<Episode 18>
I’ve seen it somewhere.
Ignoring the tacky engravings on the back, I opened the note. The paper was dotted in a strange pattern that I could not read.
What’s this?
“It’s a cryptograph. Here, he left a message saying that it would be better if you learn to interpret these in advance.”
I opened the small notebook handed over by the bartender.
There were various patterns that made me dizzy just by looking, but they seemed to consist mostly of phonetic characters. It’s very hard, and there’s so many of them. Is this how all assassins learn ciphers?
I understand the intention behind it, but it’s cumbersome. I would have to return to the mansion and apply the patterns one by one to interpret this.
“There we go, then.”
The executives who’d been cleaning around and washing the dishes stopped and began to bow together at once,
“Have a great day, brother!”
“Have a great day, sir!”
Is this how a secret drug guild should act?
I’m only supposed to be here to pick up lost and found, these idiots.
“Hey.”
Just as they opened the door for me to head out, I informed them of something important.
“I’m a woman.”
But before the executives could hear, the door closed with a bang.
‘Well, we could talk about this later.’
After returning to the mansion.
I deciphered the note with the help of the notebook during the intervals of my afternoon routine (which, today, was washing the curtains.)
From what I interpreted, the content of the note was as follows;
「I obtained some information about the client from the new servants.
It is said that the client changed the target mission due to repeated failures.
The new mission is to eliminate all employees of the Weatherwoods mansion and investigate the inside of the mansion, and steal all items and information regarding Dian Cecht. Watch out for future assassins.』
He must be referring to the two assassins who crawled in after him as the servants.
I guess those two guys have really decided to play host at the Eachus Mansion.
‘The client’s objective is also Dian Cecht’s relics. As expected, there is a definite connection between the Weatherwoods and Dian Cecht.’
Me, Rue, and the client. There are a total of three people I know who are aiming for Dian Cecht’s legacy.
I was almost certain about Rue, and the testimony of the assassin-butler added to that. Dian Cecht’s legacy is the only reason such a person would pick up a job at the Weatherwoods mansion.
‘I need to get into the Weatherwoods room.’
The problem is that I don’t know where the key is.
I searched her room while the head maid was away, but I couldn’t find anything even remotely similar to a key.
She must be carrying it around.
Should I give her some sleeping pills?
Life is never easy.
Two days later, a morning overcast with gray clouds. The cotyledon named Rue grew slightly bigger today.
The leaves that were moved to the garden became stronger than before, but considering that they were not lined up in a row but gathered in a circle, Rue seemed to have re-done the planting.
“It’s good that they’re not buried under dirt.”
But there is a little problem today.
The fireplace? Perfectly cleaned.
Shopping? These days, simple cooking ingredients are brought from the farm by Rue himself, so I don’t have to go out for the most part.
Wouldn’t I lose my bet with Rue? Actually, I’d already given up halfway.
Today’s problem was with the maid.
It’s hard to affirm if you ask me if it’s a big problem. But the maid-in-waiting, from the early morning till now, when Lou had prepared dinner and left the office, examined me. I couldn’t help but be bothered.
Did she catch the existence of the ‘super-powerful sleeping pills’ that I ordered through the pub?
The maid’s eyes, which were secretly searching, were not uncomfortable, but in the end, I decided to open my mouth first.
“Your business.”
The maid’s expression hardened.
She had been watching me in the kitchen for ten minutes, resting while hanging out curtains in the backyard.
“Miss Daisy.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any thoughts on disguising yourself as a man?”
A short word made me sweat cold behind my back.
At the same time, numerous questions and assumptions passed through my head like the wind.
‘You suddenly want me to disguise myself as a man? Do you know my past? Are you aware that I’m Andert? How- who the hell told you? Or did you figure it out on your own….’
“Sigh, did you get surprised? I apologise, let it leave through the other ear.”
…you didn’t?
‘But she’s definitely acting different from usual.’
Especially since that letter that arrived two days ago.
The maid has been sighing while holding that letter ever since.
What was going on? Judging from the luxurious quality of the paper used in the letter, it didn’t seem like a letter for a maid – instead, it seemed to have been addressed to the Weatherwods family.
“The reason.”
“It’s all right, you don’t need to concern yourself.”
“I swore.”
When I rolled up the sleeve on my arm and revealed the trace of the oath, the maid’s expression turned slightly serious.
“Yes, you are now a member of the Weatherwoods Mansion – it would be unfair to just hide it. Two days ago, I received a notice from the Aristocratic Council.”
“Aristocratic?”
“Yes. The aristocratic Council refers to the most iconic seventeen aristocratic families in the Penrotta Empire. It’s kind of like a top-class social gathering, for friendship and cooperation. There’s too much politics behind to just dismiss it as a meeting.”
I think I roughly understand what that means.
“The historically rich and prestigious Weatherwoods family has long belonged to nobility. We used to participate in the meetings once a year and share practical solutions to the problems that surfaced. But as you know, Ms. Daisy, these past four years, the Weatherwoods family has…”
The head-in-charge was an egg, not a human.
Aha. because unlike humans, an egg can’t move by itself.
“Long absence.”
“That’s right.”
“We got expelled.”
“No, not yet. Although that may soon be the case.”
Hah, the head-maid leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, heaving a long sigh.
“According to the rules, noble houses must not be absent to the meetings for three years consecutively. An exception was made until last year due to the special situation of the Magic War, but not this year. If the head does not attend, he will be kicked out of the nobility.”
“That’s a rather nice thing.”
The maid opened her eyes and threw a glare at me.
“What do you mean nice? If we are kicked out of nobility, we will face bigger problems than just dishonour. There are many people who haven’t touched us yet just because we are a member of the noble council.”
“And so.”
Flap – I asked as I hung the last curtain on the drying rack.
“Would you like me to attend in place of the master?”
“No. I just babbled it out like an old woman. Like I said, let it leave your mind.”
“I agree to it.”
“…what?”
Pang, pang. I tapped the curtain several times with a club and approached the window.
Attending a noble council meeting disguised as Viscount Weatherwoods.
If I can disguise myself properly, there is more to gain than lose.
In particular, I might be able to identify or find out a little about the client who has been monitoring me.
‘Given his access to intelligence, military influence, and monetary power – the client who sends assassins to the Weatherwoods mansion is likely to be a member of the noble council. If Viscount Weatherwoods himself makes a move, it will surely gain his interest.’
The client, if he bites the bait, along with the other aristocrats can be used to find Dian Cecht’s relics. This was a very generous opportunity for me, who could not get out of Midwinterre easily due to the nature of my job as a maid.
I appealed my confidence by pointing my thumb to my chest.
“I’m more manly than anyone else.”
The maid’s eyes shook slightly.
“Of course, you are tall and your gait is oddly dynamic for a woman, but….”
“If you send the master as he is to the noble council, the Weatherwoods family will be destroyed.”
“Don’t say such things.He’s smooth and handsome.”
“He’s still an egg.”
“Who?”
At that moment, I was interrupted by a voice that squeezed itself in from the side.
I heard the sound of someone swallowing, and the maid and I both turned out heads at the same time.
“The faceless master of Weatherwoods?”
A man with a smile close to arsenic was looking down at us leaning against the wall.
“This is pretty interesting.”
No one else but Rue.
“It was a slip of tongue.”
I’d only said it because I knew no one else was around us!
However, Rue’s level of power and skill is on par with or higher than mine. Wouldn’t he be able to hide his presence easily at any time? I had been obliviously overlooking such an important thing.
“What nonsense, Mr. Rue. How does an egg become a master? You read too many novels. Be careful to not confuse them with reality.”
Pledges such as “not reveal secrets recklessly” are powerless in contingencies like just now.
The maid made an excuse with a brazen face, but Lu did not listen. Instead, he jabbed one of my arms and shrugged his shoulders.
“I was wondering where you’d gotten such a mark engraved. Hmm, were you both talking about secrets without me?”
“…when did you steal a look at my arm?”
“When you wash the dishes.”
I don’t roll up my sleeves high enough to show the oath when I wash the dishes.
Ah.
‘It’s reflected in the water.’
What a perceptive man.
I can’t believe he figured it out with the small piece of information called ‘egg.’ This makes it hard to lie and deceive him.
Don’t stare at me like that, head-maid. It’s not my fault. Didn’t you also relax and just spat it out?
Rue tilted his head while keeping his hands in his pants’ pocket as he looked at the maid.
“Do you have anything to say to me?”
“…what do you want?”
Looking at the head-maid’s hostile green eyes, Rue replied calmly.
“Please engrave it on me too – the oath. The mansion only has three employees, so whether we live or die, shouldn’t we do it together?”
my exams are over!!! which means I’ll be able to hopefully post more often hehe
The head maid is so bias lol. He’s smooth and handsome, handsome where? Whereeee?