After receiving the information, I said I would arrange a meeting with the Count tomorrow and returned to the mansion.
I then meditated until dawn.
Sister Lisa came looking for me early, asking to have tea together. She said she usually skips breakfast.
Taking me out to the terrace, she explained about the tragedy that had befallen the Prejean family.
It was completely different from the information the jester had given me the night before.
“Your father, Count Casanova Prejean, was famous as a womanizer. He flirted with more than half of the noblewomen in Franche. Even the queen wasn’t an exception. But there was no physical evidence. Casanova never left any proof of his affairs.”
“Count Casanova Prejean was the handsomest of men. Many women courted him, and even after marriage, he frequently received flirtations. But he never wavered even once. Offended by his cold attitude, the noble ladies began to criticize him behind his back. Calling him a womanizer, you see.”
“That’s why many nobles were jealous of your father. Your father foolishly created countless enemies by being unable to control his lust. He naively thought it would be fine as long as he didn’t leave evidence. But people’s hatred doesn’t disappear just because there’s no evidence, does it?”
“It probably started with ‘he smiled at me,’ but soon it escalated to ‘he held my hand first,’ ‘he stole a kiss,’ ‘he entered my bedroom,’ and finally, ‘he took me.’ The rumors spread rapidly, but Casanova Prejean maintained his principles and dignity to the end, even amidst such rumors.”
“Your father became increasingly bold and eventually desired the queen. My father found out about this, but there was no evidence. So he fabricated a non-existent charge of treason. It was an obvious fabrication that anyone could see through, but none of the Franche nobles sided with your father.”
“The King of Franche exploited this point. He had long coveted the Prejean family’s territory and the Count Prejean’s wife. He came up with a clever plan to deal with the queen he disliked as well. He openly spread rumors that Count Prejean was the queen’s lover and made it look like he was trying to kill him using this. He did it in a way that the nobles could understand and tacitly approve.”
“That’s why your father and mother were both killed, and you became a slave. Actually, you should have been killed too, but you were a much-loved child at the time, so everyone hesitated to take your life. That’s how only you survived.”
“The King of Franche told your mother he would spare her if she became his concubine. Your mother refused and was executed. Originally, you should have been executed too, but for some reason, the king hesitated to kill you. That’s why you survived, although as a slave.”
The two stories were different, but I couldn’t say that one of them was definitely lying.
There’s only one truth, but there are many ways to see it.
“Ran?”
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up. Then I spoke casually to Lisa.
“So that’s what happened. I was too young to know. I can’t believe my father was that kind of person…”
Lisa looked me up and down once.
“I know. It must be hard to accept. But you know, in the end, when you find out, they’re all pretty much the same. Dirty and ugly. That’s human nature, isn’t it?”
“……”
Lisa took a small bite of her biscuit and asked.
“Now, will you tell me your story? How did you become a mage?”
“I’m not one yet. Strictly speaking, I’m an apprentice.”
“Really? But you can use magic, right? That’s why the Count is keeping you around, isn’t it?”
“I guess you could say that.”
Lisa clasped her hands together and said brightly.
“Show me! Show me!”
“Why? There must be mages in Franche too. You’ve probably already seen all the magic I can do.”
“But it’s different depending on who does it. It’ll be special in its own way when my cute little brother does magic.”
“Hah.”
I sighed. Lisa leaned forward and pleaded again.
“Come on. Please, Ran!”
I reached into my robe. And took out my staff.
At that moment, Lisa’s eyes flashed as she looked at me.
She was observing me.
I pointed my staff towards the fountain and said,
“You might not have seen water magic before. I’ll show you some water magic.”
I opened my left hand and summoned my magic book. Again, at that moment, Lisa’s eyes sparkled.
My magic book can’t be seen by most mages, let alone ordinary people.
In other words, if Lisa were an ordinary person, there would be no reason for her to stare intently at my left hand right now.
I briefly read the water magic spell and waved my staff.
Then, a chunk of water from the fountain rose up and transformed into Lisa’s form.
“Wow!”
Lisa seemed genuinely surprised, quickly getting up and approaching the fountain. She reached out her hand and touched the water forming her image several times.
“Another one. Can you do another one?”
After that, I pleased Lisa’s eyes with many other shapes.
While Lisa’s expression showed enjoyment, she occasionally glared at my staff or magic book with sharp eyes.
When lunchtime came, she said regretfully,
“I’d like to see more, but I think I have to go now because I have an appointment.”
“Are you going into town?”
“Yes. An old friend of mine has settled down to live in the port of Sangria. I’m going to visit her.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Ran, can I ask you just one thing?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Lisa’s gaze slightly lowered.
Her eyes were directed at my ring.
“What kind of ring is that? It’s so pretty.”
She made a face like a cute puppy. Like a small girl with a bit of greed.
I smiled slightly.
“It’s a keepsake. My mother’s.”
“……”
“It’s the most precious thing to me.”
Lisa’s eyes wavered for a moment.
She moved her lips a couple of times but ended up just smiling without saying anything.
Lisa then left the terrace.
I immediately went to find Count Furst.
“Don’t put a tail on her.”
“Why? I was just about to do that.”
“It’s certain she’s a mage. Even If you try to tail her, she’ll know and deal with it.”
“Still, it would be better to have her followed. Isn’t it better than letting her act freely?”
I kept shaking my head and went to sit on a sofa.
Then, organizing my thoughts, I muttered.
“No matter how I think about it, it’s too strange that I couldn’t remember Sister Lisa. If Sister Lisa and I were really close, there’s no way I wouldn’t remember that.”
“Don’t childhood memories disappear quickly?”
“I remember everything. Almost everything. I might forget certain scenes or situations, but forgetting a whole person is almost impossible for me. And for something like that, it’s too…”
“Too?”
“Comfortable.”
“……”
I lowered my head and looked down at my chest. And I placed my hand there.
“Yes. My own feelings when dealing with Sister Lisa… no, Princess Elisabeth are too comfortable. If there had been this level of relation, there’s no way I wouldn’t have remembered.”
“What are you trying to say, Ran?”
I was a bit disorganized.
I looked up at the Count and spoke clearly.
“It seems Princess Elisabeth is using magic to create a sense of relation between us. Even inserting fabricated memories. She’s probably layering multiple mental magics.”
The Count’s eyes narrowed more than halfway.
“If she can use such magic, she could quickly gain political power that even the King and Crown Prince couldn’t easily handle. It fits the circumstances, but do you have any other evidence?”
“She was after my ring.”
“Ring?”
I extended my left hand to show the Count.
“This ring has protective magic. More precisely, magic that protects the mind. Just now, Sister Lisa… Phew. Damn it.”
The name is still stubbornly sticking to my mouth.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tapped my forehead.
Count Furst poured water into a cup and brought it to me.
“Take your time. Calm down.”
I drank the water and said.
“Earlier, Princess Elisabeth tried to get me to take off this ring. I noticed it beforehand and made up an excuse, but if you think about it a little, it’s too obviously a lie. She’s probably quite wary of me by now.”
“……”
“If you tail her now, the Princess will be certain. That I’ve figured out she’s a mage.”
The Count thought for a moment and said.
“But we need to know what she’s doing outside to understand what she’s plotting.”
“I’ll look into that separately. I have a better method. More importantly, I have news for you. Could I have another glass of water…”
“Sure.”
The Count took the cup and filled it with water again before giving it to me.
I drank it to the bottom in one go and started speaking.
“I’ve made a connection with the Assassins’ Guild. They want to accept you as a member.”
The Count’s eyes widened at the sudden news.
“What? What do you mean? Assassins’ Guild?”
The Count’s expression was not only surprised but also mixed with anger and contempt.
I couldn’t explain everything in detail, so I spoke as concisely as possible.
“It’s the best way to investigate what happened 3 years ago. If you become an assassin member, you can get clues about who tried to assassinate the Countess 3 years ago.”
The Count’s face didn’t easily relax.
“Is this what you meant when you said you’d look into it?”
His reaction was more intense than I expected.
No, considering that his beloved wife had died because of it, he was actually exercising a lot of restraint by only reacting this much.
“I knew you’d think that way. But Count, who else could give answers about that if not the assassins themselves?”
The Count’s eyes trembled.
He made rough breathing sounds, then spoke quietly.
“Ran.”
“Yes, Count.”
“I understand what you’re trying to say. That the Assassins’ Guild is just a tool, and the guilt for killing my wife lies with the client. But…”
He didn’t continue his words.
But I could understand his feelings.
He understands with his mind but can’t accept it with his heart.
“Then, I’ll proceed with the investigation as planned, Count.”
“……”
“Please rest.”
I left the silent Count in the room and went outside.
I went straight to Fabre.
When I suggested we go out to the port of Sangria town together, he readily agreed.
Butler Clark strongly opposed, but with my promise to take responsibility, I just took him out without further ado.
As we got into the carriage, Fabre asked.
“So where are we going?”
“To find the person who killed your mother. Can you follow my lead?”
Fabre looked up at me and said.
“Okay. A tool is just a tool after all.”
That’s a meaningful statement.
“Did you happen to be listening to my conversation with the Count?”
“Yes.”
Come to think of it, he’s been quickly weeding out the assassins who infiltrated the mansion.
Could the entire mansion be Fabre’s domain?
No.
Thinking back to when I was invited to Fabre’s room before, his domain extends only to his room.
“How did you hear the conversation?”
Fabre raised his hand to show.
There were several beetles of various colors.
“These little ones told me.”
He didn’t say more and just played with the several beetles in his hand.
When we arrived in town, I entered the agreed-upon restaurant. The owner, recognizing me, naturally guided us to the second-floor veranda, where we sat and had tea.
About 30 minutes passed?
An ordinary-looking young man stood in front of us.
He quickly looked at me, then at Fabre, then back at me, then at Fabre again, and abruptly said.
“What is this?”
It’s the jester’s voice.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I brought him along.”
The young man let out a hollow laugh.
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