Chapter 70: Chapter 66: Confrontation
The Lord’s Mansion in the center of Roland Town was the only building that could compare to the Adventurer’s Association, and was perhaps even more luxurious.
The Lord of Roland Town, Baron Lael, came from a noble family with considerable wealth. After demonstrating a decent talent for Magic, he won the favor of Viscountess Lawrence and became her prospective son-in-law. A man like him would naturally spare no expense in the construction of his own Lord’s Mansion. It was said that building it alone cost tens of thousands of Gold Coins!
It was currently morning. Baron Lael was not studying Magic as he usually did, nor was he lounging on a recliner enjoying the services of a handmaiden’s massage.
This Lord, who normally carried himself with an air of nobility so grand he practically looked down his nose at people, now wore a fawning smile and stood rigidly beside his fiancée.
And his fiancée, Yunice Lawrence—a woman of noble birth, accustomed to being arrogant and domineering—was also smiling in a way she considered amiable, nodding to the distinguished guest before them.
The visitor, clad in a purple Mage’s robe with a wide-brimmed hat, walked into the reception hall with an air of ease and glanced at the pair.
"You’re Caroline’s daughter?"
Her words held little respect for the Viscountess. This wasn’t out of arrogance, but because she truly had the qualifications to act this way.
As a magical genius the likes of which the Kingdom had not seen in a century, Flora had become a tutor at the Doria Kingdom’s National Magic Academy—the Saint Anthony Magic Academy—at the tender age of 21.
Moreover, her teacher was the academy’s vice-principal, one of the Kingdom’s few Extraordinary Level Mages, the Great Mage Elvis!
A figure of her stature had to be treated with deference not just by a Viscount, but even by a Count.
That was why Lael was so nervous. He knew perfectly well that she wasn’t here to vacation in their rundown little town... she was here to hold them accountable!
"Yes, Lady Flora. I was wondering if you..."
"Let’s dispense with the pleasantries."
Flora looked at Yunice’s pretentious act and recalled the wicked deed from a few days prior, when she had her guards kill a commoner they had bumped into on the street. The memory alone made her feel sick.
"You should know full well why I’m here."
Flora sat down and tapped her fingers on the table. "A student from my class has gone missing in your town..."
Saint Anthony Academy had always emphasized the unity of knowledge and action, refusing to be confined to simple textbook learning. In addition to frequent practical Magic classes, the academy assigned a graduation project for students upon completion of their studies, sending them to places like the Loran Forest—a gathering place for Demons—to gain real-world experience.
This teaching model had proven to be quite effective. Many students successfully advanced to become official Mage Professionals during their training and went on to have stronger practical skills than other Mages throughout their careers.
Admittedly, this method of training carried the risk of accidents. However, the academy had taken this into account. Besides repeatedly warning students not to venture too deep into Demon gathering places, they also provided certain protective measures upon the students’ departure. As long as one wasn’t actively seeking death, they would generally be fine.
And that had held true—at least for the last decade or so, there had not been a single incident.
But this time, something had gone wrong. And it was one of her own students.
For Flora, who had just become an academy tutor, this was something of a black mark on her record, and it had been seized upon by many who were jealous of her.
Thus, Flora had arrived with a measure of resentment, not to mention her inherent disdain for nobles with checkered pasts like the Lawrences.
When had Yunice ever been treated with such a tone? But given the other party’s status, she could only swallow her anger and force a smile. "We are also deeply regretful about your academy’s student going missing. But this is, after all, a matter of your own training strategy. If an accident occurred, I don’t believe the local Lord should be held responsible."
"I don’t mean to point fingers at you over the incident itself..."
Flora spread her hands. "But after my student lost contact, I sent a magical message requesting your assistance with the investigation. According to Kingdom regulations, that falls within your duties. Yet a full ten days have passed without any response."
It was only after arriving in town that she discovered the Lord had taken no action whatsoever. He hadn’t even posted a related quest and seemed to be deliberately suppressing any news about it. That was the real reason for her anger.
All signs indicated that her student might not have met with an accident during their expedition. There was another possibility...
Baron Lael wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced an explanation. "The number of Goblins near the town has exploded recently, so most of the Guards’ energy has been spent suppressing them. We simply haven’t had the manpower..."
"Is that so?"
Flora’s voice grew colder. "But I heard your town Guards never even entered the forest. Instead, you forcibly conscripted many innocent commoners and sent them to their deaths?"
"Th-That’s all just rumors..."
"They’re not rumors. I saw it with my own eyes."
Flora slammed her hand on the table, staring straight at him. "Tell me, what are you so nervous about?"
Yunice narrowed her eyes. ’So it’s true,’ she thought. ’She was the one who posted that quest at the Adventurer’s Association.’
’Flora didn’t arrive at the agreed-upon time; she came to Roland Town several days early. The laughable part is that idiot Lael had no idea until I got here!’
’Even though I immediately took remedial measures, it seems it was all for nothing.’
She stopped Lael, who was about to speak, and forced an even more strained smile. "In any case, this matter has nothing to do with Roland Town. If Lady Flora needs to investigate, we can certainly offer our assistance. But without evidence, please refrain from making baseless accusations. As for other matters in town unrelated to this incident, you needn’t trouble yourself with them!"
The temperature in the room suddenly spiked.
Flames swirled around Flora, and the tabletop beneath her slender right hand began to melt at a visible rate.
In the end, however, she did nothing. She simply stood up and said slowly, "Even your mother wouldn’t dare speak to me in that tone."
She turned and left the reception hall. Just as she stepped through the doorway, Flora glanced back, her gaze lingering on Yunice. "You two had better not give me anything to hold over you..."
As her figure receded into the distance, Lael gasped for air like a drowning man who had just been saved.
"Look at you, you’re pathetic!"
Yunice frowned, looking at her fiancé with utter disgust.
"Yunice, what do we do now?"
Lael didn’t get angry. He just shrank back and asked in a low voice.
"Don’t you dare use my first name!"
Yunice snapped, then continued, "There’s nothing to be afraid of. Without proof, she can’t do anything to us. We just need to cooperate on the surface... Haven’t you already set things up? Just wait for her to discover it."
"Even if there are suspicious elements, it’s enough to make her focus the investigation on the outskirts of the Loran Forest. At the end of the day, this student isn’t important. What’s crucial is that Mother’s plan is not exposed, no matter what!"
"Um... about that..."
Lael stammered, not daring to look at her.
"Actually—"
