I sent another letter through Ed. I’m not sure if it was properly received at the Magic Tower, but based on the last time, the reply will probably be late again.
Having experienced it once, I felt more at ease.
With one task completed, it was time for the next. I slowly skimmed the to-do list on my vanity.
It was a piece of paper I had written in a way only I could understand, then carefully folded and placed in my jewelry box.
Even if someone saw it, they wouldn’t be able to decipher it. And if they were caught snooping, I planned to accuse them of coveting my jewels and have them thrown out.
“The next one is that annoying guy.”
Recently, Zeb, or Zebr, as he called himself, had not been visiting Morton Manor, claiming he was busy with matters in the Horse estate. Instead, he had been bombarding me with letters, which was a headache.
I could use the letters as kindling, but I couldn’t throw Zeb into a burning fire. I needed a powerful move to get rid of him from my life.
“I was saving this method for last.”
No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t think of a peaceful or quiet way to resolve this.
Such things were best done by experienced people, and having lived a mundane life before my transmigration, it was difficult to execute such plans easily.
I stopped in front of Ed’s door as I walked down the corridor from my bedroom.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door, which creaked open halfway.
“Sniff, Lady Remi, sniff…?”
Ed peeked out through the gap, his face streaked with tears. Startled, I looked at him, and when our eyes met, Ed, still sniffling, opened the door completely.
“Did someone bully you again?”
「1. What’s with that face? Who did this to you, you idiot?
2. Who did this? Stop crying right now!
3. Wipe that snot off. You’ve been bullied again, haven’t you?」
“…Whoever made these choices, I won’t let it slide,”
I muttered, sighing softly as I chose option 3. I couldn’t bring myself to yell at a crying child, so I picked the least harsh option.
“Wipe that snot off. You’ve been bullied again, haven’t you?”
My voice came out cold and indifferent, like a mean adult annoyed by a crying child.
Ed, with his big tear-filled eyes, quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve and tried to speak.
However, his throat seemed choked from crying, and he couldn’t speak easily, just moving his lips silently. As I watched, I noticed something odd.
‘Huh? Something’s missing.’
Ed’s mouth lacked something that should have been there.
“My fang… it’s here… like this,”
Ed said, wiping his tears with one hand and holding a small fang in the other.
“Oh, you lost a tooth!”
Ed’s eyes, filled with bewilderment, welled up with tears again. It must have been a shocking experience for him.
Well, considering he didn’t have any adults around to explain teething to him.
I had to comfort him and explain that losing baby teeth meant stronger teeth would grow.
‘…So cute!’
It wasn’t the most appropriate thought for a crying child, but Ed, sniffling with a fang in his hand, was just adorable.
With one fang missing, he seemed less intimidating, which made me feel a bit more at ease.
I pondered how to explain teething to him. But it was all useless thinking.
「1. I feel relieved. I wish the other fang would fall out soon.
2. Making such a fuss over one lost tooth. Another one will fall out soon.
3. At your age, it’s normal to lose teeth and grow new ones. Didn’t you know?」
‘Can I have a normal conversation with Ed for once?’
Despite thinking this every time the choices appeared, my hand had already moved towards the choice window.
To give Ed the correct information, there was only one choice.
“At your age, it’s normal to lose teeth and grow new ones. Didn’t you know?”
Ed looked up sharply, his golden eyes sparkling excessively.
「1. Yes. Whether you keep that dirty tooth or throw it away is up to you.
2. Try putting it under your pillow. A monster will place a new fang in the empty spot.
3. Exactly. Why don’t you pull out the other fang now?」
I was reading the choices without much expectation, but my eyes widened at number 2.
‘For once, a choice suitable for a child!’
Though slightly different, it seemed like it could spark Ed’s imagination.
“Try putting it under your pillow. A monster will place a new fang in the empty spot.”
As I said this, I worried suddenly.
‘What if he gets scared of the word ‘monster’?’
Thankfully, my worry seemed unfounded.
Clutching his fang tightly, Ed hurried back to his room, placed the tooth under his pillow, and returned, his face now glowing with anticipation instead of tears.
***
The spacious carriage rumbled along the road to the village.
Having somewhat effectively comforted and prepared Ed, we were on our way. Silence filled the space between us as we sat facing each other.
Every now and then, Ed would babble to himself or engage in brief conversations, but he soon fell asleep, exhausted from crying earlier.
‘This is the first time we’re going to the village together.’
It was Ed’s first time, but I had only been to the village a couple of times myself, so it felt unfamiliar to me as well.
As we traveled through the green fields, houses began to appear one by one, and the village came into view.
Houses built at regular intervals on the vast fields, sheep roaming freely between them, high mountain ranges and waterfalls cascading down cliffs in the distance.
‘I’ve heard Switzerland’s nature is beautiful. Is it like this?’
I had never been, but the scenery before me resembled the landscapes I had seen in photos and videos.
Waking Ed and stepping out of the carriage, I felt the discreet glances of people pretending not to look.
I saw adults quickly gathering their children and heading home.
Considering Remi’s reputation, their reactions were understandable. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on.
【The Shepherd’s Lie.】
That was the name of the store I needed to find.
It appeared to be an ordinary trinket shop, but it was actually run by an information guild.
In the original story, the protagonist visited it to gather information, and it was described as having a long history and tradition, so it should still be around.
【Turn around Salad Alley, then to the end of the second street at the corner.】
As we walked towards the location of the information guild, the number of passersby dwindled, and the surroundings grew darker.
Ed, who had been quietly following beside me, looked around anxiously and asked,
“Where are we going?”
「1. It’s none of your business, kid.
2. We’re going to get information to blackmail the zebra into submission.
3. We’re going to a dark and scary place, so just follow me quietly.」
Surprised by the honesty of option 2, I immediately pressed option 1. Ed, agreeing readily, followed behind me with quick steps.
“The Shepherd’s Lie”
I was worried it might not be there, but after turning down the alleyways as I remembered, I found the sign I was looking for.
Despite being tucked away in a corner, the shop’s exterior was lavish, with golden signage amidst walls covered in various bushes.
‘I can’t just marry that zebra quietly.’
I planned to find dirt on him to break off the engagement myself.
Squeak.
The door opened smoothly, as if well-oiled, revealing display cases filled with various trinkets.
“Is anyone here?”
The shop seemed deserted enough to have gone out of business if trinkets were its main trade. A beastkin behind the counter sprang up to greet us.
“Welcome!”
I returned the enthusiastic greeting and stepped inside, where the man approached with a sales smile.
I looked him straight in the eye and spoke in a voice that sounded as dignified and secretive as possible.
“The shepherd boy and one wolf.”
“I’ll take you upstairs.”
Ed, who had been distracted by the trinkets, cast curious glances at our cryptic conversation.
“Usually, secret guild headquarters are underground.”
Recalling the web novels I had read, I climbed the stairs. Leaving Ed to explore the trinkets, I ascended the steep steps to find another door.
“Through here, please.”
The man opened the door with a key, gesturing me inside before bowing and heading back down.
Cautiously stepping in, I spotted a desk by the window. Someone was seated behind it, facing away from me.
As I approached the desk, the chair swiveled around, and a woman met my gaze.
“What do you want to know?”
The woman got straight to the point. With a cigar in her mouth and her hair tied up high, she looked every bit the part of a guild master.
“I’m Remi Morton of the Morton family. If you’re a proper information dealer, you should know what information I want.”
The woman’s eyes twinkled slightly at my words.
“Of course, Lady. It’s impressive that someone of your stature would come to such a secluded alley… you’re even bolder than I heard.”
“Enough small talk, just tell me what you know.”
“Certainly.”
The guild master began recounting information about the Horse family. Most of it was what I already knew.
Noticing my growing indifference, the guild master lowered her voice abruptly.
“Have you heard the rumor? About how the Horse family finances their wealth.”
“Rumor?”
“Our investigation suggests it’s more than just a rumor; it’s a fact.”
That piqued my interest.
“Tell me.”
“But Lady, this information is highly confidential…”
The guild master trailed off apologetically.
She was asking for more money. I took off the jeweled ring I was wearing and placed it on the desk with a thud.
“Will this do?”
“Absolutely.”
The guild master, taking the ring, disappeared somewhere. When she returned, she held a sheet of paper.
‘I ended up spending more than I expected.’
I had to hand over not only the cash I brought but also the expensive jeweled ring I was wearing to get the information on that paper.
‘This better be worth it!’
I read the topmost words with fiery eyes, then continued down the page.
“This… this is…?”
The more I read, the more shocked I became. I didn’t expect it to be this serious!
“It’s worth every penny, isn’t it?”
The guild master’s lips curled into a charming smile. I understood why she had demanded such a high price and why this information couldn’t be found elsewhere.
“…It’s verified, right?”
I tried to appear calm, striving to keep my expression neutral, and asked in a low voice, my eyes turning cold.
“If it’s this bad, it’s not something I can handle alone.”
The guild master, still admiring the jewel ring, confidently replied,
“The Shepherd’s Lie only deals in verified facts.”
I handed back the paper, having memorized its contents, and headed outside.
“Lady Remi! Wait for me.”
Seeing Ed scrambling to follow me, my previously foggy mind cleared up.
‘Ed might be connected to this, too.’
Now that I knew this, I couldn’t stay idle.
‘If I can take down Zeb Horse, the engagement will naturally be broken. No, I can’t let someone like him be.’
I resolved to do my utmost to bring down the Horse family.
☆ ☆ ☆
If you want to support the translation and the translator, please buy a coffee ♥︎
