"It's outrageous... There's a limit to how much nonsense one can take..."
In the swaying carriage, while I groaned, Mio-sama had a cool expression.
The confrontation at the inn—it was over in an instant. Mio-sama launched a Power Word with her first attack. Instead of piling on poor lies, she stuck to the single demand: "I can't explain in detail. Just show me your student ID." When the innkeeper handed it over, Mio-sama calmly and swiftly snatched it, saying, "I'll borrow this for a moment," and immediately retreated.
"I didn't lie about anything, you know."
As she said this, Mio-sama took off her hat and put on a bonnet and round glasses that looked like a village girl's. Of course, she usually doesn't wear glasses.
"A detective is different from the police; it's not a public institution and doesn't require any qualifications. It's a profession where the one who claims the title wins. In fact, I sometimes conduct such investigations on my lord's orders, so I might as well be a professional detective."
"I don't think that's a good idea. And what do you mean by 'case' and all that?"
"The baron's daughter, who was reported to have died in an accident, might still be alive. That's a big case. There's also a possibility that Karina Burton is involved."
"What connection could there be?! I just heard her name at school today!"
"There are no investigation results showing there is no connection. Because we haven't conducted any investigations."
What a forceful argument. Wait, has Mio-sama always conducted investigations like this? Is this even legal?
Feeling suddenly scared, I looked at Mio-sama, and she lifted her fake glasses with a flick of her finger.
"Don't worry. The big lies are yet to come."
What's there to be reassured about? And what kind of bigger lies are you talking about?
"Thomas, from here on, it'll be really troublesome if we draw attention. No matter what I say, keep a poker face."
"Ugh, can we at least go over the script beforehand?"
"That's not possible. I'll be improvising on the spot. I need you to be more flexible."
"Got it, I'll stay quiet."
"By the way, you've met Baron Shaduran once, right? His face is unremarkable, and he's in civilian clothes, so his appearance is quite different. But let's change your name to Henry, just in case."
"...I want to go home right now..."
"I'll treat you to a raw egg when we're done."
"Why do you think that will make it all better?"
While having this silly conversation, the carriage continued on.
The irrigation ditch eventually turned into a small stream, and the wheat fields gave way to a plain. Continuing down a gravel road with nothing around, we saw the Shaduran estate on a hill.
The iron fence was as tall as a person, and the brick walls seemed to stretch endlessly on both sides.
We got off the carriage at the gate, and I couldn't help but be amazed.
"Huge... The mansion is much more impressive than I imagined."
"Yes, it is. ——But, as you can see, the management is lacking."
Following Mio-sama's finger, I frowned.
The lock seemed to be broken, and a rusted iron block hung from the gate, which was left open. There was no gatekeeper or guard dog. We entered the estate without any obstruction.
I was nervous about whether this was okay, but Mio-sama was nonchalant.
"It was the same the last time I came. I even suspected this was the back gate and went around to the other side—"
"—Hey! Who are you guys?!"
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out. Mio-sama shielded me with her back as I flinched. A woman in her sixties was approaching us.
She was a maid of the Shaduran family...!
"What do you want? Who are you? A merchant? If so, go to the back gate. What brings you here? Who are you? Not a debt collector, are you? If so, I don't know anything about it!"
Uh. She doesn't seem angry about our unauthorized entry, but her tone is quite intimidating. She doesn't look easy to talk to.
Mio-sama gave me a look to stay quiet and turned to the maid. Then, she raised her hands to her face and waved them.
"Whoa, what? You scared me. I'm Karina. I came in because the gate was open. This is my fiancé, Henry!"
I almost screamed but managed to hold it in.
The tension seemed to drain from the maid's face. She relaxed her guard but still looked suspicious as she scrutinized Mio-sama's face.
"Who are you, really?"
"I told you, I'm Karina. I'm a friend of Marie from school!"
Mio-sama said something that made me even more surprised.
But I was even more shocked by the maid's reaction.
The maid snorted.
"A friend? Ha, that girl doesn't have any friends."
For a moment, it seemed like red flames were rising from Mio-sama's back. But she waved her hands and answered brightly.
"I met Marie in the capital. She came to the store where I work and said, 'Hey, didn't we pass each other at school last year?' We hit it off right away."
"…In the capital… Well, it's true that the girl is in the capital now…"
"So, when I told her I was going home, she asked me to deliver a message. Could you please take me to Marie's room?"
The maid looked incredibly annoyed. But she seemed to decide that further questioning would be even more troublesome. She threw down the broom she was holding and said,
"Fine, fine. I'll show you. Follow me."
"…Is it okay to go in?"
"Huh? Didn't you say you wanted to go in? You're a strange kid."
The maid said this with genuine curiosity and started walking along the building. Huh? We're not going inside the mansion?
I followed her silently.
The maid's name was Tania, and she had served the Shaduran family for forty years. She was originally hired as a hairdresser for the previous baroness and boasted that she knew more about the house than the baron himself.
She walked through the baron's courtyard as if it were her own.
The Shaduran estate was truly vast. The L-shaped mansion encompassed a large garden, and the distance from one end to the other was considerable. …But the scenery was rather desolate. Roses must have bloomed here in the past, but now only withered vines hung from the arches and lattices. The only flower bed was around the fountain, but it was buried in summer weeds and withered. It seemed to have been completely neglected.
I'm not interested in flowers, but thinking about Lady Marie made me feel sad. She used to take care of the garden, a difficult but rewarding and enjoyable task, as she had told me with a smile—Mio-sama picked up a withered vine hanging from the obelisk with her fingertips.
"…The last time I came, there were more flowers…"
"Well, it can't be helped. The person who took care of them is gone."
The maid said this with a grumpy voice, but it sounded more like she was criticizing someone else. I couldn't help but speak up.
"Isn't it your job?"
"Huh? I'm a maid for the baron's family. My job is to take care of the couple and their son. I'm doing the work of four people alone, so I can't manage the estate. Even sweeping the front yard is a favor."
"But—Marie is the baron's daughter. She's not a servant, right?"
"Ah, but it can't be helped. She's not cute, you know."
If Mio-sama hadn't stopped me, I might have kicked the maid.
The maid crossed the courtyard and stopped at a corner of the mansion. There was a small well and a door. Without knocking, she opened the small, unlocked door. She gestured for us to enter.
…? This is… a storage room, right?
It was a dim, small room filled with farming tools, cleaning supplies, and broken furniture like a chest with missing drawers and a bed with broken legs. It was surprisingly clean, but the clutter made it hard to see clearly.
There was another door on the opposite wall, which seemed to lead to the mansion. In the corner was a large desk, and the area around it was neatly organized. There were stacks of paper with neatly aligned corners and a thick book with a bookmark…
A chill ran down my spine. Could this be… the baron's daughter's…
"Originally, the girl's room was inside the mansion."
The maid's voice invaded my ears like spider legs.
"But the girl was inefficient. Her cooking was monotonous, and her laundry and mending were slower than the dirt. She never finished her work, so she started sleeping here. It has all the tools she needs, and it's close to the well, kitchen, fields, and toilet. She suggested it herself, you know. Don't think we mistreated her."
Mio-sama didn't change her tone. She asked casually,
"Why is she working so hard?"
"Because she's not cute. A woman who can't find a husband has to work. I do the same."
"Then, when did she become unattractive?"
Both the maid and I found this a strange question. The maid, who had served the family long before Lady Marie was born, answered matter-of-factly.
"Well—of course, it was from birth. Compared to Lady Anastasia, she was cheeky, cunning, and lacked charm….
But Lady Sasha seemed to dote on her. Now, no one favors that girl."
Sasha. It was a name I had never heard before. I expected Mio-sama to explain casually, but she had a very stern look on her face. Her sharp gaze made me shiver. She was about to say something to the maid—when suddenly, the door opened. Without knocking, without any consideration, it was suddenly opened.
A boy of about five or six years old rushed in from the mansion.
"Marie-oneechan!?"
His angelic blond hair fluttered as he shouted. His cheeks, flushed with excitement, turned cold when he saw our faces. Then,
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The one who said this was not the boy but the middle-aged man standing behind him—the current head of the Shaduran family, Gregor Shaduran himself.