Vol. 1 - Ch. 50 - Free Food and Drinks Must Never Be Missed

"If we are going to pay the Viscount a visit, there is one person we must be on our guard against."

Listening to Griffin's warning, Lynn already had a guess in his heart:

"Is it the one who administered the poison?"

Griffin gave a nod:

"I needed to keep watch on Dawson at all times, so I don't know much about the situation inside the Viscount's estate.

But one thing can be said with certainty — the other party is one of Baron Rose's trusted confidants."

The poisoning of the Viscount's son was absolutely closely connected to someone inside the Viscount's estate.

Because according to known intelligence, he had dark magic on him that needed to be periodically renewed in order to prevent the Church's Saintesses from detecting the toxin.

Of course, this alone was not enough to conclude with certainty that the other party was definitely a dark witch, since a magitech device could also achieve a similar effect.

Moreover, although Lynn had not personally seen a dark witch with a system information bar at the Viscount's estate, that was not enough to rule out suspicion from the women he had previously encountered.

The ring Daina wore had proven that as long as one carried a special Relic capable of concealing an extraordinary aura, it was possible to prevent the system from detecting it.

The other party even had two D-Rank Battle Aura assassins at their disposal, so it was not impossible that they also possessed a Relic of that caliber.

No. 

Thinking this way would lead to a dead end, because there were too many circumstances that could not be verified.

Assumption stacked upon assumption was a cardinal sin of intelligence analysis.

There had to be some clue he had previously overlooked, one that could cut through the fog at this moment.

Lynn closed his eyes and began to recall everything he had experienced at the Viscount's estate.

There was nothing to grab onto.

Nothing came of it. There was too much to recall, and he was completely unable to grasp any specific detail.

Moreover, for some reason, whenever he thought of the Viscount's estate, two scenes kept flooding his mind, making it completely impossible to think normally.

The first was the painful experience of being used as a human seat cushion by a certain masochistic princess.

The second was the scene of Iyanna sweeping through the Viscount's dining table like a whirlwind.

……Wait 

 The dining table?

Lynn's eyes snapped open.

He recalled a question he had once had——

Why had the Viscount been sitting at the dining table alone? Where was his family?

It was now known that his eldest son had been deeply afflicted by the poison at the time.

But then, what about the other person?

The Viscount of White Pine's current wife, who was also Baron Rose's daughter.

Why had she not been present either?

At that thought, his mind suddenly opened up.

Baron Rose's trusted confidant, a person with access to the Viscount's son, a woman capable of wielding magic, a dark magic renewal performed once every half a month……

When a string of fragmented clues were connected by a single individual, the answer was already on the tip of the tongue.

It was clear that the Viscount's new wife was an indispensable link in this conspiracy.

The corners of Lynn's mouth slowly curled up.

If there was already a definite target, then what needed to be done next had suddenly become simple……

"Lord Baron of Blackstone, you have arrived so quickly. My lord said this banquet was held on rather short notice and feared you might not make it in time. He had me prepare to tell you not to mind."

Looking at the attendant who came forward to welcome him, and then at the row of luxurious carriages parked outside the estate, Lynn expressed:

"???"

What in the world? Had the Viscount sent him an invitation to a banquet?

Just as the thoroughly bewildered Lynn and Griffin were being ushered into the estate, on the other side, a messenger who had traveled through every manner of hardship finally arrived at Blackstone Town's lord's castle.

He then collapsed upon learning, to his dismay, that the Baron of Blackstone had set off in the opposite direction at the same time as him, and had by now more or less already arrived at White Pine City.

"Lord Lynn, if the situation is as you suspected, we need to go find the Viscount of White Pine immediately."

Griffin, dressed in servant's clothing, kept a wary eye on the surroundings.

Hearing this, Lynn turned around with a serious look:

"Griffin, do you know what a banquet represents? Do you know what is here right now?

Do you know what we would be giving up by making such a rash decision?"

Looking at the earnest expression on Lynn's face, Griffin shook his head somewhat uneasily:

"I'm sorry, but I truly don't know."

"A banquet represents a gathering of a whole lot of rich fools! There is free wine and food here!

How can we possibly miss something this important?! This is the most important objective right now!

Hurry up and go get our samples. I am going into battle!"

Lynn shook his head in anguished indignation, and then immediately charged toward the table laid out with pastries and drinks.

Griffin and the other attendees around them watched in shock as Lynn, like a starving ghost reborn into the living world, rapidly swept through the platters that had just been brought to the table.

It was only at this moment that he understood why, just before they had left, the silver-haired girl had solemnly gripped his shoulders and told him:

"Make sure you keep an eye on that bastard, and do not try to understand or predict his words and actions by the standards of a normal human being.

Because he is neither normal nor human."

After stuffing his stomach, which had only been taking in dark bread, full of high-class pastries, Lynn glanced around left and right, and then proceeded to stuff his pockets full as well.

Having done all of this, he then downed several cups of dry red wine in succession, until he could no longer take in so much as a single drop of anything else.

He then picked up a wine glass and elegantly carried away a cup of dry red, intending to continue drinking once his stomach had made some room.

Just as he was humming a little tune and preparing to leave, his gaze suddenly came to a halt on a certain figure.

She was a mature and glamorous woman, the passage of time settled at the corners of her eyes in the form of lines that carried a certain charm.

Unlike the other noblewomen, she had no male companion at her side, though people occasionally came to pay their respects, no one lingered beside her for long.

Sensing that atmosphere of solitude known as "widowhood," Lynn's nostrils flared slightly.

And then a brilliant smile spread across his face……

……

Helen had originally been the wife of Baron Veinard. After her husband and son died one after another ten years ago, she had inherited their territory and become a widowed baroness in her own right.

She was not without suitors, but in the eyes of this mature and full-bloomed fruit, they were either dried-up old trees or unremarkable weeds.

No one was the fine timber that could move her heart.

Helen swirled the wine glass in her hand listlessly, lingering in the solitary banquet she had long since grown accustomed to.

Suddenly, a lively male voice rang out from beside her:

"My lady, on this long night, the clamor of this hall seems rather ill-suited to you.

On you, I sense, a chill."

She raised her eyes at the sound, and then her pupils contracted with a flutter.

For she saw that the owner of that gentle voice was a handsome young man of distinguished appearance, well-proportioned build, and impressively dark hair and dark eyes.

"Mm, perhaps, it really is a little cold."

She lowered her eyes with a slight shyness, and her heart, no longer young, stirred with a youthful flutter:

"I wonder, who might you be?"

"My name is Lynn, Baron of Blackstone. My beautiful lady, I have come for the express purpose of remedying the chill you feel."

Were young people nowadays all this direct?

But she did not mind it at all.

"That is……quite nice……ah, my name is Helen Veinard, just call me Helen."

"Is that so, Lady Helen? Since you are also inclined toward this, then let us get straight to the point."

"My……here? In this place?"

"But of course! There is no time to waste! Strike while the iron is hot!"

Paying not the slightest heed to the blush spreading across Lady Helen's face, Lynn raised his hand and snapped his fingers:

"Griffin! Bring our samples over here!"

"?"

Griffin, one hand covering his face, walked over to Lynn in full view of everyone present, carrying an elegant wooden box.

Lynn immediately took the wooden box and sidled up to Lady Helen with an ingratiating smile, cleared his throat:

"Ta-da! Blackstone Fief's Special Grade Noble Charcoal~

Still feeling drained due to the cold?

Still feeling disheartened because your heating materials aren't premium enough?

Quality is reflected through its grade! Prestige blooms through exclusive enjoyment!

For just one gold coin! Warmth and splendor shall shine throughout your home!"

SHMOLL: I want Helen to be the final route, pretty plsssss

TL Note:

Please give the novel a rating and a review on Novel Update

It will help the website and also help people find this novel!

You can subscribe to our Patreon and read up to 12 chapters in advance.