Chapter 33: Road to Revenge

Something was clearly off.

The mysterious girl and horses continued to neigh and whinny back and forth. The only possible explanation was that they were communicating somehow, and the horses were reacting extremely strangely as a result.

The members of the viscount’s household remained frozen in confusion, but the current head of the house, Mariel, was the only one motionless due to an emotion other than surprise.

Ahh, if only I had met this girl sooner! Maybe I could have talked to Carlos before he died...

Apparently, Mariel had been told that Carlos had died suddenly and unexpectedly.

Kaoru’s conversation with the horses continued, regardless of what was going through the minds of the others.

“Oh, I came in here claiming to be a veterinarian. I need to do something to make it look believable. Do any of you have any injuries or illnesses? I’ll make you all better. If you have anything you want to tell these humans, I can relay those messages too.”

“Really?!” the horses said.

Then, they conversed for a while in neighs and whinnies.

“This horse says, ‘A horrible man whipped me needlessly just to work out his frustration. My butt still hurts.’ Did someone lend this horse to a piece of trash who abuses animals?”

“Wha...” the humans replied, stunned.

The only person I could think of was that uncle in question.

“And this other riding horse says, ‘My knee hurts because the man who sold Carlos to a stable to dispose of him rides very aggressively.’”

“Ah!” said Mariel, having been rendered nearly speechless by the first half of Kaoru’s comment.

“Oh...” the butler and old stable keeper said quietly. They had frozen up, as the truth they had decided to keep secret from the young mistress had just been revealed.

But the bombs didn’t end there. If that had been a 50-kilo bomb, the next one would be an atom bomb.

“And this carriage horse seems to be experiencing some mental anguish. ‘I hate that I have to let the killer of my master and his family ride me. The young mistress is being deceived. I don’t want her riding with him...’”

“Whaaaaaat!!!” they all yelled out.

They were shocked. Dazed.

“Wh-Wha... What do you mean...?”

“I mean, that’s what the horse is saying. I don’t know anything about it. You should also be aware of their other concerns...”

Mariel was trembling, all the color drained from her face. The butler should have been supporting her, for fear of her falling over, but he was too preoccupied with his own worries.

“The carriage leans to the left due to a faulty wheel, which makes it hard for the horses to run. This one’s saddle has a thorn in it, so he wants you to take it out. They also want apples and corn in their food every day, and sweets every once in a while.”

Each of the things Kaoru pointed out were confirmed to be accurate by the stable keeper. A wound that seemed to be caused by a whip on a horse’s rear. A horse that had been favoring its left leg to keep pressure off the right. A splinter stuck in a saddle. The left wheel of the carriage wasn’t turning smoothly...

Did that mean the girl was right about the other things, as well? Could the horses really have told her such things, and could they be true?

“...”

The silence, which had only lasted a dozen seconds, felt like an eternity. A never-ending, dragging silence...

Mariel seemed to finally reboot afterward, and asked Kaoru to translate for the horses. It was obvious what she wanted to ask about...

“...Is what they said,” Kaoru finished interpreting for the horses.

Previously, they had conducted various experiments, such as blocking Kaoru’s view of the horses by standing between them and making her turn the other way while keeping an eye on her, then having Kaoru order them to do complex movements and to neigh a specific number of times.

They also asked her things that only the stable keeper would know. Her credibility was proven without a shadow of a doubt. Silence filled the room again. They knew who the culprit was, but there was nothing they could do...

They could publicly accuse him, but the only proof they had was the word of some strange girl saying that the horses told her so. No one would take that seriously. The others had only heard horse noises, so this suspicious girl could just say whatever she wanted. And even if the horses could testify in the human tongue, they belonged to the person making the accusation, so they wouldn’t be credible witnesses.

They needed something concrete that would be considered usable evidence by everyone. It was impossible to match fingerprints or extract DNA from hair in this world; even if that technology did exist, it wouldn’t help find the culprit in this case. After all, the general population and those who conducted the trial wouldn’t understand their significance.

“What should we do...?”

Mariel’s question wasn’t the query of someone who was actually at a loss for what to do. There was really only one thing to do; the question was how she could accomplish it for certain. Mariel didn’t mean to ask what they should do about this situation, as such, but how to make it a reality. This was evident by the look in her eyes.

She intends to do whatever it takes...

It originally seemed that she had gotten married to her uncle as part of simply going with the flow, without ever thinking for herself, but that didn’t seem to be the case. It turned out that she thought it was what her parents wanted. That must be why she had agreed to a marriage she didn’t even want.

But if that was a lie, and her parents had never truly wanted such a thing... And if the very man who had tricked her was responsible for the death of her parents and brother...

Kaoru had considered withdrawing from this whole ordeal if Mariel was hesitant to do anything about it. She could create a potion that would make everyone involved forget about everything that had transpired in the last few minutes. The girl could marry her family’s killer and live a modestly happy life.

Surely, she wouldn’t mind such a fate. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

Carlos would be taken care of for the remainder of his life, at least so long as that old man was paid. Assuming the old man didn’t die first, that is. That said, Carlos was quite old himself, and it was far more likely for a horse, which has a shorter life span than a human, to pass away first.

But this girl was prepared to take action. There was no sign of hesitation. And so, Kaoru knew what she must tell her.

“I actually do other work besides being an animal doctor.”

This line was completely out of place in this heavy atmosphere. Which meant there must be something to it. Mariel gulped, waiting for Kaoru’s next words.

Then, Kaoru spoke.

“To strike down unforgivable evil, and help the powerless achieve vengeance. They call me the Divine Punisher of Annihilation!”

Mariel and the others stood dumbfounded, then the girl remembered Kaoru’s words from earlier.

“I actually do other work besides being an animal doctor.”

Work. If this is her job...

“Please, fulfill my... no, House Raphael’s request!”

The butler and the old stable keeper didn’t seem surprised by Mariel’s words, nor did they try to stop her. This was to be expected. That’s what their calm demeanor seemed to convey. But in their eyes, there burned a flame of hatred.

Kaoru’s reply was obvious:

“I refuse.”

“Whaaaaaat?!”

A flat-out refusal. This was completely unexpected, considering how the conversation was going. The three from House Raphael stood agape, and Kaoru went on.

“I don’t do double contracts.”

Confused, Mariel gave her a blank expression, and Kaoru continued.

“I’ve already taken on a request from Carlos.”

Mariel’s eyes widened, then she shouted out loud.

“Oh Carlos! You care for me even in death!”

“Ahh... Carlos...”

“What a loyal horse he was...”

The stable keeper and butler crumpled in tears next to Mariel.

“Oh, uh, Carlos isn’t dead... But no one’s listening...”

＊　　　＊

“What? Carlos is alive?”

“At least when I received his request, yeah. It seemed like he had a few years in him before he died of old age,” I explained to Mariel von Raphael.

Though, it was possible that the old horse could have died an hour ago without me knowing, so I didn’t make an irresponsible remark like, “He’s alive right now.” You just never know when it comes to the elderly. But I had given him a potion, just in case, so I doubted that would be an issue.

And so, the investigation was done, and now it was time for the revenge stage.

“I will be fulfilling Carlos’s request now. Can I ask for your cooperation?”

Nod, nod.

It was time to execute the plan. I didn’t intend to have the humans help directly. This was a request from Carlos, on behalf of his owner, the previous viscount, and this young girl. That was why Mariel, the current viscountess of House Raphael, didn’t want to involve the others, either. The only ones who would be part of this were the ones who were in the same position and held the same feelings as Carlos.

“Please show me where you keep the dogs here.”

＊　　　＊

“What... is that?”

“Creeps me out...”

The people regarded the residence with fear and loathing.

It didn’t seem particularly out of the ordinary, though it was a bit more luxurious than the average commoner could afford, the kind of home that a modestly wealthy merchant or a noble without a title would live in. Yes, nothing out of the ordinary.

That is, if one disregarded the massive murder of crows atop the roof, trees, and walls, and the many dogs sitting around its perimeter...

“Damn it, just what is going on here?! Why are there so many crows and dogs all around this house? Did someone scatter food as a prank?”

Aragorn von Raphael... The younger brother of Mariel’s father. In other words, the second son of the previous generation of House Raphael, and Mariel’s uncle. Currently twenty-eight years old.

He was a bit far from Mariel’s father in age, and Mariel was currently fourteen, having been born when her father was twenty, so her uncle was now exactly twice her age. When it came to marriage between nobles, a twenty-year difference in age was quite common, and a marriage between an uncle and his niece was not uncommon, particularly when the purpose of said marriage was to protect a family’s inheritance.

A second son was only considered the “reserve” in matters of inheritance, and as soon as the first son and heir had a child, the second son’s role as that reserve was greatly diminished. This was particularly true if the newborn was a boy, but it was also much the same for girls. In that case, the girl would simply be married off to a noble house’s second son, or even lower, and there would be plenty of willing candidates.

Such a marriage would result in blood ties to that family, and such strategic marriages could be quite beneficial. So, if something did end up happening to the firstborn son, House Raphael would have arranged a strategic marriage for Mariel.

Mariel would have been able to choose one of the many candidates with good backgrounds, charming personalities, and fine appearances, and House Raphael would thus have gained a strong tie to a powerful noble’s house. The son of the other house, who didn’t have a future as the successor of the family title, would become the husband of the future head of household, and his family would eventually have their grandchild as the head of a noble house, so everything worked out in the end.

The firstborn son of House Raphael was clever and healthy, and Mariel was a beautiful and astute young girl. Whether they both grew up healthy, or if one of them happened to perish due to accident or illness, the future of House Raphael was stable. If everything had stayed as it was, everyone would have been happy.

That is, everyone other than Aragorn, who had no chance of inheriting the family title, and thus had no other choice but to become a military officer or a bureaucrat. And so, he had risked it all on one move: hiring assassins to murder his brother, his brother’s wife, and his nephew.

Afterwards, he claimed that his brother had told him to take care of Mariel if anything happened to them, and so he demanded her hand in marriage. He figured his niece was an obedient child who loved and respected her parents, making her unlikely to resist his advances. Mariel would turn fifteen soon, making her an adult, and at that point they would get married, just as he had planned...

Making him the new head and viscount of House Raphael.

Normally, a man marrying into the family wouldn’t inherit the family title, and he would simply be the “consort of the viscountess.” This was to avoid a stranger with no blood ties ultimately inheriting the family title, in the case of divorce or remarriage after the wife passed away. But this time was different.

Aragorn himself had a right to inherit the family title, and if his brother’s bloodline ended, the title would go to him. As such, there would be no inheritance issues if something were to happen to Mariel. His original plan was actually to wipe out the entire family, including Mariel. She ended up surviving due to her not being present at the time of the attack, but he was fine with that result.

Aragorn hated his brother for making him feel inferior and robbing him of the family title and fortune, and now he could make his brother’s young and beautiful daughter serve him and do with her as he pleased. He was reveling in the sweet, sadistic joy that this thought brought him. If she refused, he would just have his assassins kill her, as he had the rest of her family. The title would still fall into his lap in the end.

With these thoughts in mind, Aragorn was completely unconcerned with the future. Such incidents occurring in a short time span would be problematic, but the “accident” would simply need to happen before Mariel married anyone else and had a child. And even if she did have a child, they would both just need to end up in an accident together. After all, whoever married her wouldn’t have the right to inheritance if they weren’t of Raphael blood.

But all of this planning soon became unnecessary, since Mariel had immediately agreed to the marriage. The first and second in line of House Raphael were to be married, and so the inheritance question was set aside. Just a few more months... Mariel would become fifteen in just a few more months, then...

His days had been spent in excitement with such thoughts, then this happened.

“What in the world... How ominous...”

With such a highly unusual thing recurring for multiple consecutive days, rumors had begun spreading, along with speculation.

“A house surrounded by a mass of crows and dogs.”

“Maybe a witch or demon lives there.”

“Someone who made a pact with a demon could be living there...”

From there, someone who had knowledge of the situation added to the rumors.

“I heard a noble husband and wife and their child were killed there.”

“They say he’s marrying the fourteen-year-old girl, who’s the last survivor in line for the title...”

“Wait, don’t tell me...”

“Who do you think those crows and dogs serve? The demon, or the husband and wife?”

Then, the house gradually became covered in the urine and feces of the crows and dogs. Not just from the crows and dogs in the area, but crows that flew in from other regions and dogs that walked over out of nowhere. They all left some droppings and went about their business. No one could deny the involvement of something supernatural after seeing such a sight. After all, this was a world where the existence of a goddess was an undeniable fact.

＊　　　＊

“Finished my shift! Can I get paid now?”

“Yes, yes. Here’s your minced meat, bread, and corn. I made sure to give you the fatty bits of meat. Oh, and I put your take-home portion in a bag, so it’ll be easier for you to carry.”

“Whoa, now that’s what I call service! All right, I’ll be back tomorrow to work hard some more!”

The crow began to eat with glee. Many of its comrades were already eating nearby, and take-home bags were lined up next to them.

If I take this home, my wife and child won’t have anything to complain about. What a great job... or, rather, a great feeding place... I found.

The crow hoped this gig would go on for some time, but didn’t expect whoever lived in that house to be able to hold out much longer. Besides, there would be more tasks to do, starting tomorrow.

I’ll have to work more from tomorrow, but it sounds like fun. The food is supposedly going to get better, so I say bring it on!

Then came the pack of dogs, led by three dogs at the front.

“Good work today! Go ahead and eat your fill. I’ll see you again tomorrow!”

The three dogs at the head of the pack ignored the food and walked up next to the girl.

The rest of the dogs bowed their heads, then began eating. Unlike the ones stuffing their faces without a care in the world, the three dogs next to the girl had rather intense expressions on their faces. Indeed, it was as if they stood before a big bear in order to protect their master from harm.

I had hired the three house dogs, the freely roaming dogs that lived in the area, and other stray dogs, by offering them food. Some of them agreed on the condition that I relay a message they really wanted to tell their owners, or in exchange for me curing an injury or illness. And so, they were all more than happy to work for me. A doctor who could speak to animals...

Yes, I was a regular Doctor Dolittle.

Some time ago, that name was abridged to “Doctor Doritoru” because they figured the original would be too hard to pronounce for Japanese children, but it’s actually “Do-little.” Though, the Japanese spelling wasn’t always consistent. Then, I realized something.

Speaking of “Doolittle,” I needed to have some bombers. I couldn’t just load a bunch of military bombers onto an aircraft carrier, but I needed something... And that’s when I scouted the crows.

They wouldn’t run away even if you got close enough to talk to them, and they were great at intimidation, with all that creepiness and intensity. Plus, they ate just about anything, so providing incentives would be a piece of cake. They were perfect!

Animals that only ate bugs or living creatures, or were hard to find, or didn’t let you get close enough to talk to them, could be a real pain to work with. Although, it would have been cooler if I could have gotten birds of prey like eagles, hawks, or falcons. But this time, I was going for the intimidation factor rather than coolness, so it was fine.

I’d have the crows work on dropping poop bombs all over the place. They’d been level bombing up till now, but starting tomorrow, I asked them to add dive bombing into the mix. In exchange, I was giving them fruits, walnuts, and acorns as an additional reward.

＊　　　＊

“Ah! Damn it, get away!”

Anyone who visited that house fell victim to the dive-bombing crows. Not only did they get hit by their poop bombs, but their belongings were stolen, and their hands were scratched whenever they tried to block the pesky birds.

With such ongoing incidents, it became widely known that anyone who visited that house was a target, prompting a sense of anxiety and distrust among those visitors. A murder of crows would consider you their enemy... And, although they didn’t directly harm visitors, numerous dogs sat and stared at anyone who got close. If they attacked like the crows were doing, it would be serious trouble for the visitors.

With these thoughts in mind, visiting merchants and delivery workers refused to enter the house, and their superiors didn’t reprimand them for their refusal. Getting involved with that house meant trouble. That was the consensus among the local business owners.

Of course, the crow attacks weren’t limited to visitors, but also the residents living in the house in question.

“Damn it, what the hell is going on?! What’s with the dogs and crows...?”

Upon further investigation, it seemed that no one had been scattering food around the premises, after all.

Thinking that the smell might be the issue, Aragorn hired workers to clean at night while the dogs and crows were gone, and even placed herbs that had a scent that dogs hated, but it had absolutely no effect. Then, the crows that had just surrounded the house before became more aggressive with their harassment, and there was no telling when the dogs would join in.

“There’s no way anyone could control dogs and crows. Besides, if such a power did exist, they could use it to become filthy rich. They could use the animals for shows, or make them work in the military... What would be the point of harassing me with it?! I never even did anything to deserve such treatment! This has to be supernatural in nature, but it’s not like it’s some sort of divine punishment...”

Aragorn flinched. Divine punishment... Had he done anything to deserve such a thing? He thought about it.

Would murdering his brother and his brother’s wife and son for the family estate, then tricking the surviving niece into marrying him, be worthy of punishment in the eyes of the Goddess...? The Goddess was a woman, so perhaps she would have little mercy for those with malicious intent towards little girls.

Well, he may have already harbored guilt for killing his brother’s family... But Celestine had no interest in crimes committed by humans, and she would never get involved in such a thing. That is, unless it led to mass murder on a grand scale, or some other catastrophe. Or, if someone was using her name to commit evil or did something to otherwise tarnish her name, that is. But no one besides Kaoru knew that.

The general populace understood from experience that the Goddess Celestine was quite careless, and didn’t mind if bystanders were hurt in the process of dishing out divine punishment. But due to her appearance and gentle way of speech, they presumed that she was generally a benevolent goddess who struck down evil and upheld justice, but also happened to be bad at controlling her powers.

...Despite the fact that she had never done such a thing before.

“W-Wait a minute... It can’t be... But if it is divine punishment, she’d just drop a lightning bolt on me, instead of doing it in such a roundabout way. So the Goddess has nothing to do with this! There must be another reason...”

Indeed, punishment delivered by Celestine would be swift and deadly. She wouldn’t waste her time with harassment like this. In that sense, Aragorn’s conjecture was correct. Although, really, that would do nothing to help him resolve his current predicament.

＊　　　＊

“Count Maslias should be hearing the rumors any time now...”

“Yes, his subordinates and retainers may hesitate to report such rumors to him directly, but now that they’re so widespread, the count himself or someone close to him should hear of them, and will likely give an order to look into the details,” Emile responded as such to Kaoru’s comment.

Count Maslias’s house was the parent house of House Raphael. As a weaker noble house that wasn’t particularly wealthy, House Raphael was part of a faction, in which Count Maslias was an influential figure. The house of Count Maslias was in a neighboring territory, so it had acted as House Raphael’s protector for generations. Of course, they received tribute in return, and House Raphael was expected to side with Count Maslias if they were ever at odds over national policies with other factions.

In other words, House Raphael could not oppose House Maslias. The current Count Maslias was a man of character, who took care of the lower nobles of his retainer houses and treated them with kindness. He even loved the children of Viscount Raphael, Mariel and her older brother, as if they were his own.

Kaoru had heard this from Mariel herself, when she had asked the young girl if there was anyone other than the king who could step in and punish criminals, and might also be on her side.

“Hmhmhm, soon...”

An evil grin spread across Kaoru’s face.

“What’s ‘soon’?”

“Eep!”

Francette’s voice spoke up from behind, and Kaoru let out a yelp in surprise.

“Oh, um, n-nothing! I was saying, dinner will probably be ready soon...”

That was bad. Clearly a bad attempt at an excuse.

“...I see. I thought you were just preparing to dice up some meat scraps to feed the crows again.”

Kaoru and Emile froze.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Haah... I would stop you if you were putting yourself in danger, but otherwise, I won’t try to stop you or get in the way. In fact, if you are working as a goddess, it would be my duty to aid you. I wish you would trust... or, rather, put... your servants to use more...”

With that, Francette shot Emile a glare.

It seemed that she didn’t like the fact that she had been kept out of the loop while Emile was part of the plan. After all, Francette had met Kaoru first, and she would likely be unhappy with the fact that she, a knight who had sworn loyalty to Kaoru, was considered to be below a novice like Emile. Her swordsmanship being judged was one thing, but to think her loyalty was seen as less than Emile’s...

“Oh, Roland...” Kaoru began.

“Sir Roland is royalty. He cannot be involved in matters regarding nobles of other countries,” Francette replied, cutting her off.

Kaoru was thinking:

Francette is a noble too, so wouldn’t it be problematic for her to get involved with matters regarding nobles of other countries too?

Besides, regardless of whether you’re royalty, a noble, or a commoner, wouldn’t sticking your neck in such business be an issue anyway...?

＊　　　＊

“Is this true?!”

Count Maslias, the current head of the parent house of House Raphael, shouted to his subordinate. He couldn’t believe the report he had just heard.

“Yes, my lord. I heard the servants speaking of such rumors, and when I investigated the residence of Aragorn von Raphael, it was just as they said... When I approached the gate with a small bag in hand, the, ah... crow, defecated directly on me, and my bag was knocked out of my hand. As the bag landed on the ground, it was torn to shreds by a pack of dogs. It was clearly a coordinated and deliberate act, and one that doesn’t seem possible for a human to orchestrate...”

“So that’s why there are rumors of him committing a heinous act that brought divine punishment upon him. The only atrocity related to Viscount Raphael that occurred as of late would be...”

The answer was obvious.

“I cannot have Mariel marry patriarch-murdering scum! And, of course, such a man is not fit to be the head of House Raphael. Even if His Majesty and the Goddess allow it, I... Well, I suppose the Goddess doesn’t allow it, which is why this is happening. Seeing as she has yet to strike him down with lightning, this must be her way of saying he must be judged by the hands of men. And if we were to ignore her wishes...”

The stories of past incidents regarding the Goddess Celestine’s wrath crossed the minds of Count Maslias and his men. The incidents that ended up involving countless innocents in the vicinity...

“We must head to House Raphael tomorrow morning! Send a messenger right away. Send a messenger to Aragorn as well, ordering him to go to House Raphael!”

“Yes, my lord!”

They would be going to Raphael Manor rather than Aragorn’s house because Aragorn had no title or servants, and his home was no place to host a meeting. Even if that weren’t the case, no one wished to go to an unclean house that had been stricken by the wrath of the Goddess.

＊　　　＊

“Count Maslias will be visiting tomorrow morning.”

“I see. That was quicker than I thought.”

It was late at night, and Kaoru was sipping tea at Raphael Manor and having a meeting with Mariel. Everyone in House Raphael already knew Kaoru was no ordinary human, and treated her with the respect due someone far above their own station.

“Tomorrow morning, so the second morning bell...” Kaoru muttered to herself.

In this region, saying “tomorrow morning” or “first thing tomorrow” in regards to work or meetings meant “at the second morning bell,” which was 9 a.m. in Earth time. This was unusually early for a noble’s house visit.

“He must have just heard the news today. I assume he is quite flustered...”

Mariel was probably right.

Around here, or rather, in most countries in this world, even though the people had great faith in and appreciation for the Goddess Celestine, they also contemplated her punishments with an incredible amount of fear and dread. This wasn’t a fear of being punished due to one’s own crimes. Rather...

This was a fear of “the Goddess Celestine being so careless that countless innocent citizens are inadvertently struck down by a stray bolt of her divine punishment, resulting in destruction on a national scale.”

And so, despicable acts that could incur such a punishment were deserving of capital punishment, and no connections, bribes, status, or power could absolve those who committed them. This was just common sense. No one would possibly accept a paltry bribe in exchange for the destruction of the nation, along with their entire clan.

“So, this will all be settled tomorrow morning...”

With that, Kaoru smiled a smile that could make children cry. Behind her were Emile, Belle, and Francette. Layette was sleeping in Kaoru’s lap.

Afterward, Emile and Belle disappeared into the night, and the others returned to their home base at the convenience store. They would sleep and rest well in preparation for the morning.

＊　　　＊

“Wh-Why are there so many people...?”

The following morning, Count Maslias of the parent house of House Raphael, along with his attendants, arrived at the Raphael residence to find a large crowd gathered there.

However, the crowd wasn’t being rowdy or blocking the count’s path, nor were they arguing with those who were standing by the public road. Count Maslias found it odd, but nevertheless stepped onto the premises of Raphael Manor. His attendant sounded the door knocker, at which point a butler promptly arrived to guide them in.

“Are you in good health, Mariel?”

The count had been very supportive of Mariel immediately after the incident, but some distance had grown between them after it had settled. However, no one could really blame him for it. He had been spending so much time trying to help Mariel that he had neglected his own territory, and was reproached by his retainers as a result. Since then, he had been focusing on catching up on all the work that had piled up.

In Count Maslias’s eyes, Mariel was indeed like his own daughter.

“Yes, I am doing fine. And there is something I must do, so there is no time for me to waste.”

With that, her gaze turned toward Aragorn.

There were currently eight people in the room. On House Raphael’s side were three people: Mariel, the butler, and the under-butler. However, the under-butler’s clothes clearly didn’t fit properly, and he seemed too physically developed to be a high-ranking servant. He lacked an air of intellect and dignity. It was quite plain to see that he was a guard in disguise. This was likely in the event that Aragorn decided to resort to brute force, in which case Mariel would be too weak to stop him, and the old butler might not be too reliable in a fight.

As for Aragorn, he was by himself. He wouldn’t need a guard simply to visit the house of his head family, or to visit Count Maslias of his parent house, and a poor, unmarried noble with no title like him didn’t have any servants in the first place. If he went out of his way to hire guards just for this visit, it would be seen as an offense directed at the count and the current head of House Raphael, and it would bring the gravity of the situation into question. To Aragorn, this wasn’t a viable option.

Count Maslias had come with two guards. Guards usually remained on standby in another room, but this time they were on watch in here with them. This could be perceived as discourtesy, but he did hold the highest position here. Moreover, this was a welcome move in Mariel’s perspective, as it put her more at ease. Aragorn had assumed that the count had come to bless his union with Mariel, or to discuss the ongoing relationship between House Raphael and House Maslias, so he thought nothing of it.

That made seven people. The final one was...

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Nagase... a detective.”

“A detective?!”

Not wanting them to know her first name, Kaoru opted to refer to herself as “Nagase.” She disliked lying needlessly, and wanted to avoid a situation where she raised suspicion by going by a completely different name and then failing to react to it in a timely manner.

And rather than her name, Aragorn and the count reacted to the unfamiliar word, “detective,” by cocking their heads in confusion. Of course, she didn’t use the actual Japanese word for “detective,” but a new word she had coined based on a similar nuance in this nation’s language.

“Indeed. One who investigates and detects the truth. A ‘detective.’”

Count Maslias and Aragorn wondered why this person was there at all, but considering Mariel had gone out of her way to bring her, and from that introduction, the count surmised the purpose of Kaoru’s attendance. As for Aragorn, he assumed this stranger was some sort of shrine maiden, there to perform the marriage ceremony between Mariel and himself.

“Now, let’s get right to it.”

Count Maslias took a seat and began the discussion, after only giving Mariel a brief greeting and without so much as a word to Aragorn. Mariel was the current head of House Raphael and the hostess of this meeting, while Aragorn was a member of a branch family and had no title, so this wasn’t particularly discourteous, but Aragorn had a displeased look on his face, despite being in front of Count Maslias, as he already considered himself the head of House Raphael.

The count had taken notice, but completely ignored him. That was insignificant when considering what was about to happen.

“Aragorn, I hear you have been receiving the Goddess’s divine punishment. The Goddess Celestine does not normally intervene in matters regarding individual humans. Just what sort of grave sin have you committed to deserve her judgment?! If you’ve incurred her wrath, you may have doomed this entire nation—no, the continent—along with yourself! Speak! What have you done?!”

“Wha...”

This was supposed to be the discussion to finalize the achievement of his ambitions, but instead he had been unexpectedly denounced by the head of his parent house. Aragorn was stunned.

“I-It’s nothing but a baseless rumor...”

“A rumor? But is your house not currently surrounded by crows and dogs, and do they not assault anyone who steps within the premises?”

“Th-That’s because someone fed the animals, as a prank...”

Aragorn desperately tried to find an excuse, but Count Maslias was unrelenting.

“The crows and dogs acted with coordination, accurately picking out their targets. Are you claiming a human could possibly pull off such a feat? Aragorn, do you truly believe the things you’re saying right now?”

“...”

Aragorn grew quiet, unable to muster a retort. Even he knew that this couldn’t have possibly been the work of a human being. However, even though he had been worried at first, he didn’t believe that this was really divine punishment.

“B-But the Goddess Celestine has never punished men in such a roundabout way! In the past, she has always destroyed entire towns and nations with powerful lightning strikes, whirling infernos, tidal waves, fissures, or other cataclysms. And the last time she did so was several hundred years ago. Again, no matter what sort of crime has been committed, the Goddess has never judged an individual’s deeds or meddled with human affairs! She’s not concerned with the laws humans make for themselves, and the only time she’s really angered is when someone tarnishes the Goddess’s name, or uses it for their own selfish gain, or wreaks havoc on nature on a large scale...”

“What...?”

Count Maslias gave him a dubious look at first, which then turned to one of exasperation.

“You claim the last divine punishment was several hundred years ago... This has never been officially announced, but you do realize that there have been rumors spreading not just among nobles, but to the common people, through the priests and the merchants?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Aragorn was perplexed by the count’s response. Then, the count replied with a grave tone.

“The last time the Goddess brought divine punishment down upon the land was a little over four years ago. I’m sure you, too, have heard of these events: The defeat of the Aligot Empire’s invading army and the destruction of the Holy Land of Rueda...”

“Wha...”

Aragorn was lost for words for just a moment, then fiercely argued back.

“The ones responsible for defeating the Aligot Empire’s forces were the guardian of the Kingdom of Balmore, ‘Fearsome Fran,’ and her subordinates, the ‘Grim Reapers’! Then the Goddess descended upon the peace conference to convince the others to end the conflict...”

Count Maslias shook his head.

“That’s inaccurate information spread by the commoners. According to the report directly from the delegation attending the peace conference,

“‘The empire’s forces invading from the western region were repelled by Fearsome Fran’s party, and the Goddess sent her Angel to face the forces invading from the north. As a result, the Kingdom of Balmore sustained very few casualties and successfully captured all enemy soldiers.’

“Also, ‘The Goddess descended upon the peace conference to state that the Holy Land of Rueda would be annihilated. But thanks to the Angel’s pleading to spare the populace, the Goddess contained herself to the destruction of the rotten priests.’

“In other words, it has only been slightly more than four years since the last time the Goddess expressed her wrath, and it is likely that she has changed her method from direct punishments to indirect punishments, such as through another medium entirely. Perhaps she does it to bully— No, no, entertain— I mean, due to some change in her state of mind...”

Aragorn stood frozen, but he soon recovered and began defending himself again.

“I-I’ve done nothing to deserve this! And no one has accused me of committing any crime!”

Aragorn had hired “Black Ops” for the hit. Government intelligence organizations often had their own secret units to handle illicit or immoral operations, such as murder and kidnapping, but this was an illegal and private organization unrelated to the government groups. It consisted of former high-ranking hunters, those who had been banished, those who had been fired by their nation’s intelligence organization due to a highly problematic personality, and those who had fled from the intelligence organizations of other nations.

These individuals were highly skilled and fiercely loyal to their criminal organization, largely out of necessity, so they were “reliable criminals” who kept secrets and contracts at all costs. This was the private crime organization known as Black Ops.

He had little concern that the secret had been leaked, considering they were the ones who handled the entire job. It was nothing like hiring any random group of thugs or outlaw hunters. Aragorn knew he was under suspicion for “the incident,” but with no one to accuse him and no proof to be had, he was confident that even the parent house couldn’t make a move against him, given that he was the heir to a noble house.

However...

“Someone has already stepped forward with an accusation.”

“Wha...”

Mariel, who had been quiet until now, suddenly dropped that bomb of a comment.

“Uncle... No, Aragorn, the monster who plotted to take over my house by murdering the head of House Raphael and his entire family! I said someone has cast a formal suit against you!”

Mariel’s smiling face had transformed into an expression of pure anger, and even Count Maslias, along with Aragorn, couldn’t hide his expression of shock. The only ones who were unaffected by the sudden change were the members of Viscount Raphael’s household and the mysterious girl.

“I-Impossible! Who, what proof...”

“Proof? No such thing is needed. After all, they directly witnessed the incident with their own eyes. They saw you happily chatting with the individuals you hired to murder my father, mother, and brother!!!”

Aragorn was completely motionless, and Count Maslias was stunned. The count had come prepared to denounce Aragorn, but he hadn’t expected Mariel, who had already agreed to marry her uncle, to denounce him herself with such intensity. In fact, he didn’t think she had prepared at all for this moment, much less gone as far as to find witnesses.

“Then I’d like to see them! You’d better be prepared for the consequences if this is some sort of lie!” Aragorn roared back, and Mariel shot him down with an icy cold tone.

“Of course. And Aragorn! You dare speak so to the mistress of your head family, yourself a mere untitled man of a branch house, and in the presence of Count Maslias of your parent house? Have you no shame?!”

“Urgh...” Aragorn turned red with humiliation, but he couldn’t act out further in front of Count Maslias.

Considering how events had transpired, it was unlikely that Mariel would willingly marry him now, even if he somehow managed to talk his way out of this situation. However, if Aragorn claimed that Mariel had gone insane with grief after losing her family, he could potentially force her to give up her inheritance, leaving him as the new head of the house.

Aragorn quickly collected himself after coming to this conclusion. There was no way anyone could have witnessed the event, after all. It had happened on a public street corner, and his men were standing watch to make sure that no one had been around to see anything. And judging by how she phrased it, as someone having “witnessed the incident,” it would be safe to assume it wasn’t someone from the Black Ops organization. This meant she had hired someone to provide false testimony. He could still get through this.

It was only natural for Aragorn to think this way.

“Well then, please follow me, everyone.”

“Huh?”

Aragorn and Count Maslias looked rather perplexed as Mariel stood up.

“You wish to see the witness, correct? Please, this way.” All they could do was follow.

They all stood and the seven of them followed Mariel out of the room, at which point the guards posted in the room next door followed after them. Francette was among them, of course. There was no way she would let Kaoru enter enemy territory alone. She had been listening in along with the House Raphael and House Maslias guards, ready to burst through the door as soon as something went wrong.

＊　　　＊

Emile and Belle went into the city after they had parted with Kaoru and the others the previous evening. Not to enjoy the nightlife, of course, but to provide publicity.

They went around the Hunter’s Guild headquarters, the taverns, and other areas, spreading the following rumor, “Tomorrow, at the second morning bell, witness a miracle before the house of Viscount Raphael.”

And this morning, they woke up at the first morning bell (around six in the morning) to go around the common wells and morning markets to spread the same message.

No one stopped to question it, what with the rumors of House Raphael’s branch family’s “divine punishment” being so widespread. In this world, no one was foolish enough to doubt the existence of the Goddess or her judgment.

Afterward, Emile and Belle went to the stables where Ed and the other horses were being kept, then brought them out, claiming that they were needed for work. Of course, this included the newest of Kaoru’s horses, Carlos.

The horses would do as ordered, even without Emile and Belle escorting them, but if horses were seen roaming about without humans around, they would be at risk of being stolen by scoundrels or turned over to a guard post or guild by some well-meaning person.

Emile and Belle were sent to escort the horses to avoid such a situation, but they simply walked alongside the horses, without riding them. This was a key point: the horses had to move of their own will, without humans riding them. They walked on for a short time after leaving the stable, then stopped. Then, Emile and Belle placed masks on the six horses. The six horses began walking again.

After some time, a group of dogs joined them from the left and right sides of the intersection. Several more joined at the next intersection. And more at the next. And more at the one after. The horses increased their pace to a fast walk. Emile, Belle, and the dogs increased their own pace to keep up.

From intersecting side streets... Back alleys... Eaves of residential houses...

Dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs...

Dogs came running. Dogs came to join them.

Then, when the second morning bell rang throughout the city...

Crows came flying in out of nowhere, as if they had been waiting for the signal.

Crows, crows, crows, crows...

And so, the tanks (dogs) advanced forward, leading the fighter-bombers (crows) flying overhead. Along with the six horses...

In search of their prey.

“Where in the world are we going...?” Aragorn was expecting this so-called witness to be in another room, but Mariel led them through the front door, out of the manor, and toward the front gates. Despite his complaints, he had no choice but to follow. Count Maslias and the guards from both houses continued following, as well.

Behind them was a line of House Raphael’s servants. Butlers, cooks, maids, coachmen, gardeners, footmen, porters... and all the rest of the servants were in tow, their expressions hard. They all wore the same stoic look on their faces, as if they were barely containing a whirlwind of emotions. Only their eyes betrayed an intense, eerie glow.

Mariel walked a few meters out from the gate, then stopped.

There, a large crowd, having gathered from all over town, stood waiting.

“...”

The members of House Raphael and the girl seemed unfazed by the crowd before them.

On the other hand, Aragorn, Count Maslias, and the count’s guards looked rather tense. They had no idea why there was a crowd gathered there. What if they had some sort of grudge against House Raphael and suddenly turned violent? They had far too few guards to hold off an attack from a crowd of such a size. Cold sweat ran down their backs as the thought crossed their minds.

But even then, they didn’t allow their nervousness to show on their faces. As nobles, they could never show panic or seem undignified in front of commoners, even if they were straining to keep up a front.

“H-Hmph, are you saying your witness is someone in this crowd? Don’t tell me you’re going to claim that they’re all going to testify. This is a mere intimidation tactic, and seeing as you have to resort to this, you clearly have no proof, and...”

“Witnesses, please step forward,” Mariel raised her voice, speaking over the flustered Aragorn, and the crowd parted to let six horses through.

However, these six weren’t Ed and his crew, but the two riding horses and four carriage horses owned by House Raphael. Of course, these horses wore no masks. The six horses wore no saddle and were pulling no carriage, and were led by a coachman and horsekeeper, who were also on foot, stopping just in front of Mariel. Aragorn looked around in search of a rider who had dismounted from the horses, but there was no one but the men leading the horses and the crowd around them.

“What witness...”

Mariel cut him off and shouted, “Who is the one who hired the killers to murder my parents and brother?”

Then, each of the horses raised their front right leg and pointed... directly at Aragorn.

“The horses are the witnesses?!” Aragorn and Count Maslias shouted in unison.

Then, Count Maslias continued, “You were talking about horses this entire time...?”

But everyone ignored the question.

Why had the horses pointed at Aragorn in response to Mariel’s words? The reason was simple: Kaoru had taught them several patterns to perform in response to Kaoru’s signals. The horses had simply reacted to Kaoru’s gesture of pointing at Aragorn while bending her hand at the wrist in front of her stomach.

This had all been explained prior to this meeting, so they all understood what this event was for. The signals were simply for supporting Mariel as she made her case.

Upon seeing this, the crowd reacted.

“Oooooohhh!”

“The horses are denouncing their master’s killer!”

“An ordinary horse couldn’t do this! This is the work of the Goddess! The Goddess Celestine was moved by the girl’s will to seek vengeance and the loyalty of the horses, and decided to lend them her strength!”

Aragorn turned pale as the crowd continued to shout.

“...Well? What do you have to say?”

Count Maslias expected Aragorn to back down then and there. Now that the Goddess Celestine was said to be involved, there was no way for him to escape punishment for his crimes, after all.

“Whatever do you mean? An impertinent child taught her pet horses a little trick. That’s all there is to it. What’s more, she’s a vile little fiend who seeks to frame her noble uncle with underhanded tactics! She is a disgrace to the nobility, and should be stripped of her title and exec—”

Plop!

“...Huh?”

Aragorn felt as if something had fallen on his head and put a hand there to check.

“Bird... droppings?”

Plop! Plop! Plop plop plop...

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

Confused, Aragorn looked up to find a sight that was all too familiar at his residence as of late...

The sight of fighter-bombers (crows), flying in units.

“Look, the Goddess’s familiars...”

“Give it up already, or the Goddess will strike you down!”

“I hear the Goddess Celestine isn’t the best at aiming, so we— No, the entire nation could end up going down with you! Confess already!!!”

The crowd grew louder, but if he confessed now, he would certainly be beheaded. After all, he would be admitting to murdering the head of a noble house, along with that head’s wife and heir, all so he could take over. The crime was even more grave than being an arsonist or a thief.

“N-No! So what if a few crows came here looking for food?! The Goddess has no interest in human affairs... I-I mean, she must have sent them to denounce that girl’s evil deeds! The crows are really after House Raphael, and she’s the current head of House Raphael. I just happened to be here today, and...”

But Aragorn’s desperate excuses convinced no one, seeing as the only one being targeted by crows and being pelted with dung was Aragorn himself.

Just then, one end of the rowdy crowd suddenly fell silent. Then the silence spread through the rest of the crowd. The crowd parted from the back, the dividing line extending all the way to the front and toward House Raphael’s gates.

Through that new path walked six masked horses, followed by tens of dogs, dogs, dogs...

Clop, clop, clop.

Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop...

One in the front. One each on either side behind it. And three behind them in the third row. The six horses walked along in an arrowhead formation. At the front was, of course...

“Carlos!!!”

There was no way Mariel wouldn’t recognize him, even with the mask on. It was Carlos, Mariel’s personal riding horse that she had known for so long. Her beloved horse that she had heard was dead at one point, until the mysterious girl had informed her of his survival. But this was no time to be celebrating their reunion. The horse had to fulfill his role, as he had been instructed.

“The chief riding horse of House Raphael, Carlos! I commend you for seeking and finding the Goddess to send her my wishes! Now, along with the holy horses who have brought you here and the Goddess’s familiars, the crows and dogs, please witness the conclusion to this ordeal!”

The horses neighed enthusiastically in response.

“Oooooohhh!”

It’s over, Aragorn... Count Maslias thought to himself.

The horses, dogs, and crows haven’t said a word. And no one really knows the truth of what happened. But with her own words, Mariel just “created” the truth. No one will question Mariel’s words now, and no one will lend an ear to what Aragorn has to say...

Count Maslias was impressed by Mariel’s execution.

She had always been a bright girl, but that was just compared to an average noble girl. He never expected her to connect the Goddess to a riding horse... And not to a soldier riding a horse, but the horse itself. In fact, one normally wouldn’t think of such a thing, nor would they think it possible to pull off. If someone could have foreseen this result, they would be far from normal. Even if they ended up being right.

Perhaps I greatly underestimated Mariel... No, no, no!

Count Maslias quickly shook his head. No matter how clever she was, no human could have such a connection with the Goddess. Had she really ordered those horses to...?

No, I must use my common sense!

The count looked at the horses, dogs, and crows overhead, then hung his head...

Count Maslias actually didn’t fully believe in Mariel’s words himself. But there was no mistaking that there was something supernatural about these events. And whoever was responsible for these supernatural events was clearly on Mariel’s side, and there was no one he could think of that would fit such a profile, besides the Goddess Celestine herself. This went not just for the count, but everyone gathered there...

Having witnessed the once-in-a-lifetime event of an actual miracle, and the moment a beautiful noble girl avenged her family, the crowd was all worked up, undulating like a massive wave.

Seeing this, the count thought to himself: I must ride this big wave!

“Aragorn, just accept it.”

But Aragorn wouldn’t give up. If he confessed to his crimes now, he would lose far more than his reputation. Not only would he lose his status as a noble, he would be executed, so he was obviously going to struggle until the very end.

“A-Accept what? That girl has joined forces with the devil and murdered her own parents, then used her demonic connections to frame me for her own sins! She’s the one we should be punishing, as the enemy of the Goddess...”

The count cringed visibly.

“It seems you misunderstand something.”

“Huh?”

Aragorn paused after being cut off, and Count Maslias continued.

“I may be the count of your parent house, but I cannot simply do as I wish to a noble of another house. Unless they try to harm me directly, that is. So, there’s no point in you trying to make excuses to me, or trying to convince me of your innocence. Even His Majesty the King couldn’t freely punish nobles without evidence. If he did, the nobles would revolt!”

“Ah, then...!”

Aragorn looked elated upon realizing Count Maslias didn’t intend to convict him. But the count wasn’t done talking.

“Whether there’s evidence or not, the only one who can freely punish a noble is that noble’s head of house.”

“...What?”

Aragorn’s neck turned slowly, laboriously, until it faced toward Mariel. There, he saw Mariel’s face, smiling right at him.

At first, Mariel thought no one would ever listen to a child like her, even if she did speak up. Her brother was to be the heir, so Mariel hadn’t received any education about being the head of house, and though she had been instructed on how to be a lady, those lessons had not included details on the dark side of managing a house, such as the head of house’s right to freely deal with a family member as they wished.

But now, ever since she had resolved to get revenge, she had researched and studied everything she could possibly do.

“Mariel doesn’t need evidence or witnesses to sentence you. She can simply say you disobeyed the head of the house or brought shame upon the house in order to strip you of your nobility, lock you in a dungeon for life, or even behead you. The reason she has gone through this entire procedure is to prove that it wasn’t some ordinary bandits who got the best of her parents, and to show the public that she had finally avenged her family’s killer. With the lone heiress getting revenge for her family, and with the full support of her house, she not only avoids losing face or her title, but she has all but ensured her stability as the head of the noble family that is watched over by the Goddess Celestine. Who would dare make a move on the noble family that has the favor of the Goddess herself? If such a fool exists, I’d like to meet them.”

Count Maslias then turned to Mariel, ignoring Aragorn completely as he collapsed to the ground.

“What will you do with him? I presume it would be difficult to see his face if he was kept alive. Someone could plot to use him somehow, as well. Shall I take care of him?”

Mariel shook her head.

“Thank you for your consideration. But as the head of my house, I must be the one to get rid of my family’s shame. I only need the Goddess’s helping hand to guide me.”

“I see... Yes, of course...”

That would be more effective for when the rumors spread among the nobles and in the royal palace. This way, she would be known as the fierce and dignified viscountess, favored by the Goddess, who avenged her parents and brother by her own hands.

The count couldn’t help but nod repeatedly in understanding.

＊　　　＊

“...Well then, allow me to go over the final confirmation of the contract’s details.”

The event ended without us having to step in. Afterward, Mariel’s servants tied up her uncle, Aragorn, and dragged him off to the dungeons... So, they really did have dungeons...

The count left after talking for some time, and we had just gone over the confirmation of the completed job.

Oh, Emile and Belle had taken Ed and the others back already, and the crows and dogs had dispersed, for now. They were all pretty disappointed, since they had had a pretty good gig going. They wanted me to contact them again next time, but I really doubted there would be all that many job opportunities for seeking revenge like this. Well, I did give it some thought, at least, for their sakes.

As for Carlos, he went straight to the stables here, got his mask off, and he’d been there ever since. Mariel already paid me the amount I bought him for.

...I wasn’t running a charity, after all. I would be collecting expenses, separate from my retainer.

“I’ve received the retainer and expenses, so I’d like to discuss the bonus reward... As we discussed previously, I’ve permitted the crows and dogs one visit each to come to this house if they ever get injured, sick, or otherwise need help. If a dog or crow enters your premises looking weak, please protect them and provide care and food. Then, I ask that you keep records of their visit and turn them away if they return a second time. Likewise, if they come simply to beg for food.”

“...”

Mariel and the butler had rather awkward looks on their faces.

Well, if they wanted to provide service for the second visits and so on, that was up to them. I was just pointing out that their responsibility, as stated by the contract, was to treat them just the once.

“Dogs are one thing, but we wouldn’t really be able to tell the crows apart. Even if we had portraits of each one...”

Oh.

The butler nodded in agreement at Mariel’s rather astute point.

Urrrgh...

“I-I’ll leave that up to you...”

If a crow ever got injured, they would most likely die then and there. I didn’t expect a lot of them to be able to make it to the mansion. Yes, I’ll leave it all up to them! It’s their problem now!

And so, everything had been fully resolved. The initial job as the “animal doctor,” the additional horse translations, and the final assistance with her revenge...

The revenge case was technically a request from Carlos, but with all the extra requests that came afterward, I had signed a new contract with Mariel to consolidate the additional issues. Otherwise, all that crow and dog food would have put me wholly in the red. It wasn’t like Carlos was going to pay me, after all.

“Well then, I’ll be going now...”

“Please wait!”

Just as I tried to leave along with Francette, who was waiting in the back, Mariel called out to me.

“...Yes?” I stopped walking and asked, then Mariel and the butler rose from their seats, and they, along with the servants who had been waiting behind them, got on their hands and knees and bowed their heads toward me.

“We sincerely thank you for your help, from the bottom of our hearts. If possible, please, we ask that you give us an opportunity to repay you...”

Ahh... I didn’t really want to deal with that kind of thing... But it would’ve been rude of me to tell Mariel that, I guess...

“Yes, if such an opportunity ever arises...” I said, mostly to be polite, as I prepared to leave for real this time... But wait, why did that servant girl look so worried?

“What is it?”

“Ah! N-No, it’s nothing!”

Yeah, that was the expected response.

“Tell me!”

“Eeeeeek!!!”

Wow, she didn’t have to get that scared... Wait, is it the eyes?! Are my eyes that scary?!

No, no, I had used adhesive to force my eyes to look droopier and used makeup to cover it up.

...So what’s the deal?!

“Speak!”

“Y-Y-Yes! U-Um, is it okay to say the crows and dogs that helped us are servants of the Goddess...? We won’t really incur the wrath of the Goddess this time, will we...?”

Oh, that. She thought I was just some girl who could speak to animals, so she was afraid I was using the Goddess’s name for my own gain. Her concerns were completely understandable, considering that this was Celes we were dealing with.

“Don’t worry. Celes wouldn’t get angry over such a minor thing, and she wouldn’t complain about something I decided to do. Because...”

“Because?”

“Celes and I are friends!”

Some of the other servants looked anxious too, so I figured it’d be fine to tell them, just to put their minds at ease. I’d already stressed to Mariel and all the serving staff that they were to speak of me to absolutely no one.

The servants were flabbergasted, though Mariel and the butler must have already suspected this, as they were rather unperturbed.

I left the house of Viscount Raphael behind with Francette, who seemed dissatisfied by the way I had been in the background during the earlier events, but she was full of smiles after seeing me being worshiped in the end.

＊　　　＊

“...So that’s what happened.”

After dinner, Francette gave the full account of what had happened up until now to Roland. He needed to have this information, just in case something related to this incident came up later on, making this a necessary process.

“Why was I left out of this?!”

...Even though we knew Roland would get upset.

“That is, of course, because we cannot have you, a member of the royal family, getting involved with issues concerning nobles of another nation. If you happened to let slip your own status, or the need for you to reveal your identity were to arise, it would have led to an international incident...”

“Then how about you, Francette? You’re a noble of our own kingdom! That could have led to an international incident, too, could it not?!”

Yeah... I figured he’d say that... Honestly, I probably would have argued the same thing.

But Francette was unperturbed.

“In that case, I would simply have forfeited my title as viscountess and instead become a vagabond swordswoman in exile. I would have you return to the kingdom, and our engagement would be null and void...”

“Wha?! Fran, you would go that far...?”

She would have given up her nation, family, and engagement, becoming a wanderer without a home. But as Roland was greatly admiring her spirit...

“Then, as the guardian knight of the goddess, I would spend my days happily with the four of us: me, Lady Kaoru, Layette, and Belle... Hehe, hehehe...”

“What? That was your true intention?!”

“Where am I in your plan?!”

Roland yelled, and Emile raised his own objection, as Francette drooled with a slovenly smile, lost in her fantasies.

Yeah, I figured as much...

Besides, what nation would dare exile Fearsome Fran, the reborn knight, the great hero who had been granted the divine blade and received the blessing of the Goddess? They would rather risk a war than lose someone like her. In fact, they might even prioritize her over Roland. No, seriously...

＊　　　＊

“An emissary from the royal palace has arrived.”

“Let them through.”

It was finally time.

An emissary from the royal palace...

“Not to worry, I’ve already sent a letter to His Majesty. This is likely just for confirmation.”

With that, Count Maslias gave me a reassuring look. He had taken good care of me and House Raphael since even before my family’s passing, and I admired him greatly. He had come here hurriedly today purely out of concern for me, immediately upon hearing the news of the emissary’s upcoming arrival. With my parents no longer here, he was like a father to me.

...An emissary from the royal palace.

Indeed, the visit was to confirm the truth about the death of my family, my uncle Aragorn’s crimes, and how he had been dealt with, all of which I’d detailed in a letter to His Majesty the King.

Count Maslias informed me that he had also explained the circumstances in a letter, and as such he assured me that this was merely a formality to confirm the details...

I greeted the emissary in the reception room and began explaining the situation, though everything had already been outlined in the letter, so there wasn’t much to add.

“So, what happened to the divine horses, crows, and dogs of the Goddess that this horse, Carlos, brought in?”

“Huh? I had them leave, of course.”

The emissary, surprisingly, was a count. I had been expecting a common government official, or perhaps a third- or fourth-born noble of lower rank, one that was perhaps an untitled civil servant. And he did not question me about my uncle... no, Aragorn’s... crimes, but focused on the details of the unnatural phenomena... or, rather, the Goddess’s miracles. I took this to mean that they had no intention of meddling with the internal affairs of House Raphael, or how I had handled Aragorn’s disposal. Although, really, it wasn’t as if I had done anything worthy of reprimand in the first place.

If they had interfered with the legitimate head of a noble house punishing a villain within their own family, the other nobles would end up fearing that the same thing could happen to them and would likely stand together against the royal family. The current royal family had a relatively good relationship with the powerful noble houses, so it was unlikely that they would do something so foolish, especially when they would not benefit from going after a small viscountcy like mine.

Besides, the royal family should have been aware that Count Maslias wouldn’t idly stand by and let such a thing happen. Which meant that House Raphael should be safe, but...

“...And did you happen to meet a young girl with scary eyes as of late?”

Huh?

What was this about? The one I met had kindly, downturned eyes. Though, there was an unnaturalness about her face, like it was being pulled taut.

“No, no one like that...”

“I-I see. Then what about, o-oh, I don’t know, someone who could perform miracles from the Goddess...?”

“As I mentioned previously, the only mysterious events were the actions of the crows, dogs, and horses.”

“I see... Then, would you mind letting me meet those horses?”

“Oh, um, sure, that’s not a problem...”

When I brought him to the stables, Carlos and the other horses walked over right away. I’d always been close with the horses, but I’d been even closer with them since that day.

“Carlos. I’ve heard of your great deeds. His Majesty was quite impressed, as well!”

“Brr? Bff!”

Ah, Carlos is blowing air out of his nose in annoyance, probably because an unfamiliar human is talking to him so presumptuously.

“Whoa!”

Oh, Carlos got a bit of snot on him...

The emissary asked me a few more things afterward, but he never ended up faulting me or those of House Raphael for what had happened, and left these words by the king before leaving: “You’ve done well. Continue to protect your house, your territory, and your people, and faithfully serve your kingdom.”

“You carried yourself well, Mariel! This means your actions have been fully, officially approved, and His Majesty has acknowledged you as the rightful heir of House Raphael. Though, I suppose that conclusion was never really in question. In any case, I’m glad things turned out smoothly. Now, you should thank your servants for their hard work, reward them with a half day off and some extra spending money, and take some rest for yourself, as well. I’m sure you’re exhausted from everything you’ve been through. Managing your health is part of your duty and job as the viscountess. Rest well.”

He left soon after, perhaps because he thought I wouldn’t be able to rest with him around.

＊　　　＊

After the count took his leave, I did as he recommended: distributed a small allowance and told the servants, except the guards, to take the rest of the day off and return before it was time to close the gates.

The cooks had been dismissed as well, so there wouldn’t be anything for them to eat if they stayed. I told them as much, and they laughed awkwardly as they prepared to go out for the day. Of course, the funds I had given them were enough to have a fairly high-quality meal with plenty to spare. I called it a small amount, but it obviously wasn’t mere pocket change. We might not be powerful, but we were a noble house, after all. A viscount’s house at that, not just some baronial house! Now that I had some free time, I decided to go to the stables to pay Carlos a visit.

“Carlos! Thank you for everything. I couldn’t have done it without you. If you hadn’t gotten to know the divine horse and met Lady Celestine’s goddess friend, I never would have been able to avenge my family and secure House Raphael’s future. I can’t thank you enough...”

“Brr, brrrr!”

“I’m sorry for turning down the Goddess’s offer to give you the ability to speak to humans with her magical potion. I thought you wouldn’t need it...”

“Breehehe, brrr.”

“That’s why...”

“Reehehe, brehehe!”

“Brethat’s brehewhy, I brehehad herhehe brehegive mehehe thehe breheability to speheheak to brehanimals! It’s far more convenient this way. Now, I can also talk to the other horses and dogs, as well as crows and stray... I mean, independent... dogs, and properly thank them for their help. It’s perfect!”

“Brehehe, breeehehe!”

“Breeehe! Heheeebrehe, brrr!”

“Breehehehe!”

＊　　　＊

“...So, you’re saying it was a normal horse that couldn’t speak the human tongue. Did you think I would be satisfied with such a report?!”

“I’m sorry!”

This nation of Beliscas had a king and nobles, but it wasn’t ruled by a single king, and national policy was made by a council of upper-class nobles. Moreover, merchants held much stronger sway here than in other kingdoms and empires. Of course, this did have its drawbacks, as well. Nobles, merchants, commoners, and of course, the royal family... they had all heard of the miracle that had occurred in a provincial seaside city.

It was a somewhat, no, an extremely dubious story, about a young girl of a small noble house being saved by the blessing of the Goddess, allowing her to avenge her family and protect her house. One would normally dismiss such a tale with a laugh, but the viscount’s heir in question had sent a report outlining her full account of the event, which was then followed by a report... or, rather, a written submission of opinions... by the count of her parent house.

National policies couldn’t be decided by the king alone, but he did have the authority to determine whether or not there was an issue with a legitimate heiress punishing a family member who had committed a crime. He was respecting the rights of a small noble house, so there was no way the other nobles would actually object.

...But this was no ordinary incident.

The Goddess’s miracle! A beautiful, young, female head of a noble house who was blessed by the Goddess! And she was unmarried! The king couldn’t give up such a juicy story to those grubby nobles. This was the perfect opportunity to take in the girl who had been blessed by the Goddess, in order to increase his royal power and authority.

At the same time, there was a very real risk of the nobles taking her as their own tool to further their own influence. Which is why the king immediately sent a count who supported the royal family to confirm the truth, but he had returned without any real results. It was only natural for him to be upset.

“I will need to make my next move... The nobles have surely heard the news by now. I must hurry...”