~Chapter 29~
Kidnapping a noble isn’t exactly easy.
Even if nobles treat their daughters like property, they’re still nobles.
No matter how messed up things are, if a noble family’s daughter gets kidnapped, would any noble house just sit back and do nothing? Even rich commoners wouldn’t let that slide.
Of course, the world is big and full of crazies, so there probably are families who wouldn’t react at all.
But still, having your daughter kidnapped would be a huge stain on a family’s reputation.
More than anything, it’s a matter of pride.
Unless it’s a war or some foreign trafficking group, the chances of a noble lady being kidnapped are really low.
“It—It was the Red Scorpions! They said they’d cut off my hand if I didn’t pay back the debt, and when I asked how I could repay it, they told me to bring in any noblewoman… If I had known you were Lady Estella, I would’ve never dared! Please believe me!”
I remembered what the bald priest said.
I’d asked him about their real motive, but it turns out he really didn’t know anything.
He was just some poor guy who got threatened.
While I was deep in thought, Jin came back cheerfully from the market, handing me a skewer of grilled meat like it was a prize.
“When we get to the orphanage, you might be a little shocked,” he said as he skipped ahead, turned around dramatically, and smiled at me.
“Did I mention? You didn’t have to come, but who said they wanted to tag along? That’s right, you, my dear client~”
He looked so happy as he walked backward, watching my face.
“…Do you really have to walk like that?”
“Don’t you feel nervous or scared or anything?”
I couldn’t help myself and blurted it out.
Jin just shrugged and answered casually.
“Well, even if I panic or stress out, it won’t help anything, right? It’s better to stay calm and act normal so we can figure things out.”
“…”
That unexpectedly reasonable and annoyingly healthy mindset hit me like a brick to the brain.
While I was still processing, Jin snapped his fingers and added, “So while you were resting earlier, I went out and found out a little something.”
He stopped walking, looked around carefully, and then came close to whisper.
“I heard from the inn across from ours… The Red Scorpion’s headquarters is actually here. We knew they had a big presence here, but I didn’t expect their base to be right in this area.”
Then he gave me a cheeky grin and started strolling again like nothing happened.
“Looking at the location—it’s secluded and hard to access—I’d bet someone like the local lord is backing them.”
I frowned. “This whole thing is shady. Why would a dark guild want to stir up trouble like this?”
Jin stopped walking and stroked his chin seriously.
“Hm. No idea. But what’s clear is that getting involved with them is bad news.”
He gave a short laugh, then frowned and continued.
“But judging by everything so far, it seems like someone other than the lord of Celloti is backing the Red Scorpions. There’s no way they’d dare kidnap a noble girl so openly unless they had some powerful protection. Someone’s definitely got their back.”
Someone backing them? Like a noble or political figure? Honestly, it made sense.
A dark guild is basically like a gang—there’s no way they’re pulling this off alone.
“Hm.”
Jin looked troubled, like he just bit into a rock during lunch.
He started tapping his leg nervously.
“Uh, Lady…”
“Yes? Just say whatever’s on your mind. Don’t hold back.”
Jin stopped fidgeting and looked straight at me. “As far as I know, the lord of Celloti is part of the Western faction. Meaning… he’s aligned with Prince Endymion.”
“…”
I suddenly felt the urge to cover my ears. What the heck did he just say?
“Sure, the Red Scorpions have grown a lot over the last three years, but…”
“Wait, wait. Hold up.”
I grabbed my aching forehead.
What is happening? The main story hasn’t even started and things are already spiraling out of control.
Wasn’t I just supposed to find the male lead?
“Are you saying Prince Endymion might be behind the Red Scorpions?”
My brows knit together as my brain started racing.
“Come to think of it… to get all those illegal books and creepy lab materials in that forest ruin, they would have needed help from a shady group… But what does that have to do with kidnapping noble girls?”
I was getting worked up and snapped at Jin, who raised his hands like he was surrendering and took a step back.
“I mean… I have no idea?”
“How can you not know?!”
“Well, Lady, if I did know, I’d be working as a famous fortune teller in the capital, not as a mercenary!”
“Anyway, I sent a letter ahead to the orphanage. We should be able to get inside pretty easily.”
Jin smiled and rubbed his fingers together, miming money.
“I might’ve offered them a little extra. Hahaha! While we’re there, I’ll try to gather info on other orphanages too.”
He nodded, patted my shoulder dramatically, and said, “We’re almost there, Lady.
Just past this field.
I really hope—though it’s unlikely—that we find your niece right away.”
I dragged my feet, frowning as I looked at the wide cotton field ahead.
I expected the orphanage to be near the temple, not hidden away in some far corner of the territory.
And there were already dirty-looking kids out in the field, working.
They looked like they hadn’t eaten properly in a while, all skin and bones, wearing rags that barely counted as clothes.
Honestly, I thought I was prepared for this.
I knew I couldn’t help every orphan in the country, so I figured I could stay detached.
But as usual, reality didn’t go the way I planned.
“Why the face?” Jin tilted his head at me, then followed my gaze. He nodded slowly, like he understood.
“Well, the Estella estate is one of the cleaner ones in the Empire. That’s thanks to Count Estella running a tight ship. I even heard they don’t keep slaves.”
I frowned. “Something like that. My father doesn’t like dealing with… unpleasant things.”
That was a lie.
The real reason was that Count Estella is practical and values efficiency.
Having slaves meant lower taxes from the people, so he wasn’t a fan.
Still, it was better than nothing… even if the thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.
My head throbbed again.
I couldn’t stop staring at one scrawny kid who didn’t look older than eight.
Of course, it wasn’t just the skinny arms that bothered me.
I knew this kind of thing was normal in this world, but I’d never actually lived it before.
Being reborn as a noble lady meant I never really had to face these realities.
“…Are those kids from the orphanage?”
“Most of them, yeah,” Jin said casually.
“Some are orphans, some are just poor kids. Doesn’t really matter—they all end up in the same place.”
He glanced at me again.
“Are you worried about your niece?”
He looked confused by my reaction, which made sense.
To people here, scenes like this were just everyday life.
“…Just a bit. Don’t mind me.”
