'Philippe has chosen an incredible role.'
Just imagining how difficult it would have been to have to act out every moment as a harmonious family, as best friends, etc., made her tired.
“Don’t be too upset. I’m here with you, Elise!”
Elise shrugged as she watched Mary speak cheerfully.
“Yeah. It’s so nice having you here.”
Mary's eyes widened as her answer was unexpected.
“Oh, and you too, Elise.”
Then, she wrapped her arms around her and twisted her body. After giving Mary ample time to be happy, Elise spoke in a sly tone.
“You know, Mary. I have something to ask you.”
“Yes, what is it?”
"Do you know what this is? It's a mid-level item with a script in it."
At Elise's gesture, Mary's gaze turned to her ring finger.
“Yes. You showed me before.”
“Is there any way to upgrade this?”
“...?”
Mary looked at Elise with a puzzled expression.
“No, I mean, maybe you could ask the Fantasy Control Tower for information other than the script.”
“Huh? Is that possible?”
“...”
'As expected, this kid knows almost nothing.'
Elise let out a small sigh.
“Have you ever used something like this?”
Mary nodded.
"Yes. There aren't many of these even in the tower. They aren't issued to low-level investigators like me."
“Really? If you put it that way, I’m the newbie.”
"Elise, you were scouted. You're being treated as an experienced worker."
As Elise snorted, Mary snuggled closer to her and whispered.
“It’s a secret, but I heard that several other towers besides our Fantasy Control Tower wanted to recruit Elise.”
“...Are there any other towers?”
It was the first time she heard of such a thing.
"Of course. Some are sent to the real world, not the fantasy world, and some are sent to the public relations department or the diplomatic department, which are the face of the middle ground. It's diverse."
"I see. I had no idea. I was so pressed for time that I only heard a few details from Philippe about this mission."
Aside from the information about the other towers, she received various information from Philippe, but she pretended not to hear. She wanted to double-check with Mary, just in case Philippe's information was inaccurate.
'Because he seems really bad at lying.'
"Oh, I see. Don't worry. I'll tell you everything I know!"
“Would you mind? Thank you so much, Mary.”
Elise smiled and took her hand, shaking it gently.
'Well, let's see what Mary knows.'
Mary told Elise everything she knew about the Middle Zone, just as she'd hoped. She also did her best to explain the upper and lower worlds to her.
Elise synthesized what she had heard from Philippe and what Mary had told her, confirming and organizing the assumptions she had made in her head.
People in the real world become members of the afterlife, the upper world, the middle world, or the underworld, depending on how they lived. It's unclear when these afterlives first came into existence, but the middle world was the last of the three to emerge. Its history is likely similar to that of humans.
The "middle ground" might sound like a neutral zone between the upper world and the underworld, but in reality, it often cooperates with the upper world. The reason is simple: while the agents of the upper world don't break the rules of the world without separate surveillance, the demons engage in madness, resorting to any means necessary.
"The balance is already tilted. If we don't intervene, eight or nine out of ten people will fall into the hands of demons. Trapped in the underworld's factories, ugh, they won't even know how terrible it will be."
Elise asked, looking at Mary, who was shivering.
"Is it really that bad? Judging from the movies, they're all partying around in clubs and such."
“Hey, that’s a tourist attraction.”
"Ah."
Elise quickly understood what she meant.
"The upper world agents, old-fashioned and incapable of cleverly manipulating the rules, are powerless against the devil's schemes. It's frustrating for us, but when it comes to their special abilities, the upper world agents are the devil's natural enemies, so we use them to our advantage."
"I see."
Elise's mind flashed with images of Lucas, boasting 500 years of experience. She nodded in agreement.
'Whew... If it were him, he'd have said everything.'
Anyway, except for a few additional facts, the information Philippe had given her was consistent with what Mary had told her.
'That's fortunate, but...'
Unfortunately, Mary knew little about the items that existed in the Middle Zone. Naturally, she had no idea that there were system versions or that certain areas could temporarily connect to the Middle Zone.
“I never thought about that, but Elise is truly amazing!”
“...No, well, in the era I lived in, these types of machines were quite developed.”
“I don’t know much about that, but there is one investigator who might know.”
“Huh? Really?”
"Yes! He's the investigator who served as Marquis Clanton's groom, as I mentioned before. He's part of the Tower's Item Development Department."
“Why was a kid like that sent out as an investigator?”
“He said he was going to experiment with what he made... He kept it hidden and wouldn’t let me see it, so I had no choice but to send it to Philippe.”
“...”
It seemed that there was another investigator who was just as abnormal as Mary.
'He's the investigator who's in charge of the groom for the Marquis of Clanton... I should ask Lucas in advance.'
Elise took out some stationery, a pen, and ink from the desk drawer. She roughly scribbled down what she'd planned and immediately handed it over to Mary.
"Please post a letter to Lucas right away. If you don't know how to mail it, you can ask Kate or Bernard."
“Yes! I’ll be back soon!”
Mary took the letter as if it were some top-secret document, clutching it in her bosom. She opened the bedroom door slightly, looked around as if she were filming a spy movie, and then dashed out. It was unbearable.
'If all the investigators were like her, it would be a real problem.'
Elise shook her head and went into the bathroom. Talking to Mary had taken quite some time, but the water in the bathtub, enchanted with warmth, was already wisping with white steam.
'In some ways, it's a really convenient world.'
Stripping down to her underwear and stepping into the bathtub, she felt like heaven. With a sigh of relief, Elise tapped her ring again. A yellow dot was busily moving around the map.
No matter how innocent Mary seemed and how naive she acted, Elise had no intention of sharing all the information with her.
Mary was not Elise's subordinate, but Philippe's, and an investigator at the Mid-Zone Fantasy Control Tower. Her desire to contribute to the world was never guaranteed to conflict with Elise's personal interests.
'And she's so honest. Even if she lies, it'll be obvious right away.'
As long as the devil was out and about with his eyes wide open, she had to keep in mind the possibility of Mary running into him.
She intended to share the information necessary to find the investigator, but kept some details hidden. For example, she didn't tell Mary about her deal with Lucas. She didn't tell Mary what she had agreed to do in exchange for his help.
'Let's not even talk about the fantasy lake for now.'
These are things that have their uses, but if they are taken back or made unusable because they go against the principle of the middle ground, wouldn't it be a loss for her?
'Let's move slowly, taking only the safest and most certain route possible.'
After all, the purpose of everything she did was her own happiness. To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable afterlife, she had to eliminate as many variables as possible.
'And Cain, I'm going to cleanly end my bad relationship with that guy.'
Elise, having gathered all her thoughts, cleared her head and relaxedly leaned back in the bathtub.
Stress is not only the root of all evil, but isn't it the skin's natural enemy? It would be foolish to not enjoy the luxury of a luxurious bath with the finest bath salts.
'I should ask for a massage when I'm done.'
Elise smiled happily as she pictured herself shining brightly from head to toe.
Since Blake and Count Luos's conversation hadn't yet concluded, Elise ate breakfast alone. As she'd requested, scones, tea, and fruit salad were served on the table.
Elise let out a happy moan as she took a bite of the buttery scone.
'This is life.'
For her, who had not been able to enjoy the pleasure of eating due to dieting, weight management, and body management, her current body, which remains thin no matter how much she eats, is a blessing.
Kirk, the chef at the Grand Duke of Frozen, was truly the best. Perhaps it was the freshness of the ingredients, but Elise had never tasted such delicious scones in her life.
After dinner, while drinking tea, Elise reviewed Kate's written list of things to pack. Everything she needed could be found in the capital, so it wasn't particularly important. However, Elise was curious about what Kate felt was absolutely essential.
And she was once again able to confirm Kate's competence. Almost everything Elise had ever praised as "good" during their time at the castle was on the list.
'I especially like wine.'
Of course, she could find good quality wine in the capital, but isn't the original principle of alcohol the more the better? Since the taste and aroma would differ, she just enjoys whatever she bought as is.
'I guess I didn't even need to bring a tea set.'
Still, it was natural that Kate's thoughtfulness brought a smile to her face.
Just as Elise set down her teacup and stuffed the last piece of scone into her mouth, the dining room door opened. As she munched on her meal, Blake approached the table, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside her.
“I’m late.”
It was obvious that he had come in a hurry.
"No. You haven't even eaten yet? If I had known this would happen, I would have waited."
“It’s okay. But...”
Blake glanced at the table. He glanced at the breadcrumbs remaining on a palm-sized plate, the equally small salad plate, and the teacup, then looked at her.
“Is this really all?”
"Yes?"
“Is this all you ate?”
“Ah... yes. That’s true, but...”
He ordered his servant to summon Chef Kirk. Elise stared blankly, her expression puzzled.
Chef Kirk came out of the kitchen with a face full of anxiety and approached Blake, patting his head.
“Your Highness, have you called?”
Blake said, looking at Kirk with cold eyes.
"Kirk. Isn't the Grand Duchess's food a bit lacking? Could it be that it's always like this when I'm not checking?"
“Oh, Blake. I asked him to do that.”
Elise tugged at his sleeve as she spoke, but Blake's cold gaze remained fixed on Kirk. He looked at Blake and Elise with a puzzled expression, then quickly bowed.
"I'm sorry. It was my mistake. I'll make sure it never happens again."
"If she requests anything, bring it in addition to the formal meal. Even if she leaves some, make sure to prepare all of Madam's meals faithfully."
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Only after hearing his answer did Blake's stiff expression soften slightly.
"Yes, I'll believe you. My wife has complimented your cooking skills many times. I'll be dining with you again, so I hope you'll do your best."
“Yes, Your Highness. Please leave it to me.”
Kirk, with a look of intense determination, answered and hurried back to the kitchen. Only then did Blake's gaze turn to Elise. Elise was dumbfounded, blinking. It was at moments like this that she truly felt like a noblewoman.
“Elise.”
"Yes?"
"Regardless of your circumstances in Clanton, you are now the Grand Duchess of the duchy. I dislike the idea that those who serve you are simply too easy to serve."
'No, I'm actually a bit of a prickly person.'
“And I think you’re eating too little.”
She had something to say about that.
“I’m used to not eating breakfast.”
He looked at Elise with a surprised expression.
"You're saying they didn't even feed you properly? Then why is your body so frail...?"
“No. I just don’t want to eat it...”
But Blake didn't seem to believe her. She sensed his opinion of Clanton was deteriorating significantly. Elise quietly avoided his gaze.
‘...I don’t know. What do I know?’
Just imagining how difficult it would have been to have to act out every moment as a harmonious family, as best friends, etc., made her tired.
“Don’t be too upset. I’m here with you, Elise!”
Elise shrugged as she watched Mary speak cheerfully.
“Yeah. It’s so nice having you here.”
Mary's eyes widened as her answer was unexpected.
“Oh, and you too, Elise.”
Then, she wrapped her arms around her and twisted her body. After giving Mary ample time to be happy, Elise spoke in a sly tone.
“You know, Mary. I have something to ask you.”
“Yes, what is it?”
"Do you know what this is? It's a mid-level item with a script in it."
At Elise's gesture, Mary's gaze turned to her ring finger.
“Yes. You showed me before.”
“Is there any way to upgrade this?”
“...?”
Mary looked at Elise with a puzzled expression.
“No, I mean, maybe you could ask the Fantasy Control Tower for information other than the script.”
“Huh? Is that possible?”
“...”
'As expected, this kid knows almost nothing.'
Elise let out a small sigh.
“Have you ever used something like this?”
Mary nodded.
"Yes. There aren't many of these even in the tower. They aren't issued to low-level investigators like me."
“Really? If you put it that way, I’m the newbie.”
"Elise, you were scouted. You're being treated as an experienced worker."
As Elise snorted, Mary snuggled closer to her and whispered.
“It’s a secret, but I heard that several other towers besides our Fantasy Control Tower wanted to recruit Elise.”
“...Are there any other towers?”
It was the first time she heard of such a thing.
"Of course. Some are sent to the real world, not the fantasy world, and some are sent to the public relations department or the diplomatic department, which are the face of the middle ground. It's diverse."
"I see. I had no idea. I was so pressed for time that I only heard a few details from Philippe about this mission."
Aside from the information about the other towers, she received various information from Philippe, but she pretended not to hear. She wanted to double-check with Mary, just in case Philippe's information was inaccurate.
'Because he seems really bad at lying.'
"Oh, I see. Don't worry. I'll tell you everything I know!"
“Would you mind? Thank you so much, Mary.”
Elise smiled and took her hand, shaking it gently.
'Well, let's see what Mary knows.'
Mary told Elise everything she knew about the Middle Zone, just as she'd hoped. She also did her best to explain the upper and lower worlds to her.
Elise synthesized what she had heard from Philippe and what Mary had told her, confirming and organizing the assumptions she had made in her head.
People in the real world become members of the afterlife, the upper world, the middle world, or the underworld, depending on how they lived. It's unclear when these afterlives first came into existence, but the middle world was the last of the three to emerge. Its history is likely similar to that of humans.
The "middle ground" might sound like a neutral zone between the upper world and the underworld, but in reality, it often cooperates with the upper world. The reason is simple: while the agents of the upper world don't break the rules of the world without separate surveillance, the demons engage in madness, resorting to any means necessary.
"The balance is already tilted. If we don't intervene, eight or nine out of ten people will fall into the hands of demons. Trapped in the underworld's factories, ugh, they won't even know how terrible it will be."
Elise asked, looking at Mary, who was shivering.
"Is it really that bad? Judging from the movies, they're all partying around in clubs and such."
“Hey, that’s a tourist attraction.”
"Ah."
Elise quickly understood what she meant.
"The upper world agents, old-fashioned and incapable of cleverly manipulating the rules, are powerless against the devil's schemes. It's frustrating for us, but when it comes to their special abilities, the upper world agents are the devil's natural enemies, so we use them to our advantage."
"I see."
Elise's mind flashed with images of Lucas, boasting 500 years of experience. She nodded in agreement.
'Whew... If it were him, he'd have said everything.'
Anyway, except for a few additional facts, the information Philippe had given her was consistent with what Mary had told her.
'That's fortunate, but...'
Unfortunately, Mary knew little about the items that existed in the Middle Zone. Naturally, she had no idea that there were system versions or that certain areas could temporarily connect to the Middle Zone.
“I never thought about that, but Elise is truly amazing!”
“...No, well, in the era I lived in, these types of machines were quite developed.”
“I don’t know much about that, but there is one investigator who might know.”
“Huh? Really?”
"Yes! He's the investigator who served as Marquis Clanton's groom, as I mentioned before. He's part of the Tower's Item Development Department."
“Why was a kid like that sent out as an investigator?”
“He said he was going to experiment with what he made... He kept it hidden and wouldn’t let me see it, so I had no choice but to send it to Philippe.”
“...”
It seemed that there was another investigator who was just as abnormal as Mary.
'He's the investigator who's in charge of the groom for the Marquis of Clanton... I should ask Lucas in advance.'
Elise took out some stationery, a pen, and ink from the desk drawer. She roughly scribbled down what she'd planned and immediately handed it over to Mary.
"Please post a letter to Lucas right away. If you don't know how to mail it, you can ask Kate or Bernard."
“Yes! I’ll be back soon!”
Mary took the letter as if it were some top-secret document, clutching it in her bosom. She opened the bedroom door slightly, looked around as if she were filming a spy movie, and then dashed out. It was unbearable.
'If all the investigators were like her, it would be a real problem.'
Elise shook her head and went into the bathroom. Talking to Mary had taken quite some time, but the water in the bathtub, enchanted with warmth, was already wisping with white steam.
'In some ways, it's a really convenient world.'
Stripping down to her underwear and stepping into the bathtub, she felt like heaven. With a sigh of relief, Elise tapped her ring again. A yellow dot was busily moving around the map.
‘Should I show this to Mary, or not?’
Mary was not Elise's subordinate, but Philippe's, and an investigator at the Mid-Zone Fantasy Control Tower. Her desire to contribute to the world was never guaranteed to conflict with Elise's personal interests.
'And she's so honest. Even if she lies, it'll be obvious right away.'
As long as the devil was out and about with his eyes wide open, she had to keep in mind the possibility of Mary running into him.
She intended to share the information necessary to find the investigator, but kept some details hidden. For example, she didn't tell Mary about her deal with Lucas. She didn't tell Mary what she had agreed to do in exchange for his help.
'Let's not even talk about the fantasy lake for now.'
These are things that have their uses, but if they are taken back or made unusable because they go against the principle of the middle ground, wouldn't it be a loss for her?
'Let's move slowly, taking only the safest and most certain route possible.'
After all, the purpose of everything she did was her own happiness. To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable afterlife, she had to eliminate as many variables as possible.
'And Cain, I'm going to cleanly end my bad relationship with that guy.'
Elise, having gathered all her thoughts, cleared her head and relaxedly leaned back in the bathtub.
Stress is not only the root of all evil, but isn't it the skin's natural enemy? It would be foolish to not enjoy the luxury of a luxurious bath with the finest bath salts.
'I should ask for a massage when I'm done.'
Elise smiled happily as she pictured herself shining brightly from head to toe.
***
Since Blake and Count Luos's conversation hadn't yet concluded, Elise ate breakfast alone. As she'd requested, scones, tea, and fruit salad were served on the table.
Elise let out a happy moan as she took a bite of the buttery scone.
'This is life.'
For her, who had not been able to enjoy the pleasure of eating due to dieting, weight management, and body management, her current body, which remains thin no matter how much she eats, is a blessing.
Kirk, the chef at the Grand Duke of Frozen, was truly the best. Perhaps it was the freshness of the ingredients, but Elise had never tasted such delicious scones in her life.
After dinner, while drinking tea, Elise reviewed Kate's written list of things to pack. Everything she needed could be found in the capital, so it wasn't particularly important. However, Elise was curious about what Kate felt was absolutely essential.
And she was once again able to confirm Kate's competence. Almost everything Elise had ever praised as "good" during their time at the castle was on the list.
'I especially like wine.'
Of course, she could find good quality wine in the capital, but isn't the original principle of alcohol the more the better? Since the taste and aroma would differ, she just enjoys whatever she bought as is.
'I guess I didn't even need to bring a tea set.'
Still, it was natural that Kate's thoughtfulness brought a smile to her face.
Just as Elise set down her teacup and stuffed the last piece of scone into her mouth, the dining room door opened. As she munched on her meal, Blake approached the table, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside her.
“I’m late.”
It was obvious that he had come in a hurry.
"No. You haven't even eaten yet? If I had known this would happen, I would have waited."
“It’s okay. But...”
Blake glanced at the table. He glanced at the breadcrumbs remaining on a palm-sized plate, the equally small salad plate, and the teacup, then looked at her.
“Is this really all?”
"Yes?"
“Is this all you ate?”
“Ah... yes. That’s true, but...”
He ordered his servant to summon Chef Kirk. Elise stared blankly, her expression puzzled.
Chef Kirk came out of the kitchen with a face full of anxiety and approached Blake, patting his head.
“Your Highness, have you called?”
Blake said, looking at Kirk with cold eyes.
"Kirk. Isn't the Grand Duchess's food a bit lacking? Could it be that it's always like this when I'm not checking?"
“Oh, Blake. I asked him to do that.”
Elise tugged at his sleeve as she spoke, but Blake's cold gaze remained fixed on Kirk. He looked at Blake and Elise with a puzzled expression, then quickly bowed.
"I'm sorry. It was my mistake. I'll make sure it never happens again."
"If she requests anything, bring it in addition to the formal meal. Even if she leaves some, make sure to prepare all of Madam's meals faithfully."
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Only after hearing his answer did Blake's stiff expression soften slightly.
"Yes, I'll believe you. My wife has complimented your cooking skills many times. I'll be dining with you again, so I hope you'll do your best."
“Yes, Your Highness. Please leave it to me.”
Kirk, with a look of intense determination, answered and hurried back to the kitchen. Only then did Blake's gaze turn to Elise. Elise was dumbfounded, blinking. It was at moments like this that she truly felt like a noblewoman.
“Elise.”
"Yes?"
"Regardless of your circumstances in Clanton, you are now the Grand Duchess of the duchy. I dislike the idea that those who serve you are simply too easy to serve."
'No, I'm actually a bit of a prickly person.'
“And I think you’re eating too little.”
She had something to say about that.
“I’m used to not eating breakfast.”
He looked at Elise with a surprised expression.
"You're saying they didn't even feed you properly? Then why is your body so frail...?"
“No. I just don’t want to eat it...”
But Blake didn't seem to believe her. She sensed his opinion of Clanton was deteriorating significantly. Elise quietly avoided his gaze.
‘...I don’t know. What do I know?’
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