Chapter 15: Blue Beard (3)

‘……To offer to me?’

The absurd information left him dumbfounded.

His head spun in an instant.

‘When did they even see me?’

Evan Alkart had no acquaintance with the Count of Blue Beard.

Worship? Experimental subjects?

He had never even spoken to him.

‘I ignored the invitation he sent before.’

Was it a few months ago?

An invitation arrived from the Count of Blue Beard.

[To the esteemed young alchemist]

-Please attend my sixth wedding.

Of course, he ignored it.

Not close, so why go there?

It was a week’s journey away.

Back then, No. 5 wasn’t complete, and his health was poor.

‘I knew his identity, so there was no reason to go.’

Any contact since?

None.

No wonder Evan was disappointed upon seeing the name.

Just a nobody.

But suddenly, rumors were spreading.

‘No wonder they got scared hearing the Alkart name!’

It wasn’t just his notorious reputation!

If such rumors were spreading, of course they’d be scared!

Even he would be scared!

His neck stiffened from the shock.

Rubbing his neck, Evan pondered.

‘Should I just ignore it?’

A mere wishful thought.

Evan let out a sigh.

‘As if that would work.’

Would rumors spread without reason?

There must be a cause.

Either the Count of Blue Beard spread it, or someone with a grudge against Evan started false rumors.

He’d have to resolve it.

‘Should I meet the Count of Blue Beard?’

……

The thought of meeting him made his heart race a bit.

Not out of fear, absolutely not.

Just a slight nervousness.

‘Hm. Just in case, I should check.’

Tap tap.

He patted his clothes.

The Living Golem, worn as leather armor, vibrated lightly to indicate it was intact.

Rustle-

Evan’s shadow twitched slightly.

Connections to other golems confirmed.

The staff, their medium, emitted a short vibration.

‘All normal. This should be fine.’

With this, meeting him shouldn’t be an issue.

Phew!

Evan took a deep breath and gestured to Lapis.

A signal to get going.

Evan gave a subtle wave.

Lapis bowed her head.

“My brother’s calling, so I should go. Thank you! This is my gift.”

“Oh, thank you~”

“See you again~”

The women waved gently.

Managing his expression, Evan gave a small nod and left with Lapis.

Their destination was the Blue Beard mansion.

Finding it wasn’t hard.

‘Wow, the mansion is really blue.’

Seeing it in person was even worse.

It felt like his appetite was dropping.

As Evan’s mood soured, it happened.

Rustle!

“!”

Lapis’s ears perked up.

Dolph, sensing something, turned his head sharply.

Evan, the slowest to react, turned his head.

A sharp turn might cause muscle pain.

‘……A person?’

A blue dress moved shashak through the bushes.

A hidden camera?

It was slightly secretive, but only slightly.

Worse than a child playing hide-and-seek.

Suddenly.

Then, a young-looking woman poked her head out from the bushes.

Her eyes met Evan’s.

“Hi, hiiik!”

And she fainted on the spot.

||

Ten minutes later.

“S-sorry. I was too startled.”

“Fainting at the sight of someone isn’t rude?”

Don’t say it if you know.

With mixed feelings, Evan looked down at the woman.

The woman bowed her head like a sinner.

Fainting at the sight of someone wasn’t polite, true.

“Raise your head. I’m fine.”

Maybe because she looked young, he didn’t feel any malice.

Yeah.

It’s understandable to be startled.

Evan wasn’t some weakling to nitpick over this.

“S-sorry……”

“It’s fine.”

The woman, apologizing, raised her head.

A youthful appearance.

Maybe 20 years old at most?

‘A commoner?’

Her skin was fair, and she was quite pretty.

But she was a bit thin.

Her speech didn’t feel noble either.

Yet, her dress was high-quality.

Not something a commoner would wear in material or design.

Then?

“You’re the count’s wife.”

“!”

The woman looked shocked.

“H-how?”

“It just seemed so.”

“I get scolded by the count every day for acting like a fool……”

“By the way, sister.”

Lapis asked, crunching on a carrot.

“Were you running away?”

“Huh?”

“You came out like someone escaping!”

“W-well……”

The woman hesitated to answer.

Hm, is the atmosphere too scary?

Evan slightly moved the golems back.

Trying to ease her burden, but the woman, perhaps misunderstanding, paled.

“I-I’ll talk! I’ll talk, so please!”

“I’m not going to do anything.”

“W-well…… so……”

The woman, Amelia, was the youngest of six sisters from an ordinary family.

With her pretty looks for a commoner, many marriage proposals came, but suddenly the count proposed.

She accepted, of course.

The sixth wife, but she didn’t know the weight of that.

The count was kind, at least.

Maybe not a great husband, but still.

There was one condition.

To bear a son.

Then one day.

“There’s…… a room in the mansion you must never enter……”

“A room?”

“Yes…… you can enter anywhere, but not the room used by the former wives…… he wanted to preserve their traces……”

“You went in?”

Lapis’s question.

The woman stammered in defense.

“T-to catch a rat……”

What nonsense?

With all the servants a count would have, the wife herself goes to catch a rat?

Even a passing golem would laugh.

‘Why on earth?’

Even as a manly man, safety-first Evan couldn’t understand the choice.

Why open something you’re told not to?

But he didn’t say it out loud.

It’s already happened.

“That’s enough.”

“I went in and…… there were bodies…… Kyaaaa……”

Ignoring Evan’s words, the woman let out a small scream.

Before she collapsed, Lapis caught her with a hat.

‘So, she saw bodies, huh?’

Well, in the original, this wife was already dead.

He recalled up to the tenth wife in the main story.

‘Ugh. Hearing it in person makes me feel worse.’

Should he just leave?

Maybe gathering the materials himself would be better?

It’d mean going west instead of east……

‘Damn. I need to clear up the rumors.’

If those rumors spread beyond this territory, it’d be trouble.

Who knows how they’d inflate?

Now’s the best time to stop them.

Then.

“We found her!”

“Madam!”

Guards rushed in.

Should he have gone somewhere farther?

“Who are you!”

“State your identity!”

‘Ah.’

The trembling guards.

Evan realized his appearance was too suspicious.

Just wearing a hood was suspicious enough.

But with golems swarming around?

Even Evan would misunderstand himself.

He’d be mistaken for a criminal.

Should he reveal his identity?

“Everyone, calm down.”

“Don’t move!”

The soldiers thrust their spears forward.

Flash!

The spear tips gleamed in the sunlight.

Evan instinctively swallowed dryly.

Ugh, that’s intense!

The spears weren’t the problem.

He wouldn’t die from being stabbed anyway.

The problem was Lapis!

Lapis had been silent since earlier.

Not even chewing her carrot.

They say silence is scarier than anger.

‘This could get everyone killed!’

That can’t happen!

Evan steeled himself inwardly.

Scary, but no choice.

To survive, he had to act.

Swoosh.

Evan pulled back his hood.

Black hair and golden eyes shining coldly even in the shade.

Clearly a noble.

His refined appearance made the soldiers hesitate.

One soldier recognized Evan and widened his eyes.

“Th-the Duke Alkart… gasp!”

“Huh, huuh!”

The guards stepped back.

They were just commoners.

Mere soldiers without knight training.

Pointing spears at a noble mistaken for a criminal?

That’s a death sentence.

Even their families could be wiped out.

‘Not like I’d do that.’

Evan just wanted to clear the misunderstanding and get materials.

No intention of doing anything scary.

That’s just crazy.

Evan, as a manly man, could generously understand this situation.

It wasn’t fear of repercussions, absolutely not.

“I have no intention of harming you. Nor the madam.”

“Then……!”

“I came to this mansion as a guest.”

Evan approached a guard.

Right in front.

The guard, scared, stepped back and fell.

Evan personally helped him up, brushing dust off his pants.

This should clear any misunderstanding, right?

“Will you guide me inside the mansion?”

“Y-yes! Yes! Understood!”

Evan put on the kindest smile possible.

Or tried to.

‘Damn, a rat.’

Of course, it failed.

His face remained expressionless.

Still, as kindly as possible.

Evan politely said.

“Will you guide me inside?”

“Yes!!!”

This should avoid misunderstandings, right?

It didn’t.

“I apologize first.”

The Count of Blue Beard.

Blue beard, blue clothes, blue walls, blue floors.

The count, with a dizzying array, bowed his head.

“The rumors about you in the territory are all my fault.”

“I’ll find the culprit and resolve it, so please forgive me.”

Angry…… I’m not angry.

Why do they think I’m angry?

Instead of answering, Evan stared at the count.

Sweat dripped down the count’s forehead.

He must feel guilty.

‘Well, he’s probably piled up bodies in a room.’

It’d be strange not to feel guilty.

Normally, one would use that as leverage to threaten.

Evan had no such intention.

That’s his sore spot.

What reaction would he have if touched?

Despair or rage.

Who’d get hurt then?

Evan.

Just quietly report it.

Evan wasn’t a safety-first advocate for nothing.

Avoiding harm comes first.

‘Reporting to the imperial family would be safest, right?’

Evan slowly spoke.

“I’m just puzzled.”

“Do you remember the letter I sent you?”

“You mean the invitation.”

“After that, rumors spread. That my wives’ deaths are linked to you, specifically, that they became experimental subjects for you……”

So that’s how it spread.

Understood.

Rumors tend to inflate.

But.

‘He didn’t try to stop them, did he?’

He could’ve, but didn’t.

Because it didn’t harm him.

It might even hide his crimes.

That’s a bit annoying.

Should I just confront him?

‘Hmm, that won’t do.’

The Count of Blue Beard is a serial killer.

Who knows what he’d do here.

Maybe the tea is poisoned.

‘Let’s move on.’

Not out of fear, absolutely not.

Not trying to play a justice warrior.

Instead of answering, Evan sipped the tea with a slurp.

The count made a wronged expression.

“I had no such thoughts. Sending you the invitation was just to a rare comrade!”

“I see.”

“I have no interest in [taboo]. Why would I, an alchemist, crave the most forbidden act?”

Lying, huh.

Knowing the truth, it was infuriating.

But he didn’t pick a fight.

“I understand.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The count’s face brightened. Not like he’s some superior.

It felt odd to see such an expression, but anyway.

“I didn’t come to hold you accountable.”

“Then……?”

“Just to get materials.”

Evan pulled out the Wandering Shadow King’s letter and slid it over.

“Can you provide some materials I need? I’ll pay.”

“This is……”

The count picked up the letter.

A groan escaped his lips.

At the same time, a fleeting emotion in his eyes.

It was fear.

“……You came knowing everything.”

“?”

Evan gave a what-are-you-talking-about look.

But the count seemed to have made up his mind.

Thud!

The count knelt again.

“I-I’ll confess everything. If you want my research, I’ll hand it all over. P-please spare me!”

This mess over one letter.

Evan felt his head spin again.