Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Chapter 65. Opening the door the Menisd Duke lying like a dried jellyfish was visible.

The Duke lying in a large shape on the bed wide enough for five people to lie didn't even lift his head and said.

“Today's work is over now. If did even the Duchess reception did all the work to do.”

“Seems that Duchess reception hasn't ended yet?”

At my words he then lifted his head and looked at me.

And discovering my face didn't hide the annoying air.

“Why did the Duchess come here?”

Yet whether couldn't just lie he slowly got up from the bed.

Wearing the jacket but more than half of the shirt buttons undone, and the well combed hair was in a messy state.

Seeing the attire the same as when just met probably dove into the bed right after separating from us.

Now the castle inside is in chaos, but the person who is the family's owner is busy lying.

An unimaginable matter in our territory.

“Not busy these days? Would have many this and that works.”

“My creed is to make subordinates do most. Work or such is only bothersome and not fun?”

Whether noticed my cold gaze he answered in a slightly unfair tone.

“Don't see that much. Just rested a bit. Look at that. That all read during one day today?”

The place the Duke pointed had thick books piled a lot.

“If did that level of work okay to rest a bit. Isn't it?”

The Duke diligently expressed the reason he can rest to me.

I first nodded.

“Yes, what. You worked hard.”

“More than that how did the Duchess enter here?”

“The Duke said come in.”

He frowned his eyebrows.

“Ah... right, did. Mistook for the butler.”

Perhaps still drunk on sleep?

He then closed the comfortably loosened shirt.

The chest widely revealed was covered by the jacket.

“...

Showed an appearance can't show to the Duchess Valfruga. So what brings the Duchess to my room?”

“Because an urgent matter.”

“Hmm?”

“Anyway seems I found the cause of the plague circulating in the castle.”

He wore a strange smile.

The gaze that was hazily loosened until just now sharpened quite.

From the beginning this person wasn't just drinking alcohol and enjoying pleasure because bothersome and lazy.

Said when young he was a smart and sincere boy.

The previous Menisd Duke was a person with strong education fever, and harshly educated his son him.

He who studied hard according to the father's will started expressing the desires suppressed until now ascending to the Duke position after the father passed away.

The result was the current lazy and pleasure-enjoying Menisd Duke.‘Still as expected a man who once heard genius sounds.’“Interesting. The castle's dozens of scholars couldn't find even sticking what the Duchess who hasn't even been a few hours since coming to the castle found.”

The Menisd Duke's voice lowered like a snake.

“I dislike lies. Of course dislike bothersome more. If other lies would just pass...”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Even looking like this I'm also the head of one family. Might not just pass lies playing with my family people's lives.”

He seemed trying to threaten me, but to me not a lie so nothing scary.

“That's a matter to find out from now. Instead there's a condition.”

“What?”

“If the cause I found is correct, please make the merchant union I recommend able to participate in the Menisd ducal house's herb transportation competition.”

The herbs coming out from the Menisd ducal territory were sold throughout the Empire.

In the Menisd ducal house didn't directly take charge of that transportation, and entrusted to other merchant unions and if taking this could earn big money.

But to participate in this competition had to dedicate to the Menisd ducal house for at least 5 years and obtain the Duke's trust.

The Menisd Duke fell into thought for a moment and answered.

“...

What, if only a chance wouldn't matter. So what is the cause the Duchess thought?”

“Water.”

“Water?”

“Investigate the river water people use.”

“Never heard news of the river water contaminated. The sewage facilities are also operating normally.”

Actually said poison dissolved in the water, but outwardly not turbid and still clean.

I also tried to just drink before Blackie informed.

“Outwardly looks that but don't know what mixed. Investigate whether no one saw someone mixing something in the water in the upstream of the river or.”

“...

Good. But how did the Duchess know this?”

“That's the power of the Valfruga ducal house.”

I shamelessly lifted my head.

The Menisd Duke stared at my smiling face.

Not smiling the impression was quite scary because of the upturned eye corners.

Then suddenly smiled.

“...

What, doesn't matter. Whatever secret the Duchess is holding is a matter unrelated to me. Right?”

“Right.”

Literally me informing this information to the Menisd Duke was purely my favor.

Also informed the cause, so can resolve soon now.* * *As expected when the Menisd Duke stepped into the investigation, could find the cause soon.

Said demonic beasts' corpses were piled in the upstream of the river in the deep mountain and traces of using amplification magic were visible.

According to the words of people who saw that appearance the sticky and dark red blood pooling was exactly like a swamp.

Said a knight with a weak stomach dry heaved so imagination went how serious a scene.

Checking revealed demonic energy mixed a lot in the water.

Hearing the cause Blackie nodded saying worth it.[Demonic beasts' blood mixed so people hurting was also a natural matter.]

“Is demonic beasts' blood that dangerous? If the water looks clean the demonic beasts' blood entered in one cup of water isn't even one drop? Even handling demonic beasts living in water that level enters.”[Because created an intentional situation using magic. Originally demonic beasts' blood has thick demonic energy. An ordinary person if drinking even one sip of that blood would be unable to overcome the demonic energy and die as is, Master. Thanks to diluted in water to that extent fortunately ended with abdominal pain level.]

“What, also knew the cause so will resolve soon now.”

But unlike my expectation the situation became more confusing.

The Menisd Duke who learned the contaminated river water is the cause of the disease urgently banned using the river water.

Because of that to obtain water had to go to another river quite far from the castle, but the problem was not many people in a state intact enough to go there and scoop water.

As the amount of usable water decreased, the atmosphere inside the castle became more and more fierce.‘We were fortunate able to obtain clean water right away.’ Seeing the suffering people wanted to help, but there was a limit to the amount of water I can make.

Even squeezing all power barely making water the family people can use was all.

First knew whether people use that much water living.

I looked for the Menisd Duke again.

The Duke this time was properly sitting on the chair looking at a thick book.

“How did it become? Why is the water still contaminated?”

The Menisd Duke whether looked at documents without even sleeping these few days the under eyes were black.

He nervously rubbed his forehead, and threw the document he was looking at on the desk.

“Lacking herbs to use for purification.”

“Yes?”

“There are largely two methods to purify demonic energy. Using a priest's holy power, or using herbs with purification function. But for now priests capable enough to purify are all in the capital.”

“Can request a priest.”

“Did but rejected. Currently available priests all went to the east they said? Something appeared in the east too... Anyway the conclusion is can't send now.”

He anxiously took out a cigarette from the drawer and bit in his mouth.

Whether because I was there didn't light the fire.

“Then the remaining have no choice but to use herbs with purification function... this is not easy to obtain.”

“Even the Menisd ducal house?”

If magic and pharmacy isn't it the Menisd ducal house.

A place raising all sorts of precious herbs but none here either?

“Duchess, no matter how pharmacy developed not all herbs grow in our territory. From the beginning cases contaminated with demonic energy are extremely rare unless intentionally making like this time. No one looking so would think of obtaining in advance?”

He leaned on the chair with a tired face.

“And this is bad news...”

“What is it this time?”

To think there's worse news here.

“The mages who returned from outside also caught the plague. Sorry but the commissioned demonic beast subjugation seems have to go without additional support.”

There could be worse news.

“That's different from the content first talked.”

“Sorry. We also didn't think the situation would worsen like this.”

Outside demonic beasts blocking the path, inside a plague circulating with demonic beasts' blood.

Really the worst situation.

“No additional support, I'll receive the price more expensively.”

“Do as you please. Let's share that story later. Now I'm a bit busy.”

He pointed at the piled books with his eyes.

Just a few days ago lying on the bed loafing, now became looking into books until the eyeballs pop red.