16 A problem and a lead

"You… you can't let out aura?"

"Y-yes… "

After resting for half a week my body recovered completely, then I got called by Dell, well he called me in here because of my marked sword. 

The one I used with aura, I thought I also could release it but it just wouldn't go out.  

[It's because you're out of your mind back then]

{Yeah, probably}

I felt like the two were hiding something from me, I looked at my pocket mirror and looked at my eyes. I then proceeded to try and put Aura on the sword. 

'Strange, my eyes sometimes would go bluish, outlined by black but now it's completely black, Unchanging.'

[Oh, I see]

"...?"

[I always lent you my strength when you hold the sword but now I can't get out]

"Eh…?"

"What's the matter?"

Dell looked at me with a questioning look, I shook my head, expressionless face as always. 

"Alright then"

I proceeded with my daily routine with the Vice commander of the Knights, the training was a simple dexterity exercise. Dell is making me swing heavy swords, far heavy for my frame. 

"Alright, that's enough"

I nodded and simply let go of the sword, it fell with a thud, raising the dust by a few inches high. 

I looked at it and couldn't help but look at Dell, how heavy was this sword? My face is probably saying that. 

"Eh… you're free to go"

He waved his hand. I just squinted my eyes, then left. I made sure to take a bath to wash away my sweaty body and dress properly before going to the lady I'm serving. 

"Sammy~!"

"Hello, my lady"

"Mu… I told you to call me Lia when we're alone" Ophelia pouted. 

"Ha… fine"

I sighed, and with that, I looked at her extending the right side of my lips. 

"Hello, Lia"

"Hehe"

Her rosy cheeks and her well-braided hair just adds to her charm, I can't help but want to pat this adorable child. Well, I too am a child but that's beside the point. 

"Okay, then. Let me talk to Luna"

{how unfortunate… but I can't get out…  My Villainess-chan…!} 

I swear I could hear fists being clenched but that's probably my imagination. 

"I'm sorry, but…"

"But?"

"Both Markus and Luna can't get out after what happened a week ago"

"eh??"

"I'm sorry, my la– Lia"

"mu…"

She pouted for a bit and then brightened up all of a sudden. She then looked at me and held my hand. 

"Then, let's play! I've been practising chess with Luna now. I'm pretty sure I can beat you!"

{Ha! Get 'em, Ophelia-chan!!!!}

Oh so that's what they're doing, I once beat Ophelia years ago in chess and ever since she's been practising? How diligent. 

I then chuckled and grabbed the chessboard carefully placed on top of her wardrobe, she's been humming happily all this time. 

Once I've placed the board down she looked down at it with a smile of an innocent child, that face will turn to rage because I don't plan on losing. 

… 

I lost. What how. 

"Hehe~ I've been practising every time with Luna~"

She hummed, not going to lie. I'm confused, how did Luna, a voice in my head manage to make Ophelia, a beginner years ago, this good?

My pieces were eaten left and right. I didn't manage to find out how she managed to make a move so advanced. 

"Well I lost"

I guess I'm an idiot for underestimating her. 

"Want to play more?"

"Sure~"

I would've bonded with her more with the remaining time I've had but then, a knock sounded in the room. 

"Yes?"

Spoke Ophelia. 

"The Marquis has called for you, my lady along with Samuel"

"..?"

I wonder why my name too was included, but I guess I have to follow, I'm just a Butler of the household. And I'm using their resources too, I can't help but feel indebted to the Marquis. 

"Should we go My lady?"

"Un!"

She nodded with a smile, and held her hand out. I know what that means my lady, but we're in your own house, your mansion. I don't need to escort you. 

In the end, I just sighed and took her hand. We left the room and went to the Marquis's office. 

When we entered the room after voicing ourselves, the Marquis glanced at us briefly before stopping his hands which were signing documents. 

"Do you know why I've called you?"

We, I and Ophelia looked at each other and then back at the Marquis before shaking our heads. 

"There's going to be a banquet in the Capital, the 2nd Princess is having a birthday. My sweet daughter, Ophelia. I'm asking you this but you can refuse, but can you come with me to the capital and attend the princess's birthday banquet?"

"Mm… if Papa wants to… "

"No, Ophelia, just think of it as having a friend no pressure on you accepting"

"Mm…  okay, I'll try"

{Ooh…  Princess, hey Sammy can you confirm the name of the princess?}

[What's with you all of a sudden?]

{Err... Just please?}

I sighed and raised my hand, the Marquis, noticing this, looked at me and asked. 

"Yes?"

"What's the name of the princess?"

"Ah, yes her name is Yelena Kurth Vanforth"

{Yelena! Oh sheeeeeeshh, Sammy save her}

'What now'

[Bruh]

{She's the future Fiance of Welyn San Antriga, the Playboy I told you that 'you're the first woman to hit me' type}

'Yeah, what about it?'

[Lemme guess, because of his Fiance's death he became a Playboy?]

{Bingo!}

'So the princess died. Tell me the cause'

{... Poison, but the poison acted like a disease, so it was hard to identify. You still have that elixir don't you?}

'Yeah'

{Err… yeah use it, you're learning Alchemy anyways}

'are you sure you're not telling me to use it because of your self-satisfaction?'

{Didn't you run all the way to the Butch dungeon to save the madam?}

'Huh? What's the connection—'

{You saved the madam for self-satisfaction, the same feeling here}

I just didn't retort, Luna's right. Well, we still have to find a way to save the princess though. And since Luna pulled me in this mess I couldn't ignore the fact that a child is going to die. 

But saving her is going to be hard, we don't know when she'll get poisoned or how we're getting close as she is a Royal, she'll probably have Guardian knights stronger than our peak 3rd class swordsman Dell.  

{Haha! Sammy! Sammy! Why not play as lupin?}

[Are you asking the child to steal?]

{Idiot! Not that! Be a mysterious character! Haha! I'd love to see that!}

'sounds… kinda fun'

[No, Samuel don't liste—]

{Lupin it is!!!}

"Samuel?"

Bringing me out of my inner thoughts, the Marquis looked at me with a questioning gaze and Ophelia is looking at me with an all-knowing look, she probably knows I'm talking with the two. 

I nodded towards the Marquis, he coughed and continued to speak. 

"The territory of the Viscount has been given to me."

I tilted my head, why does such news need to be directly heard by me? 

"You need to search for your little sister right?"

I then understood the underlying meaning, I can't believe I'm being more indebted to the Marquis, not that I mind. I need to find what my mother left in this world. 

"Oh also."

He took out a necklace, it was a star-shaped necklace with an impromptu thread. Looking at it closely, my eyes widened and my pupils shook. 

"We found this in one of the slave traders we've caught"

"I-i"

[Samuel, deep breaths]

I breathed as Markus instructed, making sure I calmed myself down as I walked toward the Marquis. 

"I was told you're also finding your sister by your mother's necklace, is the necklace by chance a two-piece necklace?"

I nodded. My mother's necklace has a star and a new moon, an arc shaped moon connecting to a star that's what it is, both are magnetic so I would instantly know it was my mother's. 

"Ha… ha... Yes," I said, breathing deeply. 

He handed me the necklace which I held deeply in my chest. I'm closer to finding my little sister, any minute counts on finding her. 

And now that the Marquis owns the viscount, who owns the slave-trading business my scope of operations got wider. 

"well then"

The Marquis patted my head. 

"Just take your time" 

In which I nodded. It's just a matter of time. 

… 

"Ah, Samuel, there's something I need to tell you," said Penelope

"...?"

"Your mother uttered a name repeatedly before passing her last breath. I think it is… "

… 

"Anastasia… " 

I wore the necklace on my neck, I looked at it and made sure to cherish it. 

. 

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{Ophelia won't meet the other Prince right? Yeah let's hope so}