21
Chapter 21
* * *
The quest involving Vivian occurs twice in <Hirome>.
The first is <The Last Regret of an Unfortunate Genius Wizard>.
If you fulfill the request of Vivian, who appears as a wandering ghost in front of the Grand Temple, you will receive a map to a certain warehouse as a reward.
And the second is the linked quest that occurs when the condition of obtaining the map is met, <Cecil's Lullaby>.
While proceeding with that quest, I finally realized.
That what killed Vivian was not starvation, but guilt.
"That's a face I want to put in a coffin and nail it shut right away."
The words of concern that she looked unwell were translated quite violently, but this time, I could agree with the translator.
That's how noticeably haggard Vivian had become.
'She went to the place I told her about.'
The map I gave Vivian was the location of the warehouse where the Magic potion called 'Cecil's Lullaby' was stored.
The very map of the warehouse that could only be obtained as a reward for clearing the quest <The Last Regret of an Unfortunate Genius Wizard>.
I hadn't cleared the quest here yet, but I had already cleared it several times in the game, so I could draw the map with my eyes closed.
Thanks to the map I gave her, Vivian reached the truth earlier than in the original story.
Vivian, who had been silent for a long time with her head bowed, finally opened her mouth.
"Belinda, how much do you know?"
"That 'Cecil's Lullaby' is your early work. That the guy who is supposedly your teacher is using it in a very malicious way. And that you haven't slept properly for days, I guess."
As I continued to speak, resignation spread across Vivian's face.
"Belinda, you know everything."
If Vivian knew the future I knew, she might faint right away.
'Cecil's Lullaby' was a Magic potion that Vivian developed for her grandmother who suffered from dementia.
It was a truly magical potion that allowed the person who took it to dream of happy pasts.
However, Vivian, who only wanted to give her grandmother, who was losing her memory, a comfortable peace, could not have imagined.
How dangerous a potion it could be if a strong sleep aid was mixed into the honey-colored potion that gives sweet dreams.
Vivian's teacher, Bruno, secretly began selling the modified 'Cecil's Lullaby' in the slums.
The slum dwellers, whose lives were difficult, began to take 'Cecil's Lullaby' to forget reality and escape into the past, into dreams.
Eventually, when they spent more time in dreams than in reality, they died without even knowing that they were addicted to 'Cecil's Lullaby'.
So, around the middle of the game, when someone died in the royal capital, 'Cecil took them' became a widespread saying throughout the royal capital.
Quest <Cecil's Lullaby>.
That was a quest to deal with the worst Magic potion that swept through the entire kingdom later on.
"Vivian, I guess you know why I told you the truth."
"……Yes."
"If you leave the Magic Tower and say you will work for me, I will grant you whatever you want in return."
But even this time, she did not readily accept my offer.
"Why... are you showing me such favor?"
For the first time, wariness and suspicion arose in her dark, sunken eyes.
That's how much the teacher's betrayal had left a big scar on Vivian.
She desperately needed help, but she couldn't readily take the hand that was offered to her.
Remembering the eyes that shone with faith and conviction that I had seen in the past, my heart felt a little bitter.
"Do you think my offer is a favor?"
Vivian couldn't answer while I poured the moderately cooled tea into the cup.
I pushed the teacup towards her and asked casually.
"The Blanche family never brings in a teacup carelessly. How much value do you think this teacup has?"
At the sudden change of topic, Vivian looked bewildered, but she held the teacup in one hand and examined it here and there.
"It looks expensive, but..."
As if she had no idea, she couldn't answer readily, so I held up three fingers.
"3 gold?"
"……."
"3, 30 gold?"
"……."
Still without an answer from me, Vivian carefully put down the teacup with her trembling hands, as if she was too unworthy to even put it to her lips.
"Th, th, surely not 300?"
"Yes."
Of course, it's a lie. There's no way I, who has lived as an ordinary commoner, would have an eye for luxury goods.
Nevertheless, I shamelessly said it without batting an eye.
"The people of the Blanche family, who have built mountains of gold, are educated to recognize the pearls hidden in the mud. Thanks to that, I have very good taste."
I elegantly tilted the 300 gold teacup (estimated) as if to show off and continued.
"In my opinion, your value seems to be considerable."
Clang. Vivian flinched, startled by the sound of the teacup hitting the saucer.
"So, I'm not doing you a favor, I'm making an investment. It's my hobby to cultivate things that haven't been recognized for their value yet and make them shine later."
"Y, you've got the wrong person. I don't have that much value..."
"Are you saying my judgment is wrong now?"
"It's not that, but... I can't do anything without my teacher..."
Seeing her say that she was nothing without her teacher even in this situation, I secretly sighed.
That was the reason why Bruno could keep Vivian under his control and use her as he pleased.
A timid personality and low self-esteem.
It wasn't difficult to guess what kind of words Bruno usually used to coax and exploit her.
He must have approached her in the beginning to obtain 'The Spring of All Things'.
'It's too bad to just leave her alone.'
She needed to know how brilliant she was.
I opened my mouth in a lower voice.
"Vivian, if you refuse my offer this time..."
Vivian swallowed hard at the atmosphere that was almost threatening.
I continued nonchalantly.
"You won't be able to solve anything and will return to the Magic Tower and stop eating and drinking out of guilt. Then one day, you'll squeeze out some pathetic courage and ask your teacher to stop selling 'Cecil's Lullaby'. But do you know what you'll get in return? That trashy human won't give you a penny and will excommunicate you. In the end, unable to overcome the cold and hunger, you'll die miserably in front of the Grand Temple. That's the ending I see for you, what do you think?"
Vivian's mouth dropped open in shock.
But this time, I wasn't lying or exaggerating. That was Vivian's ending in <Hirome> that I knew.
"I'm not a very generous person. Nevertheless, I'm giving you another chance. Will you still refuse my offer?"
Please, please don't refuse.
I clasped my hands together under the table as if praying.
It may have sounded like a threat, but this sister isn't doing this with bad intentions, okay?
And finally.
"……Please."
"Your voice is too small. Again."
"I, I'll do anything if you help me."
"You're making the same mistake again. How could you be so foolish? Don't sell your value cheaply. Again."
After a moment of thought, Vivian opened her mouth again.
"If you stop the distribution of 'Cecil's Lullaby', I'll make any Magic Tool Belinda wants as compensation."
[Quest] Cecil's Lullaby
Vivian has confirmed that her early invention, 'Cecil's Lullaby', is being misused.
Help her eradicate 'Cecil's Lullaby (fake)'.
*Reward for success: 10,000 gold
[Accept/Decline]
The Quest Window popped up, and I could finally relax.
Ting.
As if waiting, I shook the glass bell, and the employees who had been waiting outside pushed in a trolley full of food.
I hoped my smile looked kind and said to Vivian.
"Okay, we should start by feeding you until you're full."
* * *
Late afternoon.
A rare sight unfolded as several carriages lined up and passed through the main gate of the Blanche family's mansion.
The shapes and colors of the carriages were all diverse without any regularity, but the common thing was that they all had the logos of luxury clothing stores.
The employees, who were flustered by the unexpected visitors, shook their heads when they saw that all the carriages were heading to the annex.
"Oh my gosh, how many are there?"
"That's right. It was quiet for a while."
"Young master, no, the head of the family is busy preparing for the succession."
"These days, the chef's wrists are all gone from preparing a meat feast for the young lady's three meals a day. I don't know where all that food disappears to, even though there are only four people."
They clicked their tongues, saying that the Blanche family's good-for-nothing had started to indulge in luxury and atrocities again.
