No Romance & Horror Counseling Service
CHAPTER 60…………………………………………………
“Well… I already have someone in mind anyway…”
From Yujire’s perspective, such a misunderstanding wouldn’t be pleasant.
Laseil was thinking that when a sudden question popped into her mind, and she tilted her head.
“Do I… really like her?”
Come to think of it, she had never asked directly.
Moreover, for some reason, she was also afraid of confirming it herself.
The reason for this fear remained elusive.
“This is just a special offer for this time. You two looked especially close, you see.”
The shop owner spoke without paying attention to her reaction.
He seemed to firmly believe that Laseil and Irenes were in a romantic relationship.
“Were you embarrassed to be caught as lovers? I can see everything with my eyes.”
“How much is it?”
Finally, Laseil asked, after some hesitation.
Adding a brooch wouldn’t hurt, after all.
“Just take it. I don’t have anyone else to give it to anyway. But if you want to pay the proper price…”
The shop owner paused for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“It’s the price for breaking the gravestone. It was tough being bound to it.”
Only then did Laseil notice the shop owner’s physical traits.
Pale, lifeless skin, ghostly white face, unusually cold hands.
He could almost be considered dead.
“Was it the spirit that was present back then?”
It must have been the spirit that caused the commotion at the ball.
She had thought it acted on its own, but it seemed it had been controlled.
“A dark magician, no doubt.”
Only a dark magician could attempt to control a corrupted spirit.
Even a spirit handler would be powerless against a tainted spirit.
“And here’s some advice… it may not be quite the right price, so be careful.”
“Careful about what?”
“It hasn’t been caught yet, right? It’s probably plotting something nearby.”
That was the end of the conversation.
When she looked up to ask more, the shop had already vanished.
“Did I see that wrong? It felt like someone was here just a moment ago.”
Irenes asked in a trembling voice.
“Or… was there never anyone?”
“There was. …Aren’t you taking the brooch?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Laseil only then realized that the brooch she had just been handed was turquoise.
It was a strange feeling, as if they now each held a brooch resembling the other’s eye color.
“Uh… Lord Jaen? We should probably head back soon.”
Irenes whispered, glancing around nervously.
Her face seemed even paler than before.
“The sun is about to rise.”
After staying up almost all night, it was understandable that she was tired.
Laseil felt a wave of guilt for keeping her too long.
“Yes… today…”
Laseil paused briefly, choosing her words carefully.
“…was fun.”
The words slipped out before she could even think.
Irenes, standing in front of her, seemed a little startled but then smiled brightly in response.
“Me too!”
The wind blew just then, scattering her silver hair.
It was exactly the image Laseil had once imagined of Irenes.
The festival was over, but that didn’t mean Yujire’s work had decreased.
In fact, handling the events that occurred during the festival had only increased her workload.
“She doesn’t even go out when I suggest taking a break…”
Even when she briefly rested with a book, she read magic tomes.
It was more like studying than resting.
Laseil couldn’t understand what “rest” even meant to Yujire.
“She always gives the same answer if I ask.”
A short tea break was enough rest for her, apparently.
At least during that time, she could relax a little while talking with others.
The reason Laseil thought of this all of a sudden was simple.
“Is Lord Lesser Duke Resean available?”
It looked like another task was about to be added to her already heavy workload.
Laseil muttered to herself as she stared at the person before her.
Black hair, blue eyes, and a rather fierce expression.
The Count of Gielea, a noble who should have been staying in the capital.
“Why are you looking for the Lesser Duke?”
Most visitors looking for Yujire had to go through one essential step:
They had to explain their purpose to others in the lord’s estate.
If the reason was ridiculous, they were often thrown out immediately.
…Though this applied only to residents of the estate or acquaintances.
“Right now, you must be busy.”
This rule didn’t apply to outsiders.
Even if they were immediately turned away, Yujire wouldn’t object.
Laseil herself had no intention of causing trouble.
“I have something I’d like to discuss.”
“Then you’ll have to wait a bit.”
Laseil tapped the wooden sign at the main gate of the estate as she spoke.
It had been placed there after the incident caused by Marquis Karen.
- No Entry Except for Estate Residents
The Count’s expression changed slightly as he read the elegant lettering.
“Who put this here as a prank?”
He could not imagine that Yujire herself had written it.
Laseil decided to leave a bit of room for imagination rather than giving the full truth.
“As you can see, only residents can enter, so outsiders cannot.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Send a letter first, make an official appointment, and return later.”
This was common sense among nobles.
Showing up suddenly was, of course, rude.
It was the same as barging into someone’s house and demanding they open the door.
Even bringing someone from your own family was considered proper etiquette.
Yet next to the Count, neither the eldest daughter nor any other members of the Resean family were present.
Of course, Yujire wasn’t there either.
So the Count’s behavior was understandably odd.
“When will you have some free time?”
The Count of Gielea had enough sense to ask this.
He asked Laseil directly, trying to get a clear answer.
Of course, Laseil couldn’t answer.
“It will take at least a month to resolve everything.”
Well, she did answer, but it wasn’t very helpful.
She had little intention of helping anyway.
With her workload already heavy, there was no need to add more.
Besides, she didn’t want to waste time on someone showing no courtesy.
“I have something I’d like to discuss with you. I’ll pay the proper price.”
The Count quickly grabbed Laseil, who was about to leave.
Normally, he would never show such a reaction, since he didn’t like being manipulated by lower-ranking nobles.
“Could it be something serious?”
Her behavior suggested that this might indeed be the case.
“What price will you pay?”
Since he had brought it up himself, it would likely be a valuable item.
Laseil concluded and asked the Count.
“She probably won’t accept it easily.”
Though she thought this, it made sense—recently she had received two merchant licenses from Marquis Karen.
Thanks to Direina, who had helped her handle it.
“By the way, Direina turned out to be quite clever.”
She hadn’t just handed them over.
She had acquired the distribution rights for spirit-related goods monopolized by the Resean family.
This strengthened her connections with the Resean family.
Meanwhile, she also showcased her ties with other noble families while running her merchant business.
Rumors about Direina’s succession had gradually started to die down.
“…An invitation.”
Laseil was lost in thought when the Count responded with a deeply furrowed brow.
“Would an invitation to a social gathering be enough payment?”
“…?”
Laseil blinked in disbelief.
This wasn’t just any social gathering.
It was a long-standing, exclusive event hosted by the Gielea family.
“The Resean family has never received one before.”
About five generations ago, there had been serious conflict between the two families.
Though relations had eased recently, no invitation had ever been extended.
Offering first was essentially an admission of defeat.
“…I’ll inform the young lady.”
Laseil quickly answered and recalled the social gathering.
Among the social events held in the capital, it was the largest in scale.
Few nobles from the Empire attended, but foreign nobles did.
Many nobles were desperate to attend this event.
