When Selling a Grave, Exclude My Own 5

As soon as Alice heard Fira’s telepathic message, the color of her eyes changed.

Like a camera lens zooming in, her visual sensors were simultaneously replaced from within, and she began to identify the hidden presences.

Only after replacing her eyes with sensors that saw the world through thermal energy, rather than human eyes, was Alice able to discover those who were hiding.

-Marlang…

-Marlang?

-Marlang

-Marlang!

-Marlang Marlang…

-Sweet and sour pork

-Marlang?

-Marlaaang!

Hmm, it’s Marlang.

Just 37, exactly as Fira said?

It’s Marlang no matter how I look at it.

…What the hell?

What on earth is that spectacle?

I don’t know if they can’t speak, or if they can communicate with just the word ‘Marlang,’ but anyway, right now, 37 scantily clad, identical girls were running around, crossing between rooftops in a large group.

And at the front, Marlang, wearing a maid outfit, had a gleeful look on her face, as if she were playing tag.

‘What the heck? Did Sohi send the other immortal girls to Marlang?’

Looking closely, it didn’t seem to be the case.

They had a different vibe from the other immortal girls, and they felt more naive.

Their faces were the same, but somehow they looked younger.

For now, there are several hypotheses.

The first hypothesis that comes to mind is that the immortal girls who ran away from Sohi’s house infiltrated the Ark and joined Marlang.

Well, the immortal girls, including Marlang, are basically incomprehensible beings. It seems they can communicate with each other from a distance, like telepathy, so it’s not entirely impossible.

But Sohi had firm control over the immortal girls. And the Ark wouldn’t just let immortal girls infiltrate.

So, naturally, my thoughts turned elsewhere: Marlang might have split her ego or cloned herself.

From the mouths of the girls darting quickly between the roofs, all I could hear was ‘Marlang!’ And except for the original Marlang, the others seemed a bit younger.

It’s strange how their faces are all the same, but they somehow look younger.

“Sister. Alice, Sister?”

“…Ah, Taylor.”

“What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly stop…”

Taylor was giving me a puzzled look, wondering why I had suddenly stopped.

She didn’t seem to notice the 37 Marlangs running across the rooftops, darting off somewhere.

This isn’t because Taylor is immature, but because those 37 girls, including Marlang, are a bit strange.

For one, they seem to be good at hiding their presence. And their speed and movements are quite fast.

Maybe they can all imbue their swords with sparkling mana, like Sohi.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go back.”

“Pyon has to leave here.”

“Huhu, it’s a pity. Will the day ever come when we can live under the same roof and share the same blanket?”

“That will never happen. You’re a commoner, after all!”

“So, does that mean it’s possible if the girl isn’t a commoner?”

“Well, uh… that’s…”

Hmm, the atmosphere is strange?

Fira’s face was just full of playfulness, but Pyon even had a slight blush.

Was it after the two of them spent about 10 days of perceived time together in the virtual dungeon during the liberal arts practice?

Seeing that Fira and Taylor have gotten so much closer since then, it seems something must have happened.

“Hmph! Try it then! Then I might even hang out with you in reality!”

“Oh my, oh my. Really?”

“…”

Taylor’s face turned into an ‘Ah, shoot!’ expression at Fira’s meaningful smile.

“Then, the noble young lady Taylor wouldn’t take back what she said, would she?”

“Hmph! Do you know how difficult it is for a commoner to enter the Ruincrest layer with just their status? You’re attending the Academy with the support of some Executor right now!”

“Hehehehe~”

“Ah, don’t laugh creepily!”

Unexpected.

It’s a strange sight to see the child who relied on me so much acting quite haughty towards Fira.

They must have gotten incredibly close in just a few days.

[But Alice, are you okay? If you want, should I catch them all?]

‘No, it’s okay. Nothing has happened yet, has it?’

[Okay then…]

Besides, I can still control Marlang.

I have a faint mental connection with not only Marlang, but also the 50 dolls currently playing around in the lower layer.

Normally, I can have short conversations, close to one-word answers, regardless of the distance, so it’s not difficult to gather Marlang and those 37 girls if I wanted to.

Marlang must have wanted to play.

I don’t intend to stop her from playing.

With that, Fira glanced at me anxiously from time to time before parting ways. I headed to the Arbentaine Grand Duke’s residence, with Taylor chattering about what happened at the Academy today as background music.

As she saw the largest and most splendid mansion in the Ruincrest layer, Alice felt relieved at the thought that she could laze around in her room, spilling snacks on her bed again today.

Or should I go to Jess?

Ever since she asked me to make a deal, Jess has been really nice to me, like a real mother.

We even took a nap together once…

“Emergency! Emergency!”

“The Lord’s orders! All personnel capable of combat are to assemble in the central garden!”

“Non-combat personnel are to remain in the waiting rooms and accommodations of each building and are absolutely not to come out! That’s an order!”

“Combat preparation complete. Combat preparation complete.”

“Everyone, equip the thought injection sensors! Exchanging information verbally is prohibited from now on!”

“Units 1 and 2, immediately search the western area of Ruincrest!”

“Check the supply station! If it’s the enemy, they will have destroyed that area!”

“Contact Loterio immediately. It’s an enemy invasion!”

Eh.

Roars and commands.

The sight of people in black clothes busily moving around the Grand Duke’s residence was quite unfamiliar.

The Grand Duke’s residence is originally a very quiet and elegant place, and the employees and servants usually walk softly, as if afraid of making even the slightest noise.

Perhaps less than 10 people, including me, can stroll around here comfortably.

But right now, it’s quite…

“…”

“S, Sister? What on earth is going on…!”

Were there this many people in the Arbentaine Grand Duke’s residence?

All hired hunters… no, they seem to be Awakened who have been serving Arbentaine for generations.

Conclusion?

Well, it’s a mess.

A considerable mess at that.

“Excuse me! What on earth is going on?”

“Ah, Miss Taylor!”

When Taylor grabbed a passing servant and shouted, the servant, who had a blank expression, regained some focus in his eyes.

“I, it’s a terror attack!”

“A terror attack?”

“No, it hasn’t been accurately determined whether it’s a terror attack or an assault, but all combat personnel residing in the Grand Duke’s residence have been called in under the Lord’s orders!”

A terror attack?

What kind of terror attack?

My mind raced.

There’s no one crazy enough to cause a terror attack in the Ruincrest layer, at least not in my knowledge.

If I had to guess the suspects, it would be the nobles or families belonging to the Coffee Tree, who oppose the rebellion.

Or it could be an Overseer or infiltrator from the Central Administration that I don’t know about.

But the guys belonging to the Coffee Tree are just cowards whose only goal in opposing the rebellion is to protect their bodies, families, and property, so there’s no way they would dare to launch a direct terror attack on the Arbentaine Grand Duke’s residence.

The same goes for the Overseers from the Central Administration.

Perdain monitors everyone who comes and goes from the layer, and immediately kills anyone who is even slightly suspicious, so Arbentaine is practically the king here, far from the reach of the Administration.

No one has the conditions to dare to launch a terror attack on the Arbentaine Grand Duke’s residence.

“This is no time for this. Miss Taylor, please go back to your room. Miss Alice, you must go to the Lord immediately…”

“Excuse me. I’m also of Arbentaine blood. If something happens to the family, I have a duty to help resolve the situation…!”

“Miss, those are the Lord’s orders…”

“…”

“All non-combat personnel are to stay in their living quarters, dormitories, and rooms and remain there until further orders are issued. Given the situation, I hope you understand, Miss.”

“Then what about Sister? What is Sister?”

“W, well, Miss Alice is the family’s recognized successor, and…”

“Ha.”

Was Taylor’s heart pierced by the fact that she was completely excluded from such matters because she wasn’t the family’s successor?

Taylor’s face, which I glanced at for a moment, was quite distorted.

It’s not that Taylor lacks talent or ability, but she’s been completely excluded from family matters thanks to the Lord, who is preparing for a rebellion in the name of a grand cause.

But thinking about it, it’s funny.

Even that good-for-nothing Dehite wasn’t that great in my eyes, but if you’re not the successor, you can’t be involved in the family’s affairs.

It seems Perdain has been quite obsessive in order to avoid the eyes of the Central Administration.

“Taylor, it’s okay. It’s probably nothing.”

“…Sister. Alice, Sister, you don’t think I can be of any help at all? Is that it?”

“Hmm?”

Well, you’re not helpful, to be honest.

But that’s only because Arbentaine and Perdain are preparing for a ‘rebellion,’ and I’m in a position where I have to stick a knife into the heart of that rebellion.

Objectively, Taylor isn’t weak either, and she’s good enough to be the successor of any noble family… but the situation and timing aren’t good.

Of course, I didn’t say this out loud, but as I remained silent, Taylor lowered her head with a hollow look.

“Ha, right. That’s right. What’s a young lady, what’s Arbentaine. I still haven’t escaped the shadows, and I’m nothing in the family…”

“Taylor.”

“Sister, do you think I’m a joke? It may be nothing to you, Sister, but it was everything to me. I wanted to catch Father’s eye my whole life. I struggled to save Mother from that good-for-nothing Dehite, but Father never even looked at me, and Alice, Sister, saved our mother with her playful and insincere whim. What am I supposed to feel there? It’s fun playing the ugly me and Sister’s sister game…”

“Why would you want to catch the eye of a bastard like that?”

“…?!”

“Gasp!”

At those words, the eyes of the servant, who had been fidgeting next to us, and Taylor widened with a ‘gasp’ sound effect.

“I value our Taylor much more than a bastard like that.”

“……”

“It’s probably nothing. Father. No, it’s not like Perdain, that human trash, is making a fuss for the first time.”

“…I’m more precious? Than Father? Than the successor position? Than this Arbentaine?”

“You’re stating the obvious. Our sister.”

“……”

I subtly signaled to the servant, who was gaping behind us.

Take the child away.

Fortunately, the quick-witted servant quickly nodded and gently wrapped his arm around Taylor.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be able to have dinner together~”

“……Okay.”

With those words, Taylor disappeared with the servant towards the building where her room was located.

Let’s see.

The Arbentaine armed forces are gathered at the central entrance and in the garden. There were also those who were running around, firing detection magic and surveillance magic in all directions to catch the terrorist forces that might be anywhere.

Oh my. Everyone looks busy~

But was the mansion really attacked?

One of the things I’ve realized while living here for two months is that Arbentaine is truly worthy of the title of king and strongest, at least in the Ruincrest layer.

For Arbentaine to be attacked by something, whether it’s a terror attack or something else, what crazy bastard did this?

“…You’ve come.”

Perdain was standing in the central garden with his combat secretaries in black clothes.

However, he looked more subdued than usual.

No, he’s angry.

Perdain is the type to become calmer and quieter than usual when he’s angry?

By the way, what’s that?

The ground in the central garden is completely overturned?

There were twisted electrical pipes underneath, as if there was some kind of underground facility, and there was a huge hole, as if something had popped out of the ground.

It was in the direction of piercing from the underground to the surface, not from the surface to the underground.

“Alice, I’m going to ask you something now.”

-Thud!

“Hmm?”

At that moment, I felt an intangible force pressing down on my body.

I could shake it off if I wanted to, but Perdain’s glare was ominous.

[Human, it’s a lie detection spell.]

Theresa’s words made me realize the purpose of the combat secretaries standing next to Perdain.

They must have come to use this lie detection thing.

A lie detection spell.

He said he wouldn’t doubt me anymore and even told me the family secrets, but now he’s doubting me again?

“No matter how much I investigate the mansion’s personnel, the only impurity in Arbentaine at this point is you.”

“Oh my, oh my. Father. You’re being too harsh on me. Surely you know that such treatment of your beloved daughter is too much?”

“Shut up, you disgusting thing. Answer my questions.”

But Perdain glared at me with murderous eyes, as if he wouldn’t let it go this time.

Hmm, what should I do?

Did he really find out?

What if he found out?

Should I kill them all?

“Alice, did you order this terror attack? Did you dare to order the attack on Arbentaine?”

“What? No.”

I came back from the Academy and the house was a mess, what order…

“…I’ll change the question. Are you involved in this attack?”

“What are you talking about? No. I came back after the Academy and the house was a mess, what involvement or order are you talking about…”

Perdain looked at the combat secretaries in black clothes, but they shook their heads.

It meant it was the truth.

“Alice, did you attack Arbentaine’s secret facilities?”

“No. What is that, you weeb.”

“…?”

As expected, it was the truth this time too.

Perdain’s face became more and more strange.

It was like… this isn’t it? Why isn’t it? It can’t be, there’s no one but Alice, there’s really no one else???

“Alice, did you know about the existence of the underground facilities?”

“Yes, I knew. Just now. 5 seconds ago.”

“…Do you know what those underground facilities are for?”

“What is it? An underground vault? Biological experiments? Or a training center?”

“…Huh, it’s not a lie this time either.”

Perdain snapped his fingers, and I felt the intangible force that had been on me disappear.

I don’t know what it was, but it seems I passed Perdain’s truth game.

‘Tsk tsk, you idiot. If you had just asked me, ‘Are you an infiltrator from the Central Administration?’ instead of asking strange questions, I would have been found out in the end.’