Three days have passed since Emilia Alway revealed all of her mother Cornelia’s misdeeds to her father.
Yeny, who was safely rescued, brought relief to her family, and Jared, who was also unharmed, put everyone around him at ease.
Emilia has been placed under house arrest with surveillance by her father’s order, and contact with the outside world is forbidden. It may have been a small mercy that her father conducted the interrogation himself.
Her testimony brought to light the wrongdoings of those who had sided with Cornelia, and they were severely punished. The Duke made an example of the consorts, who, though not as bad as Cornelia, were estranged due to the succession dispute, to show them what happens if they cross the line.
Jared heard that many had been imprisoned by the Knights.
Then, from the testimonies of Jared and Yeny, it was conveyed to the Duke that Waalthe had withdrawn its interest in Hannelore and Olivier. While the Duke was deeply relieved, he also bowed deeply and apologized to Jared and the others, whom he had involved.
For now, they hoped the danger had passed.
However, Cornelia, perhaps anticipating her daughter’s betrayal or expecting Rosa to fail, had gone into hiding.
Olivier predicted that she had likely sought refuge with her family. Cornelia’s father reportedly doted on his daughter, so he would likely resist to his utmost, even against the Duke. Olivier also felt he didn’t care what happened to Cornelia’s father if he was put in a tight spot as a result.
As Jared and Pfeil had worried, Cornelia hired over ten adventurers and had them attack the mansion, which had become less guarded. However, while she knew Jared wouldn’t be there, she likely never imagined Pfeil would be.
All but one of the hired adventurers were eliminated by Pfeil. The testimony of the single adventurer who was captured once again revealed that Cornelia had ordered Hannelore, Olivier, and Trane to be killed.
The Duke’s rage was immense, and he was reportedly considering sending troops to Cornelia’s family home soon.
Olivier sent a letter to his father, asking him not to impose too severe a punishment on Emilia.
Having learned from Jared and Pfeil that she had acknowledged her mistakes and acted to correct them, Olivier did what he felt was right.
Although Emilia was not directly involved, she had turned a blind eye, and she had been harassing Olivier for many years. It was uncertain what would happen to her in the future. However, Jared heard Olivier murmur that he wanted to have a long talk with her someday. Jared hoped that the day would come when the sisters would meet again.
The other consorts were too busy with the succession dispute, so they wouldn’t be targeting Hannelore. This meant that the threat that had plagued Olivier and the others for so long had, though not completely, passed. Now, all that remained was for Cornelia to be captured and judged by the Duke.
“And yet, why are you still in the mansion?”
“…As long as Cornelia Alway hasn’t been captured, there’s a possibility she might be plotting some form of retaliation.”
“I know that. Yes, yes, I’ve heard it many times. But aren’t the orders from the Mage Association and the Adventurer’s Guild to not accept requests involving Cornelia Alway? So it’s unlikely anyone will come after you, right? But you’ll say something like, there are other organizations doing secret work besides us Waalthe—or am I wrong?”
“…If you know, then stop asking. I’m going to tend to the flowers with Hanne-sama now, so don’t get in my way.”
“Then stop calling Olivier-sama’s mother by a nickname!”
Jared yelled at Pfeil, who had started living in the mansion a few days prior.
He had freed Pfeil from the curse technique after he defeated the adventurers and guarded the mansion. He had conveyed that Waalthe had withdrawn and that Rosa had left, and they had shaken hands, but Pfeil remained at the mansion.
When asked, he apparently had been told by Hannelore that he could stay. Olivier, surprised, asked her about the situation, and it seemed Hannelore, grateful to Pfeil for protecting her from the adventurers, had permitted him to stay.
Pfeil, whose injuries from fighting Jared had not fully healed, had readily agreed to stay.
“Hannelore-sama is Hannelore-sama, and Pfeil is Pfeil! Normally, you wouldn’t let an assassin who tried to kill you stay, nor would you try to stay in the mansion of someone who tried to kill you!”
“I’ve told you many times, I separate work and personal matters. That’s why I protected this mansion when you were fighting Rosa, wasn’t it?”
“That’s true, but…!”
Olivier had already given up. While Hannelore was usually easygoing and gentle, she was stubborn once she made up her mind, and her daughter Olivier knew this better than anyone.
She seemed to be planning a petty revenge by overworking him during his stay, but who knew how it would turn out.
Trane said she had no complaints if Hannelore and Olivier didn’t, and she was having Pfeil help her with simple tasks.
In other words, the only one currently complaining to Pfeil at the mansion was Jared.
“Hey, you know, I don’t want to think this, but Hannelore-sama is a married woman, so don’t get any funny ideas.”
“………”
“Say something!”
“…It’s fun talking to you, but it’s time for my appointment with Hanne-sama. Excuse me.”
“Hey, wait a minute, you haven’t answered my question. No, seriously, are you kidding me?”
Pfeil averted his gaze and hurried out of the room, but Jared’s calls after him received no reply.
“Could it be that Pfeil… Oh, please no.”
Jared seriously hoped that Waalthe would come to pick Pfeil up.
