Rumors

<Side : Anidiat Silverlight>

『Martyr’s Month – Day 6 (Lunchtime)』

A gloomy morning, no, it’s lunchtime. The sunlight seeping through the curtains isn’t welcome either, it’s the worst day.

It all started yesterday… with Francis’s death, the reason for his death, and those two guys who scared even me, who’s been through thick and thin.

“My head is throbbing…”

I felt pathetic, like a puppy trembling in front of a lion. Besides, I had to clean up the mess, so I had a lot on my mind about that too.

“I already have a ton of documents to deal with. Sigh…”

Work was piling up. Lying comfortably in bed and sighing wouldn’t change anything, so I straightened my clothes and went to my office to solve the immediate problems.

On the way, I asked a maid to bring me a cup of tea, then opened the door and headed to my desk in my office.

“Let’s put yesterday’s events aside for a moment…”

–Creak…

Ugh…! Why is this happening…! Even if I try not to think about it, it’s like it’s become an instinct engraved in my body, the more I think about what happened then, the more anxious I become.

Ranche, Samson… because of the anxiety that those Monsters could twist my neck and break it at any time…? Me, to those guys…? N-no way. I, I…

“Sigh… please, please calm down. Calm down!”

I shook my head hard to chase away the distracting thoughts and barely escaped the nightmare. But even after escaping the illusion, I was faced with a realistic challenge again, looking at the piles of documents on my desk.

“The Garrison Commander’s vacancy… Francis’s death… the expiration of the contract… and what should I explain to the Cat Postman about this…”

It was the perfect time to say that things were going from bad to worse. The ticking of the clock echoed in my ears, and I felt like I was trapped in a rut.

“And those old geezers… suddenly acting like that. What are they up to this time… Aaaaargh!! I’m going crazy!”

The Aides, who were jealous of our Lord, who had become a Lord in an instant from being a mere Monster Hunter. The old men, who had accumulated nothing but desire as they got older, had changed their attitude towards me, and that was also a problem.

The Garrison Commander who was killed for trying to leak information about the Territory? Appointing that Garrison Commander is my job, and that Garrison Commander is someone I’ve been employing for a long time.

Each sentence was like a knife held in reverse for me, but a useful weapon for the Aides. Of course, when they came to see me yesterday, I was resigned to the fact that they would be spitting out accusations.

But on the contrary, they expressed their regret to me, said that the Garrison Commander’s vacancy should be filled as soon as possible to prevent the Territory people’s anxiety, and withdrew, saying that they would entrust the appointment of the Garrison Commander to me.

“What does this mean… It’s hard to think that they’ve given me another chance, because the old men’s actions up until now can’t be explained…”

While I was calmly recalling the Aides’ words from yesterday, someone suddenly opened the door without knocking.

“L, Lord’s Wife…!!”

“Haa… Didn’t I tell you to knock when you come into my office?”

“I, I’m sorry about that…! B, but I thought you should see this urgently…!”

The person who came in stammering was the maid I had asked to bring me tea earlier. But instead of the tea I had ordered, she was holding a pile of rough papers.

“What is it? Show it to me.”

I wondered what it was that made her so flustered that she couldn’t even follow basic etiquette, and as I looked at the paper the maid handed me, I read the words written on it.

“W-what is this?”

[We denounce the Lord’s Wife’s extravagance! Is it right to use the Territory people’s taxes for her own satisfaction!! We condemn! We protest!]

[Anidiat Silverlight, her appointment is a complete failure!? Garrison Commander Francis Wing’s criminal acts are exposed and he is killed… The Lord’s Wife’s handling of affairs is also questionable…]

[The Lord’s Wife’s incompetence is eating away at the Territory!! Anidiat Silverlight must immediately stop her indulgence and apologize to the Territory people!]

This couldn’t be happening. Information that I had definitely ordered the Garrison members to keep secret was written on the paper in roughly scribbled letters. And a lot of it…

Besides, there was even the absurd fabrication that I was spending taxes on luxury. It was true that I was collecting various fairy-related items, but I solved the necessary funds and help with my own money and connections.

Above all, the phrases that belittled me for dedicating myself to the Territory…

“L, Lord’s Wife…?”

“Ha, haha… These bastards…!! Are you kidding me!!”

“Hiek…”

Anger surged in an instant. Things I didn’t do, things I told them not to do, things they shouldn’t do to me… Even one of them would be enough to make me angry, but all of them came at once.

My patience was already running low… If this happens, I’m really going to…

“Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!”

–Clang! Crash…!!

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying!! You damn things!!”

“I, I’ll leave now…!!”

“Can’t you understand the word ‘confidentiality’!! Where did you get this trashy fabricated article!!!”

The uncontrollable anger led to violence. The documents that I had to deal with in front of me were nowhere to be seen. They were just annoying piles of paper that were ruining my mood.

The flower vase neatly placed on the desk, the books neatly arranged, everything felt like it was mocking me.

Then what should I do… Just smash everything. Because I wouldn’t feel better if I didn’t…

–Bang…!! Thump! Clang!!

Was it around the time I was about to blow away everything in sight, just before I was about to break the last remaining chair and desk, that something sticky wrapped around my arm and stopped me?

“Haa… Haa… Herry?”

Pink Tentacles that had sprung from the distorted space behind Herry were holding me tightly, preventing me from moving any further.

“Are you a little calmer now? Friend?”

“……A little.”

Looking at the furniture that had been smashed to pieces and the shattered windows, my eyes, which had been blinded by anger, gradually returned.

“Let’s talk. Including this paper… and the Changeling.”

Leaving the pink Tentacles to clean up the debris, I sat down on the only chair that was still intact, and Herry sat on a chair made of Tentacles, and there was a moment of silence.

Herry was the first to break the silence.

“Now that you seem to have calmed down, there are a few things I want to talk about first.”

The sweet and sensual smell that came from Herry every time he opened his mouth. As someone with a keen sense of smell, I could tell that he hadn’t changed his perfume or bath products, and judging from the smell coming mainly from his mouth, I thought he must have been drinking something delicious.

As I smelled it, the anger that had been hot until just now and the anxiety that had been building up seemed to disappear little by little.

“Ah, um… yeah. I was thinking the same thing.”

“First of all, my Familiar’s whereabouts are unknown. I hid it in the forest, concealing its Magical power so that no one would know, but it disappeared without a trace. If it had been destroyed, a destruction signal would have been sent, but there was no such signal. You have your small animals in the forest, don’t you? Did you get any signals from them?”

Herry’s Familiar… Ah, that Tentacles lump with one eye. I know it’s quite high-performance, but even that’s missing?

“Unfortunately, my Sewer Rats and sparrows, which I sent to the forest, as well as those in the Territory, have lost communication. It’s quite a timely coincidence, isn’t it? Thanks to that, I can’t hear anything, day or night.”

“Any guesses?”

“No. I really don’t have any. If the animals I Familiarized had died, I would have noticed it right away. But since there’s no sign of that…”

“They’re just alive. Does that mean the Familiars are already out of our hands?”

Herry’s guess was half wrong and half right. It’s true that they’re out of our hands, but if the initiative had been taken, there’s no way I wouldn’t have felt it, since I’m connected to them. In other words…

“They’ve been mutated into something. That’s what I think. Their originally registered identity has changed, so the owner can’t recognize them. Does that make sense if I put it this way?”

“Haa… This is a headache. Then that mutated state could be passed on to the owner, right? Have you cut off the connection with your Familiar?”

Familiarization is a type of Magic that involves injecting one’s Magical power to make something one’s own. Normally, it’s necessary to exchange Magical power in order to exchange what the creature made into a Familiar sees and hears, so if one of them is Contamination, it can have a negative impact on the other.

“No, not exactly. If it’s a Familiar you created yourself like you, I could, but… our Serenphide Family’s Familiars are more powerful than ordinary Familiars, but in order to break the contract with the real thing, you need to meet it once. Since there’s nothing wrong with my body, it doesn’t seem like anything special is happening…”

Serenphide Family’s Familiars have effects such as a wider range of activity or increased power than Familiars used by other Magicians, but contact is essential for breaking the contract.

“That’s also a headache.”

“Forget about worrying about me. Let’s move on from the fact that the Familiars’ whereabouts are unknown, and the Changeling… Did you find out any details about that?”

But what’s important to me is something else. Herry, who calmed me down and started a conversation, definitely mentioned the word Changeling.

Changeling, a criminal act that has been practiced since ancient times, where babies born with disabilities or ugly faces are abandoned in the forest under the guise of fairy exchange. At least, that’s what I’ve known so far.

But nothing else was important to me. ‘Fairy exchange’. There’s no way such an origin could have been born without any reason, so I asked Herry, who studies ancient Magic, to interpret the Changeling.

“Changeling. Well, I was surprised when I looked into it. To think that it was actually true that it existed.”

Herry muttered, unable to hide his surprise. That was like good news to me at the same time.

Edgar disappeared because of the fairies, that’s for sure…! From Herry’s expression, my hypothesis was turning into a conviction.

“To be precise, I’ve only found out the fact that it ‘existed’. The reasons why fairies exchange humans, the principles behind their actions, how the exchanged humans return. Everything is unknown. There’s not enough information.”

Herry’s subsequent explanation didn’t contain much hopeful content, but I was finally enjoying the joy of being able to meet my lost younger brother.

“I’ve sent a request to access the Academy’s Grand Library to get related information. I’m planning to go there and investigate the Magic that changes gender all at once, are you going with me?”

The Academy is a treasure trove of knowledge that has everything from ancient books to the latest literature. I’d love to go with you, but…

“I’d love to go, but I can’t take a step out of here until this situation calms down…”

I said, pointing to the papers spread out on the desk. The ones that Herry and the maid brought.

“It’s not just this. Lacey, who has turned into a woman, doesn’t even show any signs of returning to normal, and Beth and Myrit are having a Divorce Duel… And on top of that, this stupid fabricated article.”

“Haa… You’re having a hard time too. I’m just saying, but the contents of this article aren’t true, right?”

“Of course not! What do you take me for! It’s slander. It’s a fabricated article created by forces trying to slander me!”

I swear to the Territory and to my Lord, I have never used taxes to buy luxury goods. I don’t even understand why anyone would buy such things in the first place.

“I know. I know. But I’m worried about your fingernails. You always bite your fingernails when you’re anxious or cornered. Seeing that you’ve chewed them until they’re bleeding, there must be something you’re agonizing over in your heart.”

Ah, when I looked at my hands after hearing Herry’s words, I could see that my fingernails were almost ground down. It didn’t hurt until now, but seeing the wounds directly made me feel the pain gradually coming back to life.

“It’s nothing… By the way, is that the end of the story? It’s not polite to kick out a friend who’s come to visit after a long time, but I need some time to sort things out.”

“Huu… I see. I don’t know what it is, but it must be related to this.”

Herry took out another piece of paper from his arms and placed it face down on the desk.

“I’ll have our Trike send you some milk soon. Drink that and clear your head. It’s a taste that makes all your worries melt away. It tastes amazing too♡”

“O, okay…”

“Then I’ll be going. I hope you have a peaceful day.”

“Yeah…”

I sent off my friend, who was showing me goodwill, and unfolded the paper that Herry had left behind. There it was…

[Who is the hero who will defeat the Garrison Commander’s corruption and stop the Lord’s Wife’s extravagance?]

The phrase was written, and behind it was a detailed drawing of a woman’s back.

“T, this is……?”

A large butt, muscular back full of physical beauty, and smooth wings. A picture that can only be described as erotic. I know who this person is.

“Ran, che…?”

The phrase written on the paper and Ranche’s back. And the content that the Elder said yesterday overlaps.

[The Territory people’s anxiety must be great, so it seems urgent to appoint a new Captain as soon as possible. Leaving aside the handling of the situation]

[We will yield the appointment to the Lord’s Wife for this appointment as well]

[However, one thing we ask is… to prevent something like this from happening again, we hope that it will be a righteous person with great power who is not swayed by temptation. We will withdraw now. We hope you make a good choice, Lord’s Wife]

Could it be that everything is for this……?

Worsening public opinion about me, narrowing my position, and putting Ranche in the position of Captain?

–Creak…!!

“Damn it… It’s my fault for believing it… Those shady old men!”

The Captain of the Garrison is the person in charge of the Territory’s security. Such an important position could not be raised without a meeting or verification. That should have been the case, but…

“Was it because of this that they handed over the appointment of the Captain…!”

Originally, it is the Lord’s authority to appoint the Captain of the Garrison. However, the Lord, that is, my husband, handed over that authority to me, and after discussing with the Aides, we would put a suitable person in the position of Captain…

Even the Aides handed over the authority to me. Therefore, it is entirely up to me to decide who the Captain will be.

That means that all the responsibility is passed on to me. If the newly appointed Captain does well, it will be my credit, but if he commits corruption, that will also be my responsibility.

“I’ve been cornered… Damn…!”

And the new Captain is pointing to only one person to a chilling degree. The Avian race that made me tremble in fear…

Every time I thought of Ranche’s face, an inexplicable anxiety crept over me again, and I felt like I had become weak.

My mother once told me while teaching me Familiar Magic. The Serenphide Family can copy and use the physical abilities of the animals they Familiarize, but they tend to be assimilated with the animals’ habits and instincts.

That is, obedience and submission to the overwhelming strong. In such cases, relying on someone is an efficient and effective solution.

“Lord… Lord will definitely be able to help me…!”

My Lord, who has a competent political affairs ability and aristocratic dignity that is hard to believe that he was a former Monster Hunter.

At first, I went to see him just by hearing the name Edward, but the moment we looked into each other’s eyes, I realized my love along with a feeling of longing.

I relied a lot on him, who could appropriately choose the intelligence and power of a wolf. I was sure that he would be able to help me in times like this, so I hurriedly ran out of my office and headed to my Lord’s office.

–

–

–

“L, Lord…!? Are you listening? I, it’s me. Annie!”

–Knock, knock……

I quickly ran to my Lord’s office and knocked on the door repeatedly, but there was no response. I shouted loudly, wondering if he was taking a nap, but the only sound that came back was the sound of knocking.

“W, wait a minute!”

“Yes…? L, Lord’s Wife…! W, what’s wrong?”

“Where’s Lord… the Lord? It should be time for work, but…”

I stopped the fruitless knocking and spoke to a maid who was passing by nearby. I know that this maid is the one who cleans my Lord’s office. She must know something…

“The Lord left the mansion early this morning. But since he hasn’t returned to his office yet…”

“Okay… I understand. You can go now.”

I didn’t need to hear the rest of the story. Where did my Lord go…?

The consultation with my husband was off the table, and as gloom and unease settled over me once more, I trudged back to my office.

“When will my husband be back…?”

I sighed and opened the door to my office, only to find…

[We’ve been waiting for you, Annie♥]

[Oh my… I thought you’d be gone for a while, but you’re back so soon, Annie♥]

“Ranche… and Beth?”

Ranche, the source of my anxiety and irritation, and Elizabeth, my long-time comrade. These two were occupying my office.

“Hnn…♡ W-What is this smell…!”

At the same time, the suffocating heat and pungent odor filled the entire office…

A sweet smell clinging to my nose… It was the same fragrance that Herry had. The one that felt like you’d become addicted if you kept smelling it… Why was it in my office?

More than anything, almost at the same moment I witnessed the wooden desk, made of solid wood, stained with something thick and white, my Sixth Sense warned me.

//E s c a p e f r o m h e r e i m m e d i a t e l y//

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