Chapter 81: UnpleasantDay 93

  Risk assessment time. What are the unresolved dangers?

  Heinz and his gang were quite dangerous. Maybe some of them remain. More importantly, who set them against us? Rutina’s father? I doubt the count hated his daughter to that degree. He could have simply confined her to the castle until she was married off. Brunhild was executed before she could implicate anyone, and the evidence against the former count can’t be verified.

  Who arranged the kidnapping attempt against Rutina? The count and Brunhild were already dead. That elf Adventurer didn’t even recognize Rutina, so he certainly wasn’t the mastermind. Gosr determined that the kidnapping attempt was irrelevant and executed the Adventurer. How did Gosr overlook the fact that the kidnappers needed inside knowledge to find Rutina?

  Gosr controls all aspects of the investigations. He could be behind everything. What would be his motivation? Well, he might want to get rid of me. Would he risk Rutina as colteral damage? No, Rutina was definitely one of the targets. A count’s heir isn’t an afterthought.

  The duke wanted to get rid of the count and it didn’t seem like it was a new idea. What if Rutina was considered a liability? Too weak to rule? Even after becoming a Mage, she wasn’t allowed to join the expeditions. Did they pn to simply get rid of her? No, that’s ridiculous. The duke would never allow anything terrible to happen to Rutina. [1]

  That’s all in the past, so what about now? It looks like Rutina’s been accepted and will be safe as long as she makes progress. Rutina’s title protects me to a degree and the duke’s letter should do the rest. Since it’s far too te to keep a low profile, noble support makes it harder to quietly get rid of me.

  My pending marriage helps me look dependable and boring. Mirabel’s noble status was a red fg, but it turned out to be a potential advantage. Her father doesn’t seem to outright hate me and may eventually tolerate me. It could be good to weaken my connection to the elves as long as the marquis doesn’t try to adopt me.

  Should I eliminate Gosr? He serves a useful role and getting rid of him would be messy. Even if he’s guilty, I only need to consider the potential threat. Gosr is rational. He’s a threat to me as long as I’m a threat to the duke. Getting rid of me now would be almost as messy as getting rid of him. Fine, Gosr lives as long as he behaves.

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  “Good morning, sweet Alina.”

  “You’re certainly in a good mood, David.”

  “I was just ranking threats.”

  “Is that something good?”

  “Yes, because they are fairly low.”

  “That’s wonderful, David.”

  We go downstairs for breakfast and briefing.

  “Good morning, everyone. We’ll continue with Crespy’s 24th floor and probably finish it today. Any questions? Good. Same as yesterday then.”

  It really is the same. Walls or storms at a distance followed by other magic or melee when they get close. Actually, they only get close if we allow it. The onsught of our attacks is simply too effective. We reach the boss room before long.

  “Same as usual. Let’s go.”

  The boss drops a mung bean. I haven’t done anything with all the ephedra we’ve collected. No hurry, I guess, since we have little need for medicines. We exit into Crespy’s 25th floor.

  “Roxanne, can you sense what’s next?”

  “Mono-taurus, Master.”

  “Not enough time to complete another floor before tomorrow, so may as well stop here.”

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  “Sherry, please convert the symbol map you made for Crespy to a normal one. It should look like it was drawn in the byrinth so don’t make it too neat.”

  “Yes, David. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks. I don’t need it before tomorrow so no hurry. Anyway, I need to pick up my letter from Rutina. I should be back before lunch.”

  I skip changing clothes and warp to the outer wall of Rutina’s castle. Before I can announce myself, the guard greets me.

  “Her Ladyship is in her office, Lord Moreau. Do you know the way?”

  “Yes, I do. Thank you.”

  This is a reasonable bance between the baron’s strict guards and the duke’s zy guards. I knock and enter Rutina’s office.

  “Greetings, Your Ladyship. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

  “Come on in, David. I have your letter here.”

  “Thanks for doing this, Rutina. It means a lot.”

  “So, David, was it painful to sit through the ceremony and be around so many nobles?”

  “No, not at all. It was so much faster than expected and I’ve never been so close to the action before.”

  “Oh? Have you attended other investitures?”

  “No, not the same and not in person. I mean, from way, way far back.” (On TV.)

  “How was the dinner? Did you talk to anyone?”

  “Most just whispered about us, but one person was friendly. He was Baron Ham-something.”

  “Ah, Baron Hameln. Yes, he is nice.”

  “I did have one strange encounter on the way out though. An elderly woman from Gosr’s table started questioning me about the trial.”

  “Oh goodness, did you, um, David, were you rude to her?”

  “No, not even after she was rude to me. She told me to visit and I said I’d consider it.”

  “You actually said that? Did she get angry?”

  “No, only a bit pushy.”

  “We should go right away. I’ll call for Rolf.”

  “Why me? Who is she anyway?”

  “David, she is our cn elder.”

  “But I’m not a member. Besides, my party is waiting.”

  “Please, David, this is important.”

  “Alright, Rutina. I’ll join you for a quick visit. If I’m away too long, my party might storm the castle.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Remember when we first met and you had your guards restrain me?”

  “How about tomorrow then?”

  “Sorry, but I’ll be in Valois Territory tomorrow and Bode the next day. How about tonight?”

  “Yes, that’s fine and thank you, David. I’ll see you here at sundown.”

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  Back home, I put the precious letter away and joined my party for lunch.

  “Rutina asked me to go with her tonight to meet the rude old dy from yesterday. I guess she’s a special elder.”

  Alina responds, “That probably means Lady Cassandra. She demands a great deal of respect. An offense to her is an offense to all elves.”

  Roxanne asks, “Master, would you like us to come with you?”

  “No, I can’t bring guards to the old dy’s house.”

  Alina confirms, “The elder is feared for what she says, not what she does.”

  After eating, it’s time to go back to work, but it has gotten a bit dull tely.

  “I’m tired of these low floors. Let’s go to Curatar’s Labyrinth for a change. Sherry, what’s on the next floor?”

  “The 45th floor has Nepenthes, which is a stronger version of Sarracenia. They are sensitive to fire and spit acid.”

  “Right, those gross things. What else will be there?”

  “White Caterpilr, also sensitive to fire, and Pan.”

  “Thanks, Sherry. I’ll give you the maps. I’ll try using multiple wall spells to protect us from the aerial attacks. If it gets too unpleasant, we can just go to Nordselm’s after all.”

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  Roxanne and Alina tell Zara and Sima how to avoid Pan’s attacks and we warp to the byrinth. I keep Errant’s Lightning Storm for stunning and use fire-based walls and storms for damage. These monsters don’t keep burning like the tree-type, so I can use fire magic even when they get close. Instead of warping behind them, I occasionally ask Zara and Sima to let me pass. I Overdrive my way forward, bash a few, and then zip back before Sherry has time to worry.

  This floor is notably tougher than the low-twenties we were on recently, but it’s not all that bad. Of course, something other than these disgusting pnts would be even better. Importantly, our Zasi vanguard is holding strong and neither Alina nor Roxanne have been hit even once. It’s fortunate that Sherry’s back here with me, since she would have trouble dodging.

  After a few hours, I call a stop and we go home. According to Sherry’s map we made it through a third of the floor. I change to normal clothes and Sherry adds a second enchantment to my dragon-leather boots — evasion.

  “I’ll go meet the rude old dy now. I’ll come home as soon as I can, but I assume we’ll have dinner there. Baths might be a bit te.”

  “Be careful, Master.”

  After quick hugs and kisses, I warp back to Rutina’s castle a few minutes te. Rutina didn’t see my portal, though she did seem to notice that I arrived alone. Well, why would an Adventurer need to stick around?

  “Sorry to make you wait, Count Rutina.”

  “Gd you could make it, Lord Moreau.”

  I join Rolf’s party and follow his portal.

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  Rolf brings us to the lobby of a mansion. I can’t even guess which direction since I can’t see outside. Rolf and Rutina’s guard walk off to some room and Rutina announces our arrival. It takes almost ten minutes for us to be led to another waiting area.

  “What’s going on? Wasn’t she expecting us?”

  “Waiting is common here.”

  “I don’t like wasting time so I’ll do some pnning. Wake me when it’s time.”

  I pull out my double wax pads and start going through my stats.

  My MP Recovery skill isn’t doing as much as I would like. Rather than increase it further, I’ll drop it completely and use the points to add another job. It’d be fun to level a minor job, but Assassin should be useful. Yes, this will be good. Of course, I could level Cook or whatever after we subjugate a byrinth or two. It feels like our short trip to a higher floor helped my levels so maybe we should do that on the side.

  [Mage: 52, Adventurer: 47, Champion: 25, High Priest: 46, Wizard: 42, Errant: 42, Assassin: 47]

  “Huh? What’s wrong?”

  “Lord Moreau, it’s time.”

  “Fine, I was done anyway.”

  We walk down a long corridor to a rge door. The guard knocks and there’s another dey. Well, out come the wax pads again. I’ll make a to-do list.

  Check and show off my other bonus armor and weapons.Consider something other than oatmeal for breakfast.Store food underground and chill with Ice Walls.More lunch dates, especially before marriage.More alcohol for Sherry.Rutina nudges me again, “Lord Moreau.”

  “Oh, next room?”

  “No, we’re here.”

  The old dy is sitting at a desk. Everyone seems to be waiting for me.

  Cassandra says, “Are we interrupting something, Lord Moreau?”

  “No, I was making use of the wait.”

  Rutina nudges me and quietly says, “Introduce yourself.”

  “I am David Moreau. May I ask your name?”

  Rutina makes a disapproving sound.

  I respond to Rutina, “We haven’t been introduced. I don’t even know her title.”

  Cassandra actually smiles. “Ah. That expins the notes.”

  (No, I was just bored.)

  Rutina quickly jumps in. “Lord Moreau, this is our cn elder, Lady Cassandra.”

  (It doesn’t look like food will be served. Well, let’s get this over with quickly.)

  To Cassandra, I say ftly, “You asked to speak with me.”

  “Yes, Lord Moreau, I would like you to answer my question. Why did he die?”

  “Are you asking why the trial ended in a single blow?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Before answering, I turn to Rutina. “Count Rutina, do I have your permission to answer?”

  “Yes, of course, Lord Moreau.”

  “Lady Cassandra, the former count’s Cord wasn’t a Cord of Substitution.”

  “And you believe that is sufficient to expin his death?”

  “It expins why the blow was fatal.”

  Cassandra hesitates, then turns to Rutina.

  “Rutina. You were at the trial.”

  “Yes, Elder Cassandra.”

  “Did you accept the outcome?”

  Rutina cautiously says, “I accepted it.”

  Cassandra asks haughtily, “Was it so simple?”

  Quietly, “No, it was not simple.”

  She stares at Rutina like she’s waiting for more. Then, in a dismissive tone, “That will be all.” [2]

  Cassandra promptly goes back to work as if we had never been there.

  Rutina nods, turns and walks out. I get the hint and follow. We don’t speak on the way out. Rolf and the guards join us in the lobby and we return to her castle. In a rather distant, tired voice, Rutina says, “Thank you, Lord Moreau. Rolf will take you where you wish to go.”

  “Vale, please.”

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  I warp home from Vale’s Labyrinth and am greeted by Alina.

  “Welcome home, David. Was it rough?”

  “Yes, and the cheapskate didn’t even feed us.”

  “Come sit down, David. We’ll fix you a pte.”

  I go out and fill the baths before sitting at the table.

  Zara and Sima are still awake and walk over.

  Zara says, “Zasi waited.”

  Sima adds, “Zasi worried.”

  “I will heat the water after eating.”

  Zara concludes, “Yes, eat first. Thank you, Boss.”

  They seem incredibly tired and are talking sort of weird again. I eat quickly. As usual, I make the Zasi tub extra hot and they get in immediately. It’s actually warm outside, so some of this must be ritual. The rest of us get in the big tub, as usual.

  Alina asks, “Feeling better now, David?”

  “Yes, much. Cassandra is an unpleasant person. I don’t see how anyone respects her.”

  Roxanne adds, “I didn’t like the way she spoke to Master.”

  Sherry agrees, “It was like she wanted you to admit to a crime.”

  Alina asks, “Is that why she called you there?”

  “Maybe. Most of our time was spent waiting for her to see us.”

  “Did you get angry?”

  “No, I used the time to update my notes so it wasn’t so bad.”

  “How did Rutina react?”

  “I don’t know. It’s likely we were being monitored so we hardly spoke.”

  Sherry asks, “What happened when you were finally let in?”

  “She asked some dumb questions about Cords of Substitution. It all seemed rather pointless.”

  Alina confirms, “Yes, the trial was probably just an excuse. She probably just wanted to see how you would react.”

  “That makes sense. After losing interest in me, Cassandra asked Rutina some unpleasant questions about her father’s death.”

  “Really? The elder is supposed to be nicer to women. Maybe that too was a test to see how you would react.”

  “I didn’t say anything because that’s Rutina’s business. She doesn’t need me to defend her from some rude old dy.”

  “That’s good, David. That distance should be evidence that you and Rutina aren’t too close.”

  “Yes, you’re right. Rutina should quietly spread rumors that she’s using me like a cheap retainer.”

  “Actually, David, retainer is still too formal. Better to leave it unnamed and not work exclusively in Selmer.”

  “That’s perfect, thanks. It looks like Zara and Sima went to bed. Let’s dry off and go upstairs.”

  Roxanne says, “Yes, pay more attention to us, Master.”

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  [1] In the LN, the duke uses Michio to invade the count’s castle. Instead of inheriting her father’s title, Rutina is ensved and given to Michio for his help.[2] In the LN, Cassandra bullies Michio and sells Rutina the mild bondage device Michio uses on her.