Ch.201201. Why Does He Look Like a Normal Person?

“I handed the horse whip I received from the young master to Castleton.”

“You didn’t need to report such trivial things… Anyway, good work.”

Sitting in the study chair, I waved my hand with obvious annoyance, causing Jawil Wilson to straighten his back.

“I had a light sparring match with Lucien, and he’s improved tremendously.”

“Why are you suddenly bringing up Lucien?”

“Is that not allowed?”

He clearly has a lot to say, but he’s beating around the bush…

I sighed briefly and nodded.

“Yes, thank you for looking after Lucien.”

“…I think we need a method to address how the knights have been neglecting their training lately.”

“I’ll tell the Knight Commander to handle that.”

“After stopping the monster wave, tension has eased, and even the mercenary guild members are slacking off in their training—”

I slammed my palm hard on the desk, cutting off Jawil Wilson’s unnecessary report.

“What exactly are you trying to ask?”

“…Pardon?”

“The mercenary guild is Riden Solis’s responsibility, so why are you concerned about it?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“If you have nothing else to say, would you mind leaving? I need to prepare for the coming-of-age ceremony when I have time.”

After making my annoyance abundantly clear, Jawil Wilson hesitated between the study door and me before squeezing his eyes shut.

“…I heard you had quite a conversation with Clara in the reception room yesterday.”

“Who told you that?”

“…Pardon?”

“That’s strange. Our Clara wouldn’t have told you what she said yesterday.”

Jawil Wilson leaned his ear toward me as if he’d heard something he shouldn’t have.

“Y-young master, what did you just say?”

“Huh? I said Clara wouldn’t have told you what she said yesterday.”

“Before that.”

“Hmm… ‘That’s strange’?”

“Between those.”

“…’Our’?”

Jawil Wilson’s cheeks trembled.

He was clearly trying to manage his expression, but his face was gradually contorting.

I barely managed to swallow the laughter that was about to escape.

“What’s the problem with that?”

“…Since when did you start using the word ‘our’ with Clara?”

“Since yesterday in the reception room?”

Jawil Wilson hung his head low.

This time, his entire body was trembling.

He looks like he might throw a punch at any moment.

“…I’m glad you’ve become friends with my hometown friend.”

Jawil Wilson spoke deliberately, gritting his molars.

Why does this guy seem so adorable today?

Given his face and build, he should be far from cute.

“I was joking. Clara requested to speak with me.”

“Ah… I see.”

“Well, it was a predictable conversation. She asked if we were pushing too hard to make Village Chief Loris the culprit without solid evidence.”

“As I mentioned before, most people in Pandera territory probably think that way.”

“Anyway, I resolved it. By the way…”

As I trailed off, Jawil Wilson leaned his head forward eagerly.

“Yes! Please continue!”

What a booming voice.

Especially since Clara is involved in the conversation, he seems particularly energetic today.

Yet he was stuttering earlier—I guess I’m less intimidating than his first love, huh?

“Have you spoken more with Clara?”

“…We haven’t had any separate conversations since then.”

“Since it will take a few days to return to Pandera territory anyway, why don’t you show her around Lake territory?”

“M-me, sir?”

“Who else should I ask? Riden Solis? Or another knight or mercenary guild mem—”

“…I’ll do it. But will Clara have time to tour Lake territory while nursing her mother?”

I adjusted my posture comfortably as Jawil Wilson slumped his shoulders.

“Rebecca is taking good care of her mother. Besides, when I spoke with Clara yesterday, she expressed curiosity about other territories.”

“R-really?”

“I heard she’s never visited any other territory before.”

“…What?”

Jawil Wilson’s surprise was understandable.

While Pandera territory doesn’t stop people from leaving, Clara was an essential mage there.

Why?

They probably wanted to keep her confined because of her talent.

For Village Chief Loris, nothing would be more terrifying than having a frog from the bottom of a well go outside and learn about the world.

That’s why.

When Village Chief Loris said he was taking Clara, his expression wasn’t very pleasant.

Well, he couldn’t refuse since Loris offered to treat Clara’s mother while bringing Selden Alphonse, but still.

I continued, my lips twitching slightly.

“So I told Clara not to worry because Jawil Wilson would show her around Lake territory.”

Earlier he was gritting his teeth like he wanted to kill someone, but now his face is as red as a tomato, his mouth opening and closing.

Good grief, this guy.

Do I need to spoon-feed him too?

Thud!

I placed a cloth pouch on the desk with a thud.

When I gestured with my chin for him to check it, Jawil Wilson picked up the bulging pouch and gaped.

“T-this is…”

“First, buy some clothes. You can’t walk around with Clara wearing iron armor.”

Jawil Wilson stood there blankly, tilting his head.

“…Is there something wrong with my armor?”

“Hah… Never mind. Just buy clothes as I ordered. And use this money to have fun with Clara.”

“Even so, accepting such a large sum—”

“I said it’s an order.”

After hesitating, Jawil Wilson gripped the pouch and bowed.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Just don’t think about coming back until you’ve spent it all.”

Bowing repeatedly, Jawil Wilson left the study to meet Clara.

His shoulders were bouncing as if he was already excited.

By the way.

I helped the hopeless Leonard get married and found Dernis’s missing wife.

Now even Jawil Wilson’s first love?

I feel like I’ve become House Alphonse’s love ambassador.

‘Hah…’

At this rate, will I be the only one left alone?

While others live happily with their loved ones, will I be sitting alone?

-Back in my day, I was Selden Alphonse… who stopped the monster wave.

Ha!

Even imagining it is dreadful.

After the coming-of-age ceremony, I should actively look for someone too.

After all, love doesn’t come just by waiting.

Knock knock!

Just then, Rebecca entered the study after knocking.

Her expression was quite calm.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Clara’s mother will be fine once she gets enough rest.”

“Already? You treated her that quickly?!”

“It wasn’t a fatal illness to begin with. However…”

“However?”

Rebecca paused, then adjusted her posture before continuing.

“I found that she had been poisoned.”

“Not an illness? She was poisoned?”

“There’s a poison magic called ‘Poison Mist.’ It’s such a weak spell that it’s not used for hunting monsters.”

“Sounds like a useless magic.”

“However, it’s useful when you’ve identified a monster’s dwelling in advance. While ‘Poison Mist’ has weak immediate effects, prolonged exposure can cause significant damage.”

I nodded slowly at Rebecca’s explanation.

“So, someone continuously used ‘Poison Mist’ on Clara’s mother?”

“Yes. As far as I know, symptoms like reddened hands and feet, and blackened skin around the heart, are unique to ‘Poison Mist.'”

“But the treatment was simple?”

“Simpler than expected. However, not a trace of the poison can remain in the body. Otherwise, it will manifest again.”

I clenched my molars tightly.

No matter how much they wanted to keep Clara, they used poison magic on her mother.

And while pretending to treat her, they probably didn’t completely detoxify her.

If I had known this, I wouldn’t have let Brond die so comfortably…

“Hah…”

When I raised my head with heavy eyes, Rebecca flinched.

“A-are you alright?”

“You haven’t told Clara and Jawil Wilson yet, right?”

“…No. This is the first time I’m mentioning it to you, young master.”

“I’ll tell Clara and Jawil Wilson about this separately.”

“Understood.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Rebecca seemed surprised by my gratitude and remained silent for a moment before smiling brightly.

“I was just doing what I should.”

I stared at Rebecca with wide eyes.

Had she ever smiled like this before?

She was always grumbling and unpleasant… why has she changed so much?

It’s actually unsettling.

How were characters with mental issues like Luna and Seri Familia in the original work?

Although they were slightly different from the original, crazy women were still crazy women.

But.

Why does she seem so normal?

Watching Rebecca’s behavior, a deep unease blossomed within me.

Bang!

Just as I was about to say something more, someone entered the study without knocking.

A person with long flowing hair—a woman, or a man…?

I stared with wide eyes as Castleton burst in, flipping his hair with an astonished expression.

“…Young master, this is incredible.”