Volume 3 Chapter 78 We’ll Need Transportation, Right？ I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Natra stuffed the hand towel into her pocket and lifted her head.
Then, as usual, she added a remark that was hard to tell if it was a joke or her true feelings.
”At least if I were Elder Sister, I would have ditched Azrael with Sir Kian.”
* * *
She finished changing into her complete gear and stepped out of the room.
The hallway was swallowed by the pitch-black darkness, and the presence of the Servants had faded away.
From the corner of the building──specifically, the private room on the north side of the second floor──Serena’s magic power was radiating.
On the other hand, Priscilla’s magic power was nowhere to be sensed.
’Should you use this one?’
”We’ll track later. First, let’s meet up with Rufna and the others.”
”Understood. This way.”
Natra started walking toward the exit of the northern building.
Kian followed closely behind her.
The silence in the corridor was punctuated by the clanging sound of the ‘Silver Ice’ gear, which echoed unnaturally loud.
This outfit was much sturdier than the ‘Nightshade’ set and had special effects, but the inability to hide their presence was a major drawback.
It would be nice to get sound-proof fabric armor for situations where they could switch out gear.
’The northeastern ancient castle should have the design plans for the ‘Nightshade’ set too, right? If you take the materials to Guy, he could probably make it for you.’
(What? Design plans? Hearing that made me eager to get into Dacia quickly… But with my current assets, going to Dacia would be way too underwhelming. I needed to make Sarah earn some money, and Serena had to train; otherwise, her skills would fall way behind the other members.)
’For now, let’s stick to the plan. That area is probably a Griffin’s nest, right? No fool would just charge in there.’
(Yeah…)
”Sir Kian, did you notice the strange waves of magic power coming from the basement of the main building?”
Just as they reached the entrance of the northern building, Natra glanced back at Kian and said that.
”I notice. Her Excellency Maribel told me there’s a corpse soldier of the Owl’s familiar trapped over there. It seems one of the Servants got bitten and injured badly.”
”────. That vampire’s. I see. That’s very dangerous.”
”Do you know about the Bloodsucking Kind incidents happening in town? There are rumors from the Adventurer Guild in Izerland that the Owl’s familiar is killing Adventurers. I heard Owl sent a letter saying they could dispose of the soldiers, but if they take action without permission, it might lead to more trouble. It seems Her Excellency Maribel had a hard decision and decided to keep them contained.”
”The Bloodsucking Kind incidents… That’s why the Guild has been so restless. The area around the old Oswald estate is tightly guarded by the Sunlightland Knights led by Lady Eleonora. Is that strange atmosphere because a dangerous monster was unleashed within the fortress?”
”That’s right. It’s a long story, but yesterday at dusk, I went to the scene with Her Excellency and Lady Eleonora. There, we managed to come up with a pretty good idea of the culprit’s profile. If we can’t produce results after all this setup, it would be a laughable failure, so I believe you’re risking your reputation to track down the monster.”
Natra opened the door for them.
The smell of the night’s air, resembling rain, wafted in from outside.
Several torches were lit, and Beastmen guards held spears, their eyes sharp and alert.
They all lowered their heads when they saw Kian.
Since arriving at this fortress, only that Gao, the tiger Beastman, had been rude and confrontational.
”That Witch is clearly trying to poison Sir Kian while things are in such disarray. I will hear her intentions, but depending on her answer, she’ll have to pay a hefty cost.”
”Natra, if you cut Priscilla, it’ll cause an international mess. Renaud won’t just let us go easy either. It’s all about talking it out. If they attack first, fine, but we can’t just start stuff ourselves.”
”…Ugh… this is exactly why I hate the privileged class…!”
She were once part of that privileged class too… but Kian won’t bother pointing out that irony.
Natra ran ahead to the guard at the main entrance, guarding the main building.
The guard caught sight of Kian, and the door was immediately opened.
Inside, scents of Rufna, Christy, Sarah, and Lucretia could be sensed.
He just realized, but his vampire body abilities are even more enhanced──.
Even considering it’s night now, his senses are way too sharp.
Likely reason──He has been poisoned by Priscilla.
The ‘glasses’ mentioned it, and the poison mixed into their food was most likely ‘Thorn Demon’ extract. If she poisoned Maribel with the same stuff, then Priscilla’s actions are nothing short of treason against the border lord.
Greeting the guard and heading up to the third floor of the main building, sounds of Rufna and others talking could be heard from the corridor leading to Maribel’s bedroom.
Rufna and Sarah seemed to be talking with Lucretia and Mankovitch.
Christy’s magic power was coming from inside Maribel’s bedroom.
”────Master!”
Rufna, noticing Kian’s armor sound first, turns around.
Following the dark elf with a tengu mask, Lucretia and Mankovitch quickly hurried over.
Behind them, a woman with an okina’s mask──Sarah──moved silently to follow.
”Master Kian! We are so sorry for the trouble this time──.”
”Baron Mankovitch, no need to worry. How is Her Excellency Maribel’s condition?”
”Her Excellency is being looked after by Christina now. Master Kian, the poison used was some drug Christina and Lord Tengu do not recognize.”
”Saliva secretion, suppression of airways, it’s a dangerous poison that makes the target completely paralyzed. It also has a magic-like effect that changes the body to mainly breathe through skin like worms or leeches. The princess and the Master’s bodies adapted, but an ordinary person would have died right there.”
Rufna said that, while placing her hand on Kian’s neck just like she did with Natra, she also shined a lamp into his eyes and mouth, peering inside.
She then carefully checked his shoulders, hips, and other parts in turn.
”Ms. Priscilla.”
Kian glared alternately at Lucretia and Mankovitch and spoke.
”Ms. Priscilla put poison in our dinner. I think she either manipulated the chefs, the taste testers, or the maid serving us to slip poison onto the plates.”
”Hmm. We spoke to the cooks, but no one admitted to putting poison or making a deal with Lady Priscilla. Still, given the situation, she’s the only suspect. Her room was completely cleared out. Right after the dinner, she left this old Oswald estate immediately.”
”Did you send someone to follow Ms. Priscilla?”
”Well… it seems she’s somewhere on Lord Renaud’s land. If we move a big troop, Lady Eleonora and the other nobles will notice. I want to keep this quiet.”
Mankovitch said that, taking out a handkerchief to wipe sweat from his brow.
This man was very good with numbers and calculations, but when it came to incidents involving other powers, he only resorted to passive methods──his weakness.
As a diplomat, he was dangerously timid.
’Asking Baron to confront that rough guy… that’s cruel.’
(Well, Renaud is the type that even crying children shut up for.)
”…Even though I attended the dinner myself, I have no pride left at this rate.”
”Ms. Lucretia.”
”She was guided to her bedroom, changed clothes, and then suddenly collapsed… If I had been a step late, she would have hit her face on the floor. I could only respond by reacting too late to everything…”
Lucretia’s face, under the faint flickering light of the candlestick, was vividly blue.
This time, it was good that Priscilla didn’t have any killing intent, but if she had, she would’ve definitely pulled off the royal murder.
Including her duty as the kitchen supervisor, this was an unforgivable blunder for the head Witch.
If anyone were to call her out on it here, it would be harsh later when Eleonora and the nobles from the salon found out.
(It’s unfortunate, but with the position of head Witch, that can’t be helped.)
”What a tough situation… She probably didn’t even wish for this position. It really wasn’t her luck, especially with Lady Christina hurting her foot during the day.”
(Oh right. Christy, who always manages the meals, was resting at home… Was this just a coincidence?)
”──Alright! So far, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with your body. Seriously, you’ve got a ridiculously sturdy body. But hey, if you feel even a little weird, you tell me right away, okay? No holding back!”
”Yeah. I got it.”
”Kian.”
A thin voice came in from the side, almost like it switched places with Rufna.
It was Sarah, who had suddenly gotten close, and she had a creepy okina’s face which really spooked him inside.
”──────”
She silently sniffled beneath the mask.
Was she crying…?
He wondered, but Sarah didn’t do anything more and pulled back the hands she had almost stretched out.
Then she stepped back half a pace from the group, sinking into the shadows of the candlestick like air.
The atmosphere turned awkward, so to cover it up, Kian hurriedly turned back to Mankovitch.
”Uh… Baron, have you received a formal complaint from Châtillon?”
”Huh? Well, that’s…”
”Sorry, it’s not my place to ask. I understand there are complicated issues between Izerland and Châtillon. Is it okay to bring Ms. Priscilla here?”
”Huh, you’re calling for her, Lord Kian!? That’s… We couldn’t manage it, so yes.”
”If Lord Kian calls for her, I can only thank him.”
Mankovitch and Lucretia looked at each other and said that.
Kian nodded once and gave Rufna a sign with his eyes.
”When Her Excellency wakes up, please tell her I am at Lord Renaud’s mansion. I don’t plan to cause trouble, but if there’s any violence from their side, I’ll defend myself as much as I need to.”
”Please be very careful. Lord Renaud and Lady Priscilla are not human. Also, the knights guarding the mansion are brave warriors, on par with Lord Katze or Sir Guillaume. … Even the guard troops, when it comes to Lord Renaud, tend to shy away, only defending themselves.”
”Baron, I understand completely. It’s fine. Leave it to me.”
”Thank you very much.”
”Thank you, Lord Kian. Um… if it’s not trouble, I’ll come too.”
”Ms. Lucretia?”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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