Hunter and Mad Scien Chapter 25

"S-sorry. I shouldn't be talking about such things when we've just t. I don't know why I'm acting like this either."

Trying to let out so of what was inside made it impossible to hold back. Tears dripped down and pooled on her fists.

Esperanza watched this scene quietly, then rested her chin on her knees. Looking at this pitiful child, it seed wrong to bring up the Mabelwood story.

'What happened to this child after the Monster Crisis?'

After those ominous incidents erupted throughout all of Osdern. It didn't seem like the haughty Dunbarton would have apologized. Did the Duke of Dunbarton at that ti get married?

"Cordelia. Do you want to beco the Duchess of Dunbarton?"

"No!"

Cordelia shouted angrily.

"O-once upon a ti, it was my dream. It was my future. But they insulted Mabelwood. I don't want to form ties with such a family again."

"Then what do you want?"

"I......"

The hesitating girl whispered.

"I don't know right now. Marriage isn't urgent yet, and for now I want to stay as I am. I'm not sure about anything else."

"Do you want Mabelwood's honor restored?"

"It would be good if it happened, but it's impossible unless the missing people return. ......Actually, even if honor isn't restored, I do wish the missing people would co back."

"Those people are probably dead."

"......I suppose so."

Both of them smiled bitterly. It was a fact they knew but was difficult to say.

"If my guess is correct, it won't be sothing that only happens in Mabelwood either."

"Then......?"

The direction of the wind changed. A strange premonition flowed like electricity down her spine.

A strange woman who appeared through the introduction of a strange man. Her appearance seed crafted by God himself, and her force was extraordinary even to Cordelia's untrained eye. Since she said she ca from Paolun, perhaps she had learned their mysterious martial arts. She seed to sll of blood sohow, but it wasn't frightening.

That strange woman spoke. Bathed fully in the night's moonlight, shining from head to toe.

"The sa thing might happen here in Nine Holder within a year. When that ti cos, no one will disparage Mabelwood as ominous."

Like a god of misfortune had co to deliver a curse. Cordelia gripped her skirt hem until it wrinkled.

In dreams so days, she had thought such things. 'Could you have said the sa if such things had happened in your lands?' Such wicked thoughts. But she hadn't really wanted it. It would be better if such things never happened again.

"If my guess is correct, that is. There's sothing Lord Avondale and I are investigating together. I'm thinking that perhaps the Mabelwood incident might be connected to what we're looking for."

"......Esperanza, I don't know who you are, but if you find what you're looking for, will you prevent such tragedies from happening?"

"I'm not a god."

It was an answer that seed to pierce right through Cordelia's heart. The girl who had drawn a sharp breath looked back at Esperanza with bright eyes. Esperanza was still sitting languidly, swinging her feet in dance shoes. In this person's hands, even the incident that had shaken Cordelia's life would seem light and easy.

"I can't stop everything. But I won't stand by and watch even when I know."

The strength slowly drained from the hands gripping the wrinkled skirt hem. Esperanza, still resting her chin on her hand, only turned her head to look up at Cordelia and said:

"In that sense, would it be alright to ask for your cooperation in investigating the Mabelwood incident?"

"......I'll help as much as I can."

"Thank you, Cordelia."

That answer sounded so affectionate that Cordelia caught her breath. Until then, she hadn't even known she had been holding her breath.

'Did it work?'

Esperanza glanced at Cordelia with a dubious feeling. The night was cold, and the lancholy eighteen-year-old girl was difficult to handle.

To relieve stress, there needed to be impact, but Esperanza, who had given up magic at the basic stage because she didn't like the feel of it, could only use one or two basic spells. The unexpected luck of saving Cordelia from danger. The beautiful night garden and the party noise appropriately distant.

The atmosphere helped.

A bit of mystery, a bit of authority. That was enough to seduce Cordelia. Of course, she intended to pay a fair price for it.

Dungeons had no cause or warning signs, so she couldn't prove that the accident wasn't an ominous event, but she could tell her that it didn't happen because Mabelwood was ominous and that everyone would soon know that fact.

Was that really good news? She wasn't sure about that.

"Let's get up now."

Cordelia smiled and stood up from her seat. They crossed the garden where even owl sounds seed audible and stood in front of the greenhouse door. Cordelia threw open the door. The sounds of the party poured out through the small gap.

It felt like she would be swept away by the noise.

This was sothing she hadn't felt when first entering. The greenhouse was much larger than she had thought, and the people filling that greenhouse, the music, conversation, and boisterous laughter.

She felt like she might lose her mind. She suddenly beca extrely tired in just a mont.

Cordelia, who had been holding Esperanza's hand until just now, received a call from so lady over there and ran away like flying. Esperanza, who had no particular person to et, leaned against the pillar by the door.

Having thought she had finished her business, even her last interest in this party faded away. It had been a good party, but Esperanza wasn't the party type to begin with, and she didn't want to fit into their society. She preferred dungeon conquests to mingling with people.

So it didn't matter that she stood alone. She might stand out a bit, but she was used to attention anyway. In the ga, she always carried gazes with her, and that was the sa even at parties held in the royal palace.

"Who is that?"

If only it weren't for the voice that ruthlessly stabbed at unknown weaknesses.

"Do you know that young lady?"

"No. I've never seen her before."

"She's been standing there like that since earlier."

It wasn't malicious. Really pure curiosity, or perhaps goodwill tinged with slight concern. But in this enormous party hall, among countless crowds, Esperanza suddenly thought that this mont of being alone might not be by choice.

A person who always has soone to return to isn't afraid of being alone. Esperanza was such a person. Because she had always been that way, she mistook herself for still being that way.

But in here, was there anyone who knew ''?

Who I am, or at least who 'Esperanza' is. Even if I ran out of this party hall right now, could I return to such a person?

She didn't know what to do with the sudden feeling of floating that rushed over her. Standing blankly as if drifting, counting only the tile patterns on the floor like an unwelco guest, she raised her head.

'Cider Claiborne!'

Right. That man was there. She had suddenly been swept up in lancholy emotions and forgotten completely. He was the only one in this world who knew who 'Esperanza' was.

But where the hell is he?

The face she usually saw for half a day was nowhere to be seen when she tried to find it. She thought she'd be able to find him quickly because of his conspicuous appearance. But in a place with this many people, even his height that was more than half a head taller than other n, even his brilliant golden hair, was buried and invisible.

He surely wouldn't have left

behind. Since he said he disliked high society, he wouldn't have just left because he was tired and annoyed. Though he was self-centered, he definitely maintained proper courtesy. Rather, he was conservative in such matters, so she could trust him.

Then he should appear right now—where the hell is he and what is he doing?

Esperanza walked across the party hall, busily turning her head. Gazes t and fell away. In here, there was no one who knew 'famous Hunter' Esperanza. She was just an unnad lady attending the party. So gazes clung persistently, but most fell away soon as they usually do when seeing sothing unknown.

"Esperanza."

Then a familiar voice pierced her ear. When she turned her head unusually dramatically, she saw the face Esperanza had been looking for. It was an unmistakable appearance.

"Where were you?"

"There was a drunk person, so I took him to the mansion."

"Lord Avondale, that's not like your personality to help with such things."

"That's true, but aren't you being too definitive?"

"Am I right though?"

He lightly raised and lowered his shoulders. Silent affirmation.

"I'll tell you the details later, but I succeeded for now."

When she mouthed 'Mabelwood,' Cider's eyes widened.

"Already? I thought you'd have to go back and forth several tis."

Actually, she was quite popular with girls under twenty. Whether as a Hunter or personally. Luck helped too.

But she couldn't really say she was 'lucky' about what had happened to Cordelia, so Esperanza just nodded.

"That's good."

"Are we going back now?"

He shook his head briefly.

"There are still appointnts left on your dance card."

Ah. Was that so? She had forgotten completely. She stared intently at the eighth line where the na George Byron was written.

If not for you, I could go ho.

"Avondale, you're here now?"

"Thanks to soone running away saying they had a dance appointnt."

"Haha...... Did you get Lord Welbare ho safely?"

"By now he wouldn't know if soone carried him away."

A passing gentleman exchanged brief conversation with Cider as if they knew each other. Esperanza watched this from the side and greeted him when his gaze reached her. Cider introduced him, and they too conversed within the bounds of propriety.

The unpleasant floating feeling had disappeared, but traces remained. Such a feeling—she had never felt it in her life. The feeling of being completely isolated from the world and left alone.

As the gentleman called over alumni and their dance partners, people crowded around. Esperanza fidgeted with the buttons on Cider's coat that were within reach of her hand, half-listening.

"......Esperanza?"

"Yes."

"You're currently tearing at my sleeve."

Only then did she realize. Esperanza was gripping his formal wear sleeve tightly to prevent him from leaving. Almost crushing it. Looking into his eyes, she slowly, without regret, let go. Seeing Cider's brow furrow along with his wrinkled sleeve hem was even sowhat satisfying.

"This is all because of you."

It was a random statent.

"What is?"

The suddenly accused party asked.

"......I don't know anyone here, but you abandoned

and left."

It was groundless venting.