I Was Hired by the Black-Minded Prince for My Life's Ransom - Chapter 30

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

Episode 30. Brennon’s True Master
Even after returning to the Mansion, my mind had not followed.
“How did you find today’s inspection, Your Highness?”
“Nothing of particular note. The place had its usual vitality.”
“Haha! How delightful that it pleased you. Now, regarding the funds for developing our town…”
Baron Brennon smiled with good humor throughout the evening meal.
He spoke of how smoothly the festival preparations were progressing, what an excellent match his daughter Olivia would make, what enormous profits the development of Valenta Island would bring, how bright Ruaern’s future shone…
Yet one word kept echoing through my mind.
‘Fake.’
The current baron is a fake.
That’s what the Brennon Young Lady had said.
…But was that truly the case?
I stood quietly behind Urian, stealing glances at the baron’s face.
Small in stature, round in build.
A hearty laugh and appropriately genial manner of speech.
To anyone’s eyes, he seemed nothing more than a provincial nobleman.
‘That man is a fake…?’
Honestly, I still couldn’t quite believe it.
Unaware of my doubts, the baron continued smiling and eagerly promoting Ruaern to Urian.
In fact—
“Yes, the maid in back. You accompanied His Highness the Prince today as well, did you not?”
“Ah, yes, that’s right…”
“Ruaern must have impressed you greatly—your expression is positively bright! Haha!”
He drew me into the conversation without warning.
I felt an embarrassed flush creep up my neck, and my lips began to tremble slightly.
‘…My apologies, Baron. I’m afraid I’m harboring rather irreverent thoughts at the moment.’
I barely even saw Ruaern today.
I was just reflexively working my lips when—
Tap.
Something brushed lightly against the back of my hand beneath the table.
“……?”
Good heavens, what was that?
I glanced down in surprise and saw it was Urian’s hand.
He continued sipping his soup with perfect composure, as though nothing had happened.
…What in the world?
As I stared at him in confusion, Urian gave me a knowing smile with his eyes.
[Manage your expression, would you?]
Ah, so he was scolding me.
‘But I’m standing behind you—how did you even see that? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?’
[Banilin.]
‘…My sincere apologies.’
Could you please stop reading my innermost thoughts?
My heart went cold, and I quietly took a small step backward, careful not to show it.
Then I straightened the corners of my lips and schooled my expression.
[There now, that’s better. Well done.]
‘I shall endeavor to do better…’
This is terrifying.
The meal continued for some time after that.
Though the Brennon Young Lady joined us halfway through, neither Urian nor she said a word about what had transpired in town.
They maintained perfect composure without the slightest slip—truly the bearing of nobility.
Nothing like myself, in other words.
‘…I really must improve.’
If I’m to live long, I cannot afford to embarrass His Highness.
The remainder of the meal passed without incident—I managed my expression carefully enough to avoid further reproach.
And when I finally reached my room—
“Sigh…”
I flopped onto my bed face-down.
Why had this day felt so impossibly long?
A suspicious warehouse, a secret note, a fake baron…and then the abandoned mailbox on top of it all.
My head felt ready to split open.
“Banilin.”
“Yes…”
“You weren’t planning to sleep in that state, were you?”
Oh.
I wriggled and lifted my head.
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t even changed out of my clothes. What was I doing?
The sky-blue one-piece dress, stained with pink streaks, looked even more pathetic than before.
As I rose slowly, looking dejected, Urian laughed softly.
“Still so upset about it?”
“Of course…”
I touched the stain on my dress gently.
“It was the first thing I’d ever owned, you see.”
“I see.”
Urian’s gaze drifted slowly across the hem of my skirt.
“Though you did seem to like it quite a bit.”
“I loved it so much.”
“So much that you spent the whole day spinning in circles.”
“That’s…”
I’d appreciate it if we could just forget about that.
How could I have gotten so excited?
Urian chuckled.
“I’ll buy you a new one tomorrow.”
“…Really?”
“There’s a festival coming up, after all.”
“You… truly mean it?”
My heart began to pound.
A new dress—one given as a gift, no less.
I’d never had anything like that before.
I clutched the pillow tightly to myself.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Yes, thank you. It’s the first time Banilin has shown such kindness.”
First time.
I quietly pulled up the edge of the blanket to cover my mouth.
My heart fluttered.
Then Urian rose.
“Shall we get moving?”
“Oh.”
I turned my gaze toward the window without thinking.
Night had fallen completely, deep and dark.
At last, it was time to visit the abandoned mailbox.
* * *
Ruaern at night was nothing like the day.
The laughter of drunken sailors, the salty sea breeze, the crash of waves in the distance.
Third Harbor was especially quiet.
Unlike the central harbor used during the day, this place seemed long abandoned—there was no sign of another soul.
Splash—
The waves crashed roughly against the gray dock below.
I found myself clutching Urian’s sleeve.
I was frightened.
“Would you like to turn back if you’re afraid?”
“No, I’m not afraid. Nothing like that.”
“Though I’m concerned your grip might stretch my clothes.”
“…Oh.”
I quietly released my hand.
Though there were no marks, I smoothed out his sleeve a little.
Urian laughed softly.
He was teasing me, wasn’t he?
“The abandoned mailbox, the abandoned mailbox…”
As I looked around, I spotted an old mailbox in the corner of the harbor, thick with rust.
“That one looks right, doesn’t it?”
“I see.”
I approached carefully and opened the lid.
Creak—
And then.
“…There’s something inside.”
Inside lay a single bundle of old cloth.
My heart began to pound.
I pulled it out quickly, and dust tumbled away.
The way it fell so readily suggested it wasn’t accumulated naturally, but deliberately placed there to disguise something.
I unfolded the cloth.
“This is….”
“A ring, it appears.”
The first thing visible was an old ring.
Blue waves and a sword were engraved upon it—crude in appearance yet unmistakably fine craftsmanship.
“It bears the seal of the Brennon Family.”
“Why would something like this be here….”
“Please take out the paper beneath it as well.”
Beneath the ring lay a sheet that looked half-burned.
Written upon it were several lines in what appeared to be handwriting.
<…Therefore, given this emergency. I hereby transfer the position of Family Head to the legitimate heir of the Brennon Family, Rein Brennon.>
At the edge of the paper, a faint red stain had spread.
I swallowed hard.
“Legitimate heir…?”
That was when.
“Yes.”
A low, measured voice came from behind me.
I spun around in alarm.
Beneath the moonlight stood the Brennon Young Lady.
And behind her, a dark-haired servant.
“The true master of Brennon was murdered.”
Our eyes met.
His gaze—so sorrowful—made my chest tighten inexplicably.
His eyes held many emotions.
He seemed to be apologizing, hesitating.
And yet… he also seemed genuinely glad to see me.
The moment our eyes locked, I understood.
‘Ah, that person.’
He’s apologizing to me.
“…I’m sorry, Banilin.”
The man’s voice broke with sorrow.
“I never wanted to entangle you in something like this….”
My benefactor? I quickly shook my head.
“No, no. I only opened a lock for you.”
“It was because of that one act that I was saved.”
“…….”
For a moment, words failed me entirely.
The Brennon Young Lady opened her mouth quietly.
“The current Baron of Brennon was a pirate.”
Her voice was measured and matter-of-fact.
“Twenty years ago, he raided a village, stole the family, and sold the young heir to a slave trader.”
I stared at her, dumbstruck.
Standing beneath the moonlight, the Brennon Young Lady exuded an entirely different atmosphere than she did in daylight.
Rather than an elegant noblewoman, her face was cold and quiet—like the sea before a storm.
She turned her eyes toward me and spoke in a whisper.
“The heir was so young then. He thought it better to leave the child alive—that there was nothing he could do anyway.”
“…….”
A silence fell.
The truth hammering into my mind made my thoughts blur and reel.
And then.
The Young Lady’s gaze turned slowly toward the servant behind her.
“But he came back.”
“How…?”
“Because you set him free.”
Splash!
A wave crashed hard against the dock.
I turned my head numbly.
“Wait. Don’t tell me…?”
“Yes, Banilin.”
Not Rein.
Rein Brennon smiled bitterly.
“I am the true master of the Brennon Family.”

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