Ah, it was embarrassing.
I was so relieved to have left the cake shop I felt like flopping down on the spot.
Just as I wished, I was accompanied to my favorite café. It was terrible how unbelievably sweet Freed was there.
Even that aside, he's a rarely seen beauty. With female customers unable to take their eyes off Freed, without minding at all he attacked me with all his might.
Scooping a piece of cake with a hand is the default attack you often hear about, but having it done in practice the damage my spirit incurred is enormous.
I was already in the near-death condition from his regretful blow, still Freed mercilessly finished me. It was clear the surroundings listened attentively, yet he rapidly fired sweet words.
In the end, I had no idea how the cheesecake tasted like.
Really, what a waste.
"Isn't the general store this way?"
While lost in thoughts, I raised my face at Freed's voice.
Because we talked about the general store in advance, it seems he's read the materials beforehand. The route is as he says, still I shook my head.
"No. We'll go around there"
"Is that so? I think this way will be closer"
I decided to explain the reason to Freed, who tilted his head in puzzlement.
Certainly, normally you'd use the shortcut. It's natural he finds it strange.
"Err, that's certainly right, but if we take this way, we'll pass by that sort of place. That's why I don't want to use it much"
It's a place I don't have too fond memories of. That's why when I said I want to avoid it, Freed seemed to intuitively notice right away.
"That sort of, it couldn't be a brothel? I recall it was mentioned in the materials?"
Ignoring Freed who was thinking back on the documents he seemed to have read thoroughly, I strongly pulled his hand. Of course, not in the shortcut's direction. Pulled by me, Freed obediently followed.
"I'm surprised you know such a place"
After walking for a while, Freed who moved up to my side asked me. Expecting that, I obediently nodded.
"I guess. Over there is an establishment where many women who suffer from debt have to resort to selling themselves. Not to nobles, but to working class people who don't have much money, like merchants or adventures. That's why it's a famous place in town, but I guess most nobles don't know about it. What Freed knows is the brothel with the flashy gate that specializes in nobles on the other side, right?"
"Ah, yeah. I know about it"
Saying so Freed made a serious face and appealed "I've never used it".
Even though I don't particularly doubt him, Freed expressly appealing was so funny I laughed.
"I know that. A person who would use it wouldn't go to masquerade balls… Back to the story, a little while ago various things happened around there, that's why I know of it"
"Various?"
With Freed curiously looking at me, after thinking a little I decided to talk.
The other party is Freed, I don't think I need to mind.
Holding hands we walked along the riverside with few people around. The riverside in winter is a bit cold. As my body trembled, Freed who noticed it laughed a little and put our joined hands in the pocked of his coat. I felt bashful as we look exactly like a pair of lovers when doing stuff like this.
"When I say various things, well, they're connected to Older Brother… Haven't you heard? That's the brothel Older Brother used to go"
"Alex did?"
Although it felt a little shameful, without any resistance I continued talking as if it was nothing. Hearing the contents of the talk, Freed stared at me with a surprised expression.
Nodding to him, I recalled the matter back then.
About a year and a half ago, a while after I made curry a hit.
When I was absentmindedly sitting at the counter seat in the shop, from the round table near I heard a voice of a woman slightly older than me whose defining feature was a mole under her eye.
The slightly high-pitched voice characteristic to women carries well, even if I didn't mean to listen I ended up doing it.
"So, recently a generous man has been visiting"
"Hee? Visiting you?"
The woman who talked was considerably alluring, but the woman who answered was also very sexy.
While thinking I don't see them around much, I listened to them without really meaning to.
"Unfortunately, it's the newcomer, Annie, who he visits. But every time he comes, he leaves a large amount of money. He says he'd be distracted if other customers were there, so to keep them out of the establishment he brings enough money to buy every woman inside. Shopkeeper does exactly as told by him. When the man comes, we don't have to take customers, so it's a great help"
The woman who heard that shook her head in disbelief.
"So there's a man like that. The world hasn't abandoned you yet, has it. Is he a rich merchant or something?"
"I think he's a noble. He's still a young man. Annie was his favorite from the start, these days he comes almost every day"
"A noble? Don't say foolish things. If he's a noble, there's a specialized brothel on the other side. Who'd want to go to the dreary establishment for the lowest class by choice"
"But, he's a really good man. I can't see him as a merchant. He's got violet eyes and straight silver hair, and casually wears formal clothes made of first-class fabrics I've never seen before"
Pfft!!
I thought I'd spurt out the water I was drinking.
Violet eyes, silver hair. Casually wearing formal clothes made out of first-class fabrics… Being reminded of somebody, I seriously pricked my ears up. I have a bad feeling about this. I have nothing but a bad feeling about this.
"Hmmm. Have you heard his name?"
"He used the name Lucas, but it's probably a pseudonym"
"!! Cough… cough cough"
This time I choked.
Water got stuck in my throat from the shocking words.
While I suffered from a coughing fit, Lars came from behind the counter with a worried face.
"Are, are you okay? Master"
"I, I'm fine. Sorry, but could you perchance ignore it"
When I signaled with my hand to leave it alone, despite his confusion Lars nodded.
"Ye, yeah. If something happened, you can tell me, okay?"
"Thanks"
Shooing off Lars I once again concentrated on their voices. Luckily, they seemed immersed in the talk and didn't notice my suspicious behavior.
Or rather, it's Brother. There's no mistaking it. I wasn't sure, but the name confirmed it.
What's more, to use the name 'Lucas'! Isn't that Father's name.
There's a limit to overdoing things.
I breathed a little sigh so that the surroundings wouldn't hear.
I can feel my head throbbing with pain.
If it gets exposed to Father, it absolutely won't end at just a scolding.
I want to know what Brother is thinking.
However, although I expressly pricked my ears, they had already changed the subject. They continued with topics popular among young women like recently popular craftsmen or novels, and finally left their seats.
After confirming that they settled the bill and left, I flopped on the counter.
"… That stupid brother. What the hell is he doing"
Or rather, I had no idea.
So Brother's also coming to town. I'm grateful for my luck to not have an encounter with him yet, still after all I became curious about what Brother is thinking about to visit a brothel.
"Master?"
While I was pondering, worried about my state Lars once again called out to me.
It's just right, I'll ask him.
".. Lars, do you perchance visit the brothel?"
"! What's this out of nowhere!!"
When I asked absentmindedly, Lars acted suspiciously to the utmost. From his behavior I can guess he isn't an inexperienced person. He's also a healthy, adult man. That sort of thing is also necessary.
"It's not like there's anything wrong with it. That's not it, I wonder where it is. It'd be dangerous if I lost my way by mistake, right?"
When I nonchalantly said something like that, Lars pressed down his chest and let out a large breath.
"Ah, that surprised me. I wondered why you brought it up… Well, because you're you, you'll likely get lost carelessly, Master. Is it safe to know such a place"
He seemed to say a rude remark, but feeling generous I ignored it.
Now's not the time for retorts.
"Could you perchance teach me?"
"Ah, yeah"
I directed eyes that allow no refusal at him, but still sweetly smiled.
Thus, after slightly forcibly getting Lars to tell me the detailed location, I decided to go see Brother visit the brothel.
"―――― And well, that's how I got caught up with Older Brother's mess…"
Skillfully replacing curry with a café close by I explained Freed the situation. Hearing it, he muttered that it's the first time he hears it"
"I had no idea"
"It's because he's Older Brother. He won't say it without reason, and as soon as it's over he'll forget it"
"Well, so it's because he's Alex. Certainly"
As Freed agreed with a bitter face, I dryly smiled at how he also has a good grasp on Brother's character. Brother, who has a relatively fickle character, tends to change interests from one to another. People who have to go along with that deserve sympathy.
"That's how I know the brothel's location. Convinced?"
After finishing the simple explanation, I felt like the talk was over, but with a frown Freed said displeasedly.
"I'm convinced, but did you go to such a place alone? Wasn't it dangerous"
"He?"
There?
Freed is staring at me with a slightly angry expression.
In a fluster, I began justifying myself.
"Err, I haven't done anything dangerous? Because I became friends with a few women working in the brothel I was able to have them cooperate in various ways"
"That doesn't matter. There might have been men who thought unpardonable things, right? Lidi is so cute. You can't know whose eye you may catch"
"No, isn't it an exaggeration"
No matter how you look at it, he's too biased. When I said so exasperated, tightly grasping my hand Freed strongly rebuked me.
"Don't ever get close to places like that alone, okay? I can't stand my precious Lidi possibly being put in danger"
"Eh? Ah, yup"
Seeing his overly worried face, I reflexively nodded.
Seeing me like this, Freed seemed more or less convinced, and finally returned to the subject.
"So in the end, what did that Alex do? It's him. It wasn't just simple brothel visits, right?"
"Simply put, the story is Older Brother helped a girl who was deceived and sold to the brothel. Well, how should I put it, with this and various other reasons… I don't want to get involved with Older Brother from the bottom of my heart"
Recalling that case, my look became distant.
Several months after that case, Brother departed for the territory. Probably it was exposed to Father.
I was delighted to have a moment of peace, but that Brother had the nerve to easily return after a year.
I seriously wish he had quietly stayed over there for longer.
"Did Alex do something?"
I returned no to Freed's calm question.
"Nothing really direct. But I'd hate if it was exposed to Brother that I know this story, so if you want to hear the details ask him directly over alcohol. I think he'll spill it quite easily if it's you, Freed"
Brother trusts Freed.
Brother is a person cold to those who don't lower their guard, but he's thoroughly soft on those who've gained his trust.
If you get him drunk, I think he'll easily talk.
"Hmm… Seems interesting. I'll try asking the next time"
"Ah… And we've arrived"
While talking, we've arrived at the general store we were heading to.
Freed too stopped talking and came to a halt.
"It's here, huh. That's the general shop popular with locals?"
"Yup, trends around here start from this shop"
On the days off young girls gather in the shop in great numbers, but today everybody is working. Probably there won't be such a crowd.
"Same as the café before, it's the shop I'd never discover by myself. It feels fresh"
"If you find such places difficult to be in, it's fine to stay outside?"
When I've been with Will, that's what he's done from the start.
Seeming completely embarrassed, Will has not once tried entering, saying "I'm fine. I'll be waiting outside".
Recalling that I tried asking out of kindness, but Freed lightly shook his head.
"No, I'll go. I want to see what kind of place it is, since it's more or less an inspection. Or would it be better if I didn't go?"
"No. Not really. I'll be able to look around at ease since I won't be thinking that I'm keeping you waiting. But is it really okay?"
"It's fine. I said I'll keep Lidi company today, right?"
"Company…"
The sweet smile Freed directed at me shot through my heart.
I can feel my heart beat hard from the intense stimulus.
… What a wastefully handsome man.
To deal devastating damage to the other party with just a smile, what kind of offensive ability is that.
How miraculously efficient my maidenly filter is. Like this I won't last!
"The, then let's get in"
Jerkily opening the door I looked back at Freed. I'm aware my smile twitched slightly.
I thought Freed who was awfully satisfied seeing me like this was just a little hateful.