#15. Blue Beard (3)
“…To offer to me?”
The absurd information left him speechless.
In an instant, his head spun.
“What, when did you ever see me?”
Evan had no acquaintanceship with Blue Beard the Earl.
Worship? Test subject?
They’d never even conversed.
“I ignored that invitation anyway.”
Was it a few months ago?
An invitation flew in from Blue Beard the Earl.
[To the esteemed young alchemist]-Please grace my sixth wedding ceremony.
Naturally, he ignored it.
Why would he go to some random place he wasn’t close with?
Especially when it took nearly a week to get there.
At the time, Prototype No. 5 was incomplete anyway, and his health wasn’t good.
“Since you know my identity, there was no reason for me to go.”
There had been no contact since then.
So why was Evan disappointed just seeing the name?
Some random rumor spread out of nowhere.
“Why was I so scared hearing the name Alkarte?”
It’s not just because of his bad reputation!
If this kind of rumor was spreading, anyone would be scared!
Even I would be scared!
His neck stiffened from irritation as he rubbed it, pondering.
“Should I just ignore it?”
A mere wishful thought.
Evan sighed.
“…Like that would work.”
Rumors don’t just appear for no reason.
There’s always a cause.
Whether it was Blue Beard the Earl boasting or someone with ill will toward Evan spreading false rumors, it needed to be addressed somehow.
“Guess I’ll have to meet Blue Beard the Earl…”
As he thought about actually meeting, his heart started racing a little.
Not that he was scared or anything.
Just slightly tense.
“Hmm. Better check first, just in case.”
He tapped his clothes.
The Living Golem armor made of leather vibrated slightly, signaling it was intact.
Swoosh~
Evan’s shadow twitched slightly.
Connections with other golems were confirmed.
His staff, acting as the medium, emitted a short vibration.
“All systems normal. This should do.”
At this point, meeting shouldn’t be a problem.
Huff!
Taking a deep breath, Evan signaled Lapis.
Time to leave.
Evan subtly gestured.
Lapis bowed her head.
“Um, Brother called me, so I have to go. Thank you! This is my gift.”
“Oh my, thank you~”
“See you again~”
The ladies waved goodbye gracefully.
Managing his expression, Evan gave a small bow and departed with Lapis.
Their destination: Blue Beard’s mansion.
Finding it wasn’t difficult.
“Seriously, even the mansion is blue.”
Seeing it in person was even worse.
It felt like his appetite dropped instantly.
Just as Evan’s mood soured…
Rustle!
Lapis’ ears perked up.
Dolphe turned his head sensing something.
Finally, Evan turned his head slowly – no need to get neck cramps.
“…Someone?”
A figure in a blue dress moved through the bushes.
Was it a hidden camera?
It was somewhat stealthy, but only somewhat.
Worse than a child playing hide-and-seek.
Suddenly,
A young woman’s face popped out from between the bushes and locked eyes with Evan.
“Kyaa!”
And immediately fainted.
“…”
10 minutes later.
“I’m, I’m sorry. I got too startled.”
“Fainting upon seeing someone is rude, isn’t it?”
“…”
Don’t say it if you already know.
With complex emotions, Evan looked down at the woman before him.
Though she appeared young, no ill feelings arose.
Ah well.
Anyone could be startled.
It’s not like Evan was some villain who would hold this against her.
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s fine.”
As the woman apologized and raised her head,
She still looked quite youthful.
Probably around 20 years old?
“Is she common-born?”
Certainly, her skin was fair and her appearance quite pretty.
However, her body was rather thin.
Her speech patterns didn’t carry any noble air either.
Yet her dress was quite high-quality – not something a commoner would wear normally.
Then…
“You’re the Countess, aren’t you?”
“!”
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise.
“How, how did you…?”
“…It seemed obvious.”
“Every day I’m scolded by His Lordship for wandering around like a vagrant…”
“Hey, sis.”
While munching on a carrot, Lapis asked.
“Were you running away?”
“Eh?”
“You looked like you were escaping!”
“That, that…”
The lady hesitated to answer.
Hmm, is the atmosphere too intimidating?
Evan slightly pulled back his golems.
Trying to ease the tension, but the lady misinterpreted it and her complexion paled.
“I’ll, I’ll tell you! I’ll tell everything!”
“…I won’t do anything.”
“That, thaaaat…”
The lady, Amelia, was the youngest of six sisters from a common family.
Though pretty enough to receive several marriage proposals, suddenly the Earl proposed.
Of course, they accepted.
Sixth wife or not, they had no idea what that entailed.
Anyway, the Earl seemed kind enough.
Maybe not the best husband material, but there was one condition.
To bear a son.
One day,
“There’s…a room in the mansion you absolutely mustn’t enter…”
“Room?”
“Yes…you can enter anywhere else, but you’re told not to enter the previous wives’ rooms…to preserve their traces…”
“Did you go inside anyway?”
Lapis’ question.
The lady flustered while making excuses.
“To catch a rat…”
What nonsense?
With how many servants does an Earl have that the lady herself would go after a single rat?
Even passing golems would laugh at that.
‘To do what?’
The epitome of manliness, yet safety-conscious Evan couldn’t understand this choice.
Why open something you were specifically told not to?
But he kept it to himself since the event had already occurred.
“That’s enough.”
Before she could finish, the lady screamed upon seeing a corpse.
Before fainting again, Lapis quickly caught her.
‘So she saw a corpse, huh?’
Well, in the original story, this lady was already dead anyway.
In the main plot, I think it went up to the tenth wife.
‘Ugh. Hearing it in person makes it worse.’
Should he just turn back?
Maybe it’d be better to gather materials himself?
Would have to go west instead of east…but…
‘Damn. Need to figure out these rumors about me though.’
If these rumors spread beyond this territory, it’d be problematic.
Do you know how much they could be exaggerated?
Best to stop it now.
Right then,
“Found her!”
“Lady!”
The guards arrived.
Should’ve gone farther away.
“Who are you!”
“Identify yourself!”
‘Ahhh.’
Only now did Evan realize how suspicious his appearance was.
Suspicious just wearing a hood.
Add in all the golems swarming around?
<Even Evan would misunderstand himself.>
Mistaken for a criminal.
Should he reveal his identity here?
“…Everyone, calm yourselves.”
“Don’t move!”
The soldiers pointed their spears.
Flash!
The spear tips gleamed in the sunlight.
Involuntarily, Evan swallowed dryly.
Whoa, intense!
The real issue wasn’t the spears though.
He wouldn’t die from those.
The problem was Lapis!
“…”
Lapis had been silent this whole time.
Stopped chewing her carrot.
Silence is scarier than anger, right?
‘This is gonna end badly…’
Can’t let that happen!
Evan steeled himself internally.
Scary, but there’s nothing to be done.
Better to survive first.
Swish.
Evan pulled back his hood.
Revealing jet black hair and golden eyes that shone even in shadows.
Clearly a noble.
The soldiers hesitated at his refined appearance.
One recognized him and widened his eyes.
“P, Duke Alkarte…gasp!”
“H, huff!”
The guards stepped back.
They were commoners after all.
Untrained soldiers.
Mistaking a noble for a criminal and pointing spears?
Capital punishment.
Entire family wiped out wouldn’t be unusual.
‘Not that they’d dare go that far.’
All Evan wanted was to clear up the misunderstanding and collect his materials.
No intention of doing anything terrible.
That’d just be crazy.
Being a man, Evan could generously overlook this situation.
Absolutely not because he feared retaliation.
“I have no intention of harming any of you. Nor the lady.”
“T, then…”
“I’ve come as a guest to this mansion.”
Evan approached the guard.
Right up close.
The guard, looking frightened, stumbled backward and fell.
Helping him up and dusting off his pants.
This should clear up any misunderstandings, right?
“Could you guide me inside?”
“Y, yes! Yes! Of course!”
Evan tried to smile kindly.
Rather, attempted to.
‘Aah, damn rats.’
Ended up expressionless.
Still, as kindly as possible.
Evan spoke politely.
“Could you show me inside?”
“YES!!!”
This should clear up any misunderstandings, right?
Nope.
“Let me apologize first.”
Blue Beard the Earl.
Blue beard, blue clothes, blue walls, blue floors.
The Earl with an arrangement that could drive one insane bowed his head.
“All rumors about you spreading in the territory are my fault.”
“…”
“I’ll personally find and deal with the source. Please forgive me.”
“Hmm…not mad though.”
Why did he think I was angry?
Looking at the Earl’s forehead glistening with cold sweat.
Seems he has something to hide, huh.
‘Well, given he’s been stacking corpses in rooms…’
Wouldn’t be strange if he weren’t nervous.
Normally, one would use this as leverage for blackmail.
Evan had no such intentions.
That’s crossing his line.
What reaction would he get?
Despair? Desperation?
Who’d get hurt?
Evan.
That’s why he decided to quietly report it.
Not being overly cautious is dangerous.
Safety first.
‘Better to report this to the royal family.’
Evan slowly opened his mouth.
“Just curious.”
“Do you remember the letter I sent you?”
“You mean the invitation?”
“After that, rumors started spreading. That your experiments were killing my wives…and offering them to you…”
So that’s how it spread.
Understandable.
Rumors tend to inflate.
Though…
‘Seems like he didn’t actively stop it?’
Could’ve stopped it but chose not to.
Because it didn’t harm him.
Maybe even helped cover his crimes.
Kind of annoying, huh?
Should I just charge in?
‘Cripes, can’t do that.’
Blue Beard the Earl is a serial killer.
No telling what he’d do.
Could be poison in this tea.
‘Let’s play along for now.’
Absolutely not because I’m scared.
Not trying to be a righteous crusader either.
Evan took a sip of tea with a “Gulp”.
The Earl looked affronted.
“I had no such thoughts. The invitation was simply to a fellow rare ally.”
“I see.”
“[Taboo] holds no interest for me. Why would I covet what’s most forbidden for alchemists?”
Lying through his teeth.
Completely ridiculous knowing the truth.
Still, no need to pick a fight.
“Understood.”
“R-really?”
“Yes.”
The Earl’s face brightened.
Not exactly a superior position to be in.
Feeling a bit awkward seeing this side of him, but whatever.
“I didn’t come to accuse you of any crimes.”
“Then…?”
“Just here for materials.”
Evan took out the Dark King’s letter and slid it across.
“Could you provide a few items I need? I’ll pay the cost.”
“Huh…”
The Earl picked up the letter.
A sound escaped his throat.
For a moment, a flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.
Fear.
“…So you knew coming here.”
“?!”
Evan looked confused.
But the Earl seemed to have already made up his mind.
Thud!
The Earl knelt again.
“Everything, I’ll hand over everything! If you wish, all my research as well! Please, spare my life!”
At the sight of this from just a piece of paper…
Evan felt his head spin.
