I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 43

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 43

 

‘Eek.’

 

To run into someone as soon as she came up.

 

When Ponia didn’t answer, the woman stopped walking and approached her.

 

“I asked who you are.”

 

Even though Ponia wasn’t particularly small among noble young ladies, the woman standing before her was at least two heads taller, and her physique wouldn’t be out of place on a well-trained knight.

 

And her face wasn’t much different from the other guild members she had seen in the alley or on the lower floors.

 

‘How did this guild manage to gather only people who look so similar?’

 

Put them together and you’d believe they were siblings.

 

Despite being in immediate danger of having her identity exposed, Ponia had relatively leisurely thoughts.

 

Just before the woman’s hand could remove her cloak.

 

“I came to make a report.”

 

Ponia held out a bundle of papers and money in front of her.

 

“Hm?”

 

The woman reflexively took the papers.

 

“I worked on a baronial family using an investment business as bait, and it ended well.”

 

She had grabbed the contract papers and bundle of money that Denny had dropped during the commotion on the first floor.

 

‘I thought I might need them just in case, and it would have been a disaster if I hadn’t brought them.’

 

“Isn’t this something Denny and Monde did?”

 

“The seniors said they’d give me experience and took me along. I was assigned to handle the follow-up report!”

 

These kinds of guilds where mercenaries gather from various places don’t have proper situation reports, and the system for handling low-level work isn’t well-established, leaving gaps.

 

It was information you could easily learn after spending a year visiting various crime guilds.

 

Thank you, Father.

 

The woman seemed to skim through the contents briefly, then threw the papers down. Several sheets fell to the floor.

 

“Make sure to submit reports on time from now on. Don’t think about skimming anything off the top. We have ways of knowing everything.”

 

“Yes! But where should I go to make reports? This is my first time…”

 

“Turn right and go straight to the biggest room. The master hasn’t returned yet, so wait a bit.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Ponia, acting like a disciplined subordinate, picked up the papers and passed by the woman.

 

Whoosh!

 

And her cloak was pulled off. Crimson waves of hair poured out as if flowing from within the cloak.

 

She tried to grab her hood, but the woman was already holding it and examining her face.

 

She hadn’t expected her to try to check her face.

 

Should she drop the papers and take out paralysis powder from her cloak to scatter it? Or should she stay still?

 

While she couldn’t make a decision, the woman put her clenched fist to her chin.

 

“Was there a newcomer like this?”

 

“…With so many people, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t know.”

 

Sharp gazes pierced various parts of her face.

 

“You…”

 

Without being able to take a proper breath, her neck was suddenly grabbed from behind.

 

“You need to exercise more.”

 

Pressure was applied to her neck, tightening and then releasing.

 

“Look at this. You don’t have a single solid muscle. Have you only been eating?”

 

“…I’ve been resting for a while.”

 

“If this interferes with work, I won’t let it slide.”

 

The woman, who had been speaking threateningly, released Ponia and passed by in the opposite direction.

 

“Anyway, kids these days all look so similar it’s hard to tell them apart.”

 

Are you one to talk?

 

Should she be grateful that she got through safely, or should she be angry about where exactly they looked the same?

 

Ponia only started walking after the woman’s figure disappeared.

 

Due to the spacious area, she met a few more people while passing through the corridor, but they all showed no interest.

 

Except for the occasional feeling of eyes watching her.

 

‘Is it just my imagination?’

 

Click.

 

As soon as she arrived at the Master’s Room, Ponia locked the door.

 

“Haa…”

 

Finally relieved for a moment, Ponia took off her cloak.

 

The room was very dark. All the windows had curtains drawn, so there wasn’t much visible to the eye.

 

Rather, it seemed better to leave it this way so no one would know she had snuck in.

 

Ponia calmly looked around the room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the objects in the room came into view.

 

First, there was a table that seemed to be used for meeting clients, with papers stacked on it. Ponia didn’t rush and examined the names one by one.

 

“It’s not here.”

 

There were recently received commission details and ongoing matters.

 

As she was about to put them back in place, one familiar name caught her eye.

 

Devonham Duchy

 

How could a crime guild in such a remote village have information about a ducal house? Before that, was it even proper information?

 

Could it be that information was leaking from here, putting Sionel in danger…?

 

Her hand about to unfold the documents stopped abruptly. Then she obediently put them back in their place.

 

“What good would it do for me to look.”

 

Even if she found out something, there was nothing she could do about it. While others might take interest, Ponia must not get involved in the affairs of the Devonham Duchy.

 

Didn’t she already know well what happened when she got involved recklessly?

 

Ponia left the documents in their place and moved over to the work desk.

 

Papers were scattered everywhere, as if someone had been working until just before.

 

Escort, search, espionage, information gathering, and even commissions. They were handling a more diverse range of work than expected.

 

She soon found a contract stamped with the seal of the Harbel Barony. Among them, documents related to fraud targeting nobles were few and easily discoverable.

 

How much they must have looked down on her.

 

‘Now I just need to find the money and get out.’

 

The money taken from Danny and Monde was considerable, but it was only half of what her father had poured in.

 

The safe had a simple key lock. The master would naturally have the key, and there should be a spare key hidden somewhere.

 

She crawled under the desk and searched through the drawers, but aside from valuables, no key was visible.

 

‘Should I take the valuables at least?’

 

As she was thinking about how much she could get if she resold these items, a sound came from the direction of the door.

 

Click.

 

It was the sound of a lock closing. Since Ponia had definitely locked it earlier, it couldn’t have suddenly opened by itself and closed again.

 

Someone had entered the room.

 

When Ponia hastily raised her head to check who it was, she bumped right into the desk. No, did she actually bump into it?

 

‘It doesn’t hurt.’

 

This thing that was solid but strangely soft, acting as a cushion for her head.

 

As she raised her hand to touch it, she felt warmth. Just as she was about to lift her head, a cloak was draped over her face again.

 

A man wearing old rags was looking down at her.

 

“You’re being too reckless.”

 

Speaking words of concern from earlier.

 

* * *

 

Bang!

 

“Chad!”

 

“Nia!”

 

Ponia arrived at the cabin at dawn.

 

“He’s burning with fever and can barely stay conscious. But, Nia.”

 

Chad, who had been examining her condition, discovered her swollen ankle and was at a loss for words.

 

“You came in that condition?”

 

“Being late isn’t the problem…”

 

Not knowing where to start his criticism, Chad just opened and closed his mouth before shutting it again. Ponia took out a bottle.

 

“It’s willow bark. If you grind it well and mix it with water for him to drink, it should be effective.”

 

“It’s willow bark. If you grind it well and mix it with water to give to them, it should be effective.”

 

“Alright, I’ll take care of that, so Nia, just sit here and warm yourself up.”

 

She had planned to refuse and go see Sionel, but at the words that going in and out would only make Sionel’s condition worse, she obediently sat in front of the campfire.

 

Chad followed Ponia’s instructions, putting the bark into the container and crushing it with a tool.

 

“Why are you being so good to him?”

 

Amid the steady pounding sounds coming from inside the container, Chad asked.

 

Perhaps because she had grown somewhat drowsy watching the shape of the campfire, Ponia didn’t notice that his voice had sunk as if suppressing something.

 

“Sio has a weak constitution. He’s also a cousin I’ve been with since childhood…”

 

“Then what?”

 

The steady sound stopped. Chad ran his hand through his hair and took off his glasses.

 

The lightness disappeared from his face that had been acting as if he knew nothing, and an unfamiliar weight settled over it.

 

Considering Chad’s usual image, this kind of weight shouldn’t have suited him, but rather this appearance felt naturally like his true self.

 

“Why do you go to such lengths?”

 

“What is this man to you?”

 

Orange eyes that seemed to know all the inside details watched her intently.

 

Orange eyes that seemed to know all the inner workings watched her intently.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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