Erne, I don’t know if I told you that there are many arenas that this Smith has his eye on.”
The Luhmann brothers behind Smith chuckled. Ern shook her head.
“Mr. Smith, I’m here today on something else.”
“Oh, really. Since you say neither of these is true, I’m really curious to know what’s going on.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Smith's expression changed strangely when he suddenly brought up the main topic.
“Have you heard that there’s a serial killer on the loose these days?”
“Of course I know.”
“I think the killer’s next target will be Mr. Smith.”
Smith just smiled as if he was dumbfounded. But it was a reasonable guess.
The priest targets the people around me. There is also a standard for the punishment. Only those who have committed a sin are killed.
I tried to think of the sinners around me. No one came to mind, but one person suddenly came to mind: Smith.
He was a notorious moneylender, so killing him would bring him fame, and I, who was on fairly good terms with Smith as an honest debtor, would suffer from guilt, so it was a win-win situation.
“The murders have been quiet lately, but you never know.”
“Oh, phew, such useless worries.”
Even though I had thought it through and told him the story, Smith burst into laughter as if he was really taken aback. What was so funny about it was that Smith even burst into tears.
“Don’t worry, Ma’am. Our boss is always fighting like this.”
“Our boss is quite strong.”
Brother Luhmann, who was on the boat with them, calmed down first and spoke a few words to each other.
“Everyone was caught off guard and got hurt. I’m sure Mastura knew that he got hurt too.”
Erne frowned as if he didn't like the sight of that smile.
“Don’t worry. Mastura? How can you compare me to someone who boasts only about his size? Oh my, this is the first time I’ve heard such absurd words.”
Smith, who had been shaking his head, added a word.
“Except for the word ‘son’.”
That sound must have been quite absurd. I, the one who had made him feel astonished, shrugged my shoulders.
“You really have a lot to worry about. You should be making more money instead.”
Smith clicked his tongue.
“If that judge or examiner comes, I will hold him. Then, will the higher-ups over there give me a reward?”
“Just catch him. What’s the reward? I think you can even take a tour of the palace.”
Smith rubbed his palms together, saying that his gums were pulling. I was momentarily speechless, for he looked just like a swindler plotting a scheme.
It is a feat, if anything, to be able to make such a vulgar pledge to catch a serial killer and rebel leader.
“And there’s one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“What did you see in Cedric Rhineland that made you lend him 200 million gold?”
“Wasn’t that the time when Sir Cedric Rhineland’s business was booming? He was so skinny that it wouldn’t have been strange if he died at any time.”
Smith recalled that time and let out a soft sigh.
“I thought that even if Sir Cedric were to break it, the remaining Rhineland family wealth would be enough to make up for the 200 million gold.”
“But?”
“When I went to the Rhineland family after Sir Cedric died, I couldn’t find any property, not even an ant.”
Smith's story ends with an unpleasant ending for me, who Smith thought he had been scammed, but was relieved when I showed up.
“But why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Oh, I suspect that Mr. Cliff, who was Sir Cedric’s lawyer, embezzled our family fortune.”
I added that I had stopped by briefly on my way to retrieve the property.
“Only two people? Should I lend you the Luhmann brothers?”
“Two is enough.”
I shook my head and stood up.
“Anyway, take care, Mr. Smith. That guy might use witchcraft.”
“Yes, yes, I will keep that in mind, Ma’am.”
Smith then showed off the various amulets he had on his arms and inside his clothes. He said that he was always prepared for people who borrowed money from him and cursed him.
We left the office, feeling somewhat less worried.
Smith also fights a bit, and Brother Luhmann also hangs out with him, so what could happen?
He didn't say anything to alert Smith, but there was a good chance the priest wouldn't be able to move at this point.
Just looking at the fact that no murders have occurred in the past few days since the mirror was broken, it seems like that.
So little did I, Erne or even Smith himself know that this would be their last meeting with Smith.
I spoke, looking between Erne and Cain. They looked as if they did not understand what I was talking about.
“When the Followers asked how to find a safe house, Tia said, there are safe houses all over the empire, and you just have to choose one and move to it.”
Even before the rebellion, the Followers had been moving around the empire, causing chaos to expand their influence or raise funds.
They then set up hideouts throughout the empire, which they used to hide themself after the rebellion.
“So, Madam, are you saying that there is already a hideout prepared in the capital and that it is possible that Cliff Ackerman provided that hideout?”
“Yes. I believe that Mr. Cliff embezzled the Rhineland family fortune and used it to support the Followers.”
Cedric Rhineland amassed a great fortune thanks to the gold bug. Cliff, who was clever and smart, would have worked beside Cedric to handle the paperwork and occasionally embezzled the money.
Then, when all the members of the Rhineland family finally died, he must have swallowed up the property.
Since Erne was the only remaining heir, it would have been easy to falsify various documents.
He probably used the embezzled property for himself and also gave some of it to the Followers.
“He may not only have given them money but also provided them with a house that could be used as a hideout.”
Of course, this is just a guess, but it was worth a try since there was absolutely no idea where the priest was lying around.
We also recovered the Rhineland family's assets that Cliff had embezzled.
“The problem is, we don’t know where Cliff put the stolen money.”
If Cliff were alive, I would have tried to coax or threaten him, but he was already dead.
“Isn’t Cliff’s father alive?”
Erne opened his mouth as if a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“Cliff used me to escape from the clutches of the Followers.”
Cliff sent Erne a secret message saying he was being threatened by the Followers.
“When he handed over that note, Cliff must have known he was going to be imprisoned.”
Cliff, being a lawyer, could not have been unaware of this. He would have expected that even if his life was spared, he would also have his assets confiscated or the fines that would follow.
Even if they knew that, did they not prepare for it?
“His father is a lawyer. He has been the legal advisor to the Rhineland family for a long time.”
If his father, who was also a lawyer, was the one Cliff most trusted, he would have hidden the assets and documents that Cliff had embezzled.
“Where is the Ackermann family now?”
***
Beaufort Ackermann, Cliff's father, was staying in the Viscounty of Cornwall, a day's drive north of the capital, after his son's death.
Normally, it would have been difficult to plan a two-day round trip without any confirmation, but...
'I guess I should say it's fortunate that I have a lot of time since business is bad.'
Fortunately, it wasn't fortunate at all, but thanks to the priest's interference, I was able to relax quite a bit.
Of course, I was able to decide to go because there hadn't been any murders in the past few days.
'Where on earth is the priest lying down?'
If he died, that was good, but if he didn't, I had to find a priest before he could recover.
I and Erne left the store with Henry and Ryan and set off with only our simple luggage. They stopped by Smith's office before leaving the capital.
“Oh, I see the Countess of Rhineland has finally made up her mind.”
“Make up my mind?”
“Didn’t you come here to say that you’re going to change your line of work?”
As I shook my head, Smith let out a long, snorting sound. It seemed odd that I had come to his office on a day that wasn't interest-paying.
“Then why did you come? It’s not even the day to pay interest. No way.”
Smith's eyes, which were shiny with oil, became dim.
“Are you trying to borrow money again?”
“That’s nonsense.”
Erne answered quickly. Where did Erne Rhineland, who originally had no interest in money, go? These days, he is absolutely disgusted by debt. Especially usury.
“Don’t say anything like that, I’ll pay off the remaining money in no time.”
“Business isn’t going well, so, aren't you shouting too loudly, Sir Erne?”
Smith twirled his beard with his fingers.
“For Sir Erne, I don’t know if I told you that there are many arenas that this Smith has his eye on.”
The Luhmann brothers behind Smith chuckled. Ern shook her head.
“Mr. Smith, I’m here today on something else.”
“Oh, really. Since you say neither of these is true, I’m really curious to know what’s going on.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Smith's expression changed strangely when he suddenly brought up the main topic.
“Have you heard that there’s a serial killer on the loose these days?”
“Of course I know.”
“I think the killer’s next target will be Mr. Smith.”
Smith just smiled as if he was dumbfounded. But it was a reasonable guess.
The priest targets the people around me. There is also a standard for the punishment. Only those who have committed a sin are killed.
I tried to think of the sinners around me. No one came to mind, but one person suddenly came to mind: Smith.
He was a notorious moneylender, so killing him would bring him fame, and I, who was on fairly good terms with Smith as an honest debtor, would suffer from guilt, so it was a win-win situation.
“The murders have been quiet lately, but you never know.”
“Oh, phew, such useless worries.”
Even though I had thought it through and told him the story, Smith burst into laughter as if he was really taken aback. What was so funny about it was that Smith even burst into tears.
“Don’t worry, Ma’am. Our boss is always fighting like this.”
“Our boss is quite strong.”
Brother Luhmann, who was on the boat with them, calmed down first and spoke a few words to each other.
“Everyone was caught off guard and got hurt. I’m sure Mastura knew that he got hurt too.”
Erne frowned as if he didn't like the sight of that smile.
“Don’t worry. Mastura? How can you compare me to someone who boasts only about his size? Oh my, this is the first time I’ve heard such absurd words.”
Smith, who had been shaking his head, added a word.
“Except for the word ‘son’.”
That sound must have been quite absurd. I, the one who had made him feel astonished, shrugged my shoulders.
“You really have a lot to worry about. You should be making more money instead.”
Smith clicked his tongue.
“If that judge or examiner comes, I will hold him. Then, will the higher-ups over there give me a reward?”
“Just catch him. What’s the reward? I think you can even take a tour of the palace.”
Smith rubbed his palms together, saying that his gums were pulling. I was momentarily speechless, for he looked just like a swindler plotting a scheme.
It is a feat, if anything, to be able to make such a vulgar pledge to catch a serial killer and rebel leader.
“And there’s one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“What did you see in Cedric Rhineland that made you lend him 200 million gold?”
“Wasn’t that the time when Sir Cedric Rhineland’s business was booming? He was so skinny that it wouldn’t have been strange if he died at any time.”
Smith recalled that time and let out a soft sigh.
“I thought that even if Sir Cedric were to break it, the remaining Rhineland family wealth would be enough to make up for the 200 million gold.”
“But?”
“When I went to the Rhineland family after Sir Cedric died, I couldn’t find any property, not even an ant.”
Smith's story ends with an unpleasant ending for me, who Smith thought he had been scammed, but was relieved when I showed up.
“But why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Oh, I suspect that Mr. Cliff, who was Sir Cedric’s lawyer, embezzled our family fortune.”
I added that I had stopped by briefly on my way to retrieve the property.
“Only two people? Should I lend you the Luhmann brothers?”
“Two is enough.”
I shook my head and stood up.
“Anyway, take care, Mr. Smith. That guy might use witchcraft.”
“Yes, yes, I will keep that in mind, Ma’am.”
Smith then showed off the various amulets he had on his arms and inside his clothes. He said that he was always prepared for people who borrowed money from him and cursed him.
We left the office, feeling somewhat less worried.
Smith also fights a bit, and Brother Luhmann also hangs out with him, so what could happen?
He didn't say anything to alert Smith, but there was a good chance the priest wouldn't be able to move at this point.
Just looking at the fact that no murders have occurred in the past few days since the mirror was broken, it seems like that.
So little did I, Erne or even Smith himself know that this would be their last meeting with Smith.
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