What she heard from Aisha about Ensif village was shocking.
“They were used to make medicine?”
— “Yes.”
“What kind of medicine?”
— “…I don’t know the details, but it was sold to noblewomen at high prices. That was how they raised funds.”
The sudden rise of House Erves, who had been no different from fallen nobles, had been built upon those funds.
Which meant the medicine had been produced for quite some time.
“Do you know which noblewomen were involved?”
— “Not all of them, but I know some.”
“I will give you a list. Can you point them out?”
— “I can.”
There had been a reason the corpses had piled up like that.
From the first time she saw it, she had known it was no ordinary matter, but to kill people to make medicine?
It wasn’t something one could easily imagine.
— “But it will be difficult to investigate. As far as I know, someone of very high standing is involved.
“…Someone of high standing?”
— “Yes. They will interfere however they can.”
“Who?”
— “…The Imperial Family.”
“What?!”
Edith’s eyes widened in shock.
If the Imperial Family was involved in this matter, it would be no different from a disruption to their plan.
— “Of course, not all of the Imperial Family members. The medicine is sold only to women.”
“Ah…”
That meant the Emperor himself might not know about it.
There was no way to predict how he would react if he learned the full truth.
More importantly, there might already be eyes planted within the Imperial Palace.
If she acted rashly, everything could end up reaching Lisellon’s ears.
More than that, how should she make use of this?
In any case, it was certainly valuable information.
It might even help with the investigation Ellos was conducting.
“What else do you know?”
— “Aren’t you trying to squeeze my information out for free?”
The wind-up doll turned its head sharply, looking offended.
Edith was dumbfounded.
“Should I make it so you cannot even exist as a doll?”
— “…”
“I will shove you into a box and never take you out.”
— “…”
Did she really think that just because she gave some information, she would be free?
Aisha fell silent for a moment as if at a loss for words, then slumped and said sarcastically,
— “Fine. In this state, what could I possibly demand?”
Edith wasn’t the type to be swayed by that.
Did she think she would pity her now?
“You actually said something sensible for once.”
— “Hey!!”
Finally losing her temper, Aisha shouted.
“What!!”
— “…Ugh, this is irritating.”
“Anyway, thanks for the information.”
— “Tsk. I’m not giving you any more information.”
“Did I ask for it? You were the one who suggested striking first and started spilling everything.”
— “Aah! Don’t get on my nerves!”
Seemingly truly sulking now, Aisha opened the drawer, climbed inside, and shut herself away.
“Ugh, that temper of hers…”
Even in that pitiful state, her temper was still foul.
“Well, if this helps with the matter… I do not know what yet, but I will think about it and consider your request too.”
After saying that, Edith left.
Only then did Aisha slowly peek her head out from between the slightly opened drawer.
***
When she relayed the information she had obtained from Aisha, she was told that similar information had recently been acquired through the shadow den.
“A courier of materials?”
“Yes.”
“He claimed that he was the one who disposed of the bodies in Ensif village.”
“…Did he say where the bodies were brought from?”
“He said the location changes each time, so it can’t be specified.”
They had obtained similar information.
In that case, they also needed to find out where all those bodies had originally come from.
According to Ellos, disappearance cases had been rampant for years.
“Upon investigation, the number of disappearances decreased.”
“Hm?”
“But infant mortality increased. Deaths with unknown causes.”
“…What?”
“The parents didn’t know the reason and simply grieved.”
“So that means…”
“It’s possible they were diverted elsewhere. And in the past few years, human trafficking has also increased. Slave traders have been moving in a very organized manner.”
It certainly didn’t seem like a simple operation.
“But recently, after that fact was discovered, strangely enough, the slave traders have begun to lie low.”
“…Oh dear.”
They had expected it wouldn’t be easy, but it was even more difficult than anticipated.
Even if they reported this to the Imperial Family, if someone within the Imperial Family who had purchased the medicine knew about it and tried to interfere, it would all be for nothing.
“It means it will be difficult to confront them head-on.”
“Yes.”
From the start, it made no sense to deal with cunning sorcerers through straightforward means.
But at least they could plant a seed of suspicion.
Above all, the Ensif village incident had already surfaced.
For the time being, that medicine said to be sold only to noblewomen wouldn’t be easy to obtain.
“Aisha said she would give us the list of noblewomen. What if we approach them?”
If they took advantage of the difficulty in procuring the medicine.
“Really?”
Ellos’s eyes lit up.
However, even Aisha didn’t know what kind of medicine it was.
What kind of effect did it have that it was sold only to noblewomen?
She thought that once they identified the noblewomen, they might be able to infer something.
Aisha had suggested using this point to strike first.
***
Edith wanted to avoid meeting Lisellon as much as possible.
But a letter had arrived from him asking to meet.
“…What should I do about this?”
She was worried that meeting him might only create unnecessary trouble.
“If I refuse, would that look strange?”
— “…”
Aisha was quiet.
She seemed deep in thought. Luzbel also wore an uneasy expression.
There was no choice.
She would have to practice acting as similarly as possible.
“Tell me how you usually treated him. I will try my best—”
— “Refuse.”
Before she could even finish speaking, Aisha said firmly.
“What?”
— “I think this is a trap.”
“What do you mean?”
— “You two were very clumsy that day. I think Lisellon was suspicious from the start.”
Edith fell silent for a moment.
Even she felt uneasy about that day in the garden, as though she hadn’t deceived Lisellon completely.
“Do you really think so?”
— “Yes. I know Lon well. He’s not the type to send a letter at a time like this. He would have told you to lie low as much as possible.”
Perhaps when that so-called scandal first broke out, the letter he sent had already been a way to test the waters.
If she agreed to his request, good. If not, then so be it.
But what if he had sent the letter while already considering Aisha?
— “He knew.”
Aisha muttered, as if she had reached that conclusion as well.
“…Did he see?”
— “See what?”
“We took your body. If he was suspicious, he might have checked there first.”
— “…He saw.”
Aisha sounded almost certain.
“If that is the case, there is no need for pointless acting anymore.”
It felt anticlimactic to end it like this, but she had been under enough stress trying to maintain a poor performance.
It would be better to use the fact that he was suspicious.
— “What?”
“More importantly, make your position clear.”
— “I already am.”
“Are you really going to help us?”
— “How many times do I have to say it? Can’t you tell just from what I am saying now?”
Her voice was full of irritation.
She was cooperating obediently for now, but given the cruel things she had done in the past, it was hard to trust her easily.
Above all, Aisha had once been willing to do anything for Lisellon.
— “I did all of this to take revenge on Lon in the first place! I even gave you information!”
“That is not enough for me to trust you completely.”
— “…So in the end, you want more information.”
“No. If anything, perhaps it is simply a lack of trust.”
Edith shrugged.
— “What would make you believe me?”
“That depends on you.”
Aisha let out a series of incredulous laughs, but she seemed to recognize that she was in a disadvantageous position.
— “…Tsk. Honestly, wouldn’t you distrust me no matter what I did?”
“That may be true.”
When she answered boldly, Aisha let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
— “…I will do anything.”
But in the end, she chose to bow her head.
— “Instead of just thinking about it, grant my request too. I will cooperate as much as possible.”
Even then, she was clear about her demands.
“What is it?”
— “Return me to my own body instead of leaving me in this ridiculous wind-up doll. You can do it.”
At that moment, Luzbel, who had been listening quietly, spoke.
“Even if Lisellon is suspicious, does it really matter?”
“Pardon?”
“We can simply begin again.”
“…Ah.”
“There is no need to overcomplicate things.”
The deeper they dug, the bigger the matter became.
“Let us first uncover the true nature of this medicine. It may mean we do not need Aisha’s help any further.”
— “Hey! Are you insane?!”
Aisha shouted angrily, but Luzbel only snorted.
“It means stop scheming and cooperate to the fullest, Aisha.”
Of course, the fact that she was cooperating more readily than expected suggested that her disappointment in Lisellon was genuine to some extent.
But that didn’t justify returning her body.
They needed to make full use of her.
— “Huff, huff…”
Aisha breathed heavily, sounding aggrieved and resentful, but Luzbel paid no attention.
“You should have lived properly in the first place.”
— “Yaaah!”
Struck directly where it hurt, she screamed as if in pain, but Luzbel remained calm.
At least the situation wasn’t sinking into complete uncertainty, and that alone had meaning.
They simply needed to prepare for Lisellon’s suspicion.
Edith agreed with Luzbel to some extent.
But she also thought that pressing too hard wouldn’t be good.
If they coaxed her appropriately, Aisha might cooperate even more earnestly.
“If you truly help us and Lisellon takes a real blow because of it, then I will do as you ask.”
— “Really?”
The shouting Aisha finally quieted down.
Luzbel’s eyes widened.
“Edith.”
“If she seems sincere, we can grant it, can we not?”
Right now she was just a wind-up doll and couldn’t even move about freely on her own. What could she possibly do?
If she had intended to stab them in the back, it would have been better for her to run away to Lisellon long ago.
Of course, she understood why Luzbel couldn’t trust her and remained wary.
That was why they would simply have to watch her carefully.
