Chapter 63

We arrived at the Baron’s estate as a group.

Torre was the only one missing, as he was staying behind to help transport that gang of thieves from earlier to the dungeon. He planned to join us as soon as he finished.

For some reason, the local nobles living nearby had all gathered at the Baron’s residence.

The interior of the extravagant manor was decorated as if it were a party venue.

When on earth did they have the time to prepare all this?

“Hmm…? That gaudy ornament over there looks like one that used to be in our mansion?”

It seemed this house was where Bell had sold off our unwanted goods.

Feeling a bit conflicted, I walked alongside Lord Nazel, following the Baron’s lead.

Sir Henry and Kelly were acting separately.

While they claimed they were going to rest in their rooms, they had actually slipped away to gather evidence of corruption within the estate.

Bell appeared to have gone with them, though I wondered if he intended to do some market research or something of the sort.

Regardless, as the Lord’s wife, I had to get through this situation.

The moment the gallant Lord Nazel appeared inside the manor, the gathered women began to stir with excitement.

Among them was the young lady we had rescued earlier. It seemed she was the older sister of Rebecca, who had come for an interview before.

As for Rebecca herself, she looked terrified of Lord Nazel and was cowering in a corner.

She didn’t seem like she had any intention of involving herself with us.

I had heard that Baron Kigyonne had committed embezzlement in the past and had been judged by Lord Nazel and Sir Henry.

Despite that, his extravagant spending habits hadn’t faded. He likely had some other route for obtaining funds.

The Baron’s eldest and second daughters were persistently talking to Lord Nazel, and several other young ladies had swarmed around him as well.

“He-Hey, wait a minute?”

Lord Nazel is my husband, you know!

I grew flustered as I was separated from him by the momentum of the young ladies, but then, several people grabbed my shoulders…

“Hello there, Lady of the Territory. You’re much more beautiful than the rumors suggested. Won’t you have a chat with us?”

When I turned around, a line of young men stood there.

“Wh-Who are you?”

This time, I was the one surrounded by a group of men, creating a double wall between Lord Nazel and me.

“Wh-What should I do?”

Lord Nazel was trying to make his way over to me, but he was struggling to move without being rough with the ladies.

Just then, another young lady came rushing into the room.

Compared to the other young ladies, her attire was modest and refined, yet she aggressively pushed her way toward Lord Nazel.

“Oh, Lord Nazelbart. I have so longed to meet you. I… I…”

In that moment, I felt a sense of wrongness.

The young lady’s chestnut hair suddenly swelled unnaturally before transforming into sharp, piercing thorns.

“Look out, Lord Nazel!”

Before I could even finish my warning, the girl’s hair lunged toward him.

The other ladies shrieked and fled the scene all at once.

“I’m sorry, I bear you no ill will. But… this is the only way left for me…”

Her voice was barely a whisper as she swung her sharpened hair, closing in on Lord Nazel.

However, the hair only grazed his body; it showed no sign of actually piercing him.

That was only natural. His body was still under the effects of my reinforcement magic.

Whether a magical beast stepped on him or thorns struck him, he wouldn’t budge an inch.

“Wh-What…?”

Faced with this impossible situation, the girl suddenly began to panic.

Looking somewhat troubled, Lord Nazel simply stood there as he always did.

“Why? Why won’t it pierce you?”

At the same time, soldiers who had sensed the abnormality began to gather.

Among them was Torre, who had just returned from handing over the thieves.

“I’ll leave this young lady to you.”

Torre nodded at Lord Nazel’s instruction and rushed over. But the moment he saw the girl in question…

“Li-Lilianne!!!!”

He let out a roar that rivaled a magical beast, echoing throughout the entire manor.