Chapter 17
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Chapter 17
She patted Sophia's shoulder in comfort before turning her gaze toward The Lord.
"You're feeling better now, aren't you, Grandfather?"
Adeline's eyes glistened with tears as she massaged The Lord's arm.
"Thank goodness... Father was so worried about you."
"Thank you, Adeline."
The Lord, who had lost his son and daughter-in-law in a carriage accident, had grown quite close to Marquis Kidland, who was roughly of his children's generation.
It was thanks to this connection that Sophia and Adeline had grown up particularly close to one another.
"Well then, I should let you rest, Grandfather. I'll take my leave now."
"Go on, Adeline. Thank you."
I watched with a smile as Adeline's figure disappeared from view.
"Forgive my intrusion, my lord. I should be going as well..."
"Ann."
Just as I was about to leave, Sophia tugged at my sleeve with trembling fingers.
"I never thought Grandfather could open his eyes again. I'm truly grateful."
Her brown eyes brimmed with tears.
"If we hadn't known the poison was the cause and had continued searching for other solutions as before, Grandfather would have..."
"Don't cry. It's all right now, Sophia."
I soothed the trembling Sophia. Her heart was as tender as her appearance suggested.
"But who... who could have done such a thing to Grandfather?"
"You said he hadn't done anything to warrant such enmity, didn't you?"
"From what I know, he's not that kind of person. Grandfather is truly kind and gentle."
Sophia held deep trust in her grandfather, The Lord.
"Since I was a baby, Grandfather never entrusted me to anyone else's care—he changed my diapers and raised me himself."
"That's quite remarkable."
The documents I had investigated showed no particularly noteworthy actions on his part.
"Have you looked into Adeline Kidland?"
"I searched her room in secret, but... nothing suspicious turned up. And as for Adeline..."
Sophia hesitated, fighting back tears that threatened to spill over.
"She brought me all the medicinal herbs you mentioned. Marquis Kidland also said he wishes for Grandfather's swift recovery..."
"You think highly of Adeline?"
"She's family. A cousin sister I've grown up with since childhood."
"Her attitude toward you didn't seem to reflect that."
"Sister is just expressive with her emotions."
However, Kiddleland and Grunvalt had originally been one territory, and there had been several attempts by Kiddleland to absorb Grunvalt Territory entirely.
Moreover, there was no reason for others to harm The Lord of Grunvalt, a remote territory.
The losses far outweighed the gains.
'Adeline procured the medicinal herbs, didn't she?'
Sophia seemed reluctant to suspect Adeline, who was like a sister raised alongside her, but the problem was that the herbs I mentioned were now in Kidland's possession.
Cozyflower was an improved variety of an herb that had originally been a specialty of Grunvalt.
It had since gone extinct in Grunvalt itself, leaving no parent stock behind.
The fact that an herb originally found only in Grunvalt had somehow made its way to Kidland and been developed into their own improved variety felt far too coincidental.
It was such an expensive herb to sell that there was no reason they would have willingly handed over seedlings.
'And there was also a period when the two territories weren't on good terms.'
I'd discovered this during my investigation—apparently Grunvalt had once been far more fertile.
The decline of this territory began after monsters started pouring out from the Gonia Mountain Range, which spanned both Grunvalt and Kidland.
'Grunvalt became desolate, and because the monsters were drawn to Grunvalt, Kidland suffered no damage whatsoever.'
The development of Cozyflower hadn't been that long ago.
And Kidland was not a family with extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs.
I made my way toward Adeline's bedroom.
Knock, knock.
I knocked on Adeline's door, but she didn't answer.
"...Father told me to come here, so what is this?!"
Just then, a voice filled with indignation came from somewhere.
It was Adeline's voice.
I followed the faint sound and found myself at the sealed Underground Stairs.
'A communication stone? Who is she secretly contacting from there?'
Adeline was holding a gleaming orb.
"A strange woman came here. Apparently she cured Sophia's grandfather's illness."
-Is that really true?
"Have you ever seen me lie, Father?"
I perked up my ears. The strange woman was me, and the person on the other end of the call was undoubtedly Marquis Kidland.
"Anyway, I hate the sight of Dale and everything else. I couldn't even get what I wanted, so why do I have to keep staying here?"
-Adeline. Just be patient a little longer.
"I don't want to! I'm scared. What if I get caught? Then I'll die, won't I? Will you take responsibility, Father?"
-Why would you die? Did you find what I told you to look for?
"That scrap of paper? I don't know. I can't find it. This place is either a library or a storage room—it's covered in cobwebs and bugs crawling all over the floor. I hate it here! Just send someone else, a servant or whoever. I'm going home!"
My eyes gleamed quietly. It seemed Kidland was searching for something specific.
"Anyway, I can't stay here anymore. There's no reason for me to! So figure it out yourself."
-Wait, Adeline.
"Hmph!"
Crash!
Adeline, thoroughly irritated, dropped the communication stone and smashed it to pieces. She huffed indignantly and disappeared from the spot.
'A communication stone...'
I gazed quietly at the shattered glass fragments.
And among them, I spotted a small red stone glimmering. I knew exactly what it was.
The same stone as Rosanna's necklace.
A mana stone.
To be precise, it was an automatic recording device that captured video communications.
* * *
"What is that, Enya?"
Dale arrived late from work and leaned over my shoulder.
"You're here?"
"You don't seem interested in my arrival."
Dale's eyes held a hint of disappointment as he looked at me. I set aside the memo I'd been scribbling on and smiled warmly.
"Sorry. I was just looking at something and got caught up in it."
"Whose video was it?"
Dale asked in a low voice, clearly displeased.
"I heard a man's voice. From outside the house."
"Oh...! That."
"So you really were listening to some man's voice."
"It's just a video recording."
I removed the red stone I'd placed in the video crystal.
"It's a recording of a conversation between Adeline and Marquis Kidland."
"I see."
Dale's expression brightened immediately.
"An automatic recording device in the video crystal."
Dale was always quick to catch on. I patted the sofa and had him sit beside me.
After watching the video from beginning to end with me, Dale's expression had grown cold.
There were about ten more recorded communications beyond what I'd heard earlier.
"That's why video crystals should be disposed of properly. Cheap ones don't have them, but expensive ones always contain a mana stone that automatically records inside."
I pocketed the mana stone.
"Will you report the Lord of Kiddleland to the Imperial Palace this time?"
"Yes. To make The Emperor a virtuous ruler."
"...The Emperor will certainly be pleased."
Dale's face seemed somehow troubled, but it quickly returned to its usual faint smile.
"Marquis Kidland certainly has many suspicious aspects to him."
"Indeed. Kiddleland grew to this size starting from his father's generation."
"I'll investigate."
Dale changed his clothes and tied on an apron, then began slicing ingredients.
"You're doing it yourself?"
"...If there's anything I can do."
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of Dale slicing green onions rang out crisp and clear. His culinary skill was always remarkable.
The spacing between cuts was consistent, and the way he moved his hand was so natural that I didn't need to worry about him accidentally slicing his fingers.
Perhaps because he was an S-rank Mercenary skilled with swords, he wielded a kitchen knife with equal dexterity.
'He looks a bit strained.'
I gazed at Dale's forearms.
Though they were sturdy with prominent veins, they appeared noticeably leaner than before.
Previously, when he rolled up his sleeves, he'd need to fold them twice to reach about halfway down his wrist, but now three folds fit perfectly.
'Yurta mentioned he'd been sent on distant assignments.'
Dale was far busier than I'd realized, and it seemed he went on missions frequently.
Something felt off about it.
When I thought about it, in this peaceful territory during a quiet period, it was hard to imagine there would be any serious matters requiring him to venture outside.
This time, I stared intently at Dale as he began peeling potatoes.
'Dale, what exactly are you doing out there?'
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