Chapter 23: Suspected of Murder

When I returned home, I briefly pondered where to have these two soldiers sleep, but they ended up sharing the living room with Daniel for the time being. Good thing the living room is spacious; I nearly made them sleep in the kitchen. Daniel seemed very displeased, but what could we do.

And whenever Sabine appeared, Ted and Oscar threw themselves into helping with great enthusiasm. Sabine seemed happy to have new workers, but Daniel took it differently and diligently competed with them. They even competed over who followed Sabine’s instructions better.

They’re like three large dogs vying for their master’s undivided affection.

I don’t know how they spent the night, but in the morning, all three had dark circles under their eyes.

Yeah, if they keep watching and checking on each other like that, they’ll eventually become friends.

Anyway, for three days I sent Oscar to The Pauper’s Crown to collect Bodo’s information. And I pretended to investigate the outskirts of the brothel district with Hans and Ted. The funny thing is that we actually gathered some information: about the Schlange men who had attacked Sabine.

The brothel guild manages the district with government permits, but they’ve also partnered with a slum organization called Schlange, whose role is to serve as a kind of watchdog that kicks out troublemakers. Since various incidents happen daily, pimps need to protect their prostitutes.

So Schlange dispatches personnel to guard them like bodyguards.

Doesn’t this structure sound familiar? How is this any different from a protection racket?

And I deliberately mentioned Rüdiger to Ted.

I muttered to myself about how I needed to earn merit before Deputy Inspector General Rüdiger. Hans didn’t understand what I was talking about, but Ted listened carefully. His shoulders even twitched, as if he was eager to report as soon as possible. This was also part of my scheme.

Finally, Oscar brought information from Bodo.

"A place called Nixe—a noble-looking person and a slum organization member made contact there?" I asked.

"Yes. I’m certain. I’ve already tracked the movements."

"It’s a chance to claim merit before the Deputy Inspector General. We strike tonight."

I said it with exaggerated bravado in front of Ted and Oscar. It was enough to give them the impression I’m hungry for merit. And Oscar had probably already informed Rüdiger before reporting to me, as soon as he got the information. I’d deliberately sent Oscar to ensure exactly that.

Rüdiger had better do well in my place. I hoped the Finance Minister’s interest in me would fade once Rüdiger monopolized the credit, but honestly the odds were fifty-fifty. It was enough if I just showed I lacked the ability to be pushed forward as the Elsheimer son-in-law.

If it weren’t for the son-in-law arrangement, I would’ve actively cooperated.

The fate of sons-in-law who marry into another family is terrible even by reputation. First of all, since it’s a matrilineal marriage, all inheritance goes to the matrilineal line. The husband can’t oppose the wife’s decisions and doesn’t even receive proper respect from the family’s retainers.

Basically, in the male-centered society of the Duchy of Beren, they don’t treat a son-in-law as a real man. They routinely belittle him as someone who advanced by riding on a woman’s coattails, yet men still accept the arrangement because they can enjoy a wealthy life—though it’s like being a bird in a gilded cage.

So nobles who become sons-in-law are mostly second sons or lower—non-heirs.

Since the eldest son inherits and takes everything anyway, it’s also why non-heirs with nothing want to marry into influential families and live comfortably. So the Finance Minister assumed I, appearing as a poor duchy knight, would accept the son-in-law proposal.

On the surface, I’m a poor duchy knight and a lower noble of the lowest rank. If someone like me married into the Elsheimer family as a son-in-law, I’d be pushed around by the wife and retainers, and on top of that, meddled with by the Finance Minister. I could enjoy a wealthy life, but it’s not an attractive prospect in the slightest.

Through repetitive quests, I’ve been steadily earning points and copper coins, so even adding three retainers doesn’t burden me at all. I’m no longer a poor duchy knight. And I have a clear goal: to become a lord and see the Great Hero ending.

But as things stand, I absolutely cannot oppose the Finance Minister.

That’s why I came up with the idea of propping up Deputy Inspector General Rüdiger.

It’s much better to be dismissed as useless than to be targeted for refusing.

"Inspector, sir? Weren’t you going to the brothel district tonight?"

"Now that I think about it, we can go tomorrow."

"What? What do you mean?"

"We found the contact location, so there’s no rush to go tonight, right? We can go tomorrow."

How absurd my answer must have been—both soldiers’ mouths hung open. Their jaws looked ready to hit the floor. Judging by that reaction, Rüdiger was definitely going to raid Nixe by force. If Bodo’s investigation was accurate, Rüdiger would claim the merit, and if not, we’d just investigate again.

But things unfolded differently than I expected.

"What? Why is everything so chaotic?"

When I headed to the brothel district early the next morning with my subordinates, the scene was in disarray—armed soldiers were coming and going everywhere. I sent Ted and Oscar to find out what happened, and the news they brought back with pale faces was unexpected.

"What? Someone died?"

"The Deputy Inspector General was killed in an attack while investigating Nixe last night!"

"There were dozens of casualties, and they’re blockading the brothel district because of it!"

Attacked and killed? Dozens of casualties? What the hell happened? It was so absurd I was speechless. And the thought that immediately came to mind was that Bodo might have fed me wrong information. A kid who’s cunning but remains in good alignment had deceived me?

No way. I was sure there must be some other explanation.

I trust Bodo, but more than that, I trusted the Manager Scouter that had identified Bodo’s disposition.

And I considered how to turn this situation to my advantage.

"I’m definitely going to be suspected."

"What do we do?"

"First, let’s go to the Finance Department residence."

I had no choice but to head to the Finance Department residence. Naturally, the Inspector General’s request for an audience was immediately granted. In a proper office rather than the basement I’d seen before, Adelbert was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. It must be serious, since Rüdiger had suddenly died. It was serious for me too.

I was rattled that the person I’d tried to heap credit on had died so quickly.

"Inspector Streit, I assume you’ve heard the news?"

"Yes. I’m just as baffled about what on earth happened."

"You would be. I never expected Rüdiger would walk into a trap and get killed."

Hmm, is this a test?

I checked Adelbert’s mindset with the Manager Scouter, and he clearly suspected me. But there was no evidence. I had no choice but to play dumb. I’d had no intention of killing Rüdiger. I’d tried to heap credit on him, but things spiraled in ways I hadn’t anticipated and got tangled up.

I still hadn’t figured out what had actually happened.

"You’ll investigate those who attacked Rüdiger. Judging by the markings on the corpses, it’s likely Treppen."

Treppen?

"One of the three major slum organizations. If you investigate them, connections will surface."

"...Understood."

Should I take this as him throwing me into the line of fire? Adelbert suspected me and believed I’d used schemes to eliminate Rüdiger. It was deeply unfair, but given the circumstances, it could easily look like I’d had Rüdiger killed to monopolize the credit. I had to admit that.

Of course, there was no evidence. That’s why Adelbert couldn’t directly ask if I’d killed him. Far from murdering him, I’d been trying to hand Rüdiger the credit. It seemed I’d gotten too clever for my own good and triggered an unexpected chain of consequences.