episode_0059
by fnovelpia-Quarrr!
“Tsk. The place I didn’t clean up…”
The Bismuth family mansion where Van and Sonia lived. The atmosphere of this warm home could not be described as good even with empty words.
The flashy appearance that was comparable to that of many nobles until a few months ago was no longer visible. It was like seeing a decapitated animal on the verge of being abandoned.
“···Half.”
Ban was searching around the mansion, leaving Sonia with a worried look behind him. It was to find items that could make money and an emergency fund.
However, it was difficult to find any valuable items because the former employees, who had been forced to leave the mansion due to delayed salaries, had taken valuable items with them one by one. Even a few of the windows were removed, and the sound of the wind coming from them was bitter.
Of course, they could have stopped it by pointing their blades at them, but Ban and Sonia didn’t do that. This is because I felt sorry for the employees who held on for two more months even though their salaries were cut off.
-···sorry. miss.
When Carls, the head of the house and the person who had allowed Van to come to the mansion, finally packed her bags, Sonia cried a lot. I covered myself with a blanket to avoid being seen, but a cry that I couldn’t hide escaped.
But nothing will get better if you just wallow in sentimentality. After hearing that the young lady was being targeted by Finn, I couldn’t stay still.
“First of all, these are the things that were in my room. How about it…?”
Sonia went into her room for a moment and spread her palms while making a clattering sound. These were accessories made as a training to inherit the position of head of the family.
Sonia is not stupid. He thought that there must be a reason why the only class that stayed for him was like that. So, one by one, I took out the items containing memories that I had kept since I was young.
“······.”
These accessories containing Sonia’s determination will be melted in a red-hot furnace and valued at their weight. Memories, the illusion of not being fed, were all blown away.
“Yes. It will be of great help. Thank you, lady.”
“Hehe, what. You are left without receiving any money. I can’t stay still either.”
I tried to look calm somehow, but I couldn’t ignore his feelings. So, Ban put the precious metals that Sonia had handed him into his pocket.
Contrary to the positive voice I somehow uttered, the anxiety in my heart did not subside. In this unstable situation, the more money you have, the better. Although we could survive to some extent, it was clear that the amount for self-reliance would not be enough.
“···First, I will exchange these into money.”
“Uh, yes.”
“As you may know, there are people surrounding the mansion these days.”
Nod. Sonia moved her head up and down.
“Yes. that’s right. Sometimes I throw something at the wall…”
Sonia’s body trembled slightly as she spoke carefully in a low voice. Ban, who saw this, grabbed Sonia’s shoulder.
“Yes. They are the Bismuth family’s creditors. It’s a pity that we can’t get our money back, but shouldn’t we survive?”
“······.”
Sonia couldn’t help but nod her head calmly. The person whose safety is most at risk right now is Sonia. Even in that situation, I felt guilty toward those who did not get their money back.
“If the matriarch returns, the situation will somehow stabilize.”
Half of them sounded hopeful. Whether that was true or not, now I had to muster Sonia’s will to move.
“···Yes. that’s right. I’m sure Dad has a way.”
“Yes. you’re right. So we must wait safely until the Lord of the House comes. It’s a brief escape for him.”
Well done. Ban lightly shook his pocket where he had gathered things that could be money.
“I will hand these items over to the pawn shop.”
“···Can I go with you?”
“If the two of us go out together, we will definitely attract attention. I think it would be right for me to go out into the city for a while, alone, taking a back road that the authors don’t know about.”
“Ah, ah…”
Sonia’s hand, which had been hovering in the air and reaching towards the class, returned to its original position. This is because when I thought about it rationally, I was convinced by what Ban said.
But Sonia’s face didn’t seem to straighten. I know it won’t be like that. Really, what if Ban leaves. I really thought I couldn’t bear it.
“I will go. Miss.”
“Ugh, yes…! You have to come back, okay?”
Van, who noticed that she seemed anxious, gave Sonia a hug and then headed toward the hidden passage. With a resolve to return as soon as possible.
***
Is it for the sake of Sonia, who is anxious? It wasn’t long before Van returned to the mansion.
“That old man looks a bit in a hurry, so I just hit him right away-”
The mood of the class that brought the exchanged money into the pocket where they had taken their valuables was not very good. For the first time in a long time, the way I spoke from back alley days came out.
“Ugh, was it that bad?”
“Don’t even talk. Normally, I would have pulled out the dagger. I didn’t want to attract attention, so I just passed over…”
As I said, the old man at the pawn shop just before the back alley saw the situation clearly with eyes trained over many years. There is a need for currency exchange without any questions asked.
-No, even if you just melt it down and sell it, you would get a lot more than this. Does this make sense?
-Then you can just melt it and sell it yourself… If you don’t like it, get out.
“That bastard…!”
The old man who looked down on him with his sarcastic tone never left his mind. Half of the time, I gritted my teeth.
“Bar, half! calm down! You need to stay calm now, right?”
“···Phew.”
In the end, he was finally able to regain his composure thanks to Sonia’s desperate dissuasion. Wow. Ban carried a large backpack on his back.
“Okay then, let’s go. Miss.”
There was thick darkness outside the window. Ban’s plan was to take advantage of that opportunity and escape from the mansion. In slang, it means running away at night.
“Ugh, yes!”
Even though Sonia knew about it, she didn’t bring it up. Because he knew that Ban was acting like this out of pure favor for himself.
***
“ came. Miss.”
“Yes. Did you go to class?”
Tararalalak! The firewood that had been loaded on the truck spilled to the floor. Ban stacked the pieces of wood one by one.
“Try it! I made it!”
“······.”
Sonia held out a ladle filled with something slimy. Although it may have been food given the circumstances, Ban wondered if it would be okay to put it in his mouth.
However, ignoring the young lady’s sincerity is disqualifying as a servant. With determination, Ban put something too thick to be called soup into his mouth.
“How about it?”
“···Delicious.”
Half of me promised to myself. He said he would do the cooking himself.
Van and Sonia successfully escape at night. The two were building and living in a cabin halfway up a deserted mountain. When I first arrived, there was nothing in the empty space except the tent I had brought with me, but now it started to have a sense of life.
There was a reason for setting up a residence in the mountains about two hours away from the mansion, rather than going far away.
This plan was made based on the assumption that Bert, the head of the family, would return. Van thought that if Sonia disposed of all of Bismuth’s assets, including the mansion, which she had not been able to sell due to her age and position as not yet the head of the family, she could somehow maintain the family name.
Therefore, it was necessary to set up a residence at least within a distance where news of Byleth’s return could reach. So, half of us packed equipment useful for outdoor life. And I succeeded in building a small cabin in one month.
Whenever possible, food ingredients are obtained from the mountains. Set a trap and catch a fish. Firewood was obtained by chopping down trees. Ban puts on his hood and goes into town to get things he really needs but can’t get.
Half of me was worried inside. It was a difficult situation for a noble lady to endure.
However, contrary to Van’s expectations, Sonia was not so depressed. In fact, it seemed much brighter than when I was in the mansion, which was becoming more and more dilapidated.
Half of the group goes out into the mountains to find food ingredients and bring back necessary items. Sonia used her trained dexterity to quickly create the necessary items, including cutlery.
-···Is this perfect?
Inwardly, Sonia thought this situation was like that of a newlywed couple. The noble lady’s heart pounded. If Ban had had some free time, he might have noticed that sign.
However, unlike Sonia, Van’s heart was filled with impatience. Because I know that this life cannot last long.
Van muttered softly in the yard of the cabin without Sonia.
“At least come before winter…”
It is summer now. In summer and fall, it is not that difficult to find food in the mountains. The weather is tolerable right now.
But when winter comes, the story is different. Finding food will be difficult, and the cold wind will blow through the hut that Van built with inexperienced workmanship. In the end, the limit was for Bert to return before winter.
“Baan-! Come by for a moment!”
“···Yes, lady.”
Ban sighed deeply and turned his head towards Sonia. I hope I can keep that smile.
***
“Cough! Big! Haha…”
“······.”
Time passed and winter came. Bert still hasn’t returned.
“Ba, Baan. It can be moved. So falling…”
“No.”
Joowoouk-! I wring out the towel that was half soaked in warm water. A towel with just the right amount of warmth and moisture was placed on Sonia’s forehead.
“······.”
It was the worst situation.
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