Fluvia 97: A Routine Social Call 1

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Chapter 97: A Routine Social Call 1

“Are you alright, My Lady? If you’re feeling too tired, then we could postpone your visit to the House of Healing.”

Sitting across from me in the carriage, Tyrabeth held the basket of fruit and rose preserves we’d selected as greeting gifts for the people of Hildeich’s House of Healing.

I can’t help but chuckle at her worried, or rather her all-too anxious look.

Tyrabeth may technically be older than me, but when it comes to mentality, she still worries far too much over the little things.

I suppose it’s only natural not to be able to maintain your composure at the tender age of 15 years old, but as the personal maid of an Earl’s daughter who’s just come of age, she shouldn’t allow herself to be overly concerned about the amount of social calls we’re expected to be making.

Although, I suppose being the aid to an 8-year-old who is a little bit too mature for her age means that her worries will naturally gravitate towards the little things that I have a tendency to overlook.

Like being overworked.

So, yes, I do understand her worries, but I still can’t help but think she needs to chill out once in a while.

“You don’t need to worry, Tyrabeth,” I said soothingly, trying to assuage her anxiety. “If anything, visiting the House of Healing can be considered a rest, compared to the other calls we’ve had to make.”

“I suppose…”

Tyrabeth sighed, resting her hand on her cheek as she made an almost griefstricken face.

… I understand I appear to be 8 years old (I suppose I really am, if we’re being technical), but I’m actually quite capable of managing my time and energy, thank you very much.

Mostly.

Either way, going to visit the House of Healing in the capital is not only something I am obligated to do, in order to thank Healer Martin and all the attendants for how much they’d done for me when I was in their care, but it’s also a pleasant break from the almost unending stream of visitors wanting to see the new Lord and Lady of Dellarose House.

Brother wasn’t able to come and keep me company for the social call to the House of Healing because most of the Dellarose Estate’s more illustrious visitors wanted to come and see the next in line to be Earl. Bringing their daughters along.

Although he was laughing at Prince Anthony’s dilemma previously, he’s now dealing with the exact same thing.

This sort of thing might be ‘normal’ for noble sons, but it certainly feels a little like karmic retribution for laughing at another person’s misfortune.

“Milady, to your left.”

From outside the carriage, on the rear seat rack, Lysander called out to me.

It’s not like my family has a habit of making the servants sit outside the carriage like some other nobles do, but our guards still tend to do so when there’s a very real risk of danger.

Normally there wouldn’t be such a need inside the Capital’s walls, and normally Lysander, a man gifted in covert operations rather than overt operations,wouldn’t be one of them, but recently…

“I heard there have been disappearances in the Capital recently, the Adventurer’s Guild here has been in a frenzy over it.”

In the background of the festivities of the debut season, there have been rumors about some strange occurrences. Disappearances.

Mysterious disappearances that the Guild has been in an uproar over.

That being said, although the disappearances are certainly mysterious, and the occurrences are certainly strange, these happenings are only on the level of interesting gossip, making the circuits through both high society and the commonfolk alike.

After all, the only victims that have gone missing are the odd pet or livestock and homeless vagrants. No one of any renown has gone missing, not even among the commoners, so the rumors have become a form of entertainment instead of alarm, despite the unease it also brings.

It’s become one of the Capital’s ‘urban legends’, so to speak.

So why is the Adventurer’s Guild so troubled about missing animals and vagrants?

After all, animals and vagrants tend to go missing ‘naturally’, usually because they simply wander off or, more sadly, die. Shouldn’t something more… alarming be more worthy of the Adventurer’s Guild?

Certainly, if you asked the average person, noble or commoner, they would probably be just as mystified that a “common occurrence” would be troubling the Adventurer’s Guild.

But for the Adventurer’s Guild, if a common occurrence happens at an uncommon rate with unknown reasons, then it’s certainly something concerning enough to investigate, even if the Royal Guard can’t justify using their own manpower for it.

And anyway, the fear that the disappearances will escalate to include members of the general populace isn’t negligable.

The House of Healing is located in a more remote area of the Capital, and although the area around the clinic isn’t a bad neighborhood, it’s inevitable that we pass through some less well-kept areas on our way towards it.

At Lysander’s words, I glance towards the narrow alleyway on the left as our carriage passes by it.

It used to be known as the ‘Cat Walk’, nearly swarming with cats, but now there isn’t a single whisker in sight.

Whether it’s due to the current disappearances whisking them away or the animals’ instinctive sense of danger keeping them from showing themselves, it’s yet another empty alleyway that shows something abnormal is going on.

We’ve passed many along the way, including the small pavilion where many homeless sleep due to the steam vents from the hot waterways from the new Capital bathhouse, or the townsquares where beggars used to be on every corner.

Each and every one is visibly more vacant than before.

After a moment, Lysander spoke up again.

“Milady, although it’s certainly abnormal, it’s not something worthy of the sort of commotion it’s causing at the Adventurer’s Guild, is it?” he asked. “The only ones who have gone missing are mostly stray animals and the occasional vagrant…”

“Are you testing me, Lysander?” I can’t help but ask.

“… … No, Milady.” Lysander sighed. “However, don’t you think these matters aren’t really something that House Dellarose needs to involve itself in? If the Adventurer’s Guild is investigating, it should only be a matter of time before whatever abnormality is going on in the Capital is solved.”

I hum and fold my arms.

“So you think we should stay out of it, then? Remind me again, what was the sequence of events?”

“Many requests for searching for missing pets or livestock were suddenly being filed at the Adventurer’s Guild. During this time, an investigation for the increase uncovered that many areas that stray animals about the Capital used to frequent have become noticeably empty,” Lysander said. “Shortly afterwards, some displaced folks and adventurers temporarily staying within the main square reported that some homeless people have gone missing. Although one or two homeless going missing is normal, it’s gotten to the point where other people who temporarily stay in the town squares have grown anxious.”

“At first it was a few animals, and then many animals. Then it was a few vagrants, and then many vagrants. You truly see no problem with this?” I say.

Lysander sighed. “I didn’t say there wasn’t any problems. Of course, someone doing something nefarious to animals already warrants some concern, and someone reaching their hands out to humans, no matter their social standings, is even more concerning, but my point was that this isn’t something for House Dellarose to get involved with. Truthfully, the other Earldoms are already dissatisfied with the power House Dellarose has. If we interfere too much in the Capitals’ matters…”

“It’s fine,” I say, cutting him off somewhat moodily as I cross my legs and lean against the carriage window, resting my jaw on my fist in a manner my etiquette instructors would definitely say was unbecoming for a newly minted lady. “I’m not expecting us to have to step in, necessarily. I just want everyone keeping an eye and an ear out for what’s going on.”

“… Understood, Milady. Also, you can tell Tyrabeth that she can stop holding her ears like that.”

At Lysander’s words, I look over to see Tyrabeth with both hands over her ears, squeezing both eyes shut.

“… …”

Well, I agree that becoming knowledgeable about state secrets is one way to shorten your life, and Tyrabeth is definitely someone who’s more well aware about that than most, but is it necessary for her to close her eyes as well?

At any rate, she’s going to become my personal attendant all throughout my life, barring any unforeseen circumstances, so she really should get used to it already.

As the House of Healing rumbles into view, I can’t help but reflect on the unease that rests in the pit of my stomach about the disappearances in the Capital.

Even though there’s no definite proof that the disappearances of the animals and the disappearances of the vagrants in the city are connected, just the thought of a budding serial killer escalating his or her tactics is enough to set anyone on edge.

But there’s something else about the whole situation that just makes me uneasy that I just can’t put my finger on.

To be honest, Lysander’s probably right.

After the Adventurer’s Guild’s investigations determine the cause of what or why these disappearances are happening, the Royal Guard will get involved and the entire ordeal will be solved cleanly.

However, there’s just that feeling that something has been overlooked…

As the carriage comes to a halt and the coachman’s assistant scurries from his perch aside the coachman to come and assist us in disembarking, the thought hits me.

Where are the bodies?

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<a/n: I expected this next update to take maybe two weeks, since I had to reorient myself with the story (and catalog all the minor characters), but it took a little long than expected since I’m pulling out all my projects and working on all of the pre-work necessary to get back into things.

Here’s to hoping for better updates from now on>