I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 47

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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 47

 

“Ah, that forest keeper? She was strange from the beginning.”

 

He had found the right place. The staff at the Employment Office written on Nia’s employment contract remembered her.

 

At Max’s words, the two staff members sitting with him quickly nodded their heads. As if recalling that time, Max and the other staff members fell silent for a moment, then shuddered.

 

“…Never want to get involved with her again.”

 

“Don’t be fooled by that innocent face. Tsk.”

 

“What was she like?”

 

Chad looked at them with curiosity, prompting an answer.

 

“She suddenly came with a job posting, saying she wanted to become a forest keeper. Since she was young and seemed unaware of the rumors about the Forest, we told her about it. You know what she said? She already knew and came anyway.”

 

“….”

 

“She was a crazy woman….”

 

Despite his disgusted expression, Max glanced at Chad subtly.

 

“Why are you curious about this? Do you know her?”

 

“Haha, I guess you could say she’s someone I’m curious about?”

 

The staff exchanged knowing looks and gazed at Chad with pity.

 

They couldn’t imagine that a man wearing crooked glasses, excessively lowering his posture and acting foolish, could have any other purpose.

 

“Were there any other unusual things about her?”

 

“Unusual things? Well….”

 

Max, who had been thinking, soon remembered something.

 

“Ah, not long after that woman left, someone came looking for her.”

 

“Was it a man?”

 

“Yes, a young man. He didn’t reveal his identity, but his clothes were neat as if he came from some noble house. Well, there’s no way a noble would come to a place like this.”

 

A small discussion broke out among the staff.

 

“Wasn’t he a debt collector? That woman seemed really desperate for money. She was being chased.”

 

“So that’s why she went into the Forest? Then what’s the point, by now she’s probably already….”

 

As they imagined the woman’s death, all three fell silent. As if to change the atmosphere, Max looked across the table.

 

“Anyway, now I’m curious about… What? Where did he go?”

 

They hadn’t even heard the sound of the door chiming, but the man had disappeared.

 

Meanwhile, Chad, having obtained the information he wanted, had already come outside.

 

A beautiful woman who voluntarily applied for the dangerous forest keeper position, circumstances that made her unusually desperate for money, and a young man who looked like nobility searching for her.

 

He felt himself gradually getting closer to the truth she was hiding.

 

Chad examined the map posted in the Town Square.

 

“The closest noble house from here is….”

 

The place his finger pointed to was.

 

Harbel Barony

 

* * *

 

Rustle rustle.

 

“….”

 

It’s been a quiet day for once.

 

The one processing work non-stop in perfect posture was Kustin, the capable butler of the Harbel Barony.

 

Lately, his condition had been running at its worst.

 

Trying to keep the three troublemakers in line alone in place of Ponia, who had left the Manor, left him feeling like even two or three bodies wouldn’t be enough.

 

Even the work he was doing now was administrative work that should originally be done by the head of the house, but Baron Harbel had long been excluded from work. He was probably taking a leisurely stroll right now.

 

What he had gained from working at the Harbel Barony were mainly things that harmed his health: dark circles from lack of sleep, chronic pain in his neck and back, loss of appetite from stress, and so on.

 

Oh, and one more thing.

 

The ability to have ominous premonitions come true.

 

Kustin kept moving his pen without rest while being conscious of the door.

 

‘Something usually happens when it’s this leisurely.’

 

Knock knock.

 

“Lord Kustin.”

 

As expected.

 

“Please come in.”

 

With permission, one maid entered while reading the room.

 

“What is it?”

 

He let out a light sigh.

 

The head of the family has stepped back from the front lines, and the butler Kustin is openly acting as the family’s de facto head, yet no one protests.

 

Rather, the servants entrust all decisions related to the manor to him and come to the study. The manor’s servants also know exactly where power flows.

 

“A guest has arrived outside, what should we do…?”

 

“A guest? I don’t believe there were any scheduled visits today.”

 

He checked the appointment schedule, but there was nothing. The baroness and young master were out. It was obviously a scammer who came targeting the baron’s naivety.

 

“Tell them we cannot meet today and send them away.”

 

“Well… they said they were the young lady’s friend.”

 

Kustin stopped his pen and looked out the window. The main gate was visible directly from his room.

 

Even from a distance, the man with unusual appearance was peering around beyond the iron-barred main gate with curious eyes.

 

“The young lady’s friend?”

 

That person?

 

* * *

 

“Thank you for receiving me despite my sudden visit!”

 

The man with bushy curly hair and round glasses kept bowing his head.

 

“So, you said you were the butler?”

 

“Please just call me Kustin.”

 

“I see! I’m Chad. Chad Moreau. Oops!”

 

He knocked over the teacup the maid had brought while trying to extend his hand. Kustin handed him a handkerchief while observing Chad’s attitude as he kept apologizing.

 

“What business do you have with the young lady?”

 

“Ah! I have something I want to tell her. But isn’t she at the manor?”

 

Aside from his unusual appearance, Chad seemed like an innocent young man, smiling brightly and acting friendly.

 

“The young lady has stepped out for a moment.”

 

However, Kustin was lying.

 

There were so many people who approached the baron – those who spoke smoothly, those with trustworthy faces, those who came with heartbreaking stories.

 

And they were all scammers.

 

Meeting only such people, Kustin had learned to judge people by instinct.

 

This man was slightly excessive in everything. He solidified his image through attitudes naturally revealed through seemingly coincidental incidents. His clumsy yet perfect appearance actually made him suspicious.

 

Seeing Kustin respond calmly, Chad smiled strangely.

 

Was it his imagination that he resembled Nia, who likewise didn’t fall for his deliberately shown facade and remained consistently suspicious?

 

“How do you know the young lady?”

 

“We’re friends! The last time I saw her was about two months ago?”

 

“…”

 

“Is she doing well?”

 

That strange gaze examining his reaction. This man had come to confirm whether Ponia was currently at the manor.

 

He had wondered if this might be someone who knew news of the young lady, but it was the other side trying to extract information. Kustin stood up from his seat.

 

“The young lady is doing well. And it will be difficult to meet her today. She just left and will return late at night.”

 

“Is that so…”

 

Chad obediently stood up. However, he didn’t lose his smile.

 

“But it seems the young lady mingles with various people. Normally, a noble family wouldn’t receive a commoner like me.”

 

Kustin didn’t answer. Unless he openly provided answers, this man would return empty-handed.

 

“I’ll escort you out.”

 

Bang!

 

“Kustin!”

 

Their conversation was interrupted by a man who suddenly entered. Kustin covered his face with his hands.

 

‘Of all times.’

 

“…Young master. We have a guest, so you shouldn’t enter carelessly.”

 

“Hm? Who…?”

 

Albio maintained his manners while suspiciously scanning the man’s appearance.

 

“I came to see Ponia. We’re friends.”

 

“Sister? She left home ages ago, why would you come here?”

 

“…Did she leave early this morning?”

 

Despite being rude, Kustin tried to quickly get Chad out, but Albio had already fallen beautifully into the trap.

 

“Early morning what… It’s been two months since she left? Kustin. Is this person really our sister’s friend?”

 

It was beyond salvaging now.

 

Chad’s smile deepened. He grabbed the door handle.

 

“Your hair color suits you so well! You look just like your sister.”

 

Fixing his gaze particularly on Albio’s head, Chad left his greeting and went out.

 

“What’s with that guy? He’s stating the obvious. What’s wrong, Kustin? I didn’t cause any trouble today, did I?”

 

Kustin’s look of hopelessness that appeared whenever Albio caused trouble was directed at Albio.

 

“I believe the young master may have just brought about the young lady’s crisis.”

 

“When did I?”

 

Kustin refused to answer. He wouldn’t understand anyway.

 

He hoped his intuition was wrong.

 

* * *

 

“Things are taking longer than expected.”

 

Gideon’s gesture of swirling his glass was leisurely, but Adam, the butler watching him, knew not to fully trust the appearance his master showed.

 

Crash.

 

The glass flew through the air and shattered right at Adam’s feet.

 

“Oh my. It broke. Would you pick it up?”

 

Adam immediately began picking up the shattered glass pieces. His fingers started bleeding.

 

“Even the one I hired with high expectations has no news…”

 

After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Gideon spoke.

 

“I think I’ll go see for myself.”

 

“You mean…”

 

Gideon rose from his seat and looked out the window.

 

“Yes, directly to that Forest where that child’s end would have been.”

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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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