DBOFS 62

Chapter 62

Haah~ letting out a long yawn, Allucas scratched his stomach irritably and said,

“Really feels like an old man.”

It was clearly nothing more than that, but the problem was that the bumpy muscles above his scratched belly made it look like he was showing off his body.

“Which makes it even more annoying!”

Jade, equally sleepy—or more accurately, hungover—responded with dissatisfaction.

“I know.”

“If you know…”

“Still!”

With a shout, Jade made her own head ring in pain and shivered all over.

“Allucas! If you hadn’t sent that note in the first place—!”

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! Ouch~!”

Jade slapped Allucas’s muscular arms with a splash of force.

Allucas held his arm, feigning pain, and glared at Jade.

“The last one really stung.”

“Say it hurts! Say it hurts!”

The frustration of hitting him with all her strength, only to have him treat it like a mosquito bite.

Jade huffed and glared at Allucas, while Allucas scratched his head in mild annoyance.

“Anyway…”

“Not ‘anyway’!”

Why did he even send that note in the first place!

Jade glared at Allucas again. Allucas, slightly embarrassed, grumbled and rubbed his muscular arm.

The news had come as soon as they woke up: Count Artu and his daughter had died.

‘Cause of death: suicide.’

At first, that was what everyone was told.

They had hanged themselves, and on the wall was written in blood an apology for daring to deceive the previous duke.

Of course, no one believed it.

“His Excellency killed Count Artu?!”

“You, that’s too cruel. Even if he committed sacrilege, to go this far…”

“This is beyond even the council’s reach. Still, since it took the form of suicide…”

“Besides, they confessed to their own crimes. Either way, it was deserving of the harshest punishment. With the head of the family and his accomplice daughter dead, the Artu family may survive.”

“…Through this, one can sense His Excellency’s firm will regarding who will inherit Godwin.”

…That was the general public opinion.

The speculation was that the previous duke, angry over being insulted at the succession announcement banquet, had destroyed the Artu family as an example.

Even Harris was being suspected alongside him. Some speculated it was done through supernatural means.

“If evidence hadn’t been left intact, it would’ve been disastrous…”

If even that note had come out, it would have been chaos. Jade thought to herself, avoiding such a flag was quite impressive.

“…But still, I can’t feel relieved.”

Even avoiding the potential situation left her uneasy.

In this world, people seemed to die far too easily. Servants at the old castle who were cruel, the maid Bona, and now even Count Artu.

They were all human trash, people who nearly killed her. She knew that.

But…

‘I’ve always been close to death anyway.’

Rare illnesses, long-term hospitalization—those places exposed one to death frequently.

“…Even I have experienced it once.”

Jade scoffed.

Yet, death that she wasn’t used to in her old world seemed less strange here.

She muttered without realizing it:

“…It’s scary.”

“Hm? Why?”

“…Exactly like this.”

Seeing the S-rank elites, selfish and lacking empathy, treating the deaths of the weak as someone else’s business sent chills down her spine.

Even she was becoming accustomed to it, which was even more horrifying.

“The security of Godwin Manor has been breached.”

Jade swallowed a sigh and changed the topic.

“Wouldn’t the previous duke have anticipated suspicion if the Artu family were killed? He’d have tightened security even more…”

“The Western Prison security? Pretty lousy, though.”

“….”

Jade stared at Allucas, clearly having a lot to say but choosing not to.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…If you’re speaking from Allucas’s perspective.”

“Of course, I speak from my perspective.”

Allucas shrugged.

Having been dragged out of bed, his silk robe loosely draped, revealing his sensuous physique.

Allucas swallowed a yawn, expecting a familiar exclamation.

The banquet, which had ended in chaos the previous night, was being held again. The Western Wing was crowded with noblewomen receiving guests.

Yet no one seemed impressed by her radiant presence…

“…?”

The girl in front of her blinked her large blue eyes in confusion.

What was this? Allucas, nearly puzzled, suddenly realized:

‘Ah, right. Everyone’s already leaving.’

Jade had forgotten after drinking so much.

Haah~ Allucas yawned again, weary from the noise of the departing Western Wing.

After the news of the “suicide” of the Artu family, most guests and retainers were quickly leaving.

Considering that banquets usually lasted three days at minimum, even a week at most, this was unusual.

Normally, guests would be entertained in the host’s prepared accommodations before leaving.

‘They must be scared.’

The Godwin Manor banquet ended like a nightmare for the first time in a long while.

Allucas smiled slightly, strangely pleased.

“The guy I killed was about my level too.”

“…!”

Jade parted her lips to argue, instinctively about Harris, but stopped. She realized what Allucas meant.

“You know him too?”

“…Isn’t that your line?”

“Do you think I wouldn’t recognize Duke Aindelta? He may look like this, but he’s the king of assassins.”

Mention of the name caused Ruken to flinch.

“What, he was there?!”

“…!”

Jade flinched. When did he even get there?

“Why the delay… I mean, if you’re going to spy, do it quietly. Why suddenly intervene?”

“Ah, sorry. I was so startled. I’ll stay quiet now.”

“…Since when have you been listening?”

“Ah, from the moment the captain first struck so forcefully.”

Ruken winked at Jade.

“Wow~ That hand was quite something, Guide? Very respectable. I’m Ruken, Allucas’s aide, perhaps one day I could—”

Ruken sneakily offered his arm to be hit, but Allucas kicked him away.

“Get lost.”

“Ah, you said it’s not your type—ah! Speak properly—waaah!”

After Ruken vanished in flames, Allucas calmly continued.

“You were dragging Duke Aindelta around like fish poop.”

“…Won’t the aide die?”

“Never mind. He has flame resistance skill.”

Jade had a feeling she knew how Ruken got his flame resistance skill.

“Ah, well… it’s complicated. Actually, the last time I went to a café…”

“Unfortunately, he didn’t show up this time.”

“Meeting him—wait, what?”

Jade hesitated while explaining. She feared the perverted pleasure-killer might still be around…

“He’s gone. That guy.”

Vanished in an instant.

Jade stared at Allucas dumbfounded.

“…Why?”

“Who knows, where’d he go?”

“No, not that! The ‘unfortunately’ part!”

Why would it be unfortunate that the pleasure killer was no longer following her?

“Ah, that.”

Allucas chuckled, leaning close, his massive frame nearly enveloping Jade’s small body.

“Well, that’s obvious.”

“I don’t get why… wait, at least respect my personal space…”

“It means dangerous things are coming that are so risky, it’s better he left a subject of interest like you behind.”

“…!!”

I trudged to the central hall.

‘Life….’

When I first sought Allucas, I intended to enlist his help in catching the real culprit of the Artu family murder.

‘Because it wasn’t the previous duke.’

The old Godwin faction was in fear.

Even if Count Artu was at fault, killing him so recklessly unsettled everyone.

In a typical tyrant story, the power structure would remain strong, but as mentioned before, the previous duke’s situation was different.

‘After this, the Artu family appears as victims.’

As a result, the previous duke had undermined his own support base. There was no need to mention the weakening of the old Godwin faction.

Who could pull off such a stunt?

‘Obviously, the scumbag Norman Godwin.’

No need to see it to know. That’s what I tried to prove…

‘Maybe it’s just a feeling, but staying here any longer isn’t a good choice.’

Allucas, who tried to lure her in using a note as an excuse, rejected her suggestion before she could even finish.

‘I’ll leave once the nobles start going. There are commissions in the capital anyway, maybe I’ll check them out during the founding festival—ouch! Why hit me again?’

‘You really talk like it’s just a feeling.’

If you can’t attack the message, attack the messenger.

Following that classic logic, she attacked the previous duke who decided to appoint Harris as heir.

‘Completely defeated.’

I had prepared for this banquet myself… and it was all useless.

‘Now what should I do?’

My throbbing headache from the hangover only made it worse.

‘And now dangerous events, enough to scare even the perverted killer, are coming.’

Allucas added it might be more of a nuisance than danger, but it was far from reassuring.

‘What on earth is going to happen now?’

Just what has already happened is unmanageable enough.

I was clutching my head, trying to find Harris, when a sharp voice reached me.

“Stop bouncing around. Haven’t you heard that girls who bounce are unattractive?”