Chapter 114
Chapter 114
“Then I suppose there’s almost nothing known about Grand Duke Luwin either.”
“That’s right. However, there’s quite a difference between the imperial court’s and Count Adela’s opinions.”
This was something I hadn’t heard before.
I had thought that after the count’s eldest son went missing, the count was also focused on finding his son.
When I signaled for him to elaborate, the baron excitedly began to talk.
“Actually, rumors suggest that Count Adela requested it, but in reality, the count’s son died honorably in battle, and he wants to eradicate the demonic beasts.”
“Then why did the imperial court issue such an order?”
“Princess Leilyranda apparently requested it from His Majesty the Emperor.”
I found myself hesitating. There had been whispers, after all.
But I thought it was due to the Emperor’s desire to bury Cassis, Count Adela’s request, and the appeal from Princess Leilyranda, whose influence had been growing recently.
“So Count Adela is currently asking Princess Leilyranda to withdraw her request, but well…”
[SYSTEM | Quest ‘News from the East’ – ‘Baron Rihelo’s Territory’ completed]
[SYSTEM | Quest ‘News from the East’ has been completed.]
With this information, the quest ended. I thought it would take much longer to complete this quest, since I hadn’t progressed with the ‘Expand Stores’ quest.
[SYSTEM | Receiving reward ‘Teleport Gate Stone’.]
“…It might be easier than I thought.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. It’s not important.”
“So, Miss Irina, will you return to Jedo after the pop-up ends?”
I smiled slightly and shook my head.
Until now, I had been making preparations, assuming that Count Adela’s family would have completely different opinions from mine.
But in this context, it was clear that he would agree with Luwin, which meant Cassis wasn’t in as much danger as I thought.
“I need to go to Count Adela’s territory. This works out well. My master happens to be there too.”
* * *
“Who is this baby?”
“Lu & Cream’s third model.”
“Huh, this child?”
Seiren, who had come to Baron Rihelo’s territory out of boredom, asked about the child sitting alone in the store that was now being cleaned up.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“Luri!”
“Quite cute. Approved.”
I looked at Seiren with an incredulous smile.
As soon as Seiren arrived at the pop-up store today, she lived up to her role as the face of ‘Lu & Cream’ by moving around and showing her face to everyone.
People were thrilled by the appearance of the person they often saw in newspaper advertisements—none other than the only noble daughter of the great House Lemiere, and a former candidate for sainthood.
Seiren seemed to hesitate at first, but soon composed herself and waved to people with a calm face.
“Sister, are you going back to Jedo now?”
“No. I need to go to Adela now.”
“What? To the den of demonic beasts? Why? No! It’s dangerous!”
Seiren naturally objected.
I shrugged.
“What can I do? My master is there. I have to go.”
“I want to go too!”
“You can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
Seiren began to throw a tantrum, shaking her head back and forth without caring whether people were looking at her or not.
“I’m stronger than you! You’ve seen me beat up demonic beasts.”
“Oh dear… I don’t seem to remember that.”
With a deliberately fabricated expression of regret, I looked at Seiren once before handing her a very thick stack of documents.
“Still, I’m glad you came.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I had something for you to do.”
“…What is this?”
“I’ve made contracts with three families on my way here. They’ll handle setting up the stores themselves, but we still need to maintain consistency across all stores. Have the architectural team finalize the design for each store.”
“…”
“And we need to create new distribution routes, but I think if you give those documents to Yen, he’ll handle it well.”
She’ll probably curse me a bit, but what can I do? I’m going to do what I want.
Since Cassis transferred full authority to me before heading east, no one can say anything to me.
“…Why do you always make me work?”
“Oh my, Seiren. Believe it or not, you’re the hope of our Lu & Cream.”
We made a contract with a high salary, didn’t we?
“Hmph.”
“Anyway, if I took you to Adela, I don’t know what House Lemiere would say, so go back to Jedo.”
After comforting Seiren once, I addressed the little child sitting next to her.
“Luri, this is my business card, and do you know any advertisements that this sister has been in?”
“Yes! A very cool picture!”
“That’s good. Personally, I’d like Luri to be in such advertisements for ‘Lu & Cream’ too, what do you think?”
“…Me?”
I smiled slightly at the child, who started to sparkle with excitement.
“Seiren, when you return to Jedo, please tell Yen to find her and talk with her mother too.”
Seiren’s lips protruded in a pout.
“I just came to see you, why do you always make me work?”
“Well, because I didn’t come to play, I came to work.”
“Hmph.”
“I trust our Seiren.”
* * *
The road to Count Adela’s territory wasn’t difficult.
When I was about to head to Adela with two knights from Luwin and separately hired mercenaries, Baron Rihelo provided his own caravan, saying it would be convenient to travel together.
Coincidentally, they needed to procure food supplies requested by Count Adela.
The caravan seemed tiny in scale, and as soon as we arrived at Count Adela’s territory, I went to find the count.
“I’ve come looking for Grand Duke Cassis Luwin.”
Until now, I had visited each family presenting ‘Lu & Cream,’ but now I put Cassis and Luwin at the forefront.
This was also the reason for bringing the precious knights along on this long journey.
“…You must be Lady Irina Seike.”
“Yes. With the deepest respect, I serve His Grace, the Grand Duke.”
The count was a middle-aged man whose hair was beginning to gray. However, his physique was that of a robust soldier, suggesting he always kept himself in shape.
He looked me over with sharp eyes and said, “I heard that an uncultured merchant was heading east, and it seems the destination was indeed here.”
“I had to do this because teleport gate approval wouldn’t be granted otherwise.”
Having come this far, there was no need to hide anything more. I immediately revealed my purpose.
“Could I see Lord Cassis?”
“His Grace the Grand Duke is in Mashuf village.”
“Mashuf is the annihilated city, right? Also, a den of demonic beasts.”
“Yes.”
Although I already knew that proper support wasn’t being provided, I asked to see the count’s reaction.
“Is the support going well? How is the progress?”
“…”
“Count?”
The count stared at me without any change in expression, and only after I called him again did he speak.
“For someone who comes knowing everything, are such questions meant to rebuke me?”
The count, who had maintained a minimum level of courtesy toward me as Cassis Luwin’s subordinate, responded coldly.
“By imperial decree, the extermination of humanoid demonic beasts has been prohibited. And since extermination is prohibited, His Grace the Grand Duke supposedly has nothing to do, so supplies have been cut off.”
“How long have they been cut off?”
“Two months.”
“…”
Is our male lead fighting while going hungry too?
Seeing my troubled expression, the count added, “Officially it’s been two months, but well, we’ve been continuing to provide some small supplies secretly. Without the imperial army knowing.”
The count is definitely on our side, it seems.
“Is there a way for me to meet His Grace?”
“…Originally, he would come and go from the count’s mansion while conducting battles, but now he hasn’t been able to leave Mashuf for two weeks.”
“Is communication still possible?”
“…This is a letter delivered this morning.”
The count handed me a small piece of paper. On it, a familiar handwriting briefly explained the situation.
“Roen…”
The count stared at me and said, “So if you want to meet His Grace the Grand Duke, heading directly to Mashuf would be the fastest way.”
“Is going there not a problem?”
“Coming and going is entirely free. The problem is that you can’t lay a finger on humanoid demonic beasts.”
Avoiding the demonic beasts is the rule, but in Mashuf, there’s no exit that doesn’t run straight through them.
I let out a sigh, “Haah.”
I rolled the gate stone that had been in my inventory between my fingers.
Should I use this precious item now? Isn’t there another way?
While I was racking my brains, the count struck the table with a thud. He must have hit it hard, as the sound was quite loud.
The count spoke to me with a resolute face.
“Lady Seike, since time is of the essence, I’ll just make my request straightforwardly.”
“Yes?”
“Please find my son.”
[SYSTEM | Quest ‘Find the Eldest Son of Count Adela’ has arrived.]
* * *
“My son died in battle. He held out until support came from the imperial court, but eventually died. We couldn’t find his body. According to the aide, he was eaten by a demonic beast.”
Oh…
I was stunned by the count’s calm and quick explanation of his son’s death and how they couldn’t even find his body.
“My son died honorably in battle.”
“May he rest in peace.”
“It’s a soldier’s fate. He was just a proud child who did his duty as a member of the House of Adela.”
After speaking so calmly, the count continued with a slightly angry voice.
“Using my son as an excuse, the imperial court has prohibited hunting demonic beasts. My son was killed by a demonic beast, yet they issued an imperial decree saying he might have become a demonic beast, claiming to protect a demonic beast wearing my son’s skin!”
“…”
“I simply couldn’t understand it.”
The people of Adela’s territory were suffering because of demonic beasts, losing their homes, and several people were disappearing every day with not even their bodies being found.
News from Mashuf reported that residents were reappearing stained black, wielding tremendous power.
“To dare use my son, who died protecting the territory’s people, as an excuse?”
The count burst out laughing as if in disbelief, “Ha!”
“I cannot accept it, my lady.”
“And our lord got caught up in this.”
“More precisely, the Emperor used my son as an excuse to bind the Grand Duke, making Adela the sacrificial lamb.”
[SYSTEM | Quest ‘Find the Eldest Son of Count Adela’ has been updated.]
“So, my lady. I ask for your help. Please, along with Grand Duke Cassis and the knights of Luwin, find my son who has become a demonic beast. Bring him here and lift this absurd imperial decree.”
[Find the Eldest Son of Count Adela.
Count Adela’s eldest son died honorably in battle against demonic beasts. However, he was eaten by a demonic beast, making it impossible to ever find his body.
He will be resurrected according to the dark arts of ■■■ ■■■■■■. In the body of the demonic beast that made him so.
Regardless of what state Count Adela’s eldest son is in, once he is found, the imperial decree will immediately lose its effect.
Please find Count Adela’s eldest son and capture him alive.
Reward: Support from House Adela
Reward 2: Information about the mastermind]
