Bjorn Yandel was an evil spirit. At first it was just a rumor, but as time went by, even the palace recognized it. Of course, refuting this wasn't that difficult. I just had to establish an environment to prove myself and use Auril Gavis' gift there. Then I could regain my reputation and my baronet status.
But... Something is wrong.
The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I became. And rightly so, because a dead person had immunity; Not really, but in moral terms. Since there was no point in asking the dead for their sins, people did not go deeper or pay much attention. But that event had really happened, that ridiculous situation where a dead person was rumored to be an evil spirit and the palace admitted it.
It should remain hidden for a while...
This was not natural. I didn't see it as God's will where coincidences overlapped with coincidences. The reason the rumor had spread was because someone wanted something. Since the palace recognized this, it was more realistic to think that there was a good reason for it.
But the problem is that I have no idea what that reason is.
I didn't have enough information, so it was dangerous to go to the palace and say: «I'm back alive», and stand in a confirmation scenario. Not everyone would welcome the news of my survival. There could be someone who saw my survival as enough of a misfortune to completely nullify it. If that person was in the palace, I was almost dead.
...Being in that scenario comes after you at least find out what's going on.
I soon decided my position for the moment. First, collect information without informing anyone of my return. Clear my name and restore my noble status and reputation would come after that.
«Phew...» After organizing my thoughts to a certain extent, I let out a long sigh and checked Erwen, who was lying on the bed.
It seemed like he would have to get her help for the moment. Right now, I didn't even have money to buy clothes, much less find a place to stay. First of all, it was impossible to hide this remarkable body to gather information. To be honest, his attitude today was very uncomfortable.
But since he passed out after drinking so much, his old self hasn't completely disappeared.
Just as he was watching Erwen sleep like an angel with this thought, his eyes widened. «How long are you going to look out the window? As if you were waiting for someone».
Hey...? Wasn't she sleeping?
***
The night when the calm moonlight felt particularly peaceful had passed and as soon as dawn broke, Erwen put on her jacket and prepared to leave. She repeatedly warned me from an anxious mind: «You can't go out while I'm away. I have a way of finding out if you take at least one step outside. Alright...?»
I was curious to know what that method was, but I simply nodded and asked about its fate. «Are you going back to the holy land?»
«Yeah. I should stop by.»
True, I heard that she took the pure blood of fairies and made a contract with the Elemental Ruler. He had tribal duties and responsibilities.
«Because I'll need money from now on».
«... ¿Mmm?»
«I will get rid of everything I need there and find a better house for you within the day. This place is not the best, is it?»
«... In what way?»
«I mean... It's not that I don't like it either... but it would be better to start in a better place...»
...I don't know, I'm just going to take that to mean that this inn has too many disadvantages to use as a hideout.
«Then... will I come back?»
«Ah, wait. Can I ask you a favor?»
«Excuse me? Please? Do you want me to buy you meat?»
«No, not that... It's not that you shouldn't buy meat. Anyway, this is a different flavor». I asked Erwen to stop by the bank and check the safe, and if there was anything inside, to bring it to me with no questions asked.
«Alright. See you later, sir!» Erwen easily accepted my request and left. He seemed very unreliable.
She'll bring him back properly... right?
For some reason I felt nervous, but there was nothing I could do. If I went out, someone would surely recognize me.
Still, I'm glad Amelia came back first.
Last night I realized, to my bewilderment, that the safe's storage period of twenty-two years had passed. Fortunately, it seemed that Amelia had taken the right steps. Otherwise, he would not have left that will.
«The safe...»
The storage period was probably brought forward and extended. She was truly a trustworthy woman.
It seems that she also advanced even further in that time.
The summoning radius of a Doppelganger extracted by self-replication was five meters. After the summon, the range of motion was 100 yards, but it just didn't look like Amelia's main body was in the area at the time. Simply put, he had acquired a new skill. For reference, there were three synergy skills that met the above conditions. But considering Amelia followed my advice in the past, there was a good chance she would get the one I recommended.
Dual rule.
Therefore, it would be correct to assume that he took the essence of a Twin Hydra and gave independence to his double, as I explained in detail the disadvantages of the other synergy abilities.
Anyway, I should get some sleep...
I was very tired because I stayed up most of the night, so I went to bed and closed my eyes.
«Sir, wake up.»
«Ah... you are here...»
When I opened my eyes, I saw Erwen. The sun was slowly setting outside the window. Looking at the clock, it seemed like about eight hours had passed.
«Did something happen outside that I should know about?»
«Were you... worried about me?»
No, I was sleeping.
«Of course.»
«...Hehe, this is a nice thing.»
«Ahem, so how did it go?»
«Oh that? I had some money saved so I was able to find a suitable house! Since there wasn't much time, there were some things about the house that I didn't like, but don't worry! I made sure to repair those parts.»
«Really, it's very good.» I didn't care about the house thing so I ended that topic there and confirmed what interested me most. «But... what about the bank? How did it go there?»
«Ah... the bank...?» It was a very subtle reaction.
Seeing this made me nervous. Couldn't open the safe? Were you sure you told him the correct password? Or wait... Didn't Amelia get an extension?
As all sorts of scenarios ran through my head, Erwen handed me a crumpled ball-shaped piece of paper that she took out of her pocket. «Here.»
«Uh...» I took it unconsciously but I didn't understand. «What is this...?»
«What was in the safe. You asked me to bring it to you».
«Was there a hammer there? More or less that big...»
«There was none of that. There was only that letter».
«... Letter?» Only upon realizing the identity of the paper ball did I carefully unfold it. Although there was no sender, it was not difficult to know who wrote it, Amelia Rainwales. «... Can I read it?»
«As you wish.»
After asking Erwen for understanding, I read the letter as quickly as possible. Despite being full of wrinkles, there was no problem reading it. To briefly summarize, the letter read as follows:
I have taken some steps, but in case something goes wrong and we cannot meet, I leave you this letter. I extended the storage period, so if you leave me your current location here, I'll go find you. Oh, and one last thing. The Kraul Demon Crusher is...
Unfortunately, the letter ended there. It seemed like the last sentence was broken by being wrinkled.
You forgot the most important part!
I asked Erwen if she knew the missing piece, but the only answer I got was that she didn't know. Apparently, he just flipped through it so he wouldn't remember it.
My hammer...!
My heart broke, worried that something might have happened while I was away, but I decided to think as positively as possible. Yes, the future had not yet been observed. It could just be that Amelia had it. If that wasn't the case, I might find out what was going on once I wrote a response.
«Um, Erwen...» After burning the letter to keep the secret, I called Erwen. I was going to ask him if he could keep the answer in the safe.
«Alright. It's not your fault you received a love letter, sir. It can't help but be the way it is».
«¿Eh?»
«Oh, I made sure to get rid of the safe just in case.»
«Oh...»
«You're not sad, are you? That you can't contact that woman».
I should have gotten angry and asked him why he did such a thing, and I was someone who knew how to get angry when necessary. Yes, that should have been the case, but for some reason I denied his words. «W-of course not!» It was an instinctive act. If I had to add a reason in retrospect, it might have been because I was worried about a fight with Erwen.
«Hehe, right?»
Anyway, after that, I ate the food that Erwen brought me and it was night, the best time to activate the power of the spirit of darkness. We hid like last time and headed to the house Erwen had found.
«Did you find this place in one day?» It was a single-family house with high fences and a private patio.
«I told you. I have a lot of money».
I mean, if you bought a mansion like this in one day, it means you bought it full price without even negotiating... If this is the case, can't you just buy a new Demon Crusher?
Thinking that, I followed Erwen into the mansion.
Eye.
When the thick iron door closed and the mansion's lights came on brightly, I realized there were no windows. No, to be precise, all the window-like things were covered with thick boards. It was dark from the outside, so I thought I had just drawn the curtains.
«To… ¿Erwen…?»
«¿yes?»
«Why the windows...»
«Oh, these? It's going to be a problem if someone looks from the outside...» Erwen continued with a smile, «And you won't go out anymore anyway».
«Still... was it necessary to lay planks...? If people look it's the problem, there are curtains and the outside fence looks very high...» Feeling like something had gone wrong, I quickly added an appropriate reason, but that fell on deaf ears.
«No, you don't really understand, sir. What a great situation... no, dangerous is this! I'm not just talking about you. What will happen if they catch me for hiding it?»
«...It will be a big problem.» It was such a valid answer that I had no choice but to accept. Not only was it a problem, but he could lose all the foundations he had built with so much effort until now.
But did my reaction boost your confidence? «True? So this is an inevitable measure! Because you are a troublemaker, sir. I have no choice but to control it». Erwen's voice grew louder; Of course, not for long. «Oh no... your shoulders are slumped...» When I lowered my head weakly, Erwen tapped her feet like someone who had just seen something sad and carefully proposed a compromise. «It must be difficult, but cheer up... Sometimes I'll let you walk in the garden at night. Hmm?»
«In series ...?»
«Yes! Of course, assuming he's by your side.»
This is how my life began in seclusion. Time passed and midnight on the 15th arrived.
[Your soul has resonated and is drawn to a specific world.]