Dova asked in a gentle voice.
"Ah, yes. Where did you pick that up?"
"In a dungeon. A dungeon with some complications — it was in a Lizardman nest, but... what about that ring?"
It definitely had a yellow glow and was super rare.
"That ring is something precious to the people of the Marquis Tasan family."
"Is that so?"
Come to think of it, Jushii had a similar ring too.
I'd thought they just looked alike, but that it had some connection to the Marquis Tasan family was unexpected.
"Hey. Kid. A Lizardman nest, you said..."
"Yes. I picked it up where it had fallen."
At that, Sheshu shifted from his lounging position to sitting up properly.
He looked at me with sharp eyes.
"Picked it up, huh. Kid... you're not a delver, are you. You were just the hired help, right? So why did you keep quiet about it and hold onto it? A kid who isn't a delver has no claim of ownership. That makes it theft."
"..."
"Sheshu!"
"Stay out of this, Sis. Hey. Kid. Why didn't you report it to your employer?"
Sheshu stared straight at me as he spoke. The words were harsh, but his gaze wasn't hostile.
The sharpness in his eyes had eased somehow, and he was looking at me with real seriousness.
"...I'll admit it counts as a petty crime. The reason I didn't report it was because I forgot."
"Huh? Forgot, he says... You're not trying to pull one over on me, are you?"
"It's the truth. When I found the ring, I was alone. I figured I'd earned it as compensation for all the trouble I went through. Then all sorts of things happened after that, and I forgot about it."
"Why were you alone?"
"I got caught up in a dungeon anomaly. Random teleportation scattered us all in different directions. That's how everyone got separated."
"...A dungeon anomaly..."
"Yes. It's true that I kept quiet about it and intended to pocket it."
"Yeah, well... that's technically true, I guess."
Dova was staring at Sheshu with a sharp look.
Sheshu laughed.
"—Well, if you'd reported it, it would've been confiscated. That might've turned into an even bigger headache. Kid, you did good."
"...You're not going to punish me?"
I was dumbfounded. Honestly, I had braced myself.
Something like that had just happened a moment ago.
Sheshu spoke with a faintly embarrassed look on his face.
"Never had any intention of punishing you from the start."
"Sheshu-chan...!"
"Hey. What did you just say...?"
"I said Sheshu-san?"
I played it off nonchalantly. Crap — that slipped out.
Sheshu stared at me for a long moment, then clicked his tongue.
"Jeez... Look, petty crime is one thing, but for small fry, keeping quiet about it ain't a crime. Going around arresting people for that is just a waste of time. Fines are less than an ant's piss."
"Sheshu! You're a marquis's daughter — you shouldn't be using that kind of language!"
"I'm not 'technically' one. I actually am one."
"Honestly, you are... Wof. I'm sorry about her."
"Oh, no. This is entirely my fault. Wrongdoing is wrongdoing, no matter how small."
That's right. Even if it's small, even if it goes unpunished — it's still wrongdoing.
I won't become like Piesu. But ownership belongs to the delver alone — the delver, huh.
"Huh... Kid. What's your name?"
"I already told you."
"I wasn't listening."
"Wof."
"Got it. One thing I want to ask. Why'd you give that ring to Gauro?"
"It was... a coincidence. I happened to still have it with me, and when I happened to run into Gauro, I remembered about the kids' food costs. I figured it might help, so I gave it to him."
"Oh, right. A coincidence, huh..."
Dova gave a slight, bitter smile. There was no particular deeper reason behind it.
The reason I gave it away on the spot was a coincidence too, after all.
Then Sheshu's mouth curled into a smirk.
"Say, Dova. Isn't that reward way too low?"
"Sheshu? Are you saying four million oro isn't enough?"
"Four million?!"
"Originally, compared to the ring's value, that's way too cheap, isn't it?"
"Ah, yeah. That's true, but... you have something in mind, don't you?"
"Leave it to me and I'll make it work."
"......well, I'd be fine with the four million, so—"
"Ah, yeah. Got it. I'll leave everything to Sheshu."
Just like that, it was decided without my input, and it felt like the four million had vanished into thin air.
Sheshu said.
"Wof. Now we're going to play a little game."
"A game...?"
What's she up to now, Sheshu?
"Simple. You just have to guess what exactly that ring you found is, and how much it's worth."
"Sheshu?"
"Isn't that too difficult...?"
Come on, now. Is this an impossible game?
"Don't panic. I'll give you proper hints."
"What happens if I can't guess it?"
"I'll give you the original four million oro."
"!?......and if I guess it right...?"
Sheshu grinned mischievously and didn't answer.
But one thing was certain — whatever she had in mind, it was something bigger than four million.
"Oh, yeah. Sheshu. What are you planning?"
"He has every right to know about the ring. I entrusted this to you, so just watch quietly."
"...Fine. I'll watch quietly."
"All right, first hint then."
No sooner had she said that than Sheshu suddenly shoved her hand up inside her shirt from below.
She grabbed something and pulled it out, setting it on the table.
Her lower breast was almost visible. Wait — no bra?
No way, that can't be right. She's got a huge chest, for crying out loud.
What she'd placed on the table was a bronze ring.
"This is..."
"This isn't the ring you found. It's my ring."
"Yours, Sheshu?"
"That 26-year-old over there has one too."
"Uh, hold on — why did you bring up her age?"
Poor Dova... I needed to verify.
"So, um, does everyone in the Tasan Marquis family have one?"
"Everyone except one. That guy's a man, so his ring is reddish copper."
"So men get a different color."
So the ring Juicy showed me was the same kind.
Come to think of it, back then Juicy had accidentally shown me the ring.
That's, uh... oh, the crest of House Tasan.
I mistook it for that and accidentally pulled out the ring. The answer probably lies around here somewhere.
"Next hint. This thing is meant to be given away."
"Huh? Given away?"
"That's right. This ring exists to be given away."
Wh-what does that mean?
It's precious, but I don't understand what "given away" means.
"Last hint. The ring is about the relationship between Ludto, the Knight of the Black Moon, and Niniva, the Princess of Radiance."
"Huh?"
"I said it's about the relationship between Ludto, the Knight of the Black Moon, and Niniva, the Princess of Radiance."
What the heck. They just dumped the most incomprehensible thing at the very end.
I protest.
"No, even I really can't make sense of that one."
"I've already given the hint."
"No no, this isn't—"
"Ah, yeah. Those are characters from that famous romance novel."
"Romance novel..."
Setting aside the question of how Sheshu knew about characters from a romance novel...
Let me organize this.
First, everyone in House Tasan has one.
The second is that this ring is something you give away.
The third is that giving the ring relates to characters from a romance novel.
The Knight of the Black Moon Ruduto and the Radiant Princess Niniva. The Black Moon is male, so the princess must be female.
A romance novel. Male and female in a relationship — so I'm guessing they're lovers. If I'm wrong, expect a vigorous protest.
First, every member of House Tasan has one.
Second, this ring is something you give away.
Third, the ring relates to characters from a romance novel. They're lovers.
So the relationship where you give the ring is that of lovers.
A ring given between lovers. That means…
"It's an engagement ring."
When I mumbled that, Sheshu grinned and showed her fangs.
"Correct."
"Oh, yeah. Congratulations."
"Thanks… No, wait, that last hint was way too harsh!"
What was that nonsense even worse than a cipher? I thought she was speaking in radio waves. How is anyone supposed to figure that out?
Sheshu pouted.
"Huh? Can't be helped. I racked my brain and that's all I could come up with."
"Besides, even if I knew the ring's true value, it wouldn't matter."
This person. If she just wanted to mess with me, that raises some suspicions.
Same with Juicy. What is going on in House Tasan?
Still, an engagement ring. And every woman in House Tasan has one.
Quite the romantic tale. So Sheshu has one too, then.
Huh.
"Just so you know, I picked it up. That ring, by the way, belonged to my grandmother."
"Wait, your grandmother?"
That caught me off guard.
"My grandmother lost it back when she was a delver. It came up in one of the failure stories she used to tell me. That ring."
"Ah, yeah. I never thought I'd get to see the real thing."
"Well, that's a relief."
"I've sent it back to grandmother, so it should arrive soon. Now then — the winner's prize."
That's it, that's it. I've been waiting for this.
Something worth more than 4 million oro. A golden knife, maybe?
No, but what about the blade quality and all that?
Sheshu reached into his shirt and pulled out a blue card.
I wonder what's going on inside that shirt. I'm curious.
"This is a Tasan Emblem Card. It's a Legacy that grants the right to call upon the power of House Tasan once, in my name."
"Sheshu!?"
"Hm?"
The blue card had the Tasan crest carved into it, appearing to float in black.
The upper body of a hooded boy cradling a small wolf.
The text above the boy read "Tasan" in ancient script.
On the back of the card, the name Sheshu was engraved.
"If you ever find yourself in a truly desperate situation, hold this card and chant: 'The Blessing of Tasan'—this will allow you to call upon the power of the Tasan Marquisate once."
"The power of the Tasan Marquisate..."
I didn't really understand, but I could tell it was something impressive. Dova looked exasperated.
"Yes, yes. Sheshu. Honestly, you're something else."
Sheshu closed his eyes, then slowly opened them.
"Even if he only picked up the ring by chance, handing it to a virtuous person to be used for good is a noble and commendable act. Thanks to that, the ring has returned to the Tasan Marquisate for the first time in decades. As a reward, granting even a single use of the Tasan Marquisate's power is only natural for those of the Marquisate—wouldn't you agree? Acting Lord Deputy Representative."
Oh, a nice-sounding justification. Dova sighed.
"Yes, yes, I understand. I delegated the matter, so do as you please."
"So there you have it. Wof. Take it."
He slid the card forcefully across the table toward me.
"Y-yes. Thank you very much..."
I accepted the Tasan Emblem Card with complicated feelings and tucked it into my pouch.
I understood it was something powerful—clearly worth far more than 4 million.
I would've preferred the 4 million, though. I would've preferred the real deal over something I don't understand.
They were coins, after all. But I couldn't exactly say that, so I figured this would have to do.
Oh, right. I almost forgot.
"There's something I'd like to ask, if that's all right."
"Hm? What is it?"
"I'd like to ask Dva about that."
"Oh, sure?"
"Why did you disguise yourself as a maid during the escort?"
"…Ah, oh, yeah…"
"You. You actually did something that stupid?"
"…Yeah, oh, yeah."
Dva turned red in the face and her voice grew smaller.
She had even tried to brush past it without mentioning it, since I hadn't reacted with surprise.
"Come on, answer him. Deputy Lord Representative, age twenty-six."
"Could you at least call me by my name?!"
"…"
'Deputy Lord Representative Dva Tassan, age twenty-six'
Hmm. It kind of sounds like the title of one of those shows.
But I'm a kid, so I wouldn't really know.
Dva, still beet red, muttered in small bits.
"Oh, yeah… it was, like… a surprise-type thing…"
"…Haah."
Yeah. It was a pretty trivial reason.
"You… you…"
"Oh, yeah. I thought Dva was being pretty dumb too. I figured she'd gotten carried away."
"Were you feeling giddy?"
"Why are you so hyped up?"
"It's been… a really long time… since I talked to a… teenage boy…"
"Riiiight…"
"Riiiight…"
"Ah, yeah. That's why I became a maid… but then I ended up saying all those embarrassing things…"
"Yeah, I get it."
That was definitely embarrassing.
Dva was red to the tips of her ears, covering her face with both hands and writhing in agony.
"Hey. Wof."
"Hm?"
"Sorry about all that, y'know…"
Shesh apologized to me.
And so I left the room with this vague, lukewarm, unsettled feeling sitting in my gut.
"Mr. Wof! Mr. Wof! *Woof* — good work out there!"
Juicy, dressed in her maid outfit, came running up to me. Her tail whipped back and forth, slicing through the air.
Her upturned eyes were sparkling as she stared straight at me. Ah, right. She's a dog.
When someone's that happy to see you, you just end up patting them on the head.
"Thank you for coming to greet me!"
"*Wafu*?! Um um, *waw-waw* I'm so happy!"
Hmm. The overwhelming "family dog" energy. No, no, that won't do.
I stopped petting her. Juicy snapped out of her blissful expression.
"Sorry. I just couldn't help it."
"Um, um, I really love being petted, so I'm so happy! Woof! I'll walk you out! Uh, Wof, this way!"
I followed Juicy's lead. Her ears perked up, her tail bouncing happily. Adorable.
"Um, um, so it was you who found Grandma's precious ring, Wof?"
"Looks that way."
"Um, woof woof. You're her benefactor! Grandma… I think she's going to be so happy. Back when she got engaged, what she gave Grandpa was a replica ring they put together in a hurry. So that was the only thing Grandma ever regretted."
"Oh, is that so? I'm glad we managed to get it to her, even after all the twists and turns."
"Woof. This engagement ring is the pride of a Tasan woman."
Juicy pulled a bronze-colored ring from inside her clothes.
"It must be really precious."
"Yes. I'll give it to someone very special—woof! That's what I plan to do, too."
She gazed at the ring lovingly, stroked it one last time, and tucked it away. Then she looked at me and smiled.
Yeah. Seeing my fave smile like that lifted my spirits, even if just a little.
And so I left the mansion feeling slightly better than before.
On the carriage ride home, I realized I couldn't forget—I had the driver stop by that alley.
I needed to retrieve my knife. But there was a guard standing at the entrance to the narrow path leading to the alley.
There were countless other guards bustling around the area as well.
Wait—the whole place is sealed off?! Why? I went to ask one of the guards.
Wait—strange dark clouds and lightning strikes in the area? And the alley's been completely wrecked?
Two boys and one middle-aged man as witnesses. Ah—right. Yep. I see. Understood.
Yeah. It's hopeless… I have no choice but to give up.
Oh… my knife, a simple-shaped knife…………*sniff*. Heading home.
My second arrival.
It was already growing dark, and the sun was on the verge of setting.
I thanked the carriage driver and finally, *finally* headed inside.
I'm tired. Ugh, seriously… today was just way too much. I'm exhausted.
Back in my room, I unfastened my belt and pouch, set them on the desk, and collapsed onto the bed.
I rolled over onto my back with a thud.
"Ah—I'm hungry. Let me grab something to eat first…"
Pasta… I want napolitan. No wait, let's go with miso ramen.
The best miso is from that downtown Chinese place…———zzzz……zzzzZZzzzzZzzzzzZZzzzzzz.
"………"
"Mmm… munch munch… na."
"Na."
"…N-na…knife…you've gotta be kidding me…the knife again…"
"Na?"
"The witch…my knife…why…all that effort, gone to waste…my knife…Pakira…"
"Na!"
"Huh—Juicy? Uh, um...the knife...why are you...completely naked with a collar on, smiling, and—huh, WHY ARE YOU NAKED?!?"
Why naked!? Lick, lick lick lick lick lick lick lick!!
"S-Stop, Juicy! Don't just lick my face out of nowhere!"
Lick lick lick lick lick lick lick lick lick!!
"Stop, stop, I said stop! Stooop!!"
I jolted awake. And immediately noticed. My face was wet...?
"Huh, wait, why...?"
"Na!"
"Eh"
There was something fluffy right in front of me.
It was fluffy.
Fluffy. Huh?