NOVEL NEXT Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: The Lord and Marie
Chapter 65: The Lord and Marie
With his golden eyes darkening, Saverio Savoia contorted his face.
―――― “Report on the Black Wolf Subjugation Mission is now concluded.”
“I see… First of all, you’ve done well to successfully accomplish such a difficult subjugation. Originally, it was a number that even a battalion might struggle with. Savoia itself was at risk of being affected, but you managed to hold it off. Truly, well done, Marie. As the Lord of Savoia, I sincerely thank you.”
Since parting with Kuro and failing to come up with a conclusive answer during the journey to Savoia, I couldn’t prepare the best response until the end. Instead, my mind was filled with unrelated things like the sunlight filtering through the hideout, the texture of Elizabeth’s skin, bathing with Kuro, and nibbling on grilled meat, and I ended up meeting with the lord without being able to switch my feelings. Maybe I haven’t fully recovered from the fatigue yet. Ah… I want some coffee.
“I would like to personally meet this merchant called Bonus to express my gratitude… but he doesn’t wish for it, is that correct?”
“Yes. He prefers not to stand out and wishes to live quietly… I apologize.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“Because he is a friend of Marie.”
“A friend of Marie’s… But, well, he must be a valuable asset for Savoia, right?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Well then… it’s fine for now. Besides, we’ll be quite busy for a while.”
He expressed his gratitude in a calm tone. But contrary to those words, he has been incessantly fidgeting since he sat facing the sofa. He may not be aware of it, but the rustling of the fabric rubbing against each other is uncomfortably tickling my ears and making me uneasy. The upholstery of this room’s sofa is strangely soft. I can’t seem to find a comfortable posture.
“Almost certainly the work of my younger brother. He’s truly foolish.”
“That’s…”
“However, I can’t punish my brother. He was particularly doted on among the siblings. If I were to kill him, my father would surely appear in anger. Of course, it would cause trouble for my elder brother as well. Above all, I don’t particularly dislike my brother, nor do I want to kill him.”
The lord’s elder brother is essentially the king. In this country, members of the royal family other than the direct line are entrusted with the lordship of the border regions. They are placed far from the capital both as a bulwark to defend the borders and to avoid power struggles.
The lord’s younger brother is also a lord in the eastern border region. And that place has a very bad reputation.
“But, well, I must make those around my foolish brother take responsibility.”
“My Lord…”
The magical disturbances throughout the room are unnecessarily chaotic, and I can feel the pulsation, making me break into a cold sweat. He probably thinks it’s just an extension of his fidgeting. Perhaps he’s doing it unconsciously. However, playing around with such a powerful magic in this room, one wrong move and the whole room might blow up. But I can’t bring myself to speak up. He’s staring into space with dark eyes, counting something. Is he thinking of punishing someone?
“Oh, Father! Um, um, it’s just that, it’s not good to disrupt the magic recklessly, please stop!”
“Hm? Ah.”
Laura Savoia, the eldest daughter of the Savoia family, scolds her father, the lord, as soon as she confirms the state of the room.
“In, in this state, Marie must be, um, quite uncomfortable, I think!”
“…I’m sorry.”
In an instant, the magic in the room is straightened out, and the lord looks uncomfortable.
“I apologize. It’s been a while, Lady Laura.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Marie. Um, that Black Wolf extermination was quite tough, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, I was prepared to die this time.”
“Well!”
Lady Laura is already over 30 years old. However, due to her limited exposure to sunlight, her ivory-colored skin has more transparency and beauty than mine, who is younger.
“Y-You don’t seem to have… any injuries. That’s good…”
She anxiously shakes her dreamy honey-colored eyes. She seems to have recently started using very rare glasses to correct her vision. The frames, made of glass and carved metal, accentuate her delicate atmosphere, making her very cute.
Although her eyes are good… I want one too.
Her slightly quirky, soft golden hair is carefully tied up today, and the stray white hair dancing on her nape is strangely charming.
These two look very similar in their respective features, but they emit completely different atmospheres.
The lord has a fierce, warlike, and oppressive aura, while Lady Laura gives off a softer and somewhat anxious impression.
She seems to have difficulty speaking, always appearing hesitant and lacking in confidence when she talks, perhaps due to stuttering. Moreover, it seems she struggles with stuttering.
However, she seems to enjoy talking, as she often invites me for tea. Despite being misunderstood because of her way of speaking, she has a quick wit and is very intellectual. Maybe because we’re close in age, I always enjoy talking to her.
She’s been married once before, but it seems things didn’t go well with her husband. She returned to Savoia suddenly a few years ago. By the way, she has two younger sisters whom she adored very much. Both of them were apparently quite attractive and resourceful. They’re already married and seem to have children now.
“Um, you’re my precious friend, right? Please don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Lady Laura has inherited Saverio-sama’s talent and is a quite powerful mage herself. Despite that, I don’t feel uncomfortable around her.
“The reconstruction of Vaintz Village is still lacking… We need more supplies, and we must also call in merchants from neighboring territories.”
The lord was cautioned by his daughter to stop fidgeting with magic, but instead, it seemed like his fidgeting became even more intense.
“Are the villagers all right?”
“Yeah, some of them seem to be injured, but there haven’t been any casualties. Even I was surprised by that.”
“That’s a relief.”
Was there really no one killed? I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders, feeling somewhat rewarded. Now I can explain to Bonus and the others with peace of mind. I can truly thank him for the evacuation of the villagers. He made quick decisions in that moment and acted swiftly. Apparently, the preparations beforehand were good, but I don’t really understand it. At least, Hajarimado’s predictions seem to have been correct.
“…Expenses will pile up for a while.”
“In addition to the village’s reconstruction, it would be wise to dispose of the Black Wolf’s corpse.”
“Funds, huh… Maybe it’s time to go to the capital after a long time, punish the fools, and raise funds.”
“That would be quite beneficial.”
The fidgeting stops, and a smile finally appears on his face. This smile is not good. It reveals the lord’s bad habit.
“But my lord, please be careful.”
“…Am I going to be killed? Haven’t you thought about it at least once, Marie?”
The lord, still wearing his usual creepy smile, peers into my eyes with his golden eyes.
“If it comes to it, Marie, with your swordsmanship, even if I’m a mage, I might be able to lose my head.”
He asks without blinking. This aspect of him really bothers me. He must be over 50 by now, but once his aggression surfaces, his fighting spirit goes wild regardless of the opponent. And it’s troublesome that he has a strange intuition. He’s surely aware that I’m desperately trying to steer the conversation away from arranging a meeting between Bonus and the lord. Despite that, while he behaves tolerantly, he must have been quite unhappy inside. Savoia was on the brink of crisis without the lord’s knowledge, and it resolved without his knowing. Even his hired mercenaries, the central figures in solving this incident, are told not to contact him. No lord would be happy to be left out of matters concerning the fate of their territory. When I think about it carefully, maybe I did indeed make a mistake in how I explained things.
―――― But, I always seem to be lucky. Sitting next to me is the lord’s beloved daughter, Lady Laura.
“No need to worry.”
“Ah… well, I guess I have no choice but to say that.”
“Please stop! What are you thinking, Father! Don’t start saying such foolish things again… I’ll have Mother scold you!”
Lady Laura scolds the lord again. Next to his wife, the lord’s daughter is the strongest card. I’m really grateful for her being here with me.
“――――Ah, I understand. I’m sorry… it’s my bad habit.”
“Father, you’re not a child anymore!”
“Laura, I was trying to push an unreasonable request onto the lord, so please.”
The lord starts fidgeting again. But the thin smile from earlier disappears, and he looks somewhat bored.
“We’re heading to the capital tomorrow. Marie, come with us.”
“Understood.”
“We need to hurry with the punishment and fundraising. Don’t worry too much, Marie.”
“No problem.”
Ah, this is the worst. After finishing the report and receiving the reward, I was planning to go back to the hideout and take a little break.
“After the restoration of the village, I’ve already asked Hajiramu to take care of it. I want Azir, who understands the situation, to accompany us.”
“Understood. He’s scheduled to join us later, so I’ll make sure to inform him.”
Once this job is done, I’ll definitely take a proper rest. No matter what… Absolutely. I’ll ask Bonus to let me stay in the hideout for a while. There’s more than enough money anyway. Ah… but that water source in the hideout felt so good. Above all, having Kuro wash my body was the best. He washed my back with just the right pressure and made my hair look beautiful. Floating on that clear lake surface, gazing at the sky without thinking about anything, it felt like all the exhaustion stuck to my body was melting away.
“While I’m away, Laura will be acting as the lord’s representative. All administrative matters will be entrusted to her.”
“Huh? M-me? Me as the representative…?”
“Yeah, leave it to you.”
“Marie, there are a few things I need you to prepare by tomorrow. First…”
The lord keeps talking as he pleases. I want to punch him. But it’s better to just let it go. My military-trained brain automatically lists them up and drills them into my head without much conscious effort. I should think about my vacation more.
What should I bring to the hideout? Right, next time I go there, I should bring my favorite pillow and a change of clothes. It’s a bit chilly at night in the hideout, but it’s very quiet and I sleep well. I wonder if Mil has finished spinning Elizabeth’s wool? – Elizabeth’s blanket. That’s dangerous. If I curl up and lie down, I’ll probably sleep extremely well. But I might not be able to wake up.
“Since it’s sudden, it might be difficult to arrange camels. Do you have any suggestions, my lord?”
“Yeah, I’ll take care of the camel arrangements. They’ll come to collect them this afternoon.”
“Thank you very much.”
Come to think of it, there’s a book I’ve been neglecting to read. I’ll read it under that tree in the afternoon, leaning on Elizabeth. Maybe she’ll turn the pages if I give her some chocolate.
“―――― That’s about all I need for now.”
“I understand the details.”
“Well then, I’m counting on you. By the way, pick up the reward at the brokerage office. I think it’s a fair amount. Also, prepare a wooden plaque for a man named Bonus. He’s exempt from taxes for a year and can come and go from the city freely.”
“Thank you. He’ll surely be pleased with that.”
So in the end, the reward will be entrusted to Azir. I wanted to deliver it directly, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Um, uh, who is this Bonus person anyway?”
… Come to think of it, Lady Laura loves sweets, doesn’t she?