Chapter 45

Not long after, I was allowed to leave. I had managed to converse with people I hadn't interacted with much before, and I felt the results were quite good. That night, I slept soundly. ...With this, my business in the capital was concluded. All that was left was to say goodbye to Father and return.

"......Aris-sama"

The next morning, while organizing documents, I was called by Tanya.

"What is it, Tanya?"

"There are two things I would like to report."

"What are they?"

"The first is about Baron Yurie's daughter."

At the mention of her name, I stopped what I was doing and looked at her.

"Since then, I have been investigating her. The investigation is still ongoing, but I thought it was a high-priority matter, so I will report what I have found so far."

"Yes. What have you found out?"

"First, about her background. I had thought her mother had always served the Neier family, but that was not the case."

"Oh, I had thought she had a relationship with the master she served. Where was she originally from?"

"The royal castle."

"......The royal castle...... What did she do there?"

"She worked as a maid at the royal castle. I couldn't find out how she met Baron Neier, but she entered the Neier household at the same time she resigned."

"So they met at the royal castle... The baron does visit the castle from time to time."

It's possible they met. But, to have such a relationship... Well, since they are actually together, I can't say much.

"I asked people who knew her in the past, and apparently, she was quite famous among her colleagues for her good looks."

As expected, the mother of the heroine. Yurie is adorable, as befits a heroine.

"After they separated, the investigation has been difficult. There are many stories from when her mother was alive, but after she was on her own, it has been hard to track her movements..."

"Living alone... and being such a noticeable child... it's strange that her movements can't be traced... So, is there anything that stands out?"

"When her mother was alive, a neighbor asked, 'Isn't it hard to raise a child alone? Don't you have anyone to rely on?' Her mother replied, 'No.' However, after her mother died, someone claiming to be a relative appeared..."

"Was it Baron Neier?"

"It's not certain."

"......What were the characteristics of this relative?"

"There were no particular characteristics to remember. The only thing I know is that it was a man..."

"I see..."

There was no one to rely on, yet a relative appeared... and immediately after her mother died? There are two possibilities.

One is that her mother had cut ties with her family for some reason. She couldn't rely on her family because of that reason, but after she died, they took in Yurie. If this is true, I wonder where her mother's family is.

The other is that Baron Neier himself, or one of his agents, came to take her in secretly. This seems the most plausible, but I wonder why he didn't make Yurie's existence public until the last moment.

In any case, it's suspicious.

"By the way, how did Baron Neier determine that Yurie was his daughter? There was no proof."

"Apparently, he recognized her by a pendant he had given her mother. Also, she looks exactly like her mother."

Without scientific proof like DNA testing, it can only be circumstantial evidence. On the other hand, there's no way to change one's face, so the resemblance is the strongest evidence.

"Still, to search for over ten years... She must have been deeply loved by Baron Neier."

"The reason is not clear. I will continue the investigation. That concludes my report on Baron Yurie's daughter."

"Thank you. Please continue your good work. What about the second report?"

"Yes. It's about the matter you instructed me to look into regarding Earl Monroe."

"Oh, that."

I had been concerned about this since we met at the Azuta Trading Company, so I had Tanya investigate. The story about Earl Monroe I heard at the tea party, and the man who was with him.

"......The man who accompanied Earl Monroe that day is named Divan. He is apparently staying as a guest of Earl Monroe and often accompanies him on his outings. I confirmed with the Azuta Trading Company, and there are many eyewitness accounts."

"A guest... Who is he?"

"He is the head of the Ailer Trading Company. Upon investigation, it is true that the Ailer Trading Company is a member of the Commercial Guild, mainly dealing in food products. However, I couldn't find out more about their transactions."

"......It's understandable that they don't disclose customer information. But for the earl to be so close to the head of a trading company... Has the recent prosperity of his family been due to this company?"

"......Probably."

There's no other explanation. ...That region is a granary, and the Ailer Trading Company deals in food products. It makes sense for them to buy from Earl Monroe's territory and sell it. But, where are they selling it?

"Tanya, please investigate this Divan as soon as possible. Also, look into the Ailer Trading Company in more detail, especially where they are selling and the quantities."

"Understood."

I have a bad feeling. The situation is changing rapidly, as evidenced by yesterday's party. Even when I was confined to my territory, I was aware of the situation, but now I realize how isolated I have been since coming to the capital.

I want to return to my territory from the capital. But, I can't ignore this matter. ...It feels like something has been steadily progressing without my knowledge.