Let’s Start Part 2 of this Ruined Work

    “……I'm saving it for later. You also need to be patient to get bigger gains.”
    “You are also very thoughtful. Then this thing shouldn't leak out. To explode later at a decisive moment. I understand. I’ll thoroughly crack down on the mouths of eyewitnesses.”

    I looked pitifully at the butler, who was convinced by himself and was responsible for future settlements.

    Adrian had ruined an old man.

    “Luna, if you want anything, tell the butler.”
    “Pardon? I just did what I had to do…….”
    “How dare you ignore the prize I give you?”
    “N, no! It can't be! I'll think about it carefully and let you know! Thank you very much, Master!”

    Luna waved her hand and approached cautiously. She then knelt down in front of me and put the slippers on neatly.

    I put on my slippers with a nightgown.

    “I don't feel good because I sweated a lot. Prepare the bath water.”
    “…….”

    Somehow Luna was lost in thought.

    Ehem! When the butler cleared his throat, she was startled and did not know what to do.

    “I’m, I’m sorry! If, if you tell me what, what you said just one more time…….”

    Terrified, Luna shook like an aspen tree. Seeing her pitiful appearance, the butler quietly helped her.

    “Luna, Master told you to prepare the bath water.”
    “Yes! I understand! I'll prepare it right away!”

    Luna's back was wet with sweat as she headed to the bathroom.

    ‘I think she had something to tell me…… Did I see it wrong?’
 

* * *

    The maintenance, which lasted for an hour and a half, was finally over. Only two hours after I woke up, I was desperate for a bed again.

    “Hand mirror.”
    “Here you are, Master.”

    I received a hand mirror from Luna and carefully examined my face and neck.

    My throat was choked right before I passed out, so there should have been spot bleeding on my face and bruises in the shape of handprints on my neck. And as I fell, I rubbed my elbow and face, so there must have been a scar there too.

    But my body was clean without any wounds.

    ‘This must also be the power of Piace.’

    Ordinary priests had to go through the process of memorizing prayers to demonstrate their divine power. If there were many wounds, the prayer must be repeated several times, and if the wound was deep, the prayer was prolonged.

    As far as I know, Owen was the only priest who could heal the entire body in one prayer.

    ‘Even Owen could only heal the trauma…….’

    Piace healed both trauma and disease at the same time with just the act of touching her fingers.

    ‘Piace's too young and nice for the power she possesses. The role of a comrade to protect the child from being swayed is important.’

    I needed information about Piace. What kind of relationship did she have with Adrian, and did she know what kind of power she had.

    “Butler, prepare a report on Piace. There's something I need to check.”
    “I understand.”

    It must have been a sudden order, but the butler didn't even question it. Moreover, he was competent and completed the report in half a day.

    “Master, the report you ordered in the morning has been completed. Would you like to review it?”
    “Bring it here.”

    After a while, the butler held out a report with a brief title written on it.

    <Piace Ibrante>

    It was a report that summarized Piace's information. When I turned over the first page, it was classified by age.

    ‘Name Piace Ibrante, of the Ibrante family…… Huh? She was a ward?’

    Surprisingly, Piace was registered as a ward of the family by Adrian about five months ago.

    What kind of change of heart did Adrian, with such personality, have to decide to support her?

    I tilted my head and finished reading.

    ‘She’s five years old. Her birthday is…… Huh? There's not much time left.’

    That was great. If it was her birthday, she wouldn't think it was strange if I gave her a present. I smiled silently and turned over the papers.

    ‘Kkeuh, was she the prettiest kid in the orphanage? Five nobles who regularly sponsored, and the record of requesting adoption, what? 33? Wow, there were so many families who wanted our Piace. But the director rejected all of them? Hmm…….’

    Piace was approved for adoption at the age of three. The place of adoption was the family of Marquis Molton. He had a good reputation and currently had a seven-year-old only daughter.

    “……Finished?”

    There were only three lines in the record of adoption. Since then, the entire record had been missing, and it started again at the age of four.

    “That's it? A record from three to four years old?”
    “There is no record because she was adopted.”
    “So, is this the only information? She's not just an ordinary child, she's the family's official ward?”
    “Ah…… I sent someone to contact the family's employees, but it was reported that all of them were unsuccessful. Loyalty seems strong.”
    “Butler, I don't want to hear excuses now.”
    “I'm sorry. I'll ask the information guild today. Maybe it's different through an expert.”

    I turned over the report without an answer.

    -Mutism persists for 1 year.
    -Diagnosis of enuresis. Show personality changes.
    -Change from mutism to severe stuttering. Depression findings.
    -Underweight due to reduced food intake. Nutritional management required.
    -Officially registered as a ward of the Ibrante family.

    No record of Piace healing anyone was found anywhere.

    They're all good. What's wrong with the record after the breakup?

    ‘Did anything happen at the adoptive home? I feel like this must have been abused…….’

    When I continued the ominous imagination, suddenly, I heard the butler's voice.

    “So how do…… Master, are you listening?”
    “……What did you say??”
    “The academy has been encouraging Miss Piace to enroll. This is their second contact, how do I handle it?.”

    Academy? I looked up.

    “When was the first contact?”
    “As soon as she was registered as a ward of the family, they immediately sent an application for admission.”

    I reviewed the report again.

    The date Piace was registered as a ward of the Ibrante family was about five months ago. Subsequent records were related to the child's health. Thanks to this, the child was in good health, even though she was small. But there was no learning record at all. Even though Piace was almost six years old.

    “Do you remember why I delayed the admission at that time?”
    “You never said a specific reason. However, after Master took Miss Piace from the orphanage, your health has not been good.”
    “Ah, I remember now. I put off all the problems with Piace because I'm not feeling well.”

    I closed the report, then I tapped it with my finger and asked.

    “Can a five-year-old attend the academy?”
    “Currently, one can apply for admission from the age of 5.”

    I didn't ask about the age at which one could enter. I thought it might be too early.

    “Master was 7 years old when you went to school, but it has gotten a lot lower. I heard that the age of admission was adjusted a few years ago at the request of the aristocrats.”

    My ears twitched for an instant.

    ‘Did Adrian go to the academy?’

    This was a great opportunity to learn about Adrian. I rummaged through the report, pretending I wasn't interested at all.

    “How is the academy these days? Is it similar to when I was going?”
    “The status is much higher. Most of the aristocratic children in the capital attend the academy. It's a good opportunity to expand your network from a young age and establish a relationship with the royal family. Isn't the academy the reason why Master became close to him?”
    “……!”

    The person the butler spoke of must be the prince. The current ages of the princes flashed in my mind at the speed of light.

    First Prince 29 years old, Second Prince 26 years old, Third Prince 25 years old. Which of the three is he talking about?

    “Aren't the current supporters of the prince also divided into friendships made at the academy? Ah, except for the Third Prince who quit halfway through.”

    My head was spinning. The reason Leonhart had to quit the academy…….

    ‘It must have been because of asthma.’

    “I can't remember, but was I close with the Third Prince?”
    “He was more of an interest than a friend.”

    I guess Leonhart wasn't the royal family with who I got close at the academy.

    “You wanted to know his every move.”
    “……Huh?”
    “In particular, you were very interested in the friendship of the Third Prince. It was to the extent that you set aside time every day to read reports on it.”
    “…….”
    “Even after the Third Prince quit the academy, you sent someone over to check on his surroundings.”

    Isn't that…… a background check?

    “At that time, rumors spread that the Third Prince had severe asthma and would die soon. So at the time, Master instructed me to contact the attendants of the Third Prince's Palace. It seems that you said that parental health is a very important issue considering succession.”
    “Succession…….”
    “It's because you pointed out the Third Prince as the one who would marry into the family. Of course, you must have had his successor in mind as well.”

    Didn't you say Adrian has been attending the academy since she was seven? What kind of husband did she choose at that age?

    An ominous feeling crossed my mind.

    “Until when did I do that?”
    “Until the Third Prince volunteers for the Demon King Expedition, hmm…… It's been like that for about 12 years.”
    “12 years…….”
    “If the Third Prince hadn't joined the expedition at that time, he would have been married into our family by now.”

    No wonder Leonhart hated Adrian to death.

    ‘Because he was stalked for 12 years!’