Chapter 26 : Godmother

“We’re just going to get the permit and leave right away anyway.

Don’t worry.”

Our purpose for coming all the way to Reinz is ultimately to go to the Black Forest.

Honestly, I don’t have the slightest desire to stay here for long either.

The Black Forest is a restricted area, so we need a permit to enter.

Since we are Academy students, getting one issued shouldn’t be a major problem.

“Once we finish quickly, let’s go hang out somewhere.”

And when this war is over, I’ll definitely confess to her.

Don’t worry!

I’ll definitely come back alive.

Did we get them?

I slightly regretted letting such cliché lines slip out, but thankfully, the group’s mood lightened up a bit.

We decided to put Amiter’s matter aside for a moment.

I’m curious, but I’m not tactless enough to ask about it at this timing.

The place that issued permits was Reinz’s City Hall.

It was closer than expected, and much shabbier.

Perhaps because it’s a building that exists only nominally, coming here after seeing the tall, glittering buildings nearby made it look utterly

unimpressive.

Inside the small, worn-out city hall building, a male employee who looked like he had nothing to do filled the space.

Still, maybe because he was getting paid by the state, he started filling out the permit without complaint when we stated our purpose.

“It’s smaller than I thought.”

Even Teperi nodded as if agreeing with my words.

Although, no matter how small it is, it’s probably twice as big as the one in your neighborhood.

The man writing the document grumbled as if he agreed too.

“This isn’t a city run by the country.

Four organizations operate the city independently.

The district maintenance fees collected from each area…”

Even though I’m a Duke’s daughter, I know next to nothing about politics and administration.

Such things were my brother’s responsibility back in my family’s territory, not something I was involved in.

Fortunately, Teperi didn’t seem to understand either.

She sent me a look asking for help, but I pretended not to notice.

“Have the Haista members remained the same as before?”

“I heard there haven’t been any major changes for several years.

Are you perhaps from Reinz?”

Amiter shook her head and didn’t respond further to his words.

The employee also finished his task and handed us the documents.

Only the signature fields were empty on the densely written papers.

Teperi simply wrote her three-character name.

Thankfully, her intelligence wasn’t so low that she couldn’t write.

I also wrote the name Trea Ludbeck.

Nobles might seem numerous at first glance, but in reality, they make up less than one percent of the total population.

Amiter took the pen from me, hesitated for a moment, then wrote the four characters of ‘Amiter’.

The man checked the signatures and handed us the permits.

“This was simpler than expected.”

Even though it’s a document issued in some corner like this, technically it’s a nationally certified document, yet the fact that it just had a

single stamp without any decoration or pattern strongly gave off a shady vibe.

Teperi grabbed me as I waved the confirmation slip back and forth and pulled me outside.

[Are we leaving right away now?]

“Hmm, I’d like to.”

But it seems like that won’t be the case.

Wasn’t this supposed to be in front of the City Hall?

Even if this place is just a name, it’s still officially the City Hall.

In broad daylight, people in black suits were surrounding the building we just came out of.

Unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be backup dancers.

An organization dressed in black suits.

It feels like they’re about to feed me drugs and turn me into a child.

“Did anyone do anything wrong?”

And unless they suddenly felt the urge to terrorize the perfectly fine City Hall, their target was clearly us.

The people surrounding us looked like mafia members from a movie.

Despite the gradually warming spring weather, everyone was wearing full suits.

The only fortunate thing was that they weren’t holding guns.

Thank goodness this is fantasy.

‘This is annoying.’

Should I just wipe them all out?

I could slaughter them so they can’t even utter a word.

It was a tempting idea, but I decided to restrain myself.

We’re about to enter the Black Forest soon, and I don’t want to waste unnecessary energy in the process.

Maybe they didn’t come because we specifically caused a problem?

Perhaps those delinquents we chased away earlier were actually major criminals, or something like that.

Sigh, even I think that doesn’t make sense.

One of the men in black suits stepped forward and spoke to us.

“The Godmother summons you.”

“Godmother?”

Is he saying his mom is calling, so we should go with him?

They had a conspicuously luxurious carriage waiting.

Is that supposed to be like a limousine here?

Fortunately or unfortunately, Amiter seemed to know who that was.

She looked back at me and Teperi with heavy eyes.

“Sorry.

It seems I have to go for a moment.”

“Do you really have to go?”

Seeing her nod silently made me sigh.

The old saying that you should choose your friends wisely wasn’t wrong at all.

I grabbed Teperi’s wrist and shoved her into the carriage.

She struggled but eventually got in.

“What are you doing, not getting in?”

“…It could be dangerous.”

“The only time I was in real danger was when you tried to strike me down with your fingernails.”

Just because someone isn’t a good friend doesn’t mean they are a bad person.

And honestly, no matter how much this felt like going into a mafia den, I thought it couldn’t compare to the Black Forest.

“Thank you.”

Amiter grinned and climbed into the carriage.

As soon as we were inside, the carriage started moving towards somewhere.

Even inside the moving carriage, she still had an anxious expression.

Like a puppy needing to poop, to use a crude analogy.

Anyway, the atmosphere inside the carriage was extremely heavy.

“What, are you getting motion sickness again?”

“This much is bearable.

If I knew this would happen, I would have swam my way through another route.”

[Who is this Godmother person?]

Teperi, who had been quiet, asked Amiter.

I do feel a bit sorry for her.

It feels like I brought her along without even asking her opinion.

“She’s like a benefactor who raised me.”

“What, was she really your mom?”

Amiter sighed at my words and continued.

“…It’s a bit complicated, but no.

She’s the one who took me in when I had nowhere else to go.”

[What? Then she’s a good person?]

“Teperi, be quiet for a moment.

She’s talking.”

Teperi, having been scolded by me, tried to retort something but sighed and turned her head away.

Right, one should be quiet when others are speaking.

Amiter muttered, looking out the carriage window.

“There’s a place called the Dogfighting Pit there.

It’ll be interesting if you go see it.”

Just when I managed to set the mood, she suddenly changed the subject.

I wanted to tell the wolf not to talk dog nonsense, but it seems the shaking stopped, meaning we’ve arrived.

Organization members opened the door from the outside.

“Please enter.”

The place we arrived at was the main entrance of that incredibly tall building we saw from outside Reinz.

This place too was packed with people in black suits.

Maybe because it was a building constructed with loads of money, there was even a fountain in the small garden filling the front of the

building.

“Amiter.”

That wasn’t my voice.

It certainly wasn’t Teperi’s voice either.

Her name came from beyond where the organization members stood.

The burly men in suits turned in unison, clearing a path, and a woman holding a parasol walked through the middle.

It was a serious scene devoid of any laughter, but honestly, it was a little funny.

How many times must they have practiced to synchronize that timing?

Fortunately, I wasn’t the type of person to chuckle tactlessly in such a situation.

I crossed my arms and watched her approach.

“It’s been a while.”

“…Godmother.”

The Godmother was a beautiful lady exuding a mature atmosphere.

It seems she knows Amiter, right?

Teperi and I decided to tactfully step aside.

“Have you been well?”

“I’ve been getting by.”

“Still such an uninteresting child.”

That hit the spot~

It seems that Godmother woman, like me, says what’s on her mind.

I kind of like her already.

“What business brings you here?”

“Isn’t it time to end your little game of running away from home?”

“That place was not my home.

And certainly not a place I would return to.”

It seems Amiter owes that woman something.

Otherwise, that attitude doesn’t make sense for someone with her personality.

Unable to watch any longer, I decided to intervene a little.

“Excuse me, we need to get going now.

Could you please state your business quickly?”

Just standing around like a background prop isn’t my style.

Get straight to the point!

Maybe because of the country I lived in, I really like things done quickly.

My impatient personality is also a factor.

“And you are?”

“Trea Ludbeck of the Ludbeck family.”

Who am I?

The daughter of one of only four Ducal houses in the world.

The Godmother showed a slightly surprised expression upon hearing the surname.

See, power is awesome.

Since this is a city visited by outsiders, name-dropping the Ducal family name was highly effective.

“…You’ve made quite a friend, Ami.

My apologies.

However, the conversation we are about to have is an internal matter.”

“Th-That’s not all!”

She’s acting so high and mighty even after I dropped the Ducal name.

So, what other method is needed to seize the conversational initiative here?

We’re lovers!

For some reason, Teperi jumped and looked the most surprised of all.