Chapter 352 The Smile Of Ice
While Edward and Rihito were checking on Adam's situation, Sara was thinking about how to handle Marg and Millie.
'First, I need to confirm their identities. I wonder if they will honestly reveal who they are...'
Sara returned to her room, set up a soundproof magic barrier, and called for Sedrick.
"Did you call for me, Milady Sara?"
"I'm sure you've noticed, but tell me the true identities of Marg and Millie."
"I have confirmed that Sir Robert's guess is correct. We have also identified the man who assaulted Mrs. Radford, their mother."
"So they were the daughters of Viscount Radford. I wonder which noble family Viscount's daughters comes from. There must have been something she could do before falling into the slums..."
"To be precise, she is a former Mrs. Viscount and former Viscount's daughter. Avalon still has a system of collective punishment. She probably didn't want the crimes of her husband or stepson to fall on her daughter."
"Wait, is collective punishment sometimes applied?"
"Rebellion against the royal family can lead to execution for the entire family. Even young children are not exceptions."
"But this time it's about embezzlement in the Grandchester territory, right?"
"Milady Sara, Mrs. Radford is the second daughter of Baron Underwood. She is known for her beauty in the local area, and Viscount Radford married her as his second wife."
"Hmm, I see."
"A woman born into a not-so-wealthy lower noble family doesn't have many chances to gain a high education. Rather, they just can't afford it. As a noblewoman, learning etiquette and household management is about all they can manage."
"What Sedrick means is that the late Mr.s Viscount didn't know much about Avalon's laws and thought they would all be implicated, right?"
"That's right... but that reason is only half true."
"Only half?"
Sedrick paused for a moment, hesitating to explain further. Seeing Sedrick's expression, Sara started to understand the situation.
"So, there was someone who intentionally deceived her, right?"
"The Mrs. Viscount was a very beautiful woman, so there were quite a few men who admired her. One of the merchants who frequented the Viscount Radford family helped them escape."
"But didn't the Mrs. Viscount get attacked at a night establishment?"
"Just before the knights in charge of the investigation arrived at the Viscount Radford's mansion, a merchant named Chizen warned the lady and her daughters and helped them escape. Actually, this merchant is a henchman of Baron Raska."
"I feel like I've heard that name somewhere..."
"Yes, he's a merchant who also dealt with the Earthria merchant guild, which is your family's business, Milady Sara."
"Oh, that's why it sounded familiar."
Sedrick nodded at Sara's question, then after a brief hesitation, he opened his mouth again.
"Chizen took Mrs. and the young girls to Baron Raska's villa. There, Baron Raska suggested to the Mrs. that she become his mistress."
"But she refused, right?"
"That's correct. However, Baron Raska thought that eventually, the Mrs. would give in. He misled them into believing that if her identity was discovered, she and her daughter would be caught. He never imagined they would secretly escape from the villa."
"There's no way a lower noble's daughter could have the ability to survive on her own."
"If she had been alone, she might have reluctantly agreed to become a mistress."
"What do you mean?"
"Baron Raska is known for his love of women, but he also has a preference for young girls and even little girls. It's said that he sometimes enjoys both a mother and daughter together."
"That's such a creepy pervert!"
"True, he is a pervert, but he's also a rich pervert. He made his fortune in iron ore trading and gained the title of Baron in Roisen through his wealth."
"So, he's a noble from another country?"
"Interestingly, he isn't even from Roisen."
"Who is he then?"
"In his youth, he was a mercenary. He was fired after causing many incidents of violence against women while deployed, but he used connections to become a merchant's bodyguard. A few years later, he started his own merchant guild and became successful."
"A mercenary...? I have a really bad feeling about this. Could he be from Lombart?"
"You're correct. That man was part of the mercenary group that Meyer from the Silt Merchant Guild used to belong to, and after leaving, he became Meyer's bodyguard."
"Was it Meyer who helped Raska get the merchant guild and gain the title of Baron?"
"That's correct."
After saying that, Sedrick fell silent again. Seeing Sedrick like this, Sara felt something was off.
"Sedrick, are you feeling unwell? You're usually so talkative, but you've been acting strange since earlier."
"I have something I'm unsure whether to tell you or not."
"Oh dear. This isn't like you, Sedrick. You can tell me anything."
Sara smiled gently at Sedrick.
"...Actually, Chizen and Baron Raska are suspected of murdering Sir Arthur."
"What!?"
The sudden information froze Sara in place. Sedrick's voice pierced through her ears, striking deep within her like a sharp blade, hurting her from the inside.
"What do you mean?"
Sara asked quietly.
"It seems Baron Raska had his eyes on Mrs. Adelia. And also on you, Milady Sara, who was with her..."
"Could it be that my father was in the way?"
"Probably... Actually, just before Milady Sara was taken in by the Grandchester family, Mrs. Adelia sent a letter to Marquis Grandchester saying that Baron Raska was suspicious and pleaded for them to protect Milady Sara."
"My mother did?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me this until now?"
"That's not confirmed information. I'm still investigating on my end as well. More than anything, since Marquis Grandchester hasn't spoken about it, I'm not sure if I should tell you..."
"I see... I didn't mean to make you worry. You're really not a typical fairy, are you?"
"I'm sorry."
"There's no need to apologize. You were just being considerate of me."
Sara sat down on the sofa and gently closed her eyes, quietly starting to organize the information.
"Let's take our time to think about how to make that pervert pay. It would be a waste to do it all at once. I need to give him the best hospitality."
Sedrick felt a shiver run down his spine at Sara's words. If he had taken the form of a black panther, his fur would have been standing on end. Or perhaps he would have been in a complete submissive pose.
"So, what happened to Mrs. Viscount after she escaped from that pervert?"
"She couldn't come forward because she believed Chizen's words, so she went to the Adventurers' Guild in the royal capital."
"Not the Commerce Guild?"
"She was probably afraid of being found by Chizen and the others."
"I see."
"It seems she was looking for a live-in servant job, but she ended up with a bad employer and was introduced to work at a tavern. The place they gave her to live in was a crumbling building in the slums."
"That place on Thistle Street?"
"Yes. And because she refused a customer's nighttime invitation, she was beaten badly and ended up disappearing."
"I see... Marg and Millie might have been in a similar situation to what I could have faced. I was just lucky."
Sedrick continued to speak quietly, feeling worried about Sara, and he gazed into her face. Then, Sara slowly opened her closed eyes and looked back at Sedrick with her bright blue eyes.
"I want to talk to Marg."
"She has already finished her meal, but she still seems to have a bit of a fever. It might be better to wait a little longer."
"You're right. Let's prioritize making her feel safe for now."
Sara suddenly changed her mood as if nothing had happened. She had a soft aura, like an innocent little girl or a loving saint. As she stood up and started to head toward the door, she turned back as if she remembered something and asked Sedrick.
"By the way, have you identified the crime scene of the fugitives?"
"Yes. I have also identified the burial site."
"In Avalon?"
"No, they have already crossed the border, so it's in Roisen's territory."
"It might be a good idea to ask His Highness the Crown Prince Gerhart later to retrieve the bodies. Even though they are criminals, many of their families probably live in Grandchester."
"Considering the situation, I think it's fair to say they could be left behind without complaint."
"That may be true. It's not an urgent matter, so it seems better to discuss this with my grandfather."
"Understood."
"...This matter also involves Raska, doesn't it?"
The outline of Sara wavered gently. Since Sedrick was a fairy, he could see her magical power swirling around her body. The concentration of magic was terrifyingly high, and if a lower-level fairy got caught up in it, they might just merge with the magic itself.
"Ah, that person is the one in charge. I confirmed that most of the operations in the Grandchester territory are being carried out with Baron Raska's help."
"I see... I didn't know you were so well taken care of. I feel kind of sorry for not knowing until now."
Sara began to giggle softly. Her smile, as if she had something truly joyful in her heart, was beautiful enough to captivate everyone around her.
"Sedrick."
"Yes, Milady Sara."
"Even if it's for my sake, please don't keep secrets anymore. From now on, not knowing could be deadly."
"Understood."
"Thank you, Sedrick. My friend. I trust you."
With her beautiful smile still in place, Sara approached Sedrick and gently kissed his cheek. However, Sedrick was hit by a sensation that he was freezing from the spot where she had kissed him. He suddenly realized that this was a "fear" that fairies rarely felt.
'When Milady Sara gets really angry, she smiles. I guess there are many fools who, enchanted by that smile, don't even realize they are frozen in place.'
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