BXBX NOVEL volume 2 - 39
[I’m surprised that Berg Nesson’s wife has died. Does this mean that the reward given is by the daughter instead? Certain nobles’ lineage go a long way back, so it’s possible that a good reward might be given out here. In any case, it looks like my only hope is on the daughter.]
Roen had given details on the daughter. Her name was Amandina, and she stayed alone at the northern Greyrat street, which was just next to the Black Pepper street. She stayed within her home most of the time and hardly went out. Even though it was strange that she lived all by herself without any contacts, she was still a noble and under the strict hierarchy in Aouine, common men would not think of intruding her home.
[Roen’s information is most likely accurate. This isn’t a common sight for nobles, but at the same time something like this does occur in the game.]
However, to ensure that Roen gave accurate information, Brendel simply took out his sword and placed it over Roen’s neck and told him to lead the way. With Batum’s aid in dismissing the shady youths hired by Roen around his home, the three of them left for the noble’s house without any further incidents.
When the three of them reached the next street, it was nearly evening. The amber sunlight shone across the buildings at one end of the street, and long shadows were cast across the other row of buildings. Because there was no one who to light the oil lamps at the sides, the buildings were shrouded in darkness. Brendel walked briskly into this silent part of the street, his long robes sweeping across the pebbles and lifting the fallen leaves due to the small breeze caused by his movements.
Batum walked closely behind him, thoroughly checking the dark corners of the street. He fiddled with his beard for a while before frowning: “This place wasn’t like this when I came here a few years ago.”
The Greyrat street was near the old nobles’ parliament and the Cavalry avenue. It was once a busy street and considered an area where rich people gathered, but after the city had gone under upgrades and moved the prime hub elsewhere, the street had became even more desolate than the Black Pepper street.
[Even if if was because this street here did not have any adventurers, mercenaries or prostitutes lingering here, this place should not be so desolate...]
Brendel sniffed at the dusty air and he suddenly recalled something.
“It’s probably due to the underground grave here.”
“Indeed.” Roen’s smile was a little forced. The blade on his neck made him feel very uncomfortable. “My lord, you might not know this, but there was a strange event about two years ago. A group of of two high ranking monks and one priest from the Haviar Church went missing after they entered the grave, and this city was shaken by this incident back then.”
“And? Did the Holy Church went to Nakkin and caused trouble? If you tell me they did not, I won’t believe you.” Batum said.
“Of course not, under the pressure of the church, he sent a group of Silver Winged Cavalry to investigate the incident. The group was attacked by monsters and there was only one survivor left who went crazy.”
“Madness.” Batum muttered to himself.
Roen led them to an old staircase. After they reached the end of the flight of stairs, they found an old mansion before them and entered in. The wooden floor creaked and trembled under their weight as if it had serious breathing problems and was about to fall apart any time.
Brendel stopped when he saw this. He tore apart the spider webs with his sword and asked in suspicion.
“What place is this, you stupid cripple? If I recall correctly Berg Nesson’s family status hasn’t fallen to this state yet, even if he went missing for years.” He coughed in bits as he spoke.
“His daughter has moved out of her own house a year ago. It seems that she had been cheated out of her money.”
“A gullible female noble.” Batum added his input.
Brendel was silent as he watched Roen.
In the end, Roen led them to a door in the corner within the abandoned mansion. Brendel kept his sword away and knocked on the door. He almost certain that Roen was lying again, until he heard a serious bout of coughing noise behind the door. A soft voice came from behind it.
“Who is it?”
Brendel paused for a moment before he turned to Roen and asked: “Is she unwell?”
“I have no knowledge of that.” He shook his head.
Brendel was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again: “Miss Amandina? I’m a friend of your father, Berg Nesson, I have a few things from him to give to you.” (TL: Seriously? That’s a terrible opening line, sounds like some random evil person preparing to pounce on the noble girl...)
There was silence behind the door for a while, before the girl spoke again in her weak voice: “What is it?”
“His letter.”
There was the sound of a chair being pushed back behind the door and an even longer silence, as if to hesitate. Finally there were footsteps and light coughing noises that appeared closer to the door. The voice made behind the door was clearer and Brendel could hear that the owner was a young woman. Her voice seemed to have some form of expectations within it.
“I’m sorry, but could you push the letter below the door?”
Brendel looked at the gap below the door.
[Well, at least her guard is working well. Considering that she’s living all by herself for years, it’s understandable.]
“I understand.”
“Thank you.”
Brendel pushed the letter through the door, and it was taken away with sounds of the letter being opened. It was another bout of long silence, and when Brendel started to think that something was very wrong, the door suddenly opened with a long creak.
Behind the door was a young woman in a pale night dress.
Her thin hands were on the door and she appeared to be slightly out of breath, but her expression could be considered as calm. She was not very tall, and only reached the height of Brendel’s chest. Her long black hair flowed all the way back to her waist, and her black irides were upon the three person outside her house, appearing a little tense.
“My father...?” Her eyes finally stopped on Brendel.
He nodded.
The girl’s long eyelashes lowered.
There was a short moment of hushed silence before she spoke again.
“I had already thought something like this might have happened. That is just as well, my parents are at least together now. I think I will feel at least better that way.”
[A good reaction. Unlike some of the weak noble ladies out there, she’s not half as ignorant or stupid like them. Judging from her room...... There’s really nothing much here. It’s an old bed with just some run-down furniture, along with a few candles here that’s half burned and some scattered papers and books. That’s all she has. Her conditions are just as bad as the mansion looked. The only thing that’s interesting about her is how she might be a sage.]
“My condolences, Miss Amandina.” Brendel said.
The girl raised her head and looked at him. She coughed twice before speaking.
“Did you want to ask about the promised reward from my father’s letter?”
Batum and Roen were confused over how the conversation changed into different directions.
“...... Yes.” Brendel felt reluctant to respond for a while, but he decided to treat this event like a mission within the game.
[There shouldn’t be any need to feel ashamed about this matter. It’s good to try and get a reward out of this, it’s all for the sake of saving Aouine. Really.]
But Amandina folded the letter and the bridge between her eyes seemed to narrow: “It is unfortunate, but I have never heard of my mother mentioning such a place in this letter before.”
“Ahh, so it’s a debt—” The cripple finally understood what was going on, and he was much more spirited when this particular event was related to his job: “Brendel, leave this job to me.”
He spoke in a shrill voice and checked Brendel’s expression closely. He was certain that the naive little brat had turned into someone of importance, especially when he looked at the giant mercenary following him. With his years of experience, he determined that the man was considerably strong when he compared him to the nobles’ guards that he knew.
Even though he did not know why the mercenary was willing to work for Brendel, he was careful not to displease Brendel.
“There’s no need for that, cripple.” Brendel flatly refused his good intentions with a wave of his hand.
“It’s as natural as the rain falling down from the sky to pay your debts.” The cripple still did not cease talking, until he saw that Brendel’s fingers were on his sword, before he shrank backwards and muttered to himself: “There are rules in society, rules in society......”
Brendel looked at the girl’s clear eyes. She looked a little worried about her situation about she did not appear to be intentionally lying. Brendel was a little upset to just leave like that and he frowned. But no matter how he looked at the situation, he could not do anything about it, and finally he gave a smile: “No, that’s fine. It was something trivial anyway.”
[It’s ridiculous to push her anymore than this. She lost her parents and she had fallen to poverty, her life is literally in the gutters, what else do I want from her? I’m sure this damned cripple had his ways to squeeze money out from her, but I’m not going to accept have that option. If Little Romaine or even Freya finds out that this ever happened...]
But the girl suddenly stopped him from leaving. She coughed and shook her at the same time, struggling to steady her body.
“Ser Brendel, I am not asking to renege the agreement in the letter.”