Chapter 50
[Lian, I can feel layered magical energy in this building—in fact, in every building here.]
[It’s not for defense against intruders. Looks like it’s meant to prevent decay or corrosion, and to stop fires.]
[They really did all sorts of things to these buildings. Do they have magic to spare or what? Don’t you think so, Gnome?]
[(nods)]
It also served as advertising—that commissioning Fabius meant your construction could receive magic of this caliber.
The spirits chattered endlessly about the enchantments woven into the Molton Marquisate’s residence.
[Isn’t that a flower that only blooms in winter? And that tree—doesn’t it die in hot weather? Oh my, they must have cast preservation magic over the entire garden!]
[Foolish humans. Natural things are most beautiful when left natural.]
[That’s not a flower, it’s a flower corpse. To plant corpses like that in your own front yard—crazy bastard. Right, Gnome?]
[(nods)]
I fluttered down and landed lightly on the third-floor terrace.
Out of all these rooms, which one was the couple’s bedchamber?
If I could locate the Marquis and Marchioness’s room, Bianca’s would be nearby.
Bedrooms of nobles are usually on the third floor anyway.
I didn’t need to search long.
From the terrace of the room beside me, the shrill, hysterical voice of the Marchioness Molton rang out.
“Do you know the humiliation I suffered at the dress shop today?”
Since it was past midnight, her voice carried clearly.
A drowsy, mumbling voice answered after a pause.
“…Please, let’s just sleep and talk about it tomorrow…”
That must have been the Marquis.
“This is no time to sleep soundly! Did you really handle things properly?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the Ibrantes cutting ties with us!”
“And that’s worth waking me up in the middle of the night for?”
“You told me it happened naturally when the Ibrante estate’s manager changed!”
“I told you that already, more than once!”
“Clearly it’s because the Duke realized you were embezzling!!!”
Oh-ho, what’s this?
The Marchioness knew exactly what her husband’s guild had been up to.
Yet she tried to paint it as though I had been duped by Piace into cutting business.
She’s no ordinary woman after all.
The Marquis’s voice, suddenly awake and sharp, cut in.
“What… what did you say? The Duke knows?”
“Today, I stopped by the dress shop to buy Bianca a gown and ran into the Duke of Ibrante!”
“At a children’s boutique? Why the hell would His Grace be there?”
“Does that matter right now?! Do you know what I went through with that woman?”
“What did she say?!”
“She humiliated me, utterly humiliated me! I can never show my face in that shop again!”
“Forget the damned shop! What exactly did the Duke say? How much does he know?”
“And why are you shouting at me when it’s all your fault?”
“So you didn’t confirm anything?”
“I was already seething from the insult you caused me! And you expect me to grill her right there?”
“And you think raising your voice makes you right?!”
Crash! Thud!
Something smashed inside the room.
“Don’t you yell at me!!!”
Crash! Crack!
More things broke, and the Marchioness screamed louder.
“What good are you at all? So what if you’re a Marquis? You’ve got a pitiful domain and no talent worth mentioning!”
“You think words are cheap?”
“The only reason you live like this is because of me!”
“How is that thanks to you?!”
“With my dowry I built Fabius and grew it to what it is today!”
Contrary to common belief, it wasn’t the Marquis but his wife who had revived the Molton family.
“And you expect me to grovel before some woman because you can’t handle her?”
“You know how much I’ve sacrificed for this family!”
“Ha! You call this sacrifice? You couldn’t even manage the guild properly when I told you to while I raised Bianca! This whole mess is on you!”
“And that’s my fault? I told you to skim less!”
“And you think I did that for myself? Do you have any idea how much it costs to maintain this mansion?”
“You’re the one who chose this place! Because of your pathetic vanity!”
“So it’s my fault now? This marriage never should have happened! You, that child—I’m sick to death of you all! Aaaargh!”
The Marchioness’s shriek pierced the night sky.
Perhaps she lived with pride, believing she had built up her husband’s house with her own hands. Having me trample her lofty nose was unbearable.
Then came the faint sound of slippers dragging.
Bianca emerged onto the terrace, holding a lamp.
…!
So this terrace was connected to her bedroom?
The child stood silently, listening to her parents’ vicious fight.
Her face… it’s blank. I can’t tell what she’s thinking.
For all her vile temper, it pained me.
Growing up hearing this every night—no wonder the child turned warped.
…Tch. Leaves a bitter taste.
As I hesitated, feeling a twinge of pity, Bianca suddenly smiled brightly.
“Heeey, pretty.”
Well, I guess I am a decent-looking bird.
“I like you, you’ve got so many feathers.”
Moments ago she’d been like a demon—yet smiling, she looked almost innocent.
As Silph prepared to plant the winds, I wondered if I should play along a little.
Then Bianca tilted her head.
“How long do you think you’ll shine?”
Huh? Shine? What’s she—
“Yeah… the more feathers, the longer they shine. You must be the same.”
What the hell?
“I wonder. Just stay right there, okay?”
Stay—what?
Bianca hurled the burning lamp.
This lunatic?! So that’s what she meant by ‘shine’?!
I tried to take off, but too late.
Oil from the lamp splashed over my left talons, seeping between the claws.
Then came the searing heat—the fire caught.
Without thinking, I screeched.
“Caw! Cawwww!!”
“Caw? Caw-caw? Hahaha! Your cry is hilarious! Ahaha, so funny!”
Bianca mimicked my cry, doubled over in laughter.
Her expression showed not a trace of pity for a suffering animal.
[L-Lian! Are you okay? That vicious human!!!]
[Lian! I’ll hold the fire back, get down to the ground—quickly!]
[She’s insane! Gnome! When the contractor lands, cover his foot with earth!]
[(nods)]
Panicked and in pain, I let the spirits guide me.
I tumbled from the air, crashing into the flowerbed—luckily soft enough to avoid injury.
As soon as I hit the ground, Gnome’s earth surged up to smother my burning foot.
Haa… haa…
[Lian! Are you all right?!]
[Lian, answer us!]
[Contractor! Your foot—oh, shit…]
I struggled, then finally lifted my head.
The fire was out, but my left foot was charred black.
It hurts… so much…
“Caw… caaaw…”
Even without moving, pain lanced through me, tears welling uncontrollably.
[Oh no! That crazy brat is coming this way!]
[I’ll check!]
As Undine said, a light from the main house drew closer.
Even in the night, I could see it clearly.
Bianca was running toward me, lamp in hand—grinning grotesquely, like a clown.
…!
A chill.
Absurdly, she terrified me.
Not a seven-year-old child, but a serial killer approaching.
[Lian, I’ve set the winds! We can escape now!]
To do that, I had to leap into the air.
But every step felt like my flesh was tearing apart. I couldn’t move.
I staggered a few steps, flapping desperately—then collapsed.
[Shit! Silph! Can you lift him with wind?]
[The air is too still—I can’t do it alone! If someone boosts him, maybe briefly!]
[Water-brain! Do you sense any water nearby?]
[I do, but I need time to gather it!]
[Then Gnome and I will buy time! I’ll trip that crazy human—Gnome, hold her down!]
[(nods)]
If my magic were functioning properly, this would have been trivial.
But now, all our combined strength was needed just to get a single crow airborne.
I made a mistake.
I shouldn’t have dismissed her because she was a child…
No matter how pitiful she seemed, I should never have felt pity.
If she’s like this already, what horrors will she commit grown up…
Undine and Silph gathered natural energy, while Salamander and Gnome vanished to hinder Bianca.
But she closed in steadily.
The lamplight was almost upon us.
I had crashed too close to the Molton estate, too shaken to fly far.
I’ll be discovered at this rate. Hide, at least in the brush.
I tried to crawl toward the bushes.
Then Bianca appeared.
“What are you doing here?”
