🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 15
“The more dangerous the place, the more reason I should accompany you. If someone discovers us after I leave, or if we fall into a trap—who would believe that I didn’t set this up to betray Your Highness?”
“…….”
“So, I have to go with you. I’m essentially offering my own service as collateral.”
“I don’t doubt you, Ellen.”
“I know. But I want to make it absolutely certain. Thank you for your concern, Ted.”
Terriard fell silent at her straightforward refusal. Yet his expression still showed displeasure.
Caden, who was adjusting his outfit upon hearing they needed to leave immediately, tightened the sheath on his belt and spoke.
“Right. Even if it limits us a bit, we need Miss Clyant, who has more information than we do.”
“Yes. For now, we don’t even know where the cargo is being loaded.”
When Lord Coenheim, Morris, supported Caden’s remark, Ellen added firmly, as if to dispel any misconceptions.
“Oh, I don’t know that either.”
“Excuse me?”
All three pairs of eyes turned to her at the unexpected statement. Among them, only Lord Coenheim, Morris, remained calm and said,
“……I see. But you wouldn’t say that without having a plan, right?”
It wasn’t a particularly solid certainty, but perhaps he had heard enough about her from his fiancée, Spaniel Cheshire.
“Well, still… couldn’t Your Highness just use the city guard to search? It seems simple enough.”
“Sorry, that won’t work.”
Caden shook his head.
“I agree it’s the safest and fastest way, but I didn’t sneak out to meet you today for no reason. My movements must not be known to the Crescent faction or other nobles.”
He sighed.
“Besides, the mere fact that I sneaked out and wandered around here makes me a tempting target. Using the guard should only be done after we have some clue and a valid reason for it.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“That’s something we need to figure out together. We’re partners, after all.”
“Ah… the idea I initially suggested using the city guard has already been rejected.”
Ellen raised her palms as if to show she hadn’t prepared an alternative, and Caden cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem.”
“I’ve never actually checked the goods all the way to the unloading dock before transporting them. And I don’t even know if the hidden cargo is on one ship or several.”
“Truly no alternatives….”
Caden let out a deep, disappointed sigh.
Yet Ellen, who had been silently thinking, suddenly raised her head and called him.
“Your Highness.”
“Did you think of something?”
“……If we find even a single piece of evidence, I understand that from there, Your Highness will take responsibility no matter what extra measures you must take.”
“Exactly.”
“Then we target customs.”
“Customs?”
“I’m certain they planted some inside men there.”
Ellen slowly explained the rough plan in her mind.
“They weren’t only bringing in small, concealable items. They had a route established and were continuously moving goods through it.”
“You don’t mean… you know what the contraband is?”
“I don’t know exactly what’s coming in today. But I do know what they usually transport.”
Ellen made a gun shape with her hand and pretended to fire at Caden.
Lord Coenheim, Morris, the first to recognize the gesture, exclaimed in shock.
“You don’t mean… muskets…!”
“Yes. Correct.”
Ellen relaxed her hand and continued.
“In any case, smuggling goods of that volume would require corruption in customs, and that’s something you can easily uncover by investigating internally.”
“I know someone for that, Miss Clyant.”
Perhaps judging the matter to be serious, Morris interjected.
“He’s an academy classmate… Honestly, not someone I’d be lifelong close with, but someone we could convince.”
“Bringing in an outsider? That feels risky.”
Caden clicked his tongue, clearly displeased.
“It’s fine. The value of a promise depends on the reward. Does that person have any other notable traits?”
“Nothing special. A scholarship student from the academy, supporting family as usual…”
“Scholarship student? Could he be working here?”
Terriard, hearing Morris’s words, suddenly shouted, perhaps recognizing him.
“Yes. I’ve heard of him.”
“Still, Morris, we’re not alone here, and him….”
“No, that will do.”
Ellen took a small booklet from her clutch. She flipped it open, signed quickly, tore off a page, and handed it to Lord Coenheim, saying,
“Here, take this. And Ted, do you have anything to say?”
“Ah… well… that friend has a very… lively personality.”
“That’s fine. I won’t be dealing with him.”
Ellen spoke calmly and lightly clapped her hands.
“Well then. Since things are like this, Your Highness, you’ll be my attendant from now on.”
“……What? Attendant? Did I hear that correctly?”
Caden, startled by her sudden remark, asked, and Ellen smiled brightly as she explained.
“Yes. A wealthy female merchant arriving to spy on a rival guild’s cargo, and her attendant. That’s today’s concept.”
“Team leader! There’s a guest here for you!”
A young-looking man ran into the office shouting.
“Oh, I saw that too. Seems like a high-ranking noble.”
“Wow, academy graduates really are different.”
“Indeed. Those pushed by the counts and earls are nobles in name only….”
The man, called team leader, got up from his seat.
“Don’t be so huffy. No matter where you come from, everyone’s struggling at the bottom the same. So, who is this important guest?”
“For now, they’ve been taken to the conference room.”
“Remember the tea leaves in the drawer? Brew the tea with those.”
At the academy, considered a rare creature as a commoner; in society, considered a rare creature as an academy graduate. Dandelion, tired of this position, was determined to see who this distinguished noble visiting was and headed to the conference room.
However…
“Huh?”
Seeing the guest waiting outside the conference room, Dandelion let out a surprised sound.
“Long time no see, Denny.”
The visitor was Lord Coenheim, Morris—his academy classmate.
“I didn’t expect you to come recklessly like this.”
“Sorry for coming in such a rush. Is now a good time?”
“How long do you plan to take, asking that first?”
“Hmm… enough to guarantee safety?”
“What?”
Dandelion’s eyes widened, then he roughly ruffled his bright yellow hair.
“Right, you were probably the prince’s knight… unbelievable.”
“Please.”
“Damn it, nobles.”
He threw a thin blanket from the corner of the room and said,
“If you need this, use it. For now, follow me.”
He left the room quickly, turned sharply, and locked the door inside.
“So, what’s the matter?”
Impatiently, Dandelion asked, and Morris quickly got to the point.
“We need to investigate the warehouse near the dock. We received a tip about smuggling. Do you know anything?”
“Hey, I’m in navigation, but… ugh, that’s not my job.”
“I thought you might say that.”
“Great, so you expect me to get the info myself.”
Dandelion scowled, but Morris apologized again, looking genuinely sorry.
“Sorry. But right now, you’re our best option.”
“Sure, that makes sense.”
Morris had never caused trouble for others even back at the academy. There probably really was no alternative.
Dandelion sighed deeply.
“Fine. So, what do you offer me if I help? Convince me why a mere commoner like me should take this risk.”
“Hmm….”
Morris hesitated, looking a bit uncomfortable.
“Do… you like money?”
“Huh? Why say the obvious?”
Dandelion, surprised, asked again. Morris cautiously continued.
“Ah, I can’t be sure if this is really the right answer.”
“What? Stop beating around the bush. Money? How much?”
“Hmm, not exactly how much….”
Morris dug into his coat and pulled out a thin piece of paper.
“This.”
Dandelion flipped it back and forth, realizing it was a blank check. His face went pale.
“What? Ellen Clyant. From the Clyant family… a blank check?”
“Yes.”
“How dangerous is this? I need to think about this…”
“Right now, we only need information about the dock, but we can’t predict how this will play out later.”
“So, it’s a life-price?”
“……A proper house in the capital, your sister’s comfortable academy life, and your parents’ secure retirement. That’s the offer.”
“Who? The check issuer?”
“Yes.”
“……Even if I worked here a hundred years, I couldn’t get that. Not that I’m lacking.”
Dandelion looked at the check calmly, having accepted the situation.
“She also mentioned sponsoring your sister under the Clyant name if you get more involved.”
“So she’ll be our shield at the minimum… This generosity seems almost suspicious.”
Those Dandelion had encountered at the academy were not like this. Seeing his suspicion, Morris avoided his gaze.
“I thought a talented person like you is worth recruiting… so I suggested it.”
“You suggested it?”
“Yes.”
Dandelion sighed again and reached for the check in Morris’s hand.
“Give it here.”
“You—”
“Enough. Wait here. Knock four times, lock the door, and stay put.”
He carefully secured the check to his chest and warned Morris to stay completely quiet if he didn’t want trouble, then quietly left the room.
