Chapter 29
I went to visit the butler after a long time. The servants, who appeared to be reporting something to him, bowed their heads deeply and disappeared quietly, careful not to even step on my shadow. It's bitter to think that even this reaction is considered an improvement.
"Young miss? What brings you here...?"
"I need something."
"What exactly are you referring to?"
"I heard a maid named Daisy used to work here?"
The butler remained silent.
"Daisy, who entered the monastery."
Ah, why is someone who knows everything acting like this? I came knowing everything too, really. Saying it like this makes me feel like a detective who came to interrogate a criminal.
"I want to know where Daisy lives. Surely that information exists?"
Like immediately discarding information about someone who just quit. But thinking about it, it's also a bit odd that personal information about a former servant would still be around. Besides, I'm investigating from above and finding out the home address on my own.
"I heard she sold her house when she entered the monastery. The only place that could be called home now would be the monastery."
No, the problem is that Daisy isn't at the monastery. That monastery head committed so many evil acts that Daisy escaped and reported it to the monastery properly. And in the process, she also reported my evil deeds.
Saying it like this makes me seem on the same level as that wicked monastery head? Daisy seems much more righteous.
"Is there nowhere else Daisy could be living?"
The butler looks like he knows something more. Is it because of those glasses? He looks like the head of an information guild or someone who does assassination as a side job.
When I kept pressing persistently, another piece of information popped out. I knew it. He was hiding it while knowing.
"Ainoa Orphanage?"
"She was from the orphanage. If she left the monastery and needed somewhere to stay temporarily, that would be the place."
An orphanage? Then Daisy was at an orphanage, became the villainess's maid by chance, was tormented, escaped to a monastery, and got trauma from a crazy monastery head. I don't know the exact timeline, but she was captured by slave traders, got trapped there with Jelly, and they escaped safely.
Somehow... doesn't Daisy have a deeper narrative than Kanna? Was the female protagonist actually Daisy, not Kanna? I thought she was a character planted by the original work's forced logic to block the villainess's tyranny, but was I mistaken?
I don't know. I'll find out when I go see. Before visiting the butler, I had already changed into modest going-out clothes and brought plenty of gold coins.
Outside, a carriage was already waiting. It didn't seem to be the Rohanson family carriage but one called separately. When did they call it?
"Mr. Jelly called it for you."
I feel bad about cursing at him earlier. Right. Jelly is a bit rough around the edges, but he listens well and is considerate.
"Did you do well?"
Jelly laughed triumphantly. With claw marks on his face, he's actually proud.
"What about Pudding?"
"Here."
Jelly handed over Pudding. No, what am I supposed to do with a child? We need to ride a carriage, and carriages shake so much.
"Pudding, do you want to come along?"
Pudding nodded. Now I can't exactly drop them off and come back. Pudding seems to want to come too, so I have no choice but to bring them.
"Where shall I take you?"
Perhaps because Jelly called the carriage, the coachman was extremely polite. Though he seemed to have some bad habits. The coachman uncle seems to have a habit of scratching his neck. The slightly visible neck area was red.
"To Ainoa Orphanage."
Well. That has nothing to do with carriage driving skills.
***
Today, Daisy had visited the orphanage she had been indebted to until a few years ago. After escaping the temple, she had stayed at a cheap inn. With nothing to do but eat and sleep, her money disappeared rapidly.
While counting her remaining money, she realized from the unusually high balance that she hadn't visited the orphanage recently.
'It's time to visit.'
Daisy donated a portion of her earnings to the orphanage each time to repay her debt to the director. Sometimes she would bring bread and fruit for the children to eat.
She had visited once before entering the monastery. For some reason, she missed the younger ones especially today. With those thoughts, Daisy bought an armful of gifts and headed to the orphanage.
Perhaps because she hadn't visited in a long time, the orphanage looked very unfamiliar. Especially with no signs of people. Daisy found this strange but entered without hesitation.
There was no one inside the orphanage. She had no choice but to call out for the children and the director while opening each door one by one.
Did they all go on a trip together? Then, when she opened the door to the director's office, she saw a very familiar symbol that shouldn't have been there.
It was drawn with the thing wearing a young lady's mask, and the same image Daisy had summoned was painted in blood.
'Why is that here?'
Daisy momentarily couldn't face reality. Why was that drawing in the orphanage, and why was there no one inside? Sinister imaginings wrapped around her entire body. Her hair stood on end, and her throat tightened.
Her legs lost strength, and she crawled on her knees to approach it. What was drawn on the floor was indeed a summoning circle that called forth demons. And that viscous color was clearly etched in Daisy's memory. A metallic smell lingered.
'What is this...?'
At this point, it seemed like that drawing was following Daisy.
What happened to the director? And the children of the orphanage? The image of them running toward Daisy calling her name was still vivid in her mind. Could they have been sacrifices for this sorcery circle...?
Daisy searched the orphanage thoroughly just in case, but not only was there no sign of people, there weren't even any bodies. Only the drawing painted in blood remained.
Daisy sat there for a while, then left the orphanage on trembling legs. She couldn't stay there any longer and fled. Right now, she wanted to see a living person.
A carriage sped right past Daisy, who was walking half out of her mind. A wheel as big as her body rolled right in front of her, and Daisy collapsed in surprise.
"Crazy bastard! Do you have a death wish?"
The coachman shouted at the top of his lungs without even stopping the carriage. She didn't know what important person was inside, but most carriages, once started, wouldn't stop so as not to offend the noble's mood.
Daisy sat quietly, her mind blank despite the sharp insults. A passerby who saw this helped Daisy up.
"Goodness. I don't know who's the crazy one. Miss, are you alright?"
Not stopping there, they even brushed the dirt from Daisy's clothes. Daisy bowed her head at the kindness, saying, "Thank you, thank you."
"Is something wrong with your health? Then hurry home and rest..."
The passerby patted Daisy's shoulder comfortingly and continued on their way.
Daisy chewed on those words and buried her face in her hands. Tears threatened to spill again. Go back? Where? If she had nowhere to return to, where should she go?
'Director. Children...'
"I need to find the guards..."
No. It won't work. There are no bodies, just people who disappeared. What would she do by calling the guards? Besides, now that sorcery circle had appeared, this couldn't be resolved through ordinary means.
She needed to find someone else right now. Someone who could resolve this situation immediately, as Daisy hoped...
Daisy caught a carriage.
"To Rohanson, to the Rohanson mansion."
"If you need help, call me again. Next time I'll charge the full price, though."
"If you have a wish you want granted, come to me. I'll grant it."
She recalled the words of that demon and Evangeline. The words telling her to come if she needed help. Was it true? If she went, would she receive help?
Common sense told her she should go to the Temple, not Evangeline. But could she go to the Great Temple just because she wanted to? Last time, it took three days just to gain entry to the Great Temple. That's too late.
Besides, if she went, they would probably still be investigating Priest Berg. That would further delay finding the orphanage people.
On the other hand, Evangeline would... She would definitely know about that sorcery circle.
"That'll be 5 coppers."
Daisy tried to reach into her pocket to pay. But no matter how much she rummaged through her clothes, she couldn't find the money pouch. Where, where did she drop it? Then she remembered the passerby who helped her when she almost got hit by the carriage. They stole it then.
"If you can't pay, please get off."
"Please, I'm in an emergency. I'll pay you later, I beg you."
"Listen here, young one. Do you think I haven't fallen for that trick once or twice? People like you get off saying you'll bring the money and then run away. I've been scammed a few times before, so I can't do it. Sorry, but catch another carriage."
Daisy had no choice but to get off the carriage.
Then she had no choice but to start walking. One step, another step, slowly moving her feet, Daisy's pace gradually quickened until she was running.
There would be a way if she went to the Rohanson mansion.
Daisy ran. When her lungs felt like they would burst, she walked for a while. When her calves cramped and her feet grew heavy, after running for quite a while, she arrived at the Rohanson mansion.
"What business do you have?"
A gatekeeper blocked Daisy's way. Was he newly hired after Daisy quit? An unfamiliar face. If it had been someone she knew, it would have been easier to ask them to let her in.
Daisy worried about how to phrase it, then finally said that name.
"Evangeline... I came to see Lady Evangeline."
That day, for the first time, Daisy acknowledged that the thing that stole the dead young lady's body is called 'Lady Evangeline' in society. And Daisy also called her that.
It felt like killing a dead person once again.
"Young miss has gone out."
Of all times? They told her to come if she had a wish! Daisy lowered her head.