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When I returned to the mansion at dusk, I was greeted by Rouché in the entrance hall.

“Rouché, has Lady Sophia returned?”

“Not yet. It seems that the party Lady Sophia attended today, as His Highness’ guide, is going to go on longer than expected, so I believe that she will return a little bit later.”

“…I see.”

Unlike Imperial Princess Charlotte, who had immersed herself into research, Imperial Prince Harold was eagerly attending all sorts of parties, big or small. One of his goals, certainly, was to get acquainted with the most influential people in our country, but it was also likely that his other goal was to display the fact that Lady Sophia was one of the potential candidates for his engagement.

“Are you feeling lonely because you’re spending less time with Lady Sophia?” Rouché asked me abruptly. Her expression seemed to be saying: ‘I’ve totally seen through you!’ It was truly aggravating. I turned on my heel without answering her question.

“I’m going out for a little while again. Please tell Lady Sophia that I will be arriving a little late too.”

“Huh, so you came back home even though you have to leave right away? Oh, could it be that you came back in order to see Lady Sophia?”

“I see that you’re not interested in trying out any new desserts.”

“Huh, w-wait a moment, please!”

“I’m sorry, I can’t wait.”

I left Rouché worrying over the desserts and I departed from the residence once more. First off, I changed into inconspicuous clothes at my operations base downtown, and then I made my way to the slums, turning up at the Dark Guild. I had a meeting with No Name in a VIP room he had called me to.

Incidentally, since the time I first met him, No Name hadn’t used any body doubles. There were a number of people stationed outside the room, but he was meeting me in the locked room alone, without even any bodyguards standing behind him.

‘I can take care of a single brat.’ –there was no way he could be looking down on me in such a manner. It seemed that he had acknowledged me as a business partner. What awaited me in the original game had been a future of being hunted down as an arrogant noble\'s dog, but, in this world, it seemed that I was able to gain his trust.

“Cyril, what brings you here today? I’ve already sent you the report from last time, haven’t I?”

“Yes, you did a great job, as always.”

“…So it’s about something else. Lately, you’ve been commissioning us for every little thing, haven’t you? You’re not mistaking us for a handyman service or something along those lines, huh?”

“Of course not, I would never take you for something like that.”

I’d suffer a dreadful experience if I were to look down on them as simply some people from the slums, thinking that, as long as I gave them money, they would do anything. He needn’t tell me this, as it was something that my original game self experienced firsthand. 

“None of the commisions went against your usual methods though, did they?”

“Well… that’s certainly true. So, what do you want us to do this time?”

“There’s some information that I would like to get confirmed.”

I smiled and flicked a sheet of plant paper towards him. The sheet of paper slid across the table and hit its mark, stopping right in front of No Name.

“You… this is…”

“I ask you to investigate this information thoroughly. As for remuneration–this is the highest I can offer you.”

I pointed at the remuneration sum with my finger, and No Name’s eyes slightly widened. The fact that he was able to suppress his reaction upon seeing the sum to such a degree showed that No Name truly lived up to his name.

“Will you take on the commission?”

“Before that, answer me one question.”

When I responded that I intended on answering his questions from the very beginning, he narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on me. He was probably thinking that, by watching my every move, he would notice if I lied, no matter what lie I might tell. Therefore, I readjusted my posture and responded.

“What is it that you want to ask?”

“Are you trying to start a war between the Empire and the Ephenear Kingdom?”

“…I was wondering what you were going to say. Do you really believe I am trying to do such a thing?”

“I do wonder. Normally, I wouldn’t possibly think that a mere butler would have intentions of doing such an outrageous thing, and yet… answer my question.”

It seemed that I had caused an odd misunderstanding. I answered his question with another question, not because I was trying to avoid it, but because his question had been wholly unexpected.

“This is a plan to smooth out the relationship between the Empire and our kingdom, so I–and, of course, my Lady as well–don’t have any intentions to bring about war with the neighboring country.”

“Are you expecting me to believe that? Seeing this commission, it’s unavoidable that you would be told that this looks like an attempt to start a war with the Flamefield Empire.”

“What do you think would be the point of doing such a thing?”

“I mean, isn’t this a plan to protect your master from a political marriage?”

Normally, it should take a while before the gossip of high society reached commoners, but No Name already seemed to know of Lady Sophia’s situation.

‘As expected of the master of the Dark Guild.’ is what I would have liked to say, but–

“You’re wrong. Interpreting it that way is incorrect.”

“Oh, what part of that interpretation is wrong? I know that your master is stuck in a whirlpool of an attempted political marriage. There’s no way that you’d turn a blind eye to it. What’s incorrect about these assumptions?”

“I cannot deny those facts.” I confirmed his words and smiled at him meaningfully. He kept silent, looking puzzled.

“It couldn’t be that you’re commissioning me to…?” he finally said then, his expression astonished.

“I’ve said this already, haven’t I? This is a plan to smooth out the relationship between our kingdom and the Empire. Well then… No Name, will you accept my commision?”

In response to my question, he gulped–and soon after he laughed.

“I took you for nothing but a cheeky brat at first, but… alright. The Dark Guild will take on this commission. Let me ascertain with my own eyes what you’re trying to do.”

Afterwards, I left the Dark Guild and went to pay a visit to Libert. Although the official reason for my visit was doing business with the LaCour Company, I also wanted to discuss the matter with Libert as a preliminary step. Thankfully, we had agreed to meet beforehand, so I was led into the reception room with no delay. Libert was waiting for me there, dressed in casual clothes.

“I never thought there would come a day when you’d turn up at my house.”

“Oh, but you have helped me out before, right? Like with your villa?”

“That’s not what I meant. Wasn\'t it difficult to even get in touch at first due to our connections to different factions?”

“Right. That’s certainly true.”

We first met during a party, and we hadn\'t even been able to lead an ordinary conversation because everyone around us was eavesdropping on us. At that time, we had to talk in a quite roundabout manner. 

“Let’s get straight to the point today, then. There’s an article that I would like to order through the LaCour Company.”

“…Oh? In other words, it’s an article that only we deal in, right?”

It could be said that the LaCour Company was the biggest company in this country. Rarely was there anything that the LaCour Company didn’t deal in, and, even if they didn’t, there was next to nothing that couldn’t be ordered through them.

Nonetheless, he seemed to have realized the reason I was taking these deliberate steps. That really made things easier.

“I’m looking for the latest model of a device that is manufactured in the Flamefield Empire.”

“The latest model of a device? Just what sort of magical tool is it for?”

“It’s not for a magical tool, it’s for a completely new device.”

“You… that’s…”

Since devices were usually put on the market after being placed inside magical equipment, they weren’t normally sold. Especially when it was the latest model from the Flamefield Empire, since those were regulated by the government. It wasn’t impossible to do business with the Empire, but, if one didn’t have a certain level of connections, they wouldn’t be able to get hold of one.

“…I’m not saying that it’s impossible, but the price will be suitably high. Wouldn’t it be better to ask Imperial Princess Charlotte instead? Since you’re her guide, I think it would be possible for you.”

“Unfortunately, at this stage, I cannot let her know my intentions, so…”

If I said that I wanted the device, she would most likely investigate what I wanted it for. She might get as far as to figure out Lady Sophia’s intentions, and she would, without a doubt, figure out mine. If she did, she would turn the device into a bargaining chip against me. I couldn’t let that happen.

“So you’re telling me to, somehow, make it happen without mentioning not only the marquis’ name, but even yours? That’s impossible, no matter how I look at it. At least some befitting connections are necessary.”

“If that’s the case, I shall make some arrangements within the next few days.”

“…You’re going to use your connections with another family, you mean?”

“Yes, exactly. On top of that, I’ll pay appropriate compensation. Moreover… ah, that’s right, you’ve heard of the Dollmaker of Frau, correct?”

There were three dolls that I had requested of the Dollmaker of Frau as a reward. When I offered one of them as compensation, Libert raised his eyebrows.

It appeared that it wouldn’t even be necessary to wait for his reply.

I had met with Dark Guild’s No Name and LaCour Company’s Libert. Afterwards, I spoke to the Dollmaker of Frau and commissioned a small matter to Isabella. When I returned to the mansion, it was already midnight.

The lights were still on in the Rosenberg Marquis household’s mansion, even though it was late at night. The night shift servants and the guards were awake, while everyone who had the daily shift was already asleep. Soon after I returned, there was a knock on my door despite the late hour.

There was no need for caution. I already knew who was on the other side of the door from the way she knocked. When I opened the door, as expected, I saw my Lady slightly peeking in, dressed in her night clothes.

“Cyril, welcome back.”

“Thank you. Lady Sophia, since you came here at this hour, did something happen?”

“Can’t I come unless something happened?”

Lady Sophia with her nightgown, slightly tilting her head to the side, looked very cute. However, I did think it was inappropriate for a daughter of a marquis to visit a butler’s room late at night.

“You’re going to get scolded if Young Master Ernest or someone else sees you somewhere like this.”

“My brother isn’t coming home tonight, so I’ll be alright. Moreover, you and I have been very busy lately, so, unless I do something like this, we won’t get to talk, right?”

My somewhat pouty young Lady had apparently come here to talk to me. I remembered what Rouché had teased me about and I was filled with the sudden urge to do some mischief.

“Could it be that you are feeling lonely because you’re spending less time with me?”

“…Would it be wrong of me… to say… yes?”

Guh. It was foul play for her to shyly ask me this as she pulled at the bottom of her nightgown. It was also foul play for her to suddenly act all adorable like this even though she had been behaving so mature lately.

“It can’t be helped, then. Just for a little while, alright?”

“…Is it really alright?” She asked me honestly. There was no way that I could push her away when she was asking me in such a cute manner, acting so much her own age. Moreover, it seemed that Rouché was standing watch nearby.

“Lately, I haven\'t been able to talk with you, have I, Lady Sophia? While we’re at it, should we drink some hot milk in the dining room while we talk?”

“Yes.”

It seemed that Lady Sophia was in the mood to be completely spoiled today. No wonder; she was exposed to the heavy burden of having influence over this country’s future at merely thirteen years old, and she was undeniably doing her best.

As I led her to the dining room, I gently held Lady Sophia’s hand all the way.

***

Right after Cyril had left the Dark Guild, Quincy–No Name’s body double who was waiting in an adjacent room–and Quincy’s woman, Irene, appeared. Technically, as body doubles, they were the ones who were normally in contact with visitors, but Cyril had found out about No Name’s real identity. Therefore, now they acted as guards, which had been their original job.

“Guild master. What troublesome thing did that kid drag us into again?”

“I see that you heard some unsettling lines such as ‘war with the neighboring country’.”

While the adjacent room had been built so that they would be able to hear what was being said, Cyril’s commission had been written down on paper. Therefore, since they didn\'t know the contents of the commision, Quincy and Irene had come to ask No Name about it.

Every time Cyril came over, a noble household that was committing crimes would fall into ruin, its weaknesses taken advantage of and the nobles getting captured. Events that were normally unthinkable would occur. The causal relationship between him and these events was hard to believe, but, knowing the details of his commissions, it was possible to discern that the one who brought these events on was, without a doubt, Cyril himself.

No Name had said words such as ‘war with the neighboring country’ in relation to a commission coming from Cyril. It was only natural for Quincy and Irene to feel wary.

“Ah, it’s an exceptionally troublesome commission this time. That’s why I’ll put you two in charge of it. Go to the Flamefield Empire and get in touch with the Dark Guild over there.”

“…Get in touch with the Dark Guild of a neighboring country? Moreover, the goal is the Imperial Princess’… I see. This is definitely information that could easily become the trigger to start a war. We can’t entrust this one to those guys.”

When Quincy saw the document No Name had been handed, he grinned. He currently had the position of No Name’s body double, but Quincy was someone who had joined the group at the very beginning, climbing his way to the top as a spy. Apparently, his heart was riled up at the prospect of doing his first big job in a while.

“However, isn’t the deadline way too short?”

“There’s extra compensation to make up for that. Moreover, we’ll also apparently get permission to board the magic-powered airship.”

“Phew, really? I heard that it’s pretty hard to get permission to board it even if you\'re a noble. Since we got permission to ride it, does that mean that the spearhead of this plan isn’t that brat, but the marquis?”

“Ah, I wonder…”

If this were the plan of the head of the family, he would surely take different measures. Taking that into account, No Name recalled his conversation with Cyril. Cyril had said that this wasn’t a plan to protect his Lady from a political marriage, but a plan to smooth out the relationship between the kingdom and the neighboring country. In other words, it was a sure sign of his self-assurance that, if this were just about protecting his young Lady, he’d be capable of doing anything.

“Geez, just who the hell is that kid?”

This commission would bring about a great change from there on. Perhaps it might even 

 influence the future of the country. 

‘What a truly fascinating kid, indeed’, No Name thought, and the corners of his mouth lifted up.   

Thank you for reading! Apologies for the delay this week, both my editors had unexpectedly a very busy week and couldn\'t edit the chapter sooner.

Thank you for all your support and comments!