Verna’s Misfortune

After finishing their discussion with the Town Head, Kent and Caro returned to their hut.

“Welcome back, Master, Lady Caro.”

“Auh… gofuh… ugo…”

Al, who was in the hut, welcomed them. The mandrake was making eerie sounds. Apparently, it was welcoming them too.

Since there was still a little time until dinner, they decided to discuss the matter of Verna that they had just been talking about.

“Kent-san, you think Rachel would know how to solve Verna-san’s recognition disorder, correct?”

Caro asked Kent. Caro thought that the person Kent had in mind was probably Rachel.

“That’s right. My sister read through a lot of storybooks where that sort of thing appeared. I thought she might be able to give us at least a hint toward a solution.”

“It would be good if we could figure out a way to solve it properly…”

“Well, in reality, I cannot say for certain whether she knows a solution or not.”

Kent had said that back there, but he did not think it could definitely be solved. Still, if there was a way, he wanted to do something for her.

“Master, Lady Caro. By recognition disorder, you mean that damn cheeky little girl, right?”

“Al, do you know about it?”

Al, who had been listening to Kent and Caro’s conversation, asked that. In Al’s mind, Verna was apparently a damn cheeky little girl.

“I may look like this, but I am an intermediate fairy, so I do have a fair amount of knowledge when it comes to things related to magic power.”

Al puffed out her flat chest as she said that.

“Master… You were thinking something that annoyed me a little, weren’t you? If you like them big, I can make them bigger right now.”

“No… You do not need to do that.”

Al could freely change the size of her chest. That soft feeling was hard to give up, but considering balance, her current form was the most ideal for a childlike body type, so Kent declined.

“Ahem. Then I shall get to the main point. That damn cheeky little girl… That is long, so I will shorten it and call her Verna. Verna seems to have more magic power than ordinary people. The magic power that can no longer be fully accumulated inside her body seems to be leaking out. It takes a form that wraps around her body, so children, who have difficulty sensing magic power, can recognize her normally, but once people become adults, they become more susceptible to the influence of magic power, and that becomes a wall that causes recognition disorder. In the case of people who already know her, the recognition disorder is canceled out depending on their degree of interaction with her, so family members and the like are apparently unaffected. Also, I think adults with an aptitude for magic power can recognize her as well.”

“I feel like I understand… and also like I don’t.”

“I thought the same.”

After hearing Al’s explanation, Kent and Caro more or less understood it, but they did not reach the point of fully understanding.

“I’ll ask simply. Is there a way to remove the recognition disorder?”

“There is.”

When Kent asked, Al answered immediately.

“In short, the overflowing magic power just needs to be absorbed. If it is all sucked away for the time being, then at least as far as the recognition disorder is concerned, I think she should be able to live without problems for several years.”

“Al-chan, how do we suck out magic power?”

“Well, you see… The quickest method would be…”

Al explained the method for absorbing magic power.

“As expected, that method might be impossible for me… You might not like it, but Caro-san, could you do it? I will leave the method to you.”

“I am not eager to do it, but since it is your request, Kent-san, and I also want Verna-san to get along with the people in town… I will do my best.”

After being asked by Kent, Caro decided to think up a plan and put it into action.

“I thought I would not be using this this time, but to think the time would come to use it for something like this…”

Caro began taking off the commoner clothes she was currently wearing.

“Caro-san, why are you taking off your clothes?”

“I need to change clothes…”

Caro had been seen naked many times, so at this point, she no longer felt embarrassed even if Kent saw her changing. With an unconcerned face, she took off her clothes and changed.

“Caro-san, those clothes are…”

“Yes, they are the clothes I usually wear.”

Caro said that after changing into an elegant dress that commoners would never wear, her usual everyday wear. These were noble clothes that Caro normally wore when she was at home.

“Then I will do my best for your sake, Kent-san. Now then, Al-chan, let us go.”

“Yes, I shall accompany you.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Caro took Al with her and left the hut to execute the plan.

【From here, it switches to Caro’s perspective】

“Then, Al-chan, let us head to the office.”

“Yes.”

Caro entered the Town Head’s house and unlocked the door leading to the locked area for the lord. Since Caro was the lord’s daughter, she legally possessed a spare key. Using it, she entered the area used by the lord.

“If there is this much wasted space, it would probably be better to let the Town Head and his family use some of it. Four people in two rooms really is cramped.”

“Lady Caro, you are kind.”

Caro said that while looking at the many doors lined up along the corridor.

“But from here on, I must harden my heart. I do feel sorry for Verna-san, but it cannot be helped if I want Kent-san to be pleased.”

“Wow, you are starting to seem a little villainous.”

“Oh, Al-chan.”

Al teased Caro. Then they arrived in front of the office. This was not the Town Head’s office, but the true lord’s office.

“Originally, Kent-san and I were supposed to work here, but reality truly is unpredictable.”

All of the vulgar decorations that had previously been placed there had been removed, and the interior had been changed into a calmer design according to Caro’s taste. She sat in the lord’s seat placed in the office and rang the summoning bell on the desk. When this bell was rung, it meant the master had business, so the servant in charge had to come immediately. Of course, the current person in charge was Verna.

“I wonder if Verna-san will come.”

Since the person who currently used this room was absent, there was a possibility no one would come even if the bell was rung, but Caro had read Verna’s personality and was certain that if she rang it, Verna would definitely come.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

“Did you call for me…? Wait, Caro, what is with that outfit?”

As expected, Verna entered the office and was surprised when she saw Caro sitting in the lord’s seat. Caro was wearing noble clothes and giving off the distinctive aura of a noble. Verna looked surprised as she said that.

“Do you not understand what it means for me to be sitting in this seat?”

“M-my apologies. I committed numerous acts of disrespect without knowing you were the Acting Lord…”

“Incidentally, I am not the Acting Lord.”

Verna, who had apologized, seemed to think so because of Caro’s atmosphere and had become intimidated. However, Caro denied it.

“You are not the Acting Lord? Caro, what do you mean? This is the lord’s office.”

After Caro denied it, Verna regained a little of her assertiveness and said that.

“Be silent. I am Caroline, the lord’s daughter. I have also received permission from Father, and I possess the right to use this room.”

“The lord’s… daughter…”

When Verna heard those words, she froze.

“A bad girl who speaks that way needs to be punished…”

Caro made a fearless fake smile and approached Verna.

“Eek, please forgive me… I will do anything, so please forgive me.”

“You will do anything… Do not forget those words.”

Saying that, Caro brought her face near Verna’s face as Verna prostrated herself and spoke with a grin.

(Verna-san, I am sorry. I am doing this for your sake too, so please endure it.)

While thinking that inwardly, Caro hardened her heart and continued.

“I will punish you now, so take off your clothes… Now, hurry.”

“Y-yes, right away.”

Ordered by Caro, Verna hurriedly began taking off her clothes.

“Kh, even though she is younger than me, her chest is bigger…”

“Lady Caro, your inner voice is leaking out.”

“Ah, that was careless.”

After Al pointed it out, Caro hurriedly fixed her expression.

“How pitiful. To prostrate yourself naked before me. Now, show me that unimpressive body of yours. Stand.”

“…Yes.”

At Caro’s order, Verna stood up. She wore nothing, but she did not try to cover herself with her hands and instead straightened her posture.

(I wonder just how far the person who educated Verna-san drilled things into her. This is becoming pitiful just to watch… But it would not be good to sympathize here.)

Seeing Verna’s behavior, Caro realized that the previous lord had educated Verna on the assumption that she would provide physical service.

“I am going to punish you now. Get on all fours.”

“Yes… Ugh.”

Ordered by Caro, Verna got on all fours. Even Verna, who had been trained, seemed embarrassed by this posture.

“But before that, I will confirm something.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Before taking action, Caro decided to confirm something with Verna.

“Do adults often ignore you?”

“Eh? Why do you ask that?”

Verna answered in surprise while still on all fours.

“Do you feel lonely because of that?”

“Th-that is… There is… no such thing.”

“Speak honestly!”

“Eek! Yes, I feel lonely. But I was told this is a type of illness and that there is no way to cure it.”

“If there were a way to cure it, would you want it cured?”

“Yes, if such a method exists, I want it cured. I hate being lonely because no one notices my existence.”

“Well said.”

Caro had obtained the verbal confirmation she wanted, so she grinned.

“Eek!”

When Verna saw Caro’s face, she could not help letting out a voice.

“Oh my, are you afraid of me? But the frightening part begins now.”

Caro placed her hand on Verna’s chin and lifted it slightly as she spoke.

“Hehehe. Al-chan, could you please do it?”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

“Eh? What? Kyaa!!!”

The tentacle-like vines summoned by Al wrapped around Verna. Her arms, legs, and body were restrained, leaving her unable to move.

“It only hurts at first… hehehe.”

Saying that, Caro held a carrot-like object in her hand and approached Verna.

“Here I go. Haaah! Take this!!!”

Stab!

“Pikyaaaaaaaaaah!!”

Caro deeply inserted the thing she was holding into Verna’s buttocks. Verna let out a loud scream at the sensation she had never experienced before. Verna then lost consciousness.

“Al-chan, how long should I leave this inserted?”

“A little longer, I think.”

“Fugo, fugo…”

The voice emitted by the mandrake inserted in her buttocks as it absorbed magic power gradually seemed to grow more energetic.

“The quickest way to absorb magic power is… if you insert this mandrake into her buttocks, it will absorb the magic power and make the recognition disorder disappear. It uses the same principle as that thing where you insert a green onion when someone has a fever.”

Caro recalled what Al had said in front of Kent and Caro. In order to quickly carry this out, Caro judged that discussion would not solve it, hardened her heart, and chose the option of using authority to restrain Verna and carry it out. Then, while her heart ached, she ended up playing the villain.

“Lady Caro, it is enough now.”

“Yes. One, two!”

Pop!

The mandrake came out with a very pleasant sound.

“Then I will take care of this.”

Al received the mandrake, which had absorbed plenty of magic power, from Caro.

“My relationship with Verna-san has ended with this. I am worried about how I should face her from now on.”

“It is all right, Lady Caro. With this much, if I manipulate her memory a little… About like this, I suppose. Now the previous event has been removed from her memory, so you can interact with her as usual.”

“Really? Thank you, Al-chan. …Now that I think about it, perhaps there was no need to make her undress above the waist.”

Caro thought that while looking at Verna lying there completely naked.

After that, Caro and Al dressed Verna, laid her on the office sofa, and returned to their hut.