Chapter 25

...

I'm worried...

No matter how much I think about it, there's nothing I can do, but I still can't help feeling anxious.

Rave, who was in charge of the beginner's training, teased me for being overprotective, but my worries aren't about that.

Rave praised Reina for being unusually serious and valuing the basics, which is rare for someone her age. He also said she kept a low profile and was a very good candidate. Reina was worried that her hidden skills had been noticed, but I was relieved that she had completed the request without drawing attention. However, I still can't shake the feeling that something might happen.

Reina is a good kid and won't make a mistake that could lead to a bad outcome. I trust her in that regard, but I'm worried that her low self-esteem might cause her to do something terrible, making it impossible for her to continue as an adventurer without drawing attention...

Moreover, she might even be hailed as a "genius of a century." Just thinking about it makes me anxious, and I haven't been sleeping well for the past few days.

This transport mission, which was a cover for a request from Tonus, had a set departure date, so I couldn't find time to talk properly amidst the rush to prepare. I should have confirmed things more thoroughly.

However, to resolve Reina's lingering issues as quickly as possible, this was necessary.

I won't be able to submit a formal request for a long time, and if I don't, Reina will continue to apologize to her best friend, Anna Royer, in her heart. If things had continued as they were, she would have kept taking on requests recklessly.

Due to the need to commercialize the product, it was difficult to delay the departure. The other party wanted it as soon as possible, and they even said they would use a dragon courier if necessary.

However, I couldn't use the dragon courier service, which is run by various countries and leaves no room for deception, so I managed to avoid that.

Linde's current situation is what worries me the most. However, I can't use the guild's communication device just to check on Reina's condition...

When I arrived at the relay town and the group dispersed, I politely declined the dinner invitation from the party I was escorting and entered the inn alone.

Misel, the rear guard mage, had been slightly wary of me from the start, but after I protected her during an encounter with a monster, she now seems to be targeting me. This is a problem.

It's a common issue for me, so for now, there's no particular problem. This time, I haven't been approached in a way that would cause a commotion, so I think it's fine.

Usually, I try to avoid taking requests that involve spending a long time with women, but this time, I couldn't avoid it.

Reina's best friend, Anna Royer, is a woman, so I had to team up with a party that had female members. Reina doesn't have special disguise skills, so the main goal was to blend in as a party member and avoid drawing attention. It would be awkward for a woman to be the only one in a group of men she's never met before.

The "Water of Mondo" group, with whom I'm on a joint mission, is a mix of childhood friends and siblings. There are no rough or aggressive men in the party, which is a relief. The party name is derived from a real spring in their hometown, which is also the stage for the Harvest Festival.

To pick up Anna, who is a civilian, I subtly arranged for this request to be assigned to me. The guild master, Saje, probably doesn't suspect that I influenced the assignment.

However, the "Water of Mondo" members are closer than I expected, which has made things a bit difficult for me. I can tell that Misel, who is the youngest sister in the group, has a crush on me and is trying to get me alone.

I'm pretending not to notice and trying to avoid it. Even though nothing has been said directly, I'm not being overly self-conscious. I'm just that popular, even to myself.

I've been turning everyone down, but I'm trying to do it in a way that doesn't cause a scene. Due to my complicated background, I can't easily form blood ties. More importantly, I've never met anyone who made me want to overcome those obstacles and get close to them. I doubt I would have a girlfriend even if I had a normal background.

To maintain good relations with other adventurers and continue my career smoothly, I want to avoid outright rejection. When I return to Lindemen, I'll try to fade out without meeting her face-to-face.

I've gotten used to it after so many times, but I still wonder why I attract so much trouble. The frequency has decreased since I started hiding my eyes, but I still can't avoid these kinds of situations.

Fortunately, my danger sense is quite good. I've been forced to develop it because of these repeated incidents. I can tell when someone is about to "go crazy" over me and can distinguish the signs.

Of course, most people don't end up like that, including Reina. However, even married people or those with partners sometimes end up that way, so I can't let my guard down. If I reject them, their partners or families might hold a grudge against me, so I have to avoid getting involved when I sense the signs.

However, I can't let my personal issues affect Reina's request. I steeled myself. Even though this isn't an official request through the guild, it's still important. I decided to put this issue on hold until I return to Lindemen.

I had a vague idea that Reina was from a good family, but I didn't expect her to be a noble. I certainly didn't think she was from a ducal family.

Since Royer is a high-ranking maid in the ducal household, I, a foreign adventurer, can't just go and meet her. Reina also mentioned that her family is "probably looking for me, the runaway," so she doesn't intend to meet them face-to-face.

I've asked Royer about the places she goes on her days off and how she spends her time, but things might have changed since Reina ran away.

Even if she can move freely after receiving Reina's magic tool contract and basic magic circuit diagram, I need to do some investigating before making contact. I don't think I'll need the floor plan of the annex where the servants live, as it would be impossible to sneak in past the ducal household's security.

I entered the capital of Kronheim under the pretext of "sightseeing" and observed the Agget family for a while. The situation of Reina's best friend, Royer, was worse than I expected.

The family's situation didn't match what Reina had told me. The "Ducal Daughter Lilianna," known as the "genius of the Agget family," was said to be adored by her entire family.

I also heard rumors that her engagement to the second prince of the country was imminent, but I'll put that aside for now.

Royer, who was Lilianna's personal maid, is now in a position akin to a desk job, though not officially. The work assigned to someone with her level of education as a high-ranking maid is inappropriate. If there's a reason for this other than harassment, I'd like to hear it.

The Agget family claims that Lilianna is recuperating in the territory due to poor health, but I know that's not true. They are hiding the fact that she ran away.

I don't think Reina was lying, so there must be some reason behind this. I decided to contact Royer, who, as a personal maid, might know more about the situation than Reina.

"... What is your business?"

I sensed that the person I was looking for had arrived and slightly redirected my awareness from the surroundings back to myself. Whether it was good or bad that she was assigned tasks that a maid wouldn't normally do, I managed to meet her by passing a note when she was sent out to do shopping instead of kitchen work.

Considering the possibility of a trap to monitor my contact with Royer, I arranged to talk to her behind a hedge in a park along her route, so that we wouldn't be seen together.

If there was someone monitoring her, it would look like she was just taking a short rest during her shopping.

... I had a good chance, but I'm glad she trusted me enough to come. She could have reported me as a kidnapper or someone who encouraged her to run away. She must have recognized the story about "crystal lilies and baby's breath" that Reina had told me.

"I have a letter for you. The details are in there."

"Wait...!"

It would be bad if she stayed in one place for too long, especially if she was being monitored. I added a note to Reina's letter (which was quite thick) explaining the situation and passed it to her through the hedge, making sure it was hidden from view.

I didn't give a proper explanation, thinking that she would understand the need to leave quickly, but she unexpectedly stopped me. I tensed up.

"Is the person I respect so much... safe?"

"... She's fine, no injuries or illnesses."

"!! ... I'm... glad..."

I felt ashamed, expecting her to cry and complain about why Reina left alone. Instead, I was relieved to see how much Royer cared about Reina. I felt reassured that Reina had such a wonderful supporter.

I believed she would agree to leave the country without hesitation. I had good news to deliver.

To my surprise, when we met face-to-face again, she had already resigned from the ducal household.

She made a quick decision... or was it too hasty? No, it must be because Reina is very important to her.

She apparently informed the butler about her resignation, leaving a note that said, "I cannot forgive myself for failing to comfort the troubled mind of Miss Lilianna." ... She's like her mistress.

The note was probably sincere, but it could also be interpreted as a suicide note... or maybe I can use it.

"First, I need to confirm the facts. The reputation of 'Ducal Daughter Lilianna' and the story I heard from her, who now goes by 'Reina,' are very different."

"That's..."

We were in a private room with no one else around, so there was no need for probing questions. I had already confirmed that there was no surveillance, and time was precious. Depending on the content, we might need to leave tonight.

The story she told me, as a third party, was so infuriating that I almost lost my composure.

I could tell that Royer, who knew Reina better than I did, felt even more anger. Tears streamed down her face, and her hands trembled as she gripped the fabric of her skirt.

The thought of what Reina had endured from her family, while they believed they loved her, made me feel sick.

"I... I also think this is a terrible story. But the decision should be Reina's."

"But... If she returns to a family that doesn't give her proper recognition, Miss Lilianna...!"

"No... Royer, don't you want Reina to be happy the most? But for that, she needs to make her own choice."

Royer seemed to understand what I meant and calmed down, asking, "When and how will you contact Miss Lilianna?" I felt relieved and continued.

"I was going to inform you of the result, whether you agreed or not. After discussing the commercialization of the magic tool, I plan to ask for a bit of personal time."

It would be difficult to talk in secret, but I could at least clear the room. The main reason was that I couldn't use the long-distance communication magic tool without crossing the border.

However, I had a feeling I knew what choice Reina would make.

If she found out that her family had treated her poorly, it might be better for her to think they just didn't recognize her talents. But I couldn't hide the truth for her sake. That would be the same as hurting her, just like the Agget family.

So, even though I had expected it, Reina's reaction was still heart-wrenching.

After the discussion with the alchemist from the workshop, I managed to clear the room by saying I was close to the alchemist. Reina was alone on her end.

Royer, who was also present, commented, "Actually, I think she knows Rio better than I do, since they're relatives," and I managed to get her to join the conversation. The young genius's friend and relative made the alchemist guild staff go out of their way to help.

I think the potion I gave as a bribe... or rather, a promotional gift, was a big factor. Of course, it wasn't the most dangerous one I received before departure. The others were dangerous enough to be accepted casually, but Reina didn't realize it...

"... Now that you've confirmed each other's safety, I have something important to tell you. It might be a painful truth, but please listen to the end before making any judgments."

"Yes, um, has something happened...?"

It was decided in advance that I would be the one to tell Reina. If she decided to return home and accept her family's treatment, it would be better not to create a rift with Royer, who would still be by her side. If that happened, Royer could be recognized as a meritorious person for resolving the misunderstanding, even if she had resigned.

The slightly noisy voice coming from the communication device was harder than usual.

Ah. I know that this would be the choice that would make the most people happy. I understand that she didn't do it out of hatred for her family. If she returns home, she will finally receive the recognition she deserves.

But I don't want to see this as a happy ending. The pain she endured and the hurt she felt won't just disappear.

"Just because they loved her" is just an excuse from the perpetrators.

Even though I say it's up to her... I don't want to see a resolution where only Reina has to endure.

"Wait...? ... Just because of that? Just for that reason, I was never recognized by my family...?"

This would hurt her even more than before.

Her voice, tinged with tears, conveyed how deeply she was hurting. It was worse than I had anticipated.

"I... I always wanted to be praised... to be recognized! They boasted about me to others... Why? Why? I never, not once, received praise... I always thought it was because I wasn't good enough...!"

Royer, standing next to me, whispered, "Miss..." and shed tears. I felt like crying too.

"... I was always fooling myself... I thought they were being strict to keep me from being satisfied, but it was all a lie. No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I achieved, they never intended to praise me...!!"

If it had just been harsh words, this serious girl would have accepted them.

But her scream