Chapter 37

It's a bit short, m(_ _)m

Then, immediately,

"Then, let's do a bit of investigation, shall we?"

he begins.

"That won't do, Lord Rain. Please go straight back to the mansion."

as expected, she tells him.

"No way, besides, I can't just walk around the city without any information, it's dangerous, you know."

"It's just a matter of going back. Please rest assured, I'll be with you."

"You know I'm strong, but overconfidence is dangerous. We should have the necessary information before we act."

Those who underestimate information die young.

"…Then I'll go and ask. Please wait a moment."

As expected, just as he thought.

"No, let's go together. I want to hear it too."

"It won't do."

Because there's a possibility of getting involved in something dangerous?

"Then I promise. I'll go straight home after we ask."

"…Alright."

Darn, I couldn't say the final line, "or I'll run away." Well, it's better not to say it. Both of us know that the maid can't catch up to me with her legs. He was planning to give her the choice of either running away or going to ask and coming back.

"Alright, I'll be a bother. Let's go!"

And they head towards the guards together.

"Excuse me, I have a question."

"Huh? Sorry, but… Oh, my apologies!! This is a noble young master and his maid. What can I do for you? If you're lost, just go straight and ask the guards at the entrance of the noble district."

He became polite halfway through because he noticed my clothes were of the highest quality. My clothes are not something a commoner or an average noble can wear.

"No, that's not it. The city seems to be in a state of commotion, so I came to inquire about the situation."

The maid explains. I just cling to the maid's leg like a child, pretending to be trembling because there are so many guards.

"That, that's a bit difficult to say. It's confidential. But please rest assured. There's no problem if you go straight home."

"Is that so…" the maid looks at me.

"Ah, by any chance, is it related to kidnappings?"

He flinches for a moment. Bingo.

"N-no, I'm sorry, but I can't say any more…"

"By the way, the kidnappers are the Vagd bandits, right?"

"?"

He doesn't seem to understand. He was probably only told about the kidnapping.

"Then, this."

I show the emblem of the House of Orion. In simple terms, it's an order. My father must trust me a lot to give me this. If I show this in the city, it becomes an order from the House of Orion. When I show this, the House of Orion will take responsibility for everything that happens. If I lose it, I might end up under house arrest. When I received it, I thought, "Don't give me such a thing!" but it was good to have it.

"!!??

O-Orion House… This is a grave disrespect!!"

He bows deeply.

"No, it's fine. Can you tell me what happened?"

"It is… No, I understand. Please come this way."

He leads them into a small alley. I check with my Divine Eye, but there's nothing and no one around.

"Actually, this morning, the Second Princess… went missing."

…What.

Since I decided to be proactive about what I need to do in this world, I even showed the emblem, but the content wasn't that significant.

(…What should I do?

This could be a trap to test my abilities.

It's almost certainly a trap.

Kidnapping a princess… you…)

"Um, how did you find out?"

It's around 3 PM now. Isn't it too late to start searching?

"At first, no one was worried because she often went out alone or with a few attendants, but when she didn't return by noon, we started the search."

(No, that's a problem!

No one was worried… you…

Well, I can understand if she's a tomboy princess…)

This is a situation that couldn't be helped.

"I see…

Has the culprit contacted you?"

"No! Not at all!"

"I see, thank you for your trouble.

Please do your best."

"Huh! Then I'll take my leave!" and he runs off.

"Then, Lord Rain, let's go home."

"Yes, I understand."

As promised, they head back home.

(Interesting, so it's self-inflicted.

What should I do?

If she marries the next head of the House of Orion, I can't say I'm completely uninvolved…

I'll help her.)

Why?

As I said, if I can earn the favor of the House of Orion, the next head will be secure. I think he's smart, though I'm not sure how he'll use it. I'm cautious but not angry. Emotionally, I don't care either way. She's only 8 years old. I lost everything in my previous life because I realized my mistakes too late. But not this time! I can still make a fresh start. There are plenty of opportunities to do so. I want her to learn from this experience.

Besides, even if she overreacted, is it really appropriate to hold a grudge for so long at 26 years old?

Will helping her be beneficial?

Will not helping her be more beneficial?

If it's a simple calculation, helping her is more beneficial. I'll be the one to lose.

I have the Divine Eye. If it looks dangerous, I can turn back immediately.

I won't be overconfident or complacent. But it's low risk, high reward. If I stay alert with my Divine Eye, I think it will be fine.

While thinking about this, we seem to have arrived home. The maid is breathing deeply because we walked quite fast.

"Welcome back, Lord Rain. I'm glad you're safe. The outside has become quite noisy, so I was about to send someone to fetch you."

"Thank you. I see, thank you for your hard work. I'll go back to my room now."

"Yes."

I bow and head back to my room. On the way, the maid says,

"I need to speak with Lady for a moment. Please go straight to your room!"

She emphasizes "straight."

"I understand. Then, goodbye."

I part ways with her.

When I open the door to my room, Sukuna and Aina are there.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you."

I immediately bring up the topic. They are the ones I trust the most. If I tell them not to, they won't say anything to my parents or the maids. I've confirmed this multiple times with my Divine Eye, so I'm sure. But the maid is different. Her highest authority is not me. If something happens, she will report to my mother immediately, without hesitation. Therefore, I can't tell her important things. Still, I keep her around because she is capable. She is strong and quite versatile, making her perfect to have around. I don't have the option to make her quit by harassing her. I, of all people, can't do such a thing. Hence, these two.

"Sukuna, Aina, I have something confidential to tell you."

"Ha!"

They look at each other. Then, immediately, "No, too close," and they push each other away.

(Swoooosh, nice smell…

No, not that!)

"Do not tell my parents. Of course, not the maids either."

I emphasize this.

"Ha!"

"Um, to put it simply, the princess has been kidnapped."

"Ha."

She gives a deflated response.

"So, we're going to rescue her."

Sukuna immediately objects.

"Please don't. If something happens to you…"

"No, it's fine. I'll pull back if it gets dangerous."

"But!!"

"As a matter of honor, I must go to rescue her since we are betrothed. I'll go alone if you don't come with me."

It's a lie. I wouldn't go alone. One adult is fine, but a group is not.

"…Alright, I'll go with you."

The knights in this mansion are hardcore, sworn to my father. It's impossible to explain without going through him. Therefore,

"Let's go."

"Ha!" and she immediately arms herself.

Alright, let's go. It's about time I tell them I can use magic. This is a good opportunity.

I open the door and use my Divine Eye to check the soldiers' positions…