Chapter 58

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: A List of Spies
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Somehow, Diello’s break felt too long.

‘My lord!’

I’d been wondering how Diello managed to get out of his office so quickly, and it turned out he had snuck out.

Her face pale with urgency, she led Diello out of the water.

‘Pardon the intrusion, my lady.’

In the end, Diello was practically dragged away by Pielle.

“I should probably head back too.”

I’d had enough rest, so it seemed better to wash up and relax.

Of course, there was something I needed to do before lying down to sleep. My mind, cleared from the long soak in the water, told me exactly what I needed to do.

“Sir Nirua.”

As soon as I washed up and returned to my room, I called for Nirua.

If he too could prove that his powers surged near water, it would add clear evidence to my claim.

But a problem arose.

“Well…”

After hearing my story, Nirua replied with a troubled expression from behind the curtain Pielle had drawn at some point.

“My water-manipulation ability has vanished, so I don’t think I can be of much help.”

“What?”

His water-manipulation ability is gone?

“…Ah.”

Come to think of it, Nirua must have also pledged his loyalty to the head of his family and made a contract of power.

It would be different from the contracts used in Argenta, but given the nature of the Shadow Sword family, it was highly likely he had made a separate contract.

The current head was still Duke Alloje.

He hadn't been loyal, and had even faked his death to deceive the duke, so the contract of power must have been broken.

“I apologize for not being of assistance.”

Nirua bowed his head deeply. I shook my head.

“No.”

There was no need for him to be sorry.

After all, I hadn't brought him here for his water-manipulation ability anyway.

But Nirua looked a little dejected.

For convenience, Nirua had been assigned to an independent unit under the head maid, Pielle.

He had nothing in particular to do until I gave him an order.

That might have made him feel like he was useless.

Not at all. It seemed I needed to reassure him.

“I have the water-manipulation ability, so it doesn't matter. Besides, you’re already a great help to me, Sir Nirua, aren't you?”

He should know even without me having to spell it out.

His disguise skills were certainly unparalleled.

At my words, Nirua lifted his head slightly.

“…My disguise skills remain, so please do not worry. I will serve you with my life, as you have taken me in.”

I stared silently at Nirua as he spoke.

This man had been through a lot, too.

Besides, why were there so many people here and there willing to lay down their lives?

I knew it was a way of expressing loyalty, but with my modern mindset, I couldn't help but flinch every time I heard such words.

It was then.

“And, I’ve… organized this…”

Nirua held something out to me. Looking at the object passed through Pielle’s hands,

“Hm?”

What he handed me was.

[Current Movements of the Alloje Family]

It was a report on the Alloje family’s movements up until he left.

It was a document summarizing information he had received from the assassin group he belonged to and from Duke Alloje, along with Alloje’s current situation.

“I organized it, thinking it might be helpful.”

As he said this, Nirua was genuinely following me.

Duke Alloje had truly lost a loyal vassal.

I looked at him and said.

“Sir Nirua.”

“Yes.”

I spoke to him in a low voice without realizing it.

“I’m going to bring down Alloje. And as long as this poisoning incident is related to Cartiel, I’ll have to defeat them someday as well.”

At my words, Nirua bowed his head without a reply.

“I made a contract to borrow your skills on the condition that I would protect you from Alloje. But.”

I held out my hand.

“When Alloje is gone, that contract will end. What will you do then?”

This was an issue that needed to be clarified.

As I asked the question, I was once again reminded of the relationship between Diello and me.

I, too, was in a contractual relationship where I had to disappear once Pero appeared for Diello.

“…”

But considering how uneasy I felt about Sir Nirua, perhaps Diello felt this way every time he saw me, too.

It's a sad thing for someone to leave your side at some point, for whatever reason.

“For me, the only Alloje is you, Lady Croire.”

Nirua replied then. I parted my lips slightly at his words.

Even though I had hoped he would say that, and even though I knew he had nowhere else to go.

So even though I already knew the answer.

The relief his voice gave me, saying he wouldn't leave, was immense.

It was a strange feeling to have someone follow me so blindly.

“…Thank you.”

Would Diello feel this way if I told him I wouldn't leave?

But I can't make that promise, not for the sake of the future.

I looked at Nirua and continued.

“But don’t talk about laying down your life.”

I don't want a loyal subordinate to die.

At my words, Nirua’s eyes widened before he bowed his head.

“…Thank you.”

I dismissed the now even more polite man.

“Well then…”

After he left, I examined the documents he had given me again.

Nirua had prepared the report at the perfect time. The situation was as I expected.

Duke Alloje was just waiting for the right moment.

The moment I erased all of Diello’s lilies.

And he was convinced that Diello and I had fallen in love.

Then the war with Alloje would soon begin, and since we had just been attacked, we had a good excuse.

With Cartiel also quiet due to their intelligence department's issues, now was the opportune time.

“Summon an informant.”

At my words, Pielle bowed her head.

—*Tap-tap.*

She pulled the servant's bell cord with a rather unusual rhythm.

A maid then appeared.

Is she the one who will relay the message to the intelligence department? Tilting my head slightly, I repeated my order.

“Bring me a field agent.”

The maid bowed her head at my words.

“Your orders, please.”

…She was the agent herself?

Ah, could it be that an agent comes depending on how Pielle pulls the bell cord?

“Is there a special signal to call for an agent?”

The maid bowed her head at my words.

“Yes. You tap somewhere three times quickly, and then twice slowly.”

She then demonstrated.

—*Tap-tap-tap, tap, tap.*

I watched her knock on the door, then copied the rhythm on the table.

—*Tap-tap-tap, tap, tap.*

“Like this?”

“Yes.”

The maid, who had been about to say more, closed her mouth. Instead, a black shadow shot out from behind her.

!

To my surprise, Rick greeted me with a grin.

“You called?”

Was this Rick’s direct line?

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to come, Sir Rick.”

“That is the signal to summon me.”

*Tap-tap-tap, tap, tap.* That was it?

“Each agent has a different summoning signal.”

“Oh…”

That was truly new information.

Still, to think that when I asked how to summon an agent, they’d give me the direct signal for the head of the intelligence department.

I’d thought this before, but Argenta was really treating me like an insider, not like someone who would be leaving soon.

No, it was more than that.

[Though this is Argenta, we hope the water is comfortable enough for you to rest, my lady.]

I recalled the notes attached to the items at the pool.

The people of Argenta were getting used to me, too.

Even the Argenta staff on the fourth floor, who already knew my situation, were treating me with more trust and familiarity.

As if… we were family. My heart fluttered.

I shouldn't let this happen, I shouldn't get used to it.

But I couldn't help feeling good about it.

Shaking my head at the renewed feeling, I gestured to him.

“Come in.”

“Ah.”

Rick hesitated at my words. He entered stealthily, looking somehow more cautious than before.

Even though a curtain was already drawn, he pulled another one down between us.

?

While I was puzzled, Rick bowed his head.

“Your orders, please.”

The door closed, and I looked at Rick’s silhouette through the thin curtain before speaking.

“There are a lot of spies among the servants on the third floor and below in Argenta, aren’t there?”

Rick answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

Just as I thought, they know and aren't catching them. All to further spread the image of a weak Diello.

But was this also Diello’s order?

It wasn't the time to dwell on the sudden question.

“As you know, Alloje is just waiting for Diello’s lilies to disappear.”

“That is certainly the case. Their patterns of behavior have also changed from before.”

According to Rick, Alloje was stockpiling military supplies.

They were definitely preparing for war, too.

In that case, I had to hurry even more.

“I intend to root out all the spies on the third floor and below before the war begins.”

Rick paused at my words. Of course, it would be a sensitive matter.

Leaving the spies on the lower floors alone until now must have been part of the plan to make others underestimate Diello.

“Of course, I’ll have to discuss it with Diello, but—”

If there was anyone he had grown fond of, I would have to approach the matter carefully.

Just as I was about to say that, Rick’s shadow behind the thin curtain took something out from his coat.

“Here is a list of the spies.”

As if he had already prepared it.