Before Lily, Arald, and Pielott left for the Achaea mansion, Frondier said to them,
“Be as humble as you can. After all, Pielott was in the wrong. We want this to end as peacefully as possible.”
The Achaea family was trying to blow the incident of Aias getting knocked unconscious by Pielott way out of proportion.
They even summoned the Ribanche family, even though a conversation in the teacher’s office should have sufficed.
Excessive abuse of power. It made Frondier feel more disgusted than angry.
“By basically, do you mean there are other cases?”
When Arald asked, Frondier nodded.
“Mrs. Achaea tried to use Mana on Pielott. It was so faint that it was hard to notice, but you should be able to recognize it if you know what to look for.”
At the time, it was difficult to detect the faint traces of Mana amidst all the shouting, arm-waving, and commotion.
But it was a different story if they knew about it. Even if it wasn’t Frondier, they would be able to notice it.
“If she tries anything like that again, or if they make any unreasonable demands…”
Frondier looked at Ria Lis as he spoke.
“Yes. Seduction, threats, anything goes. Just break them completely. If you're going to use seduction, make sure they can’t even think straight. If you’re going to use threats, instill in them a fear so deep that they’ll never dare to mess with you again.”
Maybe then he could figure out what Mrs. Achaea was thinking. Frondier nodded as he spoke.
“What specifically do you mean by unreasonable demands?”
“I’ll leave that judgment entirely up to you. Don’t worry. No matter what you choose, I won’t blame you and say, ‘That wasn’t crossing the line.’”
In other words, he would allow them to do whatever they wanted, as long as they were slightly upset.
Following Frondier’s lead, the three headed to the Achaea family mansion.
When they pressed the doorbell on the imposing front door,
Mrs. Achaea greeted them with a bright smile, as if she were a completely different person from the one they had met in the teacher’s office.
“Yes, yes. Come in, don’t just stand there. You must be tired from your long journey.”
The three awkwardly followed the lady inside.
Lily's senses didn’t detect any suspicious Mana, and Arald's eyes didn’t see any traps.
Mrs. Achaea led them to the drawing-room, and as if she had prepared beforehand, a servant immediately brought them tea.
“I apologize for what happened at Atlas.”
“……No, it was our child who made a mistake.”
Lily blinked at the lady, then answered with a flustered look. It was a natural answer, considering her confusion.
Arald took a sip of his tea and looked at Lily casually.
He couldn't tell if Mrs. Achaea was putting on an act. So, he asked Lily with his eyes, but she was just as clueless.
“A mistake? Is it a mistake to show excellent skills in a duel?”
The lady spoke in a gentle voice, as if she had become a completely different person.
Then she looked at Pielott.
“I was so sorry about that day. To think I yelled at a child like that, it was unbecoming of an adult.”
“No, I think I was out of line.”
Pielott was equally bewildered by the situation.
He had heightened his senses to the maximum, just in case Mrs. Achaea was using Mana to approach him as Frondier had warned, but there was no sign of it.
“Um, ma’am. I’m sorry to ask, but did something happen?”
“No, nothing like that.”
The lady shook her head at Arald’s question. She said,
“We were at Atlas then. So, I had no choice but to pretend.”
“I see you don’t know. Well, it’s a story that only a handful of nobles know.”
Arald and Lily looked at each other.
Frondier had told them that there was something fishy about Atlas. The eavesdropping devices, for example.
Did that mean that some nobles were already aware of something similar?
“Do you know about Atlas’ Headmaster, Carla?”
“……I’ve only heard the name.”
Arald answered honestly. It was the most innocuous answer, thanks to his honesty.
“There’s a rumor that Carla goes around looking for unmarried men. To strike up good deals using her beauty.”
He had heard the rumors, but he didn’t necessarily agree with them.
“She’s collecting knowledge about devils.”
“This isn’t just a rumor or gossip. It’s true.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because our family made a deal with Carla.”
Lily blinked in surprise.
Then, as if she had just remembered something, she said,
“B-But you said the Headmaster goes around looking for unmarried men. Surely the head of the Achaea family is married?”
“There’s another unmarried man, isn’t there?”
Lily, Arald, and Pielott’s jaws dropped in unison.
“Y-You mean the unmarried man is…?”
“Carla isn’t particularly picky about age. As long as they’re male and unmarried. It doesn’t matter if he’s a young man or a minor.”
“So, you’re saying your son met with Carla?”
Lily couldn't help but imagine a very disturbing scene.
“Yes, that’s right. He said nothing happened, though. He didn’t seem ashamed or anything. But he was clearly smitten with her. He even came to me and said, ‘The Headmaster is a very good person.’”
It was unusual for a minor to react that way after an unintentional sexual encounter. Even boys tended to want to hide it.
‘So, she can completely enthrall someone mentally, even without any physical contact.’
Honestly, Lily thought it was entirely possible. After all, she had done similar things herself.
…Although never to a minor.
“Carla wants to gain knowledge about devils, and your son thinks she’s a good person.”
“To him, it must have seemed like Carla was looking for ways to protect herself against devils.”
“Did Aias have knowledge about devils?”
“Yes, to some extent. Countermeasures against the 72 devils are important in the Agoris Continent.”
This conversation, the sense of discomfort she felt from Carla’s actions…
“……Is the knowledge that Aias possesses so special? To the point where Carla would have to risk suspicion to obtain it?”
“As expected of you. We find that suspicious as well.”
“Carla doesn’t know anything about devils that most people on the Agoris Continent don’t already know. She can’t distinguish between knowledge obtained from literature, folklore passed down by word of mouth, and top-secret information.”
Lily and Arald knew of such cases.
They were a perfect example.
“Carla is different from us.”
“She’s either not from this continent, or she’s a devil herself.”