Published: September 9, 2025
This is Satou. When it comes to jealousy, romance is what first comes to mind. But surprisingly, jealousy over others’ success runs just as deep.
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“I have urgent business and need to return to the mansion. Liliril, sorry, but please clean up the workshop.”
“Yes, understood, Lord Satou!”
Huh? What’s with Liliril’s behavior? Not only did she call me “Lord” instead of just “kid,” she even saw me off with sparkling eyes. Waving at her, I teleported back. Come to think of it, ever since finishing the artificial skin, she’s been unusually quiet.
Anyway, setting trivial matters aside, I have to go rescue Lulu.
I want to teleport back immediately, but first I'll check the situation.
First, I check the mansion on the map. About ten guards and two high-level knights are there. All are subordinates of the prefect.
Mysterious. What could their business be?
After using clairvoyance magic to check the mansion’s basement, I teleport back.
Ignoring the pounding on the basement door, I place a pen and ink taken from storage on the desk, along with several sheets of paper. Then I bring out a candlestick and candle, light it, and put it on the desk. Finally, I place my signet ring and finish preparing.
Hopefully, this will all be for nothing.
I unlatch the door, push it open, and preemptively shout.
“Quiet! I can’t concentrate!”
“Apologies, my lord. There is suspicion that you have used demonic enhancement potion. Please report to the prefect’s mansion.”
“Me? Using demonic enhancement potion?”
I walk back upstairs while speaking.
It seems that because our young group’s levels are abnormally high, we are suspected of using demonic enhancement potion.
Ridiculous. The risk outweighs the effect by far. If the goal was just leveling up, it should be possible to reach around level 50 in ten days without any such potion.
“Master,”
“It’s alright. This is clearly a false accusation. Anyway, since I had business with the marchioness, let’s consider it a convenient excuse.”
Still, whose doing is this?
The marquis must see me as a cash cow, and baronet Dukeri owes me over his daughter’s matter. Most likely, it’s a faction among the marquis’s followers who are freaking out to protect their positions.
When I asked Ms. Mitelna to watch over things, she quietly warned me.
“Sir, I have heard rumors that Baron Vilas, the inquisitor, abuses his insight skill to get leverage over suppliers and servants. Please be careful.”
I see. If asked about something unrelated to the demonic enhancement potion, I can just divert the conversation or object. Being prepared means I won’t be swayed. Negotiation and subtlety skills will have to do their best.
I thanked Ms. Mitelna for her advice and used clairvoyance magic to look into the basement. Then, with magic hand, I opened the ink bottle on the basement desk and wrote instructions to Ms. Mitelna on a memo paper using a quill pen. On another sheet, I prepared a letter requesting aid and sealed it with my signet wax. I collected the signet and candle back into storage.
I didn’t say this directly to avoid letting the mastermind get the upper hand. The handwriting got a bit messy, but it should be legible enough.
“Oh, Mitelna, I forgot to close the ink bottle on the basement desk. Please close the lid before the ink dries, won’t you?”
“Certainly, sir.”
I took the carriage prepared by the prefect’s mansion and headed there. I explained the situation to Arisa and the others in the labyrinth and instructed them to remain there for a while.
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The prefect’s mansion where Lulu and I were brought is a large three-story marble building right next to the East Gate.
“Sir Pendragon, I will summon the inquisitor. Please wait in this room for a while.”
A polite young man who looked like a high-ranking official guided us to an absurdly splendid room fit for state guests. Since it’s a rare visit, I used magic “photo” to record the furnishings and decor.
“Lulu, relax your shoulders and sit here. This sofa is pretty comfortable.”