Chapter 72

# 72

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"Hello, Minerva."

Nabia smiled warmly at her, a clear contrast to how she had treated the two maids.

The maids sneered when Minerva appeared, finding her an easy target, not worth their attention.

Just as Seline pulled up Nabia’s sleeve without a care, Minerva cried out.

"I have to see a patient!"

Seline was startled, then her face twisted as she glared at Minerva.

'This girl... She’s been a constant nuisance since yesterday.'

Minerva swallowed hard, stepped forward, and stood close to Seline.

"I have to see a patient! Please, come with me."

"Huh."

It was at that moment that Seline’s eyes flashed with malice.

"Oh, you’re all so diligent."

Margaret’s voice came from the door.

Benny and Seline, who knew Margaret, quickly showed respect.

"We will see to it, Lady Romanov."

Nabia felt relieved when Margaret appeared.

Minerva seemed to feel the same way, as her tense shoulders relaxed.

"Lady Alvin’s family sent for you. They have a message to deliver. You’ll find them in the lobby on the first floor."

Benny and Seline exchanged glances and bowed.

"Then we will go and see them."

As they left, Margaret approached, looking around cautiously.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Fortunately, Minerva came at just the right time."

Minerva blushed and looked embarrassed.

"They might have been troubling you... I just wanted to help."

Nabia was silent for a moment.

'She must have been scared.'

It had only been yesterday that Minerva had been beaten by them, yet she still found the courage to stand up against injustice.

"Even though you were scared, you still found the courage. That’s really admirable. Thank you."

"Ah, you... you’re the one who’s amazing."

"Hmm?"

Minerva, looking at Nabia with a puzzled expression, spoke in a barely audible voice.

"No noble would ever call a servant amazing. You’re the one who’s truly amazing..."

Nabia wasn’t stingy with praise, but she didn’t go around complimenting everyone either.

However, she seemed to unconsciously encourage and praise Minerva more.

Perhaps she was saying the words she herself had wanted to hear.

'Minerva reminds me of myself from a long time ago.'

Even though she had forced herself to be strong and indifferent, it had become more natural over time, but the process hadn’t been easy.

"The best and safest counterattack is to use the enemy’s mistakes as a weapon."

It wasn’t the right time yet, so she had to wait a bit longer.

'If only I were a mage right now.'

"Let me redress you."

At Minerva’s words, Nabia lifted the blanket to lie down on the bed.

"Oh."

There was a dead mouse under the blanket.

"Eek!"

Minerva was startled, and Margaret’s expression hardened.

Meanwhile, Nabia had a peculiar look on her face.

'What, just a dead mouse...?'

"Hmm."

She was a bit disappointed by their childish prank. Even if they had placed dozens of mice, just one was not enough.

'Ud once collected live insects and scattered them in my room.'

At the very least, that level of effort would have been more surprising. Nabia reached out to remove the mouse.

But Margaret gently held her hand from behind, preventing her from touching it.

"Nabia, mice are dirty. You shouldn’t touch them."

At that moment, a black shadow began to rise.

'This is...'

Margaret explained.

"A spell that manipulates shadows."

This was Margaret’s ability.

"The mouse didn’t just appear on the bed. It’s clearly the work of the maids. I’ll have a word with them..."

"No, Lady Margaret."

Nabia looked down at her hand, which Margaret was holding.

Black Moon was waiting quietly, as if awaiting orders.

'Shadow manipulation.'

Nabia’s lips curled into a smile.

"I have a better idea."

Black Moon began to absorb mana subtly, glowing with a small black light.

* * *

In the lobby of Esselred, a servant sent by Theorban stood alone.

He had the good fortune to meet Margaret as soon as he arrived at the mansion and was able to ask her to summon the maids he had sent here yesterday.

The servant felt a twisted sense of satisfaction as he recalled how Margaret had readily agreed to his request.

'So much for nobles being something special.'

No matter how noble they were, they were now in a position where they had to listen to him, a mere servant of Theorban.

'Why would a noble choose to be a servant here and endure such treatment? Truly, they are a bunch of trash.'

Heh.

The servant was smirking when Benny and Seline arrived in the lobby.

"You called for us?"

"Yes. My master sent me to ask you to do something special."

The servant handed them a letter, which they immediately read.

The letter didn’t contain any particularly significant orders.

It only said that a guest might arrive early tomorrow, and they should ensure everything was in order for their reception.

'Tomorrow a guest is arriving? ...Ah.'

Benny, who was perceptive in such matters, immediately understood the meaning.

This was surely a coded message about sending assassins at dawn.

'Just yesterday, we arrived at the duchy, and tomorrow we might be able to leave.'

"We will keep Lord Alvin’s instructions in mind."

The servant nodded and left the mansion.

Benny whispered to Seline, explaining her interpretation.

"Really? Oh, thank goodness. I really didn’t want to stay here."

"Shh! Be careful what you say here."

Seline didn’t pay much attention to Benny’s warning.

Being here was truly terrifying.

The mansion of Esselred was as ominous as its appearance, and there were many rumors among the servants.

Especially the most credible one was about the 'curse.'

'The current head of the family was born under an ominous star, and one day, the previous Duke of Esselred and other retainers suddenly died.'

Seline had once asked the butler of the Alvin family about this story. The butler had dismissed it, saying it was nonsense and that they had died from a sudden illness that spread among them.

What if they were cursed and died while staying here?

But if they could just get through today, Nabia would be dead.

'I wish time would pass quickly.'

Seline ascended to the second floor with a light step.

She didn’t care at all about the death of a girl who had nothing to do with her.

When they arrived at the room, Nabia was lying on the bed, unharmed.

Benny raised an eyebrow.

'She hasn’t found the mouse yet?'

"Are you here?"

As they hesitated, Nabia greeted them with a bright smile.

"...Yes."

At that moment, Seline noticed Minerva, who was staring at them with a determined gaze, and nudged Benny.

'Look.'

Benny also turned to look at Minerva.

'Ah, did she find and remove the mouse first?'

This was unexpected.

A girl like her would surely have screamed and cried if a single bug were thrown into her room.

'Or could it be that Lady Romanov found it...?'

Margaret wasn’t in the room at the moment.

If Margaret had found out, it would have been a bit awkward.

Even if the noble was a mere figurehead, she was still of a different status.

'But since it’s the faded Lady Romanov and not the vigorous Lady Jenne, it should be fine.'

Moreover, there was no evidence that they had placed the mouse on the bed.

They smirked, regaining their composure.

'Still, we need to teach that naive girl a lesson.'

Despite the warning yesterday, she had continued to be a nuisance. It seemed they hadn’t scared her enough.