Chapter 7
7
“They say she hasn’t moved from her room all day again today.”
“Again today.”
“Yes, Master.”
Archduke Illestone frowned.
Butler Kelle also wore a displeased expression as he continued his report.
“According to the maid Anna, who is taking care of the girl, she seems to be eating her meals, but otherwise, she doesn’t call for the maid or leave her room.”
“I see.”
Archduke Illestone replied briefly and continued his work. Even if it was a discarded family, there were many things that had to be done as the Archduke's family.
It was Butler Kelle who was impatient with Archduke Illestone's consistently relaxed appearance.
“Master, I say this out of concern…”
Kelle was genuinely worried.
It had already been three days since Simone had stayed in this mansion.
During that time, Simone had done nothing but eat.
She didn't wander around the mansion, prepare to lift the curse, or even investigate the strange tree.
Wasn't it strange?
Lifting the curse that had plagued the mansion for 300 years without any preparation?
In Kelle's eyes, it seemed like she was just stalling for time.
Lying to stay here, relieving her fatigue, enjoying luxurious meals, and then trying to escape after getting enough rest.
In fact, he heard from the maid Anna that she didn't even think about getting out of bed except during meal times.
Black hair and blood-red eyes. She was definitely a Necromancer in appearance, and she certainly had the power to get through that monster tree.
But did she really have the power to lift the curse?
Kelle remembered Simone's appearance when she first appeared at the mansion.
Her clothes smelled and were tattered, she had no manners, her tone was light, and her face was full of greed.
She was not someone to be trusted with this important task.
It would be fortunate if her words that she could lift the curse were true, but what if they weren't? What if it was another lie?
What if the head of the Archduke's family was harboring false hopes again?
Kelle was worried that Archduke Illestone would be disappointed and hurt again.
“Does Simone really have the power to lift the curse? I am very worried. I'm afraid that she is just bringing chaos to the mansion by bringing in an outsider…”
Archduke Illestone nodded at the old butler's worries, but replied calmly.
“We will soon know if her words are true. I intend to wait until then.”
If Simone's words were true, he could lose the opportunity with futile suspicion.
“That's right, but… I'm worried that she's just filling her stomach and running away. And making the people of the mansion go to bed early. I can't let go of my suspicion.”
“Then you can be suspicious, Kelle.”
“Yes?”
“I will wait and see.”
“…I understand, Master. I will strengthen the surveillance of Simone. She hasn't shown any signs of preparing to lift the curse for the past few days, so we must prepare for her escape.”
“I understand.”
Time passed, and six days had passed. The day before the day Simone had promised.
Simone, who had been living like a dead mouse, only eating the mansion's food, finally left her room.
This was because it was the first time since Simone had stayed in the mansion that the Archduke had called for her.
Simone followed Anna's guidance out of the room, but stopped and looked around.
“Has surveillance always been this strict?”
The entrance to the room, the hallway across the street, and even the garden visible outside. It seemed like all the guards of the mansion had been gathered and stationed around Simone's room.
“What is this?”
She had never left her room, so she didn't know she was under such extreme surveillance.
Anna avoided her gaze as if she was embarrassed by Simone's muttering.
“It wasn't originally like this, but…”
Simone hadn't shown any signs of trying to lift the curse, so the vigilance only increased.
Well, is that so?
Simone nodded to Anna, meaning that she didn't need to say anything, and headed to Archduke Illestone's study.
“You've come.”
“It's been a while, Archduke.”
Archduke Illestone stared at the smiling Simone. Then he said nonchalantly.
“You look quite good.”
“Thanks to you.”
Kelle, who was standing behind Archduke Illestone, looked even worse when he saw that Simone looked quite satisfied.
In just a week, Simone's complexion had improved a lot.
Her thin body was still the same, but the haggardness was gone, and her skin was finally starting to glow.
As promised, the Archduke had provided Simone with good food and lodging, and had Anna prepare clothes for her to wear.
Thanks to that, Simone now looked like a young lady from a noble family at first glance.
She looked like she had rested very well.
“But what's with that look?”
Archduke Illestone's gaze turned to Simone's hair. Where did the black hair and blood-colored eyes that seemed to block out all light go, and now she had ordinary brown hair and eye color.
Simone smiled.
“Magical dye. I borrowed some magical dye that you don't use, Archduke.”
Money is good after all.
Magical dyes that are too expensive for ordinary people to even dream of were rolling around here.
It seemed that Archduke Illestone used it to walk around the village without revealing his identity.
This magical dye is unique in that it can dye any part of the body. It could be used on skin, eyes, hair, and even fingernails and toenails.
Simone dyed her eyes and hair with it and visited the study.
“Aren't you going to introduce me to the examiner? It's a bit difficult to reveal that I'm a Necromancer.”
If the examiner were to inform the Empire of Simone's existence, she would be finished.
“Do as you please.”
Archduke Illestone finally put down the pen he was holding and stood up.
“Then I should hear what you've been doing all this time.”
“Sit quietly there.”
Kelle pointed to the sofa, and Simone sat there, with Archduke Illestone sitting opposite her.
“It's a more wonderful study in the daytime.”
Archduke Illestone stared at Simone, who was looking around the study.
It was also the first time he had seen Simone in broad daylight, and now that he saw her, she looked much younger than when he first saw her.
‘She said she was seventeen this year, wasn't she.’
Seventeen was ambiguous to say she was young, but she was still at an age where she would be protected by her parents.
If she were a noble, she would be preparing for her debutante.
But Simone said she had no parents or place to stay.
‘Is that because she is a Necromancer?’
Archduke Illestone stopped thinking and asked.
“I heard you were only in your room for a week. What did you do?”
Instead of answering his question, Simone told him what Archduke Illestone wanted to know the most.
“The curse will be lifted as planned. Is what I asked for ready?”
“…Yes.”
She was good at talking, but surprisingly, she didn't want to talk about herself.
Either way, it was information that didn't need to be worried about as long as the curse was lifted.
Archduke Illestone didn't ask any more questions and said to Kelle.
“Bring him in.”
“Yes, Master.”
Kelle left the study and brought in a stranger.
A person who was wrapped in a dark and dirty cloak, so his appearance was not visible at all.
The greatsword at his waist and the bandages wrapped around his hands created a rather impressive and threatening atmosphere.
“Hello.”
Judging from the voice of greeting, it was a man. He bowed politely and stood next to the Archduke.
“Let me introduce you. This is the skilled examiner you asked for.”
The man in the cloak bowed again to the Archduke's introduction.
“Hello. I am Ren from the Adventurer's Guild.”
“Ah, hello-”
Wait a minute. …Ren?
“…Ren?”
“Yes, I am Ren.”
Ren?
The moment she heard the name, Simone's face turned pale.
She almost faltered. Archduke Illestone, who didn't notice her change, said.
“I heard he is the most skilled examiner in the Adventurer's Guild.”
Simone's expression hardened even more.
It seems like it's true after all?
The most skilled swordsman affiliated with the Adventurer's Guild who uses the alias 'Ren'.
And now, the clear blue eyes visible through the cloak that she just discovered.
As Simone glanced at the man intently, the man took off his cloak to show his face. The man's blonde hair was completely revealed.
‘Ah, really.’
If it's that kind of face, it's confirmed, isn't it?
Look at that visual filled with all sorts of modifiers. How meticulously did the author describe him that a person can be so delicately made? You can tell that he is an unusual person just by looking at his face.
The client is even wary of him, but his eyes, which cannot hide his unique nature, stared at Simone indifferently.
“I will be carrying out the client's orders today.”
Moreover, unlike the rough handling of the sword, he has a soft, gentle, and polite way of speaking.
This is certain.
In the book, the setting is that his face has not been revealed yet, and especially the Illestone family was isolated, so it seems that no one noticed, but only Simone, who read the original, knows.
That swordsman is a major figure in「I Realized I Was Hiding My Power After Waking Up」who is pretending to be an adventurer for his purpose.
The companion of the protagonist Abel, Crown Prince Louisby Din Bian.
The imperial family of the Luan Empire does not reveal the princes until the Crown Prince is confirmed in order to avoid all kinds of assassination threats.
However, even though Louisby has already been appointed as the Crown Prince of the Luan Empire a long time ago, his existence has not been announced for an unknown reason.
Before his existence is known to the world, Louisby hides his identity and travels the world to solve the 'unknown reason' and joins the protagonist's party.
In the beginning, he travels with Abel as a companion, and in the second half, after achieving his purpose, he plays a big role in helping the protagonist mainly when material or power is needed instead of adventure.
It's exactly around this time that he met Abel while adventuring here and there, so the timing is perfect.
‘That kind of person is involved with me here?’
At that moment, the descriptions containing her end flashed quickly through Simone's mind.
