IPAMB 12

Chapter: 12

“Why this…?”

Surely she wasn’t asking him to throw away the trash…

No way.

Though she seemed busy these days with all sorts of duties inside the ducal estate, Rain had originally been Cain’s personal maid.

She wasn’t particularly warm, but she was the only person in the estate who didn’t ignore Cain.

Even during the difficult time he was going through mentally, Cain had known that.

So he also knew Rain wouldn’t have asked him to simply dispose of some trash.

Cain examined the torn scraps of paper closely.

“…Ink marks.”

Black lines covered the scraps, as if something had been written on them.

Shhk, shhk.

Like assembling a puzzle, Cain pieced the scraps together.

And when he had fitted together all the pieces he had, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

[The saint candidate Winiel who saved the young master from a monster]

[The reward I want is for you to capture a villainous organization]

[As it happens, I saw the future]

[The organization is targeting the Argent Ducal House]

[So that villainous organization is called ‘Luminier,’ a black magic or—]

So that’s why she asked to see Mother. Was this what she was trying to say? She came to the estate because she “saw the future”?

Not all the pieces were there, but it was enough to understand the message.

But that made it all the more unfortunate.

It won’t reach Mother.

Or rather, even if it did, what Winiel wanted wouldn’t be carried out anytime soon.

Mother is busy right now.

Even when she occasionally returned to the ducal estate, the Duchess of Argent barely slept, searching for a way to treat her husband.

Naturally, she had no time to focus on the organization Winiel mentioned.

Though it does bother me that they’re targeting the Argent Ducal House.

Still, the Argent family had no shortage of enemies. They couldn’t postpone Father’s treatment just because there might be one more.

“What a pointless effort.”

It was exactly that.

Winiel’s request wouldn’t be granted for now.

Cain gathered the scraps and carried them to the trash bin.

“….”

But he couldn’t bring himself to throw them away so easily.

She saved my life and even discovered the issue with the communication artifact.

Was it really fine to just ignore her?

…It left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Haah.”

After pondering for a long while, Cain finally made up his mind.

It’d be better if I… said I’d help her instead.

He didn’t know how much help he could be, but it seemed better than letting her be dismissed. If only for the dignity of the ducal house.

There was a problem, however.

Winiel was currently under false accusation.

Even if he agreed to capture the organization, at this rate she would be the one standing trial first.

To clear her name, Rain would have to testify—but Rain was still unconscious.

Cain could testify that he had heard things himself, but if someone argued that he might have misheard while Rain was collapsing, the situation would become complicated.

After all, the fact that black magic had been activated within the ducal estate was not something that could be brushed aside easily.

Forget clearing her name. I should just make her escape from the estate.

If he agreed to grant her reward, Winiel wouldn’t insist on staying here anyway.

Having made his decision, Cain headed in the middle of the night to the prison where Winiel was being held.

If he was going to make her escape, he first had to break her out.

But something unexpected happened.

…I didn’t expect her to have already escaped.

Winiel had broken out of prison on her own. She had even found evidence proving her innocence.

“….”

For some reason, Cain felt powerless.

The bothersome task he had intended to do was already done for him—yet still.

“Y-Young Master….”

At that moment, Winiel spoke cautiously.

Cain stopped his thoughts and looked at her.

“How did you know…?”

At her trembling voice, Cain let out a sigh.

“Is that what matters? I told you to go. I said I’d capture the villainous organization for you.”

Even if she had found evidence to clear her name, Cain’s thoughts hadn’t changed.

According to her, the culprit would certainly be revealed—but it would take time to confirm.

With such a severe accusation, something worse could happen while waiting for the results.

Cain didn’t want to leave Winiel in danger.

“So leave immediately. At the far west end of the garden wall, there’s a secret passage leading into the forest. Go through there.”

“Th-thank you so, so much for saying that, but….”

Winiel’s eyes darted around.

“Still, I want to meet the Duchess….”

For a moment she seemed tempted, but unexpectedly, Winiel did not back down.

He was offering to grant her wish, so why insist on meeting Mother?

He already knew the answer.

She thinks Mother would be more reliable than me.

Even so, Cain had no intention of yielding.

“Even if you meet the Duchess and ask her to capture that organization, she won’t be able to grant your request. She’s busy right now. So even if you don’t trust me, leave it to me.”

“No! It’s not that I don’t trust you…!”

Winiel let out a frustrated sound and spoke again desperately.

“A-anyway, even if she refuses, I still want to see her. Could you just wait a little? She’s going to return soon anyway!”

A few days ago, as Winiel had said, they had sent someone to the North. If the Duchess received the message and came, she would arrive at the estate within two weeks.

“No.”

But Cain didn’t think so.

“The Duchess won’t come.”

He spoke firmly.

He was certain. The Duchess of Argent would not come. Only a signed letter would return.

“Huh? Has a reply already arrived? But that can’t be right—she’ll definitely come….”

“The reply hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m sure. The Duchess is busy and has duties in the North. Whatever happens at the estate isn’t more important than that.”

Winiel’s mouth fell open.

“Oh my… I’ll have to resolve this as quickly as possible.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Winiel shook her head.

“Anyway, you’re saying the reply hasn’t come yet, right? Then I’ll stay here. The Duchess will definitely come. That was the reward I wanted in the first place.”

Cain frowned.

“I told you she won’t.”

“She will.”

“I know the ducal family’s situation better than you do.”

“I’m a saint candidate who has seen the future. I know quite a bit too!”

A battle of nerves flared between them.

Their gazes sparked as if charged with electricity.

“Ha, fine. Do whatever you want.”

After a brief standoff, Cain was the first to step back.

He turned away irritably. He couldn’t understand why Winiel was being so stubborn.

Judging by how sharp she was, she should know that staying at the estate could put her in even greater danger.

She must’ve gotten carried away at the thought of not meeting Mother.

Once she cooled her head and thought it over, she’d probably change her mind.

“Really? I can truly do whatever I want?”

No matter how brightly her eyes shone as she asked—surely.

Without turning back, Cain merely gave a small nod and walked away.

It would probably be their last meeting, but they weren’t close enough to exchange proper farewells anyway.

And so Cain left Winiel behind.

The next day.

From early morning, a loud commotion rang through the ducal estate.

“The girl is gone! She escaped!”

Woken by the noise, Cain got out of bed and checked the hallway through the crack in his door.

Servants were bustling about.

“Is she there?”

“No, she’s not. What about there!?”

“Did she already leave the estate!?”

It seemed Winiel had disappeared.

As expected. She was going to run away in the end.

Cain quietly closed his door and walked to the window.

Outside, servants were searching for Winiel.

Though he couldn’t hear clearly, judging by their urgency, they hadn’t found even a strand of her hair.

Naturally.

Hardly anyone knows about that secret passage.

The passage Cain had told Winiel about had been created by his father, and only Cain and the Duke and Duchess of Argent knew of it.

So by now, Winiel should have safely left the estate.

“….”

Cain withdrew his indifferent gaze from the window and slid open a drawer.

Reaching deep inside, he pulled out a fountain pen—the one Winiel had asked him to have appraised.

She said I could request a mage to examine it.

Though he was tired from barely sleeping the night before, Cain didn’t rest.

I let her escape, but she should still clear her name.

And the real culprit had to be caught.

“…Found her!”

Just then, a loud voice rang out from outside the window.

While changing his clothes, Cain instinctively glanced out the window.

And thud—the coat he was holding fell from his hands.

“Found her! She’s at the garden fountain!”

In the middle of the garden, standing before the fountain, was a silver-haired girl.

“…!?”

It was Winiel.