CH 53

Chapter 53: Straight to the Point When Making a Request

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“Madam!~ Today you’re working on the fish pond again, huh? You’re so diligent-pe~”

“Soncho-san. Thank you for your hard work in the field too.”

Ever since I took part in helping spread the limestone powder in the farmland, the citizens of this dukedom had often come to visit me in Maricle-sama’s mansion. The limestones seemed to have an immediate effect and the dying farmland had fully recovered.

“Ah, I will prepare your usual shellfish set meal in a moment!”

Yes. Everyone’s actual goal in visiting me was to get this assorted shellfish set meal. There were oysters, scallops and manila clams on this menu. We were on a grand mission to make the people get accustomed to eating shellfish because we needed to start gathering shells for making limestone for the upcoming year.

Rather than having a big shellfish party when we were in dire need of limestone, it’d be better to eat a little bit of shellfish on a day to day basis and collect the leftover shells. Shellfish were great to improve the health of the people in the fief and above all, the people were happy because now they had another additional side dish to eat everyday.

“Madam~ We’re so grateful for your help everyday-pe!~”

Usually at this point Soncho-san would then talk about the condition of the farmland and tell me what kind of method he used to cook the shellfish he got from me but today, his greeting seemed a bit rushed and the usual friendly smile had started to fade from his face. He was looking at me with a slightly worried look in his eyes.

“…. Actually, there’s someone in the village that said he needs to meet with madam as soon as possible-pe.”

“Huh? … .He wants to meet me?”

“Mmhmm~ He looks like he’s in his 30s. He looked like he was in trouble, and he was clearly exhausted-pe~”

A man in his 30s? I wonder who? It’s definitely not Bhadra-sama because Soncho-san already knows what Bhadra-sama looks like….

I didn’t know any other man that looked like he was in his 30s.

“Are the young master and Bhadra-sama working in the castle again today-pe?”

“Y-Yes…”

Soncho-san told the man to wait in the village because Soncho-san didn’t feel comfortable bringing a man in his thirties to meet me in a mansion where there was no other human but me. There were only automata in this mansion after all.

“He said that madam is the only one who could save his young daughter’s life. No matter what, it has to be madam-pe.”

“Huh? I-I… I can cook but I can’t use any healing or recovery magic….”

Maricle-sama is more proficient in that kind of field than me.

When I was about to tell Soncho-san that, I heard the sound of someone running. I turned my head toward the source of the sound and saw a man rushing toward me.

“Ah! There he is! Did you follow me here-pe?!”

From Soncho-san’s surprised scream, the man who was running here with a dreadful expression on his face must be the man Soncho-san had told me about.

…..Yeah… I don’t recognize his face… J-Just who are you?

『TRESPASSER! TRESPASSER!! IF YOU GO ANY FURTHER WE WILL ATTACK!』

There wasn’t much distance between us when automata-san suddenly surrounded him, making him unable to move any further.

“…..Ugh!”

Suddenly, the man went down on his knees.

“PLEASE!! MILTIA-SAMA, MY DAUGHTER, PLEASE SAVE MY DAUGHTER, KIDDIE!!”

The man slammed his head flat against the ground, begging me desperately.

“U-Umm… Excuse me? If it’s healing or recovery magic, I….”

I was about to say “I couldn’t use either of them” but the man once again shouted, drowning my voice away.

“MY NAME IS HYATOI!! I’M A SERVANT DOING ODD JOBS IN COUNT LYRAN’S HOUSE!!!”

『TRESPASSER! TRESPASSER!!』

The automata had started to try to drag Hyatoi-san, who was still kneeling on the ground.

“IF I DON’T BRING MILTIA-SAMA BACK TO COUNT LYRAN’S HOUSE,THEY WILL KILL MY DAUGHTER!! MY DAUGHTER IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE AT COUNT LYRAN’S PRISON!! I’M BEGGING YOU!! MILTIA-SAMA, PLEASE LET ME KIDNAP YOU!!!”

Both me and Soncho-san unconsciously stared at each other in confusion as the man blatantly said he wanted to kidnap me.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

T/N: So basically…