Chapter 66 : Chapter 66
Chapter 066
It was best to clear up misunderstandings. I knew well enough that the Young Lady trusted us, but even so, every incident begins with some trivial misunderstanding.
“We were talking about cooking. Arwen said that, after all, maid’s work suited her better, so when I looked for the reason, it seemed to be because of you, my lady. You have a truly faithful Maid.”
“Is that so?”
“It is all thanks to your good fortune, my lady.”
Sapiela’s expression softened. Such a tsundere. Lately, it felt as though the spectrum of her expressions had widened a little. Before, she had truly been an Ice Princess.
So I asked,
“What do you think, my lady?”
“About what?”
“About Arwen changing professions and becoming a cook. To my eyes, she seems to have greater talent for cooking.”
“Arwen’s cooking is delicious.”
Young Lady Sapiela gave her generous evaluation without hesitation. Arwen smiled and bowed her head modestly.
“But it seems that maid’s work suits you better.”
“I understand.”
“What I mean is, do not leave my side.”
Having coolly thrown out that single remark, Sapiela passed by us and sat down alone on the wide sofa.
Arwen hurried over at once.
“Shall I prepare some tea?”
Sapiela nodded. Since it was the hour after breakfast, drinking a cup of tea as a finishing touch was part of her morning routine.
I stood some distance away, waiting for the Young Lady’s orders.
Attending her at close range was Arwen’s role as her dedicated Maid. No matter how close I had grown to the Young Lady, I still kept a strict distance.
While Arwen went to prepare the tea, I broke the silence and spoke to the Young Lady. It was about time to begin moving.
“My lady. Would it be all right if I went to see Young Master Hamel for a while?”
“Why my brother?”
Sapiela narrowed her eyes. Since it was little different from walking into a tiger’s den of my own accord, that reaction was understandable.
But that was from an ordinary person’s perspective. I was receiving special treatment. Young Master Hamel kept sending me one overture after another. I was in a position to make use of his power.
Besides, since he had entrusted even the Young Lady’s matter to me, I held special negotiating authority.
“There is something I must do.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“There is no such thing in this world as a task without danger.”
I thought perhaps it would be best to tell her a certain amount of the truth. Would it not be better if she knew that Young Master Hamel was, in fact, looking after her?
“Young Master Hamel does not want you to go to Astria, my lady.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means he opposes the marriage.”
Sapiela tilted her head slightly in surprise. She looked at me with doubtful eyes.
“Why?”
“Surely you know that better than anyone, my lady. Naturally, it is because it is not what you want. The Young Master wishes for you to be happy.”
Sapiela pressed her lips together tightly. She remained silent for a while before finally speaking again.
“Even though it is dangerous, the fact that you are helping Brother Hamel means that you also do not want me to go to Astria, does it not?”
“That is correct.”
“Why?”
“Because I too wish for you to be happy, my lady.”
A spring breeze drifted in along the window frame. Sapiela’s jewel-like blue hair fluttered softly. In time, that same breeze reached me as well and stirred my own hair.
It felt as though time had stopped.
And yet I coldly cut through that strangely shared spring breeze.
“As your servant, wishing for your happiness is only natural, my lady.”
“I see.”
Looking slightly regretful, Sapiela turned her gaze aside.
“Take care of yourself.”
After bowing properly, I left the room.
From there, I went straight to see Young Master Hamel.
I had hoped it would not be so today of all days, but Young Master Hamel was sprawled out after drinking again. Sir Paramela, who was guarding the residence, looked troubled.
“I think it would be better to go back for today. Nothing good will come of provoking his temper for no reason.”
“It is something important. Time is urgent, so please wake him.”
“Hah, wake him?”
Had I gone a little too far for a mere apprentice? Sir Paramela let out a sigh, while the young knight assisting him at the side stared at me as though I were absurd.
There was not much time left before the battle with the Black Pig Gang. I could not afford to waste even a single day.
More than anything, I suspected that Young Master Hamel was not truly passed out from drink. He did not seem to enjoy alcohol that much. For a man like that to collapse drunk this often felt strange.
Besides, his Acting was Rank A. Pretending to be dead drunk would be easy for him.
So I pressed a little more firmly.
“There is a matter the Young Master himself ordered me to handle. It must be dealt with today, so I must meet him.”
“So it is that important.”
I answered with silence.
I could not very well say outright that it concerned Young Lady Sapiela. We were not alone.
Sir Paramela was quick-witted.
“Haa. It cannot be helped. Wait here a moment.”
Sir Paramela went inside. A moment later, angry shouting burst out, followed by the sound of things rolling and breaking. It seemed Young Master Hamel was throwing a fit.
Offering Sir Paramela my silent condolences, I simply waited for him to come back out.
A little later, Sir Paramela opened the door. Hardly any time had passed, yet he looked as though he had aged ten years.
“......Come in.”
“My apologies.”
I stepped inside.
As expected, a broken wineglass lay shattered on the floor, and wooden ornaments were rolling here and there. Young Master Hamel sat glaring at me, his hair in disarray.
And yet his eyes were perfectly clear. No matter how I looked at him, he did not seem like a man who had been drinking himself senseless.
As expected, it was all an act.
“You are thorough in your deception. I did not know you could even pretend to be drunk. I truly thought it was real.”
“There are only two choices. Sickly or wastrel. And given my disposition, pretending to be sickly is difficult.”
“I am sorry to disturb you.”
He flicked a hand as though annoyed, and I stepped closer before speaking.
“I found the connection between the Delfino Merchant Company and the Underworld.”
“Oh? Really? Which bastards are they?”
“It is the Black Pig Gang. They are an organization with some history in the back alleys. There are circumstances suggesting that they received support from the Delfino Merchant Company. They control several businesses, and I request the dispatch of the Knight Order for the investigation.”
“The evidence?”
“There is none.”
Young Master Hamel, who had been staring at me, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! What an outrageous little bastard. Is that thing on your shoulders just for decoration? You are telling me to investigate without even having evidence?”
“We investigate in order to find the evidence.”
“That is wordplay.”
Young Master Hamel resisted more than I had expected. I had thought that tying the matter to the Delfino Merchant Company would make him agree easily. Was asking for the Knight Order too much after all?
“I cannot move the Knight Order without clear grounds.”
So that is how you want to play this?
I had not wanted to say something like this, but it could not be helped.
“Is it that you do not have the authority to move the Knight Order?”
“You little......!”
“Or perhaps, even if you do, it would be burdensome. If things went wrong, others might criticize you for it.”
Hamel sprang to his feet.
Judging by the reaction, I had struck the mark exactly. He was a man with tremendous pride. Since I needed to stir his competitive spirit, I took a small risk.
Lowering my voice slightly, I spoke gently.
“Respected Young Master. There is no need even for armed suppression. I only mean to conduct tax audits on the businesses those Black Pig bastards operate. For appearances, a single knight... just one knight... would be enough.”
“You are telling me to send Sir Paramela?”
“No.”
Remembering the stage Young Master Hamel had arranged on his own not long ago, I said,
“Please send only that Apprentice Knight you know so well. Then things will go smoothly.”
“Ah, that one. What was his name again? The fellow who fought you before?”
“Yes. And if you would attach only a few investigators who know how to read ledgers, I think that would be enough. It would be even better if they were new. They say no man can be shaken without some dust coming off. All the more so when it is a business tied to an Underworld organization. From the very beginning......”
I put force into my words.
“Why would we need any grand pretext to investigate businesses run by an Underworld gang? We simply tear through them and crush them. Let us use this chance to show the dignity of House Adeline. Who knows? Perhaps the head of the House will take notice.”
That blow landed squarely in the center of Young Master Hamel’s desire. Hamel licked his lips, his eyes shining.
“Good. Do it!”
***
As promised, Young Master Hamel attached Arthas and five investigators to me. There was no trouble at all in mobilizing an Apprentice Knight.
The only trouble came from Arthas’s own mouth.
“The longer I live, the more I see. A mere Butler Apprentice is going to command an operation? It is so absurd I can hardly believe it.”
Arthas had been grumbling like that ever since we left the mansion. I knew perfectly well why he was complaining so much. He had a bit of a Rohan-like side to him as well.
Come to think of it, Rohan-like is a truly broad and attractive word in meaning. If the chance comes, I ought to write up a proper dictionary definition for it someday.
I answered him with a simple fact.
“Are you still sulking because I beat you? Try acting like a knight. Ah, but perhaps that is too much to ask, since you are still only an apprentice?”
“Shut up.”
“All right, all right, so just cooperate quietly, will you not, Sir Arthas the Apprentice Knight?”
When I teased him, Arthas’s face turned bright red, but with a sigh he calmed himself down. Still, his questions did not end there.
“What exactly is this about? You suddenly start talking about an investigation. Should you not at least explain the circumstances?”
“There is not much to explain. We are investigating businesses run by an Underworld organization. They are under suspicion of tax evasion.”
“Tax evasion?”
Arthas narrowed his eyes. It was exactly the look that said, They committed tax evasion, so why are you the one investigating?
“You know how it is. Young Master Hamel has taken a dislike to me. He is just making me handle the cleanup.”
“First he makes you fight, and now he makes you work together with people. He really is impossible to read. As for me, I have done nothing to offend the Young Master.”
“What can I do? He likes capable people.”
Since it was my own boasting, perhaps it sounded like his instead. Arthas lifted his chin with a confident expression.
At least after that, I no longer had to listen to any more complaints.
After walking for quite some time, we forced our way into the first target of investigation, an inn with a dining hall. We made no effort to hide the badge of House Adeline.
Using Arthas as a screen, I stepped forward.
“You there, innkeeper!”
“Wh-what is the matter?”
A middle-aged man came running over at once. At a glance, it was obvious we were no ordinary people. I was armed, and Arthas was wearing Heavy Armor.
As expected, several of the customers in the hall either ran upstairs to their rooms or hurried outside as though fleeing.
There were a few suspicious-looking men among them, but I did not bother stopping them. There was something else I had to do first.
Stretching out one hand, I showed the innkeeper five fingers.
“I am giving you exactly five minutes from this moment, so bring out every ledger from this establishment. Do not even think of hiding anything clumsily. We are going to tear through the place as though searching for rats.”
“What? What are you......?”
“Sir, let us make this easy for ourselves, shall we?”
I drew my sword.
And in my other hand, I held the order writ issued directly by an administrative officer through Young Master Hamel’s arrangement.
Shall we begin the pig hunt?