Chapter 10
The family was so shocked that they all jolted in their seats, their expressions freezing.
Nina let out a deep sigh, as though she’d expected this reaction.
“Knowing how timid and gentle you all are, I spent a long time wondering whether I should tell you this……”
“……Timid?”
“……Gentle?”
The family exchanged bewildered glances, murmuring among themselves. They’d never heard anyone describe them that way, not even when they were children.
After a deliberate pause, Nina continued as though she’d finally made up her mind.
“They say there should be no secrets between family members! So I thought it would be best to come clean.”
“Uh-huh? W-well, sometimes there are things that are better left secret.”
Despite Chayson’s response, Nina shook her head.
“Even so, I don’t want to keep secrets from a family I’ve only just met.”
Then she looked around at her family, who already felt so dear to her despite how little time they’d spent together.
“Uncle, Aunt, Sis, Bro—you’ve all been so kind to me, and I want to be just as sincere with you. My family is truly precious to me, and I’m so grateful to have you.”
Nina cupped her rosy cheeks, her eyes glistening with emotion as she smiled shyly.
Her precious family sat there with blank expressions before gradually growing solemn. Their consciences, which they hadn’t even realized they still possessed, began to prick at them.
Is she serious? We’re just family. Why is she so happy about it?
Feeling uncomfortable, Natalisha glanced at the others, wondering if she was the only one feeling this way.
But Chayson was clutching his chest with an expression so deeply moved that he looked as though he might burst into tears.
Unable to bear the sight, she glared at his little toe beneath the table and stomped on it hard.
He shot to his feet at the sudden pain.
“Urgh……!”
“U-Uncle?”
“G-ghk.”
Chayson cleared his throat as though something were caught in it, then returned to the original topic.
“I understand how you feel, but the idea that someone is spying on our house is simply too far-fetched.”
“That’s right, Nina. Why would anyone do that?”
When even Natalisha agreed with him, Nina let out another deep sigh, wearing an expression that said she’d expected as much.
“I knew your kind hearts and strong moral principles would make it impossible for you to even imagine such a thing.”
“……”
The four of them had already suffered one painful pang of conscience. Now, they silently pounded their chests in frustration.
「It seems everyone is having trouble swallowing? Don’t just eat bread. You need to drink some water, too. At this rate, you’ll all die of chok. Ing.」
Eventually, Jugeo No. 4 began walking around, filling everyone’s water glasses to the brim.
Unbothered by the commotion, Nina promptly placed something on the dining table.
“Everyone, take a look at these.”
In an instant, the family’s eyes sharpened.
What Nina had laid out were two intrusion detectors.
She actually found these? Impressive.
But why are there two detectors?
One of them is the one I installed. The other one……
Don’t tell me……!
The four exchanged glances, recalling the intruder who had installed the detector that didn’t belong to Exi.
It must have been the intruder we caught last night.
Just like the detector Exi had installed, it showed no signs of use, and its distinctive blue magical circuits were pristine. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to have been installed there beforehand.
Natalisha asked in a concerned voice, worried about her niece.
“Nina. Have you found any other signs of spying besides these? Have you noticed anything suspicious?”
“Whenever I walk down the hall, I get the feeling someone’s watching me or eavesdropping on my conversations…… But that’s probably just because I’m not used to this house yet, right? I’ll be able to tell for sure once I get more familiar with it.”
With every word Nina spoke, the four of them flinched.
“I-I see.”
Chayson pointed at the detectors on the table as though they were something filthy.
“Nina. You’re already busy and tired enough just adjusting to life in Soltum, so don’t worry about these.”
“We’ll take care of this sort of thing ourselves. Why don’t you go explore the city of Soltum or something?”
When Exi even took some pocket money out of his wallet and handed it to her, Nina’s eyes widened.
“My goodness…… I knew you were innocent, but you’re all truly like newborn baby birds, aren’t you?”
“……You have absolutely no prejudice, do you? If there’s a newborn baby bird here, it’s you.”
At Chayson’s lament, Natalisha stomped on his foot once more.
“What your Uncle Chayson means is that we have the benefit of experience. Please don’t underestimate all the years we’ve spent protecting this townhouse.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. Just relax and enjoy yourself, all right?”
After flashing Nina a charming wink, Katahari reached for one of the detectors.
At that very moment, a brilliant blue light burst from the intruder’s detector.
It looked as though a massive explosion could erupt at any second.
“Big Sis! Watch out!”
In an instant, Nina pulled Katahari behind her, deftly spun a knife into position, and slashed! through the detector’s magical circuits.
The blue light, which had been spreading as though boiling over, and the scorching heat immediately subsided.
It was an object designed to explode if handled incorrectly.
When the family froze in place, Nina gently lowered her knife and asked in a serious tone,
“Reaching for dangerous objects so carelessly…… Should I put up warning labels telling everyone to be careful around sharp objects?”
“We don’t need anything like that……!”
Katahari flared up, but barely managed to keep her voice down as she bit into her handkerchief.
Chayson, the explosives expert, was still stunned. A chill ran down his spine at what had just happened.
The bomb was one thing, but Nina was another.
He’d already suspected that she was unusually skilled with a knife, but what she’d just done……
That was far beyond simply being good with a blade.
How could anyone cut the circuits of a bomb that was about to explode right in front of them without even a tremor in their fingertips?
“Nina. Where did you learn such knife skills?”
“I picked them up naturally while working as a maid. I was one of the maids the countess was especially fond of.”
At Nina’s matter-of-fact response, the family’s confusion only deepened.
What on earth went on inside the count’s estate that a maid could learn such skills?
At this point, they couldn’t help but ask Nina herself.
“Nina. What was Count Sezak’s estate like? Your aunt is curious about the place where you lived.”
“Hmm. The count and countess were very much in love, and their young master was clever and cheerful. It was such a harmonious household that just watching them made me want a happy family of my own.”
“So it was a harmonious household, yet they taught you how to handle knives?”
“Knowing how to keep the count’s estate clean using only whatever happened to be within reach was an important part of the job. Things don’t always go your way, after all.”
Nina answered with an innocent, clear smile.
Katahari narrowed her eyes and muttered inwardly.
Suspicious. Three times as suspicious. I think we’ll have to visit Count Sezak’s estate in person.
Exi decided it was time to change the direction of the conversation.
“We should eat first. Nina, what are your plans for today?”
“I’m going to repay Joel for the magic gun.”
After answering, Nina sat down and picked up the damaged detector.
Natalisha hurriedly asked,
“Why are you taking that? Don’t tell me you’re planning to show it to Joel?”
“Oh my, Auntie. I know that one of the rules of the world is to deal with the shameful matters of the place you belong to behind closed doors.”
At Nina’s utterly guileless smile, Chayson asked in confusion,
“S-shameful matters?”
“Even if this house doesn’t have any trained professionals, allowing something like this to be installed is quite a disgrace. As someone who used to be a maid, I can’t imagine a greater embarrassment. It’s truly unfortunate……”
Nina was genuinely upset and concerned about the safety of the house, while the four trained professional spies found their pride thoroughly wounded.
Disgrace? D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E?!
* * *
After returning to her room and stepping out onto the balcony, Nina peered toward the balcony across the way.
Even if he’s my next-door neighbor, showing up without permission would be rude, wouldn’t it?
She wanted to give Joel some warning before visiting his house.
However, no matter how long she lingered, Joel didn’t come out onto the balcony.
He said he likes sitting on the balcony and looking outside.
After some consideration, Nina took a small pebble from the cactus pot and tossed it across.
The moment the pebble landed with a soft thud just inside the opposite railing—
“Grrrrrrrrrr.”
A beast’s eyes glinted menacingly from the shadows of the balcony, and a pigeon clutching a paring knife charged out with tremendous ferocity.
Apparently furious, it even kicked the pebble back over the railing.
Startled, Nina clapped her hands at the appearance of the familiar pigeon.
“Oh my? Gugu? Didn’t you say you needed a few days of rest?”
“Guk?!”
Realizing who had thrown the pebble, Gugu abruptly stopped.
“G-gurrrrr……”
Then, all of a sudden, it threw away the paring knife, stuck out its tongue, and collapsed to the ground.
“G-Gugu!”
Nina’s heart sank. Without a moment’s hesitation, she rushed to the wardrobe, pulled out a harpoon gun, and fired it toward the balcony across the way.
