147 – One Quest
One Quest
“……”
5 Princess Kimelia Shane Bernies reads her report and frowns at her.
Bright blonde hair inherited from emperor blood and emerald eyes inherited from her mother’s eyes.
She resembles the 6th Princess Emilia in her appearance, but her personality is very different.
As if to prove it, Cimelia loses her temper and crumples up her report and throws it against her wall.
“It is against the etiquette of Mr. Kimelia. Please be calm.”
“Does he look calm now?! Shi… Damn… Whoa- Count Crucio is an incompetent bastard who can’t even manage a son?”
Cimmeria, who was about to spit out her swear words, takes a deep breath and tries to calm her mind.
The crumpled report stated that Orle Crucio was arrested.
It’s not even an ordinary theft. She steals the Ketel cult’s holy relics, and when that’s not enough, she falsely accuses the same academy student.
Even if he was not punished by the Ketel Church, Orle’s honor had fallen to such an extent that he could no longer live in the Imperial lands.
Orle, who trampled on the pride of a soldier along with shoplifting and blasphemy, was the worst of the worst.
Cimmeria doesn’t care if the insignificant academy academy student dies or not.
The problem is that his father is one of the main pillars of his clique.
Kimelia gritted her teeth to see if her anger was not resolved, but she held back her anger and spoke to the servant next to her in a suppressed voice.
“Count Crucio is ordered to withdraw from social circles and public offices and probate at his home for one year.”
“If Count Haona withdraws…”
“If you don’t back down, Endo’s offspring will bite you relentlessly. It’s better if the Count’s forces are torn apart.”
“…… I understand.”
Because of her anger, her words are harsh, but Cimelia, who judged her coolly, writes down useful figures from the count’s forces on a piece of paper.
“Be sure to catch these people. If you don’t think you can do it, tell me. I’ll do it myself.”
“I will fulfill the princess’s command no matter what.”
The servant puts the paper in his bosom and retreats.
Kimelia, who is uncomfortable with planting, punches the cushion next to the sofa.
“Ha ha… Ha ha… Stupid boy. Lose your life for a woman? Seslov.”
As she calls, the man hiding in her shadow appears and brings her to his knees.
“Find out about the academy.”
“Okay.”
Cimelia adds to Seslov who gets up after prostrating.
“And check out my cunning little brother. He’s not the kind of person who wouldn’t get involved in such a tidbit.”
“Yes, I will also investigate the 6th princess.”
As he disappears, Cimelia now calms down and sips her tea with a fishy smile.
“You are good at taking advantage of other people’s children as well as Serios, Emilia. If you keep eating like that and don’t inflate your size, it’s you who will suffer in the end.”
* * *
“You did it splendidly.”
Leila, who had been away to organize her forces, glared at Rai as soon as she returned.
“Huh? What?”
“Did you think it wouldn’t take?”
Ray grabs it, but Layla says as if she already knows.
“Even if no traces remain, people remain. Why did you attract so many academy students? Do you think the secret will be kept? You can spit out heroic tales proudly as a child, drunk, or if you decide to interrogate Information can also be extracted.
She thought she was scolding her for trespassing on Kettel Bridge, but when she heard it, she was scolding the way she broke in.
Thinking she’s getting mad at an odd point, Rai shrugs her shoulders.
“Everybody wanted to save it.”
“So in such a risky way?”
“It’s also a shield when you get caught. Everyone’s parents are great people, so the duke, count, and ministers are there, so wouldn’t they work hard to protect you?”
Leila frowned when she saw Lai giggling and talking playfully.
As he said, if I had thought that far, there was a high possibility that things would go smoothly even when a problem arose.
Because there was a pretext that the academy students did this to save their comrades without enduring injustice.
Wrong method, but nominally good job. What’s more, the result was abandoned.
The Kettelians could not protest loudly and could have asked for a pardon for them.
“And.”
Rai puts her face close to Layla with a smirk.
“I thought there was no way he’d get caught, since the excellent investigator was away to reorganize himself.”
“……”
The word referring to herself pierces him, and Lavoda avoids her gaze.
‘I mean, I’m secretly weak to compliments.’
Lai, who had been giggling, returned to her normal expression as soon as she looked back.
“Don’t do it next time. If you are going to do it, report it to me before doing it.”
“Yes! I see!”
Leyla wanted to hit Rai, who even responded with a salute, but she suppressed her anger and turned her body away.
“I’m going to go see Zeroa, who will come out soon after experiencing the prison. Do you want to go with me?”
“I didn’t do anything. I don’t have the same qualifications as you who have worked hard.”
“It’s just a welcome, but what kind of qualifications are you talking about?”
Leila’s footsteps stop as Rai laughs at the still stiff answer.
Anticipating that she will get angry when she sees her stopped back, Rai prepares to run away.
However, Layla’s words, not looking back, were different from Rai’s expectations.
“You always get help.”
“You helped Zeroa this time.”
“I am now an academy instructor. It is something to thank for saving unfair academy students and exterminating pests that plague the empire.”
“You’re sober.”
Hearing Layla thank her for her temporary job as an instructor, Rai shakes her head in bewilderment.
* * *
Orle, who had committed a serious crime, was imprisoned in a heavily guarded military base.
The only light was the minute light coming through the gap in the thick iron door, and his entire body was chained to the wall, making it impossible to even move.
Orle, who was muttering Aria’s name as if she had lost her mind, sees an illusion of the iron door opening and Aria entering.
I stare blankly at her vividness, unable to distinguish whether it is a fantasy or reality.
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Aria’s figure holding a small candle in the dark was so beautiful.
“Ohh- Aria… My Aria…”
“I am not yours.”
Arya speaks firmly.
Saying this without changing a single expression, she looks at Terla waiting behind her for a moment in preparation for her unexpected situation, then turns her attention to Orle.
“Why… Did you bother Zeroa-kun?”
“Isn’t it obvious? My goddess! You dare to defile the goddess who should be my own with your filthy hands! I’ll punish the filthy worm on behalf of you, who is benevolent!”
Orle moves his body wildly, and the sharp sound of the chains scraping resonates in the prison, but Aria still speaks in a beautiful voice without changing her expression.
“Zeroa-kun is my friend. And… Who are you?”
“Your companion, Orle! Orle Crucio! There’s no way you don’t know Orle, the only opponent you can get along with in the world or in the Empire!”
“No. I don’t know.”
Aria’s words stopped Orle as if frozen.
“You never talked to me or approached me. I don’t know you.”
“That can’t be the case. I gave you a gift in return, and while I was active as the 3rd year representative, I was always looking at you. You, too, made eye contact with me several times! “There’s no way I don’t know! Don’t lie!”
Nothing Orle did came directly to Arya.
Arya looks at him with sad eyes, who carries beyond her affection to her hatred.
“Why do you want me so?”
“Because you are my aria. The hair of the goddess of the night, the cold eyes that contain all the beauty in the world, even the lips that cannot be exchanged for anything. Everything must have been born for me, Orle Crucio. Because.”
Terla, who was waiting in the back, opened and closed her hand on the handle of her sword as if she was angry when she heard Orle’s crazy words.
She doesn’t say anything. Arya sighs softly after hearing all of his words.
“Everyone is the same. After all, I am nothing but my appearance.”
“Oh, can’t you do that, miss…”
Terla panicked and tried to explain her 100 advantages, but Arya shook her head and looked at Orle.
“I am neither a goddess nor yours.”
“……”
“I’m Aria Shane Brickville. And you bullied the friend who first approached me.”
At Aria’s words, Orle lowered her head and giggled.
“Keukkeuk, that filthy commoner is different? If you didn’t have that beautiful appearance, would that filthy bastard come to you? I’ll be doing it!”
“This bastard…”
As Terla steps in front of her, Arya raises her hand to stop her.
“That’s right. If it weren’t for my appearance, I wouldn’t have received such undeserved attention. I consider it a curse, but at the same time I consider it a blessing.”
Arya takes a step and she gets closer to Orle.
A candle is placed between the two and illuminates their faces.
“If I had an ugly appearance, Zeroa-kun might not have approached me. But he didn’t just look at my appearance. He was well aware of my immaturity and looked at me as I am. You see me in a different way than my appearance. Have you ever seen it?”
“……”
“I consider myself extremely lucky to have come to the academy. Not only Zeroa-kun, but also Sesset, Rai, and Philia… I made many friends. Including my looks, people who look at me as I am.”
Orle looks blankly at Aria, who smiles as if she is happy.
It was the first time I had seen such a happy smile on her always cold expression.
But she soon turns to her sad eyes, and Arya looks down at him.
“I’m a selfish person and I want happiness. That’s why I won’t forgive anyone who hurts my friends. Orle. You I will never forgive.”
Arya gets up from her seat without listening to her answer.
Her beautiful breath makes the candles disappear, and the heavy iron door closes, leaving Orle alone.
Perhaps the prison guard is glad he is quiet.
Aria gets out of prison and joins the other academy students to head for the guards.
“Miser, you’re late.”
Her rai sitting casually on top of her stone wall greets her.
There were many people in front of the guards.
Aside from Abigail, countless people waited for Zeroa to come out, including the academy students who helped him infiltrate Ketel Bridge, the academy students who didn’t know about the infiltration but were close to Zeroa, and the people he had built up a relationship with while working. .
The guard guarding the entrance notices the atmosphere and opens the door with a small smile as if serving an honored guest.
The door opens slowly, and Zeroa, who is a bit thin from her long imprisonment, comes out.
At first, she looked helpless, but when she saw the people waiting in front of her, her eyes widened and she burst into tears.
She smiled a little and before Arya could step forward, before Kara and her parents could reach, she had someone running ahead of her.
“Zeroa-senpai!”
Mia wraps herself in Zeroa’s arms while shedding her tears.
“Senior! I’m glad. I’m glad…”
“Thank you.”
She was zero who was embarrassed when she wasn’t hugged, but she soon smiles at her and strokes her hair.
“……”
Arya, who took her steps to approach Zeroa, stopped and stared blankly at his face.
When she saw Mia hugged by him, Arya froze in embarrassment at the feeling she felt for the first time.
Only Terla and Rai were watching the figure, and the others greeted her Zeroa.
“Brother, are you sick anywhere?”
“Shinsoo is better than I thought.”
“I worked so hard to get you out. Pay me back with 100 adult magazines.”
“I had a hard time.”
Staring at the face of Zeroa, who is having a friendly conversation with her people, and Mia still in his arms, Aria turns her body and walks away without realizing it.
Her heart beat fast and her chest thumped.
Worried that she might be ill, Arya tried to understand why she was running away, but she couldn’t come up with an answer.
Seeing Aria and Terla chasing after her, Rai looks at Zeroa laughing in the crowd with her pitiful eyes, unaware of anything.
“We still have a long way to go.”
* * *
“And so, another case solved.”
After breaking up with Rai, Elin goes out into the street and no one sees her, but she puts her hand on her chin and holds her form.
“I’m tired because there are so many places to call myself a great detective.”
Nodding her head, Elin, in her narcissism, looks back at her.
“So. What business does Abigail have with me?”
Seeing her empty alley, she speaks. After a while, Abigail, who has been hiding her body behind her wall, comes out.
Elin smiles brightly when Abigail notices her tailing and shows a wary look in her eyes at her ability.
“I don’t have long front teeth, so don’t worry. I’m a detective.”
Abigail looks at her silently and hands her a piece of paper.
“I do a request.”
“Well, as you’ve heard from Mr. Lai, I’m kind of expensive.”
Abigail throws a golem’s core at Elin, who is reading what is written on her paper.
“It’s a golem core from an ancient ruin.”
“It’s an antique you don’t even need to check. The price should be between 150 and 200 gold.”
She tossed the core of an expensive golem from her hand as if playing with a ball. Elin looked at her paper and the core alternately and she laughed.
“By the way. It’s far short of my ransom.”
“……”
It was said that it was expensive, but it was a word that made me wonder how expensive it was.
“But since I’m Mr. Lai’s pupil, I’ll give you a discount and let you go into debt. Debt to a detective is important.”
“…… You mean to accept the request?”
“Yes, let me investigate.”
Elin nods her head and puts the paper Abigail gave her into her arms.
“So, at what point can I investigate?”
“What’s the difference?”
“I always get into trouble with my clients when I investigate old things like this. It can reveal truths I don’t want to believe, and sometimes reveal the ugly side of someone I trusted.”
She had a cute appearance, but Elin’s bright smile gave me goosebumps.
“Even if they do a thorough investigation, they often get cursed at. People believe that justice is a matter of course on their side. Depending on who you are, your intentions may be distorted or you may never accept it.”
Ellin, who was still playing with the huge 150 gold core like a toy, grinned.
“Whose perspective do we look at? Among the characters listed here?”
“…… Linda… No, with my eyes.”
Abigail speaks after careful consideration.
Seeing Abigail choose her worst choice, Elin nods her head.
“I’m going to investigate from a very narrow point of view.”
“……”
“The request has been accepted. Progress will be sent to you by mail every month.”
Leaving her speechless Abigail, Elin leaves her post.