Chapter 26
Nivellia turned toward the drawing room and embraced the woman.
Because of the sparse white hairs growing here and there, the woman’s faded brown hair was neatly tied up. She smiled brightly.
“Della! Della, you’re here!”
“Our Lady Nini has also been well—”
The green eyes of the woman called Della narrowed sharply.
“Don’t tell me… you were crying?”
There were still traces of tears that hadn’t been wiped from Nivellia’s eyes.
Della’s calm expression crumpled instantly.
Nivellia also began to pout again.
“What happened?”
“I almost couldn’t make any money.”
“Money?”
“Yeah. But just now I had a great idea! I’m going to tell Mom and Dad about it. Nini hasn’t failed yet!”
As Nivellia pumped herself up with energy, Della lifted her head.
Outside the drawing room, Aref watched with a tense face, while Soles looked as if he had just realized where he’d seen Della before.
“She was the employee at the information broker’s, right?”
Soles confirmed his memory.
On the day he had gone back and forth between the Tower and the broker to sell poisonous mushrooms, while waiting for the broker’s owner, Madam Della, he had noticed the cleaning lady exchanging glances with Nivellia.
Soles had witnessed the entire scene.
“…You have a good memory.”
Della widened her eyes in pleasant surprise, smiling as if she found him praiseworthy.
“That’s right. I am Della, working at the information broker’s.”
“The same name as the owner of the broker.”
“It’s just a coincidence. A coincidence.”
“Della is Nini’s subordinate!”
Nivellia introduced proudly.
“Back when Nini was a cat! She brushed my fur and gave me treats! So Nini made her a subordinate.”
“My goodness, am I still considered a subordinate even now?”
“Of course! Nini never abandons her subordinates!”
“It’s an honor, Lady Nini.”
An absurd exchange flowed naturally, as if it made perfect sense.
What a good person, Soles thought.
To play along with Nivellia’s make-believe.
…But why does she call her Nini?
That nickname was reserved only for family or close friends. When strangers called her Nini, she would usually ignore them or even get angry.
But Soles brushed the thought aside.
If Nini isn’t angry, then it must be fine.
Instead, it was someone else who was fretting.
Aref gazed nervously at the two women who seemed so close.
I… I’m her subordinate…
He suddenly felt anxious that the position and duty he had only just earned would be taken away.
“Della.”
At that moment, Nivellia introduced Aref to Della.
“This is Aref. He came back to Nini!”
“Oh, the wolf lord?”
“Yeah! He lives with Nini. He’s Nini’s favorite wolf!”
“Greetings, Lord Aref.”
Della greeted him politely as well.
Aref froze with an awkward look and blushed in embarrassment. He felt ashamed for having just been jealous of Della.
“Ah, h-hello…”
“You truly live up to your name, with that splendid blond hair and crimson eyes. Please take good care of our Lady Nini.”
“Y-Yes!”
But when it came to promising to protect Nivellia, his answer rang with strength.
Watching Aref’s earnestness, Della asked softly:
“But weren’t the three of you on your way somewhere?”
“To Mom and Dad.”
“You mean the Saintess and the Holy Knight?”
“No, my mom right now.”
“Ah…”
Muttering to herself that she’d made a mistake, Della smiled.
“Does this perhaps have to do with the flower farm you visited today?”
The children’s eyes widened.
“Don’t forget. I’m Della of the information broker.”
She revealed that her visit to the mansion was for that very reason.
Then, she drew out a small sealed envelope from her breast pocket, the wax seal gleaming faintly.
“Please deliver this to your parents.”
“What is it?”
“As thanks for giving us the opportunity to purchase rare poisonous mushrooms…”
As she spoke, Della glanced at Soles with a sly smile.
Ah…
Soles suddenly had the conviction that the woman before him might actually be the real Madam Della herself.
“This is a little gift from Madam Della, the owner of the information broker.”
“Money?”
“It’s information, as valuable as money.”
Della smiled.
“Freshly analyzed yesterday by the Tower. Very hot off the press. I’m certain it will be of great help.”
A few days later.
Monitos, legal counsel for Rubeo, visited the flower farm.
He looked like the sort of man who would hurl insults if someone so much as brushed against his shoulder. Despite his greying age, his body was powerfully muscular, his suit straining each time his arms moved.
When he arrived, the Plaud couple were so shocked they dropped the liquor bottle they had been holding.
Monitos glanced at the broken bottle, then produced a business card, identifying himself as the corporate lawyer for Rubeo.
“I’ve brought the contract.”
From a square, well-worn leather bag, he withdrew a thick contract.
“Since this is being handled as a startup investment, the contract will take effect as soon as you apply to withdraw the investment sum from the bank.”
His deep voice carried as he explained.
The contract was simple:
The House of Deiamor would invest a large sum, the Plaud couple would establish a research facility with it, and profits would be generated. Rubeo would assist in the process.
“The primary contractor is the one who developed the liquid fertilizer that keeps flowers from withering…”
“That would be me,” said Madam Plaud quickly.
“Then, once you review the contract thoroughly, you may sign.”
“Must we do so right this moment?”
“As I mentioned, only after carefully reviewing it. However, you cannot receive the funds until the notarized contract is submitted to the Capital Bank.”
“I-I see…”
The couple exchanged looks and then immediately signed.
They did check the contract carefully—more precisely, they carefully checked the part listing the enormous investment amount.
Monitos silently observed as they traced each digit of the sum with trembling fingers.
“W-When can we have it notarized?”
“Fortunately, I am a certified notary. If you wish…”
“Please, right now!”
“The sooner we set up the lab the better. We want to give our daughter a proper home, proper treatment…!”
Thus, the notarization was handled on the spot.
Having finished his business, Monitos left the farm.
The couple saw him off, then hastily shut the door.
“….”
On the carriage, the lawyer turned his eyes away from the now-distant farm.
Their taste in liquor is similar to mine.
Forty-year-old whiskey.
But it doesn’t really suit parents who claim they just want to give their sick daughter a decent home and medical care.
That night.
“What a windfall!”
“To think the contract would really go through…!”
The Plaud couple packed their bags, like people about to run far away.
“Who would’ve thought that orphan brat would actually be useful.”
“I can’t believe everything worked out so smoothly. Maybe it really does pay to be kindhearted.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Keep her alive and she’d be good for something—soup, bread, whatever.”
Their crude self-praise echoed as they glanced toward the farm through the window.
“…So, what should we do with her?”
The husband, having mostly packed, asked.
“Why? You planning to go praise her?”
“We need to deal with her. If she’s found alive, she might blab something about us.”
“…”
The wife hesitated, then shook her head.
“That would make the mess even bigger.”
The moment they ran, the Deiamors would hunt them down.
“If we kill her too, the Saintess herself might step in.”
“The Saintess?”
“An old fellow I used to work with told me—she’s crazy. She’s the one who killed the late emperor and the High Priest.”
“Wasn’t that just a rumor?”
“That man said he saw it himself during the war forty years ago, when he joined as a mercenary to make money.”
Silence fell.
A dreadful silence, like an invisible blade pressing against their throats.
“…Yeah. No point making it worse,” the husband said loudly, trying to cover his unease.
“She’ll starve to death anyway.”
“Right. Leave her.”
“This is showing mercy. Thanks to her we made money, but instead of killing her, we’re letting her be.”
“Call it natural death, natural death.”
“From now on, let’s avoid risky business and live comfortably!”
With their luggage packed, the couple departed at dawn for the capital.
When the Plaud couple’s shabby carriage disappeared from view—
“….”
“….”
People hidden in the forest revealed themselves.
Clad in black clothes and masks, they fixed their eyes on the flower farm the couple had left behind.
“Begin.”
At the order, the black-clad figures infiltrated the buildings, searching the interiors.
Among them, one figure stood out.
“…Are you really going inside yourself?”
Detter looked askance at what he carried in his arms.
It was Nivellia.
Wearing the same dark garb as the others, a mask embroidered with cat whiskers covering her face, she nodded.
“This is Nini’s investment. Nini must check it herself.”
“I still can’t believe the Grand Madam and the Grand Master allowed you to do something this dangerous.”
“Grandma said experience is important.”
“Even so, this kind of experience is better avoided…”
“Hurry, let’s go!”
Defeated by his young mistress’s insistence, Detter sighed lightly and stepped into the old warehouse.
