PMEVBO 9

As Iser said, this was indeed the annex of Hayut Castle.

More precisely, it was Lucariel’s room attached to the annex.

Did he figure out this was Hayut Castle by seeing the fox decoration, the symbol of the Hayut ducal house?

Even if that’s true, how did he know this was the castle’s annex?

Until arriving at this room, Iser had been tightly sealed inside a bundle of clothes. So, without even seeing the building’s exterior, he deduced this was the annex just by looking at the room’s interior.

Could it be that before staying in the top room of the spire, he had lived here?

However, there was a good reason this annex was designated as the residence for exiled criminals like Lucariel. Whether judging by its location far from the main castle or its atmosphere that felt endlessly simple and unassuming, this place was not suitable for the duke’s direct descendants to stay.

But compared to the top-floor room of the spire where Iser was imprisoned, this annex was a paradise. The thought made my tongue move on its own.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

It wasn’t until I entered this room that I noticed the change in the sub-quest window.

Praise ‘Iser Hayut’!

(1/3)

My brief joy at the unexpectedly advanced quest completion rate quickly turned to unease. I was certain I knew when that single praise had been fulfilled. Probably when I announced the kidnapping.

A stranger who climbed through the window out of nowhere, assaulted his father right before his eyes, and then arbitrarily used his healing abilities. The fact that Iser felt joy at this stranger’s kidnapping notice meant this castle must have been truly dreadful for him.

I knew Iser’s anger stemmed from betrayal over my broken promise. Perhaps that’s why my tongue slipped.

“My original plan was to take you out of Hayut Castle, but things went awry when unexpected circumstances arose.”

“……”

“I’m really sorry.”

“……”

“It’ll be difficult for now, but if you wish, I’ll take responsibility and get you out of the castle.”

Even though I was stuck in the castle, I figured I could at least find a way to get Iser out.

It was then that Iser, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke.

“Why go to such lengths? What do you want from me?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t want anything. I had a praise quest that could only be cleared through Iser.

But precisely because of that, wouldn’t it be more appropriate here to answer, ‘I don’t want anything in return’? After all, a favor given without expectation is more touching than one given with one.

“……”

But, strangely enough, I couldn’t say that.

Before long, Iser added coldly.

“Don’t tell me you don’t want anything from me. I’m not stupid enough to believe that lie.”

…If I’d said I didn’t want anything, it would have only made him wary.

Good thing I kept my mouth shut. Once I decided to be honest, opening my mouth felt easier than telling a lie.

I replied flatly.

“Half a month.”

“Half a month…?”

“Just stay with me in this room for half a month. That’s my condition.”

“What…?”

The quest’s time limit was ten days, but it would take half a month for the Discernment skill’s cooldown to fully reset. I had already decided to use the Discernment skill, which would be unlocked this time, for Iser’s escape.

“So? Can you accept that?”

“……No, explain it properly.”

Approaching Iser, who was frowning, I nodded obediently.

“Alright, I understand. But not now. Later.”

“What does that mean… You’re not letting me out…?”

I lifted Iser off the sofa and plopped him into the vanity cabinet. It was where the duke’s clothes and fragments of the restraints were stored. The cabinet was spacious enough that even with Iser added, there was plenty of room.

Iser, who had ended up inside the cabinet, glared at me.

“…What are you doing?”

Judging by his voice and expression, he didn’t seem to have claustrophobia.

“Just stay here for a moment.”

“No―!”

“The duke will be barging in any second now.”

“What…?”

Earlier, on the way from the castle to the annex, I spotted the duke alive and well. Apparently, my drop kick had landed much weaker than I thought. The duke, who seemed fine aside from occasionally clutching the back of his head, was with his entourage.

‘…Isn’t Priest Nebella suspicious? He killed the maid serving his breakfast and vanished without a trace.’

‘Correct. …That bastard is perfectly capable of such a thing.’

‘Search every corner inside and outside the castle! Bring that bastard back! …The butler will accompany me to the annex where that priest was staying.’

Judging from what I overheard from the tree, they were searching for the whereabouts of Priest Nebella, who had not only killed the maid but also robbed the duke and fled.

And the ‘Priest Nebella’ they were looking for was none other than me.

Come to think of it, ‘Nebella’ was Lucariel’s middle name, his baptismal name.

And I didn’t kill the maid. This is practically the victim and perpetrator switched.

It wasn’t me who killed the maid; it was the dead maid herself. I was simply the target she tried to kill while alive.

Living this long, I’ve truly come to appreciate the necessity of the presumption of innocence principle. …Even in this other world.

To clear myself of the maid’s murder, I first had to prove her death was suicide. To do that, I absolutely had to bring up the story that the dead maid had tried to poison me and failed.

But if I did that, the duke would be certain I was Iser’s kidnapper. In a situation where a child with healing abilities was kidnapped, the first suspect would be someone who coveted those abilities, someone with health issues.

In a class-based society, kidnapping a young master was a greater crime than murdering a maid. So, taking on a bigger crime to clear my name would be foolish.

And the day Iser fell back into the duke’s hands would spell the end of any praise quest or anything else. The most important thing now was clearing the quest. For that, nothing else mattered. Even if it meant taking the blame for a murder I hadn’t committed.

Since I possessed this body, I was already a worthless scoundrel who had beaten the revered Cardinal, a mere priest. Adding a murder charge to my already ruined reputation wouldn’t change much.

I’m not going to live out my life here in Lucariel’s body anyway.

I resolved to humbly accept the murder I hadn’t committed.

Meanwhile, Iser stared up at me with wide, startled eyes at the news the duke would soon arrive. The sight was rather adorable, so I forgot the situation entirely and ended up stroking Iser’s pink hair.

“I’ll finish this as quickly as possible, so bear with me a little longer.”

No need to tell him to be quiet. He seemed smart enough.

Thud—!

Not long after I closed the cabinet door, the room outside grew noisy.

I grabbed the holy book shoved in the corner and slipped it onto the center of the table. Then, glancing toward the door, I began chanting like a madman.

I am the dangerous Lucariel. I am the original, hopeless psychopath serial killer nuclear waste from the original story.

Besides the original Lucariel, I had accumulated a vast psychopath big data set through various media. So I figured I could probably pull off a decent imitation.

Suddenly, the door burst open and the duke entered.

I’m freaking out…

***

Kogaron issued orders to the servants assembled for the search of the annex.

“From this moment, you are to find any clues that might aid in tracking down Lucariel Nebella Saracephon, that good-for-nothing bastard, and present him before me!”

The one he truly wanted to track down wasn’t Lucariel, but Iser.

But he couldn’t just say that. Rumors had spread that Iser was recuperating in a villa to receive treatment for an infectious disease.

Iser, the Power of Life dwelling within you must be for me alone.

Just then, the butler approached and made a discreet suggestion.

“How about ordering a thorough search of the room where Priest Nebella is staying?”

“That’s a good idea.”

Kogaron immediately designated several personnel and instructed them to thoroughly search Priest Nebella’s room. Not content with that, he bypassed all the servants and led the way into Priest Nebella’s room himself. It was a show of initiative born from the anxiety of having Iser stolen from him.

Whoosh―!

The moment the door swung open, the first thing that caught Kogaron’s eye was the wide-open balcony window. Moonlight seeping through the window faintly illuminated the room.

The room was so dark that a maid hurried out to fetch a candle.

“What is it?”

Then, a voice as soft as feathers reached his ears.