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Chapter 41
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Faylen entered inside following a knock.
“Uh, Dep…uty Chief?”
“I’m here.”
Bennett’s voice came from behind the mountain of documents, his face not even visible.
“You said to find out.”
“Ah, yes.”
Snapping to attention at Bennett’s question, which got straight to the point without any warm greetings, Faylen replied.
“It seems the son of Count Ademan is frequently causing trouble in One, just as you mentioned. There have been several reports too.”
“And the other two who were with him?”
“Ah, they are said to be the second son of Baron Monno and the youngest son of the Delphia family.”
Faylen raised his head.
“But, it seems that’s become a trend among young nobles these days.”
“A trend?”
“Yes. It’s not a one or two-day thing for noble children, who are outside the line of succession, to go to One or Diabria, grab a commoner, and take out their frustrations on them…”
Bennett raised his head, thinking it was absurd that such a thing could be considered a trend. Faylen’s expression wasn’t good either.
“It’s the end times. The end times.”
Faylen clicked his tongue.
“What about the Garrison?”
“That’s the problem. The Garrison isn’t taking any measures.”
“……”
“Well, the reason is obvious.”
Faylen shrugged his shoulders towards Bennett, who was staring at him.
“In most cases, the nobles suppress things by force, so the Garrison isn’t needed, and for the few who resist, they just silence them with money. They probably don’t want to bother getting involved, especially since they already have a lot of work.”
“And in the process, they also take their cut.”
“……That’s right.”
*At least some of them do.*
Bennett tapped the desk with his pen, then raised his head at Faylen’s words, which didn’t specify which side belonged to the ‘some’ he mentioned.
“Count Ademan must have spent a fair amount of money.”
“Yes, and Baron Monno and Baron Delphia too. Well, other families have also paid up lightly at least once.”
Tap, tap.
“He caused trouble in One.”
Frankly, under normal circumstances, Bennett would have let this slide too.
But this was a matter the Young Lady had personally mentioned.
*’A young master from one of our vassal families was bullying kids in One.’*
*’What if they don’t recognize me when I go to One soon, and they bully me too?’*
The question of how she knew he was the young master of their vassal family was now meaningless. Bennett was already convinced her ability was related to that.
He was just worried about the short lifespans often associated with those born with precognitive abilities.
Thud.
Putting down his penholder, he looked up.
“Is Count Ademan’s side close to Lord Kaiman?”
“Yes, it’s almost a symbiotic relationship. Like a crocodile and a plover bird. Although, of course, this one is more on the worse side.”
“What about the order for the Family Head to cut off Lord Kaiman’s funding?”
“The family finances aren’t supporting him at all, but……”
“……But?”
Bennett frowned towards Faylen, who was dragging out the end of his sentence.
Under that gaze, Faylen also seemed uncomfortable, scratching his temple.
“He’s trading on the Esshire name. Not just the family name, he’s using the Family Head’s name to attract money. This time, he’s claiming he’ll mine gold from the New Continent…”
“He’s insane.”
Bennett shook his head at that preposterous statement.
The biggest flaw of Margaux Esshire, who was perfect in all other aspects, was that her family members were, without exception, not normal.
Her brothers, and even her children.
Of course, there were some sane ones among them, but especially Margaux’s eldest brother, Kaiman Esshire, was a truly wretched human being.
Despite being a direct descendant and having the title of the eldest son, beloved by the previous Family Head, he still didn’t become the Family Head. That says it all, really.
Moreover, after losing the Family Head position to his younger sister Margaux, it seemed he was determined to ruin the family, constantly squandering the family’s money while talking about making a big score.
He said he was launching trade ships.
Frankly, it’s unclear if he’s even really sending trade ships or not.
He was just an irredeemably trashy person.
Especially after a few years ago, when he was caught by the Imperial Army trying to illegally bring in slaves on a ship he launched, Margaux cut off all support for him.
*’Withdraw all his current shares immediately.’*
*’Tell the banks too! Don’t lend him a single penny!’*
Because of that, the family was in an uproar for a while.
Just when things had quieted down a bit…
*’So he was planning a scam.’*
He clicked his tongue lightly in contempt.
“So, the money gathered?”
“It seems they are just in the initial stages.”
“Selling the Family Head’s name… that would have stopped after her retirement, right?”
“Instead, he’s desperately trying to meet Lord Andrea.”
How could he be so blatant?
“Spread the rumor among the investors. Tell them Kaiman Trade has no connection whatsoever with us. Also, draft a separate report and submit it to the Family Head.”
“Yes.”
“And tell Count Ademan to control his son properly. Especially that Pierre Ademan.”
“Yes, understood.”
Bennett lowered his head, looked at the documents piled like a mountain on his desk, and put on his glasses.
“Ah, and about that noble you mentioned.”
“That noble?”
For a moment, Bennett narrowed his brows, wondering what he was talking about, and Faylen quickly added.
“The noble who tried to buy the slave the Young Lady purchased at the auction house.”
“Ah.”
Finally seeming to remember, Bennett nodded.
“Right, that noble.”
“He is Baron Engdouan, the lord of the Refang region in the south. He’s part of the Pro-Empress faction. But the rumors about him are very dirty.”
“How so?”
“He’s a pervert.”
Faylen shrugged and looked at Bennett.
“Especially sexually. It’s just a rumor, but they say the number of dead children coming out of that mansion’s basement is not one or two.”
“As expected, that too.”
“The Garrison doesn’t move.”
“He’s Pro-Empress, and there’s probably no evidence.”
“Yes.”
Bennett tapped the desk again.
*’That noble must be caught and punished.’*
The Young Lady had only mentioned the son of Count Ademan in passing, but she had been so insistent about this one.
“Who do we have in the Garrison?”
“Simua is there.”
Ah. Perfect.
Bennett smiled at the name of that person, who was also known for being very upright and having a nasty temper on their side.
“He’s been grumbling about being criticized for lack of performance, so tell him to search that house thoroughly.”
“Understood.”
At Bennett’s words, Faylen nodded.
* * *
And a few days later.
“So, it seems they rescued ten children who were inside that house.”
“Well done!”
I clapped my hands without thinking, upon hearing Bennett’s report that he had come to see me after successfully concluding the matter.
I had been worried.
Honestly, it felt like a weight of guilt had been pressing on my shoulders, thinking that I had only saved Jaiden from that basement, which was described in the novel as a truly horrific hell.
Especially when I thought that because I saved Jaiden that day, another slave sold in his place might be suffering the same fate and wandering in hell, I would jolt upright in my sleep.
It was almost as if I had sacrificed someone else because I knew the future.
But to think they saved them all.
A relief so profound it brought tears washed over me.
I don’t know if it’s because the nature of my ability is an absurd sense of altruism, as Olga said.
*’Ha, thinking about my ability makes me depressed again.’*
Looking at my useless fingers, which still failed at drawing the geometric patterns, I felt like my tears were receding.
I don’t even have the right to cry.
What altruism?
“Sigh.”
I let my shoulders slump with a long sigh.
Noticing this, and perhaps because rumors about my condition were already widespread, Bennett’s gaze turned towards my fingertips.
But—
“The date of your promise with the Family Head is gradually approaching.”
True to form, Bennett did not offer comfort.
“I know.”
“If you must go to One, you need to step up your efforts.”
“I know.”
He wouldn’t go easy on me, of course.
Yeah, ‘going easy’ was a word that simply didn’t exist in Grandfather’s dictionary.
Tch.
I pouted, sticking my lips out like a duck at his discouraging words. Seeing my expression, Bennett let out a light laugh and rose from his seat.
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Mm, thank you, Bennett.”
At my bright greeting, Bennett bowed his head, then turned around with a smile.
“Phew.”
I had been secretly worried that since he came to see me, he might ask when I’d repay the debt. Of course, he wasn’t that kind of person, but still, one never knows.
But to think he would resolve all the things I mentioned that day and even give me such a neat follow-up report.
*’No wonder Grandfather trusts him.’*
Even now, while he’s barely leaving his bedroom using his illness as an excuse, the family is running smoothly, all thanks to Bennett.
The thought briefly crossed my mind that Uncle Andrea should recognize that…
But I immediately shook my head.
*’No, he mustn’t know, so that I can take him away.’*
Just never know.
After all, he was born that way, and even if he died and woke up again, he probably wouldn’t change.
So, Andrea’s Esshire was hopeless.
