Chapter 61

"Many? Didn't you say there was no one earlier?"

"I lied because so many people came to mind. I'm sorry."

So it was a cute little lie.

Well, with Malicops unconscious, she must have been very anxious. Since only a maid can understand another maid's feelings, I decided to let it slide.

"Who came to mind then?"

Leya glanced at Lu, who was sitting by the window, and answered frankly.

"Mainly treasure hunters... and a few nobles. It wasn't a big deal, just selling a bit of information. Floor plans and maps."

Right, not just any floor plans, but the floor plans of the royal treasury.

"But until now, the clients have been protecting you, so the master wasn't in any danger..."

"Have you ever dealt with the Sword City, or rather, the guild <Clone>?"

"How did you know?"

I ignored her question and asked again.

"Have you ever sold information related to the relics of Dian Ket?"

"No. I've received requests, but I've always refused."

As Leya started to cry, I tried to sort out the complicated thoughts in my head.

<Clone>’s assassin had infiltrated to kidnap Malicops.

<Clone> is a covert organization formed by the Sword City. Therefore, Malicops' kidnapping was essentially the will of the Sword City.

'What they're after is the relics of Dian Ket.'

At first, I was curious why the Sword City hadn't stolen the relics displayed at the Jansen Exhibition.

I thought they might be waiting for a better opportunity, but that wasn't the case.

The Sword City is the guardian of the royal treasury.

Therefore, they must have known that the relics displayed at the Jansen Exhibition were fakes.

'They can't touch the royal property. They must have been planning to guard it and steal it last.'

Moreover, according to Leya's testimony, <Clone> had been protecting Malicops all this time.

But this sudden change in attitude means...

"Leya, about the willow forest vault. Do the knights of Berkleygraton regularly enter it?"

"Yes? Yes. The vault has a separate security design, and the knights of Berkleygraton regularly check it."

"Was the date yesterday or today?"

Leya, who had been thinking, nodded quickly.

"Yes. It was yesterday. More precisely, around dawn today."

The rough outline of the picture the Sword City was drawing began to emerge.

"Leya, these are <Clone>’s assassins."

"<Clone>? That's impossible. <Clone> has been protecting us..."

"Not anymore. <Clone> is the Sword City's hidden hounds. And the Sword City is collecting the relics of Dian Ket."

"..."

"The diary of Dian Ket will be stolen within a few hours. It might already be at the Sword City's headquarters."

"..."

"They intended to pin the theft on Grandpa Malicops. Of course, it failed because I'm here."

Malicops is an information dealer who sells confidential floor plans.

Therefore, he was a suitable suspect when the treasures in the royal vault were stolen.

Given the close relationship with <Clone>, he would undoubtedly be used and then discarded as a suspect in this case.

And the stolen diary would never be found. That would be the conclusion.

Leya grasped the cause and effect immediately.

"Such a despicable act!"

Leya, breathing heavily, opened her eyes and looked at me with a clenched jaw.

Then, suddenly, she knelt before me and bowed her head.

"Daisy! I beg you! Please check if Dian Ket's relics are still in the vault! And if they are... please recover them for me!"

Suddenly?

"Dian Ket's relics shouldn't be floating around like this. Do you know what kind of item it is... The master has always been looking forward to the moment of recovery..."

Well, I had planned to do that anyway.

"If he finds out they've been stolen, he might faint for good this time! He will be very distressed, saying he has no face to meet Dian Ket in heaven!"

No face to meet Dian Ket?

'Ah, I see.'

Now is the time to uncover the relationship between the old man and Dian Ket.

"Um, Leya, it sounds like Grandpa Malicops and Dian Ket were acquainted."

"Of course. Dian Ket was our Logue's Caliph."

What?

"The five relics of Dian Ket are the legacy left by him to his beloved disciple. The owner of the diary, although he passed away a few years ago..."

"Was Dian Ket the Caliph of Logue?"

This is a bit, no, very shocking.

"Yes? Ah, yes..."

Leya glanced at Lu with an anxious look, as if she had made a slip of the tongue.

I turned her face towards me and asked.

"Leya, if the relics are the legacy left to a disciple, does that mean the Viscount Weatherwax was Dian Ket's disciple?"

"You didn't... know? I thought you knew..."

Do you? A maid who started working three months ago knows?

I'm sure not only I but even the head maid wouldn't know.

The head maid almost fainted when she found out her master was a magical artifact!

"Leya, then."

I calmed myself and asked her.

"Who are Dian Ket's other disciples?"

"Ah. The other disciples are..."

"Stop."

Leya's face turned pale as Lu intervened.

Damn Caliph. Only showing his power at times like this.

If I knew who Dian Ket's other disciples were, it would be much easier to find the remaining three relics.

I couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"No need to stop. Leya, keep talking."

"But, Daisy, I can't easily talk about what you asked."

"A secret? What secret is there between us? Look, Leya, I'm the benefactor who will fulfill your master's lifelong wish. Can't you tell a benefactor? Is it that big a secret?"

"I, I really can't... say... say? Say! Aaah!"

Leya's lips, which were on the verge of opening, suddenly clamped shut as if glued.

It was Lu's magic.

"What are you doing?"

As I glared at him, Lu shrugged nonchalantly.

"Even if I look like this, I'm the Caliph of Logue. I can't just let the school's secrets be revealed."

What a ridiculous statement. I didn't like how he suddenly butted in after watching silently all this time.

"Would it hurt to just tell me?"

Lu, who had been stroking his chin, asked with a more serious face.

"Are you curious?"

"Yes."

He smiled happily.

"If you're curious, 500 gold."

Is this swindler out of his mind?

"Where am I supposed to get 500 gold? Do you think it grows on trees? A maid would never earn that much in 100 years!"

"Such a pity. You can't earn 500 gold even in 100 years."

His face of genuine pity left me speechless. Staring at me intently, Lu said,

"It's 1 AM now."

"..."

"Summer mornings pass quickly. If you don't want to move after the sun comes up, you should go now. This might be your only chance to recover Dian Ket's diary. Don't you think?"

His skill in dodging and weaving is impressive, but what he said was true.

Whether or not the Sword City has taken the lead, today is the best opportunity to steal Dian Ket's diary.

'I'll ask about Dian Ket when I come back.'

If I'm going to move, I need to move now. And, of course, I didn't hesitate for long.

"Leya, can you lend me some clothes you don't wear? Preferably something easy to move in. If you're going to give me clothes, dark colors would be better. It's cold in the forest at dawn, so warm fabric would be great. Oh, and a scarf would be nice too."

"I, I'll see if I can find some!"

This isn't stealing; it's recovery. The thieves are the imperial royal family, not me.

The royal bastards are perverts who keep other people's diaries in the vault. Perverts need to be taught a lesson.

While I was adjusting my hat in front of the mirror to hide my face,

"What's that?"

I wondered what Lu was rummaging through, and he suddenly pulled out a handful of jewels from the inside pocket of his pants.

They weren't ordinary jewels.

'...Magical artifacts?'

The subtle aura they emitted suggested they weren't ordinary magical artifacts.

Most were earring-type magical artifacts, and a couple of ring-type ones, suggesting they were items Lu wore himself.

'To think he kept those precious items in his pocket like coins.'

I'll search Lu's pockets in a crisis.

Good information to have.