Chapter 17 ā
Ā Why Would I Need Evidence?
Jehar was caught off guard by Camellia’s sudden command.
“Right away?”
“Is there some reason we shouldn’t?”
“Not exactly… but if Your Lordship intends to investigate their crimes and punish them, wouldn’t it be wiser to gather more concrete evidence before summoning them?”
He had a point.
It just wasn’t a point that applied to Camellia.
“If I am going to interrogate them personally, why would I need evidence?”
“What do you mean byā Ah.”
As realization dawned on him, Jehar let out a quiet exclamation.
“…I see. That certainly would be faster.”
Without another word, he summoned a magical messenger bird.
Just as he had when summoning the Adventurers’ Guild Master, he whispered softly to it.
“The Lord wishes to see you. Upon hearing this message, proceed to the castle audience chamber immediately.”
Repeating his words as though recording them, the messenger bird fluttered away, passed straight through the wall, and disappeared.
Good.
Now let’s finish investigating before they arrive.
Of course, once they were here, she could simply question them directly.
But asking questions when you already knew the answers was far more efficient than asking blindly.
If the ledgers turned out to be clean, she wouldn’t even have to interrogate anyone herself.
“The head maid will likely arrive first. Before then, let’s finish examining the castle accounts.”
At Camellia’s gesture, Jehar put away the territorial ledger and opened the castle’s financial records.
Compared to the tax ledger, these were somewhat better organized.
Still…
They were a complete mess.
The numbers were inconsistent.
Dates had been recorded haphazardly.
I really need to convert all of these to double-entry bookkeeping.
Grumbling inwardly, Camellia compared the ledger with the system window.
Unfortunately…
She found discrepancies before she’d even turned three pages.
And just as before…
The system included an unmistakable category labeled Operating Expenses.
There was no need to keep looking.
“Mice have completely infested these books.”
With a sigh, Camellia leaned back in her chair.
Jehar’s expression darkened.
“I never imagined even the head maid would be involved… My apologies, my Lord. This is all due to my failure as your steward.”
For an ordinary steward, such negligence would have been grounds for dismissal.
But Jehar wasn’t an ordinary steward.
He was a hidden mastermind burdened by circumstances.
His role wasn’t to stare at ink-covered ledgers or chase down embezzlers.
His responsibilities were more along the lines of wondering whether to preserve the Lord forever…
…or contemplating whether to help bring about the end of the world.
Back when the previous Lord was alive, he must have been even worse.
When the First Lord’s soul was literally on the verge of shattering…
How could anyone expect Jehar to concern himself with bookkeeping?
Camellia generously let the matter pass.
“I am not foolish enough to tie a dog to a stake, release a swarm of rats before it, and then punish the dog for failing to catch them.”
“Even if I have no memories, these were officials appointed under my authority.”
“The responsibility is mine.”
“But…”
“Enough.”
“That matter ends here.”
As soon as Camellia cut him off, Jehar obediently lowered his eyes without another word.
Nethanel, meanwhile, watched her with eyes sparkling like gold coins.
So… what are you going to do now?
His gaze asked the question.
Camellia answered with her own.
That depends entirely on how the embezzlers respond.
Audience Chamber
“P-Please, my Lord! Mercy… Please spare me!”
The moment the head maid was summoned and Camellia mentioned the ledgers and embezzlement…
She immediately collapsed flat onto the floor.
She even begged desperately, offering all of her possessions in exchange for her life.
No.
If she’d only stolen a little, Camellia might have frightened her and continued employing her.
But she’d stolen far too much.
She had even pocketed the wages of several servants, including Shushu.
An example had to be made.
“All of your property will be confiscated.”
“You are sentenced to hard labor.”
“The position of Head Maid will remain vacant.”
“Until further notice, Jehar will oversee the castle’s administration.”
“Understood, my Lord.”
Jehar bowed immediately.
Nethanel, however, leaned toward Camellia and whispered.
“My Lord… after deceiving you for so many years and stealing your wealth, isn’t hard labor a rather merciful punishment?”
“There is no reason to waste valuable labor merely to satisfy my emotions.”
“Doesn’t your god also teach rational judgment?”
“Oh?”
“So that’s your answer?”
“A ruler can also be too merciful.”
He said that…
Yet his Loyalty and Affection proved otherwise.
[Nethanel Pragma’s Affection has increased.]
[Nethanel Pragma’s Loyalty has increased.]
Apparently, serving someone fair and merciful was preferable to serving someone cruel.
Or perhaps…
Regardless of Nethanel’s own opinion, the Golden Scales simply approved of what they considered a rational verdict.
Either way…
Camellia continued reaping the rewards of the double Affection-and-Loyalty bonus.
Nethanel Pragma
Loyalty: 25/100
Affection: 30/100
Both values, which had once scraped along rock bottom, had now risen to over one-third.
That was enough to stop worrying about him leaving the party.
The rewards more than compensated for the unexpected headache Internal Affairs had become.
Satisfied, Camellia dismissed the head maid.
Even while soldiers dragged her away, the woman repeatedly cried,
“Thank you for sparing my life, my Lord!”
The mayor, who entered immediately afterward…
Was an entirely different story.
“Embezzlement?! That’s absurd!”
“I’ve been falsely accused!”
“My family has loyally served the Lords for a hundred years!”
Even after hearing the accusations, he continued protesting his innocence.
“My Lord surely knows of my family’s loyalā”
That lasted only until he looked Camellia directly in the eyes.
“Ah… uh…”
Cold sweat immediately poured down his face.
Moments later, he lowered his head until it nearly touched the floor.
“W-We… have… served faithfully…”
Even his speech became incoherent.
As expected.
An 18 Charisma stat is devastating against ordinary NPCs.
A value around eighteen belonged to legends.
Unless someone possessed exceptional courage like seasoned adventurers…
Ordinary people with virtually no levels often suffered mental status effects merely from being glared at with hostile intent.
The mayor currently suffered from two conditions:
Fear.
And Intimidation.
Both greatly increased the effectiveness of mental magic.
Mind Reading.
Camellia cast the spell.
The magical energy flowed out of her body.
Soon…
A voice identical to the mayor’s echoed in her mind.
ćDamn it! I’m finished! Completely finished! She already knows everything! But how? How did she find out I stole even more than usual!?ć
He was panicking so badly that his thoughts practically confessed the crime themselves.
Then came the follow-up spell.
Domination.
“Mayor Brut.”
“From this moment onward, you will answer every question with nothing but the truth.”
A pair of invisible dice rolled.
Success.
Camellia asked a test question.
“Will you answer truthfully?”
“Y-Yes…? O-Of course I won’t tell the truth!”
“Good.”
“I understand.”
“Now tell me.”
“How much have you embezzled this year?”
“Twenty platinum coinsā”
“Hrk! W-What!? What’s happening to me!?”
Ignoring the mayor’s horrified gasps, Camellia calmly continued questioning him.
How he’d stolen the money.
Where he’d hidden it.
Who else had participated.
Everything.
Listening to the confession spilling uncontrollably from the mayor’s lips under the effects of Domination…
Jehar muttered in disbelief.
“I assumed they’d taken a few gold coins…”
“But twenty percent of the territory’s taxes…?”
“Y-You’re just some brat who can’t even stand up to the Lordā Hrk! N-No! Lord Steward! I didn’t meanā!”
The mayor desperately tried to cover his own mouth.
It was useless.
The words forced themselves out.
“Everyone knows…”
“You’re nothing more than the Lord’s… concubine… wasting yourself funding her research…”
“…Hah.”
Jehar laughed bitterly.
Camellia lightly tapped the back of his hand, silently telling him not to mind it.
Then she turned back to the mayor.
“You have confessed your crimes.”
“I shall spare you execution.”
“Instead, you and every relative who profited under your authority shall share the same punishment.”
“You won’t be lonely.”
“M-My Lord!”
“This is unfair!”
“My family only continued doing what we’ve always done…!”
“What is unfair about it?”
“If I permitted such behavior before, then you should also accept that once I no longer permit it…”
“…your head may fall.”
“T-That’s impossible!”
“Y-You can’t…!”
Having no intention of listening to further complaints from a minor extra, Camellia lightly tapped Jehar’s hand once more.
As though he’d been waiting for the signal, he calmly recited two spells.
Silence.
Then…
Sleep.
A clean, efficient combination.
The guards carried the unconscious mayor away without difficulty.
Camellia let out a quiet sigh.
She’d presided over only two interrogations…
Yet she already felt exhausted.
Still… I should check on my party members.
Neither Jehar nor Nethanel were characters especially susceptible to mental magic.
Even so…
Better safe than sorry.
“What did you think of today’s judgments?”
Jehar answered immediately.
“They were merciful and perfectly just.”
Nethanel smiled brightly.
“My Lord’s abilities are truly remarkable.”
Good.
No problems.
Come to think of it, the only companion likely to object to using mental magic during interrogations was probably Lohengrin.
Fortunately, she’d handled everything without involving him.
Now then… how am I supposed to rebuild the city administration?
She had removed the mayor…
And everyone beneath him.
Those vacancies had to be filled somehow.
There were companions specialized in administration…
But none were obtainable this early.
Nor could she simply dump the mayor’s responsibilities onto Jehar as well.
Well… there is one possibility.
Camellia quietly looked at Nethanel.
His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“My Lord…”
“You’re looking at me rather intensely.”
“Is there something you wish to ask?”
Can I trust Nethanel?
At this point in time?
…Maybe not Nethanel himself.
But I can trust contracts guaranteed by the Golden Scales.
The priests of this world valued the laws of their patron gods more than their own lives.
From that perspective…
Few people were more trustworthy than priests of the Golden Scales bound by a formal contract.
After a moment’s consideration…
Camellia made her decision.
Stopping the rhythmic tapping of her fingers against her chair’s armrest, she spoke.
“Nethanel.”
“Or rather…”
“Master of the Golden Fleece Trading Company.”
“Would you be willing to oversee the city’s administration for a while?”
“Oh?”
“I genuinely didn’t see that coming.”
Nethanel continued smiling pleasantly.
But his eyes narrowed like a fox’s, gleaming sharply.
“…How, exactly…”
“…did you find that out, my Lord?”
