As I said that, Carcel pulled me even closer into his arms.
Carcel's embrace was more comfortable than any place I had ever experienced.
At my words, which sounded like I was clinging to him, he whispered in an even more affectionate voice.
"Don't worry. I had no intention of leaving unless Asha told me to."
That voice, as if trying to reassure me, was extremely gentle.
A low, affectionate voice whispered to me, as if luring something out.
"There is nothing for Asha to worry about."
For some reason, right now I just wanted to believe his words.
I just nodded once.
For some reason, I felt as if Linea was staring at me from behind, and my reason snapped back in an instant.
"I, I'm sorry. I let my guard down for a moment."
As I pulled away from Carcel, I blushed out of embarrassment.
Come to think of it, there were quite a lot of people here.
I almost forgot.
He let me go and soothed me gently.
"It is dangerous to be out on the street like this at night. I should have bought Asha a communicator a long time ago."
"Ah, there you go again."
"What is there that I wouldn't do for Asha?"
Carcel made a suggestion to me in a serious tone.
"Asha, I don't mean to say this with ill intentions, but how about you come stay at my house?"
"Ah..."
Actually, I have no shame, but I intended to take refuge with Carcel for a while.
I was grateful that he asked me first.
So, I soon nodded and greeted him.
"Thank you."
"No, please leave the luggage here."
"You absolutely must not lose this. It's all evidence."
“Don’t worry.”
As I held out the bag, Carcel reached out his hand while holding it.
"Is your daughter alright?"
He also cautiously asked Linea, who was clinging tightly to my back with swollen eyes. Linea nodded somewhat timidly today.
"That's a relief. Please watch your feet."
And so, Linea and I headed to Carcel's mansion.
***
Linea was tired because she had a hard time today and even cried her eyes out.
It seemed like she had confirmed that it was safe. The child fell fast asleep as soon as she came out of the shower and didn't seem to notice me leaving the room.
I quietly closed Linea's door and walked away.
Carcel was waiting for me.
As I entered the room next to Linea, he pushed aside the documents he was looking at and stood up.
“Asha.”
"Carcel, thank you for today."
"Actually, I should have told you about the supervisor in advance, but I'm sorry I couldn't."
"No. There must have been a reason."
When I said that, Carcel gestured to me.
First, I followed his hand and sat comfortably on the sofa.
Only after washing up did I also relax, allowing me to sit much more comfortably.
"First, Asha, let's talk while we eat."
"Ah..."
I didn't say I skipped a meal today.
Carcel handed over the tomato stew and bread that were prepared behind him.
"Since it's before bed, I prepared something simple to eat. Your cheeks looked subtly sunken today, so it seemed like you might have skipped a meal."
"Thank you."
It was amazing that he noticed that difference, which was less than 1kg at most.
Carcel continued speaking while I was eating.
"You may just listen while you eat. The reason I assigned a watcher is, in fact, because Asha's in-laws had been keeping someone by you for some time."
"I assigned someone. Hmm. It's delicious."
"From what I found out, they said they found it suspicious that Asha suddenly acquired financial stability."
As expected.
Given my mother-in-law's personality, she likely wouldn't hesitate to follow someone.
"I was worried that something might go wrong, so I told him to report it immediately if any problems arose so that I could come over."
"Thanks to you, I even have a place to stay tonight, so I really don't know how to thank you..."
"Please continue to stay."
He subtly avoided the gaze I threw and continued speaking.
"Anyway... hmm, with the evidence Asha gathered, it seems we have a good chance of winning."
"That's a relief. And I have this too."
I took out the recording magic tool that I hadn't been able to give to Carcel.
"You remember this, right?"
So, it was before I returned to the Count's mansion today.
***
Isar hid his appearance for quite a while and then suddenly appeared.
In the midst of all this, Carcel and I were having a pleasant conversation.
"What do you want to be doing in five years, Carcel?"
"...You know what I want, don't you?"
"..."
Carcel's gaze as he looked at me seemed somewhat rough.
'You mean you want to marry me?'
Feeling awkward under that gaze, I hurriedly turned my head and acknowledged Isar.
“You’re here.”
"...None."
You saw it all.
I caught a glimpse of the look of contempt in Isar's eyes and grinned for no reason.
"Why? Should I include you?"
"I absolutely do not want to get involved. Anyway, I looked around, and..."
Isar cast a rather serious gaze at me, rather than the indifferent look from earlier.
"It seemed like it was worth a try."
"Then you will respect me as your employer, right?"
"Hmm."
It seems he dislikes that as well.
Isar let out a low sigh and swept his hair back haphazardly.
"Give it a try. Just don't try to toy with me. This is a field I know better than you do."
"Alright. Then, will you sign the contract?"
Isar nodded once.
And he opened his mouth.
"Internal detection is already complete, so we just need to start mining. We have also located the starting point."
“Right away?”
"It's so deep underground that I think ordinary wizards would have a hard time detecting it, but I'm different."
"Wow, is it possible to detect that?"
I let out a gasp. Then Isar replied with a look of dumbfoundedness, as if he were amazed that I was finding it fascinating when I had ordered it.
"If you don't trust me, spend more money and collect samples yourself."
"I believe you. It's just that I didn't realize Mr. Isar was such a capable person."
‘I knew the truth, but.’
For now, he assumes I don't know he's the Tower Master, so I guess I'll have to go along with that.
Isar, with a bored expression, opened his mouth.
"I’ll just go to the Marquis’s mansion to sign the contract, and then I’ll be on my way."
"Ah. Before that, you know. Once we sign the contract, could you let me purchase just one thing?"
I giggled.
Isar's eyebrows were raised crookedly.
"I heard it's not a commercially available item, but that wizards can easily make it?"
"First, sign the contract."
"Yes."
And the item I asked Isar to bring was...
"A magic tool that records?"
Isar, who had sent the contracts we had shared to an unknown place with a single gesture, asked with a dumbfounded expression.
I nodded my head vigorously.
"I want to buy it right away today."
"It's not that hard. Why?"
Carcel spoke sternly to him, who asked curtly.
"Asha isn't someone who acts without reason, so I think she could grant a request like that."
"What..."
Isar waved his hand in the air once more.
Then, this time, a small object I had never seen before lay in his hand.
"There is a reason why the Magic Tower does not permit the removal of inventions that have already been created. There are bound to be those who abuse this with malicious intent everywhere."
I also nodded to him as he spoke with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
"I understand your concerns. However, I only need this to secure evidence that my daughter is being abused by her grandmother."
Isar slowly tilted his head after hearing my words.
"So, is this necessary to obtain that evidence?"
"Yes, since direct violence wasn't used against the child, concrete evidence is needed."
Carcel also added weight to my words.
"The former mistress of the Delmore family is a cunning woman, so Asha will need that much evidence to win."
"If it's the Count Delmore family... isn't she an adopted daughter?"
Isar was dumbfounded, as if he knew even the Count's situation that day.
I also understood why he was making that face. However, I answered as if nothing was wrong, as I could.
"If we leave Linea behind, she will have to live in that house for at least another 10 years, enduring abuse from her family."
"So you are even willing to go through the hassle of bringing your adopted daughter out?"
"Even if Mr. Isar doesn't understand, that's how I am."
"Hmm."
Isar, who seemed to be contemplating for a moment, placed the magic tool he was holding on the table.
"Well, do as you please. I won't charge you, so let's just say I'll lend it to you for as long as I feel like it."
"Thank you."
Isar waved his hand as if he couldn't be bothered to listen to my words.
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