Chapter 35
The mansion called “Petrine Forest” had an exterior that looked exceptionally luxurious.
A dragon statue spouting water, gardens brimming with colorful spring blossoms, and even the white marble paving stones leading up to the building—there wasn’t a single corner that lacked splendor.
Step, step.
Inside the mansion, someone was walking down a long corridor decorated with sculptures of beautiful angels.
“……”
The young man wore a neat uniform and had his hair immaculately styled, yet dark circles under his eyes cast a striking shadow across his face.
From his appearance alone, he looked like a competent and sharp servant.
Then—
Tap-tap-tap!
Other servants hurried past him. They weren’t quite running, but their brisk pace showed urgency. Their destination was clear: the large, imposing door at the end of the hallway.
The weary-looking young man also headed in that direction.
“Whew.”
Arriving at the door, he adjusted his attire one last time before carefully knocking.
Knock, knock.
From inside came a weary-sounding voice:
“Don’t bother knocking. Just come in.”
Creak.
“Excuse me.”
“Oh, Clark. Just a moment—I’m in the middle of paperwork.”
The office inside was filled with ornate, antique furniture that matched the mansion’s grandeur. The soft textures and colors of fine wood stood out, but nothing caught the eye more than…
The large portrait hanging on the wall.
It depicted a stunning young girl in a black dress, her silver-gray hair and sparkling emerald eyes shining with an almost dreamlike beauty.
But what drew the eye even more—
“……”
—was the row of countless servants standing before the huge wooden desk beneath the portrait.
Shuffle, tap!
“This one’s done. Next.”
At the desk sat a young girl, working furiously with her pen.
Shockingly, she was the very same person as the girl in the portrait.
“Here’s the next one, but it really needs to be processed quickly…”
“I am doing it. Can’t you see?”
Her sharp, irritable tone was a far cry from the ethereal beauty in the painting.
Her once-shining hair was greasy and tied up haphazardly, huge glasses dominated her face, and dark shadows sagged under her eyes.
She radiated not dreamlike elegance, but the exhausted aura of an overworked office worker.
Scratch, scratch.
“Here, done!”
“Thank you, young lady.”
The servant bowed as he received the papers, while more waited endlessly in line behind him.
“Ugh, it never ends. Never.”
Knock, knock.
“Ugh, just come in already! Stop knocking!”
Her sharp retort made all the servants flinch in fear.
This was Diana Fren, the master of the Petrine Forest mansion—and one of the contenders to inherit the Fren Merchant Guild.
Creak!
“No, leave that door open. They’ll just knock again anyway!”
Watching her shout at another servant, Clark carefully spoke up.
“Young lady, are you alright?”
“Hm? Oh, Clark. Right, what is it?”
“There’s a student outside named Carmon Bade asking to see you. What should I do?”
“What? Carmon Bade?”
Thud!
She slammed down her pen, scowling.
“Seriously? I’m busy as hell, and that bastard shows up? What does he want now, money again?”
“He said he heard we’re hiring mercenaries for this project.”
“What? Him? Doing mercenary work? Hah! Don’t make me laugh.”
Diana scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.
Rattle.
“Good god…”
Grabbing her head in both hands, she rose and walked to a luxurious sofa.
“Well, a guest is here, so paperwork can wait. Everyone out, except Clark.”
“Yes, young lady!”
The servants hurried out, leaving only Diana and Clark.
Plop.
Collapsing onto the sofa, Diana pressed her temples.
“So what’s his real reason? Did he ask for money again?”
“No, he genuinely mentioned mercenary work.”
“Tch. Probably another scam. The family already disowned him—ignoring him might be best.”
“Shall I send him away then?”
“No… Forget it. Just saying it. Picking a fight with that lunatic could be more trouble.”
Stopping Clark, Diana pulled out a small pipe from a drawer. Lighting it, she inhaled deeply.
Sizzle. Huff.
A haze of smoke curled around her, giving her a faintly dreamlike air—finally resembling the girl in the portrait.
“Bring him in.”
“……”
“I need to hear his real reason. Hff.”
Clark bowed.
“Yes, right away—”
“Wait. Before that—Clark, the task I gave you before. Is it handled?”
“Yes. Work on the suspected entrance is about 30% complete. We expect full confirmation within ten days—”
“Make it a week. No—five days. We can’t waste time.”
“Understood.”
“And bring me the revised location data and the expert list. We need to choose the next site.”
“Yes, young lady.”
As he bowed again, Diana puffed on her pipe and looked at him tiredly.
“Well? What are you waiting for?”
“…Pardon?”
“Bring Carmon Bade in.”
“Ah, yes, young lady.”
Clark departed, leaving Diana alone. Tapping the sofa armrest with her finger, she drew deeply on her pipe.
“Haa… Carmon Bade. How should I deal with this bastard?”
‘Is this what a rich family’s home really looks like?’
The sight of the mansion was so dazzling, it felt like something out of a novel, comic, or drama.
Especially Petrine Forest, where Diana Fren—one of the Fren Guild’s heirs—resided. It had even been voted the finest dormitory in the Royal Academy of Plains.
Well, “dormitory” was a stretch, since it was for her alone.
“Way grander than Elia Hall.”
Compared to the dorm Carmon Bade once stayed in, this was on another level.
‘Yep, money really is everything. Status? Screw that—money wins.’
The Fren family might only hold a viscount title, but their merchant power rivaled that of high nobility.
Then—
“Please follow me. The young lady awaits.”
The butler’s tired voice accompanied the creak of the door.
Creak.
‘Whew… here we go.’
Never in my life had I thought I’d be the one visiting Diana Fren.
Back when I read novels, I always imagined what I’d do as the protagonist—and one rule was never to get involved with Diana Fren.
Yet here I was, walking straight to her myself.
Life was unpredictable.
Step, step.
I followed the butler, glancing around the mansion interior.
Naturally, I expected the inside to be just as lavish as the exterior. But… huh?
Why so empty?
Despite the grand outside, the interior was strangely bare, just wide open spaces.
And then—
‘Wait, is that… a folding cot? Why are there cheap cots in the hallway?’
Several single-person beds were lined along the vast corridors with their high ceilings.
‘Tch. Something’s off here…’
The unsettling atmosphere of Diana’s dorm made my tension rise.
Before long—
Knock, knock.
“Young lady, he is here.”
“Come in.”
Creak.
The butler opened the office door without hesitation.
Inside—
“…You’re here?”
On a plush sofa sat a girl.
‘That… That’s Diana Fren?’
With bloodshot eyes, huge glasses, and her silver-gray hair tied back messily, she looked nothing like the portrait.
“……”
She looked more like a shut-in wreck.
The flawless, iron-willed woman from the original story was nowhere to be seen.
“Young lady, this is Carmon Bade—”
“Yeah, I know. I saw him myself. Huff.”
A puff of smoke drifted from the pipe in her mouth.
A pipe? Smoking?
“Sit down. You’re not here to stand and chat, are you?”
Her cold tone made me carefully sit across from her.
‘Huh? Why’s the vibe so hostile? Is it because I’m Carmon Bade?’
Her glare was full of irritation and dislike.
“So, why are you here?”
“…?”
“You came to say something, right? What do you want?”
“Of course, I came because I have business—”
“Business?”
Her eyebrow twitched before I finished.
Wait. Did this guy originally know Diana?
Judging by her reaction, my guess seemed right.
Then—
“…business. Yeah.”
I forced my tone into casual speech at the end, just in time.
It seemed to work—her eyebrow relaxed.
“Right. You wouldn’t come without a reason. So what is it? You’re not here to beg for money, are you?”
Exhaling smoke, she gave me a sharp look.
“Well? Hurry up. Just sitting here with you is costing me.”
“…The Drante Ruins.”
“What?”
“I want to participate in the excavation. To help you, Diana Fren.”
I spoke firmly.
Then—
“Hah. So that’s it?”
She smirked, then nodded.
“So how exactly will you help?”
“…Huh?”
“You said you’d help. How?”
“Well, obviously…”
I’d enter, disarm traps, and help reach the orb as quickly as possible.
“Obviously?”
“As someone knowledgeable in magic, I can take on a key role in the excavation.”
“Oh, I see…”
She puffed smoke and continued.
“So, the great Carmon Bade himself wants to make my excavation easier and more perfect?”
“Yes. That’s exactly it.”
Relieved at how well this was going, I smiled brightly.
But then—
“Hah. Bullshit.”
…What?
“Bullshit?”
“This bastard’s a real clown.”
Her voice sharpened like a blade.
“Carmon Bade, are you fucking with me?”
