novelVolume 5
| ← Ch.045 | Ch.047 → |
Solution nodded by way of response, and slipped past Sebas.
After watching her leave, Sebas knocked on the door. There was no response, but he sensed someone moving inside, so he quietly pushed the door open.
The girl sleeping on the bed had just regained consciousness. She sat up, still drowsy.
She was completely different from how she had been before.
Her filthy blonde hair now glowed with a beautiful luster. Her emaciated features had regained their fullness. Her cracked lips were now a healthy pink.
On the whole, she was beautiful, although her looks might be better described as a soft-spoken prettiness rather than being drop-dead sexy.
Her age was now plain to see. She looked like she was in her late teens, between 15 to 19, although the shadow on her face from her years in her man-made hell made her seem older than she actually was.
Solution had given her a white negligee to wear, but it was plain and unadorned, lacking frills or lace or other such attractive decorations.
"I trust you are completely recovered. How do you feel?"
There was no answer. Her hollow eyes did not seem strong enough to look at Sebas. However, he did not mind, but continued speaking.
No, the truth was, he had not expected her to answer him. That was because he could tell that her blank expression belonged to someone who was distracted and crestfallen.
"Are you hungry? I brought something to eat."
He had bought the meal from a restaurant, bowl and all.
The porridge in the wooden bowl was made with colored soup stock. It had some sesame oil in it to taste, and on the whole it radiated a mouthwatering aroma.
The girl's face twitched in response to the fragrance.
"Come, help yourself."
Seeing that the girl had not yet completely withdrawn into her own world, Sebas placed the wooden bowl and its spoon before the girl.
She did not move, but Sebas did not urge her to eat.
A third party would probably have started to get frustrated at this point. After a long time had passed, the girl's hands moved slowly; the movements of one afraid of being brutally beaten.
The wounds on the outside had been completely healed, but the pain which had been branded into her memories still remained.
She picked up the wooden spoon, dipped it into the porridge, then brought it to her mouth and wolfed it down.
Normal porridge could be very rich and thick. Sebas had asked the storekeeper to finely slice the 14 different ingredients and then cook them over a slow fire to make something that could be swallowed without chewing.
Her throat worked, and the porridge slid into her belly.
The girl's eyes trembled slightly. It was a small movement, but it was sufficient to convert her from an intricately-made doll into a real human being. Her other hand trembled as it moved to take the bowl from Sebas.
Sebas supported the bowl, shifting it to a place which was easier for her to reach.
The girl grabbed the bowl to herself, then took scoop after forceful scoop of the porridge as she devoured it.
If the porridge had not been cooled until it was just right, her frantic feeding frenzy would probably have scalded her tongue. Broth leaked from her mouth and stained the blouse of her pajamas, but she did not care. She was more drinking than eating it.
After finishing the bowl with a speed that was completely unlike her previous self, the girl held onto the bowl and exhaled deeply.
With her humanity restored, her eyelids closed slowly and ponderously.
The combination of a full belly, fresh clothes and a clean body combined to soothe her spirit, and she began to feel fatigue kicking in.
However, just as her eyes narrowed into a line, they snapped open and she curled up into a frightened ball.
Was she afraid to close her eyes, or was she afraid that what she was experiencing would vanish like a popped bubble? Or was it something else? Sebas was watching her from the side, but he did not know.
Perhaps even she did not know.
In order to comfort her, Sebas gently said:
"Your body must need sleep. Don't push yourself and have a good rest. You will not come to any harm as long as you stay here. I guarantee this — when you wake up, you will still be in that bed."
The girl's eyes moved for the first time and looked directly at Sebas.
Her blue pupils were dull and lacked vitality. However, those were not the eyes of a corpse, but a living person.
Her small mouth opened — and closed. Then it opened — and closed again. This repeated itself several times. Sebas watched her tenderly. He did not urge her to do anything; he simply watched in silence.
"Ah..."
At last, her mouth opened, and several nearly inaudible noises emerged. Then, she quickly added:
"Thank... thank you."
The first words she spoke were not to ask about her present circumstances, but to thank him. Having grasped part of her character from that, Sebas gave her a genuine smile; not the usual fake one he typically wore.
"It's fine. Since I have rescued you, I will do my best to guarantee your safety."
The girl's eyes widened a bit more, and her mouth began to tremble.
Her blue eyes moistened, and then overflowed. The girl opened her mouth and then wept piteously.
Soon, he could hear the sound of cursing through the crying.
She cursed her fate. She resented the fact that it had ever existed. She was filled with hatred that nobody had helped her until now. Her wrath was directed at Sebas as well.
If only you had saved me earlier. That sort of thing.
After receiving Sebas' kindness — after being humanely treated, it was as though part of her had broken down under the strain of everything she had endured until now. No, perhaps it might be better to say that after having her humanity restored, she could no longer bear her painful memories.
She tore at her hair, and the strands snapped quietly as she pulled. Countless golden fibers were tangled around her slender fingers. The porridge bowl and the spoon rolled to the bed.
Sebas watched silently as she went mad.
Her hatred and curses was directed at the wrong person. She was clearly looking for a scapegoat. Perhaps said person would be unhappy, maybe even angry. However, there was no anger on his face. His wrinkles were filled with kindness.
Sebas leaned forward and hugged her.
It was like a father embracing his child. There was no malice there, only an unending kindness.
Her body stiffened for a moment. Then, as she realised how different this embrace was from the men who sought only to violate her flesh, her body slowly relaxed.
"It's fine."
Sebas repeated those words like a mantra, gently patting her on the back, like he was comforting a crying child.
The girl moaned — and then, as she slowly came to understand what Sebas was saying, she buried her face into Sebas' chest and cried all the louder. However, the context of her tears was slightly different from just now.
♦ ♦ ♦
She finally managed to stop crying after some time had passed and the front of Sebas' clothes had been soaked by her tears. She slowly extricated herself from Sebas' arms and lowered her head to hide her blushing face.
"Ah... I'm... sorry..."
"Please, do not worry about it. Being able to offer one's chest to a lady for support is a mark of pride for a man."
Sebas extracted a clean handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to her.
"Please use this."
"But... lending... me... this... clean..." the girl asked nervously. Sebas reached out to cup her chin, then gently raised her face. She had no idea what had happened, but just as she was freezing up with fear, the handkerchief gently grazed over her eyes — and the trails of her tears.
This reminds me of the last [Message] conversation Solution had with Shalltear... Shalltear was apparently quite proud of the fact that Ainz-sama had helped wipe her tears.
What circumstances would have caused his master to wipe Shalltear's tears? He could not imagine Shalltear crying. While his mind was occupied with futile guessing, his hands worked to clean the girl's face.
"Ah..."
"Come, please use this, " Sebas said as he stuffed the somewhat damp handkerchief into her hands."It is quite sad when a handkerchief goes unused. Especially when it cannot even dry tears."
Sebas smiled, and then stepped away from her.
"Alright. Have a good rest. We will discuss the future and other things when you wake up."
There was nothing that magic could not do. Her body had been restored through Solution's magical healing, and her mental fatigue had been wiped away. Thus, she could function normally right away. However, she had still been in hell up until a few hours ago. Her emotional wounds might well burst open again after a long conversation.
The truth was that her mind was not completely stable, hence her agonized weeping just now. Magic could briefly salve that spiritual suffering, but it could only treat the symptoms and not its cause. Unlike the physical body, the invisible wounds of the spirit could not be so easily healed.
As far as Sebas knew, the only people who could completely remove her mental damage were his master or possibly Pestonya S. Wanko.
Sebas wanted to let the girl rest, but she hurriedly replied:
"The future... ?"
Sebas did not know if he should continue speaking to her. However, since she had been the one to initiate conversation, he decided to respond while keeping an eye on her.
"It will not be safe for you to continue staying in the Royal Capital. Have you no friends or relatives to turn to?"
The girl hung her head.
"Is that so..."
You don't have any? But of course, he did not actually say that.
That was troublesome, Sebas thought. However, there was no need to be hasty. That man would probably not be captured so soon, and learning about Sebas from him would take some time. He knew he was being optimistic, but by telling himself that he did not worry, he hoped that such would be the case. At the very least, he hoped that she would be able to regain her spirits first.
"Alright, then. Can you tell me your name?"
"Ah... I... Tsuare..."
"Tsuare, is it? I have not told you my name yet. I am Sebas Tian, but Sebas will do. I am the servant of Solution-sama, the Young istress of this house."
That was the cover story.
Solution typically wore her white dress instead of her maid outfit in case they were surprised by guests. However, he would have to remind her to stay in character as the manor's mistress now that Tsuare was in the home.
"So... tion... san..."
"Yes, Solution Epsilon-sama. Although, I doubt you will have much of a chance to meet her."
"... ?"
"The Young Mistress can be... hard to deal with at times."
Sebas closed his mouth, as if to indicate that was all he would say on the matter. After a brief silence, he spoke once more.
"Alright. Have a good rest today. We'll discuss the future tomorrow."
"All... right..."
After verifying that Tsuare was back on the bed, Sebas took the bowl of porridge and left the room.
When he opened the door, he was not surprised to find Solution standing there. She was probably eavesdropping on them, but Sebas did not blame her. Solution did not feel that Sebas would scold her for doing so, so all she did was mask her presence and stand outside the door. Since she had assassin-type class levels, she could have done a better job of hiding if she wanted.
"What's the matter?"
"Sebas-sama. May I ask how you intend to dispose of her?"
Sebas's attention went to the door behind him. It was thick enough, but not completely soundproofed. If they spoke here, she would probably be able to pick up on a bit of their conversation.
Sebas moved from the front of the door, and Solution silently followed behind him.
Once they had reached a place where he was sure they would not be overheard, he stopped.
"... You're referring to Tsuare, I take it. I intend to wait until tomorrow before deciding what to do."
"That name...
Solution did not finish that sentence, but she pulled herself together and then spoke again.
"Perhaps I have overstepped myself, but I feel that thing has a high chance of impeding our activities. We ought to deal with it as soon as possible."
Now what exactly could the words "deal with" mean?
After listening to Solution's cold words, Sebas thought: as I expected. This was the opinion which a right-thinking, loyal servant of Nazarick — of the 41 Supreme Beings — would have about a non-Nazarick entity. It was Sebas' attitude towards Tsuare which was abnormal.
"You're right. If she interferes with the orders Ainz-sama has given us, then I shall deal with her without delay."
Solution looked surprised, as if to say: "If you knew that, then why did you do it?"
"She might have her uses. And since we've picked her up, it would be a shame to just discard her. We need to think of a way to properly utilize her."
"... Sebas-sama. I do not know where or why you picked it up, but the injuries it has taken indicate that it comes from a certain background. And do you not think the person who inflicted those injuries on that human would be unhappy to know that it was still alive?"
"There should be no problems on that front."
"... So you mean to say you have already disposed of those people, then?"
"No. That's not it. If any problems arise, I will take action. Therefore, I hope you will be able to watch quietly until then. Do you understand, Solution?"
"... I understand."
Solution swallowed her rising frustration as she watched Sebas leave.
Now that Sebas had said all that to her, she could not say anything even if she was deeply dissatisfied with his handling of the situation. In addition, she really could just sit there and watch if nothing cropped up.
That said—
"To think he would use the resources of Nazarick on a mere human..."
All the wealth and resources of Nazarick belonged to Ainz Ooal Gown — in other words, they belonged to the Supreme One. Was it really alright to expend them without permission?
She could not come up with an answer no matter how hard she thought.
♦ ♦ ♦
Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 09:48
Sebas opened the main door. As usual, he had gone to the Adventurer's Guild in the morning and recorded all the requests on the notice board in his notebook before the adventurers could take them.
Sebas had committed all the information he had obtained in the Royal Capital — even street gossip — to paper and then sent it on to Nazarick. Data analysis was a difficult process, so it was left entirely to the intellectuals of Nazarick to handle.
He passed through the door and entered the house. Several days ago, Solution would have come to greet him. However—
"Welcome... back... Sebas... ma."
This task was now handed to the soft-spoken girl in the maid outfit whose long skirt covered her legs.
The day after he had picked up Tsuare, there had been a discussion, and it had been decided that she would work in this house.
They could have treated her as a guest, but Tsuare refused.
She said that she felt uneasy about being treated as a guest on top of being rescued by Sebas. While it did not properly qualify as repaying his kindness, she hoped that she could do something to help around the house.
After seeing what her true intentions were, he began to feel uneasy as well.
In other words, she understood that her position here was precarious — that she was a source of trouble for this home — and so she wanted to work as hard as she could to avoid being discarded.
Of course, Sebas had told Tsuare that he would not abandon her. If he was the sort who could discard someone with nobody else to turn to, he would never have rescued her in the first place. However, he lacked the persuasive power to heal the wounds in Tsuare's heart.
"I'm back, Tsuare. Did work go well?"
Tsuare nodded.
Unlike how she had been when they first met, her hair was neatly trimmed and she wore a little white headdress.
"It went... well."
"Is that so. That's good to hear."
She seemed as gloomy as always and her expression hardly changed, but being able to live as a human being had gradually eased the fear which gripped her, and she could speak much more clearly now.
It's what's remains that worries me instead...
Sebas walked, and Tsuare walked with him.
Technically speaking, it would be a violation of maidservant etiquette for her to walk beside Sebas — her superior. However, Tsuare had never been trained as a maid and did not understand those formalities, and Sebas did not wish to educate her in such matters.
"What are we having today?"
"Po... potato... stew..."
"I see. I look forward to that, then. Your food is delicious, Tsuare."
She blushed and lowered her face as Sebas praised her with a smile. Her hands nervously grasped at her maid uniform's apron.
"You, you are too... kind..."
"No, no, I meant that. I know nothing about cooking, so you've done me a great favor. Do you have enough ingredients? Tell me if there's anything you'd like me to buy."
"Yes. I... will ask you... when I do."
Tsuare could move around normally within the house and in front of Sebas, but she still had an aversion to the outside world. Since she could not work outdoors, Sebas had taken on the task of shopping for ingredients and so on.
Tsuare's cooking was hardly a gourmet spread. She made simple, everyday dishes.
Since these dishes did not require expensive ingredients, they were easily obtained at the markets. Sebas had also learned about said ingredients in the market and the food and beverage of this world, which he considered to be killing two birds with one stone.
A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Sebas.
"... We'll go shopping together afterwards."
A look of shock appeared on Tsuare's face, and then she shook her head timidly. Her face had turned pale for a moment and she had broken out in a cold sweat.
"I, I think... I'll pass..."
Sebas thought, As I expected, but he did not voice it.
Tsuare had refused to do anything which might involve going outside ever since she had started working.
She had taken this house to be an absolute defense of sorts, in order to suppress the fear within her. In other words, she had drawn a line to tell herself that this place was different from the outside world, which had hurt her. That was the only way she could function normally.
However, if that kept up, Tsuare would never be able to leave the house, and Sebas could not keep her here for her whole life.
Sebas understood that it was very cruel to expect Tsuare to walk amongst the masses given her mental condition. He should have spent more time to help her get used to being around others again, but that naturally required time.
Sebas did not intend to hide here or spend the rest of his life in this place. He was an outsider who had only infiltrated this city in order to gather information. If his master issued the order to withdraw—
He had to continue training Tsuare to give her additional possibilities, in preparation for that day.
Sebas stopped moving and looked directly at Tsuare. She blushed and lowered her head shyly, but Sebas took his cheeks in both his hands and raised her face.
"Tsuare, I understand your fears. However, I hope you will relax. I — Sebas — will protect you. I will crush any and all dangers which draw near and ensure you will not be harmed."
"..."
"Tsuare, please step outside with me. If you're afraid, you can close your eyes."
"..."
As Tsuare hesitated, Sebas held her hands tightly. What he said next was terribly unfair to her.
"Are you willing to trust me, Tsuare?"
Silence filled the corridor, and time slowly passed them by. In the end, Tsuare's eyes grew moist, and her tender, pink lips parted to reveal her pearly white teeth.
"... Sebas-sama... you are too cunning... When you... put it like that... how could I refuse?"
"Please be at ease. Despite my appearance, I am quite strong... Let me put it this way. In all the world there are only 41 people stronger than me... well, and a few others."
"Is... that... a lot?"
The figure he had chosen made Tsuare think that Sebas was merely cracking a joke to reassure her, and so she smiled. Sebas saw this, and smiled back without saying anything.
Sebas began walking again. He knew Tsuare was peeking at his face from the side, but he did not bring it up.
Sebas knew Tsuare had some faint semblance of attraction to him. However, Sebas felt that it was more like gratitude to him for saving her from her torment. It was similar to brainwashing, or the trust she placed in someone who was reliable.
In addition, Sebas was an old man, and perhaps Tsuare had confused her sense of familial kinship with romantic love.
Even if Tsuare did feel genuine love for Sebas, he did not feel that he could adequately return it. After all, he had been hiding so many things from her, and their respective circumstances were far removed from each other.
"Then I shall come to get you after discussing a few things with the Young Mistress."
"Solu... san..."
Tsuare's mood turned gloomy. Sebas knew why, but he kept quiet about it.
Solution had hardly met with Tsuare before. At the very most she had glanced at her in passing and left without saying a word. Anyone would feel uneasy about being ignored like that, and in Tsuare's case she would probably be terrified.
"It's fine. The Young Mistress is like that to everyone. It isn't as though she has it out for you... though in all frankness, she can be a little wilful at times. You have to keep that a secret, though..."
Sebas smiled, and after finishing his half-joking words, the unease on Tsuare's face lightened somewhat.
"She often throws tantrums when she sees cute girls."
"... I... How could I... I'm nothing like... the Mistress..."
Tsuare frantically waved her hands as if to dismiss those words.
Tsuare was pretty, but she was nothing like Solution. However, beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
"In terms of looks, I would prefer you compared to the Young Mistress."
"What! How could..."
Tsuare's face was burning red as she lowered it. Sebas looked kindly upon her, and then he saw her expression change and her brows furrow.
"And I... I'm... filthy..."
Sebas sighed inside as he watched Tsuare's face fill with dejection. Then, he turned to face her and said:
"Indeed, that is the case with gems. Unmarked ones are worth more, and they are considered purer."
Tsuare's face fell even further as she heard those words.
"However — people are not gemstones."
Tsuare suddenly jerked her head up.
"Tsuare, you seem to consider yourself dirty. But who can judge the purity of a human being? There are clearly defined standards for precious stones... but who will set the standards for a human being's virtue? Is there some common value to surpass? Some public opinion that must be adhered to? Does that mean everyone else's thoughts and opinions can be discarded?"
Sebas paused here, and then he continued:
"Every person has a different definition of beauty. If beauty cannot be determined by one's appearance, then in my opinion, we cannot determine beauty by what people have experienced, but by how they are inside.. I do not know what you have been through and I have only spent a few days with you, but what I know is that the person inside you is the furthest thing from being filthy that I can imagine."
Sebas closed his mouth, and the footsteps echoing along the corridor filled the world. Tsuare seemed to have made up her mind, and she said:
"... If... you feel I am pure... then hug—"
Sebas had already embraced her before she could finish her words.
"You are very beautiful to me."
Tsuare's eyes overflowed with tears as she heard Sebas' gentle words. Sebas gently patted Tsuare's back, and then slowly let her go.
"Tsuare, forgive me. The Young Mistress calls and I must answer."
"I, I understand..."
「我、我知道了...... 」
Sebas left a red-eyed Tsuare bowing behind him and knocked on the door. He then opened it without waiting for an answer. As he closed it, he smiled to Tsuare, who had been spying on him all that time.
This house was rented, so it did not have much furniture despite its many rooms. However, this room was filled with stylish furniture, enough to impress any guest who came. However, anyone who knew anything would realize that none of the furniture here was a venerable antique, and that the entire room was all style and no substance.
"Young Mistress, I have returned."
"... Thank you, Sebas."
Solution, the false mistress of the manor, had a airheaded expression on her face as she lounged on the sofa in the center of the room. However, that was merely an act. That was because Tsuare the outsider was also in the house, so she had to put on the mask of a haughty heiress.
Solution's eyes left Sebas and went to the door.
"... She has left, I take it?"
"So it would seem."
The two of them looked at each others' faces, and Solution spoke in a normal tone.
"When are you going to get rid of her?"
Solution always asked the same question whenever they met, and Sebas always gave her the same answer.
"When the time comes."
Under normal circumstances, that would be the end of it. Solution would sigh deliberately, and then drop the matter. However, Solution did not seem inclined to let it go today, and she continued asking:
"... Could you give me a clear indication on when 'the time' will be? For all we know, hiding that human might bring trouble upon us. Does that not violate Ainz-sama's orders?"
"There have been no problems until now... Fearing a human and the problems they might make is hardly the attitude which a servant of Ainz-sama ought to have."
Deathly silence reigned between them, and Sebas quietly exhaled.
The situation was very bad.
Solution had no expression on her face, but Sebas could tell she was boiling mad at him. This house might only have be a temporary base, but Solution regarded it as a branch of Nazarick, and the fact that a human was living here without permission made her very unhappy.
Solution had not made any move to harm Tsuare until now due to being forcibly restrained by Sebas. However, if things remained as they were, it might not endure for long.
Sebas was keenly aware that time was running out.
"... Sebas-sama. Once that human violates the orders Ainz-sama has set forth—"
"—She will be dealt with."
Sebas ended the sentence himself without giving Solution a chance to continue speaking. She turned an emotionless look on him, and then nodded to indicate that she understood.
"Then I will say no more. Sebas-sama, please do not forget the words you have just said."
"Of course not, Solution."
"... Still."
Solution's hushed tone hid emotions so powerful that they made Sebas stop in his tracks.
"... Still, Sebas-sama. Should we not report Tsuare (that) to Ainz-sama?"
Sebas fell silent. After a few seconds, he answered:
"I think it will be fine. I am uneasy about wasting Ainz-sama's time on an insignificant human."
"... Entoma and the others regularly contact you with [Message] spells every day. Why not bring it up while you are in contact with them?... Or is there something you wish to hide?"
"How could that be? I harbor no such thoughts. I would never dream of—"
"That would mean... everything you have done is not for your own personal gain... am I right?"
The air between them grew tense.
Sebas knew that Solution was deliberately picking at this topic, and he was keenly aware that he was in danger himself.
Every denizen of Nazarick owed their absolute loyalty to Ainz Ooal Gown — to each of the Supreme Beings. It was certain that everyone felt that way, especially the Guardians. Even the Assistant Head Butler Eclair, who schemed to take Nazarick for his own, felt sincere loyalty and respect for the 41 Supreme Beings.
Naturally, Sebas was one of them.
That said, he still felt that it was wrong to abandon a pitiful being just because he was afraid of danger. However, he also understood that most of those in Nazarick would not approve of that course of action.
No, he only thought he understood. Solution's attitude from a few seconds ago had clearly informed him of the full extent of his naivete.
Solution had been serious. She might well have turned on Sebas — who was one of the highest-ranking managers in Nazarick and one of the strongest melee combatants in Nazarick — depending on his answer. He had not expected Solution to go to such lengths to remove a problem.
—Sebas smiled.
As she saw that smile, Solution's eyes filled with surprise.
"... Of course. It was not for personal gain that I did not report this to Ainz-sama."
"Is there anything to support that?"
"I appreciate that girl's culinary technique."
"You mean to say... her cooking?"
It was as though there was a question mark atop Solution's head.
"Yes. In addition, would it not be suspicious if only two people lived in such a large home?"
"... Perhaps."
Solution had no choice but to agree with that point. Anyone would find it strange that such a large house was hardly occupied, for all the money spent on it.
"I feel that we need a few people around. Besides, would it not be bad if we could not serve a single dish if guests arrived?"
"... That is to say, you are using that human as camouflage?"
"Indeed."
"But why did you have to use that particular human..."
"I am interested in Tsuare. I feel that even if she has her doubts about us, she would never make them public. Am I wrong?"
Solution thought briefly on the matter and then nodded.
"Indeed."
"Just so. This is merely a deception, so there is no need to specially seek Ainz-sama's permission to do so. For all we know, he might chastise us and say, 'Figure these small things out yourself'."
This was how Sebas calmly explained himself to the silent Solution.
"Can you accept that?"
"... I understand."
"Then, we'll carry on like this for—"
Sebas stopped halfway, because he had heard something like two hard objects colliding.
It was a very soft sound; probably nobody but Sebas would have heard it.
That disordered noise repeated itself again, and he was certain that it had been deliberately made.
Sebas opened the room door and stepped into the corridor, focusing his senses.
They froze when they realized the sound was coming from the main door's knocker. Nobody had ever knocked on that door ever since they had come to the Royal Capital. They had conducted their business in person and they had never asked anyone to come to the house. That was because they were concerned that others would wonder why such a large house was only occupied by two people.
And now, somebody had come to visit this house. Certainly there must be some kind of trouble afoot.
Sebas kept Solution in the room and walked to the main door, where he lifted the cover of the door's peephole.
He could see a plump man outside, and Royal Army soldiers waiting for orders behind him on either side.
The plump man was neatly attired, and he wore well-tailored clothing. He had a weighty badge on his chest which reflected a coppery light. His sweaty red face was also packed with fat and had an oily sheen to it, probably from too many rich meals.
At the back of the procession was a strange-looking man.
His pale, sallow skin looked like it had never seen the sun before. His eyes were keen and his scrawny face looked like some predator — a corpse-feeding scavenger, in fact. His dark clothes hung loosely about him, and he must certainly have weapons about his person.
He radiated a scent of blood and malice, which prickled on Sebas' sixth sense.
Sebas had no idea of who these ragtag bunch of misfits were or what they wanted.
"... May I know who is calling?"
"I am Inspector Stefan Havish, " reported the fat man at the head of the group. His voice was shrill and somewhat off-key.
Inspectors were public officials who maintained order in the Royal Capital. One could say they were the commanders of the guards who patrolled the Capital, and they had far-reaching authority. Sebas had no idea why this man called Stefan had come, and it worried him.
Stefan ignored Sebas' reaction and continued:
"I trust you know that the Kingdom's laws prohibit the trafficking of slaves... That law was proposed by Princess Renner herself and put into effect after being reviewed by Parliament. The report I received indicates that the inhabitants of this domicile have violated that law. Thus, I wish to investigate the matter."
Stefan neatly punctuated his statement by saying, "May I come in, please?"
Sebas hesitated as he broke out in a cold sweat.
He thought of many excuses to deny him entry, but chasing him away might lead to greater trouble in future.
There was no guarantee that Stefan was actually who he said he was either. The Kingdom's public servants all had to wear badges like Stefan did, but there was no telling if he was a legitimate state employee. For all he knew, it might be counterfeit — though the penalty for doing so was very severe.
That said, what harm would it do to allow several humans into the house? If they intended to resort to violence, Sebas could easily deal with them. Indeed, their being impostors would only suit Sebas' purposes.
There was no telling what Stefan thought of Sebas' pensive silence. Once more, he asked:
"If I may, could I have an audience with the master of the house? While it cannot be helped if the master is not in, we are here to conduct an investigation. Things will go poorly if we return empty-handed."
Stefan smiled. There was no sign of humility in that smile. It concealed undertones of intimidation through the abuse of power.
"Before that, I would like to ask — who is that man behind you?"
"Hm? His name is Succulent. He represents the establishment which reported this incident to me."
"I'm Succulent. Pleased to meet you."
After seeing Succulent's cold smile, Sebas' felt a sense of defeat creeping up on him.
His cold smile was like that of a cruel hunter mocking his prey as it stepped into his trap. He must surely have made all the proper arrangements with all the appropriate parties before strutting up to him, bold as brass. That being the case, Stefan was most likely a proper official. They would surely be prepared for any refusals on his part. That being the case, he ought to see what they had in store for him.
"... I understand. I shall inform the Young Mistress forthwith. I hope you will be so kind as to wait here for a moment."
"Very well, we'll wait, we'll wait."
"However, please be swift about it. We do not have all day."
Succulent sneered at him, while Stefan shrugged.
"Understood. Then, please excuse me."
Sebas lowered the cover of the peephole and turned towards Solution's room. Before that, however, he had to tell Tsuare to hide inside the house—
***
He had the soldiers wait outside, while he brought Stefan and Succulent inside. Both of them were visibly shocked when they saw Solution.
Their faces said that they had not expected to see such a beautiful woman. Stefan's expression slowly turned lewd, his eyes roving between her face and her ample bosom. There was a dark look of lust in his eyes. In contrast, Succulent's face gradually tightened up, unwilling to relax.
It was clear which of them was more worthy of caution. Sebas bade them take a seat on the sofa opposite Solution.
Solution, who was already seated, exchanged names with Stefan and Succulent, who were just settling in.
"Then, what is the matter?"
Solution's question brought an exaggerated cough from Stefan, and he said:
"A certain establishment reported that someone had taken away one of their workers. At the same time, I heard that the person responsible had paid a great deal of dirty money to another worker. Our country prohibits the trafficking of slaves... doesn't that sound like breaking the law to you?"
Stefan's voice grew steadily more excited and harsher, but Solution's response was a thoroughly disinterested:
"Oh, really?."
Her tone nearly made the two of them roll their eyes. They were clearly trying to intimidate her, but they had not expected a response like that from her.
"Sebas will handle all the troublesome bits. Sebas, I'll leave the rest to you."
"Is, is that alright? If things go poorly, you might become a criminal."
"Ooooh, I'm soooo scared. Inform me when I'm about to become a criminal, Sebas."
Solution smiled widely to them as she rose.
"Have fun, everyone."
Nobody could stop her as she left. In that instant, they realised exactly how powerful a beautiful woman's smile could be.
Before the door's latch could slide home, they could hear gasps of surprise as the soldiers outside were startled by Solution's good looks.
"—Then I shall hear you two gentlemen out on the Young Mistress' behalf."
Sebas took a seat before them with a smile. Stefan shrank back as he saw his smile, but Succulent decided to speak up on his behalf to help retain control of the situation.
"Just as well. I'll tell you then, Sebas-san. As Havish-san told you at the door, one of the people at our... establishment has gone missing. We questioned a man, and he said that he had handed her over for money. I thought; was this not slave trafficking, which is forbidden in the Kingdom? I was unwilling to believe that one of our employees could actually do such a thing, but I had no choice but to report it."
"Indeed. We cannot condone the filthy slave trade!"
Stefan slammed the table.
"For that reason, dear Succulent here has reported this case even at the risk of staining his business' reputation! What a model citizen he is!"
Succulent nodded in thanks as Stefan spluttered his lines.
"Thank you, Havish-sama."
What kind of farce is this, Sebas thought. Meanwhile, his mind worked. The two of them were clearly in cahoots. That being the case, it was almost certain that they had taken ample precautions before launching their campaign. That being the case, his defeat was certain. Still, he had to minimize his losses, but how?
Turning that around, what were the conditions for Sebas' victory?
As a butler of Nazarick, Sebas' win condition was eliminating the problem and not letting things pile up. Protecting Tsuare was definitely not part of that.
However—
"I believe the man who claims to have taken the money may have borne false witness. Where is he now?"
"He was arrested on suspicion of slave-trading and is in custody now. After questioning him, we managed to learn—"
"—The identity of the person who bought our employee, who would be you, Sebas-san."
The man had probably sung like a canary when he was captured. He had most likely bheen squeezed for information useful to them under questioning.
Sebas pondered whether he should act dumb, lie, or deliver a stern and upright rebuttal.
What if he said she was not in the house? What if he said she were dead?
Numerous lines popped into his head, but none of them sounded like they would work, and the opposition would probably not give up easily. It would be better for him to ask what he needed to know.
"Still, what led the two of you to me? What proof do you have?"
That was what baffled Sebas. He had not left any trace of his name or identity. They should not have been able to find any evidence pointing to him. However, the two of them were here. How had they found him? He was always very careful during his excursions and wary of being followed. He did not think anyone in this city could follow him without being spotted.
"It was the scroll."
A stroke of light flashed across Sebas' mind.
—The scroll he had bought in the Magician's Guild.
The workmanship of that scroll was exquisite, and it was certainly no ordinary scrap of parchment. Anyone who could recognize a scroll like that would be able to tell that it was purchased from the Magician's Guild. After asking around, they would find clues, and a man in a butler's uniform carrying a scroll would be quite prominent.
Still, that alone would not prove that Tsuare was here. He could also insist that there was someone else who happened to look like him.
However, he would be in trouble if they said they were going to search the house. Indeed, they would discover that only three people lived in this home, including Tsuare.
That being the case all he could do was come clean. Sebas decided to leave his fate to the gods.
"... I did take her away. That is a fact. However, she was heavily wounded at that time, and I was forced to do so because I feared her life would be in danger."
"In other words, you admit to buying her."
"May I speak to that man you mentioned?"
"Unfortunately, we cannot allow that. Things would be bad if you were allowed to match up your stories."
"You could always—"
Listen in while we were talking. Sebas wanted to say that, but he shut his mouth.
In the end, they had planned the whole thing out. Even if he did find that man, it was not likely that the situation could be made to favor him. Continuing with this approach was only a waste of time.
"... Before we go into that, do you not that think that allowing her to sustain such severe injuries while working is more problematic in the eyes of the nation? Are there not laws against that too?"
"Conditions in our establishment are harsher than most. Injury is unavoidable. Consider that working in mines and the like also includes the risk of occupational hazards. It's the same thing."
"... I doubt they are the same thing."
"Hahaha. We're in the service industry. You meet all sorts of clients there. We do pay attention, you know. Alright, I get your point. We'll be more careful next time... yes, a little more careful."
"... Just a little?"
"Ah, yes. Worrying too much about details costs money, you know. Causes problems too."
Succulent sneered at Sebas' question.
In turn, Sebas smiled.
"—Alright, that's enough."
Stefan sighed. His attitude was one that he used when dealing with fools.
"My duty is to verify that slave trafficking was going on. Employee welfare is another matter entirely. All I can say is that it has no bearing on the case."
"... Then, can you tell me who are the people who specialize in problems like these?"
"... Hm, I'd like to tell you, but there are some difficulties in doing so. Regretfully, sticking one's nose into others' business will only earn you resentment."
"... Then, please wait until I find the relevant people first."
Stefan grinned evilly, as though to say, "I was waiting for you to say that."
Succulent had the same sort of look as him.
"... Ah, I would like to wait for that, but the business has already filed a case, so I must arrest you and begin investigations. It's out of my hands."
In other words, he was out of time.
"Given the situation and the circumstantial evidence, you're clearly guilty, but the plaintiff has said that they're willing to go easy on you. Compensation will be needed to smooth things over, of course, and destroying the documentation related to the slave-trading offense will also require a bit of money."
"What exactly do you mean by smoothing things over?"
"Well now. We'd like you to return our employee, and make up for the loss of income incurred while you were holding on to her."
"I see. And how much is that?"
"In gold coins... well. Ah, I'll give you a discount. 100 gold coins. Compensation will run you another 300 gold coins, so a total of 400 seems fair, don't you think?"
"... That is quite a sum. How did you arrive at that figure? How much does she make a day and how exactly is it tallied up?"
"Hang, hang on a bit, " Stefan interrupted."That's not all, Succulent-san."
"Ah, I almost forgot. Since I've already made a report, you'll need to pay to destroy that as well, even if you settle the matter with us under the table."
"That's right. How could I have forgotten, friend Succulent?"
Stefan smiled wickedly once more.
"... yet?"
"Hm?"
"No, it's nothing, " Sebas quietly said as he smiled.
"Hm, forgive me, Havish-sama, " Succulent bowed to Stefan.
"Destroying the documents costs a third of the compensation fees, so that'll be 100 gold coins. That's a total of 500 gold coins, I believe."
"Does the money I paid when bringing her here count against that?"
"How could that be? Listen, mister. When you reach an accord with the other side, that means you didn't buy a slave. In other words, the expenses of buying that slave are written off. Just imagine that you lost the money somewhere."
To think they would actually expect Sebas to assume he had lost 100 gold coins. In all likelihood, most of it had already found its way into their pockets.
"... However, her injuries are not yet fully recovered. If the two of you take her away now, her wounds might reopen. And if she does not receive the proper treatment, she might well lose her life. I believe it would be better for her to stay with me and receive care here. What do you think?"
Succulent's eyes gleamed in a bizarre way.
When he noticed this, Sebas realised the depths of his mistake. He had allowed them to realise how much Tsuare meant to him.
"I see, I see. You do have a point. Her death notwithstanding, we'll need you to pay for the money which would have been spent on her. While she's recovering, how about letting us have some fun with the lady of the house?"
"Ohhh! That makes a lot of sense. If you make a hole, you have to fill it!"
There was visible lust in Stefan's full-faced smile. He was surely imagining the act of stripping Solution naked.
The smile faded off Sebas' face, and it turned impassive.
Succulent was probably not serious, but he would probably press the attack if he showed any weakness. Thanks to his exposing his attachment to Tsuare, the possibility still existed that the situation might deteriorate further.
"... Aren't you afraid of your desires getting you in trouble?"
"How dare you talk to me like that?!"
Stefan's face was bright red as he shouted.
Sounds like slaughtering a pig, Sebas thought. He stared at Stefan without a single word.
"What do you mean by my desires? All this is to uphold the law passed by the glorious will of Princess Renner! How dare you call it base desire! Show some respect!"
"Yes, yes, don't get worked up, Havish-sama."
Once Succulent cut in, Stefan calmed down immediately. His anger had faded too soon, a sign that this was merely a scare tactic and not genuine anger.
What terrible acting, Sebas mused.
"But I say, Succulent-san..."
"Havish-sama, we've said everything we came here to say. I was thinking about coming back the day after to see what he thinks. Is that alright with you, Sebas-san?"
"Very well."
With that, Sebas brought everyone to the main door. As he sent them off, Succulent — who had stayed until the end — smiled to Sebas, and left him with these words.
"Still, I have to thank that slut. To think a piece of trash could actually turn out to be a goose that lays golden eggs."
With that, the door closed with a thud.
Sebas glared at them, as though the door were transparent. There was no particular expression on Sebas' face. He looked as calm as always. However, there was a distinct emotion in his eyes.
That emotion was anger.
—No, the word "anger" was far too mild to describe how he felt.
"Furious" and "wrathful"; those words would be more suitable.
Succulent's parting shot was honest, flung at him because he was certain that Sebas was at his wits' end and had nowhere to turn — that his victory was assured.
"Solution, you can come out now, no?"
Solution oozed out of the shadows in response to Sebas' voice. She had melded into the shadows with abilities from the assassin-type classes she had taken.
"Did you hear all that?"
Sebas had only asked as a formality. Naturally, Solution nodded to say, "of course."
"What do you plan to do now, Sebas-sama?"
Sebas could not answer that question immediately. As she saw that, Solution glared coldly at him.
"... What about handing that human over to them?"
"I do not feel that will solve the problem."
"... Is that so?"
"If I expose a weakness, they will seek to capitalize on it until they suck us dry. That's the kind of people they are. I do not think handing Tsuare to them will solve the problem. More to the point, the real problem is how much they learned while investigating us. We entered the Royal Capital as traders, but if they look too closely, they'll see through it — through our disguise.
"Then, what do you intend to do?"
"I do not know. I wish to take a walk outside and think."
Sebas opened the door and headed outside.
***
Solution watched in silence, looking at Sebas' back as it shrank into the distance.
This was all meaningless.
None of this would have happened if he had not picked up that human. That said, it was too late for that now. The question was what they would do next.
As Sebas' subordinate, she could not simply ignore his instructions, but she felt that leaving things be would only lead to a worse outcome.
If our little sister could move out... if I could take action as one of the Pleiades, we wouldn't have this problem now.
She was hesitating.
She was waffling. She had never been so hesitant in her life.
In the end, she made up her mind. She raised her left hand and opened it.
Something protruded from it, like it was floating on water. It was a scroll which she had stored inside her body. It had originally been given to her for communication in an emergency — although, thanks to Demiurge's hard work, there was now a way to manufacture low-level spell scrolls.. Still, Solution did not know of this before she set out, and so she believed that this scroll was only to be used in a dire situation — and Solution believed that this qualified.
She opened the scroll and activated the spell bound within. Once used, the scroll crumbled and fell to the ground as dust, and then even the dust vanished.
As the spell took effect, Solution was connected to the other party. She asked:
"Is that you, Ainz-sama?"
"Solution — hm? What happened? Since you're contacting me, does that mean there's been an emergency?"
"Yes."
Solution paused at this point. She had stopped because of her loyalty to Sebas and because she had considered the possibility that she might have been wrong. However, her loyalty to Ainz overrode all that.
In addition, they should have considered the greatest benefits for the 41 Supreme Beings in every move they made. However, everything Sebas had done until now could have been said to have violated that precept.
Therefore, she decided to commend the decision into her master's hands and said:
"Sebas-sama may have betrayed us."
"Wha!... Ah?... No, how could that be... mhm... Do not joke with me, Solution. I forbid you to accuse others without evidence... do you have proof?"
"Yes. Although, it might not quite count as proof..."
| ← Ch. 045 | Ch. 047 → |