episode_0047

Successfully concluded the follow-up development.

Flora, who came to find me, left without achieving her goal, and the early crisis of Episode V was easily overcome.

Afterward, I sat down at the table and picked up a pen.

It was because of the contact book issue.

“It’s not a big problem to move to the annex… But if Harnier’s letter arrives in between, it could be awkward, right?”

There is no big problem with sending and receiving letters.

Even today, problems have arisen due to letters, so the maids will pay more attention to my belongings.

However, if Harnier’s contact comes while I’m in the study room, things could get a bit tricky on this end.

“From the moment you step into the study room, you have to be prepared to trigger the dead. If you handle it half-heartedly and leave…”

Naturally, I will become the protagonist of the bad ending.

Just like not participating in Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony in Episode III leads to a bad ending, not stepping into Episode V will lead to death anyway.

There is such a thing as a time limit.

However, there was a slight difference from Episode III.

▶Episode V. Troublemaker in the Study Room in Progress!◀

“As expected, I didn’t notice it in the game, but… It seems certain that it won’t appear even as time passes.”

As I carefully examined the status window, I noticed something suspicious.

The most difficult thing in this game is its compulsory nature.

When choices appear, you have to choose one of them, and when specifying episode branches, you need to take specific actions. The same goes for performing episodes.

The compulsion of any action itself forces you to select dead triggers or dead flag choices, making it difficult.

A prime example is Episode III. Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony.

In Episode III, there was a time limit from the beginning.

The choice to participate in Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony was always there, and messages directing where to go were displayed.

Ultimately, you had to watch Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony.

You had to attend the event somehow, even if it meant using tricks to avoid it.

But how about now?

Nothing.

There is no instruction on what action to take immediately.

There was no message prompting me to head straight to the study room.

In other words, the episode is in progress, but there is no immediate need to proceed.

There is no immediate need to head straight to the study room.

That means I have gained a few moments of free action.

“So then…”

Can’t I make better use of this time?

First, I twirled the pen.

“For Harnier… I can say I have a schedule and can’t meet during this period. And the rest, maybe Camilla?”

It would be good to inform Camilla, who is on vacation for a week.

If she suddenly returns to work and finds the owner missing, what would she think?

“As he is a cautious fellow, there shouldn’t be much trouble, but you never know. It’s better if the mention of that matter doesn’t come from the Duke himself, who is avoiding it.”

Nodding my head, I continued to play with the pen.

The writing is done.

It would be difficult to attach the two letters to the maids right away, so it should be delivered to Heron.

“Hmm. The remaining time is…”

I still have some free action time.

Although it’s free time, meeting a health deterioration bad ending due to falling stats should be avoided, but judging by the rate of decline, I should be able to get through today without any problems.

“Well, the task ahead is obvious.”

I dressed appropriately and stepped outside.

Then the maids started to glance at me nervously.

“Claire really pushed hard.”

-Ding!

Seeing even the choices appearing, it seems like she didn’t just push hard, but completely changed the situation.

“She doesn’t seem to know moderation.”

I gritted my teeth inwardly and chose to ignore it all, opting for silence three times in response.

How should I react to the maids?

When an unfamiliar development occurs, there is no need to take unnecessary risks.

Moreover, it seemed like my recognition would plummet if I made even a sound.

Passing through the corridor, receiving anxious glances, I arrived at the destination.

▶This area is a danger zone!◀

[ Penalties may be imposed for prolonged stays. ]

[ Will you enter? ]

It was a hazardous area.

Just in case, I looked around. It was to thoroughly check if anyone was watching from nearby.

Fortunately, not knowing what might come out of Carsein’s mouth, the servants seemed more inclined to avoid him.

After confirming, I immediately entered the danger zone.

▶Entering the detention room!◀

[ Time limit: 40 seconds ]

A clock-shaped timer appeared, ticking away.

I didn’t plan on spending much time, so 40 seconds seemed sufficient.

“Who…? Are you perhaps Miss Flora?”

Approaching the door with bars, a woman inside the solitary confinement cell turned her gaze towards me.

“You were waiting for Flora? My apologies.”

“…!”

Realizing that it wasn’t Flora who had come to see her but Carsein, she rose abruptly from the cell with eyes that seemed ready to burst out.

Yes. I had come to find Emma.

“What brings you here?”

Emma, who seemed eager to speak right away, held back her words with effort.

Her lips twitched.

“Do you expect greetings in this situation? Thanks to you, innocent as I am, I’m stuck in this predicament.”

Is it appropriate to ask for greetings in such an unjust situation?

Well, I already expected such a reaction.

“Tsk.”

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“No. I’m laughing because it’s funny.”

This time, I openly laughed at Emma.

Emma’s eyes began to redden.

“Because of your attempt to cover up my sins, Lady Claire locked me up in this wretched cell!”

“Unbelievable. You committed acts deserving of punishment, so Claire ordered your confinement.”

“You’re spouting nonsense. My statement was perfectly valid! Given the numerous issues caused by you, it’s normal for you to be sensitive about outings!”

Emma shouted loudly, raising her voice.

Should I put her in her place now?

“You haven’t committed any sins. Even without that, you’ve already offended the Duke.”

“Huh. More nonsensical talk—”

“Recently, there were rumors of embezzlement at the Duke’s estate.”

As Emma raised her voice, her eyebrows momentarily twitched.

“Absurd. Rumors surfaced about embezzling money from the Duke’s estate. But isn’t it convenient that someone suddenly came into a large sum of money at that time?”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Well, I heard that you recently bought expensive clothes. Isn’t that suspicious?”

“Hmph. It has nothing to do with me. It seems you dislike me so much? Making up stories like that.”

She bought those clothes with the money she earned as a maid.

To uphold the dignity of the Bagrandt Duke.

That’s what Emma claimed.

One more jab here.

I threw out a plot twist only I knew.

“Oh really? Among the Duke’s knights, there are some who suddenly changed their equipment. Is that also just a coincidence?”

“Yes. They must have worked very hard. Maybe they saved well. What does that have to do with me?”

Whether she wasn’t foolish enough or not, Emma didn’t take the bait.

But she could be forced to take it.

“Damn it. Do you think I wouldn’t notice that the money that should be allocated to me from the workshop is being added to their salaries because it’s in your hands?”

“Isn’t that Miss Arina’s responsibility?”

“Financial management is probably Arina’s job. However, ledger management and allocation are the rights of the treasurer. You easily manipulated the records, didn’t you?”

“What…?”

“The previous month when we had to urgently use estate funds. You definitely tampered with the ledger, right?”

Emma’s confident face suddenly changed.

‘She asked.’

Her frozen expression was like a sharp stab to the heart.

“Oh, stop talking nonsense! I have never made mistakes in approvals!”

There shouldn’t be any issues with the ledger.

If argued well, I can make it seem like I just imagined things.

But.

Currently, Emma is confined to her room.

I cannot confirm that fact right now.

That was enough.

[Remaining time: 10 seconds]

The time limit seems to be up.

Leaving with just one last word, I got up.

“We’ll see if you were right or wrong once the truth comes out, won’t we?”

“Oh, stop boasting! What truth do you think will come out?”

[Exiting the danger zone!]

Even though someone kept shouting from behind, I couldn’t see Emma’s expression.

However, just by hearing the shouting, one could guess. That girl must be feeling extremely uneasy right now. My confident act seemed to have worked perfectly on her.

That’s the nature of information gaps.

Even if you boast upfront, without a way to determine if it’s true or not, wouldn’t you feel anxious?

‘Be very anxious and impatient, Emma.’

Soon, that impatience will create a small crack, revealing the mistake on the surface.

All I have to do is wait patiently for that moment.

***

“Hmm?”

After provoking Emma and returning to my room, I started preparing to move to the annex.

But then.

Heron was waiting in front of me, along with other servants.

Having confirmed my arrival, Heron dismissed the other servants around him.

“Is there something wrong?”

“Young Master. You mentioned preparing to move to the annex… but it seems to have been rejected.”

“Rejected?”

“…Yes. While you were away, Miss Claire adamantly opposed the idea, saying it absolutely cannot happen.”

According to Heron, the annex is currently unusable as there are no maids or furniture available to assist me.

“They deliberately removed them.”

I shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

“It’s fine. I’ll handle the necessary belongings myself, all I need is my body, right?”

“But, Young Master…”

“I can manage cleaning and laundry myself, so don’t worry.”

If the reason for rejection is just minor inconveniences in daily life, then that’s not a valid reason for rejection.

Upon hearing this, Heron let out a deep sigh.

“Still, you cannot stay there. Young Master.”

“Why?”

“Second Miss has decided not to receive guests for a while and has blocked off the annex.”

“What…?”

They caused such a commotion about not using the annex.

Are they intentionally preventing me from going in like this?

“It was mentioned that you would not be stopped from going to the study, but how can the master stay in the annex? She insisted that only the annex is off-limits.”

Geez.

If they’re going to go this far as to prevent me from entering, why bother at all?

It seems like those servants just returned after finishing that task.

“Um, Young Master. How about considering giving up on using the annex as your residence?”

Heron broke into a cold sweat unexpectedly, not responding.

At this rate, it seems like the annex is unusable.

“Sigh. Fine. Just forget about it.”

“Aren’t you going to the study?”

“I’ll go tomorrow.”

Because if I can’t use the annex, I need to think of another place to stay.

“There’s a way. Just add one more letter to the smoke signal.”

And so, I decided to spend an unexpected extra day.

***

Beyond dinner, the time of night arrived.

In a quiet solitary cell with only one person, faint footsteps echoed.

“Who’s there?”

As the silence broke, Emma reflexively asked.

“…It’s me. Emma.”

“No, Miss Flora?”

When the most beloved youngest miss appeared, Emma stood up with a bright smile on her face.

“To come all the way to this humble place… you might catch a cold.”

“It’s okay. I dressed warmly.”

“Still, Miss. Please go back quickly since I’m fine.”

She said that, but it couldn’t be more welcoming.

For Emma, Flora was a savior who relieved this anxiety.

Afterward, Flora offered a tempting dessert, and formal conversation ensued between Emma and her.

Then suddenly, Flora asked.

“…You know. Yumo. Can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes, Miss.”

Emma nodded positively with a bright face while finishing the dessert.

Lost in thought, Flora asked a puzzled question.

“Everything I’ve done so far, it’s all for the family, right?”

“Hmm?”

“That… what I did to Karsein.”

Emma put down the dessert and widened her eyes.

“Yes, Miss! That vulgar and filthy person came to ruin the nobleman!”

It was a statement that had been repeated many times.

“What would someone who prowls the alleys want? They wouldn’t think of anything other than swallowing the nobleman with their dirty hands. Just like other commoners!”

Threatening the nobleman.

Tarnishing the nobleman.

Dragging down the nobleman’s reputation.

“He’s a villain. Just aiming for Lord Karn’s position, he’s a villain who swallows the nobleman and then tries to secure his own interests by any means. No, he’s a demon!”

A demon who even targets the positions of families.

Yumo Emma always said that.

“…That’s right, right? Karsein came from outside. He came from the slums.”

“Yes! No matter what that scoundrel says, don’t waver. Miss Flora. It’s all sophistry, lies, and wicked flattery. Remember that.”

Despite being advised several times, Flora nodded her head.

“Yeah. Don’t worry.”

She vowed not to fall for sophistry and lies.

She said she wouldn’t fall for that flattery.

But.

Even though she said it outwardly, Flora’s doubts didn’t disappear.

“Am I really doing the right thing? Karsein… doesn’t want anything at all?”

She couldn’t bring herself to ask Emma that question.