LIGHTNOVELSTORY EP.20
I returned to the palace and had a chat with Maria.
“So, you’re suggesting we track the flow of funds centered around the Wurttemberg Marquis Family?”
“That’s right.”
Maria pondered over the relationship map spread out on the table.
Well, it was certainly difficult to pry deeper into the affairs of the Wurttemberg Marquis Family through Yom. After all, the conflict had been resolved through a duel, and aside from that, there didn’t seem to be any blatant animosity between the families.
She still seemed to be concerned about me, but since I had confirmed that she had chosen me on her own, I figured she wouldn’t cause any trouble for me. Therefore, there was really no need to force an answer from Yom and create a rift.
However, a request is seldom one-sided. If there’s someone giving, there’s always someone receiving in return. Knowing who the counterpart was, I could investigate the other side to find answers.
“This is the list of individuals recognized by Yom in relation to the Marquis Family.”
“…You asked Yom directly?”
“Yep.”
“…The person I fought?”
“Well, if he lost in the duel, he’d just have to accept it.”
“Oh my.”
Maria looked at me with a slightly stunned expression. As our eyes met, she quickly turned her head away.
Well, I was aware of it. But what could I do when I had no friends in the capital? All my acquaintances were in the provinces or districts.
“Anyway.”
For some reason, I felt like the gazes of the surrounding servants and knights, who were trying to block any approach to me, were scolding me, so I changed the subject.
“However, if we dig around recklessly, the scope of our investigation will just balloon. It seems we need to narrow down a few suspect angles.”
“That’s basic investigation work.”
“Right, but the thing is, I don’t really know much about this.”
Having lived as a human for a considerable amount of time and being in this world for over twenty years, I had a decent grasp of how things worked and the general nature of people.
But one thing I absolutely lacked was understanding the dynamics of the nobility.
Of course, I was technically of noble birth, but though I was born a noble, my environment was closer to that of a warrior or a ronin. In fact, as the third son, I didn’t know much about how noble families operated.
“Do you have any guesses?”
That’s why I needed Maria’s help. She was the only person around me who was knowledgeable in this area and approachable enough for a consultation.
“Could you wait for a moment?”
Maria kept quiet and stared intently at the relationship map. After a while, she didn’t even blink and suddenly waved her finger. At her gesture, mana began to move.
The characters inscribed on the paper shone brightly, and letters began to float in the air, moving around. Each letter arranged itself into a cohesive chart under Maria’s guidance.
“I’ve organized the relationship map you brought a bit more neatly.”
“Is this also magic?”
“It’s just an application of a technique for drawing magic circles.”
“I’ve met wizards a few times, but I’ve never seen anyone who could do this.”
“…There aren’t many who reach the sixth tier.”
She blushed slightly at my compliment and, clearing her throat, continued to return to the main topic.
“Ahem, anyway, this is what I’ve managed to classify.”
She pointed with her finger at the Wurttemberg Marquis Family and the families they interacted with. However, in the chart she had organized, the family names were categorized into three types.
“On what basis did you divide them?”
“I categorized them based on where each family’s roots are.”
She proceeded to highlight each section from the left.
“The far left represents the provinces, the middle represents the capital, and the right includes those who pay attention to both.”
“Aha.”
I glanced over the list once again at her words. Indeed, I recognized several families on both the left and right. While I hadn’t received many invitations or requests, there were definitely quite a few places I had dropped by.
EP.20
“But there seems to be a lot more on the provincial side and among the compromise families than those in the capital?”
“That’s the point.”
Maria erased the few remaining names of the capital’s nobles and expanded the text on both sides.
“In most cases where such requests are made, there’s usually a problem or something that needs urgent attention, right?”
“That’s true.”
“But the fact that someone comes to the capital to make requests, focusing not on key figures but rather on local nobles… doesn’t that seem a bit strange?”
“…You have a point?”
While I was somewhat oblivious to the names of other nobles except for the Electoral Prince and those close to me, hearing it explained made it sound reasonable.
If someone’s lobbying in the capital and primarily targets local influential figures, then that’s definitely suspicious enough to raise an eyebrow.
“If this is true, we should consider two possibilities.”
She clustered each family name together to create two keywords.
“Either they are trying to inherit a title or something has gone awry in their territory.”
Though I had no idea what the truth would be, it didn’t really matter.
From now on, we would be taking action to find out.
—
Clack, clack.
The carriage carrying Maria was heading toward the noble’s mansion.
“You’re familiar with the operation, right?”
Maria’s voice came from inside the carriage.
“Of course.”
This time, I didn’t ride in the carriage with Maria; instead, I mobilized with full armor just like when I first escorted her. To thoroughly conceal my identity, I wore the regalia of the Iron Cross Order.
“While you’re holding up the Duke of the Empire, I’ll secure the physical evidence. Right?”
“Correctly understood.”
We filtered down what needed to be confirmed and quickly devised a plan.
The gist was simple. We would choose a family that belonged to the Empress faction but couldn’t outright refuse Maria and visit them.
The reason for selecting the Duke of the Empire was that a duke is appointed solely by the Emperor; thus, even if they were aligned with the Empress, they would have a hard time rubbing the imperial family the wrong way.
So, while Maria would engage in various conversations to buy time at the Duke’s mansion, I, disguised as a servant, would infiltrate to secure evidence.
It sounded easy in theory, but executing it proved to be quite the challenge.
Ultimately, the key was how I’d breach the mansion’s security and sneak in.
However, I did have confidence in that area.
Having hunted monsters that were tens, if not hundreds, of times more sensitive to presence than humans, I had a knack for these sorts of things.
“Have you memorized the blueprints of Duke Shupe’s estate?”
“It seemed simpler than expected. The issue with these mansions tends to be more about security than layout.”
“Don’t worry; using magic for security is virtually impossible within the castle. Casting magic on the buildings within the Palatinate for capital defenses is strictly prohibited except for the royal palace. If they do use magic, it would probably just be for locking mechanisms.”
Then there was no problem. If they were using magic, the risks associated with alarm spells would make it hard to get involved, but if it was just minor locking spells, that was a different story.
Ultimately, magic operates on mana, so considering the mana consumption and duration, spells cast on small objects would naturally have lower output.
Of course, there are exceptions, but those cases would cost far too much to waste just on a mansion, so they could be safely excluded.
“We’re almost there. Get ready.”
“Got it.”
I pulled my helmet down to cover my face and blended in with the knights.
Upon arriving at the mansion, the doors opened, and people came out to greet us. Maria’s carriage entered first, while we were guided to a separate area. As we waited in the midst of the procession, I took advantage of the dense garden and had the knights create a human wall, allowing me to discreetly slip out of the line.
‘First, let’s change clothes.’
I discreetly removed my helmet and armor, burying them in the ground. Thanks to my second-tier magic, I could easily manipulate small amounts of soil, so the task was completed in no time.
I made my way through the undergrowth rising above my waist and headed towards the mansion. The first place I aimed for was the servants’ quarters.
After all, while roaming around the mansion, there would come a time when I needed to navigate through bustling hallways. At that point, I’d want to move with confidence, so I needed to dress appropriately.
I rummaged through the male servants’ quarters and donned clothes that fit my size.
“Ugh, it’s a bit tight.”
Unfortunately, due to my slightly larger build compared to the era’s average, I couldn’t find anything that fit perfectly. If I made any sudden moves, I felt like I’d tear something.
But there was no choice; it was a sacrifice I had to make for the mission.
With that said, I trotted around the mansion dressed in a butler’s outfit.
There were two main places I needed to target.
One was the Duke of Shupe’s office, and the other was the bedroom. One of those two would surely house the evidence related to the request.
I didn’t think long about which to check first.
“Let’s start with the office.”
Security would undoubtedly be a bit less stringent in the office than in the bedroom.
Using my sword expert’s instincts, I utilized corners, pillars, and decorations to avoid detection as I made my way to the office.
Fortunately, there was no one around the office. It appeared to be empty since this space was not used unless the Duke himself was present.
I confirmed that the vicinity was clear and approached the doorknob.
Naturally, the door was locked tight. I couldn’t see any visible locks, but this was no challenge. I quickly managed to pop the door open using a wire.
“Now, where could the documents be hiding?”
I opened every drawer and cupboard, meticulously checking all the paperwork. I even inspected the books on the shelves, looking for any secret compartments but found nothing of the sort.
“It looks like I need to check the bedroom next.”
Sigh, I should’ve gone to the bedroom first if I’d known.
As I approached the door, my mouth watering at the thought of a keen investigation, I suddenly heard sounds approaching.
Clack, clack.
Footsteps were coming my way.
Chills ran down my spine, and my hairs stood on end. Thankfully, I had prepared things in advance, so I was in no immediate danger, but this certainly put me at risk of being discovered.
I scanned for somewhere to hide. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to conceal myself in the office. Perhaps the Duke had a taste for minimalism, as the furniture was designed to maintain only their most functional forms, leaving no place to hide without exposing part of my body.
“Hmmm~ Once I tidy up the office, I’ll be all done with my tasks~”
It seemed a maid was coming in to clean. At this rate, hoping she would pass by without entering the office seemed futile.
I had no time to waste. A quick decision needed to be made.
As I scrambled to think of a solution, an idea suddenly popped into my mind.
—
Click.
Unlocking the door, Anna, the head maid of the mansion, stepped into the Duke’s office. It was an important task that new maids, who hadn’t fully earned the Duke’s trust, were not allowed to undertake.
“Mmm~”
Knowing this was her last task for the day, Anna hummed to herself as she entered the room.
“Hmm?”
But she felt something was off.
Everything seemed normal, yet something felt… different.
The atmosphere in the room felt just a bit unusual.
“…Eh, maybe it’s just my imagination.”
Ultimately, unable to pinpoint what it was, Anna shrugged it off and started her cleaning duties.
As Anna began tidying up while humming, a slightly opened curtain fluttered behind her.