Chapter 289: Infiltration Method into the Mansion
First, we needed to investigate the entire mansion. From the outside, the house was surrounded by walls, making it impossible to see inside. The front gate was closed, and through the gaps in the bars, a somewhat overgrown garden was visible.
The three-story building appeared to have around ten rooms, and while there were no horses in sight, stables could be seen.
“I sense there are four people inside the mansion,” I relayed the results of my Presence Detection to everyone.
“…Isn’t that a bit too few?” Jector remarked, raising an eyebrow.
“With a mansion of this size, you’d expect a butler and a few maids, along with a cook and a gardener,” El added, her voice knowledgeable as expected from a maid.
“At this time of day, they probably haven’t gone out, so I think four is the total number,” I concluded.
Jector seemed surprised by our accurate estimate, but it aligned with his own findings.
“So, what do we do now?” Ivan asked, crossing his arms and gazing up at the mansion.
“If there are only four people, we could storm in and check each one, but… it could complicate things if Kaede-san isn’t here,” I replied.
“That’s true. Right now, they are just unrelated strangers, but they could easily turn into enemies,” El noted, her expression serious.
It would be troublesome if they stopped sharing information with us.
“Should we just go to the front and announce that we’re looking for someone?” I suggested, resting my chin on my hand as I pondered.
El tilted her head in confusion. “With your skills, Master, couldn’t you infiltrate without being noticed?”
At her words, Rio and I exchanged glances.
“That’s true. If we cast a soundproof Barrier, we wouldn’t make a sound,” I agreed.
“And if things go south, we could always Teleport out from anywhere,” El added.
“Then let’s go with a dual approach,” I decided.
“Understood.”
“I’ll approach the mansion directly, saying I’m looking for someone. Rio, you sneak inside and confirm the identities of the people inside.”
“Okay. But what if Kaede-chan is there?” Rio asked.
“There’s a chance she might cooperate, so let’s hold off on direct contact for now. It shouldn’t be too hard to bring her out if she’s here, but for now, we’ll just confirm her presence,” I explained.
“Got it.”
With our immediate plan set, we focused back on the mansion.
“Hmm, it seems like we won’t be of much help this time…” Ivan’s voice came from behind, and when I turned, I saw him smiling wryly as he placed a hand on Phonia’s head.
“I feel the same…” Phonia said, her ears drooping sadly.
“Hehe, Phonia-chan, when your time comes, I’ll be counting on you, so please do your best then,” I reassured her.
“Okay,” she replied, her mood lifting slightly from the gentle pat.
“Shall we just wander around the town? As long as it’s not the Mimina Trading Company, we can shop,” Ivan suggested.
“Ah, I guess I’ll do that then… But why is the Mimina Trading Company off-limits?” I asked.
“Let’s just say there was a bit of a ruckus with that company,” Ivan replied, his expression turning slightly awkward.
I understood why he wouldn’t have a good impression of that place.
“I don’t really get it, but okay. Contact me later. Nil, do you want to come with us?” I asked.
“Woof!”
“Then I’ll follow Shu,” El said, surprising me.
“Is that so?” I wondered what she was planning.
“If someone with a servant visits, they’ll take us more seriously,” she explained.
That made sense. It was true that I had often been underestimated due to my age, so perhaps having El with me would help.
“Alright, let’s all get moving. Thank you for the guidance, Jector.”
“Oh, no. I’m glad I could be of help,” he replied.
With that, El and I headed toward the mansion’s entrance, while the others dispersed to carry out their tasks.
El led the way, opening the front gate and walking ahead. I followed her as she knocked on the door, but there was no response. I sensed a single person moving anxiously inside, so I figured someone would come out soon.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! How may I assist you?” an elderly maid exclaimed, breathless as she appeared. Her hair was a mix of white and blonde, and she exuded an air of someone who had seen their share of hardships.
“This is Lord Shu, an S Rank Adventurer. We’re looking for someone and would like to speak with Lady Riflesia,” I stated.
“…S Rank!?” she gasped.
After El mentioned my rank, I produced my Adventurer’s Certificate from around my neck and showed it to her. It seemed that being an S Rank held weight even in situations like this.
“Y-Yes! Please wait a moment while I confirm!” she stammered before hurriedly retreating into the mansion.
“Is there really no one to escort guests to the reception room?” El sighed, clearly exasperated. Given the number of people we had sensed, it was no surprise.
“That maid might be the only one here, and she could even be doubling as the cook,” I speculated.
“I’ve spotted a maid heading deeper into the mansion. It doesn’t seem like she’s Kaede-chan,” Rio informed us through Telepathic Communication.
“That’s the maid who welcomed us. It looks like she’s going to inform the lady about our arrival,” I replied.
“I’ll check on that first,” Rio confirmed.
“Thanks.”
After a short while, Rio contacted us again, confirming that she had identified the woman. While she did look older, it was undoubtedly the person from the photograph. I committed the woman’s presence to memory using Spatial Magic. That left two more to confirm.
“Thank you for your patience. Lady Riflesia will see you now. Please follow me,” the maid announced after a brief wait.
As she returned to the entrance, we stepped inside the mansion, ready to meet the lady of the house.