The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 62

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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 62】

 

The people from the Tax Bureau were still the same even when they came to visit her in the hospital.

 

“The office is so cold without Team Leader.”

 

“If you’re feeling cold when summer is approaching, there’s a high possibility that your temperature regulation function is malfunctioning. I recommend getting treatment.”

 

“Uh… Wouldn’t most people think that’s a figurative expression?”

 

Rianel refuted Mel’s words.

 

“I think it’s an unscientific expression. The body heat emitted by one person wouldn’t change the temperature of the entire office.”

 

“Team Leader, really.”

 

Wilbrin was exasperated but also relieved, letting out a chuckle.

 

‘At least she’s still the same.’

 

She could confirm that Rianel was fine regardless of where she was.

 

“Well, we’ll be going now!”

 

“Get plenty of rest.”

 

“But don’t rest too much.”

 

Either way, the Tax Bureau needed Rianel.

 

The people who had rushed in like a storm disappeared just as quickly as wind when they left.

 

The room became quiet in an instant, and you could feel the density of air that had been filled with noisy liveliness drop.

 

Until then, Rupert, who had been separated from the Tax Bureau people like oil on water, turned to look at Asil.

 

“Please step aside for a moment.”

 

When Asil hesitated, Rianel persuaded him.

 

“Sacred Flower Concentrate isn’t a common substance that can be obtained multiple times. The probability of the same accident happening is low.”

 

This time Rupert’s brow furrowed.

 

It sounded like she was still treating him as a dangerous element.

 

Asil uncrossed his arms and straightened his body that had been leaning against the wall.

 

“…I’ll be in the adjacent room.”

 

Anyway, after Asil left.

 

Confirming that the room had become quiet, Rupert quickly sat down next to Rianel.

 

“How are you feeling? Any discomfort anywhere?”

 

“When I lost consciousness, someone nearby supported me so I avoided falling. I had a fever reaching 39 degrees, but it has now dropped to a mild fever level of 37 degrees, and the swelling in my hands should subside in the near future.”

 

“…”

 

Rupert held his breath for a moment after hearing the unnecessarily detailed explanation.

 

He couldn’t lift his head due to guilt.

 

“…I’m terribly sorry.”

 

“I know it wasn’t something you did of your own volition. You have nothing to apologize for.”

 

Her attitude of speaking as if stating something obvious calmed Rupert down.

 

“Thank you for saying that.”

 

He had been worried that this incident might make him enemies with Rianel, who was already distant.

 

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be that bad.

 

‘Or perhaps you also thought of me as family.’

 

Just as he had.

 

“Has the brainwashing been completely lifted?”

 

“Are you worried about me now?”

 

“I’m trying to clarify the facts.”

 

Thinking that way, even that cold tone seemed like an awkward expression peculiar to someone who couldn’t express emotions, making it feel cute and endearing.

 

‘This kid…’

 

“I’m fine. My memory has become clear enough to recall everything that woman whispered to control me.”

 

Although it was brainwashing, he still had memories since it was done with his own body.

 

The more he reflected on it, the more shameful it became, making Rupert furrow his brow deeply.

 

“What happened to Vanessa?”

 

What Rianel knew was only that Vanessa had been caught at the site.

 

Rupert was the only one brainwashed by Vanessa, and Duke Vincenheim took her away, saying he would handle it himself since it was an internal family matter.

 

Nothing was known about what happened after that.

 

“I asked why she brainwashed me. Who was behind it and what was the purpose.”

 

No meaningful information could be obtained from Vanessa, who was already broken.

 

“She just kept repeating that she had received a blessing.”

 

Holy water, God’s will.

 

Vanessa just muttered incomprehensible words like someone who had lost their mind.

 

“She didn’t seem to be in her right mind, so I tried to continue the interrogation the next day.”

 

Just one day.

 

I only waited one day.

 

“She was dead.”

 

The investigator said Vanessa seemed to have committed suicide, but Rupert didn’t believe it.

 

“She was a woman who never gave up her will to live even while starving or sleeping rough. There’s no way she’d commit suicide just from being locked up in prison for a while.”

 

Rianel felt a sense of déjà vu there.

 

‘The Deputy Director couple who brainwashed Norman also died.’

 

Since the pattern was similar, there was a high possibility that the culprit of both incidents was the same person.

 

“It happened that the Temple was confirmed to have supplied the Sacred Flower Concentrate to Vanessa, so we’re investigating that side.”

 

Finally, Rupert got to the main point of why he came here.

 

“But we couldn’t secure evidence that the Temple sold mind control potions. Instead, we found that Vanessa sent a large donation to an orphanage that was destroyed in a fire 20 years ago. It seems the Temple received payment for selling potions in that roundabout way.”

 

Moreover.

 

“We also found suspicious traces in the fire incident where most of the orphans died. The fire investigation wasn’t conducted properly, and we found evidence that staff including the director resigned or disappeared before the fire. It could have been intentional arson.”

 

The name of the orphanage that came up was.

 

“Mart Orphanage?”

 

“Do you know the place?”

 

“No.”

 

Since it was a place unrelated to the current Rianel, she answered that way.

 

The Mart Orphanage fire incident that caused dozens of casualties.

 

Ensilen was the sole survivor of that incident.

 

* * *

 

Rianel was sitting in a daze when she sensed someone’s presence and rolled her eyes to stare at Asil.

 

“Why are you making that expression?”

 

Soon her wandering focus returned and her mind became clear.

 

He was once someone she had to protect. The habit of not showing weakness was still ingrained in her.

 

“Did you hear some unpleasant story?”

 

What kind?

 

“For instance, that the young master insulted you by calling you a cunning fellow.”

 

“That would be stating facts, so it couldn’t be an insult.”

 

“You really are still the same.”

 

Rianel told him about her conversation with Rupert.

 

Since there was no point in hiding her identity now, she also added in detail why she felt disturbed.

 

“Until now, I thought the fire at Mart Orphanage was an accidental incident.”

 

A very tragic but unavoidable accident.

 

“But thinking that the incident was a planned crime, I couldn’t hide my displeasure.”

 

Rianel believed she had survived due to good luck, but thinking that even that might have been part of someone’s plan made her feel even more depressed.

 

“So what are you going to do?”

 

Naturally.

 

“I’ll uncover the truth and mourn for the dead.”

 

Because restoring the honor of the deceased is the duty of the survivors.

 

“As expected of Master.”

 

At the same time, Asil stood up.

 

“Come to think of it, I had something to deliver to you.”

 

Originally, he had planned to wait until Rianel recovered, but.

 

“Now that we’re talking about the orphanage, it would be good to give it to you now.”

 

Asil returned to his room and came back carrying a palm-sized box.

 

Inside the black, luxurious box was a rather crude object.

 

‘…A silver ring?’

 

It was even blackened with soot.

 

When Rianel remained silent, Asil’s voice became subtle.

 

“Don’t you remember?”

 

“Remember what?”

 

Rianel stared at the object. She wondered if there was some hidden mechanism, but there were no noticeable peculiarities.

 

“Oh my.”

 

Asil clicked his tongue.

 

“I did think this might happen, but you really don’t remember?”

 

“I’ve never owned a ring. This can’t be mine.”

 

“Still, try to recall.”

 

“?”

 

“That day.”

 

Asil was referring to the day the orphanage was destroyed by fire.

 

“You told me to go outside first and pressed this into my hand.”

 

Saying you’d come find me later.

 

“Don’t make things up.”

 

When she left the orphanage to go to the Academy, Asil was just a three or four-year-old child.

 

It was also a time when Asil’s parents were still alive. There was no way he could have been at the orphanage with her.

 

That’s how it should have been.

 

[We’re going together, right? Sister, you’re coming too…]

 

[I’m really going first? You’ll come if I wait? You will, right?]

 

[I’m scared…]

 

A child’s voice lingered along with faint afterimages.

 

She couldn’t determine whose voice it was or when she had heard it, but.

 

Unable to definitively say that Asil’s words were lies, Rianel pressed her lips together tightly.

 

“…”

 

Because no matter how much she retraced her memories, she couldn’t remember how she had escaped from the burning orphanage.

 

“May I examine it?”

 

“You’re the owner, so by all means.”

 

Rianel examined the ring.

 

The surface was blackened in places, and the engraved letters were partially worn away, making it unclear whether it was meant to say ‘En’ or ‘Ren’.

 

‘In any case, it’s definitely not Asil’s.’

 

Because inside the ring was engraved the sacred flower symbol representing the Religious Order.

 

“What a truly useless object.”

 

“Shall I keep it again?”

 

“…Just give it to me.”

 

Whether it was supplies distributed to temple orphans or something Ensilen personally possessed. In any case, since it was supposedly hers, she wanted to take it.

 

‘If I carry it around, I might remember that day.’

 

Perhaps she might find clues related to the incident.

 

“Very well. Ah, shall I put it on for you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Even trying to put the ring on her intact left hand, she needed Asil’s help since she couldn’t use her right hand.

 

Rianel extended her hand.

 

Asil’s body temperature brushed against Rianel’s fingertips as it slipped onto her finger joint.

 

It was just putting on a ring, such a trivial, small action.

 

But watching Asil concentrate carefully as he adjusted the ring’s angle…

 

“I can sense ulterior motives.”

 

“People commonly say that rings have the meaning of binding, don’t they?”

 

Or there was also the saying that they were bribes to win a lover’s favor.

 

“When you’re putting on such an object, how could there not be ulterior motives?”

 

Suddenly, Rianel recalled something he had said.

 

[Someone told me. To tame a stray cat, you have to give it food, and to persuade a person, you have to use bribes.]

 

Don’t tell me.

 

“Are you trying to persuade me right now?”

 

Or had she already fallen for it?

 

Is that why she ended up staying at her student’s house?

 

“Ahahaha!”

 

Asil couldn’t contain himself and bent over with laughter.

 

“Don’t laugh.”

 

“Why, because your heart is fluttering?”

 

“No.”

 

“Please say your heart is fluttering.”

 

“I refuse.”

 

Oh dear.

 

Asil pointed at his master who couldn’t look directly at him from some point on.

 

“Your face has turned red.”

 

“!”

 

Really can’t tell lies, can you.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile.

 

The maid who had gone to clean the room quietly backed away into the corridor upon seeing the scene through the open door.

 

The sense of reality that increased with each step away heated her face warmly.

 

“My goodness, our master is in love.”

 

It was absolutely like a sugar cane field.

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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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