Side Story – The Owner of the Box (3)

 Harold found me that evening. 

 While it wouldn’t be seen as particularly strange for a father-in-law to seek out his daughter-in-law, Harold’s reason for finding me was certainly odd. 

 “Saeaga.” 

 “…Yes, Father.” 

 “…Ahem. I have something I’d like to ask you, Saeaga. Could you spare a moment?” 

 “…….” 

 What on earth was this suspicious reaction? 

 No matter how I looked at him, he felt a little different from his usual self. It was his characteristic to brazenly call me, no matter what, when he wanted to talk to me. 

 Now, no matter how I looked at him, there was a strong sense of him being restless, as if he had committed some wrong against me. 

 “…Yes, Father.” 

 Of course, it wasn’t as if I had the leeway to refuse a conversation with Harold. 

 Since he was Ethan’s father, he wasn’t someone it would be bad to get on his bad side. 

 Even though he was about to have his succession ceremony, he was still a Duke. And even if he passed on the Dukedom, he couldn’t pass on the titles of Sword Master and one of the Emperor’s Three Swords. 

 With those thoughts, I went out to the garden table alone with Harold and quietly conversed. 

 “Ahem, I have something I’d like to ask you…no, several things.” 

 “…Yes, Father.” 

 “Uh…are you and Ethan getting along well lately?” 

 “…Yes, we’re getting along well. Ethan has been covering for my shortcomings as a Duchess-to-be. Thanks to him, I’ve now reached a level where I can converse with high-ranking individuals without difficulty.” 

 “…Ahem, I, I see. That’s truly fortunate.” 

 …Somehow, that was a reaction as if he wasn’t really curious. 

 From the start, the fact that Ethan and I were getting along well was known not only to Harold but also to the August Family at the far end of the western territory. 

 If by any chance bad rumors were to arise, they would naturally reach Harold’s ears. There were only two servants in the mansion directly connected to him, after all. 

 “Are you used to mansion life now?” 

 “Yes. After all, I’ve been living here for over ten years now.” 

 “Hmm, your time as Ethan’s wife hasn’t been that long, has it?” 

 “It’s been over five years, though. Everyone treated me as the Duchess-to-be even before the marriage…” 

 “Hmm, I suppose so. Mmm…” 

 …I just wish he’d ask what he’s curious about quickly. 

 This was the first time Harold had felt so frustrating. He wasn’t usually the type to beat around the bush like this. 

 He was always direct, the type to draw his sword at the slightest provocation, so why had he become so cautious? Had he developed some side effects from female hormones in his old age? 

 “…Ah, ah. Now that I think about it, I heard something earlier.” 

 “Yes?” 

 “I heard you participated in the big cleaning with the maids earlier…” 

 “…I apologize. Everyone was working so hard, and I felt a little bad just playing around…” 

 “Oh, no. I’m not particularly reprimanding you for that. It’s not wrong for someone of high standing to take an interest in humble tasks. Mm.” 

 Why bring up the big cleaning out of nowhere? Is this the main point? 

 But why is Harold suddenly interested in cleaning? Anyone could see that the big cleaning was done because of Ethan’s succession ceremony for the title; he must know that himself. 

 Or perhaps there was some problem during the big cleaning… 

 ‘…Wait, no way.’ 

 Seeing Harold’s absurdly hesitant manner, the events of three days ago naturally came to mind. 

 The mansion’s basement storage that Isabel and I had been organizing. The old wooden box that the young maids had brought down during the cleaning. 

 …And everything, including the contents of that box. 

 “…Actually, I had stored a certain chest somewhere in the mansion.” 

 …Ah. 

 “…I had planned to take it with me when I left the mansion after the succession ceremony, but it’s nowhere to be seen.” 

 …Fuck. 

 “I asked the maids who cleaned the room, and they said you organized the basement storage… I wanted to ask if you might know anything about it.” 

 …Right. I understand why he hesitated. It’s not really a story a father-in-law should tell his daughter-in-law. 

 In fact, it’s a topic that shouldn’t really be discussed between opposite sexes, if possible. Perhaps only between a married couple would it be acceptable. 

 Seeing him look for that as soon as he returned to the mansion with Mezlen… I couldn’t help but naturally think that those depraved genes really don’t just disappear. 

 “It was an old box, so I thought it wouldn’t be used for a while. I organized it in the deepest part between the bookshelves in the corner of the storage room, Father.” 

 “…Right, thank you for letting me know.” 

 “Don’t mention it.” 

 …It’s probably better not to mention that I saw the contents. 

 Even though we’d only see each other once or twice a year after the succession ceremony, it’s still strange for a daughter-in-law to know her father-in-law’s sexual preferences, isn’t it? 

 If I just pretend nothing happened and gloss over it… 

 “Ah, this is just a hypothetical question, but.” 

 “……Yes.” 

 “…By any chance, did you see the contents? I recall it being locked, but…” 

 “…….” 

 With the lock already broken, I couldn’t make excuses that I hadn’t seen it. I had even left the broken lock inside the box. 

 “Yes, I did.” 

 “…I, I see.” 

 “Yes.” 

 “Ahem, d-don’t get the wrong idea. Those were just things I had to prepare. Tanasia always struggled, so as an alternative…” 

 “Oh? Was that pet one that Madam Tanasia kept?” 

 “……What are you talking about?” 

 “The items in there… I thought they were things left behind by a pet that my father-in-law kept before I came to this mansion… Seeing that the dog ears and tail were taxidermied, it seemed like you kept a rather large dog…” 

 “…….” 

 “The collar, the toys… I thought they were all things left behind by a dog that Master kept, but were they from a pet that Madam Tanasia kept?” 

 As innocently as possible, pretending I truly didn’t know what those items were used for. 

 After all, there was a non-zero chance that I genuinely didn’t know. Even Isabel truly didn’t know what they were used for when she first saw them. 

 Of course, it was funny for me, who’d been through so much, to pretend to be innocent, but doing so was better for both Harold and me. 

 “Th-that’s right. They’re relics of a pet. That’s why… they’re even more precious.” 

 “I’m glad you found them, Father.” 

 “Yes, thank you for letting me know. But… could you keep it a secret from Ethan? He… no, he doesn’t know that my wife kept a pet.” 

 “Of course, Father. Do I look like someone who would blab about other people’s precious belongings?” 

 “…No, no. You were intelligent even shortly after you started working at the mansion.” 

 I don’t know if Harold truly believed in my innocence, or if he was just pretending to believe me to avoid embarrassment. 

 But it didn’t really matter. Why else would there be the saying, ‘what’s good is good’? 

 If I had to be curious about anything, it was whether Harold would use Tanasia’s ‘relic’ as is on Mezlen, or if he’d buy new items specifically for Mezlen… 

 ‘…I’ll just ask Mezlen later.’ 

 I am a little curious about Mezlen’s flustered expression when I ask her if the tail is white or not. 

 …Well, honestly, I’m not really in a position to talk. 

⁎ ⁎ ⁎  

 Time passed, and it was the day of the Duke’s succession ceremony. 

 Over several days, quite a number of witnesses gathered at Blackwood Mansion, and Ethan’s Duke’s succession ceremony began. 

 ‘So many gathered.’ 

 Apparently, as the number of attendees at a succession ceremony symbolizes the influence of a new noble, the mansion was full of people gathered from all over. 

 First, there were heads of subordinate families or their representatives connected to the existing Blackwood Family, representatives from neighboring territories, an old knight presumed to have formed ties with Harold during the war, and an elderly mage who seemed to have a connection with Tanasia. 

 Even about a dozen Academy faculty members participated. Looking at it this way, Harold actually has quite wide connections, unlike what I saw in the game. 

 …Of course, even so, it wasn’t comparable to my and Ethan’s connections. 

 Kyetmajosyegigot Bolt. 

 Crown Prince Seraphine. 

 Saint Celista. 

 Silena the Divine Archer. 

 Natalie the Swift Sword and Thomas the Guardian. 

 Luke the Shadow. 

 Prince Antonio. 

 Agnes, the legitimate successor of the Elizabeth Family, the next Tower Master of the Crimson Magic Tower, and the current Deputy Tower Master of the Crimson Magic Tower (she gets angry if you don’t use her full title in official settings.). The entire Hero Party. 

 In fact, this alone constituted connections that would be valid for the next 100 years in this era. Furthermore, Seraphine was the next Emperor, and her mere presence was clear evidence that the Blackwood Family would remain part of the Imperial Faction in the future. 

 Besides them, there was also the Lady of the August Family, the next Babaracus Tribe Chief and his wife, Paladins with whom he had ties from his time in Ermia, and even that unnamed rival Hosoin I somehow saw at the Imperial Palace last time. 

 Ethan’s acquaintances were also not few in number. As for me, I didn’t know who they were, except for a few members of the Swordsmanship Department. 

 ‘At least he won’t be picked on for being a young Duke.’ 

 Now that the next Emperor is his backer, there’s virtually no one who would pick a fight with him. Unless they want their head cut off to change their hairstyle tomorrow, that is.